Opinion
Editorials
Employers Foot the Bill
Notice the line on your Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA) return for 2011 entitled the Credit Reduction, although not a new line item, it now comes into play for California employers. It is an additional FUTA tax passed on to the employer because California is one of the twenty states to be deemed a Credit Reduction State.
More of this storyThere are many questions concerning the grounding of the cruise ship Costa Concordia off the coast of Italy Saturday.
More of this storyWas it overboard for a Massachusetts police officer to show up to collect overdue library books from a five-year- old after months of delinquency. Most likely the officer had no clue the person was a five-year-old, Last I looked my library card didn’t list my age, and the child’s home was one of 13 homes visited that day, according to the New York Daily News. Why, too, was this five-year- -old so afraid of a policeman?
More of this story
Letters
> Submit a letter to the editor
National Wear Red Day, Feb. 3
Women are dying at the rate of one per minute because they don’t know that heart disease kills. It simply doesn’t have to be this way.
More of this story
Dire fee hike consequences unfounded?
In 2007, the Sequoia Forest Supervisor and members of her staff met with local Kern Valley Revitalization/Chamber of Commerce officials to explain the dire consequences to the local economy (from the potential closing of campgrounds and recreation sites) if HIRA (high impact recreation area) fees were not increased and expanded.
More of this story
Hurting children experience joy of holiday
Thanks to the generous efforts of Bakersfield-area residents, thousands of hurting children worldwide will have the opportunity to experience the joy of Christmas. Residents joined Operation Christmas Child, the world’s largest Christmas project of its kind, to pack 13,046 shoe boxes with toys, school supplies and necessity items. These gift-filled shoe boxes are making their way – or have already made their way – into the hands of needy children in 100 receiving countries.
More of this story
Kudos for clear skies man of the year
The Kern River Valley Astronomy Club would like to send an astronomical ‘thank you’ to “Man of the Year” Richard Rowe for his galactic efforts to preserve our dark skies above the Kern River Valley. Clear skies.
More of this story
Re: 'Verizon DSL customers left on hold' 1/25/12
Reference is made to the above item seen in the Kern Valley Sun.
More of this storyOn Jan. 12, I attended a meeting in Tehachapi where the Eastern Air Pollution Control Board met to discuss a recommendation by the grand jury to combine the Eastern and Western Kern Air Pollution Control Boards.
More of this story
Columns
Fishing Report
Matt Freeman/Special to the Sun
More of this storyMike Hughes/Special to the Sun
More of this story
Parents say the darnedest things
More of this storyGeorge Stahl/Special to the Sun
More of this storySheri Bowyer/Special to the Sun
More of this storyThere are many things that we take for granted. People in our lives, our jobs, that when we get into our car, it’s going to start, things like that. This past weekend something that may not be on everyone’s ‘Things not to take for granted’ list, gave many of us in the Kern River Valley a wakeup call. On Saturday, starting at around 10:20 in the morning and lasting until about 4:30 in the afternoon, a lot of SCE customers were in the dark. This isn’t a real news article, so I didn’t call to ask how many people had lost their electricity, but it was a lot. Some of those included businesses, some were people who may have been on electrically operated breathing machines, and all were people who had food in the fridge.
More of this story
Verizon DSL customers left on hold
George Stahl/Special to the Sun
More of this story
Dave Freeland
More of this story
Deborah Hess
More of this story
Daures Stephens
More of this story
Daniel Pope/Special to the Sun
More of this storyRay Conner/Kern Valley Sun
More of this storyFlats reporter Sandi Johnstone/Special to the Sun
More of this story
Mike Hughes/Special to the Sun
More of this storyGeorge Stahl/Special to the Sun
More of this storyMarsha Smith/Kern Valley Sun
More of this storyDaniel Pope/Special to the Sun
More of this storyGeorge Stahl/Special to the Sun
More of this story
Permanent AltaOne location remains undecided
Matt Martz/Special to the Sun
More of this story
When we observe the planets and compare their positions with the background stars night after night we usually see the planets moving eastward. For instance, if you have had occasions to look above our eastern horizon before sunrise during November and December, then you noticed Mars moving eastward when compared with the stars in Leo, the Lion. That is about to change. Go out before your late local news and look above your eastern horizon and look for bright Regulus in Leo. After your late local news you might see the rest of Leo and Mars. I know it is cold but you don’t need to stay out very long in order to observe this.
More of this story
Sometimes it’s tough doing what’s right. A lot of times it would be easier to just let folks fail all on their own. However, tell me where is the mentorship in that? I don’t believe any of us were born knowing it all. I recognize some people believe they know it all, but I seriously doubt it. Take me for instance, I wasn’t born knowing how to ride stock, it had to be taught to me and truth be known I am still learning each and every time I go out. That same theory applies to saddling, roping, shoeing, grooming, pretty much anything you do with a horse. Without too much of a stretch you could apply that theory to life itself. That is why a recent two hour ride was one of the most enjoyable I have experienced in a long time.
More of this story

