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After Horrific Losses, Bakersfield Moms May Push For Public Safety Tax

Courtesy of Cheryl Holsonbake
Cheryl Holsonbake is one of three mothers pushing for improvements in public safety in Kern County

Now we move to Bakersfield, where police believe the unsolved cases of three young people who are either missing or dead are connected.

In the spring of 2018 James Kulstad was killed in a drive-by shooting within weeks of the disappearance of Baylee Despot and Micha Holsonbake. While the search for Baylee continues, Micha is now presumed dead after his arm was discovered in the Kern River.  In the months following, the mothers of the victims joined forces to find justice for their adult children, now known as the Bakersfield 3. The mothers hope to improve and fund public safety in Kern County, potentially by pushing for a sales tax on the ballot. If the women decide to move forward with the tax initiative they will need to collect 13,000 signatures to qualify for the March 2020 ballot. Kathleen Schock spoke with Cheryl Holsonbake, mother of Micha.