23ABC News at 6 p.m. | Top Stories for February 28, 2020

23ABC News at 6 p.m. | Top Stories for February 28, 2020

TONIGHT'S TOP STORIES...HUNDREDS OF FIREFIGHTERS FROMACROSS THE NATION --ALONG WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS --UNITING -- TOCELEBRATE THE LIVES OF TWOFALLEN PORTERVILLEFIREFIGHTERS -- ONE OF THEM ANATIVE OF DELANO...AND -- GROWING CONCERNS OVERWHETHER OR NOT THE COUNTYELECTIONS OFFICE IS READY FORSUPER TUESDAY -- MOREON WHAT OFFICIALS ARE NOWADMITTING IS MISSING FROMLOCAL VOTER GUIDES...ALLISON???23ABC NEWS AT SIX STARTS RIGHTNOW...IT'S A STORY THAT 23ABC STARTEDFOLLOWING VERY CLOSELY SEVERALWEEKS AGO---AFTER WE DISCOVEREDTHERE WASMISSING INFORMATION ON THECOUNTY'S ELECTIONWEBSITE AND VOTER GUIDES HAD NOTBEEN SENT OUT.AND NOW JUST FOUR DAYS AWAY FROMTHE PRIMARY --ANOTHER DISCREPANCY IS COMING TOLIGHT FROM THEELECTIONS DEPARTMENT.TONIGHT OFFICIALS ARE ADMITTINGTHEY LEFT OUT KEYINFORMATION IN YOUR VOTER GUIDEREGARDING BOTH REPUBLICANAND DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES.NEARLY THREE WEEKS AGO..

23ABCFIRST REPORTED ISSUESWITH THE COUNTY ELECTIONSWEBSITE NOT DISPLAYING ANYKEY INFORMATION SURROUNING LOCALBALLOT MEASURES .AFTER OUR STORY... 23ABC NEWSLEARNED LOCAL VOTERGUIDES AND SAMPLE BALLOTS WERESENT OUT ..TODAY --THE ELECTIONS DEPARTMENTANNOUNCEDTHOSE VOTER GUIDES WERE SENTWITHOUT PARTYENDORSEMENTS..THIS LIST OF PARTY ENDORSEMENTSIS REQUIRED BYTHE CALIFORNIA ELECTIONS CODESACCORDING TO THE SECREATRYOF STATES OFFICE.STATE OFFICIALS SAY THEY WILLHELP THE COUNTY SOLVE THE ISSUE.HOWEVER -- WHEN WE FIRST SPOKETO MARY BEDARD -- THEREGISTRAR OF VOTERS THIS WEEK...SHE CLAIMED THEELECTIONS DEPARTMENT HAS BEENRUNNING SMOOTHLY..."THE PROBLEMS WERE NOT REALLYPROBLEMS"YEA WE'LL BE READY TO GO.."NOW WITH ONLY FOUR DAYS UNTILTHE PRIMARY ---COUNTYOFFICIALS SAY ITS TOO CLOSE TOTHE RACE TO RE-PRINT THE VOTERINFORMATION GUIDE, AND THEY WILLNOW POST PARTYENDORSEMENTS OF CANDIDATES FORVOTER-NOMINATED OFFICES AT EVERYPOLLING PLACE, ON SOCIAL MEDIA,KERN-VOTE-DOT-COM AND KERN-COUNTY-DOT-COM.TONIGHT BEDARD RELEASED ASTATEMENT SAYING QUOTE---"WE DEEPLY REGRET THIS MISTAKEAND ARE WORKING QUICKLYTO RESOLVE THE ISSUE.

AS SOON ASWE CONFIRMED THE ERROR WEBEGAN WORKING ON CORRECTIVEACTION." END QUOTE.ALSO EARLIER THIS WEEK WERECEIVED A CALL FROM A LOCALVOTER WHO TOLD 23ABC NEWS HEDIDN'T RECEIVE A LOCAL VOTERGUIDE WITH INFORMATIONPERTAINING TO THE LOCALCOUNTY MEASURES--TONIGHT 23ABC TORI COOPER SPOKETO THAT VOTER WHO SAYSHE'S NO LONGER CONFIDENT IN THEKERN COUNTY VOTING SYSTEM...TORI?YEA,FREDRICK ANTHONY SAYS HE ONLYRECEIVED HIS STATE VOTERGUIDE ALONG WITH HIS MAIL INBALLOT AND HE WAS ANTICIPATINGTHAT HE WAS STILL GOING TO ALSORECEIVE HIS LOCAL VOTERGUIDE IN TIME TO PARTICIPATE INTHE LOCAL MEASURES HEREIN KERN COUNTY---BUT HE SAID BYTHE TIME THAT HE FINALLYRECEIVED THE LOCAL GUIDE IT WASTOO LATE HE HAD ALREADYVOTED MISSING OUT ON VOTING INTHE LOCAL COUNTYMEASURE."AND IT ONLY HAD PROPOSITION 13ITHAD NO LOCAL ISSUES OR MEASURESON IT, I CALLED THEM THEELECTION OFFICEHERE IN BAKERSFIELD I CALLEDTHEM AND THEY WE'RE A LITTLECOMFUSED..."(ANTHONY) SAYS THE LOCALMEASURES E AND D ALONG WITHMANY OTHER ISSUES ARE THE ONE HECARED ABOUT VOTING ONMOST BECAUSE AS A RESIDENT HESAYS THESE ARE THE MEASURESTHAT IMPACT HIM THE MOST.HE ALSO TOLD 23ABC NEWS HE FELTTHE LATE VOTER GUIDESARE NOT ALLOWING VOTERS TO MAKEA TRULYINFORMED DECISION.ACCORDING TO THE SECRETARY OFTHE STATE--IF YOU DID NOTMAKE A SELECTION ON A PAPERBASED BALLOTCONCERNING A SPECIFIC CONTEST INTHE PRIMARY THELOCAL COUNTY ELECTIONS OFFICE ISSUPPOSED TOREACH OUT TO YOU TO ENSURE YOUHAVE AMPLE OPPORTUNITY TOCOMPLETE YOUR VOTE.--BUT ANHTONYNO ONE CONTACTED HIM.THE MCFARLAND SCHOOL DISTRICTHAS SIX SCHOOLS IN IT, ANDMEASURE B HAS TO DO WITH THREEOF THEM -- BROAD ROADSTEAM ACADEMY, KERN AVENUEELEMENTARY, AND MCFARLAND HIGHSCHOOL.THE PRINCIPAL OF THE HIGH SCHOOLTELLING 23ABC NEWS HIS CAMPUSIS IN DESPERATE NEED OF A NEWMULTIPURPOSE ROOM.23ABC'S AUSTIN WESTFALL BREAKSDOWN THE MEASURE."WE ALREADY HAVE TEACHERS THATREALLY STRIVE TO PROVIDE THEBEST EDUCATION WE CAN FOR OURCOMMUNITYBUT AT THE SAME TIME HOW CAN YOUDO THAT WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE THEFACILITIESTO MEET THAT NEED?"MCFARLAND HIGH SCHOOL'SMULTIPURPOSE ROOM IS USED ASTHE CAMPUS' CAFETERIA, BUT THEPROBLEM IS, IT CAN ONLY SITABOUT 140 STUDENTS AT A TIMEDURING LUNCH -- A FRACTION OFTHE SCHOOLS NEARLY ONE-THOUSANDMEMBER STUDENT BODY."WHEN WE START THE SCHOOL YEAROUT IT110, 115 DEGREES, STUDENTS ARESPREAD OUT THROUGHOUT THECAMPUS, AND THEY DON'T REALLYHAVE ANYWHERE FOR SHADE."PRINCIPAL JUSTIN DERRICK SAYINGIT'S ALSO PROBLEMATICWHEN IT RAINS.

THAT'S PART OFWHY THE MCFARLANDUNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT ISASKING FOR 30-MILLION DOLLARSIN BONDS IN THE UPCOMINGELECTION, KNOWN AS MEASURE B.

16MILLION OF THAT MONEY WOULD BEUSED TO BUILD THE NEWMULTIPURPOSE ROOM, WHICH HASDINING ROOM FOR 1,000 STUDENTS,AND CAN ALSO BE USED FORASSEMBLIES.

BUT THAT'S ONLY PARTOF THE BOND MONEY -- SOME WOULDALSO GO TO BROWNINGROAD STEAM ACADEMY, ANELEMENTARY SCHOOL."WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR WITHMEASURE BIS AN OPPORTUNITY TO NOT JUST DOSOME PATCH WORK AT OUR SCHOOL,BUT TOWOULD COST PROPERTY OWNERS $51PER $100,000 OF ASSESSED VALUEPER YEAR.

55- PERCENT OF VOTERSWILLHAVE TO VOTE 'YES' IN ORDER FORIT TO PASS ON TUESDAY.AND 23ABC WANTS TO HELP YOU MAKEAN INFORMED DECISION ON SUPERTUESDAY... WHICH IS THISUPCOMINGTUESDAY -- AND THE DAYCALIFORNIA VOTERS GO TOTHE POLLS.WE HAVE INFORMATION ON LOCALMEASURES, NATIONAL ANDLOCAL CANDIDATES, ALONG WITHPROPOSITIONS ONOUR WEBSITE -- TURN TO 23 DOTCOM."PORTERVILLE FIREFIGHTER PATRICKJONES, AND CAPTAIN RAMONFIGUEROA, YOU ARE CLEAR OF YOURDUTY.

MAY YOUREST IN PEACE AND KNOW THAT YOUWILL BE FOREVER BE MISSED IN OURHEARTS.

WE HAVE IT FROM HERE.PORTERVILLE CLEAR."A MEMORIAL SERVICE ANDCELEBRATION OF LIFE TOOK PLACEIN PORTERVILLE TODAY... FOR THETWO FIREFIGHTERSWHO LOST THEIR LIVES IN THECITY'S LIBRARY FIRE TEN DAYSAGO.

ONE OF THOSE MEN -- CAPTAINRAMON FIGUEROA -- WAS ANATIVE OF DELANO -- AND HADRECENTLY MOVED TOBAKERSFIELD...EARLIER THIS WEEK -- INDIVIDUALFUNERAL SERVICES FOR BOTHFIGUEROA -- AND PATRICK JONESWEREHELD...REPORTER BRIAN JOHNSON WITH OURA-B-C AFFILIATE INFRESNO HAS MORE ON TODAY'S JOINTSERVICE THAT UNITED THECOMMUNITY OF PORTERVILLE ANDWELCOMED HUNDREDS OFFIREFIGHTERS FROM ACROSS THENATION TO HONOR TWO OFTHEIR OWN...PEOPLE IN PORTERVILLE STOPPEDWHAT THEY WERE DOINGON FRIDAY MORNING TO PAY THEIRRESPECTS TO TWO FALLENFIREFIGHTERS.CAPTAIN RAYMOND FIGUEROA ANDFIREFIGHTER PATRICK JONES DIEDWHILE FIGHTING A RAGING FIRE ATTHE CITY'S LIBRARY."IT'S WONDERFUL HOW THE TOWN ALLCAME TOGETHER.

THEY'VE ALLPITCHED IN TOHELP.

I MEAN, IT'S TRAGIC WHY WEHAD TO COME TOGETHER, BUT IT'S ABEAUTIFUL THING."THE PROCESSION ENDED ATPORTERVILLE CHURCH OF THENAZARENE, WHERE HUNDREDS OFFIREFIGHTERSFROM AROUND THE COUNTRY HADGATHERED IN FORMATION."MY HEART IS BREAKING BUT IT'SSO FULL OF PRIDE AT THE SAMETIME TO SHOW WHAT THE FAMILYDOES.

ONCE YOU'RE A FIRSTRESPONDER, YOU'RE A FIRSTRESPONDER EVERYWHERE IN THEWHOLE WORLD."FUNERALS HAVE ALREADY TAKENPLACE FOR JONES AND FIGUEROA.BUT FRIDAY WAS ANOTHEROPPORTUNITY FOR FRIENDS, FAMILY,FIREFIGHTERS, AND THE PUBLIC TOHONOR AND CELEBRATE THELIVES THAT WERE CUT TOO SHORTTEN DAYS AGO.THAT WAS BRIAN JOHNSONREPORTING... AND HAPPENING NEXTWEEK --THE BAKERSFIELD FIRE DEPARTMENTIS HOLDING A FUNDRAISER FORTHE FALLEN PORTERVILLEFIREFIGHTERS...B-F-D WILL BE HOLDING ADRIVE-THRU PANCAKEBREAKFAST AND A DRIVE-THRU TACOLUNCH ON TUESDAY, MARCH3RD.THE BREAKFAST IS FROM SEVEN A-MUNTIL 10 A-M AND THE LUNCHWILL BE FROM 10 A-M UNTIL ONE P-M.THE MEALS WILL BE FIVE DOLLARS APLATE.IT WILL BE HELD AT FIRE STATIONONE IN DOWNTOWNBAKERSFIELD.BAKERSFIELD BROKE A HEAT RECORDTODAY WITH A HIGH OF83.

THE PREVIOUS RECORD WAS SETIN 1905 AND 1926.

TODAY WAS THESECOND DAY THIS WEEK WITH RECORDBREAKING HEAT.THESE SPRING-LIKE TEMPERATURESWON'T BE LASTINGLONG.

A COLD CORE STORM WILLBRING WESTERLY WINDS STARTINGTOMORROW WHICH WILL DROPBAKERSFIELD TO THE MID-70S ONSATURDAY.

LAKE ISABELLA WILL BEIN THE UPPER-60S AND THE SOUTHMOUNTAINS IN THE LOW-60S.

AIRQUALITY REMAINS MODERATE ANDTHERE IS NO BURNING UNLESS WITHA REGISTERED DEVICE.BY SUNDAY, WINTER-LIKECONDITIONS RETURN.CONFIRMED CASES OF THECORONAVIRUS HAVE TOPPED 83-THOUSAND PEOPLE WORLDWIDE,CAUSING MORETHAN 28-HUNDRED DEATHS.FEAR ABOUT THE DISEASE HASTUMBLED STOCK MARKETS AROUNDTHE WORLD AND OFFICIALS INWASHINGTON ARE FACINGINCREASED SCRUTINY ABOUT HOW THEU.S. IS HANDLING THEEPIDEMIC.ALL THIS AS THE LATEST PATIENTIN CALIFORNIA IS IN SERIOUSCONDITION.WHITNEY WILD HAS THE LATEST FROMWASHINGTON.A CALIFORNIA PATIENT FIGHTINGTHE CORONAVIRUS ATTHE U.C.

DAVIS MEDICAL CENTER ISNOW IN SERIOUSCONDITION, OFFICIALS SAY.THE CASE IS PARTICULARLYTROUBLING FOR EXPERTS WHOSTILL DON'T KNOW HOW THIS PERSONCONTRACTED THE VIRUS, INDICATINGWHAT'S CALLED "COMMUNITYSPREAD."FURTHER, THE PATIENT WASN'TTESTED INITIALLY, RAISINGCONCERNTHERE COULD BE MORE UNKNOWNCASES WITHOUT A CONNECTION TOTRAVEL OR ANOTHER KNOWN PATIENT.THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATIONSAYS KNOWLEDGEOF THE VIRUS CONTINUES TOEVOLVE.THIS IS A NEW VIRUS.

IT'SCERTAINLY CHALLENGING US.

IT'S AVERY INFECTIOUS VIRUS.THE NUMBER OF CASES IN THE U.S.INCREASED AGAIN FRIDAY, WITHMORE THAN 60 CONFIRMED CASES --ACCORDING TOTHE U.S. CENTERS FOR DISEASECONTROL AND PREVENTION.MEANWHILE, A HEALTH AND HUMANSERVICES EMPLOYEEALLEGES WORKERS WHO HANDLED THEFIRST EVACUEESFROM WUHAN, CHINA, THE EPICENTEROF THE OUTBREAK,WEREN'T GIVEN PROPER TRAINING ORPROTECTIVE GEAR.SOMETHING OFFICIALS DISPUTE.I CAN SAY UNEQUIVOCALLY THATEVERYONE INVOLVED WITH THOSEEVACUATIONS WAS APPROPRIATELYEQUIPPED AND TRAINED.U.S. OFFICIALS CONTINUE TO URGECALM.ARE YOU GOING TO SEE SOMESCHOOLS SHUT DOWN?

PROBABLY.

MAYYOULOCAL HOOPERS WERE PLAYING FOR