Downtown Bakersfield business owners meet with agencies over ongoing issues

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — Guest speakers from Bakersfield’s police, fire, and solid waste departments shared new and important information to downtown business owners. Homelessness, arson, and a new law requiring compost recycling were some of the main topics at today’s meeting. The meeting Wednesday morning had both local leaders and business owners talking about the issues in downtown Bakersfield. Homelessness in downtown ranks high on that list. “We offered services 292 times to people who were experiencing homelessness and of that 238 declined,” Lt. Matt Gregory with the Bakersfield Police Department said. “So we’re seeing an increasing number of folks…