Latest news with #Bakersfield
Yahoo
a day ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Foothill student to fly to Botswana, Africa as part of summer-abroad opportunity
Anaius Sanchez has never had it easy. In fact, the 17-year-old Foothill High School junior is categorized as an "underserved student," yet one whose determination and hard work is about to take him places he might only have dreamed of going otherwise. On Thursday morning at the Foothill campus in east Bakersfield, the smiling young student was flanked by Simon Ratliff, president and CEO of Mercy Hospitals of Bakersfield and Ken Keller, president and CEO of Bakersfield Memorial Hospital. The two Dignity Health executives presented an oversized $2,500 check to Sanchez, even as the student is preparing to embark in early July on a life-changing journey to the nation of Botswana in southern Africa. "Anaius perfectly exemplifies the type of student we aim to attract and support within our residency program partnership with the Morehouse School of Medicine," Keller said in a statement. "His commitment to providing culturally relevant care within local communities is truly commendable, and we are honored to support his dedication and future career in health care." This spring, Sanchez was awarded the prestigious Global Navigator Sponsorship, which supports underserved students interested in health care and public health. That's right. The young scholar hopes to one day become a physician assistant here in the southern San Joaquin Valley. Sanchez's sponsorship will cover a significant portion of the program tuition, but he still faced the challenge of raising remaining funds for tuition, expenses and airfare, Dignity Health said in a news release. "Demonstrating remarkable initiative, Anaius launched a GoFundMe page and even sold his grandmother's candied apples at school to help meet his goal," Dignity said in its release. The Foothill Alumni Association, known on campus as Trojan Nation, pitched in with a donation of $1,000 Sanchez needed for the rest of his program tuition, said association Vice President Mike Hernandez. To secure funding for his airfare, the determined Trojan reached out to Dignity Health with a compelling proposal, showcasing his dedication by sharing his story, his efforts and detailing his rigorous daily schedule and commute. Robin Mangarin-Scott, market director - Central Valley for Dignity Health, said the 17-year-old starts traveling at 6:30 a.m. each morning, taking the bus across town, 40 minutes each way, to attend the health care academy at CTEC at Ridgeview High School before coming back to Foothill to complete his regular course load. "He did everything he could with the GoFundMe page," said Mangarin-Scott. "His grandmother made candied apples three different times, but he couldn't make that $2,500 mountain he needed to climb to get the airfare. "When Anaius came to speak to the president at Memorial, he brought his transcripts. He put up a full-out push for why we should support him. And when he left, it was a no brainer." According to the website for the Council on International Educational Exchange, the U.S.-based nonprofit that organizes myriad High School Summer Abroad programs and the Global Navigator Sponsorships, a critical part of its overall mission is to "encourage and prepare students to connect and communicate across cultures and make a positive impact on society, both globally and locally." Sydney Peterson, Foothill's principal, said there are three other Foothill students who have been chosen to participate in similar Summer Abroad programs. "I grew up on the east side of town," she said. "I'm an East High School graduate, and coming back to Foothill as the principal, it reminds me of what the east side is all about. "It's good people, it's hard workers, and it's people who are truly invested in their future," Peterson said. "And that's what Anaius and our other students who applied for this program really represent. It's the dedication and desire to be invested in something beyond just their junior year, or beyond just their senior year. They are looking to the future. They really are. And it's amazing." As he prepares for the trip to Botswana, a place he's never been to on a continent he's never visited, Sanchez is excited and hopeful. "Honestly, it's a personal kind of hope," he said. "Botswana is known as the Land of Freedom. So I'm hoping that it can just really touch my heart a little, and make me aware of other people's stories, as well as, like, the hardships they go through." On July 8, he will fly from Los Angeles to London to Botswana. He expects to return July 31 a changed person.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
California Water to Acquire Casa Loma Water and Palm Mutual Water Utility Assets
The main subsidiary of California Water Service Group (NYSE:CWT), California Water Service (Cal Water), has signed contracts to buy the water utility assets of Palm Mutual Water Company and Casa Loma Water Company. An aerial view of an expansive reservoir and surrounding landscape supplying the utility's water. Casa Loma is located three miles from Cal Water's Bakersfield Operations Center and provides service to roughly 900 residents through 248 customer connections. Palm Mutual serves 63 residential clients and is situated two miles from Cal Water's Northeast Bakersfield Treatment Plant. The approval of the California Public Utilities Commission and other closing requirements are still pending for both purchases. California Water Service Group (NYSE:CWT)'s Cal Water already has an intertie with the Casa Loma system, which enables uninterrupted water delivery following acquisition. Cal Water intends to improve system infrastructure and add new connections. Palm Mutual is currently supplied by a Cal Water master meter because it does not have its own water supply sources. Cal Water plans to improve service quality by investing in infrastructure renovations. CEO Martin A. Kropelnicki of California Water Service Group (NYSE:CWT) stressed customer safety and service excellence, commenting: 'We look forward to providing our new customers the high level of service we provide to our other Bakersfield customers.' Cal Water employs 1,200 people who are dedicated to honesty, sustainability, and infrastructure, and it provides services to 2.1 million people through around 500,000 connections. While we acknowledge the potential of CWT to grow, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and have limited downside risk. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than CWT and that has 100x upside potential, check out our report about this READ NEXT: and . Disclosure. None.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
East Bakersfield neighbors advocate traffic safety after bicyclist is struck by a car, hospitalized
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — A tragic bike crash on Wednesday sent an 11-year-old boy to the hospital with critical injuries. The boy went to Jefferson Elementary School in east Bakersfield, nearby the community vigil Thursday night, where neighbors prayed for a speedy recovery. The tragic crash happened Wednesday, just before 5 p.m. Police said the boy was riding his bike east on Quincy Street when the driver of a silver sedan struck him in the intersection of Quincy and Owens streets. The prayer service was held at the intersection with neighbors and Jefferson elementary community members joining hands. Danielle Marks, a neighbor, lead the service. 'The mother was on FaceTime with us and she let us know he just got out of surgery. They were able to reconstruct his face which at first we heard that more than likely wasn't going to be happening,' said Marks. Family says motorcyclist's remains found at scene weeks after CHP pursuit resulted in his death Police say that the driver was not speeding or impaired. The posted speed limit is 25 miles per hour. However, Yvette Cardanes, who saw the crash said that there is an unsafe driving issue on this intersection. 'It had to take a careless act of somebody to be careless on this block. The speeding here is ridiculous. We have people that get off that freeway still driving almost 40-65 miles per hour on this intersection…there is no stop signs,' said Cardanes. The intersection has no marked crosswalks or stop signs and Cardanes advocated for more. 'Something needs to be done for this community by the city. We need stop signs, we need speed bumps, we need a speed limit,' said Cardanes. We reached out to Andrae Gonzales, the city council member that resides over this area if the intersection will see any improvements. He said that he will work with city staff to see if there is anything to be done and recommended community to use the city's traffic calming handbook. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Stabbing victim's cousin will advocate against domestic violence on her behalf
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) – The suspect in the shocking stabbing death of an East Bakersfield woman on May 28 was to have made his first court appearance the afternoon of May 30, but it was delayed. That did not dissuade members of the victim's family, who are determined to see some good come out of the alleged domestic violence tragedy. Rafael Estrada, estranged husband of Taylor Danay Dominguez Estrada, was expected to answer charges Friday that he fatally slashed her in front of family members Wednesday night at her mother's house. The family had just returned from a middle school graduation pizza party. Estrada, for reasons not disclosed, was a no-show in court. He remains in custody and has been re-scheduled to appear June 2. But family members were waiting for him in court Friday. So were two representatives of the Open Door Network, an anti-domestic violence organization. They met Taylor Estrada's cousin Nichoal Swenson in front of the courthouse prior to the scheduled hearing. 'The tragedy has happened but I'm not gonna let her story die,' Swenson said. 'This is a domestic violence case. This was her estranged husband. She was getting her life back. I would like anybody who's going through this to realize that this can happen to you.' Laney Fernandez of the Open Door Network said the organization can offer a couple of important services to the grieving family. 'I would hope that if the family would want us to, we'll provide therapy services for the children,' she said. '(We can also) hopefully provide some financial support if we can for grandma. I know she's going to have to take on new responsibilities.' Rafael Estrada, who goes by Ralph, has one child with Taylor Estrada, the youngest of her four. He is represented by a public defender. The defendant is accused of entering his mother-in-law's house after most family members had departed, and cutting his 32-year-old wife's throat in front of witnesses. Taylor Estrada died right there where she fell. A Sheriff's helicopter was in the area and saw 44-year-old Rafael Estrada take off in a white truck. The copter tracked Estrada, and he was stopped after a vehicle pursuit that at one point allegedly had him driving against traffic. He was apprehended in south Bakersfield with the help of a K-9. Estrada is charged with first degree murder, one count of causing injury to an elder adult, and four counts of willful cruelty to a child. 'I will advocate her story,' Swenson said. 'And I hope this helps someone. Because I'm not going to stop. I will be here every day until he goes to prison.' He was convicted in Kern County on domestic abuse charges in 2000 and 2005, and battery on a police officer in 2002. He also previously had DUI and second degree robbery charges dismissed. Between 960,000 and 3 million incidents of domestic violence are reported each year, and those are just the reported cases. It's been estimated that more than ten million people experience domestic violence in the U.S. each year. About 90 percent are women. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Climate
- Hindustan Times
Frazier Park fire: Map, location, and evacuation updates as blaze grows to 150 acres in Kern County, California
A fast-moving brush fire erupted near Frazier Park on Thursday afternoon, prompting a swift joint response from the Kern County Fire Department and the U.S. Forest Service. Fueled by dry conditions and strong winds, the blaze posed an immediate threat to nearby homes and vegetation, drawing multiple firefighting units to the scene. See the Frazier Prak fire map here. Also Read: Yellowstone to Yosemite: 10 epic national parks to explore in June 2025 The Frazier Park fire ignited in the mountainous region of Frazier Park, California, triggering a rapid emergency response. First reported just before 2 p.m. on May 29, 2025, the fire began near 1442 Frazier Mountain Park Road, close to the intersection with Cuddy Canyon Road—an area situated just east of the heart of the Frazier Park community, as reported by Bakersfield The fire quickly spread across rugged terrain, raising concerns for nearby residents and prompting swift action from both the Kern County Fire Department and the U.S. Forest Service. Also Read: Nathan Vilas Laatsch: US govt employee arrested for attempting to leak classified info to a foreign government As the Frazier Fire continues to grow, evacuation warnings have been issued for nearby communities due to its proximity to residential areas. According to The Signal Santa Clarita Valley, while no mandatory evacuations or designated shelters have been officially confirmed at this time, authorities continue to monitor the situation closely and are urging residents in the affected and surrounding areas to stay vigilant. The fast-moving nature of the Frazier Fire and its proximity to homes have prompted precautionary evacuation warnings. The evacuation warnings are still in place at this time amid the growing blaze, says the KFCD.
