🏍️ Bike racing, downtown, and festivals.

Welcome to your weekly Bakersfield update! Today is Thursday, October 10, 2024.

In this week’s Bako Weekly:

• 🏙️ Downtown Bakersfield’s future

• 🎉 Festivals

• 👻 A spooky night

• 🫴 Helping the community

Here’s what’s happening this week:

News

🗑️ Did you miss last week’s bulky waste collection event? The City of Bakersfield is hosting a bulky waste collection event this Saturday in case you have any acceptable items to dispose of around your home. Saturday, October 12. 8 AM to 12 PM.

🏙️ Future ideas for downtown development and revitalization were discussed last week. Discussions emphasized the importance of collaboration, infrastructure improvements, and fostering a vibrant, walkable downtown.

⛽ You might be entitled to compensation if you bought gas between February 20 and November 15 of 2015 in the following counties: Kern, Los Angeles, San Luis Obispo, San Diego, Ventura, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Santa Barbara, and/or Imperial. Apply to claim your 50 pennies here.

❤️ Kern County Sherriff’s Office will participate in Crisis Intervention Training to enhance interactions between mentally ill individuals, law enforcement, and mental health agencies. This is great progress for law enforcement to be able to recognize a mental health crisis, intellectual disabilities, and directing people to the right resources.

🗳️ Vote-by-mail ballots will be coming to your mailbox soon if you are currently registered to vote in Kern County. Once filled out and signed, you can return your completed ballot by mailing it or dropping it off at an official ballot drop box. If you prefer to vote in-person, you can do so at a poll site open on Election Day, Tuesday, November 5, from 7 AM to 8 PM.

🎙️ The City of Bakersfield has launched a new podcast titled “The Something Better Podcast”, aimed at discussing community issues, initiatives, and improvements. It's designed to engage the community and provide a behind the scenes look at how the city operates.

🌳 A ceremony was held for the re-opening of Heritage Park in East Bakersfield. Improvements were made such as installing new structures and planting more trees.

⚖️ Delano now has a new Family Justice Center with help of The Open Door Network. Services for victims of trauma, domestic abuse, sexual assault, and human trafficking can be obtained here for free. Services available Monday through Friday 9 AM to 6 PM.

Food and Drinks

🇬🇷 Bakersfield Greek Food Festival: Feast like a Greek at the annual St. George Greek Food Festival! Foodies must stop by and try the gyros, baklava, and Greek BBQ. Plus, you’ll get to experience traditional Greek dancing, music, and more. Friday, October 11. 4 PM to 10 PM. Saturday, October 12. 11 AM to 10 PM. Sunday, October 13. 11 AM to 4 PM

🥂 Bakersfield Brunch Fest: From the organizers of The Mac and Cheese Fest, celebrate the finest brunch spots in town at the Bakersfield Brunch Fest. Micheladas, mimosas, different brunch dishes, and more. Live music as well. 21+ event. Saturday, October 12 at 11 AM.

🍺 Temblor Fest: Join Temblor Brewing as they celebrate 9 years of Temblor at Temblorfest IX. Beer, live performances, German food specials, and games. Saturday, October 12. 11 AM to 10 PM.

🍷 Tehachapi Winery Fall Wine Festival: Wine & beer, hayrides, live music, grape stomping, amazing views, and more. $25 admission. Free for kids 12 and under. Saturday, October 12. 2 PM to 8 PM.

Things to Do

🎃 Spooky Street Fair: Get ready for some spookiness in Downtown Bakersfield at 19th and Chester! An eerie night with a variety of vendors, trick-or-treating, food, a costume contest, and live music. Free for all ages. Friday, October 11. 4 PM to 10 PM.

😂 Rene Vaca:  San Fernando Valley native Rene Vaca is a stand-up comedian, writer, and actor. Show is ages 18+ at The Historic Bakersfield Fox Theatre. Friday, October 11. Doors 7 PM. Show 8 PM.

✊🏿 Allensworth Historical Rededication Event: California State Parks is commemorating the history of Allensworth at Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park, which was a town founded, financed, and governed by African Americans over a century ago. Experience history through re-enactments, storytelling, and tours of the reconstructed 20th century buildings. Saturday, October 12. 10 AM to 4 PM.

🍎 Tehachapi Apple Festival: Taste the apple pie, cobbler, cookies, fresh apples, and cider. Celebrate fall in the mountains with live music, a beer garden, food, a pie eating contest, and a pie baking contest. Bounce houses and kids games will also be available. Saturday, October 12 and Sunday, October 13. 10 AM to 10 PM.

🏍️ Kern Raceway Dirt Track Racing: Motorcycle and dirt bike racing at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway. Honoring the legacy of racer Cory Tocco, who recently passed after a courageous fight with leukemia, this event promises thrilling races and a celebration of his life. Saturday, October 12. $25 admission. Kids 12 and under free with a paid adult after 5 PM. Practice laps start at 5 PM. Main events at 7:30 PM.

🌠 Tehachapi Stargazing Event: Want to see a close up view of the stars and planets? The City of Tehachapi is hosting a Star Gazing Party. Local astronomers will be offering close up views of the moon, planets, and constellations. Free. Saturday, October 12. 5:30 PM to 10 PM. Telescope viewing starts at 6:45 PM. 

Kern by the Numbers

🚓 38.8% reduction of gun violence in Bakersfield this year compared the January-August 2023 report.

Random

🥊 Free self-defense classes are available for women age 12 and up, made possible by The Open Door Network. Classes are held once a month. The Open Door Network is a local agency assisting the unsheltered and victims of abuse. Next available class is November 7. Sign up if interested.

🍔 United Way and KGET 17 will be collaborating to raise funds for survivors of the Borel Fire. Hamburgers and hotdogs will be sold next week at the intersection of 22nd and L. Wednesday, October 16.

🎟️ Becky G will be performing at the Mechanics Bank Theatre next month on November 15. Ticket sales begin today, October 10 at 10 AM.

GoFundMe: Support Locals in Need

From time to time, I’ll be sharing verified local GoFundMe campaigns to help spread awareness and offer support to those in need within our community. This week, I have a few important stories to highlight, and I encourage you to consider helping through donations or simply by sharing.

🏠️ Alyssa’s home was broken into last week. Everything in her home was destroyed. Nothing could be recovered due to the fact that the intruder was shot and bled onto belongings. The hazmat team could not save anything and had to dispose of those items. Her pet cat was exposed to gas and hazardous waste. Consider helping Alyssa make a recovery by donating and/or sharing.

🕊️ Loving friend, brother, son, and father, Fabian Castañeda, tragically passed away last month while pushing his disabled vehicle. Consider supporting Fabian’s family by donating and/or sharing.

🕊️ Husband, best friend, and father, Hernan Salazar, leaves 4 daughters behind after passing away in late June. His death was deemed as an “accident” according to the Kern County coroner. Hernan was trying to obtain a name and insurance information of a hit-and-run driver. No updates to the investigation as of September 25. Consider supporting Hernan’s family by donating and/or sharing.

🕊️ Victor Medina was transported to the hospital under severe injuries and passed away a few days later after being a passenger in a parked vehicle that was struck by an unlicensed drunk driver with a history of drunk driving. The driver accompanying Victor, Lorena DeLatorre, had passed away instantly from the collision. Consider supporting Victor’s family by donating and/or sharing.

🕊️ Walter Amaya was my cousin. Although not a “local” campaign (Palmdale), the least I could do to help is to share this here. He was a hard working, diligent, honest, career-driven family man. As far back as I can remember, he always had a passion for trucks and becoming a future truck driver just like his father. At the young age of 18, he obtained his CDL and immediately began to support his family. Last month, he spent a couple of weeks in the hospital in critical condition after suffering a life-threatening injury while working. Doctors did what they could and unfortunately, he was unable to make it. Consider supporting Walter’s family by donating and/or sharing.

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