BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — We are continuing to see the fallout after the allegations against Cesar Chavez were revealed.
The City of Bakersfield says it is no longer moving forward with renaming H Street to Cesar Chavez Boulevard.
Shockwaves are still ripping through the community after explosive allegations of sexual abuse surfaced against legendary figure Cesar Chavez. The city made the announcement Wednesday, saying in light of those allegations made by several women, efforts to rename the street have been terminated.
The plan had been discussed for months, but not without pushback from some local business owners who worried about the cost and time that would come with a change.
Will Medveal, who operates his business Your Neighborhood Handyman on H Street, says even without a storefront, the process would have been a burden.
"But it still requires me to go down, post with the newspaper, put in a change of address, and run that for four weeks. So not only is there an expense in doing this stuff, but it’s also a time commitment," Medveal said.
Medveal says for small business owners already juggling multiple responsibilities, an address change is just one more thing to handle. He also says he is relieved the city decided not to move forward, especially given the timing.
"I also think that these things should be vetted pretty seriously and closely before we go through what is supposed to be a permanent change to our city," Medveal said.
Medveal says he was never against a street being renamed in honor of someone, but believes downtown works well with numbers and letters marking streets. Besides the matter of H Street, Medveal says the allegations against Chavez were shocking, especially since he was looked up to by many and was seen as a victory story for local farm workers.
"So, not only all throughout California, but especially in Kern County, with all our agriculture here, I think it’s really sad news for supporters of that, I really do," Medveal said.
As questions surrounding Chavez’s legacy continue, the city says it is hitting pause on any plans to move forward.
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