BAKERSFIELD, CA -- Police need your help to identify a man they say collided with a car on Gosford Road last month and took off. 

Police say the man, struck the victim's vehicle with his truck, in the 5000 block of Gosford Road on May 6.  Police describe the truck as a: black 2000 or older, lifted, Chevrolet 3500, crew cab. 

Police describe the man as Hispanic, 40-50’s, thick mustache, wearing a black hat, grey work shirt and blue jeans.

If you have information regarding this case, call Senior Officer Chance Koerner at (661) 326-3960 or Bakersfield police at (661) 327-7111.

BAKERSFIELD, CA -- Administrators at Kern Medical Center are recommending closing departments and laying off staff to help solve the hospital's financial crisis. Hospital leaders will officially recommend to the Kern County Board of Supervisors at its June 17 meeting, that the hospital's home health and outpatient physical therapy departments be shut down. Hospital administrators announced the recommendations publicly today to comply with part of the regulatory processes that must be followed by a county-owned public hospital.

Kern Medical Center administrators will publish details of proposed layoffs June 12, the day the Board of Supervisors publishes its upcoming meeting agenda. Administrators say no other details about proposed layoffs will be revealed until that agenda is published. If approved, the expected department closures and layoffs will occur in August. Kern Medical Center CEO Russell Judd says they're difficult decisions to make, but says administrators have to focus on the overall mission and viability of the hospital.

BAKERSFIELD, CA --  If you're looking to brush up on your art skills, check this out.  Officials at the Bakersfield Museum of Art say adults are welcome to participate in a number of workshops and classes offered.

No experience necessary – all classes are open to beginners in an non-intimidating, non-judgmental environment. Start enriching your life with these summer workshops for teens and adults!

-Beginning Digital Photography with Andrew Hawley (Tuesdays & Thursdays, June 3 - 12, 2:00-3:30PM)
-Drawing Workshop with Art Sherwyn (Saturday, June 7, 9:00AM - 3:30PM)
-Art for the Non-Artist (Tuesdays, June 24-July 15, 2:00PM-4:00PM)
-Beginning Clay with Yvonne Cavanagh (June 16-20, 1:00PM-4:00PM)
-Creative Clay with Yvonne Cavanagh (July 21-25, 1:00PM-4:00PM)
-Printmaking Workshop for Teenagers (July 7-11, 2:00PM-4:00PM) *Scholarships available for those unable to afford this opportunity.
-Stop Motion Animation Workshop for Teenagers (July 14-18, 2:00PM-4:00PM) *Scholarships available for those unable to afford this opportunity.


There's also art in the classroom.  Organizers say this new workshop series addresses the commonly asked question “How do I teach art to my students?” For teachers who have little or no access to art specialists, each workshop will introduce a project that you can teach in your elementary school classroom. Art specialist Darla Kendrick will show you how to connect your arts activities to the Common Core and how to utilize the supplies already in your classroom.

Participants may sign up for all or select a number of classes.
-Teaching Art in Elementary Schools (Wednesdays, June 25 - July 16, 2:00-4:00PM)
Direct online link for all workshops: http://bmoa.org/adult/

BAKERSFIELD, CA -- Bakersfield police need your help identifying a man they say tried to steal merchandise from Sports Chalet last month. 

Police say the incident took place on May 7 and when confronted by an employee the man tried to punch the employee. That employee did not suffer any injuries and the suspect fled on foot.

The merchandise was recovered at the scene.  Police describe the suspect as white, 30’s, with brown short hair, wearing a dark tank top and dark pants and a cross pendant on a chain.

If you have any information regarding this case, call Detective Todd Dickson at (661) 326-3501 or Bakersfield police at (661) 327-7111.

BAKERSFIELD, CA - A heartwarming follow up to a Contact 17 News story we brought you a few weeks ago. A local woman, adopted at birth, is getting to know her biological family after decades of searching.

First, Jean Phillips learned that her biological niece was right under her nose. Phillips is not only her niece's hair stylist, she has also styled her biological mother's hair and none of them knew it.

On Friday, Phillips met her older brother for the first time - a moment 50 years in the making.

It was graduation day inside Marinello School of Beauty in Bakersfield.

But outside...

"Here comes your sister!"

...It's a family reunion.

"Wow, you're you!"

After 50 years of searching, Jose Ramirez of Sacramento finally met his biological sister, Jean Phillips.

"It feels like a big part of my life has been put in place. That's what it is to me," Phillips said.

Phillips was adopted when she was just days old and after moving from Simi Valley to Frazier Park, she ended up in Bakersfield. Just weeks ago, she learned one of her clients, Angelina Ramirez, is her biological niece.

"All I can say is that a huge hole has been filled, a big puzzle piece or something, the missing piece," Phillips said.

It's a puzzle that both Phillips and her brother have been determined to piece together for decades.

"What can I say? I'm just overwhelmed right now. Call it divine intervention and also human effort, you know, and I'm happy that it came to pass," Ramirez said.

Despite the setbacks, Ramirez says he always believed this day would come. And, he's encouraging others who are searching for a long lost loved one to keep the faith.

"Well, I can say to anybody who's looking for their biological people, families, brothers, parents, don't give up. It's there," Ramirez said.

"It's just huge. It means the world to me, it really does. To have all this family, they're huge, and I see in their faces, I see the resemblances and I just think 'there's my people! I love them! I want to hold them' so it's just overwhelming and amazing. I'm really happy," Phillips said.

The family is planning on bringing Jean's biological mother from San Antonio, Texas, to Bakersfield next month.

BAKERSFIELD, CA - A unique and careful rescue was done Friday morning by workers with the California Living Museum.

Wildlife officials rescued a severely injured American White Pelican in Hart Park.

"Toward the end, she simply walked up onto the bank and we were able to capture her there," said Lana Fain, California Living Museum.

Staff at the museum say the pelican suffered severe injuries after having a fishing lure in its beak for about six months and several hooks in its body.

"It looks like something that's probably used in ocean fishing. These are migratory birds so we're not sure where she picked this up from," said Fain.

Wildlife officials say the lure was stuck so deep in its beak, the pelican had a hard time eating and drinking.

Officials say the bird was running out of time.

"They migrate here in October. So, she was probably too weak because of her injuries to fly out with the rest of the flock," said Fain.

The California Living Museum says although it doesn't rescue animals, staff knew this was a serious situation and acted fast.

"This is something we do not normally do. We had to get Fish and Wildlife's permission to do it," Fain continued. "They're the ones who do the captures and the rescues and everything like that. They gave us the permission to do it and that's why we went out and did what we did today."

A successful rescue that now gives this American White Pelican the chance to roam free again, uninjured.

Fain says they will keep the pelican a little longer and it will then be seen by a veterinarian before it's released into the wild.

BAKERSFIELD, CA - The trial began Friday for a woman accused of texting while driving then causing a deadly crash in 2012. Anna Marie Reynosa is charged with vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence. 
Opening statements were given Friday afternoon. The families of both the victim and the defendant sat in the audience. 
The District Attorney's Office is trying to prove cell phone use is to blame for the death, the first case of its kind. 
Covering her face, Anna Marie Reynosa sat crying in the courtroom as the prosecutor laid out the night of April 14, 2012. 
"She didn't slow down even though she knew the speed limit at the intersection was 45 miles per hour," said Esther Schlaerth, Deputy District Attorney. 
Prosecutors say Reynosa was going 65 to 68 miles per hour when she hit and killed 20-year-old Charla Wilkins that night. Not only that, prosecutors claim Reynosa was texting when she hit Wilkins who was on a motorcycle stopped at the intersection. 
"She slammed her Toyota Tacoma truck in the back of Charla Wilkins' motorcycle so hard that that motorcycle was eaten up by the front of her truck," said Schlaerth.      The prosecution says this was five days after Reynosa got her third speeding ticket. But, Reynosa's public defender said just because she was speeding then doesn't mean she was speeding the night of April 14th.
"It's not evidence she was speeding in this case," said Ernest Hinman, Reynosa's attorney. 
The defense also claims the prosecution cannot prove Reynosa was texting.
"There is zero, zero, zero physical evidence of the time stamp of when the text message was made or saved on that phone," said Reynosa. 
Reynosa pleaded not guilty to felony vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence. If found guilty, she could get up to six years in prison. 

BAKERSFIELD, CA - We should all be looking for ways to conserve in our state as we face ongoing water woes. People can take shorter showers, not water lawns as often, and go to the bathroom outside. Yes, a Bakersfield man has invented a way guys can conserve at the can.

It's called "Sweet Pea." It's basically an outdoor urinal for men. Because we are in a drought, and everyone has to go at some point, inventor Mike Henson thought now was the time to throw Sweet Pea into the marketplace.

As a third generation farmer and professional landscaper at Maranatha, the custom clay can was his next pit stop.

"You know, I would be in the backyard taking care of the flower beds and I would hear, "You kids! Don't go in the house soaking wet. Go over there and pee in the flower bed." And, I'm thinking, I'm going to be digging in that in a little bit," said Henson.

Henson came up with the backyard Sweet Pea a year and a half ago. It’s a decorative clay sculpture with a drain fitted to a pipe.

"This fits down into the pipe and it's shaped so it won't splash and the urine runs out real quickly," said Henson describing how his invention works.

Its patent is still pending. But, as our state has seen so little rain this year, Henson couldn't hold it any longer.

"But as the drought got worse, I thought just throw the dice and let them go," said Henson.

And speaking of going, our state's 16 million men go, on average, six times a day. That's two gallons a flush. That's 192 million gallons of water a day.

"They're cool," said customer Erica Hurley. "I'm definitely going to look into more about it and see where we can put one and eventually have one one day."

Henson says Sweet Peas can drain deep into the ground. A three-foot pipe will bury the business. And, Henson says it won't harm plants. Or, Sweet Pea's pipes can be thread into the clean out line leading to the sewer.

"There's no air that brings the stench back up like a porta-potty or porta-bathroom. The air (from those) you can smell them a block away," said Henson.

Each is handmade and kiln-fired into a flower, acorn, beehive, or fish, sure to lure urine to the loo.

The Sweet Peas take three to four weeks to make and run $150 to $350. There is not one designed yet for women, but Henson says it's in the works.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK -- Bakersfield's Derek Carr is headed to the silver and black.  The Oakland Raiders has selected Carr as the fourth pick in the second round of the NFL draft.

Carr is the younger brother of former number one overall pick and fellow Fresno State Bulldog David Carr.  Experts seemed to be split on if Carr was a late first round or second round pick, and Carr said Thursday night he knew he might not go until day 2.

ARVIN, CA -- A brand new environmental report on soil contamination in an Arvin neighborhood is now under review.
But seven weeks after being forced from their homes, evacuated residents have no idea when they'll return.

The lengthy report was prepared by Petro Capital Resources, the owner of the gas pipeline that burst, and contaminated those properties.  The study examines conditions at each of the eight evacuated homes.

Thursday night, fifth district Supervisor Leticia Perez told us, county experts will now study that report.  But there's still no timeline for when evacuees can go home. "We simply don't know how long it's going to take, until the levels are safe. As you can imagine, experts will disagree as to when that is. Ultimately the county is responsible to determine if and when that is safe. But the process from here to now, moving forward, is really on the company."

Perez says, PCR will continue soil clean-up efforts at those homes.  But until it's certain those displaced families won't be facing unsafe conditions, she says they'll remain evacuated.

BAKERSFIELD, CA - The Community Action Partnership of Kern honored its Humanitarian of the Year at a banquet Thursday night. The award went to CEO of the Bakersfield Homeless Center and Alliance Against Family Violence and Sexual Assault, Louis Gill.

He began working with the Bakersfield Homeless Center 14 years ago. Even before then, Gill had a strong work ethic -- growing up on his grandfather's ranch outside Porterville.

"I had a very rural upbringing, chores in the morning. We had cattle and pigs and going and getting the eggs and for a while milking the goats, the whole deal," said Gill.

A trip to Mexico as a foreign exchange student inspired gill to help others.

Gill said, "I learned to speak Spanish and realized how truly fortunate we are, by simply being born in this country."

Gill went to college in San Francisco.  He majored in Spanish and eventually earned a master's degree in non-profit administration.

"I started working in non-profits there and it's become my life," Gill said.

Gill, his wife and son moved to Bakersfield after finding out they were having twin girls.

"We wanted to move closer to family," he said.

When he started at the Bakersfield Homeless Center in 2000, Gill said family services were lacking.

Gill said, "It was focused on single men. There were ten beds for families. It was set up to deal with your stereo typical homeless individual."

Since Gill took the reins, the homeless center's mission has shifted.

"Our focus has gone from just thinking about beds and meals to how do we help people be successful in permanent housing. How do we help them finish their education? How do we make sure that they can get a job, get on that path to self sufficiency," said Gill.

As for his thoughts on being humanitarian of the year -- he's grateful.

Gill said, "I'm incredibly fortunate. I do a job that I love. It's not easy, but I love it. I have the best staff in town. I can promise you they're amazing people and it's easy to be proud of them.It feels great to be a part of that. It feels great to be in a community where you can say I need some help and folks show up. They want to help. It feels, all I can say is grateful."

Awards were given out in three categories: humanitarian, community partner and volunteers.

Honorees are selected based on support of CAPK programs and individual involvement of helping people and changing lives in our community.

BAKERSFIELD, CA- It was a huge heroes welcome home Thursday night at Meadows Field, as hundreds of people awaited the arrival of our veterans from their whirlwind trip to Washington D.C.

Banners, posters and patriotic music filled the lobby as the 10th Honor Flight group touched back down from the trip of a lifetime. For many family members it was a time to celebrate their loved ones who fought for our nation, but it was also a time to commemorate a trip that was a long time coming.

The Perez family is one of many crowded inside Meadows Field to give the greatest generation the warmest welcome home.

"It is such an honor for our family to be here to honor our father that is so deserving to go to this Honor Flight and we're all excited," said Rachel Perez whose father went on this Honor Flight.

Stanley Perez is one of the 75 local veterans returning from the 10th Kern County Honor Flight. He and his new buddies received a hero's welcome home.

"It was an honor to be with them i met quite a few people and I talked to them and I can't describe it," said Korean War veteran Stanley Perez.

Not everyone in the audience was family, many people just wanted to cheer our local veterans on as they returned. Young Kelsey Holloway-Rizo raised enough money at her lemonade stand to send a vet to the capital.

Her message to her local vets was simple.

"I hope you had a great day, two days at the memorial and I hope you had the best experience of your life," Holloway-Rizo said.

They had smiles for miles as they arrived home from the nation's capital and an unforgettable trip. Celebrating their battle years ago, that have protected our freedoms today.

"It's hard to go describe what it's really like to go over there and I'd like to go back," Perez said.

The trip is free to our veterans, thanks to donations from our community to Honor Flight Kern County.

BAKERSFIELD, CA - The death penalty case for a 2010 double homicide is underway as Erran West is accused of killing a couple over $50. 
The trial is four years in the making. The prosecution said a witness and cell phone data make it clear that West killed two people. But, the defense says it plans to poke holes in all of it. 
On September 4 2010, a man was found shot dead in a vacant lot. The next morning a woman was discovered dead in an orchard, seemingly unrelated homicides until police find out the victims knew each other and owed money to Erran West. 
"The fact that he owed him something is clear, and there's evidence to that," said Jim Simson, Deputy District Attorney. 
West is accused of killing both 43-year-old Ernastine Trejo and 58-year-old Levon Vines. 
Opening arguments began Thursday morning. The prosecution's case is based on the testimony from an eyewitness who describes events as follows. It started out as a normal Saturday night when a woman picked up West and later Trejo and Vines. 
"It was a night that she would later describe to detectives: a night like a nightmare that wouldn't end," said Simson. 
The witness says they stopped on Collins Way. West and Vines got out of the car and West shot Vines six times, three shots to the chest and three to the head. 
"He gets in the car, West does and simply says drive," said Simson.  
The witness says they ended up at Edison Highway, where West and Trejo got out of the car.  The witness said West then shot Trejo in the head, got back in the car and told the witness this. 
"I've already got people set up to kill you," said Simson. 
The defense contends West was not involved in these murders at all. 
"Fundamentally, the biggest question is who did it and whether the prosecution can prove Mr. West did it. They cannot because he did not," said Michael Lukeheart, West's attorney. 
The defense also pointed fingers, not at West but the witness. 
"She's not stupid," said Lukeheart. "She knows it's better to be an informant than a defendant." 
All the while West sat stone-faced in the courtroom awaiting his fate from the jury. West has always and still asserts his innocence, pleading not guilty to all counts. 

The trial is expected to last a couple of weeks. 

BAKERSFIELD, CA - Residents in southwest Bakersfield want a trucking company out of their neighborhood.

Many trucks are transporting biosolids from southern California into Kern County and keeping residents up throughout the night.

On Thursday, Bakersfield Code Enforcement said it will investigate the company.

The city attorney's office will also investigate GIC Transport which is zoned for agriculture and limited to 18 trucks.

But residents say every night, dozens of trucks park behind their neighborhood, and in some cases, they see trucks leaking material.

"It's a serious issue and that's why last night when we referred it to the city attorney's office, we're going to get to the bottom of it and find out what we can do," said Councilmember Russell Johnson.

Homeowners who live directly off McKee Road say too many trucks travel near their homes.

"Not only is it the noise, but I worry about our house, the build of it, the stucco cracking, the concrete in the back, our patio," said Randon Blake, concerned resident.

Councilmember Johnson says code enforcement will investigate to see how many trucks are operating daily.

"They're going to go in there and look at exactly what these folks are permitted to operate with, what they're not allowed to do, and make sure they're conforming with their land use zoning and land use approvals."

On Thursday, the attorney for GIC released a statement, which reads in part, "All of GIC's trucks and equipment are locally purchased to support our local community. The trucks are cleaned every day before returning to the yard."

The statement continues, "An overpass is going to be built on McKee Road in the near future and regular vehicle traffic on this collector street will dwarf the noise impacts on our new neighbors."

GIC also points out it opened its business in 2002 and residents chose to move near it in 2008 when their homes were built.

Residents who want GIC to leave their neighborhood have started a petition.

BAKERSFIELD,CA - Heart disease doesn't discriminate.

"I was diagnosed at six weeks old. That's when I had my very first open heart surgery," said heart disease survivor Bianna Bravo.

At 19, Bravo has already had four open heart surgeries. "That's why I love sharing my story because that's what a lot of people think is that older people suffer from heart disease or from a heart attack," said Bravo.

Bravo shared her story at Go Red Por Tu Corazon or Go Red for Your Heart, an event aimed at spreading awareness to the community.

"Hispanic women are affected more by heart disease, more than any other population," said Marisol Ventura with Kern Family Health Care.

According to the American Heart Association, Kern County ranks last among California's 58 counties for incidents of heart disease. Kern County has more deaths from heart disease per capita than any other area in California. The numbers show for every 100,000 Kern County residents, 136 died from coronary heart disease between 2010 and 2012.

"We're investing in ourselves, our health, our bodies, our heart," said Victor Lopez, owner of Victor's Mexican Grill.

Lopez taught healthy cooking methods to the crowd. He says making simple choices like switching out fatty oils with olive oil, cutting out fats in meat,s and using salsas for flavor can make a difference in your diet. There were also health screenings to check blood pressure and blood sugar levels. But it wasn't all lecture, the ladies got up to dance to shed some calories.

"It's important to take care of yourself right now as soon as you can before it becomes an emergency," said Bravo

BAKERSFIELD, CA -- Bakersfield police are asking for your help finding two men wanted for stealing cell phones from a store on Rosedale Highway. 

Police say on April 24, the men entered the Go Wireless business at 13133 Rosedale Hwy.  One of the men distracted an employee while the other man took three cellular telephones from the counter.

Both men fled from the business in a possible gold Chevrolet Malibu. Police describe one of the men as black early 17-18, 5’8”, 120-140 lbs., wearing a white t-shirt, tan shorts and black baseball cap.

The second is described as a black man, early 17-18, 5’8”, 120-140, wearing a white t-shirt, blue jeans and black baseball cap.

If you have any information regarding this case, call Detective Brian Holcombe at (661) 326-3561 or Bakersfield police at (661) 327-7111.

BAKERSFIELD, CA -- Bakersfield police need your help finding two men suspected of a burglary in Rosedale. 

Police say the men entered a business at 8120 Rosedale Hwy on the afternoon of March 12.   One of the men allegedly grabbed a cell phone from a display and forcibly pulled it from the security cord. Both men fled from the business on foot. Police describe the first man as black, early 20’s, 5’10”-6’0”, medium build, wearing a red t-shirt, blue jeans and red shoes.

The second man is described as black, early 20’s, 5’10”-6’0”, medium build, wearing a black t-shirt, black jeans and dark shoes and a baseball cap.

If you have any information regarding this case, call Detective Joel Luera at (661) 326-3947 or Bakersfield police at (661) 327-7111.

BAKERSFIELD, CA -- A local man with a famous name finds himself in jail.  Deputies say Elvis Presley, 55, of Bakersfield was among three people arrested Wednesday on Redbank Road in Lamont. 

Deputies had been investigating methamphetamine sales in the 5000 block of Redbank Road and a search warrant had been issued.  When deputies arrived they found 11 grams of meth, and a small amount of heroin.  They also found a stolen cargo trailer, guns and marijuana plants. 

Crews from Pacific Gas and Electric also responded because deputies say the suspects were illegally connected to the electricity grid. 

Also arrested were Steve Cockren, 57, of Bakersfield and Mary Corning, 44.  She was arrested on a felony warrant. 

BAKERSFIELD, CA -- Seventy five Kern County veterans spent the day in our nation's capitol, touring the war memorials built in their honor, and much more.

The first stop, Arlington National Cemetery. At the Tomb of the Unknowns, our honor flight veterans joined several thousand other visitors for the changing of the guard. A ceremony performed with razor-sharp precision every hour of every day.

On the way back to our buses, dozens of school children visiting from Ohio and Tennessee stopped to salute Honor Flight. The day was punctuated by other impromptu surprises, World war surprises. World War II veteran Bill Davies suddenly finds himself surrounded by his grandson and his family, his grandson a legislative liaison for the Army at the Pentagon. "We're just so proud of him, I'm proud to be his grandson. He's always been a role model for his his hard work. It's just overwhelming."

And the pinnacle of the tour, the World War II memorial, an awe-inspiring structure erected to honor the world-changing sacrifices of our nation's greatest generation. "It's fabulous, this memorial, it's just so fabulous, and it took so long to get here."

Steady rain showers drove us back into the buses at midday. We detoured to the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum for some bonus tourist time. Skies cleared by late afternoon and nearly 50 Korean War veterans got to see the memorial dedicated in their honor in 1995 inside a walled triangle, 19 larger-than-life stainless steel statues, representing a squadron on patrol, drawn from each branch of the service.  Polished volcanic rock of the 58,195 service members who died or are missing in action from the war in Southeast Asia.

So despite some inclement weather, we managed to get it all in, as we some unexpected time visiting the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum. And Thursday, our honor flight tour will culminate with a barbecue at the US Navy yard for 11,500 service members, plus the 150 members of Honor Flight, catered by none other than Bakersfield's own "Cooks from the Valley."

BAKERSFIELD, CA - Many aspiring professional football players work toward the NFL Draft all their lives. Bakersfield's Derek Carr is one of those athletes.

Draft day will be one of the biggest days in his life. The NFL will announce first round draft picks Thursday night.

For Carr,  it's a family affair. His brother David was the number one overall pick back in 2002. Derek is expected to follow in his brother's footsteps.

He is expected to be picked up in the first round and will likely begin a promising career as a professional football player. Unlike most top prospects, he's not at the draft in New York. Instead, he's here at home.

Derek Carr said, "All that traveling I want to spend those 3 days working out in the gym and getting ready for mini camp and I don't want to do all the visits and parties I want to work and run and throw and I have so much family I am not getting there on my own and there are too many people that have helped me that i want to be around."

Family plays a major role in his life, working closely with his older brother.

"Ever since he was little I knew he would be looked at as a first round pick where will he go and I was just hoping I could be there for him and fortunately I have been," said David Carr.

As the dream plays out for Derek, he's still looking to his brother for guidance.

Derek Carr said, "Who else would you want the guy went number one in the draft, 13 years, a super bowl ring, you put that resume people wish that guy could help them he has been there the whole way, he made me move into his house, he dragged me because I didn't want to live with him. But no it has been good it has been a blessing."

Derek says the best advice his brother has given him is to enjoy it.

Derek Carr said, "Looking back at it everything flew by fast and you put this work into it and it is gone and it shows you how fast things go and have to enjoy it and that's one thing that is hard is to remember to enjoy the process."

The draft starts at 5 p.m Thursday.

If Derek is picked in the first round, he'll be on his way Thursday night to starting his NFL career in a new city.