Bakersfield - CalMatters

Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-California, waits for the results of a twelfth ballot for the speakership on the fourth day of the 118th Congress at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 06, 2023. Photo by Craig Hudson for Sipa USA, via Reuters

What Kern County and California can expect from House Speaker Kevin McCarthy

by Guest Commentary January 9, 2023January 8, 2023

With Bakersfield Republican Kevin McCarthy as House Speaker, voters in Kern County and across California can expect more theatrics and little relief for our most pressing issues.

State Sen. Melissa Hurtado, a Bakersfield Democrat, bows her head in prayer before session at the state Capitol in Sacramento on Jan, 4, 2023. Photo by Rahul Lal for CalMatters

Why 20 votes matter in California, Washington, D.C.

by Emily Hoeven January 5, 2023January 5, 2023

Volunteers are trained for going door-to-door to advocate for Republican candidates in the Republican National Committee office in Bakersfield on Oct. 14, 2022. Photo by Larry Valenzuela, CalMatters/CatchLight LocalVolunteers are trained for going door-to-door to advocate for Republican candidates in the Republican National Committee office in Bakersfield on Oct. 14, 2022. Photo by Larry Valenzuela, CalMatters/CatchLight Local

Inside California’s overlooked political powerhouse

by Emily Hoeven October 21, 2022October 21, 2022

Kern County Democrats get ready to canvass voters in Bakersfield at a kickoff event at the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers on Oct. 15, 2022. Photo by Larry Valenzuela, CalMatters/CatchLight Local

This is California’s most fiercely contested political turf

by Ben Christopher and Ariel Gans October 20, 2022December 14, 2022

A memorial is set up on the corner of Foothill Road and Morning Drive for 17-year-old Jose Flores in east Bakersfield on Nov. 16, 2021. Flores was stabbed and killed in a fight near Foothill High School in January of last year. Photo by Larry Valenzuela for CalMatters

‘Devil on the loose’: What’s behind Kern County’s soaring homicide rate?

by Nigel Duara December 1, 2021December 1, 2021

California Capitol, home of the Assembly and Senate. Photo by Anne Wernikoff for CalMatters

Is a mini-bullet train worth the cost?

by Dan Walters February 10, 2021February 9, 2021

How the remote work revolution could change California’s housing crisis

by Matt Levin December 21, 2020December 22, 2020

Trump supporters' 'train' reaches its destination at Ethel's Old Corral in Bakersfield on Oct. 24, 2020. Photo by KBAK/KBFX

As Election Day neared, conflict in Bakersfield between Trump and BLM groups intensified

by Freddy Brewster, Dereka Bennett and Injeong Kim November 5, 2020November 6, 2020

People wait in line at a Planet Fitness in Orange, CA. The gym is now functioning at about 15 percent capacity following the re-opening of a handful of franchises in Los Angeles and Orange County. Oct 8, 2020. Photo by Tash Kimmell for CalMatters.

Workout workaround: How gyms are getting themselves reclassified as ‘essential’

by Barbara Feder Ostrov October 12, 2020September 29, 2021

A delivery of state-supplied masks, face shields, no-touch thermometers, and hand sanitizer arrive for when Kern County schools are able to open for in-person instruction. Photo courtesy of Kern County Office of Education

Behind the ‘Wild West’ of school reopenings

by Ricardo Cano and Ana B. Ibarra September 4, 2020September 4, 2020