In Sacramento on April 18, California legislators were asked by United Farm Workers officials to sign the Fair Treatment for Farm Workers Act, which allows farm workers the right to vote in either secret-ballot elections or by majority sign-up as administered by the Agricultural Relations Board.
Reports from organizations and universities around the world indicate that algae could be used as an effective form of biofuel, perhaps better than corn or soybeans, although its ability to replace petroleum as the de-facto fuel source for the world wouldn't become feasible until several decades down the road.
Above the crowd, the roaring engines were vibrant and alive as history flew by. War Birds in Action was not just an air show, it was a piece of history in the present, restored and preserved. The air show took place at Minter Field in Shafter, April 21. There were still planes arriving when the show started at about 11 a.
Training seminars, trade show vendors and speakers highlighted the18th annual Bakersfield Women's Business Conference on April 19 at the Rabobank Arena, Theater and Convention Center. Over 40 training seminars were available, including seminars such as "Protecting Yourself in Today's Society," by Sandy Morris, and "What Every Manager and Supervisor should know," by Susan Scaffid.
Past a dimly lit dining room was a lighted staircase that led down to the premier of a new local literary magazine in Bakersfield, The Noveltown Review. The magazine is to be put out on a quarterly basis by the group Noveltown, which is an independent literary press and online blog spot for writers who wish to share their ideas among each other and their readers.
California Poet Laureate Al Young, along with four local poets, including Bakersfield College professor Nancy Edwards, participated in a poetry recital at Beale Library on April 18. Young, a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley, was appointed by California Gov.
People need to be educated about asthma triggers as well as preventions to improve life for young children who have asthma and struggle throughout their whole lives, said American Lung Association officials. Kern County has the worst air in the United States, which increases the chances of diseases like asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).
As the sun went down on April 19, Chester Avenue and 18th through 21st streets were full of life as people gathered for the Downtown Street Fair. As some children got in line for the jump house, others were waiting for Bobo the Millennium Clown to create an object out of balloons.
All over the city of Bakersfield, volunteers were picking up trash for the Keep Bakersfield Beautiful event, officially known as "The Great American Clean Up." It was followed up by a post-cleanup party at Yokuts Park on April 21. The sixth annual cleanup has had no advertisements, but had 3,400 volunteers involved this year, "and it gets bigger and bigger each year, because of our caring community," says Sheryl Graab, 44, chairwoman for the Keep Bakersfield Beautiful organization.
Families gathered for X-Stream Family Day at Riverwalk Park on April 22 to promote family togetherness. A coalition of Families First, Kern County Network of Churches and the Jesus Shack spearheaded this event in an effort to reach out to Bakersfield families in a Christian-based atmosphere providing live Christian music and booths for children's games, food, and information about local churches.