54+ min ago (332+ words) The Trump administration was expected to announce completion as soon as Thursday of one of its most momentous environmental rollbacks, removing federal protections for millions of miles of the country's streams, arroyos and wetlands. The changes, launched by President Donald Trump when he took office, sharply scale back the government's interpretation of which waterways qualify for protection against pollution and development under the half-century-old Clean Water Act. A draft version of the rule released earlier would end federal oversight for up to half of the nation's wetlands and one-fifth of the country's streams, environmental groups warned. That includes some waterways that have been federally protected for decades under the Clean Water Act. Trump has portrayed farmers " a highly valued constituency of the Republican Party and one popular with the public " as the main beneficiaries of the rollback. He has claimed…...

1+ week, 18+ hour ago (300+ words) U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem awarded Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents at Harry Reid International Airport bonus checks for their "exemplary service" during the government shutdown. On Saturday, she held a press conference recognizing a select number of TSA agents with bonus checks for $10,000 " many of whom worked unpaid during the longest government shutdown in U.S. history at 43 days. "Today, I'm announcing that I'm going to be giving the individuals behind me and many other TSOs across the country bonus checks. Bonus checks for doing their job with excellence," Noem said. WATCH: Kristi Noem holds press conference at Harry Reid International Airport Several of the TSA agents shared their stories of hardships during the shutdown. Noem said the selected agents who received bonus checks were considered based off their peers' feedback. She formally recognized the work of Angela Stephen, Michael…...

1+ week, 2+ day ago (351+ words) BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) " Protesters gathered outside Dignity Health Arena Thursday night during a Megyn Kelly speaking event, organized in response to comments the former Fox News anchor made about Jeffrey Epstein on her podcast. Heather Silvis organized the protest after Kelly made remarks about the convicted child sex offender during the November 12 episode of "The Megyn Kelly Show." "This isn't about politics, this is about children, this is about protecting children and making sure that children know that there are adults that are willing to stand up for them," Silvis said. During the podcast discussion, Kelly stated she knew someone close to the Epstein case and made comments about the ages of his victims. "This was this person's view, who was there for a lot of this, but he was into the barely legal type, like, he liked 15-year-old girls....

1+ week, 3+ day ago (282+ words) The Arvin City Council voted this week to dissolve the city's Planning Commission and absorb its responsibilities, a decision that began with discussions in October. The council gave unanimous direction to staff after hearing from an existing planning commissioner who encouraged the move, according to city officials. "And at that meeting, the council gave unanimous direction to staff after a discussion and also hearing from an existing planning commissioner who also encouraged us to absorb the responsibilities of the planning commission," Calderon said. A planning commission serves as an advisory board to city councils on matters of land use and community development. Its primary role is to help create and maintain a comprehensive plan that guides a city's long-term growth and development. Arvin Mayor Olivia Calderon said one key reason for the change is that the Planning Commission only met…...

1+ week, 4+ day ago (337+ words) Federal court blocks Texas congressional map for midterms, prompting questions about California's Proposition 50 redistricting changes. A federal court decision blocking Texas from using its newly drawn congressional map for next year's midterm elections has sparked questions about whether California's recently approved redistricting changes could face similar legal challenges.The Texas ruling serves as an indicator of how courts may approach redistricting disputes moving forward, according to political scientist Ian Anderson However, California's situation differs significantly from Texas due to the voter-approved nature of its redistricting process."What we just saw happen in Texas is a gauge on how the courts may rule on this going forward, but it's something we're going to have to really watch," Anderson said "The big caveat with California, which is different in Texas, is that these legislative maps were put on the ballot for the…...

1+ week, 4+ day ago (136+ words) BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) " Local Congressman Vince Fong has been appointed to the House Homeland Security Committee, positioning him to address major security threats facing both California and the nation. In his new role, Fong will work on critical issues including counter-terrorism, emergency preparedness, and cybersecurity. The committee also handles threats from illegal immigration and foreign adversaries like China. "From our borders and ports to our cybersecurity and defense assets " we must make public safety a top priority and be ready to confront the ever-evolving threats facing our nation," Fong said. "I look forward to working with my colleagues on the Committee to advance policies that safeguard our communities, strengthen our preparedness, and ensure the security of the American people." In his statement, Fong emphasized that a secure California is critical to protecting the homeland....

1+ week, 5+ day ago (341+ words) Ahead of Tuesday's House vote, survivors pushing for the release of the Epstein files criticized the chamber's slow progress and announced a survivor-led, non-partisan movement to help rewrite laws and build protections for victims like themselves. It's been decades since Jeffrey Epstein laid his hands on these women " or allowed other men to do so. On Capitol Hill Tuesday, his survivors spoke with force about his abuse, and against a government they say allowed him to live unscathed for so long. "We are exhausted from surviving the trauma and then surviving the politics that swirl around it," said survivor Wendy Avis. "This is not an issue of a few corrupt Democrats or a few corrupt Republicans. This is a case of institutional betrayal," said survivor Annie Farmer. More than a dozen women detailed the ways in which five presidential administrations…...

1+ week, 6+ day ago (237+ words) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he will oppose any attempts to establish a Palestinian state ahead of a U.N. Security Council vote on a U.S.-drafted resolution on Gaza. The proposal calls for creating an international stabilization force in Gaza, despite opposition from Russia, China and some Arab nations. Netanyahu says creating a Palestinian state would reward Hamas and lead to a larger Hamas-run state on Israel's borders. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT | Trump unveils plan to end war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza The stabilization force is a central element of the resolution set for a vote Monday. Under President Donald Trump's proposed 20-point peace plan, the force would help secure Gaza so Israeli troops could fully withdraw. It is intended to train a new Palestinian police force and assist with Gaza's demilitarization, including the destruction of Hamas tunnels....

1+ week, 6+ day ago (505+ words) A New Orleans man who spent three decades in prison before his murder conviction was vacated won election Saturday to serve as the city's chief criminal court record keeper, despite the state challenging his past. The city's newly elected clerk of criminal court, Calvin Duncan, fought for decades to clear his name after being convicted of carrying out a 1981 fatal shooting. Duncan, a Democrat, later uncovered evidence that police officers lied in court, and had his conviction tossed by a judge in 2021. Duncan won with 68% of the vote, according to unofficial returns from the Louisiana secretary of state's office. "Tonight is a dream that's been forty years in the making," Duncan said in a statement Saturday night. "I hope that all those people who died in prison because we couldn't get their records are looking down now. I hope they're…...

2+ week, 2+ day ago (407+ words) BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) " The Kern County Board of Education has not yet decided whether to display the Ten Commandments in its public schools. Supporters say it provides historical context alongside documents like the Constitution, while critics warn it violates the separation of church and state. The debate over the Ten Commandments continues tonight as the Kern County Board of Education reviews a proposal to place the religious text in school lobbies alongside historical documents " including the U.S. Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the Declaration of Independence. However, the board did not make a decision tonight. Joe Marcano, is the vice president of the Kern County Board of Education, and he says, "There's further investigation and research we need to do that pertains to item 5.2.1 regarding the discussion and possible action regarding the historical documents. At this time, we are dropping…...