23ABC News at 5 p.m. | Top Stories for February 13, 2020

23ABC News at 5 p.m. | Top Stories for February 13, 2020

23ABC NEWS AT FIVE -- I'MJESSICA HARRINGTON.

TONIGHT'STOP STORIES..IT'S OFFICIAL -- PRESIDENT TRUMPIS HEADING TO BAKERSFIELD --WHAT DETAILS WHITE HOUSEOFFICIALS ARE RELEASINGTONIGHT ABOUT THE PRESIDENT'SPLANNED VISIT NEXT WEEK...AND A LOOK AT HOW THE COUNTY ISPREPARING FOR SUPER TUESDAY --WHICH IS LESS THAN THREE WEEKSAWAY -- WILL EVERYTHINGNEEDED FOR THE CALIFORNIAPRIMARY BE READY FORVOTERS IN TIME?23ABC NEWS AT 5 STARTS RIGHTNOW...GOOD EVENING --WE BEGIN TONIGHT -- WITH THEOFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENTTHAT PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP ISPLANNING A VISIT TO BAKERSFIELDNEXT WEEK.ACCORDING TO THE WHITE HOUSE --THE PRESIDENT WILL BE HERE ONWEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19TH.23ABC'S TORI COOPER IS IN THELIVE CENTER TONIGHT ON THEPLANS FOR THE PRESIDENT'S VISITTO CALIFORNIA...YES JESSICA,ACCORDING TO THAT WHITE HOUSEOFFICIAL, THE PRESIDENTPLANS TO TRAVEL NEXT WEEK TOCALIFORNIA, NEVADA, ARIZONA,AND COLORADO.THIS IS HIS FIRST TRIP OUT WESTSINCE THE STATE OF THE UNIONADDRESS...THE LAST TIME A PRESIDENT PAID AVISIT TO BAKERSFIELD WASBACK IN 2012--WHEN FORMERPRESIDENTBARACK OBAMA PASSED THROUGH LAPAZ NEAR KEENE TODEDICATE A MONUMNET TO THE LATEUNITED FARM WORKERS UNION COFOUNDER CESAR CHAVEZAND NOW KERN COUNTY FARMERS ARETAKING CENTER STAGEONCE AGAIN IN THE EYES OFPRESIDENT TRUMP-- HOUSEOFFICIALS TELLING 23BC NEWS THEPRESIDENT PLANSTO VISIT BAKERSFIELD THISCOMING WEDNESDAY, FEBURARY 19TH.KERN COUNTY WILL BE ONE OF THEPRESIDENTS MANY STOPS ONTHE WEST COAST..THE OTHERSINCLUDE , NEVADA, ARIZONA, ANDCOLORADOIT'S STILL UNCLEAR WHERE THEPRESIDENT'S OFFICIAL STOPS WILLBE IN BAKERSFIELD BUT, THEPRESIDENT WILL JOIN HOUSEMINORITY LEADER KEVIN MCCARTHYTO SPEAK WITH FARMERS IN THECENTRAL VALLEY ABOUT EFFORTS TOIMPROVE THE SUPPLY AND DELIVERYOF WATER IN CALIFORNIA AND OTHERWESTERN STATES.BUT BEFORE COMING TOBAKERSFIELD, THE PRESIDENT WILLMEET WITH MEMBERS OF THE L-A 28OLYMPIC COMMITTEE IN LOSANGELES ON TUESDAY FOR AN UPDATEON THEIR EFFORTS TOPREPARE FOR THE 20-28 SUMMEROLYMPIC GAMES.AND ON THURSDAY, THE PRESIDENTWILL DELIVER REMARKSAT THE HOPE FOR PRISONERSGRADUATION CEREMONY AT THELAS VEGAS METROPOLITAN POLICEHEADQUARTERS,WHERE HE WILL DISCUSS HISADMINISTRATION'S EFFORTS TOPROVIDE PREVIOUSLY- INCARCERATEDAMERICANS WITHSECOND CHANCES.WE ARE STILL WAITING TO HEARFROM WHITE HOUSE OFFICIALSON HOW MANY FARMERS WILL GET TOMEET WITH THEPRESIDENT AND WHERE.NOW WE DID REACH OUT TO THE KERNCOUNTY FARM BUREAUEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO GET ABETTER IDEA ABOUT THEANSWERS FARMERS ARE HOPING TOWALK AWAY WITH FROMTHIS MEETING.IF YOU ARE A LOCAL FARMERWATCHING THIS RIGHT NOW ATHOME AND YOU HAVE A QUESTION YOUWOULD LIKE ANSWERED BYTHE COMMANDER IN CHIEF SEND USAN EMAIL AT NEWS AT KERO SO WECAN SHARE YOUR CONCERNS ON OURPLATFORMS AS WELL.AN ITENINARY HAS NOT YET BEENRELEASED FOR THE PRESIDENT'SVISIT... SO, AS SOON AS WE LEARNMORE DETAILS ABOUT HIS SCHEDULEAND WHERE EXACTLY HE WILL BEWHILE VISITINGCALIFORNIA -- WE WILL KEEP YOUUPDATED HERE ON AIR, AT OURWEBSITE TURN TO 23 DOT COM ANDOUR 23ABC FACEBOOK PAGEAS WELL AS OUR FREE MOBILEAPPS...MEANWHILE -- LOCAL CONGRESSMANAND HOUSEMINORITY LEADER -- KEVINMCCARTHY SAID DURING A PRESSCONFERENCE TODAY -- THATPRESIDENT TRUMP DID NOTINTERFERE IN THE CRIMINAL CASEOF HIS FORMER ASSOCIATEROGER STONE...FOUR CAREER JUSTICE PROSECUTORSHADRECOMMENDED A 7-TO-9 YEARPRISON SENTENCE FOR STONE --AFTER HE WAS CONVICTED BY A JURYOF WITNESS TAMPERING, LYINGTO CONGRESS, AND OBSTRUCTING ACONGRESSIONALINVESTIGATION INTO RUSSIANINTERFERENCE IN THE 2016ELECTION.HOURS AFTER AN UNHAPPY TWEETFROM THE PRESIDENT-SENIOR JUSTICE DEPARTMENTOFFICIALS -- RECOMMENDED ALESSER SENTENCE BUT LEAVINGSPECIFICS UP TOTHE JUDGEMCCARTHY DISTANCED THE PRESIDENTFROM THE DECISION BYTHE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT -- SAYINGIT WAS REACHED BEFOREPRESIDENT TRUMP PUBLICLY WEIGHEDIN ON THE MATTER."THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION ISNO,THE PRESIDENT IS NOTINTERFERING, BEUSE IF YOULISTEN TO THE DEPARTMENT OFJUSTICE, THEY MADE THE DECISIONBEFORE THE TWEET EVERWENT OUT."CONGRESSIONAL DEMOCRATSINCLUDING SPEAKER NANCYPELOSI HAVE CALLED FOR ANINVESTIGATION INTO WHETHERPRESIDENT TRUMP ATTEMPTED TOINFLUENCE THE JUSTICEDEPARTMENT'S INVOLVEMENT IN THECASE DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSMAN ERICSWALWELL SAYINGCONGRESS SHOULD NOT RULE OUT THEPOSSIBILITY OFIMPEACHING ATTORNEY GENERALWILLIAM BARR.PRESIDENT TRUMP RESPONDED IN ATWEET ANDCALLED THE INITIALRECOMMENDATION "HORRIBLE," ANDHE PRAISED THE LESSER SENTENCERECOMMENDATION.PELOSI ARGUED PRESIDENT TRUMP -WHO WAS ACQUITTED OFIMPEACHMENT CHARGES JUST LASTWEEK - HAD ABUSED HISPOWER.TODAY, 23ABC'S INVESTIGATIVETEAM CONTINUES TO LOOK INTO THEREASON WHY INFORMATION ON THELOCAL COUNTYMEASURES THAT ARE ON BALLOT FORTHE MARCH ELECTION HAVEBEEN LEFT OUT FROM THE COUNTYWEBSITE AND WHY SOMERESIDENTS STILL DON'T HAVE ALOCAL VOTER GUIDE.23 A-B-C'S LEZLA GOODEN SPOKEWITH THE KERN COUNTY ELECTIONDEPARTMENT SHE JOINS US IN THELIVE CENTER WITH WHAT SHE FOUNDOUT.

LEZLA.:GOOD EVENING AFTER OUR STORYAIRED LAST NIGHT ABOUT THECOUNTY NOT HAVING ACCESSIBLEINFORMATION ONOUR LOCAL ELECTION MEASURES THATARE ON THEMARCH BALLOT , THE ELECTIONSDEPARTMENT REACHED OUT TOUS AGAIN.

I WAS ABLE TO SPEAKWITH THE REGISTAR OFVOTERS WHO SAYS THE DELAY OFINFORMATION IS DUE TO ACHANGE WITHIN ITS DEPARTMENT.AS WE'VE REPORTED CALIFORNIA'SPRIMARYELECTION IS LESS THAN THREEWEEKS AWAY AND WILL BE A PART OFSUPER TUESDAY.BUT, HERE IN KERN COUNTY, THEELECTIONS DEPARTMENTTELLS 23ABC PRINTED INFORMATIONABOUT LOCALMEASURES IS NOT ON THE KERNELECTION WEBSITE.THOSE MEASURES INCLUDE THECONTROVERSIAL MARIJUANAMEASURES D AND E..

AND SCHOOLBOND MEASURES IN WASCO ANDMCFARLAND..

MEASURES A, B & C.THIS INFORMATION IS USUALLY SENTOUT WITH THE MAIL BALLOT ORONLINE..

BUT ACCORDING TO MARYBEDARD, REGISTRAR OFVOTERS, THERE IS A DELAY DUE TOSTAFFING CHANGES AT THEDEPARTMENT.WE LOST OUR TOP FOUR EMPLOYEESANDTHEY RETIRED AT THE END OF 2019SO BETWEEN THEM THEY HAD ABOUT120 YEARSOF ELECTION EXPERIENCE.SO THESTAFF WE HAVE IS VERY GOOD BUTTHEYARE JUST LESS EXPERIENCED.-BEDARD ALSO ADDS THAT THE OFFICEDELAYED THE SAMPLEBALLOTS TO ENSURE THAT THEINFORMATION THEY PUT OUT ISCORRECT.

WHEN ASKED HOW MANYBALLOTS HAVE THEY RECEIVEDBACK WITHOUT RECEIVINGINFORMATION FROM THEELECTIONS OFFICE .SHE SAYS ABOUT2-THOUSANDVOTERS HAVE ALREADY SUBMITTEDTHEIR BALLOTS ..

AND FOR THOSEINDIVIDUALS THEIR BALLOTS AREFINAL.BY LAW THE FIRST BALLOT IN ISTHEBALLOT THAT'S COUNTED IN THISELECTION.

AND I TRUST THAT MOSTVOTERS WOULD NOT HAVE VOTED IFTHEY DID NOT HAVE THATINFORMATION TO THEMOR GOT THEM FROM SOMEPLACE.ACCORDING TO BEDARD AND THESECRETARY OF STATES OFFICE..THERE IS NO LEGAL REQUIREMENTTHAT THE SAMPLE BALLOT GO OUTBEFORE THE VOTE BY MAIL OR THATIT MUST BEINCLUDED ONLINE.BEDARD SAYS THAT AN AUDIOVERSION WITH THE MEASURESINFORMATION AND CANDIDATESTATEMENTS IS NOW AVAILABLEONLINE.LEZLA- DO YOU EXPECT TO PUT ANYMORE ADDITIONAL INFORMATIONONLINE ABOUT THE DIFFERENT LOCALMEASURESADDITION TO THE AUDIO?SOT:OUR WEBSITE DOESN'TACCOMMODATE THE REQUIREMENTSHAVING ADA ACCESSIBLEINFORMATION IN PRINT SO WE ARENOT ABLE TO PUT OUR SAMPLEBALLOT OUT AT THISPOINT..

UNTIL WE CAN GET ANUPGRADE TO OUR WEBSITE ANDTHAT'S NOT GOING TOHAPPEN BEFORE THE MARCH.SHE ADDS THAT THE VOTER GUIDESWERE MAILED OUT ONTUESDAY AND PEOPLE SHOULDRECEIVE THE SAMPLE BALLOTSSOMETIME THIS WEEK OR EARLY NEXTWEEK.DESPITE THE DELAY, THE ELECTIONSOFFICE SAYS THEYARE READY FOR SUPER TUESDAY BUTCAN ALWAYS USE ADDITIONALPOLL WORKERS.

MEANTIME..

WE HAVECOMPILED INFORMATION ONOUR LOCAL MEASURES FROM RELIABLEELECTIONSOURCES..

AND PUT THEM ON OURWEBSITE TURNTO23.COM..FOR NOW IN STUDIO LEZLA GOODEN23ABC NEWSCONNECTING YOU.AND 23ABC WILL CONTINUE TOPROVIDE INFORMATION TOHELP YOU MAKE AN INFORMEDDECISION ON SUPER TUESDAY.THE CALIFORNIA PRIMARY IS SETFOR MARCH 3RD.WE'LL HAVE ALL THE INFORMATIONYOU NEED ON NATIONAL ANDLOCAL CANDIDATES... PROPOSITIONSAND MEASURESON OUR WEBSITE -- TURN TO 23 DOTCOM.KERN COUNTY FELT ANOTHER DAYWITH ABOVE AVERAGE TEMPERATURES,CALM AND DRY CONDITIONS.HIGH PRESSURE REMAINS IN CONTROLTHROUGH SATURDAY.

THAT MEANSCONDITIONS WILL BE LOVELY ONVALENTINE'S DAY!

WE WILL BE INTHE UPPER-60S, MOSTLY CLEARSKIES BUT WINDS WILL BE BREEZY.BAKERSFIELD WILL HAVE A HIGH OF69, LAKE ISABELLA WILL BE INTHE MID-60S AND THE SOUTHMOUNTAINS IN THE UPPER-50S.VALLEY AIR QUALITY REMAINSMODERATE.

THERE IS NO BURNINGUNLESS WITH A REGISTEREDDEVICE.SATURDAY WILL BRING SLIGHTLYWARMER TEMPERATURESBEFORE A COOL DOWN ONPRESIDENT'S DAY.

A STORM WILL BEPASSING THROUGH THE REGIONS.

ALLOF THEPRECIPITATION WILL STAY NORTH OFKERN COUNTY, BUT WE WILL SEEAN INCREASE IN WINDS THROUGH THEMOUNTAIN PASSES AND INTHE KERN COUNTY DESERT.TEMPERATURES WILL DROP TOBELOW AVERGE.NEXT WEEK LOOKS TO STAY WARMWITH DRY CONDITIONS.THERE ARE MINIMAL RAIN CHANCESOVER CENTRALCALIFORNIA THROUGH THE EXTENEDEDFORECAST.A KERN COUNTY JURY HAS FOUND AMAN GUILTY OF TWO COUNTS OFMURDER IN THE 20-16 SHOOTINGDEATHS OF HIS MOTHER ANDSTEPFATHER...THIS IS FILE VIDEO FROM PREVIOUSCOURT PROCEEDINGSAND OF THE CRIME SCENE...THE JURY RETURNED THE VERDICTSAGAINST DEREKCONNELL IN KERN COUNTY SUPERIORCOURT TODAY.HE WAS FOUND GUILTY OF FIRST-DEGREE MURDER OF HISSTEPFATHER AND GUILTY OFSECOND-DEGREE MURDER FOR THEDEATH OF HIS MOTHER.THE VERDICT FOLLOWS A TWO-WEEKTRIAL WHERE THEPROSECUTION SAID THE 33-YEAR-OLD GUNNED DOWNTHE TWO VICTIMS AT THEIRSOUTHWEST BAKERSFIELDHOME WHILE THE DEFENSE ARGUEDCONNELL KILLED HIS STEPFATHERAFTER THE OTHER MAN SHOT ANDKILLED HIS MOTHER.CONNELL'S SENTENCING HAS BEENSCHEDULED FOR MARCH 12TH.NEW DETAILS TONIGHT --AUTHORITIES ANNOUNCED THISAFTERNOON THAT THE BODY OF 6-YEAR-OLD FAYE SWETLIK HAS BEENFOUND...IT COMES AFTER A SIGNIFICANTPOLICE PRESENCE THIS MORNING INTHE SOUTH CAROLINA NEIGHBORHOODWHERE SWETLIKDISAPPEARED.INVESTIGATORS WERE ALSO SPOTTEDGOING THROUGH TRASHCANS IN THE SAME AREA.THE CASE IS BEING TREATED AS AHOMICIDE.AUTHORITIES ALSO ANNOUNCED THEBODY OF A MALE WAS FOUNDDURING THE SEARCH.THAT PERSON HAS NOT BEENIDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME AND IT'SUNCLEAR IF THE TWO DEATHS ARECONNECTED.SWETLIK WAS REPORTED MISSING ONMONDAY.WHEN A NATURAL DISASTER HITSKERN COUNTY -- DO YOU KNOWWHAT SAFETY MEASURES TO TAKE?IN LESS THAN 30 MINUTES -- TAFTWILL BE HOLDING AN EMERGENCYPREPAREDNESS MEETING -- SO YOUKNOW WHAT ACTIONS TO TAKEKEEP YOU AND YOUR FAMILY SAFE.THAT MEETING BEGINS AT 5-30 AT5-HUNDRED CASCADE PLACEIN TAFT.THOSE WHO ATTEND THE MEETINGWILL BE GOING OVEREMEERGENCY RESPONSE PROTOCOLS --AND INFORMATION ONKERN COUNTY EMERGENCY RESPONSETEAMS.COMING UP -- ARE YOU NEEDING TOMAKE SOME EXTRA