News & Reviews News Wire BNSF and Union Pacific at odds over Tehachapi trackage rights rates UP has asked federal regulators to settle the dispute which stems from how to value the former Southern Pacific main line WASHINGTON — Every day Union Pacific and BNSF Railway trains battle gravity and curvature as they wind their way up and down the former Southern Pacific main line through the rugged Tehachapi Mountains of Southern California Now UP and BNSF are engaged in a different sort of fight: The railroads have been unable to come to terms on a new deal for BNSF’s use of the line And so UP has brought a rare trackage-rights dispute to the Surface Transportation Board The two railroads filed their final briefs in the case this month regulators will determine how much BNSF ultimately will pay UP for its continued use of the line that links Northern and Southern California UP says payments are so low under the current trackage rights agreement that it’s subsidizing rival BNSF’s operations BNSF says UP’s proposed payment increases would significantly boost its costs and stifle competition UP seeks to achieve through regulatory fiat what UP could never have achieved through private negotiations: a trackage rights compensation windfall and a dramatic increase in the costs of its competitor,” BNSF told the STB adding the claim that the trackage rights dispute is part of a broader UP effort to curb competition “BNSF’s proposed … rental is below the $5.5 million rental accepted in a settlement more than 30 years ago by a financially weak Southern Pacific,” UP told the board “Union Pacific’s proposed rental may appear large in relation to the current but … the new rental would not reduce BNSF’s or Union Pacific’s incentive or ability to compete vigorously for traffic moving over the Line—it would enhance competition by leveling the playing field.” The precise trackage rights figures each railroad has proposed are redacted in their STB filings The two railroads agree that the matter should be settled based on an Interstate Commerce Commission decision that aims to put the trackage rights tenant in the same position as the track owner in terms of variable and fixed costs as well as a return on investment in the line But the railroads come to very different conclusions on the annual interest rental payment that BNSF should make to UP based on the current market value of the line BNSF says UP’s proposal is 36 times higher than the current agreement and 22 times higher than what BNSF has proposed The sides are so far apart partly due to the way they look at the tunnel clearance projects that BNSF funded in the 1990s so the line could host double-stack intermodal trains BNSF says calculations for determining the line’s current value should exclude earnings from double-stack traffic But UP says BNSF must pay interest rental based on the Tehachapi line’s fair market value calculated by all the traffic that moves over the route UP also says the rental payment should be adjusted for inflation annually BNSF says UP’s formula erroneously counts inflation three times which would only widen the gap between the two railroads’ rental rate proposals as time goes by BNSF claims that UP’s proposed rate for the Tehachapi route is higher than market-based rates in other areas where they share trackage “This is a well-functioning market where previously BNSF and UP have voluntarily agreed to fee levels for joint operations that are mutually beneficial,” BNSF told the board UP counters that the rate reflects the higher traffic density of the Tehachapi route compared to others shared with BNSF Under conditions the STB imposed to preserve competition as part of the 1996 UP-SP merger BNSF and UP have trackage rights agreements across the West BNSF operates over 6,000 miles of UP track while UP runs on 5,000 miles of BNSF trackage BNSF’s trackage rights over 67.8 miles of UP’s Mojave Subdivision are much older: They date to 1899 Rather than build its own line through the pass Topeka & Santa Fe gained trackage rights through an 1899 deal with the SP The agreement has been updated several times over the decades through both voluntary agreements and ICC orders UP says it should not be bound by “the terms of an ancient “ATSF’s long-ago decision to become Southern Pacific’s tenant does not mean Union Pacific must subsidize BNSF’s use of the Line by accepting a below-market return on its investment after the original agreement expired,” UP told the board seeking revision of a 1967 ICC order that established conditions for Santa Fe’s continued use of the line after the original agreement expired in 1961 UP argues that the interest rental provision no longer provides fair compensation for BNSF’s use of the line The railroads last updated the interest rental provision of the trackage rights agreement in 1993 which is why an appropriate increase appears high,” UP argues in the context of competition between Union Pacific and BNSF for origin-to-destination business—the increased rental will modestly increase BNSF’s total operating expenses for traffic moving over the Line BNSF offers no evidence the increased expenses will make it uncompetitive.” BNSF says its trackage rights between Kern Junction and Mojave are a crucial part of its network on the West Coast the Kern-Mojave Line has served as a critical link in BNSF’s rail network the Line forms a part of the spine of BNSF’s north-south route through the state of California and the Pacific Northwest moving traffic along the I-5 corridor,” BNSF told the STB “Any freight that BNSF moves between the Pacific Northwest and Central/Southern California including traffic that moves beyond Southern California and travels across BNSF’s southern transcontinental route BNSF sends about 20 trains over the line per day UP operates about 16 trains per day over the line Well the BNSF should Tell Union Pacific to Find a Different Route From Kansas City to Chicago via BNSF Fort Madison the Line forms a part of the spine of BNSF’s north-south route through the state of California and the Pacific Northwest moving traffic along the I-5 corridor,” Well BNSF Either pay your fair share of the costs or find another way around Tehachapi That may sound harsh but that is exactly what BNSF would want if the roles were reversed If the line is so critical and the North/South traffic “must” use it as BNSF suggests above then common sense says “pay the rent” or spend billions building another route I can’t believe BNSF would be that foolhardy… BNSF has “paid the rent” all along the question is is UP asking for a reasonable amount or a “put the other guy out of business” amount that was possible when the first deal was struct when the land about was lightly settled and labor was cheap Now everything is built up and just the environmental impact studies will take three decades UP wants as much as it can get and BNSF doesn’t want tp pay anymore than they have to In the end the STB or the courts will decide and if it has been 32 years since the last adjustment then UP is probably deserving an increase for the costs of keeping the line up to snuff for the two railroads BNSF has paid rent all along and was getting a helluva deal based on 32 years of no increases BNSF will not go out of business no matter what they say and in the end what is fair will be disputed by both parties Maybe they should offer to phase in the decided increase over a limited period of time as an olive branch… Hearing freight RR’s whine about each other for a change You don’t know who to back on this argument Lawyers for both sides get to “creative” as they always do Thus it appears tonnage hauled is the only way to determine how much BNSF should pay UP that still leaves the original complaint of how much $ per ton Setting the rate where both railroads raise all kinds of hell should be a good amount possession is 9/10th of the law… UP may not get all it wants but they will get an increase and then everyone will put their cudgels away and get back to running their railroads SP and Santa Fe made this joint line work very well for a long time It was held as a industry standard for that and the capital cost savings were enormous There should be a fair to be made unless one of the parties was trying to break it The story is not an easy read and everything with numbers is a summary with no underlying data (for we geeks) so I will leave it to others to place blame Why I don’t like the fact that competitors are allowed to share tracks It’s only convienient in the short term but always seems to bite the junior partner in the long run Lazy capex savings draw these “competitors” into the same bed together Sleeping with the enemy is a sure way to unhappiness I don’t know…The Art of War says keep your friends close I hope they come to an agreement soon this line is vital to both railroads Union Pacific uses the line to move lumber from the Pacific Northwest down to Southern California and also to the Sunset Route BNSF uses the line to move its containers out of North Bay and also out of Pasco and the Stockton area to Barstow and then East on the Southern Transcon Both railroads need the Loop running trains over the Coastal Sub is not an option that line is congested and is at risk of being eroded the only way to get trains from Southern California up to the northern part of the state and into the Pacific Northwest is the Loop that’s why it is important Members enjoy 15% off any purchase in our store. Join Today Get updates and special offers via email from Trains.com brands (KBAK/KBFX) — Tehachapi police arrested a man and a woman on Thursday following a home search which revealed marijuana and a "ghost gun," said officials.Officers served a search warrant in the 200 block of West J Street and contacted Rodolfo Paz Officers said they also found a Polymer80 9mm handgun without a serial number commonly known as a "ghost gun." A high-capacity 33-round magazine was also recovered Both Rodolfo and Kamarie were arrested for alleged possession of a controlled substance for sales and operating and maintaining a drug house They were booked into the Kern County Sheriff’s Jail Adrian Daugherty was confirmed to post bail a day after being arrested in January Tehachapi police said Daugherty was a youth pastor at the Tehachapi Church of the Nazarene Daugherty appeared in a Mojave courthouse Thursday morning for his felony arraignment He is scheduled to be back in court in April The judge said he would remain out on bail and ordered to stay away from the victim 29): According to the Kern County District Attorney's Office A 41-year-old Tehachapi youth pastor was arrested Monday following an investigation that revealed an alleged sexual assault of a teen victim Tehachapi police arrested Adrian Daugherty following an investigation that alleges Daugherty committed lewd and lascivious acts with a minor.Daugherty is a youth pastor at the Tehachapi Church of the Nazarene It's unknown at this time if there are any more victims Anyone with information regarding this investigation is asked to call the Tehachapi Police Department at (661) 822-2222 (KBAK/KBFX) — Detectives from the Tehachapi Police Department have finished a nearly month-long investigation including two minors linked to two armed robberies in the area when two armed suspects entered the Four Seasons Mini Market who wore gloves and masks to conceal their identities fled with nearly $300 before officers arrived A similar incident occurred on November 15 at the Wild Rose Gas Station in the Golden Hills area two masked suspects held the clerk at gunpoint with assistance from the Kern County Sheriff's Office and conventional surveillance methods to identify three suspects involved in the robberies The third suspect has been identified as 44-year-old April Dawn Poole of Tehachapi detectives recovered several stolen items from the Wild Rose Gas Station robbery along with clothing and two firearms used in the crimes All three suspects have been booked into Kern County custody facilities on charges including robbery Poole also faces felony child endangerment charges Anyone with additional information is urged to contact the Tehachapi Police Department at (661) 822-2222 (KBAK/KBFX) — Three suspects accused of possession and distribution of child pornography were arrested in the Tehachapi area by Kern County deputies and other agencies on Thursday Investigators with the Central California Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC) executed multiple search warrants in the Tehachapi area for three suspects accused of possession and distribution of child pornography Deputies arrested three suspects in the Tehachapi area: KCSO said the ICAC is comprised of 66 federal and local law enforcement agencies spread throughout nine counties in the Central Valley which protects children online and investigates crimes committed against children News & Reviews News Wire UP train derails on Tehachapi Pass Approximately 15 cars involved in derailment at Caliente — About 15 cars of a Union Pacific train derailed on Tehachapi Pass today (Tuesday blocking traffic on the busy route shared by UP and BNSF Railway KBAK-TV reports the Kern County Fire Department was called to the derailment about 9:29 a.m 2 miles north of State Route 58 in Caliente No injuries were reported and no leaks were involved; the fire department said it was told by the railroad the tank cars involved had been empty for some time BNSF Railway says in a customer advisory that it and UP both responded to the incident and that the estimated time to reopen the line is about midnight PT tonight is about 25 miles from Bakersfield and 25 miles from Tehachapi If it is an empty wheel/stack car it could be a single one also or is it another empty lumber car on its side Empty lumber flat coupled to an empty well car Could be a three-unit or five-unit well car A couple of Internet bloggers on the scene posted that they were told by clean-up employees that it was stringlining of several empty center beam flat cars on a curve which also include some empty hoppers It was cleaned up rather quickly (pushed out of the way and away from the tracks) and traffic restored the next day… The only time I ever set foot in CA was in the early 90s when SPRR was taken over by DRGW CA for a technical introduction conference on the newly being installed automatic equipment identification (AEI) technology I was able to observe that amazing railroad helix that passed over itself though there were no trains present at the time The only other example that I can think of is the Swiss Goddard Tunnel railroad helix that is buried from view within the mountain and therefore not visible from the outside (KBAK/KBFX) — Due to the current weather conditions several roads in the Tehachapi area have been closed The closures include Tehachapi Willow Spring Road from Highland Road to Backus Road Oak Street Road from Calportland Access Road to Tehachapi Willow Springs Road and Cameron Road from Highway 58 to Tehachapi Willow Spring Road Authorities advise drivers to seek alternative routes and be cautious while traveling in the area For more information, you can go here (KBAK/KBFX) — The Tehachapi Police Department is seeking the public’s help in identifying a man accused of vandalizing a park the suspect allegedly vandalized Valley Park He was last seen wearing a gray sweatshirt and black pants Anyone with information or who can identify the suspect is asked to call the Tehachapi Police Department at 661-822-2222 (KBAK/KBFX) — The City of Tehachapi said starting Thursday drivers will not have access to Dennison Road from Tehachapi Boulevard due to road work as the intersection at Tehachapi Boulevard and Dennison Road will be closed.Construction is scheduled to start on April 17 The construction is part of a project that will add sidewalks and other infrastructural improvements for pedestrians and bicyclists The city did not mention when the construction is set to be completed Drivers are advised to plan their commutes accordingly (KBAK/KBFX) — Due to weather conditions and road closures there will be a 2 hour delay for the Mojave Unified School District For more information, go here (KBAK/KBFX) — Two inmates at the California Correctional Institution in Tehachapi have been sentenced to additional prison time for their involvement in the assault of a fellow prisoner in 2022 when Castilleja and Villareal attacked another inmate in the exercise yard The pair struck the victim in the face and upper torso with their fists Despite falling to the ground and attempting to shield himself Correctional officers issued multiple verbal commands for Castilleja and Villareal to stop the attack Officers were forced to use physical intervention to halt the assault Kern County District Attorney Cynthia Zimmer commented on the convictions "When prison inmates demonstrate their dangerousness by committing violent offenses even while in custody it is evident they pose a significant threat to public safety and must be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law." Kern County firefighters responded to a significant fire at an airplane hangar in Tehachapi Airport extinguishing it and preventing further damage firefighters encountered heavy smoke and flames emanating from all open doors of the hangar The nearest fire hydrant was over 800 feet away requiring a rapid deployment of a 4-inch hose line to ensure water supply while pressurized canisters exploded due to the heat The fire was quickly brought under control through a coordinated effort by the firefighting teams The fire was successfully contained to the affected hangar and Caliente Union School District will be closed today Delano and McFarland Neighborhood Reporter (KERO) — Active weather on Thursday hit Tehachapi with force The area received several inches of snow closing all local schools and keeping some indoors the skimmable summary above is generated with the assistance of AI and fact checked by our team prior to publication Read the full story as originally reported below all schools in Tehachapi were closed Thursday as well as some local businesses the roads have been pretty empty with the occasional traveler here and there I had the chance to speak with some of the locals he tells me it's just one of the many things he does to prepare. “If you wouldn't have to get outside I wouldn't go outside there's no reason to come out here and get on the roads you always want to make sure you have a couple days of food prepped in case something weird happens.”  he tells me his only main concern is the plumbing in his house He tells me when conditions start to get under 20 degrees he makes sure to cover his pipes.Live tag As of right now conditions are (describe conditions) and they're expected to worsen (KERO) — Apple Festival has been around in Tehachapi for 11 years but it's in danger of being cancelled if no one steps in to help A very popular fruit festival in Tehachapi is not happening this year.... The Apple Festival event had been around for 11 years “Recently we were informed of some increase in our fees But we are very hopeful that another community organization could come in and take the torch for this event And we are happy to engage with anyone who’s interested in helping with this event,” says Clare Scotti executive director of the Greater Tehachapi Chamber of Commerce the Tehachapi community gathered downtown for the Apple Festival We had 10,000 people that came into downtown It was such a massive event that we needed to make sure there’s plenty of public safety … It wound up being this very massive event Our small non profit can’t really hold on to it,” Scotti says The Chamber of Commerce sponsors the event and it has other events throughout the year But the Chamber says it's become a costly event and the money just isn't there to cover expenses for this year "The Apple Festival is an addition to our repertoire of events (KERO) — A Tehachapi barn was burnt to the ground by an arsonist The sense of safety the owners of that barn had is now shattered just all the worst feelings that you could ever feel all at one time,” said Emma Alkire Emma was woken by her dog Guinness on Friday October 25 and when she looked outside she saw her barn in engulfed in flames and I jumped out of bed and raced to find her coming down the stairs,” Greg Alkire Greg said he woke up hearing his daughter screaming her barn was on fire panicked and still screaming as she went out the back door to see if her horses were alive or not.” and were able to find her two horses outside “We didn’t see the cats for awhile but we saw the horses and we calmed down a little bit,” Emma said Greg then called the fire department who arrived quickly and were able to stop it from spreading further obviously it was two or three o'clock in the morning before the poor forty firemen were able to go home.” Greg said Greg and Emma said they came to the conclusion it was arson They believed it was Emma’s ex-boyfriend who committed the arson Greg told me the next day they spoke with an arson investigator with the Kern County Fire Department who told him that the ex-boyfriend had confessed to setting the barn on fire as well as setting a field on fire in the same neighborhood just a few days earlier “There was a moment when I heard that news that I felt relieved and I felt safe that he was going to jail,” Grag Alkire told me I reached out to the Kern County Fire Department and they confirmed that a man matching the name of Emma’s ex-boyfriend was arrested on October 25th and booked into Lerdo jail after being charged with two counts of arson and two counts of possession of an incendiary device and flammable liquid “He knew how much it meant to me if we ever had any problems we went down to the barn The barn was built a few years ago to give Emma her own place to keep horses “How long have you been riding horses?” I asked I was riding horses bareback already,” Emma responded she trains horses for a living and says she lost roughly around $7,000 of equipment “What has this whole experience done to your general sense of safety?” I asked That night it was 3 am and 4 am and the fireman had gone ‘Let’s just try to go to bed to see what we could do,’ and everytime I moved and the light moved on my window I thought he was sitting on my balcony.” Records show the suspect is no longer being held at Lerdo - indicating he has been let out on bail The Alkires have since hired a process server to serve the suspect a temporary restraining order and fitted their house with new security cameras I haven't slept since I found out I was released on bail on Sunday.” The Alkire’s said they ultimately plan to rebuild the barn if they can - but say their sense of safety won’t return with the suspect out there there was no court date set for him to face the charges against him “It’s horrible and they just get to walk around He got out on bail and he’s just walking around waiting to get pissed off again I assume and god knows what he’ll do then,” Emma said (KBAK/KBFX) — UPDATE (APRIL 17): Two people wanted for allegedly hitting a Tehachapi police patrol car and leading officers on a pursuit were arrested following search warrants in California City The Tehachapi Police Department said they are thankful to the community for their swift attention and support in identifying the people involved “Thanks to vigilant members of the public who promptly came forward with information and in coordination with the California City Police Department both suspects were safely apprehended earlier today in California City during the execution of multiple search warrants.” “This arrest is a clear example of what can be accomplished when communities and agencies work together to uphold public safety,” said in the release The Tehachapi Police Department is asking for the community’s help in identifying two people accused of having a stolen Infiniti car hitting a police patrol vehicle during an attempted traffic stop The pair is believed to be frequent in the Lancaster and Palmdale areas officers received an alert from the FLOCK License Plate Reader System that a stolen Infiniti went into the city limits of Tehachapi Officers circulated and found the vehicle parked in the Walmart parking lot Police said officers conducted surveillance and waited for the people to leave the store As the suspects went inside the stolen vehicle officers tried to initiate a stop of the vehicle The suspects failed to pull over to the police officers’ vehicle and backed into the patrol vehicle before driving away Police said that as the vehicle left the Walmart parking lot Officers initiated a pursuit of the vehicle which was later terminated due to unsafe speeds The vehicle is described as a black Infiniti sedan with California plates 9NBN293 which is covered with a tinted license plate cover to the rear out of Lancaster and has been frequently captured via FLOCK in the Lancaster and Palmdale areas The first suspect is described as a Hispanic man in his 20’s The second suspect is described as a Hispanic man He was wearing black jeans and a red hooded sweatshirt If you have any information or can identify the suspect call detectives at the Tehachapi Police Department at 661-822-2222 You can provide information anonymously if you wish (KBAK/KBFX) — The City of Tehachapi announced the return of its "Adopt-A-Streetlamp" sponsorship program set to run from November 2025 through January 2026 and individuals a chance to express their patriotism and community pride City officials said approximately 100 decorative streetlamps along Tehachapi Boulevard and the Mill Street corridor near Highway 58 are available for sponsorship Each streetlamp can be personalized for $150 a year Sponsors will receive a custom decal on their selected streetlamp displaying their name or honoring a dedicated individual or cause Logos must be submitted in PDF format along with the application form to jgarner@tehachapicityhall.com Flags will be displayed from Memorial Day through Veterans Day and holiday decorations will illuminate the city from November 2025 through January 2026 and Peak to Peak Mountain Charter will have a 2-hour delay and Tehachapi Unified School District will be closed PG&E and SCE customers affected by the power outage can visit two resource centers: Stallion Springs Community Center (Indoors)27800 Stallion Springs Dr.Tehachapi while less than 60 PG&E customers are without power according to their websites.----A Public Safety Power Shutoff has left the Bear Valley area without electricity impacting daily life and forcing the cancellation of all schools in the Tehachapi Unified School District The Community Services District Main Office and Bear Valley Police Department remain operational Southern California Edison (SCE) announced the power shutoff due to a high risk of wind-driven wildfires with strong winds expected to persist through Wednesday morning "We are shutting off your power due to current high risk of wind-driven wildfire," SCE said The utility company plans to inspect power lines for damage once the weather improves a process that could take up to eight hours or longer if daylight is needed for safe inspections SCE advised residents to turn off or unplug appliances that may start automatically when power is restored. For the latest updates, including outage maps and restoration information, residents are encouraged to visit sce.com/psps SCE urges residents to call 9-1-1 first and then notify the company at 1-800-611-1911 "We understand this shutoff is inconvenient We appreciate your continued patience as we work to keep your community safe," SCE stated (KBAK/KBFX) — A Tehachapi man and woman were arrested on Monday November 25 after officers stopped their vehicle officers pulled over a vehicle for speeding in the area of Highline and Tucker roads Officers contacted Kevin Allen Mapes and Rachel Nicole Stillman Stillman was allegedly found to have hidden a gun on her body and paraphernalia used for methamphetamine Mapes and Stillman were both booked into the Kern County jail on several weapon and drug-related charges Anyone with more information is asked to call the Tehachapi Police Department at (661) 822-2222 KCSO said Kelly Molloy was last seen on June 24 after being released from the Lerdo Correctional Facility but the manner and cause of death remain undetermined Molloy went missing last June after she was released from the Lerdo Correctional Facility in Bakersfield said the Kern County Sheriff's Office Bakersfield police reported that officers responded to a call about "suspicious circumstances" and possible human remains at around 8:17 p.m the evidence was located along the Panorama Bluffs trail (KBAK/KBFX) — The City of Tehachapi is searching for nominations for women to be celebrated this March for Women's History Month.Nominees for the 2025 Extraordinary Women Recognition are women who exemplify great leadership and character and go above and beyond in their daily interactions with residents.The city said nominees must live The selected women will be honored with a certificate on Monday They will be featured on the city's social media pages and invited to share their stories on the podcast Tehachapod.Officials said that depending on the number of nominations received To nominate someone, click HERE to complete a Google Form (KBAK/KBFX) — A man was convicted on Thursday of felony vandalism charges at Adventist Health Tehachapi Valley Hospital as prosecutors said he destroyed an ICU room causing thousands of dollars in damages.The Kern County District Attorney said on April 21 was said to be causing a disturbance and police responded Schapiro was seen by officers screaming and destroying the ICU room Prosecutors said he broke a dual pane window He also destroyed a hospital bed by forcing and breaking the rails off Schapiro urinated on the walls of the room the damages were in the thousands to the hospital He was arrested after officers were able to access the room "Hospital staff play a crucial role in protecting and caring for critical patients," stated Kern DA Cynthia Zimmer "While they dedicated themselves to this vital work Schapiro’s actions intervened by posing a danger to everyone around him Such behavior is unacceptable and warrants legal consequences."He was acquitted on three charges related to resisting arrest Charges related to using/under the influence of a controlled substance were dismissed Schapiro is set to be sentenced on February 21 KGET 17 News Bakersfield hit-and-run suspect turned himself in after crash Lakeside Union School District Grand Jury Report flags concerns Looking at the behind-the-scenes technology behind 911 calls States with the most strict DUI laws - info from Nolo 1 dead at construction site in west Bakersfield Digital Addiction: The time spent in front of cellphone screens has 'rewired' modern childhood (KBAK/KBFX) — Crews will be performing guardrail repairs on Highway 58 near Tehachapi affecting the eastbound lanes approximately three miles west of Highway 202 (Tucker Road) and between Broome Road and Woodford-Tehachapi said Caltrans.The work is scheduled for Monday during which the outside lane and shoulder will be closed utility work on Highway 202 (Tucker Road) from Lonely Lane to Tucker Road will take place on Monday from 7:00 a.m and drivers should anticipate 10-minute delays Travelers are urged to be attentive to workers on the highway and move over whenever possible to provide additional clearance — (KBAK/FOX58) While Highway 58 managed to stay open when asked if it was his first time seeing snow made the trek from Bakersfield to experience the frosty mountain city Tober had big plans for the day throwing snowballs at his mom and "Hopefully Not everyone was as thrilled with the snow Some residents in Tehachapi and nearby mountain communities faced internet outages over the weekend "Keeping up with business as usual," said Line so you just got to make the best of it." Driving in these conditions isn't easy even for Line's four-wheel-drive truck nothing is worth rushing that much," he said "Normally stay in the house and stay warm," she said she was determined to walk to a friend's house for help "Just watch for cars and just be careful walking." who were excited to support local businesses and enjoy the snow "We like to do day trips up here all the time really," said Tiffany "We just have not done it during the snow so we wanted to come up here and check out the local businesses and come play in the snow." Tober gave his official snowball review: "It is very it's wise to check road conditions and weather advisories to ensure a safe and enjoyable snowy adventure (KBAK/KBFX) — The city of Tehachapi is preparing for a series of engaging events including the Valentine's Wine Walk and a community photo contest The Valentine's Wine Walk is scheduled for February 15 in downtown Tehachapi Participants can register for $75 per person with an additional $30 fee for those opting for a designated driver Attendees will have the opportunity to sample up to 10 different wines while enjoying live music and various activities a community photo contest will take place on Friday The event will feature submissions from the public which will be displayed at Gallery N Gifts in Tehachapi For more information, you can go here. READ MORETehachapi PD: Multi-agency operation leads to seven arrests (KBAK/KBFX) — A multi-agency operation to do parole/probation compliance checks and to serve active arrest warrants ended with seven arrests and guns seized The Tehachapi Police Department said on October 5 the department hosted a Street Interdiction Team (SIT) Operation made up of various agencies throughout Kern County The goal of the operation was to conduct parole/probation compliance checks and to serve active arrest warrants on persons who are out of compliance and reside in the Tehachapi area Tehachapi police said as part of the operation three being felonies and four misdemeanors for various violations ranging from outstanding warrants the weapons seized from one specific location were two short barrel AR15 style rifles with multiple loaded 30-round and 40-round magazines (KBAK/KBFX) — A Tehachapi prison employee was arrested after police say he was showing a nude photograph of himself to several children at the Santa Monica Pier The Santa Monica Police Department said on September 18 46-year-old Benjamin Bush went to the Santa Monica Pier While he was standing outside of Pacific Park Bush intentionally allegedly showed a nude photograph of himself to three 9-year-old victims Bush was also seen showing the same photograph of himself to an unidentified child inside Playland Arcade following an intensive investigation by detectives Bush was arrested by the Santa Monica Police Department for child annoyance and distributing harmful matter to a minor Bush is a resident of Rosamond and a California Department of Corrections employee for the California Correctional Institution The Santa Monica Police Department is asking for the public’s assistance in identifying other similar incidents involving Bush Anyone with information about Bush or the investigation is asked to contact Detective Baker at Sean.Baker@santamonica.gov Detective Sergeant Haro at David.Haro@santamonica.gov or the Watch Commander 24 hours a day at 310-458-8427 (KBAK/KBFX) — The city of Tehachapi is set to host a variety of events this spring offering entertainment and activities for all ages the Tehachapi Theater Association will kick off its season with a performance of "Enchanted" at the Beekay Theatre The play is an adaptation of the novel by Elizabeth Von Arnim the community can enjoy the Wind Festival at Meadowbrook Park from 1 p.m providing a fun-filled day for families and residents For more information, go here Calif KBAK/KBFX — With the election on the horizon many in the Central Valley are ready to cast their vote several hundred Donald trump supporters rallied in Tehachapi as the election approaches as cars would honk their horns as they passed the rally as the community gathered in support of who they believe is set to be the 47th President "There's that feeling of community when you're out there and see how the algorithm is," said Lara Steinke "Other people are feeling the same way and that they have the same passion and the same concerns you just grow as a community." Hundreds of people rallied in Tehachapi on Saturday to show their support for former President Donald Trump en light of the upcoming Presidential election "We are out here today supporting Trump in our country," said Elijah Fisher and we're sitting tired of how it's been the past four years and we want it back to everything being cheap and country being peaceful and the world being as close to world peace as possible "None of this happened," said Craig Luther and we need his leadership back in the White House to lift our votes again economically and to restore peace in the world." Meanwhile Vice President Kamala Harris was in Michigan Saturday focusing on union workers' jobs and how she says she is the pick for the Union-first President "It's about basic fairness," said Harris at her rally "And it's about the dignity of work Understanding all workers deserve to be treated with dignity and respect." Donald Trump was also campaigning nationally on Saturday where he focused on lowering the cost of goods and living we're gonna bring back the auto industry but also a lot of other industries," said Trump we talk about cars because it's so nice to talk about cars but we're gonna bring back a lot of industry and it's gonna be great." this is one of the most crucial upcoming election and the necessity to vote "I believe that this election that is coming is one of the most important that we've ever had and that the future of our country depends on people voting wisely," said Brian Drucker "And something that I want to say is it's your country really an important election and election of our lifetimes especially to support freedom of speech," said Lara Steinke "I'm also here to promote the Tehachapi Precinct Project Kern County Board of Supervisors District 2 nominee has voiced his support of the former President but also had a chance to make his name known for the upcoming ballot "We need representation in this country," said Cisneros "Trump is going to be that representation I am going to be that representation for Kern County because the Eastern Kern and Western Kern have been unrepresented for a long time and I'm the only grassroots candidate that has the people's endorsement and I'm going to be that voice." Stick with Eyewitness News as we continue coverage leading up to that night