Taft Independent Newspaper

09/30/2025

Does he give extra credit for joining his left wing Antifa gun club?

University of North Carolina professor and far-left gun club member Dwayne Dixon placed on leave amid controversy over his participation in armed Antifa demonstrations.

09/29/2025

Vote No on Prop. 50. Don' let Newsom win.

Many believe Gavin Newsom's Prop 50 complies with the Constitution because it allows a public vote. This is a dangerous misunderstanding.
We live in a constitutional republic, not a pure democracy.
In a republic, the Constitution limits government power, regardless of majority votes. The Bill of Rights and amendments like the 14th and 15th protect individual and minority rights against majority tyranny.
Prop 50 is presented as the people's will, but Gavin's plan uses majority votes to override minority rights. A 51% agreement doesn't ensure it's right or constitutional.
Imagine a world where a majority vote could strip rights:
💠 51% say Black people can’t vote?
This is why the Fifteenth Amendment exists, to prevent this exact abuse.
James Madison warned in Federalist No. 10: “a pure democracy… can admit of no cure for the mischiefs of faction… [they] have ever been spectacles of turbulence and contention; have ever been found incompatible with personal security or the rights of property.”
Proposition 50's reliance on majority vote does exactly what Madison warned about in Federalist No. 10.
Madison’s solution, A republic: “…a government in which the scheme of representation takes place, opens a different prospect, and promises the cure for which we are seeking.”
Prop 50 ignores this. Prop 50 is a partisan power grab.
Here's why Prop 50 is straight-up unconstitutional: It violates the 14th & 15th Amendments by drawing congressional districts where race is a predominant factor, diluting minority votes and denying equal protection. Gavin-mandering like this has been struck down before.
It also shreds the CA Constitution: The legislature drew new lines before getting voter permission via Prop 50, usurping the independent Citizens Redistricting Commission.
Prop 50 violates the Cal. Constitution by doing a mid-decade redistricting without a court finding that the lines are unconstitutional. The Cal. Supreme Court has made it abundantly clear that the legislature cannot do a mid-decade redistricting even with voters approval.
The new maps violate the California Constitution by unnecessarily splitting counties and cities, ignoring compactness rules for fair districts. This isn't democracy; it's election rigging.
he Constitution isn’t a suggestion. It’s the law. No vote, no governor, no proposition can override it. Prop 50’s attempt to skirt these limits should alarm everyone who values liberty. Vote NO and speak out!

09/29/2025

09/29/2025

Full closure of Highway 166 near I-5 for 75 days. Please note alternative routes.

09/28/2025

Black Gold Brewing Company is seeking an experienced part-time waitress for Oildorado and possible after Oildorado as our business grows.
We are also seeking an experienced Kitchen Assistant during Oildorado and afterwards. Weekends and evenings. That's the restaurant business. Text 661 623-4296 or stop by. Experience in food service is required.

09/28/2025

California Oil Pipelines under threat. Can't ship oil if you don't have woking pipelines to deliver oil to refineries. Oil is 8% of California's economy. The pipelines converge in Kern County. This video explains Kern County's 2000 new oil wells that are being allowed forward by the state and the vulnerability of the pipe lines to ship the oil. This video explains in a clear manner oil production in Kern County and the importance of infrastructure. Watch.

Pipelines that once carried most of California’s oil are now running close to empty. As production falls, refineries face the risk of shutting down, which co...

09/27/2025

Starbucks has announced that the following stores will be closing in California.

The move is part of the company's "Back to Starbucks" plan, which aims to put more focus on customer experience.

3450 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles
3785 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles
3150 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles
138 S. Central Ave., Los Angeles
729 N Vignes St Los Angeles
300 S. Santa Fe Ave., Los Angeles
760-762 S Broadway, Los Angeles
600 West 9th St., Los Angeles
3344 S La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles
1090 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles
12100 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles
2134 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles
1700 N. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles
7055 W Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles
5545 W Sunset Blvd., Hollywood
10612 National Blvd., Los Angeles
7122 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles
5353 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles
5020 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles
8844 S Sepulveda Blvd., Westchester
8000 W Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles
7100 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood
444 South Flower St., Los Angeles
12746 Jefferson Blvd., Playa Vista
257 S La Cienega Blvd., Beverly Hills
10601 Washington Blvd., Culver City
4114 Sepulveda Blvd., Culver City
2005 Park Place, El Segundo
1303 Hermosa Ave., Hermosa Beach
1107 E Pacific Coast Highway Hermosa Beach
1100 Pacific Coast Highway, Hermosa Beach
909 Ocean Front Walk, Venice
2430 S Broadway, Santa Maria
216 26th St., Santa Monica
2200 Colorado Ave., Santa Monica
2200 Colorado Ave., Santa Monica
3006 S Sepulveda Blvd., Santa Monica
2901 Ocean Park Blvd., Santa Monica
3006 S Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles
20301 Hawthorne Blvd., Torrance
6324 East Pacific Coast Highway, Long Beach
2221 Palo Verde Ave., Long Beach
454 Fair Oaks Ave., South Pasadena
93 W Colorado Blvd., Pasadena
500 N Brand Blvd., Glendale
500 N. Brand Blvd., Glendale
20516 Devonshire St., Chatsworth
9420 Reseda Blvd., Northridge
6203 Topanga Canyon Blvd., Woodland Hills
5422 Topanga Canyon Blvd., Woodland Hills
15301 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks
12824 Ventura Blvd., Studio City
9327 Garvey Ave., El Monte
12335 Base Line Road, Rancho Cucamonga
1337 N Mountain Ave., Ontario
20160 Golden Springs Dr. Diamond Bar
3047 Bonita Road, Chula Vista
2924 Carlsbad Blvd., Carlsbad
124 W Main St., El Cajon
14835 Pomerado Road, Poway
9868 Mission Gorge Road, Santee
2440 5th Ave., San Diego
2736 Garnet Ave., San Diego
4898 Convoy St., San Diego
4227 Genesee Ave, San Diego
6765 Mira Mesa Blvd., Ste. 149, San Diego
16773 Bernardo Center Drive, San Diego
12469 Rancho Bernardo Road, San Diego
10000 Aviary Drive, Suite A, San Diego
2567 Commerce Parkway, Barstow
2489 Lenwood Blvd. Barstow
301 N Pepper Ave., Colton
27512 W Lugonia Ave., Redlands
31364 Yucaipa Blvd., Yucaipa
889 W Florida Ave., Hemet
24100 El Toro Road, Laguna Woods
6502 Bolsa Ave., Huntington Beach
21000 Beach Blvd, Huntington Beach
3601 Jamboree Road Newport Beach
4678 Campus Drive Newport Beach
2700 W Coast Hwy Newport Beach
2700 W. Coast Highway, Newport Beach
1090 E. Imperial Hwy E-3, Brea
1000 E Bastanchury Road, Fullerton
44 Plaza Square, Orange Orange
2690 Tuscany St., Corona
33300 Bernard Drive, Kettleman City
3927 W. Caldwell Ave., Visalia
1643 S Comanche Drive, Bakersfield
30107 Paradise Way, Bakersfield
3300 White Lane, Bakersfield
9000 Ming Ave., Bakersfield
3971 S. Higuera St., San Luis Obispo
2053 W Avenue J, Lancaster
2935 Main St, Mammoth Lakes Mammoth Lakes
4116 N. West Ave., Fresno
5347 N. Blackstone Ave., Fresno
6740 N Blackstone Ave., Fresno
1286 N Peach Ave., Fresno
27 John St. Salinas
711 Cannery Row, Monterey
321 Gellert Blvd., Daly City
2410 Charleston Ave., Mountain View
1380 Pear Ave., Mountain View
2227 Broadway, Redwood City
462 Powell St., San Francisco
689 Townsend, San Francisco
350 Rhode Island, San Francisco
44 Montgomery St., San Francisco
4094 18th St., San Francisco
1501 Fillmore St., San Francisco
49 Jefferson St., San Francisco
1391 Saratoga Drive, San Mateo
11000 Crow Canyon Road, Danville
1900 Contra Costa Blvd., Pleasant Hill
398 Hartz Ave., Danville
38012 Mission Blvd Fremont
41093 Fremont Blvd., Fremont
799 A St., Hayward
2550 Las Positas Road, Livermore
223 S Vasco Road, Livermore
4521 Livermore Outlets Drive, Livermore
3350 California Blvd., Napa
1200 Lincoln Ave., Napa
1340 Trancas St., Napa
6000 Bollinger Canyon Road, San Ramon
4300 Sonoma Blvd., Vallejo
1601 Mt Diablo, Walnut Creek
200 Broadway, Oakland
3839 Emery St., Emeryville
470 Lake Park Ave., Oakland
3013 Broadway Ave., Oakland
1799 Solano Ave., Berkeley
125 Petaluma Blvd., North Petaluma
22390 Homestead Road, Cupertino
127 Ranch Drive, Milpitas
2401 Agnew Drive, Santa Clara
219 B Mt. Herman Road, Scotts Valley
745 Ocean St., Santa Cruz
125 Bernal Road, San Jose
1847 E. Capital Expressway, San Jose
670 River Oaks Parkway, San Jose
1574 Bascom Ave., San Jose
1600 Saratoga Ave., San Jose
2755 Yulupa Ave., Santa Rosa
801 Gravenstein Highway, Sebastopol
1906 4th St., Eureka
2815 Bell Road, Auburn
623 2nd St., Davis
2095 Golden Center #10, Gold River
4000 Foothills Blvd., Roseville
2345 Arden Way, Sacramento
2119 Fulton Ave., Sacramento
2121 Natomas Crossing, Sacramento
The San Francisco Chronicle also reported that the company is shuttering several outlets in the Bay Area, including several locations in San Francisco.

09/27/2025

Steak House and Craft Beer Brewery featuring Thai and American food on Center Street in Taft California.

09/26/2025

Many in the Oil Industry are discreetly wary of Newsom's new law that allows 2000 new oil wells per year in Kern County for 10 years. While a win is a win and it sounds promising, many in the oil patch are saying there is another shoe to drop - that is, when and if Oil Companies, who are already wary of state policies that prevent oil production think about investing, will they really do it and take the risk? With all the political pressure, lying and attacks against oil production in California that Newsom's responsible for, the Governor, state Democrats, environmentalists and the courts may do all they can in the end to prevent new drilling by finding ways to block new oil production. What do you think?

Moreover, everyone knows that Newsom is doing this in his attempt to keep refineries from leaving California and keep gas prices low as he runs for President.

In the meantime, here are some benefits Kern County and Taft might enjoy if oil companies are allowed to do what new state and county laws have promised.

Senate Bill 237, signed into law in September 2025, allows Kern County to approve up to 2,000 new oil well permits annually for 10 years. Supporters and officials point to several potential benefits of this policy for the county, particularly economic stability and increased in-state energy production.
Economic benefits
Boosted local economy: Increasing drilling activity is expected to bring jobs and an estimated boost of nearly $80 billion to the local economy over the next decade.
Job creation: Increased drilling and production will create jobs, offering economic stability to Kern County residents. The county's oil industry has historically been a significant driver of the local economy.
Stabilized tax revenue: The oil and gas industry has been an important source of tax revenue for the county. Increased production could help stabilize and increase this revenue, which has been declining.
Reduced reliance on imports: Boosting in-state production in Kern County can help reduce California's reliance on more expensive foreign oil. Foreign imports cost more per barrel than California crude, which drives up gas prices for residents.
Energy and regulatory benefits
Fast-tracked permitting: The new policy streamlines the approval process by certifying the county's Environmental Impact Report (EIR). This avoids nearly a decade of legal challenges that have halted or delayed new drilling.
Increased oil supply: By allowing more permits, Kern County can increase its production and help alleviate shortages caused by declining production and planned refinery closures in California.
Stabilized gas market: The policy is part of a broader effort by the state to stabilize the gas market and lower energy costs for consumers. The legislation's bipartisan support indicates a shift in political priorities regarding the state's energy strategy.
Environmental safeguards
Environmental protections: Supporters of the bill highlight that it includes environmental safeguards, such as 88 mitigation measures related to clean air, water, and other environmental impacts.
Balanced approach: The policy is framed as a balanced approach, intended to provide a reliable fuel supply while protecting the community and environment.