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As artificial intelligence continues to expand, so does the infrastructure needed to power it. In Kern County, proposed ...
09/22/2026

As artificial intelligence continues to expand, so does the infrastructure needed to power it. In Kern County, proposed AI data centers are raising questions among residents and community organizers about how much water and electricity the facilities will use, what benefits they will bring, and how much say residents will have in the projects.

Those concerns were the focus of a September 19 Liberation Forum hosted by the local Party for Socialism and Liberation chapter in Bakersfield. The forum, titled “Equal vs. Big Tech,” brought together educators, labor organizers and community members to discuss the potential impacts of AI data centers being proposed throughout the county.

Cass, a teacher, labor organizer, and Kern County native, said the discussion was not about opposing artificial intelligence itself, but about who benefits from the technology and who bears the costs of building the infrastructure behind it.

Read the full story at https://southkernsol.org/2026/09/21/residents-raise-concerns-over-water-energy-and-accountability-amid-data-center-proposals/.

On September 17, nurses, community members, organizers, and local organizations joined together to demonstrate a ‘Health...
09/19/2026

On September 17, nurses, community members, organizers, and local organizations joined together to demonstrate a ‘Healthcare Die-In’ at Kern Medical. During the demonstration, individuals portrayed as deceased patients lay on the ground with tombstones that listed their cause of death. Some of these read RIP Kicked off Medical, RIP No In-Home Care, RIP No Immigrant Healthcare, RIP No Su***de Hotline. Each of these reasons aligns with what many have endured since David Valadao signed budget cuts into the healthcare system.

The One Big Beautiful Bill since its passing and approval in the legislature has proposed to cut between 800 billion and 1 trillion in Medicaid. Valadao’s support of this bill, has already placed a heavy burden on many of his constituents 67 per cent of whom rely on Medi-Cal and Medicaid. His commitment to passing these budget cuts of almost 90 million, has also impacted Central Valley Hospitals.

09/16/2026

Why does voting matter to young people? In honor of National Voter Registration Day, we talked with local students about what motivates them to vote and what issues are on their minds.

Community advocates gathered at the Liberty Bell in downtown Bakersfield Thursday morning, asking whether former Kern Co...
09/10/2026

Community advocates gathered at the Liberty Bell in downtown Bakersfield Thursday morning, asking whether former Kern County Supervisor Zack Scrivner’s political connections played a role in how his criminal case was handled.

Organizers said they were not there to tell the court how to rule. They focused instead on the charges filed against Scrivner and the decision to grant him mental health diversion, asking whether someone without his former office or family ties would have received the same treatment.

Victoria Pilar, a community organizer and Brown Beret, summarized the case and asking whether someone without Scrivner’s name or former position would have received the same result.

“In December 2025, Judge Stephanie Childress granted mental health diversion, meaning he faces no criminal conviction and charges could be dismissed if he completes court-ordered requirements,” Pilar said. “The Fifth District Court of Appeal later upheld the decision. Today, we are demanding transparency and accountability. The question is simple: Would any ordinary citizen without political influence or connections have received the same outcome?”

Scrivner is the nephew of Kern County District Attorney Cynthia Zimmer. Because of that relationship, the state Attorney General’s Office handled the case rather than local prosecutors.

“We don’t want special treatment. We don’t want political favoritism. We don’t want decisions made behind closed doors,” said Julie Solis, rally host and community advocate. “We want justice without favor.”

Read the full story at https://southkernsol.org/2026/09/10/bakersfield-rally-questions-handling-of-scrivner-case-calls-for-equal-justice/.

For years, the community of Athal has been fighting for clean water, and on September 1, the California Water Board issu...
09/09/2026

For years, the community of Athal has been fighting for clean water, and on September 1, the California Water Board issued a mandatory consolidation order to the Athal Mutual Water Company so that residents would be under the Lamont Public Utility District (PUD). Their drinking water is contaminated with 1,2,3 TCP (1,2,3-Trichloropropane), which is a chemical that causes cancer in animals and likely causes cancer in humans as well, according to the California Water Board’s website.

In January of 2026, the community’s water was shut off due to a broken well, resulting in them having to buy water for cleaning, bathing, and cooking. During this time, Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability found out about the contaminated water and started working with the community. They assisted them in sending a petition to the water board.

Erik Orellana, Senior Policy Advocate for Leaders Counsel for Justice and Accountability, stated that when they submitted a document request to the Athual Mutal Water company, they were ignored. He explained that since they were not getting many answers from the water company, they turned to the board.

“I’ll also say that once we started to get answers about the timeline for the project, it was kind of clear that there really wasn’t anyone speaking up for this community and kind of getting the concerns of the residents up to what is the enforcement agency that is responsible for enforcing against a failing water system,” said Orellena. “And so once we were able to kind of share the experiences of some of the residents, the sentiments they were feeling, I think the State Water Board better understood the situation that the community was facing.”

Having safe drinking water is a human right in California, and Orellana stated that residents he spoke to expressed health concerns, and some contemplated leaving their homes, but the consolidation order provides a piece of hope.

Read the full story here: https://southkernsol.org/2026/09/09/first-step-to-clean-water-for-athal-community-ca-water-board-issues-mandatory-consolidation-order/

California lawmakers have approved legislation that would establish a statewide water rate assistance program for low-in...
09/01/2026

California lawmakers have approved legislation that would establish a statewide water rate assistance program for low-income households, potentially giving eligible residents a new way to reduce their monthly water bills.

Senate Bill 1125, authored by Sen. Caroline Menjivar, D-San Fernando, would establish the Water Rate Assistance Program and a Water Rate Assistance Fund to provide direct assistance to qualifying low-income residential water customers. The bill was passed by the Legislature and presented to Newsom on August 31.

Under the bill, the program would be administered by the State Water Resources Control Board and funded through state or federal money appropriated for the program. Assistance would be available to eligible residential customers served by participating water systems. The program would not begin simply because the bill is signed; the Legislature would first have to appropriate money for implementation and benefits.

Eligible households would generally include those with incomes at or below 200% of the federal poverty guidelines. The bill also identifies several existing public assistance programs that could be used to determine eligibility, including CalFresh, Medi-Cal, CalWORKs, Supplemental Security Income and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children.

Read the full story at https://southkernsol.org/2026/09/01/california-water-assistance-bill-heads-to-governor-newsom/.

The California Latinas for Reproductive Justice (CLRJ) is a statewide organization that advocates for healthcare access,...
09/01/2026

The California Latinas for Reproductive Justice (CLRJ) is a statewide organization that advocates for healthcare access, reproductive rights, and bodily autonomy for Latina/e women, young girls, and the whole community. CLRJ’s work doesn’t end with reproductive justice; it also supports communities through rent stabilization, political education, and community organizing.

Xochitl Morales, Development and RJ Movement Building Manager with CLR, explained that the Reproductive Justice framework focuses on intersectionality.

“The term coined by Kimberly Crenshaw that outlines how various forms of oppression overlap in our lives depending on our identities, and CLRJ navigates their work using this framework. Reproductive Justice is rooted in this framework,” said Morales.

At CLRJ, they have launched Vidas Sin Fronteras: Immigration Justice is Reproductive Justice, an initiative that aims to challenge and dismantle a system that attacks and separates immigrant families. Morales explained that Vidas Sin Fronteras is an educational campaign on the intersections between immigrant and reproductive justice. CLRJ has been focused on uplifting the stories of family separation.

08/31/2026

Breaking down the Bakersfield Complete Streets iniative

A Bakersfield High School (BHS) student, Bridgette, was allegedly held down by a security guard against metal plates, re...
08/31/2026

A Bakersfield High School (BHS) student, Bridgette, was allegedly held down by a security guard against metal plates, receiving second-degree and third-degree burns on her body, according to a social media post from her mother, Kristian. On August 31, students held a walkout to protest the security guards and demand justice.

One student chanted that they deserve to feel safe at school while others held signs stating that the Kern High School District can’t keep them safe.

“My daughter was by herself after a classroom altercation when a female security walked up to her and grabbed her inappropriately. My daughter yanked her arm, and that female security socked my daughter in her face, and then more security came and tackled her onto a hot metal plate and held her there for over 2 mins,” said Kristian in the social media post.

Lleweyn, a student at BHS, stated she attended the protest because she does not feel that she should be silent about what happened.

“I think what they did was disgusting,” said Lleweyn. “’Cause she has burns all over her body that’s gonna scar. 
Those are gonna scar on her. And I don’t like that. I don’t know her personally, but that doesn’t mean I should be silent about it.”

Another student, Isabella, said during the walkout that there is no reason for a child to be held down that way unless they are posing an immediate threat with a weapon.

“I think that’s just using way too much group force,” said Isabella. “It’s just not okay to be handling a child like that, especially if you’re an adult. You know that you don’t have to do all that to restrain a child. So it’s just using excessive force.”

Read the full story here: https://southkernsol.org/2026/08/31/bhs-students-hold-walkout-in-support-of-student-allegedly-burned-by-security/

On August 27, a series of community organizations from across California joined together to discuss the fight against th...
08/30/2026

On August 27, a series of community organizations from across California joined together to discuss the fight against the rise of data centers in their respective communities. Power California, Loud For Tomorrow, Move The Valley, Food and Water Watch, and Green Latinos attended, offering input on community efforts, strategies to combat this ongoing issue, and what others can do moving forward.

Daniel Probello with Reclaim Our Power was one of the first moderators on the online webinar to provide insight on the fight taking place in Southern California.

Probello also explained what exactly a data center facility is and its overall purpose. Although many have only recently become aware of the hyperscale data centers being proposed throughout the country, Probello shared that data centers have always been around.

“A data center is any facility that houses computing equipment; typically these are large warehouses with rows and rows of servers. It’s just a type of computer. We’ve had data centers for decades, and a common right-wing talking point is that if you watch Netflix or have a cell phone, you need these new data centers. But that’s not accurate,” said Probello.

He emphasized that current data center projects are driven by generative AI, making them different from traditional data centers.

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