2+ mon, 3+ week ago (461+ words) Facebook owner Meta came under sharp scrutiny Tuesday as whistleblowers testified before the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology and the Law, accusing the company of covering up internal research showing children were being groomed, harassed, and assaulted inside its virtual reality platforms. Sattizahn, who spent six years inside the company, told lawmakers that "it is evident that Meta consistently chooses profit over safety for its users." He described internal studies showing that nearly half of VR users reported harm in just three weeks of use ranging from harassment to sexual assault, with women disproportionately affected. Sattizahn went on to describe what he called a "funnel manipulation" put on research via legal surveillance. He detailed that Meta lawyers had access to edit researchers" reports and the ability to limit topics, questions and methods used to collect data. "You might have…...

9+ mon, 1+ week ago (474+ words) BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) " Students, facility, and community members gathered together at CSUB to stand up for their beliefs. Organizers created a solidarity march to speak up about laws & policies of the Trump administration. Students and community members gathered at CSUB on Wednesday morning for a Solidarity March. I'm Eric J. Dockery your Bakersfield neighborhood reporter. This march was meant to send a message about what they said is an assault on their rights by the Trump administration. It was a peaceful march at CSUB. But the message was clear. Students wanted to speak out against what they said were attacks by the Trump administration against immigrants and the LGBTQ+ community. Marcila Diaz Student Coordinator said "Advocating here on campus as students is very important. We noticed that when we were on campus a lot of students were maybe feeling quiet or…...

5+ mon, 1+ week ago (379+ words) BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) " On June 15, 2025 an online petition was created to keep the Valley Plaza Mall safe. This petition is asking for community members to give their take on banning minors without supervision. Community members are standing up for what they believe and attempting to ban unsupervised teenagers from the Valley Plaza. I'm Eric J. Dockery your Bakersfield neighborhood reporter. Some employees and members of the community are tired of teens coming to the mall and disrespecting their businesses. The owner of the petition is trying to bring awareness to the issues that some plaza employees, and some community members experience while at the mall. Priscilla Marquez says she used to work at Valley Plaza, and thinks the ban would be helpful. Tom Dawson Bakersfield Resident said "Yeah that's the funniest thing when you are younger to come to the mall…...

7+ mon, 3+ week ago (240+ words) BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) " The community of Southwest Bakersfield coming together to share improvements coming to a longtime staple, The Marketplace. On Thursday, City officials, law enforcement, and developers gathered at The Marketplace to speak to the public about what's to come. Bakersfield Ward 5 City Councilman Larry Koman sharing that several improvements are already set in motion in The Marketplace and Edward's Cinemas, and more are expected to come. "We're trying to gather some community input into some of the improvements that are going to happen here in the marketplace. Give people an opportunity to tell us what they want to see here," said Koman Developers from First Washington Realty were in attendance, asking for feedback from locals about plans to update the area, including the spot that once held the beloved water fountain. While they said it's too soon to…...

4+ mon, 1+ week ago (257+ words) BAKERSFIELD, Calif. " Councilman Andrae Gonzales will make two recommendations at Wednesday night's Bakersfield City Council meeting. In an interview with 23ABC's Alex Bell, Gonzales said he will propose that the council ask Bakersfield Police Chief Greg Terry to review a set of policy recommendations called #8CANTWAIT. The recommendations were created by a non-profit called Campaign Zero and have been proposed to law enforcement agencies nationwide. Gonzales said he will recommend Chief Terry come back to the council with an analysis and action plan within 30 days. The recommended action plan would need to include which actions have not yet been implemented and analysis of policies the police department might not be able to implement and why. Gonzales also stated a number of actions have already been taken to meet the #8CANTWAIT recommended policies but said there are still others that can be adopted....

2+ mon, 2+ week ago (264+ words) BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) " A newly advanced bill in Sacramento could give Kern County's oil industry a major boost by streamlining drilling permits, but it's drawing sharp criticism from environmental advocates. Senate Bill 237 would recognize Kern County's environmental review as sufficient under state law, allowing local drilling projects to move forward without additional state-level litigation or delays. Lawmakers say the measure balances energy security, consumer protection and environmental oversight, with provisions set to expire in 2036. The bill includes limits on drilling near homes, schools or hospitals and requires idle pipelines to undergo hydrostatic testing before restarting. It also gives the governor authority to suspend certain gasoline regulations if consumer prices spike. But environmental groups argue the measure will worsen air quality and expose communities to toxic pollution. "California has an image of being a green haven, but if we were a…...

3+ mon, 3+ day ago (519+ words) BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) " The U.S. Department of Transportation has withdrawn approximately $175 million in federal funding from California's high-speed rail project, dealing a major blow to the state's two-decade effort to build a bullet train system. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced Tuesday that the Federal Railroad Administration officially pulled funding from four California rail projects, calling them "fantasy projects" and criticizing the lack of progress on the ambitious transportation initiative. The funding cuts target several key components of the high-speed rail system. The withdrawn funds include nearly $90 million for the Le Grand Overcrossing on the Merced Extension, $7.5 million for grade separations in southern San Jose, nearly $25 million for final design work on the Transbay Downtown Extension, and over $54 million for plans for a Madera high-speed rail station. Duffy criticized the state's progress on the project, noting that not a single mile of…...

8+ mon, 2+ week ago (361+ words) BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) " The CBP Home app was recently released by the Trump Administration, where undocumented immigrants can label themselves as undocumented and make plans to 'self deport' themselves. The Trump Administration just unveiled an app where undocumented immigrants can "self deport" themselves. However, immigration lawyers say, people need to be very careful about using this. In a statement by Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem she said quote, "The Biden Administration exploited the CBP One app to allow more than 1 million aliens to illegally enter the United States. With the launching of the CBP Home app, we are restoring integrity to our immigration system." However, Immigration attorney Gabriela Lopez Garcia says the idea of self deportation doesn't necessarily call for a safer option. "The government is phrasing it as if you take this option, you might have options to…...

4+ mon, 2+ week ago (431+ words) BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) " After traveling across the country advocating for change against local government officials. Organizers host a rally to inform members about The Big Beautiful Bill & how it will affect their families. Residents from various parts of Kern County came together at Bakersfield College for the "Stop the Billionaire Giveaway" Bus Tour. They voiced their concerns about certain politicians and how they are managing their offices. This bus has traveled across the country hosting rallies informing communities about their politicians, and how this new bills will affect their households. Kristen Crowell Executive Director of Fair Share America said "I've never seen anything like this. People from all political persuasions feel angry and betrayed. So many groups right now that are doing everything they can to hold this congressperson accountable and to develop strategies on what to do next. We…...

3+ mon, 1+ week ago (474+ words) At Portrait of a Warrior Gallery in Bakersfield, Vietnam Veteran Michael Eastwood says he's dealt with post-traumatic stress for more than 50 years. "What they experience when they leave a combat zone, they take that experience with them. It doesn't go away. It doesn't stop. It's always there," said Eastwood. Eastwood explains that PTSD makes it more difficult for retired soldiers to support themselves and take care of their needs when they transition back to civilian life. "Veterans, whether it's Vietnam, Korea, World War 2, Iraq, Afghanistan, they all deal with the aftermath of their war, and when they come home, if they don't get the means to have enough money to buy housing and transportation and food, they suffer," said Eastwood. Currently, veterans who served for less than 20 years in the military are not entitled to receive retirement and disability benefits....