Public Safety · Kern County
The National Weather Service office in Hanford, CA issued a flood watch at 1:16 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 20, valid from Wednesday at 8 a.m. through Thursday at 8 p.m. The watch covers the West Side Mountains south of Highway 198, Bakersfield, South End San Joaquin Valley, Kern River Valley, Piute Walker Basin, Tehachapi, Grapevine, Frazier Mountain Communities, Indian Wells Valley, Mojave Desert Slopes and Mojave Desert, as well as Kern and Buena Vista counties. The NWS warns of flash flooding from excessive rainfall with storms training over the same area, noting risks to rivers, creeks, low-lying areas, poor drainage zones, and urban areas. Residents in flood-prone or low-lying camping areas are urged to move to higher ground, avoid driving through floodwaters, and monitor later forecasts for potential Flash Flood Warnings.
Local Politics · Kern County
Kern County Sheriff Donny Youngblood is preparing to retire in early January, using a final interview to defend his department's record and address ongoing controversies. He discussed the ongoing review of an officer-involved shooting involving Logan Reyes, noting that body camera footage will be released after investigations conclude. Youngblood highlighted a decline in homicides, citing 14 year-to-date compared to 20 last year, while expressing frustration with compliance requirements from the U.S. Department of Justice. He also defended the use of Flock license plate-reading cameras as essential tools for locating suspects and recovering stolen vehicles.
Local Politics · Bakersfield, CA
Republican Congressman David Valadao faces a competitive reelection race in California's 27th district, which includes Bakersfield and has the highest Medicaid enrollment of any GOP-held seat. Critics attribute longer wait times for healthcare services to recent federal spending cuts, with an estimated 60,000 residents in his district losing coverage. Valadao voted for the One Big Beautiful Bill Act last year, a measure projected to reduce federal health spending by hundreds of billions. The district is considered a toss-up, with both parties investing heavily in advertising as voters weigh healthcare impacts against local issues like water and agriculture.
Crime · Bakersfield, CA
Bakersfield Police arrested a 16-year-old male juvenile on Tuesday, Oct. 20, at approximately 2:40 p.m., following a deadly police shooting the previous week. The incident occurred near the 1000 block of Pacheco Road in southeast Bakersfield on Wednesday, Oct. 14, where officers attempted to contact two men who fled and shots were fired. One man, identified as 23-year-old Daniel James Ruiz, was killed during the encounter. The juvenile suspect surrendered and was booked into Kern County Juvenile Hall on a warrant for weapons charges.
Crime · Bakersfield, CA
A restraining order was granted to KBAK morning weather anchor Aaron Joel Perlman against 46-year-old Thomashana Renee Zeigler, who is accused of shooting at the KBAK TV station in Bakersfield on Oct. 9 and again on Oct. 13. Bakersfield Police responded to both incidents; during the second, investigators found multiple bullet strikes on the building and recovered 11 shell casings from a handgun. Zeigler was arrested Oct. 15 and arraigned Tuesday afternoon facing four felony charges, including shooting at an inhabited dwelling and vandalism of $400 or more. A public defender entered a not guilty plea, and a judge ordered her held without bail. She is due back in court for a preliminary hearing on Oct. 30.
Community brief · Bakersfield, CA
23ABC is hosting a drive-thru donation event for its Community Baby Shower on November 19 from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. at 23ABC Studios in Downtown Bakersfield. The collected items will benefit families assisted by the Bakersfield Pregnancy Center and The Mission at Kern County. Donations can also be dropped off at various locations across Bakersfield, including churches, schools, and businesses.
