23ABC Morning News at 6 am - Top Stories for March 9, 2020

Leslie Chance, the former school Principal found guilty of murder in the death of her husband, Todd, is expected to be sentenced this week.

Plus, the construction of a high-speed rail underpass will leave a full closure for Poso Avenue in Wasco that will last approximately a year and a half.

CHANCE -- WILL BE IN COURT THISWEEK.WE'LL TELL YOU WHEN SHE ISSCHEDULED FOR SENTENCING -- ASSHE FACES THE MAXIMUM --50 YEARSTO LIFE.THE HIGH-SPEED RAIL CONSTRUCTIONWILL CONTINUETHROUGHOUT KERN COUNTY.HOW CONSTRUCTION WILL AFFECT THECITY OF WASCO --CLOSING DOWN A MAJOR ROADWAY.GOOD MORNING... AND THANKS FORTUNING IN FOR 23ABC NEWS ATSIX A-M..

I'M MIKE HART.AND I'M DANIELLE KERNKAMP.(THERE ARE NO MAJOR TRAFFICINCIDENTS TO REPORT THISMORNING.)(THERE ARE NO MAJOR TRAFFICINCIDENTS TO REPORT THISMORNING.)WE'RE CLOSELY WATCHING APOWERFUL STORM OFF THE COAST OFSOUTHERN CALIFORNIA THAT ISALREADY PUSHING SOMEOF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA THAT ISALREADY PUSHING SOMERAIN TO THE WEST SIDE OF THEVALLEY TODAY, WITH A GOODSOAKING EXPECTED ACROSS KERNCOUNTYTOMORROW.

SO WHILE WE WAIT, THEBEST CHANCE TO SEE RAINTODAY WILL BE WEST OF THE I-5CORRIDOR, FROM TAFT TO LOSTHILLS.

THE REST OF KERN COUNTYHAS A 20-30% CHANCE OF RAINTODAY WITH A 90% CHANCE OF RAINTOMORROW!

EXPECTSEASONAL TEMPERATURES LIKE WESAW OVER THEWEEKEND, WITH THE UPPER 60S INTHE VALLEY, THE MID-60S IN THEKERN RIVER VALLEY AND KERNDESERT, AND MID-50S IN THESOUTH MOUNTAINS OF TEHACHAPI ANDFRAZIER PARK.THE KERN COUNTY AND BAKERSFIELDFIRE DEPARTMENTS ARE TEAMING UPTO HOLD A BOOK DRIVE TO BENEFITTHE PORTERVILLELIBRARY IN HONOR OF FALLEN FIRECAPTAINRAMON FIGUEROA AND FIREFIGHTERPATRICK JONES.

23ABC'S DANIELAGARRIDO IS LIVE IN NORTHWESTBAKERSFIELDWITH THAT DRIVE.DANIELA?WE'RE LIVE AT FIRE STATION 65...BECAUSE 23ABC IS TEAMING UP WITHFIREFIGHTERSFROM STATION 65 ALL THIS WEEK TOCOLLECT DONATIONS.

YOU CAN DROPOFF BOOKS AT 10051 MEACHAM ROAD-- OR AT ANYCITY OR COUNTY STATION --STARTING THIS MORNING -- ALLTHE WAY THROUGH FRIDAY.THIS DRIVE IS A CHANCE TOREPLACE BOOKS LOST IN THELIBRARY FIRE -- WHERE FIGUEROAAND JONES DIED ON FEBRUARY 18.LAST WEEK -- THE DEPARTMENTSHOSTED A FUNDRAISER INHONOR OF THE FIREFIGHTERS.THEY WERE ABLE TO RAISE ALMOST15-THOUSAND DOLLARS TOBENEFIT THE FAMILIES OF FIGUEROAAND JONES.LESLIE CHANCE -- THE FORMERSCHOOL PRINCIPAL FOUNDGUILTY OF MURDER IN THE DEATH OFHER HUSBAND TODD --IS EXPECTED TO BE SENTENCED THISWEEK.CHANCE WAS SCHEDULED TO BE INCOURT ON MONDAY OF LASTWEEK -- BUT WAS HOSPITALIZED.ACCORDING TO HER ATTORNEY TONYLIDGETT -- SHE WASSUFFERING FROM PNEUMONIA.CHANCE HAS BEEN FOUND GUILTY OFPRE-MEDITATED MURDER IN THEDEATH OF HER HUSBAND TODD BACKIN 20-13.SHE FACES A MAXIMUM SENTENCE OF50 YEARS TO LIFE INPRISON.SHE WILL GO BEFORE A JUDGE ONWEDNESDAY.NOW THAT YOU'VE TURNED YOURCLOCKS FORWARD ONE HOUR FORDAYLIGHT SAVING TIME... THEAMERICAN RED CROSS WANTS YOU TOTAKE AN ADDITIONAL STEP FORWARDAND TEST YOUR SMOKE ALARMS.THE RED CROSS SAYS NOW'S A GOODTIME TO TAKE THESE LIFE-SAVING STEPS TO PREPARE FOR HOMEFIRES.

ACCORDING TO THENON-PROFIT -- WORKING SMOKEALARMS CUT THERISK OF DYING IN A HOME FIRE BYHALF.THE FIRST STEP -- BE SURE THATTHERE IS A SMOKE ALARM INSTALLEDON EVERY LEVEL OF YOUR HOME.THE SECOND STEP IS TO TEST SMOKEALARMS AND REPLACEBATTERIES IF NEEDED AND THE LASTSTEP IS TO PRACTICE YOURFIRE ESCAPE PLAN IN TWO MINUTESOR LESS.FOR MORE INFORMATION HEAD TORED-CROSS-DOT-ORG.THE CONSTRUCTION OF A HIGH-SPEEDRAIL UNDERPASSWILL LEAVE A FULL CLOSURE FORPOSO AVENUE IN THE CITY OFWASCO THAT WILL LASTAPPROXIMATELY A YEAR AND A HALF.THE CLOSURE IS SCHEDULED TOSTART TODAY.THE CALIFORNIA HIGH-SPEED RAILAUTHORITY IN CONJUNCTIONWITH DESIGN-BUILD CONTRACTORCALIFORNIA RAILBUILDERS ANNOUNCED THE FULLCLOSURE WILL TAKE PLACEAT POSO AVENUE -- BETWEEN G ANDH STREETS IN WASCO.THIS WORK IS PART OFCONSTRUCTION PACKAGE FOUR --WHICH IS A 22-MILE STRETCH OFHIGH-SPEED RAIL BETWEEN ONEMILE NORTH OF THE TULARE-KERNCOUNTY LINE AND POPLAR AVENUE INKERN COUNTY.A DETOUR IS SCHEDULED TO BE INPLACE.A NEW PLANET FITNESS CENTER ISSCHEDULED TO OPEN THIS WEEKAND THE COMPANY IS INVITING THEPUBLIC OUT TOHELP THEM CELEBRATE ITS GRANDOPENING.THE CELEBRATION IS HAPPENINGWEDNESDAY FROM 5 TO 7 P-M.THEY'LL HAVE FREE FOOD, PRIZES,GIVEAWAYS AND ARIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY.THE GYM IS ALSO OFFERING SOMEDEALS TO MARK THE NEWLOCATION.THE NEW PLANET FITNESS WILL BELOCATED AT 731 AIRPORT DRIVE.OVER THE WEEKEND -- THEBAKERSFIELD COMMUNITYGATHERED FOR A GOOD CAUSE FORJ-J'S LEGACY FOR THE 10THANNIVERSARY GALA DINNER AND GOLFTOURNAMENT.

THE "LIGHT IN THEDARKNESS" EVENT CELEBRATES THEPEOPLE WHO AREREGISTERED ORGAN DONORS.ORGANIZERS SAY J-J'S LEGACY WASCREATED IN MEMORY OFJEFFREY JOHNS -- WHOSE PASSINGLED TO OTHER SAVE LIVES SAVEDFROM HIS DONATED ORGANS.

NOW --J-J'S LEGACY EDUCATES THECOMMUNITYABOUT BEING AN ORGAN DONOR --AND THIS EVENT HELPS RAISEMONEY TO HELP THE ORGANIZATION.FOR FAMILY OF DONORS ANDRECIPIENTS -- THIS EVENT MEANS ALOT TO THEM."THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT THATEVERYBODY HAS THE EDUCATIONABOUT IT, AND THE NEED ANDIMPORTANCE OF BEINGA REGISTERED DONOR.

WHEN YOU GOTO THE DMV, CHECK YES AT THEDMV."THE GOLF TOURNAMENT IS TODAY ATTHE SEVEN OAKS COUNTRY CLUB --WHERE I WILL BE IN ATTENDANCE TOEMCEE THEEVENT.THE CITY OF DELANO IS INVITINGTHE COMMUNITY OUTFOR A MEET AND GREET WITH THEDELANO POLICE CHIEF.THERE IS NO AGENDA OR TOPICS --JUST AN OPPORTUNITY TOVISIT THE DELANO POLICEDEPARTMENT -- WHERE YOU CANVOICE YOUR OPINIONS OR CONCERNS.IT'S TODAY FROM 5 P.M.

TO 7 P.M.AT 23-30 HIGH STREET IN DELANO.YOU HAVE THE CHANCE TO JOIN YOURLOCAL POLICEDEPARTMENT FOR AN INTERACTIVEDAY OF TRAINING WITH OFFICERS.IT'S THE BAKERSFIELD POLICEPRINCIPLEDPOLICING CLASS.B-P-D SAYS YOU CAN SHARE YOUREXPERIENCES TO HELP OUROFFICERS BETTER UNDERSTAND ANDPOLICE IN THE COMMUNITY ANDLEARN MORE ABOUT THE MEN ANDWOMEN SERVING IN YOURNEIGHBORHOODS.IT'S HAPPENING FROM 8 A.M.

TO 5P.M.

ON WEDNESDAY ANDTHE DEPARTMENT SAYS THEENCOURAGE COMMUNITYPARTICIPATION.GOOD NEWS FOR THE COUNTY --ADVOCATES FOR THE CASA OFKERN COUNTY WILL BE GRADUATINGLATER THIS WEEK.THERE ARE ROUGHLY 15- HUNDREDCHILDREN ANDYOUTH IN FOSTER CARE IN KERNCOUNTY.AND CASA'S GOAL IS TO GIVE EVERYONE OF THEM A VOICE IN THEJUVENILE COURT PROCESS.20 NEW COURT APPOINTED SPECIALADVOCATES WILLBE GRADUATING ON WEDNESDAY.THESE ADVOCATES ARE COMMUNITYVOLUNTEERS WHOSIGNED UP TO STAND UP AND SPEAKOUT TO HELP ABUSED ANDNEGLECTED CHILDREN.AND IF YOU WANT SOMETHING FORTHE WHOLE FAMILY TO BEAPART OF-- YOU CAN GET ON YOURBIKE AND GO FOR A RIDE UNDER THEFULL MOON.THE FULL MOON BIKE RIDE STARTSAT 7 THIS EVENING AT BEACH PARK.THE RIDE WILL FOLLOW THE KERNRIVER PARKWAY TRAILWEST FROM BEACH PARK AND TURNSOUTH AT C-S-U-B...CONTINUE ON THE BIKE PATHTHROUGH THE CAMPUS AND ENDAT THE MARKETPLACE.EVENT GOERS ARE STRONGLYRECOMMENDED TO WEAR AHELMET AND A FRONT FACING HEADLAMP.WE'RE CLOSELY WA