[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":353},["ShallowReactive",2],{"header":3,"footer":26,"footer-cities":54,"content-\u002Fnews\u002Fbakersfield-ward-3-candidate-seth-hewett-pitches-ai-budget-portal":235},{"id":4,"title":5,"body":6,"description":10,"extension":13,"links":14,"meta":20,"navigation":21,"path":22,"seo":23,"stem":24,"__hash__":25},"header\u002Fheader.md","Central Valley AI",{"type":7,"value":8,"toc":9},"minimark",[],{"title":10,"searchDepth":11,"depth":11,"links":12},"",2,[],"md",[15],{"label":16,"to":17,"icon":19},"News",{"path":18},"\u002Fnews\u002F","mdi-newspaper-variant-outline",{},true,"\u002Fheader",{"title":5,"description":10},"header","ceT4J-WxxOBdbhRC-UD3fo0Npu7vWt2o2B9b_LURPmE",{"id":27,"title":28,"body":29,"copyright":33,"description":10,"developedBy":34,"extension":13,"links":41,"meta":49,"navigation":21,"path":50,"seo":51,"stem":52,"__hash__":53},"footer\u002Ffooter.md","Footer",{"type":7,"value":30,"toc":31},[],{"title":10,"searchDepth":11,"depth":11,"links":32},[],"© {year} All rights reserved.",{"label":35,"link":36},"Developed by",{"label":37,"to":38,"target":39,"logo":40},"Kaweah Tech","https:\u002F\u002Fkaweah.tech","_blank","https:\u002F\u002Fassets.kaweah.tech\u002Flogo-black-on-transparent-tight.svg",[42,43,46],{"label":16,"to":18},{"label":44,"to":45},"About","\u002Fabout\u002F",{"label":47,"to":48},"Privacy Policy","\u002Fprivacy-policy\u002F",{},"\u002Ffooter",{"description":10},"footer","Ras2AGS8Wuda4aBPrbAbOivaxIsAoDbo9SNCA0w554g",[55,85,123,154,181,208],{"id":56,"title":57,"body":58,"county":77,"description":10,"extension":13,"intro":78,"meta":79,"navigation":21,"path":80,"seo":81,"stem":82,"tag":83,"__hash__":84},"cities\u002Fcities\u002Fbakersfield.md","Bakersfield",{"type":7,"value":59,"toc":74},[60,65],[61,62,64],"h2",{"id":63},"ai-in-bakersfield","AI in Bakersfield",[66,67,68,69,73],"p",{},"Bakersfield's AI conversation sits at the intersection of municipal government, the ",[70,71,72],"strong",{},"California State University Bakersfield"," community, and the energy and ag operators that drive Kern County's economy. The city was an early mover on AI-assisted permitting and has been a recurring backdrop for parent- and teacher-led debates about classroom AI use. Articles below follow specific Bakersfield initiatives, public-meeting decisions, and Kern County workforce stories — and how they reflect national AI trends from a regional vantage point.",{"title":10,"searchDepth":11,"depth":11,"links":75},[76],{"id":63,"depth":11,"text":64},"Kern County","Bakersfield and the surrounding Kern County are home to some of the most concrete AI-in-government experiments in the Central Valley, from instant municipal permitting to school-district debates about classroom AI. Coverage on this page tracks how AI is reshaping public services, education, and the energy and agriculture economies that dominate the region.",{},"\u002Fcities\u002Fbakersfield",{"title":57,"description":10},"cities\u002Fbakersfield","bakersfield","ozFL4HvDA_g7UrRE1mHbKqcS-vDLwbiH9JWVh3rB2Ac",{"id":86,"title":87,"body":88,"county":115,"description":10,"extension":13,"intro":116,"meta":117,"navigation":21,"path":118,"seo":119,"stem":120,"tag":121,"__hash__":122},"cities\u002Fcities\u002Ffresno.md","Fresno",{"type":7,"value":89,"toc":112},[90,94,109],[61,91,93],{"id":92},"ai-in-fresno","AI in Fresno",[66,95,96,97,100,101,104,105,108],{},"Fresno's AI story spans several distinct ecosystems. ",[70,98,99],{},"Fresno State"," and the ",[70,102,103],{},"California State University"," system anchor a workforce-readiness push, while local ",[70,106,107],{},"Fresno Unified School District"," debates around responsible use have made the city a recurring reference point in California's K-12 AI conversation. The city's economic base in agriculture, healthcare, and public services means most AI adoption stories here are about applied uses rather than model development — a different posture than coastal tech hubs but arguably more consequential for the people living here.",[66,110,111],{},"Use the articles below to follow how AI is showing up in Fresno-area institutions and businesses.",{"title":10,"searchDepth":11,"depth":11,"links":113},[114],{"id":92,"depth":11,"text":93},"Fresno County","Fresno is the largest city in California's Central Valley and the regional center for AI adoption across agriculture, healthcare, higher education, and small business. Coverage on this page tracks how AI is being applied — and contested — in and around the city of Fresno and Fresno County.",{},"\u002Fcities\u002Ffresno",{"title":87,"description":10},"cities\u002Ffresno","fresno","gOL2xk8y9t9OV6PPxP02OjYhZFHC_Cg-VGijh_V93dI",{"id":124,"title":125,"body":126,"county":146,"description":10,"extension":13,"intro":147,"meta":148,"navigation":21,"path":149,"seo":150,"stem":151,"tag":152,"__hash__":153},"cities\u002Fcities\u002Fmerced.md","Merced",{"type":7,"value":127,"toc":143},[128,132],[61,129,131],{"id":130},"ai-in-merced","AI in Merced",[66,133,134,135,138,139,142],{},"Merced is a research-heavy node in the Central Valley AI ecosystem. ",[70,136,137],{},"UC Merced"," faculty appear in national conversations about AI safety, autonomous vehicles, climate modeling, and pediatric health applications, while the ",[70,140,141],{},"Merced Unified School District"," and surrounding county institutions navigate the same K-12 and workforce questions the rest of the Valley faces. The articles below cover both the campus research story and the broader applied uses around the city and county.",{"title":10,"searchDepth":11,"depth":11,"links":144},[145],{"id":130,"depth":11,"text":131},"Merced County","Merced punches above its weight in AI research, anchored by UC Merced — a leading West Coast hub for AI in agriculture, climate, autonomous systems, and health. Coverage on this page tracks both academic research coming out of the campus and how AI is showing up across Merced's schools, businesses, and county institutions.",{},"\u002Fcities\u002Fmerced",{"title":125,"description":10},"cities\u002Fmerced","merced","pSWWlEzMdcv2_RZrUKdkEHU3bixNboePGdHbSdd1m34",{"id":155,"title":156,"body":157,"county":173,"description":10,"extension":13,"intro":174,"meta":175,"navigation":21,"path":176,"seo":177,"stem":178,"tag":179,"__hash__":180},"cities\u002Fcities\u002Fmodesto.md","Modesto",{"type":7,"value":158,"toc":170},[159,163],[61,160,162],{"id":161},"ai-in-modesto","AI in Modesto",[66,164,165,166,169],{},"Modesto's AI conversation tends to combine ag-tech adoption stories with workforce-readiness questions for the city's small and mid-sized employers. ",[70,167,168],{},"CSU Stanislaus"," and the regional community college network shape the higher-ed angle. Coverage below follows Modesto-area AI announcements and the wider Stanislaus County context.",{"title":10,"searchDepth":11,"depth":11,"links":171},[172],{"id":161,"depth":11,"text":162},"Stanislaus County","Modesto and Stanislaus County sit between the Bay Area and the southern Valley, and their AI story reflects that bridging role — from agriculture and food processing to the **California State University Stanislaus** community to small businesses adapting to AI-driven changes in marketing, hiring, and operations.",{},"\u002Fcities\u002Fmodesto",{"title":156,"description":10},"cities\u002Fmodesto","modesto","l75Dc40MX8wTb4lD088Yx9we4ypuDwmcvE-uEdqqREc",{"id":182,"title":183,"body":184,"county":200,"description":10,"extension":13,"intro":201,"meta":202,"navigation":21,"path":203,"seo":204,"stem":205,"tag":206,"__hash__":207},"cities\u002Fcities\u002Fstockton.md","Stockton",{"type":7,"value":185,"toc":197},[186,190],[61,187,189],{"id":188},"ai-in-stockton","AI in Stockton",[66,191,192,193,196],{},"Stockton's economic base in logistics, healthcare, and higher education gives the city a different AI profile than the southern Valley. ",[70,194,195],{},"University of the Pacific"," anchors the academic conversation, while San Joaquin County government, hospitals, and warehouse operators are navigating practical adoption questions: cost, training, security, workforce impact. The articles below track Stockton-area AI announcements and the broader San Joaquin County context.",{"title":10,"searchDepth":11,"depth":11,"links":198},[199],{"id":188,"depth":11,"text":189},"San Joaquin County","Stockton and San Joaquin County sit at the northern edge of the Central Valley, where logistics, healthcare, and the University of the Pacific shape the local AI adoption story. Coverage on this page follows how AI is being put to work — and questioned — across San Joaquin County's institutions, employers, and public services.",{},"\u002Fcities\u002Fstockton",{"title":183,"description":10},"cities\u002Fstockton","stockton","TYEBK9akp2HbpAFmYY67FeKt7Rs7L8tvtYeQBtgJAHw",{"id":209,"title":210,"body":211,"county":227,"description":10,"extension":13,"intro":228,"meta":229,"navigation":21,"path":230,"seo":231,"stem":232,"tag":233,"__hash__":234},"cities\u002Fcities\u002Fvisalia.md","Visalia",{"type":7,"value":212,"toc":224},[213,217],[61,214,216],{"id":215},"ai-in-visalia","AI in Visalia",[66,218,219,220,223],{},"Visalia's AI footprint is grounded in the practical adoption stories that come with a Tulare County economy built around agriculture, food processing, and rural healthcare. ",[70,221,222],{},"College of the Sequoias"," and the surrounding K-12 districts anchor the education conversation. The articles below cover Visalia-area AI developments and the Tulare County context, with a focus on applied uses rather than research or model development.",{"title":10,"searchDepth":11,"depth":11,"links":225},[226],{"id":215,"depth":11,"text":216},"Tulare County","Visalia is the largest city in Tulare County and a center for agriculture, healthcare, and county-government services in the southern Central Valley. Coverage on this page tracks how AI is being adopted across Tulare County's schools, hospitals, ag operations, and small business community.",{},"\u002Fcities\u002Fvisalia",{"title":210,"description":10},"cities\u002Fvisalia","visalia","gN4g7aAl-cqD4FfSTgtTAarltUoKLh8NFlPzCbZngqU",{"id":236,"title":237,"archived":238,"author":239,"body":240,"date":341,"dateModified":341,"description":342,"extension":13,"meta":343,"navigation":21,"path":344,"rawbody":345,"seo":346,"sitemap":347,"stem":348,"tags":349,"__hash__":352},"news\u002Fnews\u002Fbakersfield-ward-3-candidate-seth-hewett-pitches-ai-budget-portal.md","Bakersfield Ward 3 candidate Seth Hewett pitches AI budget portal",false,"Sam Patel",{"type":7,"value":241,"toc":334},[242,246,250,269,272,275,278,282,285,288,292,295,299,302,305,321,324,328],[243,244,237],"h1",{"id":245},"bakersfield-ward-3-candidate-seth-hewett-pitches-ai-budget-portal",[61,247,249],{"id":248},"key-takeaways","Key Takeaways",[251,252,253,257,260,263,266],"ol",{},[254,255,256],"li",{},"Seth Hewett, 26, is running for Ward 3 and proposes an AI budget transparency portal.",[254,258,259],{},"The portal would let residents search city spending and see how the council votes.",[254,261,262],{},"Five candidates are in the race for Ward 3.",[254,264,265],{},"The field includes Kathryn Halling, Juan Carlos Llamas, Cassie Bittle and Pedro Naveiras.",[254,267,268],{},"The last day to drop off ballots is Nov. 3, 2026.",[66,270,271],{},"Seth Hewett is 26. In a TV interview this week, the Ward 3 candidate said he wants Bakersfield to show its receipts, and soon. His plan centers on an AI-powered budget website that would let residents search city spending and track council votes, a change Ward 3 voters will weigh on Nov. 3.",[66,273,274],{},"\"I want people to be able to ask their city questions 24\u002F7,\" Hewett said. He ties the idea to building confidence in how Bakersfield handles tax dollars.",[66,276,277],{},"A blue recycling bin sat by the clerk's counter.",[61,279,281],{"id":280},"what-the-portal-would-do","What the portal would do",[66,283,284],{},"Hewett describes a public-facing site that pulls from the city's budget and checkbook data, then answers plain-English searches about how money moves and how members vote. He says the goal is to make it usable even for residents who don't follow budgets or read staff reports. And he says the point is access.",[66,286,287],{},"He also links the pitch to public safety, arguing that clearer spending data can help people decide whether the city is funding what they care about most.",[61,289,291],{"id":290},"who-else-is-in-the-race","Who else is in the race",[66,293,294],{},"Hewett is one of five candidates for Ward 3. The others are Kathryn Halling, Juan Carlos Llamas, Cassie Bittle and Pedro Naveiras. Across interviews, the group stresses three themes: transparency in fiscal spending, homelessness and public safety. Voters in central Bakersfield will sort through similar promises, different approaches.",[61,296,298],{"id":297},"when-to-vote","When to vote",[66,300,301],{},"Residents have a little more than a month to decide. Mail ballots will go out before Election Day, and the last day to drop off ballots is Tuesday, Nov. 3. Ward 3 covers parts of downtown and nearby neighborhoods, where turnout can swing hard on late ballots.",[66,303,304],{},"Hewett calls himself a sixth-generation Bakersfield resident and is trying to pull in first-time voters. As he put it, he wants young people \"to actually see their city as something that they can participate in.\"",[66,306,307],{},[308,309,310,311,314,315,320],"em",{},"Central Valley AI is produced by the ",[70,312,313],{},"CVAI Newsdesk"," team and developed by ",[316,317,37],"a",{"href":38,"rel":318},[319],"nofollow",", a regional firm that builds, deploys, and integrates AI solutions for businesses across California's Central Valley.",[322,323],"hr",{},[61,325,327],{"id":326},"source","Source",[66,329,330],{},[316,331,332],{"href":332,"rel":333},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.turnto23.com\u002Fnews\u002Fin-your-neighborhood\u002Fbakersfield\u002Fseth-hewett-runs-for-bakersfield-ward-3-city-council-seat-pushing-budget-transparency",[319],{"title":10,"searchDepth":11,"depth":11,"links":335},[336,337,338,339,340],{"id":248,"depth":11,"text":249},{"id":280,"depth":11,"text":281},{"id":290,"depth":11,"text":291},{"id":297,"depth":11,"text":298},{"id":326,"depth":11,"text":327},"2026-09-25","Hewett, 26, says he wants an AI website so residents can search city spending and council votes ahead of the Nov. 3 election.",{},"\u002Fnews\u002Fbakersfield-ward-3-candidate-seth-hewett-pitches-ai-budget-portal","---\nauthor: Sam Patel\ndate: '2026-09-25'\ndateModified: '2026-09-25'\ndescription: Hewett, 26, says he wants an AI website so residents can search city\n  spending and council votes ahead of the Nov. 3 election.\ntags:\n- bakersfield\n- elections\n- city hall\ntitle: Bakersfield Ward 3 candidate Seth Hewett pitches AI budget portal\n---\n\n# Bakersfield Ward 3 candidate Seth Hewett pitches AI budget portal\n\n## Key Takeaways\n\n1. Seth Hewett, 26, is running for Ward 3 and proposes an AI budget transparency portal.\n2. The portal would let residents search city spending and see how the council votes.\n3. Five candidates are in the race for Ward 3.\n4. The field includes Kathryn Halling, Juan Carlos Llamas, Cassie Bittle and Pedro Naveiras.\n5. The last day to drop off ballots is Nov. 3, 2026.\n\nSeth Hewett is 26. In a TV interview this week, the Ward 3 candidate said he wants Bakersfield to show its receipts, and soon. His plan centers on an AI-powered budget website that would let residents search city spending and track council votes, a change Ward 3 voters will weigh on Nov. 3.\n\n\"I want people to be able to ask their city questions 24\u002F7,\" Hewett said. He ties the idea to building confidence in how Bakersfield handles tax dollars.\n\nA blue recycling bin sat by the clerk's counter.\n\n## What the portal would do\n\nHewett describes a public-facing site that pulls from the city's budget and checkbook data, then answers plain-English searches about how money moves and how members vote. He says the goal is to make it usable even for residents who don't follow budgets or read staff reports. And he says the point is access.\n\nHe also links the pitch to public safety, arguing that clearer spending data can help people decide whether the city is funding what they care about most.\n\n## Who else is in the race\n\nHewett is one of five candidates for Ward 3. The others are Kathryn Halling, Juan Carlos Llamas, Cassie Bittle and Pedro Naveiras. Across interviews, the group stresses three themes: transparency in fiscal spending, homelessness and public safety. Voters in central Bakersfield will sort through similar promises, different approaches.\n\n## When to vote\n\nResidents have a little more than a month to decide. Mail ballots will go out before Election Day, and the last day to drop off ballots is Tuesday, Nov. 3. Ward 3 covers parts of downtown and nearby neighborhoods, where turnout can swing hard on late ballots.\n\nHewett calls himself a sixth-generation Bakersfield resident and is trying to pull in first-time voters. As he put it, he wants young people \"to actually see their city as something that they can participate in.\"\n\n*Central Valley AI is produced by the **CVAI Newsdesk** team and developed by [Kaweah Tech](https:\u002F\u002Fkaweah.tech), a regional firm that builds, deploys, and integrates AI solutions for businesses across California's Central Valley.*\n\n---\n\n## Source\n\nhttps:\u002F\u002Fwww.turnto23.com\u002Fnews\u002Fin-your-neighborhood\u002Fbakersfield\u002Fseth-hewett-runs-for-bakersfield-ward-3-city-council-seat-pushing-budget-transparency\n",{"title":237,"description":342},{"loc":344},"news\u002Fbakersfield-ward-3-candidate-seth-hewett-pitches-ai-budget-portal",[83,350,351],"elections","city hall","ISHUAwBH5147a6PPvxzjvrRPlfPCh0VjZxs05lx2n5U",1790338902652]