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What's happening to the huge empty lot on Oak Street? Why are the Highway 178 Oleanders dying? What's up with the WinCo planned for the southwest? Why doesn't Joseph's move to a larger location? What's the latest on the federal courthouse? Are alcohol and drug laws enforced? Why plow the riverbed? Narrow southwest road issues Why the need for new canals and ponds What's up with "Tuscany Village"? June 06 July 06 August 06 September 06 October 06 November 06 December 06 January 07 February 07 March 07 April 07 May 07 June 07 July 07 August 07 September 07 October 07 November 07 December 07 January 08 February 08 March 08 April 08 May 08 June 08 July 08 |
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Editor's note:
This answer first appeared in June, 2005, but it is still applicable today. In light of Monday's officer-involved shooting, we felt it was worth publishing again.
Q: Who do the Bakersfield Police (or Sheriff) Shooting Review Boards consist of?
What protocol do they use to determine if a shooting was justifiable or not?
They seem to always rule a police shooting "justified."
Jana Byers
Answer: Bakersfield Police Department spokeswoman Mary DeGeare responded:
The...
Q: Is there a city ordinance to regulate balloon signage (like a giant tooth near 24th Street, a giant pink pig at the RV dealer, etc.) in Bakersfield? Pretty soon we are an extension of Los Angeles where anything goes (giant balloon spider, giant balloon gorilla, etc.)
— Paul Cheon
While some of us like giant balloon gorillas, Bakersfield Chief Code Enforcement Officer Randy Fidler points to the municipal code section 17.60.070, regarding “Specialized signs.”
The balloons are...
Q: In 1989 I graduated from Cal State Bakersfield with my master’s degree in curriculum and instruction. Our graduation speaker was a black woman with an unusual name. I had never heard of her before that day. She gave an incredible speech. Can you find out if the speaker at our graduation was Condoleezza Rice, our current U.S. Secretary of State?
— Marlys Brimmer
The speaker was Ruth Love, an education entrepreneur and professor at San Francisco State University.
Love teaches in...
Q: I would like to know if there is a county ordinance that deals with 18-wheel trucks parking in a residential neighborhood. Every weekend, a big 18-wheeler comes lumbering into my neighborhood and parks across from my driveway. It is a real eyesore. And not only does the truck get parked there, the owner is always working on it.
— Gini Buchanan
Commercial vehicles weighing 10,000 pounds or more, such as the 18-wheeler you mention, cannot be parked or stored in a residential district...
Q: Are there any programs or companies in Bakersfield that will haul away a nonrunning vehicle for free or even possibly pay you some kind of fee for the vehicle if they feel they can part it out?
— Sharon Sharp
Chances are your car is worth something to someone, even if it’s little more than scrap metal. Some automobile recyclers only take newer cars in good condition, but others, like Pull-A-Part on Union Avenue, will come get your car no matter how old and decrepit.
“Every car...
Q: Surrounded by development, can you tell me of the plans for the vacant land at the southeast corner of Meacham Road and Verdugo Lane? Are there plans to widen Verdugo Lane between Meacham Road and Rosedale Highway?
— Kevin Couch
Plans to put 23 homes on half-acre lots were approved by the county in March 2005, according to County Planning Director Ted James.
As the property is developed, Verdugo Lane will likely be widened to a maximum width of 90 feet by the developer, James said....
Q: When is Allen Road, south of Stockdale Highway, supposed to be finished?
— Katherine Bacon
That project may be finished in early 2008.
First, workers have to build a bridge over the Kern River, said Ralph Braboy, a city civil engineer.
The bridge’s design may be finished by mid- to late September. That work then goes to bidding.
Pending City Council approval, work could start by the end of the year, Braboy said.
Other agencies could become involved, and the river’s water...
Q: Are there plans to finish paving Mount Vernon Avenue all the way up to Panorama Drive? Are there any plans to redo the medians on Mount Vernon Avenue between Columbus Street and Panorama?
— Chrissy Pierce
The city planned to start work today on a pavement reconstruction project on Mount Vernon Avenue between University Avenue and Panorama Drive, said Jacques LaRochelle, assistant city public works director.
The project has been in the works since July 2005. Workers will remove the...
Q: I recall your article several weeks ago about businesses providing restrooms for customers.
Are businesses allowed to charge for this facility? The Vons supermarket at the Marketplace has equipped its restroom with a payment device — a quarter to get in. I called the County Environmental Health Department and also the State Department of Consumer Affairs. Neither could give me information as to whether a private business is allowed to do this.
— Judy Lopez
We could find no law...
Q: As a resident of the Haggin Oaks neighborhood, I am curious why there is one single, vacant, unimproved lot in the 2300 block of Nantes Way, at Montmedy Court. Most homes in Haggin Oaks were built nearly 20 years ago. This is the only lot remaining in all of Haggin Oaks. Why has no one built a home at that location?
— Jon McClendon
The property at 2301 Nantes Way was purchased by Tim Bush Construction Inc. in January 1990, according to information from First American Real Estate...
Q: My son is moving from a house within the Bakersfield city limits to a house in the “county.” He called to have water service switched to the new house and discovered that the rate in the city was 66 cents per CCF. The rate in the county will be $1.02 per CCF. Both are serviced by California Water Service. Why the much higher rate, nearly double in the county? The houses are approximately a half-mile apart.
— Roberta Branch
There are probably three reasons for the different rates,...
Q: No sooner does our wonderful local government get done with the “refurbishing” of Olive Drive than they allow PG&E and SBC to start a project and tear the streets and sidewalks up again. For over two months now there have been unusable sidewalks and very poor temporary street repairs in the area, and only about one day out of seven does any more work take place on this project.
How much longer are we going to have to wait to get full use of our sidewalks back? Is PG&E’s contractor...
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