58+ 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+ day, 2+ hour ago (407+ words) BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) " Small Business Saturday brought increased foot traffic and revenue to local businesses as shoppers embraced the annual tradition of supporting independent retailers during the holiday season. At The She Shed by The Peachy Pig in downtown Bakersfield, owner Kalae Paxson experienced the busy morning rush that has become synonymous with the shopping event. "Brings in a lot of revenue for our store and also brings in a lot of new customers. Seems to be a good time of the year where people are out and about," Paxson said. Paxson opened her business in December 2018 and has witnessed firsthand how the Saturday after Thanksgiving consistently draws new customers to her store. "We get a lot of new customers on small business Saturday that seem to stick around once they come and experience our store and realize how much…...

1+ day, 15+ hour ago (554+ words) Despite wider economic uncertainty hovering above this year's holiday season, shoppers turned out in big numbers for Black Friday " spending billions of dollars both in stores and online. Adobe Analytics, which tracks e-commerce, said U.S. consumers spent a record $11.8 billion online Friday, marking a 9.1% jump from last year. Traffic particularly piled up between the hours of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. local time nationwide, when $12.5 million passed through online shopping carts every minute. Consumers also spent a record $6.4 billion online on Thanksgiving Day, per Adobe. Top categories that saw an uptick in sales across both days included video game consoles, electronics and home appliances. Shopping services powered by artificial intelligence and social media advertising have also particularly influenced what consumers choose to buy, the firm said. RELATED STORY | This holiday "deal day" is built for travelers, but not always for your wallet Meanwhile, software company…...

2+ day, 3+ hour ago (190+ words) BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) " Bakersfield High's quest for back-to-back Central Section Division 2 championships came to a heartbreaking end as the Drillers fell to Arroyo Grande 23-20 in overtime at Griffith Field. The Drillers entered the title game as defending champions after defeating the Eagles 24-21 in last year's championship matchup. Bakersfield High found itself trailing 14-10 at halftime but quickly rallied in the third quarter. BJ Veasey, wearing number 0, delivered an impressive touchdown catch in the end zone to give the Drillers a 17-14 lead. However, Arroyo Grande responded with two field goals in the fourth quarter to take a 20-17 advantage. Bakersfield High managed to force overtime with a clutch field goal that tied the game 20-20. In the extra period, the Drillers couldn't find the magic they needed as Arroyo Grande connected on the game-winning field goal to hand Bakersfield High a devastating 23-20 loss. The…...

3+ day, 3+ hour ago (176+ words) BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) " A 37-year-old Bakersfield man was arrested for murder after a woman was found dead from apparent gunshot wounds at a residence Wednesday night. The Bakersfield Police Department responded to a home in the 6200 block of Tallulah Falls Court at approximately 9:23 p.m. on November 26th for a possible shooting. Officers found an adult female dead at the scene from gunshot wounds. Shortly after, officers responded to a vehicle collision at the intersection of Hageman Road and Calloway Drive. Police determined the crash was related to the death investigation on Tallulah Falls Court. The intersection was temporarily closed but has since reopened with no further traffic disruptions expected. During the investigation, detectives arrested Manuel Robles, 37, of Bakersfield, for murder. The investigation remains active and ongoing. Additional details will be released as they become available. The Kern County Coroner's Office will release…...

3+ day, 6+ hour ago (226+ words) Happy Thanksgiving, Kern County. We hope you have a wonderful holiday! In your Thanksgiving forecast, the big story is fog. A dense fog advisory is in effect until 1:00 p.m. for the valley. The best chance for dense fog is in the early half of the day, before noon. So, if you're planning a turkey trot or a Thanksgiving breakfast, fog is likely. If you encounter fog while driving to your holiday plans, activate your low beam headlights, keep a safe following distance between you and other cars, and take it slow. Overcast skies are expected to hang on into the day, very similar to the past few days. The fog and clouds will keep Bakersfield cooler, with a high of 57 degrees. The cooler temps could be welcome news for anyone breaking out the Thanksgiving sweaters! Outside of the valley, partly cloudy…...

4+ day, 19+ hour ago (153+ words) BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) " A Bakersfield movie theater is getting a major makeover that will bring luxury amenities and affordable ticket prices to local moviegoers. Reading Cinemas at Valley Plaza Mall announced a multi-million-dollar renovation set to be completed in January 2026. The upgrades include heated leather recliner seating, upgraded screens known as Titan Luxe and Dolby Atmos sound, new menu items, and a membership program. Officials said the heated recliner seats in the IMAX auditorium make it the only IMAX screen with such seating within 100 miles of Bakersfield. The theater also announced that tickets for regular traditional theater seating will now cost only $8 all day. The membership program will offer two versions: a free-to-join option and a premium membership, both providing rewards and discounts to members. Currently, three theaters with the new recliner seats are available, and five more are undergoing…...

4+ day, 20+ hour ago (108+ words) Mike Ross, owner of Bakersfield Christmas Town, stopped by the AM show to talk about this year's edition of the popular holiday attraction at the Kern County Fairgrounds. The 2025 edition of Bakersfield Christmas Town opens to the public on Friday, November 28th at the Kern County Fairgrounds Mike Ross, the owner of BCT, joined Mike Hart on 23ABC's morning news on Tuesday, to provide a little insight behind the scenes.The media will be treated to a walk-thru on Wednesday, November 26th, including interactive light displays and the hayride! All other activities and attractions will remain closed during this preview and will officially open on Friday...

5+ day, 6+ hour ago (461+ words) BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) " As the cost of doing business continues to rise across California, one Bakersfield entrepreneur is rethinking what a beauty salon can look like and for her, it looks like a truck. During the pandemic, De'Shanay Wilkerson decided it was time to turn her childhood passion for beauty into a business. She began teaching herself makeup techniques through YouTube videos, with the encouragement and support of her mother, who invested in her first set of supplies. What started as a hobby soon became a career. Wilkerson trained as an esthetician and began working in salons across Bakersfield. But as booth rent and supply costs continued to grow, she knew she needed another plan. "You have to invest in space, which is a monthly fee. You have to invest in your supplies and amenities," Wilkerson said. "With all that…...

5+ day, 7+ hour ago (314+ words) Economic reports released this week show a big gap between the performance of the economy and how everyday people feel about it. September's retail sales numbers were delayed from government shutdown. They showed sales climbed 0.2%, which is the fourth straight month of increases. But overall measures of consumer confidence saw a sharp decline, hitting their lowest level since the White House's tariff announcements in April. A survey in October also highlighted growing pessimism about job availability and income opportunities in the next six months. The Producer Price Index, which tracks prices business pay to make goods, ticked up 0.3% in September, a bigger jump than the month prior. When companies face higher prices, that trickles down to consumers. And the National Association of Realtors found home sales rose nearly 2% in October, indicating slightly lower mortgage rates could be helping make the…...