Local Politics · Kern County
As of Friday, Oct. 30, about 19 percent of eligible Kern County voters had cast their ballots, with election officials projecting 40 to 50 percent turnout for the midterm election. Voting ends Nov. 3: mail-in ballots must be postmarked by that date and in-person polls close at 8 p.m. Voters may also use one of 20 drop-off locations across Kern County. The article included voter interviews at Bakersfield College covering cost-of-living concerns, civic participation, and access to voter information guides.
Local Politics · McFarland, CA
Sen. Alex Padilla and Rep. Jim Costa arrived unannounced at the ICE detention facility in McFarland, California, around 11:30 a.m. Monday but were denied entry after being told officials from ICE's Fresno office needed to be present before the visit could proceed. The lawmakers cited allegations of misconduct involving ICE agents and conditions inside detention centers as their reason for arriving without notice. After roughly an hour at the facility, they left without entering. Padilla said this would have been his fifth unannounced visit to a California ICE detention facility. ICE did not respond to requests for comment on its policy regarding congressional visits.
Public Safety · Delano, CA
A student was arrested after allegedly making threats about carrying out a shooting at a school event at Chavez Collegiate High School in Delano, according to the Delano Police Department. The report came Oct. 29 at approximately 3:40 p.m. through the school's anonymous "Stop It" reporting app. Officers investigated, searched the student's home and found no guns, then booked him into the Kern County Probation Department for review. Police confirmed there is no ongoing threat to the school and encouraged community members to report concerning behavior via the Stop It app, a school administrator, or by calling Delano PD at 661-721-3377.
