Karla Sosa

Prev Next Posted 5 minutes ago Karla Sosa Arvin and Lamont Neighborhood Reporter BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — A Bakersfield man was detained by ICE while on his way to work, and his business partner is speaking out in a 23ABC News exclusive, raising concerns about how his friend of seven years was treated. David Rivera, owner of D-R Building Solutions, said he received a phone call from his business partner, Sergio, as the detention was unfolding. Skip Ad Continue watching after the ad "He calls me and tells me, 'Hey, I just got pulled over. And I'm like, "Okay, were you speeding or anything?" Like, no, I just got pulled over. I don't know what's going on. And I don't think it's police; I think it's ICE because they're unmarked, and I don't know what's going on," Rivera said. Rivera said he could hear what was happening over the phone and grew concerned about how Sergio was being treated. "The way they pulled him out very quickly when the other concerning part is that when he mentioned the lawyer, they didn't care. You know, so I feel like he's not being treated with dignity and respect," Rivera said. Before the call ended, Sergio was able to give Rivera his location. Rivera said he later arrived and found Sergio's vehicle on the side of the road. "I noticed the vehicle on the side of the road with the broken window. I got out, and sure enough, the first responder gave me the keys. She said that she had found the keys, just lying on the floor," Rivera said. Video from the Rapid Response Network of Kern shows the truck on the side of the freeway. Rivera said Sergio's detention has left his family distraught. "They're in distress. She couldn't even talk over the phone. She was just crying and crying and not okay, you know? That's very concerning. As far as his daughter, was there because she was the one that picked up the vehicle. She couldn't even talk. She was just crying and crying and crying in distress," Rivera said. Rivera describes Sergio as a devoted father and a hardworking man. He said he decided to speak publicly because he wants people to know the man behind the detention. "A family of three children, two adults, and one minor. His oldest son is currently in the military. He is a Marine stationed in San Diego," Rivera said. "And the reason why I'm coming forward is because he's such a great guy. He's a guy that I could trust with my wallet open, and I know it's not gonna be missing, you know? He's very trustworthy. He's a great man," Rivera said. The Rapid Response Network of Kern said it remains in contact with Sergio's family. This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy. Stay in Touch with Us Anytime Anywhere Download Our Free App for Apple and Android Sign Up for Our Daily E-mail Newsletter Like Us on Facebook Follow Us on Instagram Subscribe to Us on YouTube

Prev Next Posted 3 minutes ago Karla Sosa Arvin and Lamont Neighborhood Reporter BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Hundreds of people gathered Saturday at the Liberty Bell in downtown Bakersfield, joining one of many "No Kings" protests held across California just days before the election. The event was framed as a "No Kings" vote-early gathering, with organizers encouraging residents to cast their ballots early. "Not a protest it's a gathering. It's a celebration of our right to vote. This is getting out the vote early, voting early, and this is part of a nationwide effort," Audrey Chavez, local No Kings event organizer said. People started arriving at 9 in the morning at the Liberty Bell before walking over to the Kern County Elections Department to drop off their voting ballots. "As you know, ballots have come in the mail, and we want people to understand the process of voting, if they have any questions, be able to access those resources and then also be able to accompany anyone another to the ballot boxes," Chavez said. Hundreds gathered on the corner of Truxtun and Chester avenues on Saturday, rallying against President Trump's policies as part of a nationwide "No Kings" protest. That's where I met David, who says it was important for him to attend the rally. "USA is in trouble. We've got incompetence and corruption in the administration. Our Congress doesn't hold the President accountable. We're now in a war. Inflation is out of control. We got to get these guys out of office, and we got to figure out a way to stop the administration from doing what it does," David said. He's also encouraging people to vote and have their voices heard. "It's very important to vote early. It's also important to vote. So that's one of the few things that we have. You know, we can be out here on the sidewalk with our flags and stuff. But every American needs to vote if they want a change," David said. Elosie Mudje arrived early to the march and says she hopes she's making a difference. "Future generations are counting on us. They deserve the kind of America and United States that we are supposed to be," Mudje said. Saturday's march was the fourth one in Bakersfield. The first rally was June of 2025, the second one October of 2025 and the third one was March of this year, 2026. Mudje says she's glad to see that people continue to support the movement. "It's really great to see how many people are active in the country right now. People have woke up and being awake is much better than being asleep. So it's very exciting, really," Mudje said. Hundreds of "No Kings" protests were held in California and thousands across the country. This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy. Stay in Touch with Us Anytime Anywhere Download Our Free App for Apple and Android Sign Up for Our Daily E-mail Newsletter Like Us on Facebook Follow Us on Instagram Subscribe to Us on YouTube

A Bakersfield man was detained by ICE on his way to work. His business partner heard it over the phone and is raising concerns about his treatment.

The City of Arvin received a donation of more than $56,000 to fund the first major renovation in Felicita Park's history, completed in just four months.

The City of Arvin received a donation of more than $56,000 to fund the first major renovation in Felicita Park's history, completed in just four months.

Prev Next Posted 4 minutes ago Karla Sosa Arvin and Lamont Neighborhood Reporter Local markets La Plazita and La Familia are stepping up with free delivery as fear of immigration enforcement empties Arvin's streets and storefronts. Businesses in Arvin are seeing firsthand the impact of ICE activity in the community, and some are stepping up to help their neighbors. La Plazita Market Carniceria in Arvin is now offering free delivery to residents who are afraid to leave their homes, according to cashier Belen Rosas. "There's been people who have called to ask if we're offering the service and of course, we are. We're happy to help," Rosas said. Just last week, at least one person was picked up by ICE at the Bear Mountain Car Wash. Since then, Rosas said the store's atmosphere has dramatically changed. "When kids get out of school, people would come and get their groceries for what they would cook for dinner and right now it's lonely," Rosas said. Rosas said the community has responded with gratitude. "There's been great response, people have thanked us doing posting it and they're glad we're helping people in this way," Rosas said. At La Familia Market and Bin Store, business dropped sharply after footage of ICE activity in Arvin spread on social media, according to Maribel Lopez. "Thursday was by far the worst because we probably. Me and the guys from the meat department, we were here for if it wasn't for the guy that is outside on the recycling, we wouldn't have had a customer in probably four hours. Oh, is that slow," Lopez said. After seeing La Plazita step up, La Familia decided to do the same, offering free local delivery on weekends, Lopez said. "So if you guys are willing to trust us and, you know, we're here to help you guys out, I'm more than happy to do that," Lopez said. Stores offering deliveries in Arvin: La Plazita Market Carniceria: 156 Bear Mountain Blvd. Arvin, CA 93203 La Familia Market and Bin Store: 924 Haven Dr. Arvin, CA 93203 La Raza Market: 201 Bear Mountain Blvd. Arvin, CA 93203 This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy. Stay in Touch with Us Anytime Anywhere Download Our Free App for Apple and Android Sign Up for Our Daily E-mail Newsletter Like Us on Facebook Follow Us on Instagram Subscribe to Us on YouTube

Arvin markets are offering free grocery delivery to residents afraid to leave home amid ICE activity in the community.

Prev Next Posted 6 minutes ago Karla Sosa Arvin and Lamont Neighborhood Reporter As some families stay home amid concerns over immigration enforcement, one Lamont business is stepping in to help keep its customers moving. Mechanics from Lamont Auto Repair are hitting the road to pick up customers' vehicles. Owner Emanuel Espinoza said the shop started offering the service after noticing how ICE activity was affecting daily life in Lamont. Skip Ad Continue watching after the ad "So we definitely saw less traffic here at the shop, and not just here at the shop, but just within the community itself, you know, we're looking out at the street and it looked like a ghost town, you know, so we definitely knew that people were staying home," Espinoza said. The Rapid Response Network of Kern confirmed one person was detained by ICE in Lamont on Tuesday. Espinoza said the calls have been coming in since the shop began offering free vehicle pickup. "Picking up cars left and right. So, you know, people are definitely taking advantage of, you know, our service. And we're glad that we're able to help," Espinoza said. Paloma is one of those customers. For privacy, she asked us not to show her face. She said she's grateful to see a local business stepping up for the community. "I saw it on social media; that's where I saw their post and it's a great help," Paloma said. "I'm really grateful because they're helping out the community." Mechanic Alfredo Gomez said getting those cars to and from the shop takes a team. "Two of us will go. Obviously, one will go on and one of our vehicles; we'll go wherever the customer is at, pick up the customer vehicle, and just pretty much drive back to the shop and check out or figure out whatever needs to be fixed on the vehicle. And from there, just same process, two of us will go and drop it off," Gomez said. For Espinoza, the extra miles are about returning years of support from the community. "You know, the community has always been here and supporting us, so we decided that we wanted to support back. And we've gotten a lot of people calling and letting us know that, you know, they appreciate what we're doing," Espinoza said. And for Paloma, that help means more than just getting her car fixed. "Thanks to their help, a lot of people can use their services, and I hope God can bless them for their help," Paloma said. Espinoza said people can call the day of for their pickup services. This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy. Stay in Touch with Us Anytime Anywhere Download Our Free App for Apple and Android Sign Up for Our Daily E-mail Newsletter Like Us on Facebook Follow Us on Instagram Subscribe to Us on YouTube

Prev Next Posted 5 minutes ago and last updated 4 minutes ago Karla Sosa Arvin and Lamont Neighborhood Reporter BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — The Arts Council of Kern hosted its annual Latination event over the weekend, with organizers reporting more participating artists this year. Outside the doors of the Arts Council of Kern in downtown Bakersfield, N Street between 19th and 18th streets was closed off and filled with vendors and dance performances, though the event looked different compared to last year. Arts Council of Kern Director Jeanette Richardson said proceeds from the event go back to the programs the organization offers throughout Kern County. "This is our second year and it's much smaller as you may have noted because of the road construction. So, we don't know what we'll raise this year, but last year, I think we raised $37,000," Richardson said. According to Richardson, this year they have 107 art pieces, not including kids' art. "We also go into prisons and we're in school districts all around the county. So we take the arts to people. You know, even though we have a gorgeous gallery here, we don't expect everybody to come downtown Bakersfield. We go out to them as well," Richardson said. Don Martin is the founder of Latination and said he wanted to create an exhibit that would celebrate the Latino community. "I felt that the Latino community hadn't been honored, in a sense, and to being able to bring what they've brought culturally to Kern County. So I created the art exhibit called Latination and what we do is we ask artists to give us their interpretation of that," Martin said. Mary Helen Barro was one of many who attended the art exhibit. "It's just so beautiful, and the art and the culture is so wonderful, and I just can't tell you how much I'm enjoying this. It's wonderful," Barro said. Barro said she had her eye on a couple of art pieces. "There are two or three that I'm looking at, and a couple I can't afford, but we'll see what the pocketbook can produce," Barro said. The exhibit will continue until mid-November. This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy. Stay in Touch with Us Anytime Anywhere Download Our Free App for Apple and Android Sign Up for Our Daily E-mail Newsletter Like Us on Facebook Follow Us on Instagram Subscribe to Us on YouTube

Mira Monte High School sophomore makes history as first-place winner in Spanish FFA Creed event Isaac Ovalle competed against 46 students from across the country at the 99th National FFA Convention and Expo in Indianapolis, becoming the first Mira Monte student to win first place. Prev Next Posted 4 minutes ago Karla Sosa Arvin and Lamont Neighborhood Reporter BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — A Mira Monte High School student has made history, winning first place in reciting the Creed in Spanish for the first time in the school's history. Isaac Ovalle, a sophomore at Mira Monte High School, is back after competing in the 99th National FFA Convention and Expo in Indianapolis. Ovalle competed against 46 students from across the country. Skip Ad Continue watching after the ad "So a competition is about the creed in Spanish, the creed. So I have to recite the five paragraphs and then answer three questions within five minutes," Ovalle said. Ovalle said he practiced for days memorizing and practicing the poem. "A speech that inspires others that we have to say. So they can like be like feel it and feel in our inspiration for it. And it's like a speech that lets know people about agriculture," Ovalle said. Ovalle's agriculture teacher, Crystal Luera, said Ovalle has come a long way since he joined the Future Farmers of America chapter at Mira Monte High School, and she is proud of him. "He's making history for our school. And again, the pride of being that bilingual public speaker. So it was it was a lot of emotions, a lot of good emotions," Luera said. Ovalle said he's thankful for all of the support he's received leading up to the competition. "Proud of myself, and I feel proud that I can actually now feel comfortable in public speaking. And it was not just me, it was the help I got from my advisors. my family, my friends that believed in me. And I really love this now and it's like, I want to inspire other people to also step up and like be public speakers too," Ovalle said. The Spanish FFA Creed speaking event was first introduced in 2023. Luera said having this type of competition is important. "I believe being bilingual is very, very important. It is a very good skill. And so being able to take pride in that and develop their skills in being a public speaker, but then again, being a public speaker with both English and Spanish. And so seeing those kids just really have that pride and showcase it, that was really awesome to see. So that made it a little bit extra special being there," Luera said. As for Ovalle, he hopes to be a role model for his peers. This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy. Stay in Touch with Us Anytime Anywhere Download Our Free App for Apple and Android Sign Up for Our Daily E-mail Newsletter Like Us on Facebook Follow Us on Instagram Subscribe to Us on YouTube Bakersfield CA Weather