Residents living near the Centennial Corridor it was once a quiet peaceful neighborhood, but the ongoing construction has left them sitting next to piles of trash, graffiti, and small fires.
Since Bitwise Industries furloughed hundreds of employees and abandoned its Bakersfield location, those who remain at the corner of 18th and H streets have hoped for the best.
Bus driver shortages have been a problem for school districts since before the COVID-19 pandemic. For Lakeside though, the problem seems to have gotten even worse in the last two years.
During City Council Wednesday, three more entrepreneurs received grants totaling $90,000, including Stephanie Chavez who plans to use to expand her business Sweet Bites N Ice.
Oswaldo Martinez stands proudly decked out in a dark green fabric with a white fluffy collar- complete with snowflake details and little bells on his hat. “Yes, I am the Bakersfield Elf," he says.