California welcomes the "atmospheric river" of rain and snow, what's going on at the Fox Theater and my seven month retirement ends with a daily radio show starting next week

 * ... RAIN AND SNOW: Take a deep breath and enjoy this "atmospheric river" of rain that has been pummeling California for the past few weeks. To be sure it is not enough to end the long drought, but there is plenty of good news for our lakes and reservoirs. As Louis Sahagun of the Los

Angeles Times reported: "Lake Tahoe has risen 12 inches in just the last two weeks as the storms have dumped 33.6 billion gallons of water into the massive landmark, which measures 72 miles around and has a capacity for 37 trillion gallons of water. As of Tuesday morning, 154 of the largest reservoirs tracked by the California Department of Water Resources had filled to about 97 percent of their collective average for the day ... Just a year ago, many were at or below 50 percent of average." Even Lake Oroville has risen 90 feet since December. (photo courtesy of SFGate)

 * ... GOING, GOING, GONE?: The Wall Street Journal recently compiled a list of popular products that have fallen out of favor with consumers. Among them: powder detergent (replaced by pods), processed cheese, bar soap, margarine, ground coffee (replaced by the Keurig cups), frozen juice concentrate and alkaline batteries.

 * ... FOX THEATER: What is going on over at the Fox Theater and the folks who are running the show? Jennifer Self, the Californian's longtime features editor who is plugged into the local entertainment community, shed some light this week when she questioned what happened to Bob Bender, who apparently lost his job running the Fox and booking shows at the iconic venue. So who is running this local community treasure? I hope it's not Melanie Farmer, the head of the Fox Theater Foundation who has zero experience in concert promotion. Other than telling Self the foundation was looking at being a more "hands-on operation" (what does that mean?) we are left in the dark. Memo to Farmer: The Fox is a community treasure and many of us have opened our wallets to preserve and restore it. If Bender is out, tell us what the plan is for the grand old dame of Bakersfield.

* ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "I've never done jail time, but I've been stuck in a group text with my family and it can't be much worse."

 * ... RADIO: I spent a career in print journalism but my second love has always been news radio, a more free wheeling environment that is both authentic and unpredictable. So I am pleased to announce that effective this Monday, Jan. 16, I will host my own two hour daily talk show on KERN NewsTalk (96.1 FM/1180 AM) from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. (I will be the lead-in for the popular Ralph Bailey Show that comes on at 3 p.m.) Join me on inauguration week for a lineup of special guests including Monsignor Craig Harrison, House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, Pulitzer Prize winning Washington Post columnist Kathleen Parker, former Assemblywoman Shannon Grove, Reuters Washington, D.C., correspondent Bill Trott, CSUB political science professor Jeanine Kraybill, water expert Harry Starkey, Californian columnist Lois Henry, CSUB basketball Coach Rod Barnes, Californian executive editor Bob Price and many more.

 * ... FOODIE: Were you surprised that the Mimi's restaurant on California Avenue closed? Eateries come and go but Mimi's always seemed to have a steady clientele. But the food business is a tough one, and the public can be fickle in its loyalty. Across the street, I made my first visit to the Habit Burger and while it is no In-N-Out, the burger was rich and tasty and the service was excellent. I was also pleased to read that RJ's Bar and Grill had reopened and was back in business on Hageman Road.

 * ... STOLEN CARS: Car and truck theft is rampant here is Bakersfield, and here are some of the most popular targets according to the Bakersfield Police Department: 1990 through 2000 Honda Accords and Civics; 2000 through 2008 Chevrolet Silverado trucks; 2000 through 2008 GMC Sierra trucks; and 1990 through 2000 Acura Integras.

New study finds yoga alone is not enough to obtain overall fitness, the sadness of the death of comedian Robin Williams and locals express more disgust with panhandlers

 * … YOGA: This is for all you yoga fanatics out there: new research shows that yoga really doesn't do much for overall muscle strength or cardiovascular fitness. That's according to a study published in the New York Times that followed two groups of women for eight months, one that completed twice

weekly, hour-long yoga sessions and the other that continued with their normal activities. The result? "Yoga appears top be too gentle physically to be anyone's lone exercise. "Yoga will certainly strengthen your legs but you need to include other forms of exercise in your weekly routine to obtain more complete fitness.

 * … WILLIAMS: Let's hope the death of comic genius Robin Williams focuses more attention on depression and related illnesses that are near epidemic in our society. I know of very few people who have not dealt with severe depression in their own families, and it is long past time for an honest conversation about this national malady.

 * … PANHANDLERS: More feedback on the panhandlers across our community. This note from reader Terry Meier: "I understand there are needy people in our community, but being confronted by them at every turn is aggravating. I was even pinned down by one in the drive-through line at Starbucks!  My husband and I give generously to charities every year, so I have no guilt in turning them down. Furthermore, I’ve seen some of them work the same area telling the same story over and over.…  I’ve joked with my friends that I’m going to make a large sign and stand on a corner or median and beg for money to buy an iPad. Hey, I’m a part-time professor so I need the money!"

 * … RADIO WARS: The local radio group American General Media has acquired another FM signal in its battle to attract more listeners throughout the day. The new FM signal will simulcast the First Look with Scott Cox morning show that originates in the newsroom of The Californian and is video streamed live on Bakersfield.com. The show will be simulcast at 96.1 FM. The sale is subject to approval by the Federal Communications Commission and should be completed by Thanksgiving.

 * … BACKPACK: Kudos to the North Bakersfield Rotary Club whose members stuffed 675 backpacks for students of the Standard and Beardsley school districts. Chevron chipped in to help fund the program, called Kindergarten Roundup, and club President Sheri Horn Bunk tells me they will be distributed as soon as school starts.

 * … BAD FORM: Barbara Waggoner was at the Ramco gas station downtown recently when, to her surprise, a red haired woman walked to her car, started it up and began pumping gas while the car was idling. "Surprised that someone would do such a stupid thing, I asked if she realized she could start a fire. She gave me a 'really?' look. I told her a friend of mine had seen it happen. After I got the same look from her again, the back window rolled down and out popped a small child. I was thinking now not only does she want to take the chance of blowing all of us up but wants to blow up what I assume to be her grandchild."

 * … GOOD FORM: And then there was Dr. Randal Beeman who crashed on his bicycle at 18th and Chester the other day. No fewer than three different people stopped to help him. "When I go to other places and hear the standard blather about Bakersfield I remind myself that even though we live in one of the largest cities in California we still exhibit the small town values of cooperation and kindness towards others."

If Bakersfield Rep. Kevin McCarthy loses his bid to become House Majority Leader, at least he will still have 12,000 followers on Instagram, and the Mac 'n Cheese Festival is coming back to Bako next year

 * … MCCARTHY: We will know next week if Rep. Kevin McCarthy will become the new majority leader of the House of Representatives. With the stunning election defeat of Virginia Rep. Eric Cantor, the Bakersfield Republican has to be considered the frontrunner for the post. And now that he is in the spotlight, he is getting a lot of attention for his Instagram account of all things. The account,

which has 12,000 followers and is logged under "repkevinmccarthy," is being widely praised for its self deprecating wit, charm and sheer breath of coverage. There are posts of McCarthy with Prince Harry, actor Kevin Spacey, at the inauguration, sitting for an interview with a coat, tie and shorts and others taken when he was a young man sporting a mullet. All in good fun.

 * … MAC 'N CHEESE: The recent Mac 'n Cheese Festival out at Cal State Bakersfield was so successful the organizers have decided to bring it back next year. The folks over at American General Media, owners of seven radio stations in town, have set April 18, 2015, as the date for the return of the highly popular event. Once again, it will be held at the CSUB amphi-theater.

* … EMAIL SCAM: I consider myself pretty savvy about email scams, but I almost fell for one the other day. It arrived looking like an official Bank of America alert saying my account had been suspended because of suspicious activity. It took me to a page to "confirm" this activity and then asked for my Social Security number, account number and password. That was enough to get my attention so I went to the real Bank of America account and read this: "Bank of America emails will never ask you to reply in an email with any personal information such as your Social Security number, ATM or PIN." Be careful out there.

 * … TEMPLE: Hats off to the folks at Temple Beth El who are raising money for the Kern County Homeless Collaborative through the Rabbi's discretionary fund. A memo to Temple members noted: "Once again, we are inviting Bakersfield's Jewish community to join forces in participating in a national campaign sponsored locally by the Kern County Homeless Collaborative to address a very volatile aspect of homelessness - the fact that some living on the streets will die there due to their medical vulnerability."

 * … OBITS: Walter E. Stewart had this take on obituaries: "They are not intended to be amusing. Nevertheless the people who submit obituaries to The Bakersfield Californian give me a chuckle when they consistently state the deceased, who was in their 80s and 90s, was 'preceded in death by their parents.' Gosh, thanks for the edification."

* … MEMORIES: Ronal Reynier wrote to tell me about life in Bakersfield in the 1950s, which he compared to a scene straight out of the movie American Graffiti. "Though the movie takes place in Merced or Madera in 1964, it is the Bakersfield I knew when I came home from the Army in the 1950s. I am sure that you out there had friends and acquaintances that were as portrayed by the actors on the screen; I know that I did. There is even a very, very small part where can see myself. Look and you may even see yourselves… Was the time all good and great? Of course not. Remember, when we look
back nostalgically, we tend to overlook the bad. Which can also be good."

Get ready for First Look with Scott Cox, a joint venture of The Bakersfield Californian and American General Media to produce a daily, three hour local news show simulcast on radio and streamed live on video

 On Monday First Look with Scott Cox will debut live from the newsroom of The Bakersfield Californian. This is the first joint venture of its kind in the nation, pairing the leading local newspaper with the local leader in local talk radio. 
 It will feature news, sports, weather and entertainment each day from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. It will be simulcast on KERN 1180 while streamed live in high definition video on bakersfield.com, the leading web portal in Kern County.
 It will feature the reporters and editors of the Bakersfield Californian along with newsmakers and in-depth analysis. Guests for the first week include House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy, Monsignor Michael Braun, local singer and country artist Monty Byrom, Californian columnist Lois Henry and much more.
 Tune in Monday at 7 a.m. Listen to it on KERN 1180 or view it live on your computer or iPad by going to www.bakersfield.com.

The Californian enters a partnership with the leading news talk radio group in Kern County for a full daily three-hour simulcast broadcast in high definition video, a first of its kind venture

 "When people ask me about the future of newspapers, and they get that gloomy look in their eyes, I remind them it’s all about the content. If people are engaged, and care about their community and the government that serves them, then what we do is vitally important to the community we call home.

What is not vitally important is how that content is delivered. Our work now appears in print, in multiple digital forms, on iPads and Nooks, in video story-tellings packages, in text news alerts and on YouTube, Facebook and Twitter.
 The idea that this newspaper is a on- size fits all printed product is little more than a nostalgic Rockwellian image of the past.
 "The Bakersfield Californian has always prided itself about being on the cutting edge of technology (our website bakersfield.com was launched back in 1995) and we are keenly aware that readers and advertisers are finding new ways to obtain content and reach their advertisers. That why change is part of our company culture, and serving our readers and advertisers on mulitple platforms is something we talk about every day. And today, we are taking the next step.
 "Our latest venture involves a partnership between the Californian and locally owned American General Media, the leading radio group serving Bakersfield and Kern County. Effective in early March, we will be creating a three-hour daily news show, simulcast on radio and streamed lived in high definition video on Bakersfield.com. It is basically a radio and TV show all in one smart package, leveraging the expertise of some of the most talent editors and reporters in town inside The Californian.
The venture is believed to be one of the first of its kind in the nation, pairing the leading newspaper with the market leader in news talk radio. A television studio has been built in the heart of The Californian newsroom where the show will run daily from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m.
 "The daily program will be titled “First Look with Scott Cox” and will feature news, weather, entertainment, interviews with newsmakers and The Californian’s stable of popular columnists. Cox is an employee of American General Media, owner of KERN 1180 where the show willl air, and will serve as moderator of a panel of three or four newsmakers.
 "The Californian constructed a studio in the middle of the third floor newsroom and will stream high-definition video. AGM will provide producers, a news reader and Cox, while The Californian will draw on its award winning editors and reporters to help provide content, insight, investigative journalism and news commentary.
 "Other newspapers are doing live video and news shows from their newsrooms, but to my knowledge no one else is doing it in partnership with the leading radio news talk leader.
 "First Look will be part Meet the Press, part The Dan Patrick Show and part Imus in the Morning. It will be newsy, witty and fast paced. You’ll be able to hear it on the radio or watch it in high definition live on bakersfield.com.
 "So yes, newspapers are alive and well, changing and evolving. Join us in March for First Look. And watch us grow."

New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman cites Muslim hypocrisy in insulting other religions, and another successful young man returns to Bakersfield to live and work

 * ... FRIEDMAN: The ongoing protests and violence in the Middle East that led to the death of the U.S. ambassador to Libya drew a strong response from New York Times columnist Thomas L. Friedman. Friedman is one of our nation's foremost Middle East experts and he spared no words in calling out Muslim protesters on their own hypocrisy when it comes to insulting other religions. "They might want to look at the chauvinistic bile that is pumped out by some of their own media — on satellite television stations and Web sites or sold in sidewalk bookstores outside of mosques — insulting Shiites, Jews, Christians, Sufis and anyone else who is not a Sunni, or fundamentalist, Muslim. There are people in their countries for whom hating 'the other' has become a source of identity and a collective excuse for failing to realize their own potential." More reasons why all of us should practice tolerance.

 * ... COMING HOME: Another successful youngster has returned to Bakersfield to work and live. Neil K. Gehlawat, a graduate of Stockdale High and later UC Berkeley, has joined the law firm of Chain, Cohn and Stiles as an associate attorney in its personal injury department. He graduated from Stockdale in 2005 and later earned a degree from Cal. He went on to attend The University of Texas School of Law, where he served as a Notes Editor for the Texas Law Review and was a regional champion in the National Appellate Advocacy Competition. He obtained his juris doctorate in
2012.

 * .... OVERHEARD: A young woman who just returned from Boston is overheard talking about coming home. "I am always amazing how friendly people are here," she said. "At the airport, at the car wash and even at Starbucks people are just so nice. Yesterday in the drive-through at Starbucks and woman two cars in front of me paid for the entire line. It's just great coming home."

 * ... SEXTING: If your teenager is using his or her cell phone for something other than emergencies - like sending suggestive flirty messages to others - chances are that she may be engaged in sex. That's the result of a survey as reported in The Los Angeles Times, which said teenagers who engage in "sexting" are seven times more like to be engaged in sex. (photo courtesy of The Los Angeles Times)

 * ... HISTORY: Several readers wrote with questions about the 1945 incident in which a B-25 Mitchell ran into the Empire State Building, killing 14 people including three crewmen. It happened on a Saturday morning when the B-25, headed from Boston to LaGuardia, was cleared to land in heavy fog and mistakenly veered right into the building. The plane hit the north side of the building between the 78th and 80th floor.

 * ... SNYDER: Congratulations to Toni Snyder who came home with a prestigious honor from the Radio Show convention in Dallas. Snyder was named "general manager of the year" in the 2012 National Association of Broadcasters and Radio Advertising Bureau competition. Snyder runs the seven American General Media radio stations in Bakersfield. Californian Radio, which runs weekdays from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m., appears on KERN 1180, one of the AGM stations.

 * ... ASHBURN: Former state Sen. Roy Ashburn has picked up more endorsements in his bid to return to the Kern County Board of Supervisors in the First District. Among those endorsing Ashburn were Delano Mayor Grace Vallejo, Ridgecrest Mayor Ron Carter and McFarland Mayor Manuel Cantu Jr. Ashburn faces former China Lake Naval Weapons Station commander Mick Gleason in November.

Bako Bits: Non profits hard at work in a Bakersfield spring and a tribute to a Marine

  * ... MAKE A WISH: Hats off to the  caring students at San Joaquin Valley College's Associated Student Body who raised $9,000 for the Make-a-Wish  Foundation. The money will go to cover the cost of a Disney cruise for the family of 6-year-old Kaleb, who has undergone two liver transplants. Foundation director Cathy Anspach told me the students became aware of Kaleb's struggles and went to work raising money through car washes, food sales, raffles and other events.

 * ... STOLEN FLAMINGOS: Remember the pink yard flamingos that were stolen out of yards recently? They were placed there by the girls Challenge Team at St. Francis Parish School to raise money to help fight cancer. Principal Cindy Meek contacted me to say she received an apology letter from one person who had stolen some flamingos out of a yard in Westchester. "She did not realize they were a fund raiser and she sent a cashier's check for $200 which we are donating to Relay for Life," Cindy said. "No word about the flock that was stolen off the corner of 21st Street and Spruce or the one stolen in the Bakersfield Country Club."THe Challenge Team "flocks" yards with the plastic flamingos in the home that homeowners will donate to the fight against cancer.

 * ... RADIO: Have you heard about "Californian Radio" on American General Media's 1230 AM station? Starting this week from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. you can hear columnist Lois Henry, Opinion editor Robert Price, Executive Editor John Arthur and myself five days a week. It's all part of AGM's rebranding of the station as SmartTalk1230 featuring consumer news, local news, opinion and financial news. The station will also feature Dennis Miller, Lou Dobbs, Dave Ramsey, Wall Street Journal Radio and Red Eye Radio, among others. We hope you tune in, or better yet, give us a call while we're on the air.

 * ... TRIBUTE: Received this touching note from Rick Isle on April 1: "My mother, Evelyn (Evie) Isle called me today to share that 66 years ago today, my dad Roy Isle, led a group of US Marines onto a beach on Okinawa.  A year later, September 9, 1946, he married mom here in Bakersfield. Dad passed away Jan. 11, 2000.  I bet those Marines were thinking of April Fools."

 * ... SPRING: You know it's Spring in Bakersfield if you find yourself anxious for the weekend to visit  White Forest Nursery or Bolles..

 * ... BAKERSFIELDISM: You know you're a Bakersfield old timer if you "remember the annual football games between Kern County Union High School and Phoenix high school in Arizona. The rivalry ended in the 1950s due to cost." Thanks to Anthony Bernal for submitting this one.

Is Fessler a replacement for Carvajal? And an Ohio State Buckeye seeks same in Bako

 .

* ... RAINING DOGS AND CATS: I had a chance to catch up with the folks over at the local SPCA on Gibson Street the other day when I was dropping off some books, left over by two daughters who have since moved out of town via college and both unlikely to return. The books will be sold during the SPCA's annual late March-early April book sale to raise money. Local spokesman Chuck Nordstrom says donations have remained steady but  the facility is overwhelmed with owner relinquished animals being dropped off by folks who have lost their jobs, their homes or are moving out of town. The facility is now "at capacity," meaning it has more than 300 dogs and cats. The SPCA will only take unwanted pets when  it has room. In the meantime, it always has a need for old sheets and towels for the strays, so open your hearts (and your pocketbooks) to this local worthy cause.

 * ... LONELY  BUCKEYE SEEKS SAME: Received a humorous email from Sunny Kapoor, finance manager of the West Kern Water District, who noted that he was a "Buckeye transplant" from Ohio and had the chance to take in the Rose Bowl game against Oregon (sorry Ducks, Ohio State was impressive in this one). Said Kapoor: "Sitting in the Ohio State section brought back a ton of memories of watching games at the ole 'Horseshoe' and listening to the 'Best Damn Band in the Land.' I am aware of a lot of Oregon Duck alumni in Bako, but I wonder how many Buckeyes live here?" With apologies to the Ducks and the PAC-10, any Buckeyes out there?


 * ... BAKO BITS: I spotted cancer survivor Wendy Wayne out for a morning run near Jastro Park the other day. She was bundled up, had an impressive gait and looked great. What a difference a few months make. Just a short time ago she was down in Los Angeles for some very tough treatment for non-Hodgkins lymphoma, and now she's back running. Great to have you back, Wendy. We're also waiting word on the funeral service for Claude Fiddler, the 77-year-old local oil engineer who died last week, just two weeks after his wife Shirley Ann passed away. This will be a standing-room only service as the community pays last respects to this remarkable man. More on this as it develops.

 * ... THE BUZZ: The real story behind the departure of Roger Fessler from general manager of American General Media to Cal State Bakersfield is how soon Athletic Director Rudy Carvajal will retire. You have to think Fessler would be the likely candidate to succeed Carvajal, who has served in the post since 1972 and should be nearing retirement. No one is talking but keep your eye on this one. Fessler's move was the latest to rock the local radio business, which has been in a funk during this recession. Just a few weeks ago Mike Allen, who worked at the local Spanish radio group for more than 30 years, left the company and is currently out of work. I'm not sure there is a connection here -  the Fessler move was a personal decision to follow his passion - but it represents a huge change on the local radio scene. Rogers Brandon , president of the AGM Group, indicated Fessler would not be replaced and he would be picking up some of his duties, at least temporarily. And I don't think we've heard the last of Mike Allen.

The Greens: Bakersfield's power couple featured in this weekend's BakersfieldLife magazine

"Power couple" is an overused and cliched phrase but it's hard to argue that it doesn't apply to Lisa and Jeff Green, the Bakersfield couple who will be featured on this Saturday's BakersfieldLife magazine. Lisa of course is the long-time deputy district attorney who is lined up nicely to succeed Ed Jagels as the county's chief prosecutor when he retires next year. She's tough as nails and has handled some of Kern County's most notorious murder cases, including vice principal-turned-killer Vincent Brothers. Jeff is chief counsel of Grimmway Farms, the nation's largest carrot producer, and like his wife he's active in the community. He did a term of the First Five Commission, asking tough questions others would not about this once ill managed group, and he served an interim term on the Bakersfield City Council. Beyond their public service, these are good people and good neighbors and it's good to see them featured in the magazine. Local writer Lisa Kimble did another thorough job bringing these folks to life.





The magazine also will have a short profile on Rogers Brandon, president of American General Media (the company owns a half dozen radio stations in town, including KERN news talk featuring Inga Barks) as well as the "Dining Divas" featuring eateries about town. Make sure you look for it in your home delivered Bakersfield Californian.

Bako Bits: From bad grammar to good marketing to honoring Dr. Hans Einstein

It may be national "Tea Party" day today as folks around the nation gather to sound the alarm over taxes and spending, but there's plenty of other things happening around our community. But let's begin with the "Tea Party:"
* GOOD MARKETING: You have to hand it to KERN AM 1180, home of conservative talker Inga Barks, for some shrewd marketing to tie in with the Tea Party. Parent company American General Media took out a full page ad in today's Californian with bold black print screaming "WE'RE NOT GONNA TAKE IT!" and urged folks to take it to the Tea Party today at noon in front of City Hall. Inga will be speaking at the event which will certainly provide some good local theater.
* GOT SPELLCHECK? Spotted this license plate holder the other day on a small black car on Ming Avenue: on the top it read "I know, I know" and on the bottom "Licence and registration." The driver should be ticketed and her license revoked for failing to use spellcheck.
* BICYCLE RACE: Looks like they're going to have another bicycle criterium race in downtown Bakersfield May 1. They're looking for sponsors to support the "crit," which will feature fast and agile and very strong riders doing a circuit race in the downtown area. It's worth a look-see if you have never witnessed it and it is certainly an upgrade over some of the other more dubious and ill attended "downtown" events like the car shows and street fairs.
* CSUB WINE TASTING: Tickets are also on sale for the 13th Annual CSUB Party in the Park Wine Tasting, which coincides with the annual Jazz Festival. This is one of the nicest events at the university all year and is put on by the CSUB Alumni Association. The event will be held Friday, May 8 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. with music from the Jazz Festival to start later that evening. You can buy a package just for the wine tasting or include the Jazz Festival as well. Call 661-654-3211 for more information.
* EINSTEIN PAVILION: Sue Benham, city council person and development director over at Bakersfield Memorial Hospital, corrected me on an earlier post about the event next week (April 21) to pay tribute Dr. Hans Einstein. The actual Einstein Pavilion will not open until later this year but the 6:30 p.m. event next Tuesday will honor his contributions to our community.
* JUST FOR FUN: From the list "You know you are from Bakersfield when..." And the answer is: "You know a swamp cooler is not a happy hour drink." (read the complete list here)