Author Archives 
Bakersfield Express's reporter, keeping an eye on government and its impact on our quality of life.
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Doing the math on your PG&E bill
Looking beyond the SmartMeter fiasco, a super-hot July plus rate increases meant for skyrocketing bills from PG&E. But did you also know that your summer electric bill is based partly on how you heat your home in winter?
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Fuller skeptical about using data to judge teachers
The legislator, and former teacher and superintendent, may stand alone among Assembly Republicans in her leeriness of using student test scores to evaluate teachers – even though it could lead to federal “Race to the Top” grants.
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Before reform, health care must be deemed a right
America’s philosophy — that anyone who works can pursue anything — breaks down without health care, bioethics expert Art Caplan argued at CSUB Monday night.
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Scrivner to go for county post
Bakersfield City Councilman Zack Scrivner will run next year for Kern County supervisor, leaving the balance of power on the city council up for grabs.
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Doing the math on your kid’s class size
At least one Bakersfield school district eats the penalties for eliminating Class Size Reduction, because it’s more cost-effective than hiring more teachers.
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Northwest shopping complex scales back plans
Plans for Bakersfield Commons still take up the 255 acres at the northwest corner of Brimhall and Coffee roads, but city officials have requested less traffic impact.
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Solar energy will help treat wastewater
Bakersfield scores $3 million in federal stimulus money to install cost-saving solar panels at the wastewater plant.
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Health Care Reform Roundtable: Steve Schilling
Steve Schilling, CEO of Clinica Sierra Vista, says the worst payers he has to deal with are private insurance companies, not government programs.
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Cost of the market crash: $7.5 million a year
Bakersfield will pay about $7.5 million a year for the next 30 years just to make up for its losses in the pension funds last year.
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What is the ‘full price’ of health care?
Reporter James Geluso is looking for answers. Specifically, if government and private insurance pay discounted prices, then who is paying the “full price” of health care? And what, exactly, does “full price” mean?
