Director of Nursing BreAnne Patterson welcomes guests at a five-year celebration for Adventist Health Tehachapi Valley on June 5.
The first half of 2024 saw awards, resignations, appointments and more in Tehachapi.
Perhaps the most startling news came in April, surrounding District 2 Supervisor Zack Scrivner, a Tehachapi resident.
And in June, Tehachapi-Cummings County Water District learned it had prevailed in part of its September 2021 lawsuit against the city of Tehachapi over approval of the proposed Sage Ranch residential subdivision.
Here is a summary of the biggest news from the first six months of 2024:
JANUARY
* Tehachapi's Finest award winners were announced by the Greater Tehachapi Chamber of Commerce and Tehachapi News. Stan Morgan was named Citizen of the Year. The Tehachapi Cancer Foundation was the Nonprofit of the Year. Red House BBQ was the Large Business of the Year and RJM Handyman was the Small Business of the Year.
* Statistics released by the Tehachapi Police Department showed officers made more arrests and issued more citations during 2023 than the previous year.
* District 2 Kern County Supervisor Zack Scrivner appointed Karen Sanders as his new field representative covering east Kern.
* Survey results released by the Tehachapi Valley Healthcare District showed that an urgent care center was a top need identified by district residents. The district board voted to keep the same officers, with Nixon remaining chairman, Lydia Chaney secretary and Duane Moats treasurer.
* Tehachapi-Cummings County Water District began the new calendar year with enough banked water that it did not have to pass a water priority ordinance. The district also recognized the service of LaMinda Madenwald, business manager and treasurer, who retired. Crystal Sampson was hired as an accounting and finance specialist and named treasurer.
* Gary Ray Jr. was named air pollution control officer for Eastern Kern Air Pollution Control District, replacing Glen Stephens, who retired.
* David Benham was elected president of the Golden Hills Community Services District Board of Directors.
* Maryann Paciullo was elected chair of the board of directors of Tehachapi Valley Recreation and Park District.
* Heavy winds on Jan. 31 pushed over fences, toppled trees and took the roof off a house in the city.
FEBRUARY
* Susan Wiggins, former mayor and a member of the Tehachapi City Council since 2014, resigned to move to Pennsylvania.
* The city council approved spending $86,460 to develop pickleball courts on the police department parking lot.
* Teachers and other employees in Tehachapi Unified School District received a 6.5% pay increase.
* The TUSD school board approved an agreement to pay $489,500 for an 8.44-acre parcel just east of Tompkins Elementary School.
MARCH
* The American Association of University Women celebrated 40 years in Tehachapi.
* Tehachapi Police Department promoted Jason Dunham and Justin Ruppert to lieutenant.
* Former Finance Director Hannah Chung, who retired in January 2022, was appointed to the Tehachapi City Council.
* Tehachapi Valley Healthcare District purchased a medical office in Old Town.
* Charles Jensen resigned from the board of directors of Bear Valley Community Services District.
APRIL
* Tehachapi's oldest Protestant church, the Tehachapi Community Congregational Church, celebrated 104 years.
* South Street Digital was recognized by Rotary of Tehachapi with a "Service Above Self" award.
* The city of Tehachapi reported that wine-tasting rooms in the area drew 59,400 visitors in 2023.
* Kern County Sheriff's deputies searched the Tehachapi home of Kern County Supervisor Zack Scrivner on April 24. The next day, Sheriff Donny Youngblood reported his office responded to the home and that Scrivner was taken to Kern Medical for treatment of non-life-threatening stab wounds. Youngblood later turned the investigation over to the California Attorney General. Scrivner resigned his county seat on Aug. 2. No charges have been filed against him.
* Don Napier was appointed to fill a vacancy on the Stallion Springs CSD board.
* Michael Lewis was appointed to fill a vacancy on the Bear Valley CSD board.
MAY
* The 73rd annual National Day of Prayer was celebrated in downtown Tehachapi.
* Ann Chiarini was named teacher of the year and Gail Purdy classified employee of the year by Tehachapi Unified School District.
* The consultant for a regional water plan quit, citing "unexpected conflicts between participating agencies." Two of the agencies -- the city of Tehachapi and Tehachapi-Cummings County Water District -- blamed the other for the conflict. The plan was already three years overdue (and still has not been completed).
JUNE
* Tehachapi Valley Arts Association agreed to take the lead in mural restoration, working with volunteers to restore and preserve murals, including one that was falling off the wall.
* Tehachapi's downtown theater reopened with new local ownership after being closed since February due to the death of the former owner.
* Adventist Health Tehachapi Valley Hospital celebrated five years of operation and announced plans for a residency program.
* Tehachapi High School presented diplomas to 238 graduating seniors. Including four other local high schools, 324 students graduated.
* A Sacramento County judge ruled in favor of Tehachapi-Cummings Water District in a dispute over the city of Tehachapi's Sage Ranch project. (The remainder of the lawsuit filed in September 2021 remains unresolved).
NEXT WEEK -- a summary of local headlines from July to December 2024.
-- Claudia Elliott