Kettleman City, California
Encyclopedia
Kettleman City is a census-designated place
(CDP) in Kings County
, California
, United States
. Kettleman City is located 28 miles (45 km) southwest of Hanford
, at an elevation of 253 feet (77 m). It is part of the Hanford
–Corcoran
Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,439 at the 2010 census, down from 1,499 at the 2000 census. It is near the halfway point between Los Angeles
and San Francisco
or Sacramento
on Interstate 5 at Exit 309 and so is a major stopping point for food and lodging.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the CDP has a total area of 0.2 mi2, all of it land.
The community is located on the west side of the San Joaquin Valley
at the base of the Kettleman Hills
near the historic shoreline of what used to be Tulare Lake
.
Kettleman City is divided into two areas. The commercial zone of gas, food and lodging businesses is at Kettleman Junction where Interstate 5 and State Route 41
meet. The residential area together with some retail businesses and county government buildings is located about 2 km (1.2 mi) north on State Route 41. The California Aqueduct
crosses State Route 41 between these two areas.
Kettleman City is located on Interstate 5
, a major north-south artery in the Central Valley of California. The community is about halfway between Los Angeles
and Sacramento
.
. The rainy season occurs from November through April. The average annual rainfall over the 30-year period from 1971 through 2000 was 7.31 inches (185.7 mm). Historical climate data for Kettleman City are available at http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/hnx/coop/kettlemn.htm
Oil was discovered in the Kettleman Hills in 1928, at the Kettleman North Dome Oil Field
, which became one of the most productive oil fields in the United States in the early 1930s. Reportedly, thousands of spectators came to see the gusher that spouted almost pure gasoline for weeks.
A. Manford Brown, a real estate developer, founded the town of Kettleman City in 1929. He donated land for a school and for the community church. The main street (State Route 41) was called Brown Street after him. A branch library was established in 1930. By 1940, Kettleman City had a population of about 600.
The first post office opened in 1929.
The early 1970's saw two substantial projects that had significant impacts on the community: the completion of the California Aqueduct and the opening of Interstate 5. The facility operated by Waste Management, Inc. opened in the late 1970's.
Amtrak
has a bus stop in Kettleman City.
was 6,819.9 people per square mile (2,633.2/km²). The racial makeup of Kettleman City was 478 (33.2%) White, 4 (0.3%) African American, 8 (0.6%) Native American, 1 (0.1%) Asian, 0 (0.0%) Pacific Islander, 887 (61.6%) from other races
, and 61 (4.2%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1,383 persons (96.1%).
The Census reported that 1,439 people (100% of the population) lived in households, 0 (0%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized.
There were 350 households, out of which 232 (66.3%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 177 (50.6%) were opposite-sex married couples
living together, 82 (23.4%) had a female householder with no husband present, 41 (11.7%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 42 (12.0%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships
, and 3 (0.9%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 30 households (8.6%) were made up of individuals and 11 (3.1%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 4.11. There were 300 families
(85.7% of all households); the average family size was 4.34.
The population was spread out with 553 people (38.4%) under the age of 18, 157 people (10.9%) aged 18 to 24, 415 people (28.8%) aged 25 to 44, 235 people (16.3%) aged 45 to 64, and 79 people (5.5%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 25.5 years. For every 100 females there were 105.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 106.0 males.
There were 367 housing units at an average density of 1,739.3 per square mile (671.6/km²), of which 135 (38.6%) were owner-occupied, and 215 (61.4%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.7%; the rental vacancy rate was 1.4%. 564 people (39.2% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 875 people (60.8%) lived in rental housing units.
of 2000, there were 1,499 people, 320 households, and 289 families residing in the CDP. The population density
was 8,691.4 people per square mile (3,404.5/km²). There were 329 housing units at an average density of 1,907.6 per square mile (747.2/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 26.62% White
, 0.40% Black
or African American
, 1.87% Native American
, 66.18% from other races
, and 4.94% from two or more races. It is noteworthy that 92.73% of the population were Hispanic or Latino
of any race.
Kettleman City is predominantly a Spanish-speaking community. At the time of the 2000 census, 93.5% of residents spoke Spanish at home, and 41.0% of this group spoke English "well" or "very well." 6.5% of residents spoke only English at home, and 55.1% spoke English "not well" or "not at all."
There were 320 households out of which 63.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.2% were married couples
living together, 15.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 9.4% were non-families. 1.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 0.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 4.68 and the average family size was 4.59.
In the CDP the population was spread out with 36.3% under the age of 18, 15.6% from 18 to 24, 29.0% from 25 to 44, 14.8% from 45 to 64, and 4.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 24 years. For every 100 females there were 123.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 125.2 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $22,409, and the median income for a family was $21,955. Males had a median income of $16,619 versus $10,179 for females. The per capita income
for Kettleman City was only $7,389 - about a third of California's average of $22,711. Significantly, about 38.6% of families and 43.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 52.7% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.
Kettleman City is located in the 16th Senate
District, represented by Democrat
Michael Rubio, and in the 30th Assembly
District, represented by Republican David Valadao
. Federally, Kettleman City is located in California's 20th congressional district
, which has a Cook PVI
of D +5 and is represented by Democrat Jim Costa
.
Kettleman City is represented on the Kings County Board of Supervisors by Richard Valle of Corcoran.
Many local residents are employed in agriculture, which experienced significant growth on the westside of the San Joaquin Valley
after the completion of the California Aqueduct
in the early 1970s. However, the community has been impacted by the late 2000s recession
as well as drought and restrictions on pumping from the Sacramento River
delta to protect endangered species. The unemployment rate was 25.9% in October 2011.
The water contains naturally-occurring arsenic
in excess of the maximum contaminant level adopted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The federal standard is 10 micrograms of arsenic per liter of water. In a public notice issued to residents on January 29, 2010, the District reported that the average arsenic concentration from these wells during the 4th Quarter of 2009 ranged from 12.7 to 16.1 micrograms per liter. For several years, the Kings County government has been working with the District to secure funding to construct a water treatment plant that would be supplied by the California Aqueduct.
and municipal solid waste disposal facility operated by Waste Management, Inc.. It is located at 35.9624°N 120.0102°W, 3.5 mi (5.6 km) southwest of Kettleman City on State Route 41
. The company is an important employer, and donates significant funds to the local community, including Kettleman City Elementary School. The facility manager, Bob Henry, pointed out in a 2007 newspaper interview that it is periodically inspected by as many as nine federal, state and local agencies. Nevertheless, the facility is frequently criticized by a local organization called People for Clean Air and Water (El Pueblo para El Aire y Agua Limpio), and by environmental groups such as Greenaction, for its alleged health threats. In 2007, Maricela Mares-Alatorre, a leader of People for Clean Air and Water, was quoted as saying: "Are we supposed to be happy that they're getting more trash? Donations don't buy you health."
In 2009, Greenaction alleged that there was a cluster
of birth defects
in Kettleman City, after five infants were born with cleft lip and/or palate between September 2007 and November 2008. The Kings County Department of Public Health responded that it would continue to investigate but that their preliminary determination was "that to the extent that a cluster may exist, it is most likely a random event unrelated to any environmental exposure unique to Kettleman City." On December 15, 2009, the Kings County Board of Supervisors directed the county health officer to formally request the California Department of Public Health
to conduct an investigation into birth defects in the community.
On December 22, 2009, the Board of Supervisors voted to approve a permit for expansion of the hazardous waste facility. On January 20, 2010, Greenaction and People for Clean Air and Water announced that they would file suit to have the permit nullified on the grounds that the county's environmental review
of the project was flawed.
On January 29, 2010, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
directed the state's Department of Public Health (CDPH) and California’s Environmental Protection Agency
(CalEPA) to send experts to Kettleman City to expand their investigation into what could be causing the abnormal percentage of birth defects.
On February 9, 2010, state health officials reported their preliminary findings that there was nothing unusual about the rate of birth defects in Kettleman City between 1987 and 2008. However, state health and environmental officials added that they would immediately initiate an intensive investigation. Also on that date, U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer
issued a statement, saying the Kettleman Hills Hazardous Waste Facility should not be expanded until there is more conclusive results on the potential health impacts on the local community. On November 22, 2010, the state agencies released a report of their investigation for public comment. The report stated that the investigation did not find a specific cause or environmental exposure that would explain the increase in the number of children born with birth defects in Kettleman City.
Census-designated place
A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
(CDP) in Kings County
Kings County, California
Kings County is a county located in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California. It is located in a rich agricultural region. Kings County is also home to NAS Lemoore, which is the U.S. Navy's newest and largest master jet air station. The county seat is Hanford...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Kettleman City is located 28 miles (45 km) southwest of Hanford
Hanford, California
Hanford is an important commercial and cultural center in the south central San Joaquin Valley and is the county seat of Kings County, California. It is the principal city of the Hanford-Corcoran, California Metropolitan Statistical Area , which encompasses all of Kings County, including the cities...
, at an elevation of 253 feet (77 m). It is part of the Hanford
Hanford, California
Hanford is an important commercial and cultural center in the south central San Joaquin Valley and is the county seat of Kings County, California. It is the principal city of the Hanford-Corcoran, California Metropolitan Statistical Area , which encompasses all of Kings County, including the cities...
–Corcoran
Corcoran, California
Corcoran is a city in Kings County, California, United States. Corcoran is located south-southeast of Hanford, at an elevation of 207 feet . It is part of the Hanford–Corcoran, Metropolitan Statistical Area...
Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,439 at the 2010 census, down from 1,499 at the 2000 census. It is near the halfway point between Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
and San Francisco
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
or Sacramento
Sacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
on Interstate 5 at Exit 309 and so is a major stopping point for food and lodging.
Geography
Kettleman City is located at 36°00′30"N 119°57′42"W.According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the CDP has a total area of 0.2 mi2, all of it land.
The community is located on the west side of the San Joaquin Valley
San Joaquin Valley
The San Joaquin Valley is the area of the Central Valley of California that lies south of the Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta in Stockton...
at the base of the Kettleman Hills
Kettleman Hills
The Kettleman Hills is a low mountain range of the interior California Coast Ranges, in western Kings County, California. It is a northwest-southeast trending line of hills about 30 miles long which parallels the San Andreas Fault to the west....
near the historic shoreline of what used to be Tulare Lake
Tulare Lake
Tulare Lake, named Laguna de Tache by the Spanish, is a fresh-water dry lake with residual wetlands and marshes in southern San Joaquin Valley, California...
.
Kettleman City is divided into two areas. The commercial zone of gas, food and lodging businesses is at Kettleman Junction where Interstate 5 and State Route 41
California State Route 41
State Route 41 is a state highway in the U.S. state of California, connecting the Cabrillo Highway in Morro Bay with Fresno and Yosemite National Park via the San Joaquin Valley. Except between US 101 in Atascadero and SR 46 near Shandon, SR 41 is part of the California Freeway and Expressway...
meet. The residential area together with some retail businesses and county government buildings is located about 2 km (1.2 mi) north on State Route 41. The California Aqueduct
California Aqueduct
The Governor Edmund G. Brown California Aqueduct is a system of canals, tunnels, and pipelines that conveys water collected from the Sierra Nevada Mountains and valleys of Northern- and Central California to Southern California. The Department of Water Resources operates and maintains the...
crosses State Route 41 between these two areas.
Kettleman City is located on Interstate 5
Interstate 5
Interstate 5 is the main Interstate Highway on the West Coast of the United States, running largely parallel to the Pacific Ocean coastline from Canada to Mexico . It serves some of the largest cities on the U.S...
, a major north-south artery in the Central Valley of California. The community is about halfway between Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
and Sacramento
Sacramento
Sacramento is the capital of the state of California, in the United States of America.Sacramento may also refer to:- United States :*Sacramento County, California*Sacramento, Kentucky*Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta...
.
Climate
Kettleman City has a climate typical of that of the San Joaquin Valley with hot, dry summers and cool winters characterized by dense Tule fogTule fog
Tule fog is a thick ground fog that settles in the San Joaquin Valley and Sacramento Valley areas of California's Great Central Valley. Tule fog forms during the late fall and winter after the first significant rainfall. The official time frame for tule fog to form is from November 1 to March 31...
. The rainy season occurs from November through April. The average annual rainfall over the 30-year period from 1971 through 2000 was 7.31 inches (185.7 mm). Historical climate data for Kettleman City are available at http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/hnx/coop/kettlemn.htm
Cityscape
Kettleman City has a lot of fast food restaurants at its freeway exit. Many teenagers in Kettleman City work at the restaurants. The community has no grocery stores other than convenience markets. Kettleman City has no street lights and almost no sidewalks.History
The Kettleman Hills were named after Dave Kettelman, a pioneer sheep and cattleman who grazed his animals there in the 1860's. Kettleman Hills long ago in the early 1900s was a crossing for people who would travel from Lemoore to Kettleman City by ferry. As the Tulare Lake receded in the late 1920s, this stretch between the two cities later became State Route 41.Oil was discovered in the Kettleman Hills in 1928, at the Kettleman North Dome Oil Field
Kettleman North Dome Oil Field
The Kettleman North Dome Oil Field is a large oil and gas field in Kings and Fresno Counties, California. Discovered in 1928, it is fifteenth largest field in the state by total ultimate oil recovery, and of the top twenty oil fields it is the closest to exhaustion, with less than one-half of one...
, which became one of the most productive oil fields in the United States in the early 1930s. Reportedly, thousands of spectators came to see the gusher that spouted almost pure gasoline for weeks.
A. Manford Brown, a real estate developer, founded the town of Kettleman City in 1929. He donated land for a school and for the community church. The main street (State Route 41) was called Brown Street after him. A branch library was established in 1930. By 1940, Kettleman City had a population of about 600.
The first post office opened in 1929.
The early 1970's saw two substantial projects that had significant impacts on the community: the completion of the California Aqueduct and the opening of Interstate 5. The facility operated by Waste Management, Inc. opened in the late 1970's.
Major highways
.svg.png)
Interstate 5
State Route 41California State Route 41State Route 41 is a state highway in the U.S. state of California, connecting the Cabrillo Highway in Morro Bay with Fresno and Yosemite National Park via the San Joaquin Valley. Except between US 101 in Atascadero and SR 46 near Shandon, SR 41 is part of the California Freeway and Expressway...
Public transportation
Kings Area Rural Transit (KART) operates regularly scheduled fixed route bus service, vanpool service for commuters and Dial-A-Ride (demand response) services throughout Kings County as well as to Fresno.Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
has a bus stop in Kettleman City.
2010
The 2010 United States Census reported that Kettleman City had a population of 1,439. The population densityPopulation density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 6,819.9 people per square mile (2,633.2/km²). The racial makeup of Kettleman City was 478 (33.2%) White, 4 (0.3%) African American, 8 (0.6%) Native American, 1 (0.1%) Asian, 0 (0.0%) Pacific Islander, 887 (61.6%) from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 61 (4.2%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1,383 persons (96.1%).
The Census reported that 1,439 people (100% of the population) lived in households, 0 (0%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized.
There were 350 households, out of which 232 (66.3%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 177 (50.6%) were opposite-sex married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 82 (23.4%) had a female householder with no husband present, 41 (11.7%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 42 (12.0%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships
POSSLQ
POSSLQ is an abbreviation for "Persons of Opposite Sex Sharing Living Quarters," a term coined in the late 1970s by the United States Census Bureau as part of an effort to more accurately gauge the prevalence of cohabitation in American households....
, and 3 (0.9%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 30 households (8.6%) were made up of individuals and 11 (3.1%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 4.11. There were 300 families
Family (U.S. Census)
A family or family household is defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes as "a householder and one or more other people related to the householder by birth, marriage, or adoption. They do not include same-sex married couples even if the marriage was performed in a state...
(85.7% of all households); the average family size was 4.34.
The population was spread out with 553 people (38.4%) under the age of 18, 157 people (10.9%) aged 18 to 24, 415 people (28.8%) aged 25 to 44, 235 people (16.3%) aged 45 to 64, and 79 people (5.5%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 25.5 years. For every 100 females there were 105.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 106.0 males.
There were 367 housing units at an average density of 1,739.3 per square mile (671.6/km²), of which 135 (38.6%) were owner-occupied, and 215 (61.4%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.7%; the rental vacancy rate was 1.4%. 564 people (39.2% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 875 people (60.8%) lived in rental housing units.
2000
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 1,499 people, 320 households, and 289 families residing in the CDP. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 8,691.4 people per square mile (3,404.5/km²). There were 329 housing units at an average density of 1,907.6 per square mile (747.2/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 26.62% White
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.40% Black
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or African American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 1.87% Native American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 66.18% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 4.94% from two or more races. It is noteworthy that 92.73% of the population were Hispanic or Latino
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
of any race.
Kettleman City is predominantly a Spanish-speaking community. At the time of the 2000 census, 93.5% of residents spoke Spanish at home, and 41.0% of this group spoke English "well" or "very well." 6.5% of residents spoke only English at home, and 55.1% spoke English "not well" or "not at all."
There were 320 households out of which 63.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.2% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 15.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 9.4% were non-families. 1.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 0.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 4.68 and the average family size was 4.59.
In the CDP the population was spread out with 36.3% under the age of 18, 15.6% from 18 to 24, 29.0% from 25 to 44, 14.8% from 45 to 64, and 4.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 24 years. For every 100 females there were 123.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 125.2 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $22,409, and the median income for a family was $21,955. Males had a median income of $16,619 versus $10,179 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for Kettleman City was only $7,389 - about a third of California's average of $22,711. Significantly, about 38.6% of families and 43.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 52.7% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.
Politics
In the state legislatureCalifornia State Legislature
The California State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of California. It is a bicameral body consisting of the lower house, the California State Assembly, with 80 members, and the upper house, the California State Senate, with 40 members...
Kettleman City is located in the 16th Senate
California State Senate
The California State Senate is the upper house of the California State Legislature. There are 40 state senators. The state legislature meets in the California State Capitol in Sacramento. The Lieutenant Governor is the ex officio President of the Senate and may break a tied vote...
District, represented by Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
Michael Rubio, and in the 30th Assembly
California State Assembly
The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature. There are 80 members in the Assembly, representing an approximately equal number of constituents, with each district having a population of at least 420,000...
District, represented by Republican David Valadao
Danny Gilmore (politician)
Danny Gilmore was a Republican Assemblymember from California's 30th State Assembly district. In the November 2008 election, Gilmore won an upset victory over Shafter Mayor Fran Florez, the mother of State Senator and former 30th District Assemblyman Dean Florez.-Education:Gilmore is a graduate of...
. Federally, Kettleman City is located in California's 20th congressional district
California's 20th congressional district
California's 20th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California that covers parts of Fresno and Kern counties and all of Kings county. It contains most of the city of Fresno....
, which has a Cook PVI
Cook Partisan Voting Index
The Cook Partisan Voting Index , sometimes referred to as simply the Partisan Voting Index , is a measurement of how strongly an American congressional district or state leans toward one political party compared to the nation as a whole...
of D +5 and is represented by Democrat Jim Costa
Jim Costa
James Manuel "Jim" Costa is the U.S. Representative for , serving since his initial election in 2004. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district takes in large and predominantly Latino portions of Fresno and Bakersfield in the Central Valley.-Early life and education:Born in Fresno,...
.
Kettleman City is represented on the Kings County Board of Supervisors by Richard Valle of Corcoran.
Economy
There is considerable service commercial development at the Interstate 5/State Route 41 junction to meet the needs of highway travelers.Many local residents are employed in agriculture, which experienced significant growth on the westside of the San Joaquin Valley
San Joaquin Valley
The San Joaquin Valley is the area of the Central Valley of California that lies south of the Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta in Stockton...
after the completion of the California Aqueduct
California Aqueduct
The Governor Edmund G. Brown California Aqueduct is a system of canals, tunnels, and pipelines that conveys water collected from the Sierra Nevada Mountains and valleys of Northern- and Central California to Southern California. The Department of Water Resources operates and maintains the...
in the early 1970s. However, the community has been impacted by the late 2000s recession
Late 2000s recession
The late-2000s recession, sometimes referred to as the Great Recession or Lesser Depression or Long Recession, is a severe ongoing global economic problem that began in December 2007 and took a particularly sharp downward turn in September 2008. The Great Recession has affected the entire world...
as well as drought and restrictions on pumping from the Sacramento River
Sacramento River
The Sacramento River is an important watercourse of Northern and Central California in the United States. The largest river in California, it rises on the eastern slopes of the Klamath Mountains, and after a journey south of over , empties into Suisun Bay, an arm of the San Francisco Bay, and...
delta to protect endangered species. The unemployment rate was 25.9% in October 2011.
Water
The community's water system is supplied by two wells operated by the Kettleman City Community Services District. The water is treated to remove benzene.The water contains naturally-occurring arsenic
Arsenic
Arsenic is a chemical element with the symbol As, atomic number 33 and relative atomic mass 74.92. Arsenic occurs in many minerals, usually in conjunction with sulfur and metals, and also as a pure elemental crystal. It was first documented by Albertus Magnus in 1250.Arsenic is a metalloid...
in excess of the maximum contaminant level adopted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The federal standard is 10 micrograms of arsenic per liter of water. In a public notice issued to residents on January 29, 2010, the District reported that the average arsenic concentration from these wells during the 4th Quarter of 2009 ranged from 12.7 to 16.1 micrograms per liter. For several years, the Kings County government has been working with the District to secure funding to construct a water treatment plant that would be supplied by the California Aqueduct.
Chemical Waste Management, Inc. controversy
The Kettleman Hills Hazardous Waste Facility is a large (1,600 acre; 4,000 hectare) hazardousHazardous waste
A hazardous waste is waste that poses substantial or potential threats to public health or the environment. According to the U.S. environmental laws hazardous wastes fall into two major categories: characteristic wastes and listed wastes.Characteristic hazardous wastes are materials that are known...
and municipal solid waste disposal facility operated by Waste Management, Inc.. It is located at 35.9624°N 120.0102°W, 3.5 mi (5.6 km) southwest of Kettleman City on State Route 41
California State Route 41
State Route 41 is a state highway in the U.S. state of California, connecting the Cabrillo Highway in Morro Bay with Fresno and Yosemite National Park via the San Joaquin Valley. Except between US 101 in Atascadero and SR 46 near Shandon, SR 41 is part of the California Freeway and Expressway...
. The company is an important employer, and donates significant funds to the local community, including Kettleman City Elementary School. The facility manager, Bob Henry, pointed out in a 2007 newspaper interview that it is periodically inspected by as many as nine federal, state and local agencies. Nevertheless, the facility is frequently criticized by a local organization called People for Clean Air and Water (El Pueblo para El Aire y Agua Limpio), and by environmental groups such as Greenaction, for its alleged health threats. In 2007, Maricela Mares-Alatorre, a leader of People for Clean Air and Water, was quoted as saying: "Are we supposed to be happy that they're getting more trash? Donations don't buy you health."
In 2009, Greenaction alleged that there was a cluster
Cluster (epidemiology)
A cluster refers to a grouping of health-related events that are related temporally and in proximity. Typically, when clusters are recognized, they are reported to public health departments in the local area. The 1854 cholera outbreak which occurred in London is a classical example of a cluster...
of birth defects
Congenital disorder
A congenital disorder, or congenital disease, is a condition existing at birth and often before birth, or that develops during the first month of life , regardless of causation...
in Kettleman City, after five infants were born with cleft lip and/or palate between September 2007 and November 2008. The Kings County Department of Public Health responded that it would continue to investigate but that their preliminary determination was "that to the extent that a cluster may exist, it is most likely a random event unrelated to any environmental exposure unique to Kettleman City." On December 15, 2009, the Kings County Board of Supervisors directed the county health officer to formally request the California Department of Public Health
California Department of Public Health
The California Department of Public Health is the state department responsible for public health in California. It is a subdivision of the California Health and Human Services Agency...
to conduct an investigation into birth defects in the community.
On December 22, 2009, the Board of Supervisors voted to approve a permit for expansion of the hazardous waste facility. On January 20, 2010, Greenaction and People for Clean Air and Water announced that they would file suit to have the permit nullified on the grounds that the county's environmental review
Environmental impact assessment
An environmental impact assessment is an assessment of the possible positive or negative impact that a proposed project may have on the environment, together consisting of the natural, social and economic aspects....
of the project was flawed.
On January 29, 2010, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger is an Austrian-American former professional bodybuilder, actor, businessman, investor, and politician. Schwarzenegger served as the 38th Governor of California from 2003 until 2011....
directed the state's Department of Public Health (CDPH) and California’s Environmental Protection Agency
California Environmental Protection Agency
The California Environmental Protection Agency is a state cabinet-level agency within the government of California. Cal/EPA is composed of six departments, boards and offices responsible for environmental research, regulating and administering the state's environmental protection programs, and...
(CalEPA) to send experts to Kettleman City to expand their investigation into what could be causing the abnormal percentage of birth defects.
On February 9, 2010, state health officials reported their preliminary findings that there was nothing unusual about the rate of birth defects in Kettleman City between 1987 and 2008. However, state health and environmental officials added that they would immediately initiate an intensive investigation. Also on that date, U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer
Barbara Boxer
Barbara Levy Boxer is the junior United States Senator from California . A member of the Democratic Party, she previously served in the U.S. House of Representatives ....
issued a statement, saying the Kettleman Hills Hazardous Waste Facility should not be expanded until there is more conclusive results on the potential health impacts on the local community. On November 22, 2010, the state agencies released a report of their investigation for public comment. The report stated that the investigation did not find a specific cause or environmental exposure that would explain the increase in the number of children born with birth defects in Kettleman City.
External links
- Kettleman City Elementary School
- Kettleman City Library
- Kettleman City Health Center
- Kettleman City Annual Car Show
- Greenaction
- Waste Management Kettleman Hills Facility
- California Department of Public Health Preliminary Report on Birth Defects in Kettleman City
- Draft Report on State Investigation of Birth Defects and Environmental Exposures in Kettleman City
- Videos made by Kettleman City youth about life in the community