Tehachapi's Online Community News & Entertainment Guide
Tehachapi's Online Community News & Entertainment Guide
Sorted by date Results 26 - 50 of 51
Bear Valley Community Services District is pleased to announce the appointment of Timothe Melanson to serve as Chief of Police for Bear Valley Police Department. Melanson has had a distinguished career in law enforcement, spending the majority of his career with the Kern County Sheriff's Office, and achieving the rank of Patrol Operations Commander. He has also served as a Deputy, Senior Deputy, Sergeant, and Lieutenant in a variety of special assignments and in smaller sub-stations across the...
Police Dept. School Resource Officer Amy Smith knows the students Tehachapi Police Department Officer Amy Smith is a visible presence at the six Tehachapi Unified School District (TUSD) sites. As the School Resource Officer, Smith handles law enforcement problems that arise among the students as well as providing support for the students and staff. "The kids are great," she told Forde Files. "They are personable, friendly. The kids talk to me." Smith spends most of her time on the campuses of...
Eric Scarlett is one of Tehachapi's claims to fame. If you've ever wondered who built the world's largest barbecue grill, or the world's biggest motorcycle, look no further than Bear Valley Springs, where Eric is a resident. Driving up to Eric's house off Jacaranda, there's a commanding view of the southern Sierra Nevada mountain range. He lives in a very nice 2-story house with a garage that looks like an automotive shop, which gives away a huge clue to one of his major hobbies. He invited me...
This will be the seventh year for Tehachapi's National Night Out. Again, Tehachapi Police Department and the Tehachapi Police Foundation are partnering to bring demonstrations, education, tours of equipment and much more to the community. National Night Out is held annually across the United States to show support for law enforcement, first responders and spreading the word on safety at home, in school and around the neighbrohood. The event is free and all are welcome! The location is Philip Mar...
Tehachapi lost one of its brightest stars last month. Martin Jay Sussell, whom everyone called Jay, passed away on Jan. 9 after a long illness. Having spent most of his working life in law enforcement (Los Angeles, Gardina, Beverly Hills) and the space tech industry, where he met wife Flo, he kept that energy up when the couple moved to Tehachapi to retire. With friend Geoffrey Braslow he founded VIPS (volunteers in police service) and he remained active in both Tehachapi and Bear Valley...
The Tehachapi Police Department and the City of Tehachapi are again hosting its annual "National Night Out" event. National Night Out is a communitybuilding campaign that promotes policecommunity partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie to make our community and neighborhoods safer, better places to live. This year's celebration will be held at Tehachapi's Central Park on Tuesday, August 2, 2016 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., followed by the "Movie in the Park" at 9 p.m. At 8:30 p.m. we will join for...
We've all heard that it's better to give than to receive. There is joy in giving. Some children never get to experience this. Thunder on the Mountain supports a program that gives children a chance to feel the joy of giving. The Shop With a Cop program is an annual event that joins underprivileged children with local law enforcement officers, providing the children with money to shop for Christmas presents. Officers from Tehachapi Police Department, California Highway Patrol, Kern County...
Something in the air is different. All the animals of the forest are restless. What is that smell? Momma puts her nose in the air and sniffs: "Smoke. Run Ember! Run!" And it begins. Running and running. Behind them a monster. It is yellow and red. It makes a hissing sound. It crackles. It is the Erskine fire. Running and running. The smoke makes it hard to breath. And now the smell of smoke is mixed with the smell of fear. "Faster Ember" Momma shouts. Her little legs are going as fast as they...
Police Chief Mike Grant reports, the Stallion Springs Police Department assisted the Kern County Sheriff at the Erskine Fire. Two units responded to the Fire on Thursday, June 23 and again on Friday, June 24. The third unit covered calls in the Tehachapi area when needed on June 23, 24, and 25. On June 25 our officer established a command post and called out Kern County Search and Rescue to search for a missing adult female in the Golden Hills area. We also had Stallion Springs CERT on standby...
Fires – Above, a helicopter vacuums up water at Middle Lake in Bear Valley Springs through a snorkel, filling its tank in 45 seconds. Helicopters fitted with buckets scooped up loads in 10 seconds. The helicopters, staged as closely as a minute apart, dropped the water on the Deer Fire, which advanced up the hill from Hwy. 223. Air tankers dropped fire bright red retardant. The blaze started July 1, 2016, covered 1,785 acres and was 93 percent contained by July 6. It threatened homes in BVS and...
More Sponsors. More Fun. More Surprises. Cheers to Charity 2016 is shaping up to be the Must-Do Charity Event for the Summer Season! This annual fund raising event, to be held Saturday, August 13 at Aviator Park, has more sponsors, more surprises and more fun planned than ever before! Cheers to Charity benefits local charities and features live music, mouth-watering tapas, scrumptious wines, delicious craft beer ... plus the area’s only offering of skillfully made home-brewed beer. Choice cigars (available for purchase), a silent auction, a cof...
Local Kern County Fire Department spokesman Tyler Townsend introduced the speakers at this year's event which was held at Cub Lake in Bear Valley Springs. Fire representatives from several agencies spoke on the need for "Advanced preparedness". Cal-Fires theme: Ready, Set, Go was emphasized. Ready... Build a defensible space around your property and buildings. Set...Have in place an evacuation route out of the area. Go...Leave at the first sign of a wild fire in your neighborhood. Don't wait to...
Effective July 1, 2016, the City of Tehachapi and the Tehachapi Police Department will terminate their dispatch contract with Bear Valley Springs Community Services District. In a 5-0 vote, the Tehachapi City Council voted to end the contract with the Bear Valley CSD that has been in effect since 2007 when the Tehachapi Police Department was reestablished. When the contract began, the Tehachapi Police Department paid approximately $277,000 annually with a 5% annual increase. However, by 2014...
Wow – Tehachapi is awesome – The Aug. 8 Cheers to Charity event at Veritas (and the entire parking lot) brought in a $26,500 for local nonprofits, including the vital Salvation Army after school community center. The Tehachapi Car Club earned $22,000 at its Aug. 16 Thunder on the Mountain event, distributing all of it to more than a dozen local charities. Tehachapi goes global – An animated Henry Schaeffer, Jr. told the Greater Tehachapi Economic Development Council (GTEDC) -- meeting Oct....
Using an empty home in Bear Valley Springs in a sting operation, the Contractors State License Board’s fraud team cited nine individuals suspected of violating state contracting laws on Aug. 27, 2015. According to a board press release, the Statewide Investigative Fraud Team (SWIFT) discovered that of the nine individuals, “one had an active $110,000 felony warrant, another was on probation for prior illegal contracting charges, one suspect was driving with a suspended driver license and ano...
On December 11, 2014, the Tehachapi Police Department held its second annual Shop With a Cop event in the City of Tehachapi. Twenty underprivileged children from our community were able to spend the evening eating and shopping with local law enforcement officers. The 58 Diner provided a wonderful dinner before the children departed in police cars to Kmart for their Christmas shopping experience. Each child was provided with a gift card to purchase Christmas gifts for themselves and their families. This event provides an opportunity for law...
Stallion Springs CERT The Stallion Springs CERT team hosted a preparation meeting for the GranFondo Bicycle Ride to be held on September 13. Twenty three members of the Stallion Springs, Bear Valley and Sand Canyon CERT teams attended to get a briefing on what their duties would be, and what to expect on ride day. CERT members along with the Stallion Springs Citizen Service Unit will assist the Sheriff and Stallion Springs Police Department in traffic control and at rest areas in the Cummings Valley and Sand Canyon. Over 650 cyclists are...
The Stallion Springs Board of Directors held its regular monthly meeting on Tuesday Aug. 19 at the CSD. The board approved the Execution of the Water Shortage Contingency Plan declaring a Stage 2 Emergency. General Manager, Mary Bath Garrison noted that Stallion Springs has done well so far in conserving but more will be known after the August meter readings at the end of the month. She displayed a door hanger that will be used as a first notice to violators. Police Report The Police department...
School enrollment up – Tehachapi Unified School District (TUSD) Superintendent Susan Andreas-Bervel reported to the district Board of Trustees on Aug. 12, 2014 (the day before school started), that projected student enrollment in the district is up. She said that Cummings Valley Elementary is up three students, Golden Hills elementary is up 14, Tompkins Elementary is up 31, Jacobsen Middle School is up 58, Tehachapi High School is up 86 and Monroe Continuation High School is up 24, for a t...
Local law enforcement and a variety of community organizers are inviting residents to a night out on the town with free food and all the safety information they can handle. The introduction of National Night Out, “America’s Night Out Against Crime”, began in 1984 in an effort to promote involvement in crime prevention activities, police-community partnerships, neighborhood camaraderie and to send a message to criminals letting them know that neighborhoods are organized and fighting back. “National Night Out” is sponsored by the National...
Local law enforcement and a variety of community organizers are inviting residents to a night out on the town with free food and all the safety information they can handle. The introduction of National Night Out, "America's Night Out Against Crime", began in 1984 in an effort to promote involvement in crime prevention activities, police-community partnerships, neighborhood camaraderie and to send a message to criminals letting them know that neighborhoods are organized and fighting back....
The June 27, 2014 official dedication and open house for the new Tehachapi Police Department building on 220 West C St. drew dignitaries and members of the public eager to see the state-of-the-art facility. Retiring Chief of Police Jeff Kermode – who had the task of forming the police department in 2007 when the city chose to establish its own department rather than extending a contract with the Kern County Sheriffs Office – swore in the new chief, Kent Kroeger, whose father Joe pinned on his ba...
Fran Riggs had many reasons to move to Tehachapi when she retired. Although she had been born in Kern County, she has not lived here for many years. She did, however, still have family in the area and she had always loved the mountain setting and the change of seasons so Tehachapi seemed a natural choice when it came time to retire and move from the crowded city environment of Fullerton. Last fall Fran finally retired from 13 years as a buyer for the City of Fullerton. I was not sure what a...
Police Chief Mike Grant presented his 2013 Year in Review report and Strategic Plan for 2014/2015 to support and sustain the department to the Stallion Springs CSD Board of Directors at its Feb. 18 meeting with over 60 residents in attendance. Grant also responded to a number of questions raised by residents concerning the police leaving the jurisdiction to assist other police departments and how they reciprocate by covering for, and assisting our department. He also reviewed the extensive work...
Neighborhood Watch held its regular meeting on Monday, Jan. 20 in the Emergency Operations Center at the Stallion Administration Building with over 40 residents in attendance. Police Chief Mike Grant said, “The police department has had some challenges with staffing and it’s groups like this that help us in a serious manor to patrol the area and to be the eyes and ears in the community.” Grant reported, “Last month we had a significant number of people complaining about scams that are going on. Most of the scams are phishing scams that are goi...
