2 free COVID test sites will be open today, Friday
The Kern County Latino COVID-19 Task Force is hosting two free coronavirus testing sites this week.
In collaboration with the Kern County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and Kern County Public Health Services Department, the sites will be open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the following locations:
• Today at La Mina Cantina, 8020 District Blvd.
• Friday at Vallarta Supermarkets, 1515 E. Panama Lane
The task force said the sites are a continuing effort to keep Kern County progressing through the state’s COVID-19 tier system and to sustain local test rates at a high clip.
“Now more than ever, it’s important for us to continue a high number of testing if we want to remain in the red tier and move on to further tiers,” said Jay Tamsi, co-founder of the Kern County Latino COVID-19 Task Force.
A news release from the task force states that the sites are for individuals of all ages and that walk-ins are welcomed and encouraged. There is no pre-registration required.
It also asked those who attend to wear a mask and practice social distancing while on site.
A segment of Panorama Drive, between Juniper Ridge Court and Stone Canyon Street, will be closed starting Monday at 8 a.m.
The closure is expected to last until 4 p.m. the following Monday, according to a news release from the city of Bakersfield.
The city said the closure will be in place because a new sewer tie-in is being constructed for land development nearby.
Detours and alternate access points will be provided for drivers during the closure, the city said.
Traffic delays are expected as a result and drivers are advised to use alternate routes or allow for extra time when traveling through.
A federal lawsuit filed Wednesday by the United Farm Workers labor union and UFW Foundation says a recent Trump administration move to stop collecting certain wage data will lead unfairly to lower wages paid to the nation’s agricultural workforce.
The suit filed in U.S. District Court in Fresno takes aim at the administration’s notice Sept. 30 that it will not use the federal Farm Labor Survey to gather information used to set minimum pay rates for foreign guest workers participating in the H-2A visa program.
The administration says there are several other sources it can turn to for information on wages paid in October.
The plaintiffs said the move could result in California farmworkers’ pay being cut by more than 5 percent, while wage reductions in Oregon could be up to 27 percent and, in Idaho, 46 percent.
“How can Donald Trump justify slashing pay for all farm workers in the U.S., which means cutting wages by up to a quarter or a half in some states?” union President Teresa Romero asked in a news release.