Stefi Mar - Observer Group Newspapers of Southern California, inc.

Bakersfield

Police, Protesters Clash as St. Paul Begins Clearing Pig’s Eye Encampment

MSR Contributing Writer Clint Combs delivers from Pig’s Eye Encampment, documenting the intense standoff between St. Paul law enforcement, community marshals, and local officials. As the city initiates sweeps across local encampments, community members and outreach workers confront police to defend unhoused neighbors, shedding light on shelter bed shortages, lost documentation, and the human cost of displacement.

Stefi Mar August 11, 2026

Bakersfield

Groundbreaking Ceremony Held For Bakersfield Senior Center Affordable Housing Facility

An empty dirt field at 530 4th Street is all that remains to remind the community of what once stood as the Bakersfield Senior Center—a place where seniors gathered, friendships flourished, meals were shared and countless memories shaped the community’s long-standing legacy.

Stefi Mar August 11, 2026

Bakersfield

On Your November Ballot: Prop 42 Would Ban New Taxes on Retirement Savings and Personal Assets

California voters will decide in November whether to amend the state Constitution to prohibit new taxes on retirement savings, personal assets and other forms of personal wealth while also banning retroactive taxation.

Stefi Mar August 11, 2026

Bakersfield

On Your November Ballot: Prop 5 Would Reshape How California Conducts Recall Elections

California voters will decide this November whether to change how the state replaces elected officials who are removed from office through a recall election.

Stefi Mar August 11, 2026

Bakersfield

Asm. Elhawary “Hopes” Bill Barring Police From Blocking Emergency Medical Care Will Advance to Floor for Vote

A bill Assemblymember Sade Elhawary (D-Los Angeles) authored would make it illegal for law enforcement officers to deny or delay emergency medical care for people under their control when it is safe to provide treatment.

Stefi Mar August 11, 2026

Bakersfield

Money Matters: The State of Black Media – and Why Its Future Matters to Business

Black-owned media has long served as more than a source of news. It has been a trusted institution, an advocate for underserved communities, and an economic catalyst for entrepreneurs and neighborhood businesses. From covering the Civil Rights Movement to spotlighting local business success stories, Black media has consistently filled information gaps left by mainstream outlets.

Stefi Mar August 11, 2026

Bakersfield

Millions of People Have Lost SNAP Benefits Due to Trump Overhaul

As part of last year’s Big, Beautiful Bill, Trump made significant changes to the work requirements and funding structure for SNAP benefits.

Stefi Mar August 11, 2026

Arts & Culture

Morris Day & The Time Headlined the 15th Annual Uptown Jazz Festival

The City of Long Beach and Office of Ninth District Councilmember Dr. Joni Ricks-Oddie presented the 15th Annual Uptown Jazz Festival. The celebration was held on Saturday, August 1, 2026, from 2- 7 PM at Houghton Park (6301 Myrtle Ave., Long Beach, 90805).

Stefi Mar August 4, 2026

Bakersfield

Newsom Reverses on Long-Sought Paid Leave Benefit for Teachers in California

California public school teacher Mollie Blustein planned her pregnancy so that her daughter would arrive during summer break. But when the elementary school teacher went into premature labor and delivered her baby two weeks before the end of school, she faced another stressor: a huge pay cut.

Stefi Mar August 4, 2026

Local

Extreme Heat Bakes L.A. County as 29,000 Unsheltered Angelenos Are Directly Impacted

Officials are urging thousands of unhoused Angelenos to seek refuge in cooling centers and to take advantage of other outreach services amid an extreme heat warning issued by the National Weather Service.

Stefi Mar August 4, 2026

Elections

Meet Candidates Seeking Office This November in Inglewood

As Inglewood continues its transformative era of growth, economic opportunity, and civic renewal, voters are presented with a slate of progressive, experienced leaders dedicated to ensuring this progress lifts every neighborhood.

Stefi Mar August 4, 2026

African Americans

COMMENTARY: If You Don’t Count It, You Don’t Have to Fix It

The Trump administration is not eliminating workplace discrimination. It is eliminating the receipts.

Stefi Mar August 4, 2026

Bakersfield

California Bill Would Let Abuse Victims Use Trauma as Legal Defense for Violent Crime

Susan Bustamante isn’t giving up. The formerly incarcerated 71-year-old woman has repeatedly made the long trip from Orange County to Sacramento to urge lawmakers to pass legislation she believes would help her fellow domestic abuse victims facing criminal charges.

Stefi Mar August 4, 2026

African Americans

South Carolina Puts Black Voters in the Driver Seat for 2028

The Democratic Party’s decision to elevate South Carolina as the first 2028 presidential primary provides Black voters with an historic opportunity.

Stefi Mar August 4, 2026

African Americans

Predatory Auto Lending Exploits Black Consumers

Nearly 92 percent of American households rely on a personal vehicle to manage their daily lives. Consumers shopping for a vehicle in May learned that the average cost of a new car was $49,307, and that used cars averaged $25,918, according to Cox Automotive.

Stefi Mar August 4, 2026

Bakersfield

Alphas Use Mentorship to Prepare Jacksonville Youth for Manhood

A group of Jacksonville boys returned home from Atlanta with more than souvenirs. They came back with a deeper appreciation of history, higher education and leadership after participating in a mentoring trip designed to prepare them for successful futures.

Stefi Mar August 4, 2026

African Americans

Political Playback: California Capitol News You Might Have Missed

News You Might Have Missed

Stefi Mar August 4, 2026

Bakersfield

On Your November Ballot: Proposition 43 Would Require Two-Thirds Approval for Citizen-Proposed Local Special Taxes 

California voters will decide this November whether to make it more difficult to approve local special taxes proposed through the citizen initiative process.

Stefi Mar August 4, 2026

African Americans

Closing the Gap: What the Data and Frontline Experiences Reveal About Cancer in Black California

Kris Benz, a disabled Black veteran, is no stranger to cancer. In 2012, he was diagnosed with salivary duct carcinoma, a cancer so rare it strikes only about 1 in a million people each year.” But he beat it after six weeks of radiation and removal of his right salivary gland.

Stefi Mar August 4, 2026

Bakersfield

On Your November Ballot: Proposition 39 Puts California at the Center of the National Voter ID Debate

Questions about election security, voter access and public confidence in elections have become some of the most closely watched issues in American politics.

Stefi Mar August 4, 2026

Author: Stefi Mar