Teachers association advocates for increase in teacher pay at KHSD board meeting

Newly elected Kern High School District trustees Cynthia Brakeman and Janice Graves — both retired teachers — were sworn in at Monday’s board meeting — the same meeting the president of the Kern High School Teachers Association advocated for an increase in teachers’ pay.  

BC and CSUB food pantries to close for winter break; students still in need of food during time off

With winter break just weeks away, the food pantry at Bakersfield College and Cal State Bakersfield are preparing to close for winter break, but that doesn’t mean student hunger takes a break.

Q&A: Common inspires students in Kern to keep advocating for a better community

Academy Award-winning actor and three-time Grammy recipient Common visited Bakersfield in October for a youth town hall.

Less homework, less stress: a different way of assigning homework

Third-grade teacher Laura Afifi likes her students to be stress free. She knows she can’t control tensions at home, but one stress factor she can control is the amount of homework assigned to her students.

State officials recommend new rules for controversial pesticide chlorpyrifos

In an effort to protect “human health and the environment,” state officials issued temporary recommendations this month for growers in California regulating a pesticide commonly used in Kern County — chlorpyrifos.

Sheriff’s office to report on ICE access to Kern County individuals at TRUTH Act forum

Next month, local advocacy groups and the Kern County Sheriff’s Office will reveal data about the local immigrant community at Kern County’s first TRUTH Act Forum.