BRIEFLY; KERN JUDGES VOTE TO COMBINE COURTS.

BAKERSFIELD - Kern County judges have narrowly voted to combine their two courts, ending Kern's battle as the last holdout in California for a dual-court system.

Under increasing state financial pressure, Superior Court judges voted 8-7 to replace the Municipal and Superior Courts with a single entity. Those judges defeated an earlier merger proposal.

The vote among Municipal Court judges stood at 13-1 for the merger Monday night.

Officials with the state Judicial Council had threatened to deny funding for a new judge for Eastern Kern because of the refusal to unify the court system, said Superior Court Judge Arthur Wallace. That came after the council threatened to deny Kern more than $250,000 in funds to upgrade technology - funds now expected to be on the way.

State officials contend the efficiency and flexibility of the streamlined court systems save money.

Kern's Municipal Court system will essentially vanish when the merger takes effect Saturday, with former Municipal Courts becoming part of the Superior Court.

- Associated Press 

MEETING TO COVER SCOUT JAMBOREE

LANCASTER - Boy Scouts who will be 12 to 18 years old this year can sign up to participate in the National Scout Jamboree, July 15 to Aug. 2 at Fort A.P. Hill in Virginia.

An informational meeting for Scouts and parents will be held at 7 p.m. Friday, in the cultural hall of the LDS Lancaster Stake Center, 3140 W. Ave. K.

Those already signed up to go or those interested may attend the meeting. For more information call Ray Goodale at [phone].

- Daily News