23ABC News at 5 pm: Top Stories for February 11, 2020

PLUS -- POLLS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE ARE GETTING READY TO CLOSE IN THE NATION'S FIRST PRIMARY.

WHAT CANDIDATES SAID TODAY ABOUT HOW THEY ARE FEELING ABOUT THEIR CHANCES.

WAS UNDERWAY FOR THE FIRSTPRIMARY IN THE NATION...THIS IS A LIVE LOOK AT A POLLINGPLACE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE...AT THE STROKE OF MIDNIGHT...VOTERS BEGAN CASTING THEIRBALLOTS KICKING OFF THE HIGHSTAKES COMPETITION TOFINDING A DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATETO CHALLENGEPRESIDENT TRUMP.LATE POLLS SHOW VERMONT SENATORBERNIE SANDERS ANDFORMER MAYOR PETE BUTTIGIEGLOCKED IN A FIERCE BATTLE.ABC'S MONA KOSAR ABDI IS INMANCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIREWITH MORE..IT IS PRIMARY DAY IN THENORTHEASTERN STATE OF NEWHAMPSHIRE..VOTERS MAKING THEIR WAY TODESIGNATED POLLINGSTATIONS..

GREETED BY CANDIDATESHOPING FOR AFINAL CHANCE TO WIN THEIR VOTE.WARREN: VOTE FOR ME.

I GOT THEBEST CHANCE TO BEAT DONALDTRUMP.IN NEW HAMPSHIRE TRADITION, THEFIRST BALLOTSWERE CASTE SHORTLY AFTERMIDNIGHT IN THREE TINYNORTHERN TOWNS.MINNESOTA SENATOR AMY KLOBUCHARRECEIVING EARLYSUPPORT FROM THE HANDFUL OFVOTES."IF THE MIDNIGHT POLLS ARE ANYINDICATION WE ARE GONNA HAVE APRETTY GOOD NIGHT TONIGHT."FORMER MAYOR PETE BUTTIGIEG ALSOFEELING OPTIMISTIC THATHE CAN SECURE THE TOP SPOT."IT FEELS FANTASTIC.

THEVOLUNTEERS AREFIRED UP AND THE ENERGY ON THEGROUND IS WONDERFUL."BUT RECENT POLLS SHOW BERNIESANDERS LEADING THEDEMOCRATIC PACK..HE'S ALSO HITTING BACK AT HISRIVALS WHO SAY A SANDERSNOMINATION WILL HURT THEDEMOCRATIC PARTY"I BELIEVE IT'S GOING TORESONATE ALLOVER THIS COUNTRY.

THE PEOPLE OFTHE UNITED STATES, FINALLY, WANTAGOVERNMENT THAT WORKS FOR ALL OFUS"AND IN A LAST MINUTE STRATEGYCHANGE.."YOU KNOW, LOOK, I'M NOT GONNACRITICIZEBERNIE, YOU KNOW I HAVEN'T."MASSACHUSETTS SENATOR ELIZABETHWARREN NOWDRAWING CLEAR DISTINCTIONSBETWEEN HER AND SANDERSCAMPAIGN."WE VOTED FOR EXAMPLE INDIFFERENT WAYS ON THE TRADEDEAL."MEANWHILE - FORMER VICEPRESIDENT JOE BIDEN ISDOWNPLAYING EXPECTATIONS AND THEWEIGHT OF THE NEWHAMPSHIRE PRIMARY.."THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING, WEHAVEAN ENTIRE NATION TO VOTE YET."JOE BIDEN IS SKIPPING OUT EARLYTONIGHT TO HEAD DOWN TOSOUTH CAROLINA FOLLOWED BYNEVADA -- THE TWO STATES TOHOLD THE NEXT DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY- BOTH WITHCONSIDERABLY MORE DIVERSEPOPULATIONS.

THIS AS A NEWNATIONAL POLL SHOWED THE FORMERVP TRAILING SANDERS FOR THEFIRST TIME.MONA KOSAR ABDI, ABC NEWS.MANCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE.KERN COUNTY RESIDENTS WILL VOTEIN MARCH FOR THE PRIMARYIN CALIFORNIA -- AND TWOMEASURES PERTAIN TO THECANNABIS INDUSTRY.TODAY -- SUPPORTERS FOR MEASURE"D" SPOKE ABOUT THEIMPORTANCE OF THE MEASURE."BOTH OF THE MEASURES ARE FORTHE LEGALIZATION OF CANNABIS.THIS ELECTION IS ABOUT WHOCONTROLS THEINDUSTRY -- THE PEOPLE OF KERNCOUNTY, THE MOM AND POP SHOPS,YOURFRIENDS AND YOUR NEIGHBORS ORTHE BIG CORPORATIONS."MEASURE "D" LOOKS AT THEREGULATION AND TAXATION OFMEDICAL MARIJUANA DISPENSARIES.A YES VOTE SUPPORTS AUTHORIZINGMEDICALMARIJUANA DISPENSARIES OPERATEWITHOUTCONDITIONAL USE PERMIT IN THECOUNTY AND IMPOSING A 3.75PERCENT BUSINESS TAX PER EVERY 1THOUSANDDOLLARS OF GROSS INCOME.WHILE MEASURE "E" -- WOULDAUTHORIZE MEDICALMARIJUANA DISPENSARIES TOOPERATE WITH A CONDITIONAL USEPERMIT IN THE COUNTY -- ANDWOULD IMPOSE A 3.5 PERCENTSPECIAL BUSINESS TAX FOR EVERY 1THOUSAND DOLLARS OFGROSS INCOME.THERE IS ALSO A MEASURE ON THEBALLOT CONCERNING THE WASCOUNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT.A YES VOTE FOR MEASURE "A"SUPPORTS AUTHORIZING THEDISTRICT TO ISSUE MORE THAN 38MILLION DOLLARS IN BONDS ANDREQUIRING AN AVERAGE TAX RATE OF29 DOLLARS AND 41CENTS PER 100 THOUSAND DOLLARSOF ASSESSED VALUE.THE FUNDS WOULD GO TOWARDIMPROVINGWASCO UNION HIGH SCHOOL...CONSTRUCTING A NEW GYMNASIUMAND UPGRADING AND REBUILDINGFACILITIES TO BETTER SERVESTUDENTS.AN INFORMATION MEETING IS SETFOR TONIGHT AT 6 O'CLOCK AT THEHIGH SCHOOL.AND 23ABC WILL CONTINUE TOPROVIDE YOU INFORMATION SOTHAT YOU CAN MAKE AN INFORMEDDECISION ONSUPER TUESDAY.THE CALIFORNIA PRIMARY IS SETFOR MARCH 3RD.WE'LL HAVE ALL THE INFORMATIONYOU NEED ON CANDIDATES...PROPOSITIONS AND MEASURES ON OURWEBSITE -- TURN TO 23 DOTCOM.IT'S ARGUABLY THE BIGGESTARGICULTURE EVENT IN THEWORLD AND IT HAS RETURNED TOTULARE.TODAY WAS DAY ONE OF THE WORLDAG EXPO.IT'S THE 53-RD INSTALLMENT OFTHE FARMING AND RANCHINGSHOWCASE...THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE MAKING THEIRWAY TO THE INTERNATIONALAGRI-CENTER IN TULARE COUNTY.MORE THAN 100-THOUSAND PEOPLEARE EXPECTED TOATTEND THIS YEAR'S 3-DAY EVENT.THE THEME THIS YEAR IS "FOCUSINGON AG".HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OFEXHIBITORS DISPLAYED THELATEST IN FARM EQUIPMENT ANDTECHNOLOGY.FREE SEMINARS FOCUS ON A VARIETYOF TOPICSIMPORTANT TO DAIRY PRODUCERS...FARMERS...RANCHERS AND AGRI-BUSINESSPROFESSIONALS.EVEN SOME LOCALS -- DRIVING UPTHE 99 -- TO TAKE PART IN THEANNUAL EXPO..."FOR US, IT BRINGS IN BASICALLYALL OF THECALIFORNIA CUSTOMERS THAT WEHAVE AND SOME OF OUR ARIZONACUSTOMERS, SO IT ALLOWS US TOCOME TO ONE LOCATION AND REACHOUT TO OVER1,000 CUSTOMERS THAT WE HAVE."23ABC'S BAYAN WANG SPENT THE DAYAT THE AG EXPO AND JOINSUS LIVE FROM TULARE TONIGHTWHERE HE SPOKE WITH OFFICIALSTO LEARN MORE ABOUT WHAT NEWPUBLIC SAFETY MEASURESTHEY'RE IMPLEMENTING THIS YEAR.BAYAN?JESSICA - THERE IS ABOUT 1,500EXHIBITORS AT THIS EVENT - ANDMORE THAN 100,000 VISITORS AREEXPECTED TO ATTEND THE EXPOTHROUGHOUT THE NEXT THREE DAYS -OFFICIALS HERE HAVEIMPLEMENTED NEW PUBLIC SAFETYMEASURESINCLUDING PREVENTING AGAINST THECORONAVIRUS.THEY ALSO MENTIONED THAT VENDORSFROM CHINA WILL NOTBE ALLOWED TO ATTEND THIS YEARDUE TO A TRAVEL BAN."THERE WERE SIX VENDORS THAT HADTO STAY BACK BECAUSE THEY WEREFROM CHINA AND THE WORLD AG EXPOHAS BEEN WONDERFUL INCOMMUNICATING WITHTHOSE FOLKS AND GETTING THATTAKEN CARE OF." THE LARGESTAGRICULTURAL EXPO OF IT'S KINDGARNERSTHOUSANDS FROM ALL OVER THEWORLD, ACCORDING TOOFFICIALS - IN THE MIDST OF ACORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK, WITH 7CONFIRMED CASES IN CALIFORNIA -THE EVENT HAS NEWPUBLIC SAFETY STANDARDS."WE HAVE BANNERS OUT IN ENGLISH,SPANISH AND SIMPLE CHINESEMAKINGSURE PEOPLE KNOW WHAT THEPREVENTION EFFORTS ARE."SOME OF THOSE EFFORTS INCLUDEPLACING HAND-SANITIZINGSTATIONS IN SEVERAL AREAS AT THEEXPO AND HAVING MEDICALPROFESSIONALS ON HAND TO SCREENAND TREATPARTICIPANTS WHO FEEL ILL.RIGHT NOW THAT IS THE SAFETYTHING FOR ALL OUR ATTENDEES -WHILE EVENT OFFICIALS ARE HOPINGTO PROTECT AGAINSTTHE CORONAVIRUS - THEY SAY THEYWANT TO PROVIDEAN ENVIRONMENT THAT WELCOMES THEASIAN POPULATIONDURING THESE SENSITIVE TIMES -ALEX SHIN, A TRANSLATOR FORA SOUTH KOREAN VENDOR AT THEEXPO SAYS THAT'S SOMETHING HEAPPRECIATES BECAUSE OF WHAT HEHAD TO DEAL WITH ON HISWAY TO THE EXPO."I WAS ON A FLIGHT FROM AUSTIN TOSAN FRANCISCO YESTERDAY AND IACCIDENTALLY COUGHED .

PEOPLESTARTED MOVING AWAY FROM ME ANDCHANGED SEATS."IN ADDITION TO HEALTH SAFETY --EXPO OFFICIALS ARE RAMPING UPSECURITY FOLLOWING THE MASSSHOOTING AT THE GILROYGARLIC FESTIVAL LAST JULY THATTOOK THREE LIVES ANDINJURED 17 OTHERS."WE DID NEED TO LOOK AT WHATHAPPENED THERE AND LEARN AND BEPROACTIVE."THE EXPO NOW HAS FULL BODY METALDETECTORS AT ALLENTRANCES - AND SEVERAL OFFICERSCARRYING LONGRIFLES IN THE CASE OF A THREAT.THE WORLD AG EXPO WILL BE BACKOPEN TOMORROW AT 9A-M.THE EVENT WILL RUN THROUGHTHURSDAY.BAYAN WANG, 23ABC CONNECTINGYOU.THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORSAPPROVING AN ORDINANCEEARLIER TODAY THAT WOULD PERMITTHE OVERSEEING OFHEMP CULTIVATION WHEN IT COMESTO "RESEARCH."A LOCAL HEMP FARMER SAYS THEORDINANCE IS NEEDED."AS A HEMP FARMER, I SUPPORT THEDEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE INTHIS.

I WANTED TO SAY THAT WENEED TO REIGN ITIN WITH ESTABLISHED RESEARCHEDINSTITUTIONS.

WE NEED TO REIGNIT IN ALITTLE MORE.

WE NEED TO SETREGULATIONS, SO THAT THEY ARENOTGIVEN THE FREE REIGN THAT THEYARE GIVEN RIGHT NOW."OFFICIALS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OFAGRICULTURE SAY THE CONCERNOF AGRICULTURE SAY THE CONCERNWAS TO GET A HANDLE ON"RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS" ANDRESEARCH GROWS IN KERNCOUNTY.THEY ADDED THAT THEY HAD SOMEENTITIES ARE NOT USING PROPERUSE OF THE RESEARCHAUTHORIZATION.UNDER CURRENT STATE LAW --RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS ARENOT REQUIRED TO OBTAIN A PERMITTO GROW HEMP FOR RESEARCH.SO THE DEPARTMENT WANTED TO PUTIN REGISTRATIONFEES TO ENSURE GROWERS ABIDE BYTHE PROGRAM.ACCORDING TO THE ORDINANCE --OFFICIALS ALSO WANTED TO LIMITGROWS TO 1 ACRE OR LESS.IT WAS UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED BYTHE BOARD.A MAN WHO IS ACCUSED OFKIDNAPPING... FALSEIMPRISONMENT AND BATTERY AFTERPOSING AS A RIDESHAREDRIVER APPEARED IN COURTTODAY...NASSEF RAGHEB PLEADED NOT GUILTYTO THOSE CHARGES TODAY.BAKERSFIELD POLICE ARRESTEDRAGHEB NEAR 23RD AND LSTREETS LAST WEEK.THE ARREST CAME AS THE RESULT OFTHREE RELATED INVESTIGATIONSOVER THE PAST THREE YEARS.A WEEK FROM LAST SATURDAY --OFFICERS INVESTIGATED APROWLING INCIDENT AT A RESIDENCEIN THE AREA OFBRIMHALL ROAD AND JEWETTAAVENUE.A FOLLOW-UP INVESTIGATION LED TOTHE IDENTIFICATION OFRAGHEB AS A SUSPECT IN THATINVESTIGATION.HE IS SET TO BE BACK IN COURT ONFEBRUARY 24-TH.MEANTIME -- A RIDGECREST MAN ISFACING FELONY CHILDMOLESTATION AND PORN CHARGES...ACCORDING TO COURT DOCUMENTSOBTAINED BY23ABC -- THE CENTRAL CALIFORNIAINTERNET CRIMESAGAINST CHILDREN TASK FORCERECEIVED SEVERAL TIPSFROM THE NATIONAL CENTER FORMISSING AND EXPLOITEDCHILDREN REGARDING A PERSON WHOWAS IN POSSESSION OFCHILD PORNOGRAPHY.GOOGLE CONTACTED AUTHORITIESAFTER IT LOCATEDWHAT THEY BELIEVED TO BE CHILDPORN UPLOADED TOTHEIR SERVERS.FOLLOWING AN INVESTIGATION --AUTHORITIES DETERMINED THATA VIDEO AND NUMEROUS IMAGES WEREUPLOADED.51-YEAR-OLD ERIK WADELIN WASARRESTED AND IS FACING FIVEFELONY CHARGES.KERN COUNTY IS UNDER THE CONTROLOF HIGH PRESSURE JUSTOFF THE EASTERN PACIFIC.

THIS ISCAUSING CLEAR SKIES, DRYCONDITIONS AND WARMINGTEMPERATURES.

BAKERSFIELD WILLBE IN THE UPPER- 60S ONWEDNESDAY, REACHING THE LOW-70SON THURSDAY.

LAKE SAIBELLA WILLBEIN THE MID TO UPPER-60S AND THESOUTH MOUNTAINS IN THEMID-50S.

VALLEY AIR QUALITYREMAINS MODERATETOMORROW DUE TO THE LACK OFFRESH BREEZES.

THERE WILL BE NOBURNING UNLESS WITH A REGISTEREDDEVICE.A SYSTEM WILL BE SWEEPINGTHROUGH THE REGION ONVALENTINE'S DAY.

IT DOESN'T LOOKTO BE HOLDING MUCH MOISTURE.IT WILL BRING SOME BREEZYCONDITIONS AND SLIGHTLY COOLERTEMPERATURES ON FRIDAY.WE WILL BE DRY AND CLEAR ONSATURDAY BEFORE ANOTHERSYSTEM WILL BE IMPACTING THEREGION ON MONDAY.

THISWILL DROP TEMPERATURES BACK TOTHE LOW-60S WITH ANINCREASE IN WINDS.

WE ARE STILLSEVERAL DAYS OUT, SO THISIS SOMETHING WE ARE WATCHINGCLOSELY TO SEE HOW MUCH, IFANY, RAIN WE WILL BE GETTING.GET YOUR RESUMES READY AND GETREADY TO DRESS TOIMPRESS -- BECAUSE JOB FEST20-20 IS KICKING OFF THISWEEK.THE KERN COUNTY DEPARTMENT OFHUMAN SERVICESRECENTLY ANNOUNCED THE 20-20 JOBFEST SERIES.IT STARTS OFF THIS THURSDAY WITHA JOB FAIR IN LAMONT.THE EVENT IS SET TO TAKE PLACEAT THE DAVID HEAD CENTER ON SANDIEGO STREET IN LAMONT FROM 9A-M UNTIL NOON ON THURSDAY.

YOUARE ASKED TO BRING COPIES OFYOUR RESUME AND COMEDRESSED FOR EMPLOYMENTOPPORTUNITIES.THE DOWNTOWN BUSINESSASSOCIATION AND THE DOWNTOWNBAKERSFIELD DEVELOPMENTCORPORATION IS GEARING UP TOHOST THE STATE OF THE DOWNTOWNBREAKFAST THISWEEK.THE THEME OF THIS YEAR'SBREAKFAST IS "CREATING ACLEAN, SAFE AND WELCOMING AREAFOR THE HEART OF OUR CITY!"THE BREAKFAST IS SET TO TAKEPLACE FROM 7 UNTIL 9 A-MTHURSDAY AT THE WESTCHESTER HALLIN DOWNTOWNBAKERSFIELD.TICKETS ARE 70 DOLLARS.TO PURCHASE THEM -- HEAD TO OURWEBSITE -- TURN TO 23 DOTCOM.COMING UP ON 23ABC NEWS AT FIVE-- THE WORLD HEALT