FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2020 • BAKERSFIELD.COM Federal judge shortage ‘will seriously hinder the administration of justice’ in Kern County BY STEVEN MAYER of the U.S. Eastern District Court implemented reluctantly.” sumed reduced work status or 2018 explosion at a compressed [email protected] of California, the federal judicial The emergency is already af- inactive status. natural gas fueling station in Take a stroll through the district that includes Bakersfield fecting hundreds of local cases “We have one judge” in Fresno, Buttonwillow. multi-story federal courthouse and the southern San Joaquin and local families, including Clark says. The accident has made him in Fresno, suggests Bakersfield Valley, has instituted a “judicial cases The Californian has covered “We are the single most im- unemployable, and his wife, Joan, attorney Matthew Clark. emergency” order that he ac- in years past. pacted district in the country.” has had to tap her retirement What you don’t see might sur- knowledges “will seriously hinder The district, which serves 8 What does that mean for indi- fund to keep the family stable prise you. the administration of justice” in million Californians, is supposed viduals and families with cases financially. “Walk through the halls,” he the district. to have six full-time judges — pending? Joan Johnson has penned says. “There’s no one there.” “These are uncharted waters three in Fresno and three in For William “Lee” Johnson and letters to local elected officials, Clark is exaggerating, but just for this court,” Drozd writes in his Sacramento. his family, it’s a matter of finan- including House Minority Leader barely. order, signed Feb. 3. “The emer- But in the past two months, cial survival. Johnson, now 60, Federal Judge Dale A. Drozd gency procedures ... are being three judges in Fresno have as- was nearly killed in a December Please see JUDGES | A3 Trump, SPREADING SMILES WITH Sanders come to RANDOM ACTS town with different OF KINDNESS intentions Elderly residents and CSUB students join forces in endeavor BY JOHN COX [email protected] One day the president drops by, two days later it’s the leading Democratic candidate for the White House. Could it be that winning Ba- kersfield is suddenly key to becom- ing leader of the free world? Not yet. Political ob- servers say Ver- mont Sen. Bernie Sanders and Pres- ident Donald Trump are looking to Kern County for entirely different reasons: Sanders hopes to energize young Latinos and pick up every last delegate, they say, while Trump dropped by to help an important ally in a part of the state where he feels welcome. Their dual visits this week — Trump drew a local crowd of 3,000 Wednesday and Sanders is expected to speak from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. to- day at the Spectrum Amphitheatre — have showered rare attention to a city not used to being in the politi- cal spotlight. There is a sense that both stops are geared toward seizing ALEX HORVATH / THE CALIFORNIAN Please see CAMPAIGN | A3 Brookdale Riverwalk resident Betty Newman, 94, shares a carnation with Sydney Pedersen in celebration of Random Acts of Kindness Day on Thursday. See more photos online at Bakersfield.com. BY EMA SASIC [email protected] rookdale Riverwalk resident GOVERNMENT Betty Newman needs a little California apologizes for reason to smile and get out internment of Japanese of her home every once in a Americans during WWII while these days. BIt’s been difficult for her lately ever STATE | B2 since her husband died, and some- times it’s been easier to stay home and sequester herself in order to grieve. But she got the chance to bring ELECTION 2020 some cheer Thursday to Cal State Ba- kersfield students — and herself — by Despite tough debate, passing out red, pink and white car- Bloomberg says he’s not nations as random acts of kindness. ‘going to go away’ A CSUB alumna herself, she said this was exactly what she needed to help NATION & WORLD | B1 her see some sunshine again — figura- tively and literally. “When I first heard about it, I thought, ‘Why in the world would BOYS BASKETBALL these young people want to have any Garces, Centennial interaction with old people?’ That CSUB student Cecilia Velazquez, left, Brookdale Riverwalk resident Betty Newman and CSUB student Lexie Chavez gather carnations that they will pass and BHS stay alive in Please see KINDNESS | A3 out to students on campus for Random Acts of Kindness Day. Central Section playoffs SPORTS | C1 Priest sues Fresno Diocese, its chancellor for defamation THE BAKERSFIELD CALIFORNIAN of the Fresno Diocese in a May suit, Dominguez said she person- of the “aforementioned false, Monsignor Craig Harrison filed 2019 article on the website KQED. ally expressed her concern for the defamatory, libelous and slan- a defamation lawsuit Thursday org. The lawsuit was filed in Kern alleged victim and told him that derous statements, plaintiff Craig against the Roman Catholic County Superior Court. she believed him and apologized Harrison has sustained general Diocese of Fresno and Teresa Representatives of the diocese for the pain the alleged incident and non-economic damages for Dominguez, the chancellor/di- did not return messages seeking caused. past present and future emo- rector of communications for the comment Thursday. “I told him that I will support tional distress, anxiety, shame, diocese. The lawsuit states that in the him and be an advocate for him humiliation, and mortification According to a news release May 19, 2019, article, Dominguez in any way that I can,” Domin- all to his general damage in an sent by Harrison’s attorneys, the said she visited the house of one guez said, according to the amount according to proof.” ALEX HORVATH / CALIFORNIAN FILE lawsuit alleges Dominguez made of Harrison’s alleged victims to lawsuit. Monsignor Craig Harrison defamatory statements on behalf apologize. According to the law- The lawsuit says that because Please see HARRISON | A3 during a June interview. CONTACT US OUTSIDE TODAY INSIDE YOUR CALIFORNIAN Subscriber services: YOUR COMPLETE FORECAST | A6 Advice / Horoscopes .................... C4 / C5 Obituaries .............................................. A5 661-392-5777, 800-953-5353 HIGH LOW Best Bets ................................................B3 Opinion .................................................. B4 or [email protected] Classifieds ..............................................D1 Puzzles .....................................C5, C6, D2 To report a news tip: 75 50 Comics ................................................... C6 Sports...................................................... C1 661-395-7384, 800-540-0646 AIR QUALITY Herb Benham .........................................B3 Stocks ..................................................... B1 PRICE: $1.25 or [email protected] 78 | Moderate Nation & World ...................................... B1 Television............................................... C4 A2 The Bakersfield Californian Friday, February 21, 2020 LOCAL TODAY IN HISTORY WORTH NOTING | COMMUNITY 1613: Mikhail Romanov, 16, was unanimously chosen by Russia’s national assembly to be czar, beginning a dynasty that would last three Assemblyman proposes centuries. 1945: During the World War II Battle of Iwo Jima, the escort carrier USS Bismarck Sea was sunk by kamikazes with the loss of 318 men. bill that would provide 1958: The USS Gudgeon (SS 567) became the first CONTACT US American submarine to complete a round-the- I Address: 3700 Pegasus world cruise, eight months after departing from Drive, Bakersfield, CA 93308 tax relief for middle class Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. I Phone: 661-395-7500 1964: The first shipment of U.S. wheat purchased THE BAKERSFIELD CALIFORNIAN personal income tax and the 48th worst by the Soviet Union arrived in the port of Odessa. NEWSROOM Assemblyman Vince Fong, R-Bakersfield, state for business tax climate, which is also 1965: Black Muslim leader and civil rights activist introduced a bill Thursday that would pro- forcing many Californians to move out of Malcolm X, 39, was shot to death inside Harlem’s I Phone: 661-395-7384 or vide tax relief for middle state. Audubon Ballroom in New York by assassins 800-540-0646 class families and work- identified as members of the Nation of Islam. I Email: local@bakersfield. ers, according to a news (Three men were convicted of murder and im- com release from his office. There are now seven confirmed flu prisoned; all were eventually paroled.) CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING If passed, Assembly Bill deaths in Kern County this season, 1972: President Richard M. Nixon began his historic 2715 would double the according to the county Public Health visit to China as he and his wife, Pat, arrived in I Phone: 661-322-SELL homeowners tax exemp- Services Department. Beijing. I Online: bakersfield.com/ tion, provide comparable No further details were provided. marketplace 1973: Israeli fighter planes shot down Libyan Arab Fong relief for renters, eliminate On Tuesday, the department confirmed Airlines Flight 114 over the Sinai Desert, killing all DISPLAY ADVERTISING the minimum franchise tax four flu deaths in Kern County during the but five of 113 people on board. for small businesses, and lower the state 2019-20 flu season. The flu season typically 1975: Former Attorney General John N. Mitchell I Phone: 661-395-7622 personal income tax rate for the middle lasts through the spring, and county health and former White House aides H.R. Haldeman I Online: mediakit.bakersfield class, the release stated. spokeswoman Michelle Corson said earlier and John D. Ehrlichman were sentenced to 2½ to .com In the release, Fong said the bill is this week it’s currently the thick of the eight years in prison for their roles in the Water- necessary because of rising mortgages season. gate cover-up (each ended up serving a year and SUBSCRIBER SERVICES and rentals, which are driving families out Health officials still recommend that both a half). I Phone: 661-392-5777 or of California. The release also stated that adults and children get a flu shot and should 1992: Kristi Yamaguchi, of the United States, won 800-953-5353 California was the 49th worst state for stay home if they’re sick, Corson said.