Latest news with #LeticiaPerez
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Yahoo
Jara standoff: Police feared county supervisor's husband wanted officers to shoot him
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) – It must have been a bizarre scene at around midday Saturday in the tree-lined east Bakersfield neighborhood, with a police SWAT unit, a county mental health team, and a distraught family worried that their loved one would be hurt – or hurt someone else. Either or both scenarios seemed entirely possible at the time. These domestic standoffs are not uncommon, but two things set this incident apart. One of them being, the man at the center of attention has professed, not without credible evidence, that he is a former CIA asset who had the skill to kill. Also, Fernando Rodriguez Jara, age 49, is the husband of Kern County supervisor Leticia Perez. He is in custody, charged with a felony – making death threats – and two misdemeanors – child cruelty and resisting arrest. It could have been so much worse. Perez, who has represented the Fifth Supervisorial District since 2013, called Kern County Behavioral Health to their home on Alta Vista Drive at about around 11 a.m. July 12 and asked them to check the welfare of her husband of 14 years, who she said was experiencing a 'severe mental health episode,' according to the police report. Perez said her husband suffered from PTSD, and had not taken his antipsychotic medication for months. Then, according to Perez's chief of staff, Christian Romo, she took their two boys and went to a relative's house around the corner. Mail carrier accused of stealing Menards rebates enters guilty plea Perez later told police Jara had been acting strangely all day, at one point calling her a 'pedophile' and a member of the Lords of Bakersfield sexual abuse ring. She said her husband claimed Elon Musk had inserted a microchip in his brain. When Bakersfield police arrived at 11:40 a.m., Jara was sitting on the home's front porch behind a wrought iron gate. Perez told officers that Jara had CIA hand-combat training, had served undercover in the Middle East, and could turn anything into a weapon. Officers observed that Jara had a broom and the partially broken coffee mug was at his feet. When Officers heard Jara praying, they became even more concerned. According to the police report: 'Jara made statements about wanting to force officers to use deadly force on him, and now he was heard praying.' After Jara assumed an aggressive stance, as if he were contemplating making a charge at them, they decided to act. They deployed two Taser darts, incapacitating Jara. Five officers charged him and, after a struggle, they handcuffed him. Jara is being held on $100,000 bail. He was arraigned Tuesday and is due back in court later this month. Perez did not respond to a request for comment. 17 News contacted other known associates of Jara's, who either declined to comment or did not respond. A neighbor who declined to go on camera said Jara was friendly – and she hopes he gets the medical attention he needs. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
16-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Kern County extends Dominion Voting System contract for 2 years
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — The Kern County Board of Supervisors approved a contract extension for the controversial Dominion Voting System. Election Integrity advocates have had complaints and mistrust of Dominion systems since the 2020 election. But the contract expired, and with a bill going through legislature right now to separate the Registrar of Voters from the Auditor-Controller's office a decision had to be made. Applause and thank you's filled the supervisors chambers Tuesday, approving a two year contract extension for the Dominion voting Systems. A stark contrast from when the contract was renewed three years ago, when the board chambers erupted into chaos. The elections office, election integrity advocates, and Supervisors David Couch and Leticia Perez are all on a committee to talk about voter related issues, this decision came out of that committee. In January, the board decided to split the Auditor-Controller with the Registrar of Voters, due to community concerns that it was too much work for just one person. 'As the auditor our job is to help those departments in safeguarding taxpayer money and I do take that part of my job very seriously,' said Aimee Espinoza, Kern's Auditor-Controller-Clerk and Registrar of Voters. The bill has to go through the state assembly, which hasn't acted yet. Then a new Registrar of Voters can be appointed by the board. The over $580,000 dollar contract extension lasts until December 31st 2027, which would cover the elections next year. Reasoning for extending the contract is to let the new Registrar of Voters decide whether to keep the Dominion system or change to a different one. 'The new ROV coming in maybe a year or year and a half that they have all the opportunities to correct the ship if you will,' said Charles Shinn of the Concerned Citizens Group. There are currently three voting systems approved by the Secretary of State, Dominion, Heart, and ESNS. 'The majority of counties use dominion and the majority of the top 15 largest counties use dominion,' said Espinoza. At the end of the contract, the appointed ROV would start a contract process and start to look at the different approved systems. While election integrity advocates are happy about the news, they still say that there issues currently lie at the secretary of state, because the voting system options are limited. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
16-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
With a new head of elections position pending, supervisors postpone voting machines decision
County officials are putting off a decision about which voting machines are used in the future until the new registrar of voters position is filled. In January, the Board of Supervisors voted to create a new registrar of voters position separate from the auditor-controller-clerk to manage county elections. Legislation allowing that change is currently pending in Sacramento, said Amy Espinoza, the current auditor-controller-clerk, but since the county is looking to create an entirely new elections department, the decision about whether to keep or find a new vendor for the county's voting system should be made with the new department head. "I am pleased to bring before your full board this morning what I considered to be a joint recommendation of myself, Superior (Leticia) Perez; Supervisor (David) Couch and our concerned citizens, which is to extend our current contracts so that the newly anticipated registrar of voters can play an active role in selecting Kern County's voting system," Espinoza said. For months, several members of a group of concerned citizens have spoken at every supervisors meeting to voice their concerns over state and county elections. Last August, an ad-hoc committee chaired by Perez and Couch was formed to discuss the group's concerns. The committee's findings were presented to the full board in January. Among the recommendations was the creation of a position dedicated entirely to managing the county's elections. During public comments, members of the committee and the board thanked each other for working together to resolve contentious issues. "When we first started, as you remember, it was not all lovey-dovey like it is today, not even close, if you recall. And for very good reason, there was a lot of fear, there was fear for me," Perez, the lone Democrat on the board, said from the dais. "There will always be issues, and there will always be tensions, but we have demonstrated here today how to do it right and how to make sure that the public feels listened to and a part of the process." The citizens — who during earlier public comment reiterated their statements about county voter rolls — said their concerns were not meant as personal attacks against the county or the board. "Thank you, (Espinoza), for working with our committee, and we appreciate everything that you've been doing," said Charles Shinn, one of the committee members. "This process has never been a personal thing. It's been a difference of our perspective and maybe the perspective that has, in our perspective, that's come down from the Secretary of State," Shinn said. Espinoza said a position solely dedicated to elections would benefit the county. "Kern County has grown, our registered voters has grown, the complexity of what the state is requiring us to do in elections is massive. Every year there's new changes to law, and it is a lot to cover multiple areas," Espinoza said. "Luckily, I have staff who assist and keep me abreast of things, but I do believe that Kern County will be best served with someone who can completely focus on elections." Supervisors voted unanimously to extend the county's contract with Dominion Voting Systems to Dec. 31, 2027 at a cost of $583,812. Because the auditor-controller-clerk is an elected position, a new registrar can't take over election duties until the end of the Espinoza's current term in 2028. Under the county's proposal, the auditor-controller-clerk would continue to be an elected position while the registrar of voters would be appointed by the board. Once the new registrar is selected, then the county can decide what to do about the voting machines contract: continue with Dominion or search for an alternate vendor. Catalytic converters Supervisors Tuesday approved an ordinance that would make possession of a catalytic converter — that is, one that's not attached to a vehicle — unlawful without proper documentation. Catalytic converters contain valuable metals and are often stolen to be sold for $800 to $1,200, according to David Stephens, chief deputy of the Investigations Bureau at the Kern County Sheriff's Office. Under current state law, Stephens said, law enforcement can't take action unless someone has at least nine catalytic converters in their possession. "If an officer makes contact with an individual possessing eight or less catalytic converters but cannot identify a specific victim, who then must be able to positively identify the catalytic converter as theirs, then the officer may have to release the individual along with the catalytic converters," Stephens told the board. According to the ordinance, valid documentation includes, but is not limited to: • A signed bill of sale from the original owner authorizing removal of the catalytic converter, including the vehicle owner's name, address and telephone number. • Verifiable documentation from an auto-body shop proving the owner relinquished the catalytic converter to the auto-body shop or similar business. • Verifiable electronic communication from the previous owner to the possessor relinquishing ownership of the catalytic converter. • Vehicle registration associated with the catalytic converter together with photographs showing an etched associated license plate number or vehicle identification number or driver's license number of registered vehicle owner claimed to have conveyed the catalytic converter to the person now in possession. Violations would be charged as a misdemeanor with a $1,000 fine and up to a year in county jail. Fines increase with subsequent violations.
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Kern County leaders sign letter supporting Tejon's Board
State legislators, County supervisors highlight critical role of Tejon Master Planned Communities for economic development and growth TEJON RANCH, Calif., May 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Tejon Ranch Co. (NYSE: TRC), ('Tejon' or the 'Company'), a diversified real estate development and agribusiness company, today distributed a letter to shareholders signed by Kern County leaders in support of Tejon's Board and management and opposing efforts by Bulldog Investors ('Bulldog') that would jeopardize the development of Tejon's Master Planned Communities. The letter, signed by State Senators Shannon Grove and Melissa Hurtado, State Assemblymembers Stan Ellis and Dr. Jasmeet Bains, and Kern County Supervisors Chris Parlier, Jeff Flores and Leticia Perez, emphasized both the long-standing partnership between Tejon and Kern County and the critical role Tejon's Master Planned Communities represent for long-term, sustainable growth in Kern County. 'Tejon Ranch is a crown jewel of Kern County and one of Kern's most trusted business and community partners,' said Kern County Fifth District Supervisor and 2025 Chairwoman of the Board of Supervisors Leticia Perez. 'Tejon's leadership has been part of the foundation for the building of Kern's economic success for nearly two centuries. Tejon's reliable partnership with Kern County stems from the Tejon Board's extensive historical knowledge of our region. The loss of this long term and intimate relationship between Tejon's current leadership and the people of Kern, would undermine the nearly two centuries of cooperation in our community and endanger the stability of our economy.' 'Tejon has been an engaged corporate citizen and forward-thinking partner for decades,' said Kern County Second District Supervisor Chris Parlier, whose district includes the Kern County portions of Tejon Ranch. 'Tejon's Board understands what it takes to develop large-scale Master Planned Communities in California, and they've pursued bold and innovative strategies for navigating the State's challenging regulatory environment. To a serial proxy activist, these Master Planned Communities are little more than architect's renderings and investor presentations. But to the people I represent, they are real. They are our future.' The full letter is attached. About Tejon Ranch Co. (NYSE: TRC) Tejon Ranch Co. is a diversified real estate development and agribusiness Company whose principal asset is its 270,000-acre land holding located approximately 60 miles north of Los Angeles and 30 miles south of Bakersfield. For more information on the Company, please go to Forward-Looking Statements This communication contains forward-looking statements about future events and circumstances. Generally speaking, any statement not based upon historical fact is a forward-looking statement. In particular, statements regarding Tejon's plans, strategies, prospects and expectations regarding its business and industry are forward-looking statements. They reflect Tejon's expectations, are not guarantees of performance and speak only as of the date hereof. Except as required by law, Tejon does not undertake to update such forward-looking statements. You should not rely unduly on forward-looking statements. Tejon's business results are subject to a variety of risks, including business conditions and the general economy, future commodity prices and yields, market forces, the ability to obtain various governmental entitlements and permits, interest rates and other risks inherent in real estate and agriculture businesses. For further information on factors that could affect Tejon's business results, refer to Tejon's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024 and subsequent filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Additional Information and Where to Find It Tejon has filed a definitive proxy statement on Schedule 14A and WHITE proxy card with the SEC in connection with its solicitation of proxies for its 2025 Annual Meeting of Shareholders. SHAREHOLDERS ARE URGED TO READ THE PROXY STATEMENT (INCLUDING ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS THERETO) FILED BY TEJON AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS FILED WITH THE SEC AS THEY CONTAIN OR WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION. Shareholders may obtain copies of these documents and other documents Tejon files with the SEC free of charge at the SEC's website at Copies of the documents filed by Tejon are also available free of charge by accessing Tejon's website at Participants Tejon, its directors, certain of its executive officers, and other members of management and employees may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies with respect to a solicitation by Tejon. The identity of individual participants and information about their direct and indirect interests in the solicitation is available in Tejon's definitive proxy statement filed with the SEC on April 3, 2025 under 'Supplemental Information Regarding Participants in the Solicitation' in Appendix A, which is available free of charge at the SEC's website at Contacts: Investors Nicholas OrtizTejon Ranch Co., Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications & Public Affairs661-663-4212nortiz@ Media Eric Brielmann / Jed RepkoJoele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katcher(212) 355-4449 May 9, 2025 Dear Tejon Ranch Shareholders: We write you today as Kern County community and civic leaders to demonstrate our appreciation of your investment in Tejon Ranch Company and trust in the Tejon Board of Directors. We ask you to continue supporting the Tejon Board, which has long been an engaged corporate citizen in our region. We take immense pride that Tejon is headquartered in Kern County, and we are appreciative to have a partner like Tejon committed to positioning our region for long-term sustainable growth. Kern County is proud of our reputation for successfully navigating the California Environmental Quality Act, ensuring environmental protection while enabling economic growth. As a developer, Tejon has demonstrated ingenuity and thoughtfulness in its land use entitlement strategy, with Tejon Ranch Commerce Center serving as the test case that has been studied and replicated to entitle and permit renewable and traditional energy projects in Kern County and leveraged as a model across the state. We want to be clear: the success of Tejon's master planned communities is key to the future success of not only Tejon Ranch but also Kern County. With calls to liquidate Tejon's master planned communities, Bulldog's proxy contest at Tejon has become more than a corporate governance issue; it has become a public policy concern for Kern County. We cannot sit idly by while a serial proxy activist runs a campaign that could undo the decades of work Tejon has spent developing its assets, jeopardizing projects that are closely intertwined with our County's future economic growth and community development. While Bulldog pursues its adversarial campaign with no concrete plan, the Tejon Board and management team are focused on delivering value for both its shareholders and our region. We want our constituents and neighbors to understand how important Tejon's master planned communities are not only for the future of the Company, but also the future of California. We are proud to be forward thinking partners with a company like Tejon and look forward to a long and mutually rewarding future in the years and decades to come. Sincerely, The Honorable Shannon GroveSenator, 12th DistrictCalifornia State Senate The Honorable Melissa HurtadoSenator, 16th DistrictCalifornia State Senate The Honorable Stan EllisAssemblymember, 32nd DistrictCalifornia State Assembly The Honorable Chris ParlierSupervisor, Second DistrictKern County The Honorable Leticia PerezSupervisor, Fifth District2025 Chairwoman of the Board of SupervisorsKern County The Honorable Dr. Jasmeet BainsAssemblymember, 35th DistrictCalifornia State Assembly The Honorable Jeff FloresSupervisor, Third DistrictKern CountySign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
31-01-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Supervisor Leticia Perez discusses top priorities at 2025 State of the County address
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — Supervisor Leticia Perez delivered the State of the County address Thursday night, focusing on what the county has accomplished and acknowledging more work needs to be done. 'Farm workers, entrepreneurs, law enforcement personnel, teachers, retired marines, concerned citizens, and many others who work tirelessly to build a quality of life where our children are prepared to compete in this economy, our businesses can flourish, and where our families can fulfill their american dream,' said District 5 Supervisor Leticia Perez. Perez hit on multiple topics while giving her address. Such as, the county's management of $4.4 billion dollars. She talked about creating new buildings like two new psychiatric facilities and the new coroner's office, creating the county's first tiny home community and expanding six different industries to increase jobs. Multiple topics from defense to transportation, and tourism to energy were also touched on, such as The CarbonTerraVault Project. The highly controversial CarbonTerraVault project works to take carbon dioxide out of the air and pump it deep into the ground. The county made a historic $76 million investment into parks in 2024. Perez said that funding is continuing into her run as chairwoman, saying that the investments help lift the county's poorest communities. 'I am proud to say that because of our strategic investment and attention to actual residence needs, our neighborhood parks have been made safer, cleaner, and more vibrant,' said Perez. Perez said the approval of The Hard Rock Hotel and Casino was a historic moment for Kern County. That it will provide thousands of jobs, local vendor opportunities and increase tax revenue. The main theme; helping create jobs and increase Kern County's economy. 'We have loyal people, families, people of faith,' said Perez. 'Americana good stock right here in Kern County, but we need to communicate that to the outside world. More so than ever before.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
