Local baseball standout Jarret Martin to take the mound this week against the Bakersfield Blaze, and embracing the serenity of the Bakersfield National Cemetery

* ... MEMORIAL DAY: Hundreds of people visited the new national cemetery outside of Arvin on this Memorial Day weekend, a beautiful setting that has grown in popularity as more people discover this peaceful final resting place for those who served our nation. If you have not been there, it
is worth spending some time to enjoy the California oaks in the rolling hills. The cemetery is located off Bear Mountain Boulevard.

 * ... MARTIN: Jarret Martin, a Centennial High graduate who was originally drafted by the Baltimore Orioles out of high school, is scheduled to be on the mound with the Cucamonga Quakes (a Los Angeles Dodgers affiliated team) against the Bakersfield Blaze this Thursday. His proud mother, local writer Dana Martin, also reminded me that the coaches have learned that Jarret is a scratch golfer and has been hitting the links with former big leaguers Charlie Hough, Matt Herges and Jose Vizcaino. (photo courtesy of Martin's Facebook page)

* ... AMGEN: Do you remember when the Amgen pro cycling race came to town and the city spruced up the area around Bakersfield College? Judy Henderson does, and she wishes it would return. "I miss the Amgen Race... In short time, tumble weeds were removed and ground up, trash and weeds disappeared. Center dividers were planted and wood chips were spread over dirt areas where many spectators would gather. The areas of Manor Drive, Panorama Drive and Alfred Harrell Highway looked like an All America City. Now, tumble weeds abound, weeds grow in the center divider and the streets. Trash litters roadways and weeds grow among the wood chips.  Even the  Panorama rain drain is clogged.  I miss the Amgen Race."

 * ... DRIVERS: Are Bakersfield drivers any more or less angry and impatient than in other communities? One reader, who asked that I withhold her name, has been verbally abused numerous times after picking up her grandsons from school. "I travel north of Gosford Road and I go through the very busy intersection at Ming Avenue," she said. When she finds herself in the right lane at Ming, intending to go straight, drivers behind her invariably get impatient if she doesn't take a right on red. "I am very aware of the glares and impatience of drivers behind me, who apparently think I don't care that they wish to make a right turn. I have even had people honk at me, but I really don't have a choice... I always pull to the as far to my left as I can, because small cars can move past me and make my turn."

 * ... BAD FORM: And speaking of road rage, shame on the driver of a white oil field utility truck who deliberately side swiped - and could have killed - a cyclist on the Granite-Woody Road Saturday. The cyclist was riding on the far right painted line, but apparently that wasn't good enough for the truck driver who came within a few inches of brushing the cyclist and taking him down.

 * ... BAKERSFIELDISM: From reader Linda Welch: You may be a Bakersfield old timer if you remember the two headed calf in the "old science building at Kern County Union High School. It was enclosed in a glass case."

Bakersfield rolls out the red carpet for the Amgen Tour of California and remembering Suzanne Rivera, local cyclist who died on Mother's Day

 * ... AMGEN: Get ready for a day to remember Thursday when the Amgen Tour of California cycling race comes to town. Organizers are expecting as many as 30,000 people to view the race, which features some of the top pro cyclists in the world. The 18-mile time trial course starts on the bluffs across from Bakersfield College, follows Alfred Harrell Highway out to Hart Park and returns up the steep grade back to Panorama. It promises to be a spectacular event and if you have never witnessed a pro bike race, this is your chance to see some of the world's finest athletes in action. It's absolutely free, it starts at 1 p.m. and should by over shortly after 4 p.m. And, let's not forget to thank our city for agreeing to put water in the Kern River for the day to help put our community in its best light.

 * ... RIP SUZANNE: Friends and family are mourning the death of Suzanne Rivera, the 47-year-old mother of two who died in a nasty crash during a women's road cycling race near Mariposa. Like any sport cycling has its share of inflated egos and posturing, but Suzanne always had a smile on her face and never had a bad word for anyone. She crashed into a support van on a steep descent on Mother's Day, but she died doing something she loved. (Californian photo of Suzanne with coach Danny Kaukola)

* ... HIGH ACHIEVER: Among the many notable kids graduating from high school is Cristobal Trujillo, a Ridgeview graduate who is headed to Yale on a full-ride scholarship. Michelle Beck, one of his former teachers, told me Cristobal came to this country speaking no English but eventually mastered the language and qualified for the GATE program. That's an accomplishment that should make us all proud.

 * ... HOPPER: As if legacy media didn't have enough challenges, now comes the "Hopper" that threatens to to disrupt the television business model. The "Hopper" is a device offered by Dish Network that allows people to completely avoid commercials. Viewers can already fast forward through commercials, but the "Hopper" does it automatically and the viewer sees nothing but a momentary blank screen and no commercial. As the Wall Street Journal noted: "The notion that viewers won't see even a whirr of fast forwarded ads threatens billions of dollars in broadcast television advertising-and risks the ire of the networks."

 * ... BABY NAMES: The Social Security Administration has released the most popular baby names for 2011. According to USA Today, the top name for girls were Sophia, Isabella, Emma, Olivia, Ava, Emily, Abigail, Madison, Mia and Chloe. For boys: Jacob, Mason, William, Jayden, Noah, Michael, Ethan, Alexander, Aiden and Daniel.

 * ... BAKERSFIELDISM: Donna Pacheco wonders if anyone else remembers Hart Park in the 1950s when it featured boat racing, the miniature train, a roller coaster and a merry-go-round. Donna worked at a food stand selling hot dogs and drinks.

Ten days after the Great American Cleanup and the city has yet to remove the collected trash, and how about some water in the river for the Tour of California

 * ... TRASH: Ten days ago hundreds of local volunteers spread across our community picking up trash as part of the Great American Cleanup Day. That was terrific, yet more than a week later much of the trash remained, particularly along the Kern River bike path where the once neatly stacked piles of black trash bags were trashed themselves by the homeless, animals and inclement weather. It's a shame it took more than a week to finally pick up the trash bagged by legends of volunteers.

* ... KERN RIVER: If the city would like to make amends, perhaps it can arrange to have water in the river during the upcoming Tour of California bicycle race. At least that's the idea of Frances Rosales, one of the owners of Happy Jack's restaurant downtown. "Why can't we have water flowing down the river when the Amgen Tour of California bike race is in town? We have friends coming from Napa and it would be great to see us at our best," she said. The tour will be in Bakersfield on Thursday, May 17, for the individual time trial competition. Some 30,000 spectators are expected to watch the time trial on the Panorama bluffs near Bakersfield College.

* ... SHOE DRIVE: Rosco Rolnick is at it again, helping those in need with his 20th annual "Shoes for the Homeless" campaign benefiting the Bakersfield Homeless Center. Rosco is president of Guarantee Shoe Center on Chester Avenue and has long been a supporter of our community. The shoe drive will conclude on May 6. Donations can be dropped off at Guarantee Shoe Center, KGET TV, Second Smile Denture Car, the Downtown School and at Four Seasons activity center. Donors will receive $10 off their next purchase of regularly priced shoes of $60 or more at Guarantee Shoe Center.

 * ... BOMB SHELTERS: My earlier post on the bomb shelter in Rick Kreiser's yard in College Heights brought this note from reader Carl R. Moreland. "In 1966, when we bought our first home on 21st Street from the former Kern County Museum Director Richard Bailey, it included a bomb shelter. When visitors first came the house, we always took them went down into the submarine-like shelter. Our children Margalo and Krista and their friends used it as an underground playhouse."

 * ... BOMB BAR: And then there was this note sent to me from Richard Diffee: "One more thing about bomb shelters. Old timers may remember a bar on Union Avenue near 8th Street during the 1940s called the Bomb Shelter. Patrons went there to get bombed."

 * ... WEBSTER WEBFOOT: I wrote earlier about the old television show called Webster Webfoot and Jimmy Weldon. It brought this response from reader Gary Higgins: "Jimmy is alive and well and living in North Hollywood. I was an avid fan of Webster Webfoot when I lived in Fresno in the 1950s.

* .... WHO KNEW? From the Vision 2020 Image Committee comes this: "Did you know there is a band called Brokedown in Bakersfield that pays homage to the Bakersfield Sound, which it says is 'California country music made raw and rocking, spiked with twang and sweetened with heartfelt harmonies.'

Get ready for the Amgen Tour of California and who was the woman stealing the snap dragon from the gas station?

 * ... AMGEN: I stopped by Rabobank Arena earlier this week for the kick off reception of the Amgen Tour of California bicycle race coming in May. Kerry Ryan, owner of Action Sports and one of the key drivers in getting this prestigious race back to Bakersfield, predicted 30,000 people will line the Panorama bluffs to watch the May 17, State 5 time trial showcasing some of the world's best cyclists. Spotted in the crowd were Rabobank's Andy Peterson, local attorney and cycling booster Jay Rosenlieb, City Manager Alan Tandy and wife Kate, City Councilman and supervisor candidate David Couch, Memorial Hospital's (and city councilwoman) Sue Benham, City Councilman Harold Hanson, KBAK TV sales manager Scott Meeks, Action Sports' Sam Ames and wife Andrea, City Councilman and State Senate candidate Rudy Salas, KBAK reporter Keisha Courtney, and David Lyman of the Convention and Visitor's Bureau.

* ... SPOTTED: Gail Oblinger submitted this eyewitness account of some really bad form about town. "The gas station at the corner of Mt. Vernon and University has flowerbeds filled with a lovely selection of spring blooms. While passing in my car Sunday, I noticed a woman bent over with her hands in the flowers and I thought. 'What a shame, she looks like she is picking some.' After I had finished my errand and drove back down the same way, there she was walking along the street. It was worse than I had thought. She had not picked some flowers, she had completely dug up a good sized, yellow snapdragon plant, and was carrying it upside down by the root ball!"

 * ... OVERHEARD: At Trader Joe's recently an impatient woman is heard complaining to her boyfriend about the customer in front of her: "The woman is writing a check and it's taking forever! Nobody writes checks anymore!"


  * ... LAST WISH: This may be highest compliment if you own a restaurant. The Home Depot Rosedale taco stand, owned by Yvonne Torres for the past three years, is well known for its chile verde. But not even owner Yvonne Torres could dream it might be a dying man's last wish to dine on your chile verde. Torres said she was approached at her taco stand by a strange woman recently. "She had been crying and said her father was dying... in the morning her father had Pappy's for breakfast, for lunch he wanted Cafe Med, for a snack he wanted Dewar's ice cream and for dinner he wanted chili verde from Home Depot. Now I feel honored my chili verde was chosen for a man's dying wish... I am truly honored."

 * ... DID YOU KNOW? Did you know that members of the Kern County Union High School class of 1938 meets regularly at Woolgrowers?  That's a lot of memories to share.

* ... BABY ON BOARD: Congratulations to Melissa (Lissa) Dignan, the former KERO TV weather forecaster who recently learned she is pregnant with her first child. Dignan is married to Brian Dignan, who is a coach with the Bakersfield Jam. Lissa said the baby is due in November. Always the animal lover, Lissa said the baby will have a "big sister" in her beloved weather dog Shelby.

Bakersfield makes another Top 10 list, this one for urban poverty and remembering the Army Air Corps

 * ... POVERTY: One of the fallouts of this recession has been the spike in poverty in some of our nation's larger cities. And not surprisingly the hardest hit cities are those - like Bakersfield - that benefitted most from the housing bubble and are now struggling to recover. Bakersfield is ranked No. 3 on the list of the top ten markets with high poverty in urban suburbs, surpassed only by the Texas border towns of El Paso and McAllen. The Brookings Institute report noted that poverty "in the entire Bakersfield metropolitan area rose 23 percent from 2007 to 2009. The suburban portion of the metro has been affected far more. Bakersfield's two main industries, oil and agriculture, require a large amount of manpower. Much of this is supplied by immigrants, who often -- especially when it comes to agricultural jobs -- don't make enough money to lift them out of poverty. As of 2009, 29.1 percent of those living below the poverty line in Bakersfield were born outside the U.S. That's one of the highest rates in the country, according to Brookings." Others on the top ten list include Albuquerque, N.N., Augusta, Ga., Jackson, Miss., Little Rock, Ark., Modesto, Ca., Lakeland, Fla., and Fresno.

 * ... AIR CORPS: Edward Gaede is a World War II veteran, having served 30 months in the Pacific, and gave me a call to correct a piece in the newspaper that recalled a U.S. Air Force bombing in Europe in 1942. Edward reminded me that the U.S. Air Force was not formed until 1947, and that prior to that the branch was known as the Army Air Corps. I should know since my own father served as a captain in the Army Air Corps and was fond of singing its fight song ('Nothing can stop the Army Air Corps!). Now 88, Edward lived for years in Shafter and now resides in Bakersfield, a proud member of "the greatest generation."

 * ... ACCIDENT: A horrible accident between a bicylist and a runner led to the death of the rider, a 41-year-old Visalia school teacher. These things can happen quickly - in this case the runner turned around and ran right into the cyclists - it serves as a reminder that we all share the same road. This is the season for running and cycling, and locally both sports are enjoying a surge in popularity. In the Visalia incident, 41-year-old math teacher Scott Nelson was thrown off his bike and later died. Whether running, cycling or driving, be safe out there.

 * ... AMGEN TOUR: City leaders are busy rounding up support to lure the 2012 Amgen Tour of California back to Bakersfield. When the tour made a stop in Bakersfield in 2010 it was a huge success, with thousands of spectators lining the Panorama Bluffs to watch some of the world's best cyclists race to the finish. The Tour skipped Bakersfield this year and coordinators are crossing their fingers we will get back on the map.

 * ... HIGH ACHIEVER: Jason McPhetridge wrote to highlight his step daughter, Cynthia Begay, now a senior at UC San Diego. A Highland High School graduate, Cynthia's goal is to attend medical school (she did an internship at the Harvard Medical School in Boston) and eventually help treat Native Americans. She is half Native American and half Hispanic and recently left to work on a Navajo Reservation.

 * ... AND ANOTHER: Another local youngster heading off is Prnay Copra, an honors graduate from Bakersfield Christian High School who is bound for Northeastern University in Boston to study behavioral neuroscience. Prnay, who graduated with honors at BCHS, is the son of Caltrans engineer Ray Copra and wife Ameeta.

 * ... CALIFORNIAN RADIO: I will be interviewing Jeff Konya, athletic director at Cal State Bakersfield, Friday at 10 a.m. on Californian Radio SmartTalk 1230. Make sure you tune in as Jeff shares his expectations for the new year and we talk college sports.

 * ... BAKERSFIELDISM: You know you're from Bakersfield if "you've become an expert at dodging tumbleweeds during the windy season."

More toxic loans about to hit the local real estate market and a reader sounds off on arrogant cyclists on the Woody road

 * ... HOUSING WOES: There's more evidence that we've got a long way to go before our real estate market recovers. Experts are now predicting that 3.5 million homes nationally will go into foreclosure this year (up from 2.8 million last year) as risky adjustable-rate mortgages set in 2005 reset and unemployment lingers. That's the word from RealtyTrac senior vice president Rick Sharga, who warned foreclosures will continue to rise until they plateau in late 2011. "The second wave of toxic loans is about to hit," Sharga said this week. High unemployment and rate resets will drive the foreclosures, as well as a move toward "strategic defaults" where folks decide it just doesn't make any sense anymore to keep paying on an underwater mortgage. Lastly, and this is scary, Sharga said the next wave of foreclosures will hit more middle and upper class people with prime mortgages. So if you thought the worst of the meltdown was over, think again.

 * ... EYESORES: And speaking of foreclosures, there's not a neighborhood in town that is immune from the tell-tale signs of imminent foreclosure: once proud lawns overtaken by knee-high weeds, no cars and no signs of behind the darkened windows. Next time you are driving around town, count the number you see. It's a sobering exercise.

 * ... HELLO LANCE: We were all disappointed when Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong crashed and didn't appear in Bakersfield at the end of Stage 5 of the Amgen Tour of California bicycle race. But it turns out he did make an appearance here, although under unforeseen circumstances. After crashing outside of Visalia, Armstrong was rushed to Bakersfield Memorial Hospital and was treated for his crash wounds. Hospital CEO Jon Van Boening said he was alerted to "get to the hospital now!" when word arrived that Armstrong was on his way. "He had his own orthopedic surgeon and his own entourage," Van Boening told me. "I told him we were happy to see him in Bakersfield, but it was too bad it was at the hospital and not the race!"

 * ... DEZEMBER SALUTE: Nice to see retired banker Ray Dezember honored  with a legacy award by the downtown Rotary Club. Ray and wife Joan, both Whittier College graduates, are known as perhaps the most philanthropic couple in town, giving hundreds of thousands of dollars to worthwhile causes over the years, most of it without fanfare or recognition. Rotary president Duane Keathley delivered the tribute for Ray, who was accompanied by Joan, son Brent and wife Anna and daughter Katie Werdel.

 * ... CYCLISTS: Yet more feedback on the debate on cyclists on the road to Woody. This from reader Mike Wenzel: "All slow traffic is required to move to the right side of the road and allow faster traffic around. The bicyclists on Woody road arrogantly refuse to do this. The excuse seems to be 'we pay taxes too.'  After having to follow these arrogant egocentric bicyclists a few times in the mountains, I took a great deal of joy in listening to their self righteous whining about pedestrians on the bike path. failing to move over for them. This 'I own a bike-I am the center of the universe' attitude is comical. Maybe if bicyclists extended a little courtesy to other they may receive a little themselves. By the way, I own a bicycle myself." 

 * ... MAYOR OF DOWNTOWN: It was nice to see Don Martin, owner of Metro Galleries on 19th Street, recognized with a Beautiful Bakersfield award for promoting the arts. Known by his friends as the "mayor of downtown," Martin has done more for the local arts scene than any other single individual, and he deserves the recognition. A born marketer, Martin was the creative genius behind the "First Friday" arts festivals downtown.

 * ... EAST BAKERSFIELDISM: You know you're an East Bakersfield old-timer if  "your mother dropped you off every Saturday morning for the all-day movies at the Granada Theater."

Amgen Tour of California, Stage 5, ends in Bakersfield

 Some random shots as the Tour of California ended in Bakersfield, on the Panorama Bluffs.

The Tour of California prepares to sweep into Bakersfield and Big Mike Ariey returns to Garces High School

 * ... AMGEN TOUR: This is your final reminder to get out and watch the Amgen Tour of California bicycle race sweep through Bakersfield and up the Panorama Bluffs Thursday afternoon. This is a world class event featuring some of the world's best pro cyclists, including Lance Armstrong, Mark Cavendish, George Hincapie and so many others. The finish to this Stage 5 event will happen sometime between 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. up on Panorama Drive in front of Bakersfield College. If you want to ride your bike to the event, Bike Bakersfield will have free valet parking for bikes up near the corner of Mount Vernon and Panorama. Simply check your bike in, enjoy the race and then pick it up by 4 p.m. A free "lifestyle festival" will get under way around noon and end at the finish of the stage.

 * ... HIGH DRAMA: Lots of drama around town as high school seniors get ready to walk across the stage to enter the next phase of their lives. It's always a stressful and exciting time for these seniors and their parents. I've heard of kids acting up (usually alcohol is involved) and being disciplined in the final weeks of school and others mentally checking out in bad cases of "senioritis." My advice: even good kids make bad decisions and they'll all pull through it. Time to leave high school and move on.

 * ... HERSBERGER KIDS: Good news for local residents Rod and Susan Hersberger, whose two children are both about to complete their MBA degrees. Mark is about to graduate from San Diego State and sister Kate Greenberg will get her advanced degree from UCLA on June 11. Both have undergraduate degrees from UCLA. Mark works in the corporate office of UPS in San Diego and Kate works for Disney Consumer Products in Burbank.  Mom Susan is director of public affairs at Aera Energy and dad Rod is the dean of the University Library at Cal State Bakersfield.

 * ... HARVARD LAD: Heard from local jeweler Gordon Wickersham that his son Greg will receive a master's degree in school policy from Harvard University at the end of this month. Greg graduated from UCLA and has been teaching English as a second language in the Atlanta school system.

 * ... BIG MIKE: Nice to hear that Mike Ariey, "Big Mike" to his friends, is returning to coach the freshman football team at Garces Memorial  High School. A product of Garces High and then San Diego State, Ariey played professional football with the New York Giants and Green Bay Packers and was instrumental in establishing the freshman program at Garces in the late 1990s. "I love working with these kids and I'm thrilled to be going back," he told me. "It's like going home." Ariey owns a barbeque and catering business.

 * ... HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Joyce Hobbs wrote to welcome home grandson Brian Mercado after two tours of duty in Iraq. Brian, his wife Veronica and their three children flew from Germany to LAX and will be home a month before heading to Fort Bliss, Texas. Veronica was also in Iraq on a tour of duty. "Brian was injured more than twice, fighting for our freedom, and I am so proud of him," Hobbs said. "Today is his 29th birthday, and he will be celebrating in Vegas on the 20th, and the 21st. Could you wish him  happy birthday?  Thanks so much- a proud grandmother." Welcome home, soldier.
 
 * ... BAKERSFIELDISM: This from reader Will Winn: "You must be from Bakersfield if you remember when there used to be two monuments at the Circle -- Father Garces and Chief Fire Water."

Making a list of things we should be thankful for in our home town, and welcoming the Tour of California to town

* ... HOME SWEET HOME: When was the last time you jotted down all the things you like about living in Bakersfield? I did so recently on a plane returning from the east coast and trust me, it's a much better experience than listing the things we don't like. In no particular order, here's my view of some of Bako's more endearing qualities: great weather, wonderful people, small town feel, the bike path, Luigi's, Basque food, short commutes, access to the mountains and beaches, the Padre Hotel, locally owned businesses, great neighborhoods, good schools, active and committed non-profits, a high sense of personal accountability in a town where everyone knows each other, acceptance of outsiders, the Kern River and local agriculture. What's on your list?

* ... OLDEST GRADUATE? Heard from retired CSUB math professor Lee Webb wondering if his friend, Esther DeLeon Dougherty, is the oldest graduate of UC Santa Barbara living locally. Esther graduated from Santa Barbara State College (precursor to what became UC Santa Barbara) in 1943 and apparently still substitute teaches. "All of us at the (Kroll) dog park really enjoy her company and her enthusiasm for life. She was the first Hispanic to graduate from college in her family, working her way through college, teaching for a number of years in Bakersfield schools, and she is still adding to the culture of this outstanding city."

 * ... AMGEN TOUR: Remember to put Thursday, May 20, on your calendar. That's the date that some of the world's best cyclists will storm into town for a sprint finish up the Panorama Bluffs in the Amgen Tour of California bicycle race. Trust me, this is an event worth attending and you'll be treated to some spectacular bike racing as well as music, food and vendor booths. Tour de France winner and cancer survivor Lance Armstrong will be there along with all the big names in professional cycling. There will be a Stage 5 "Lifestyle Festival" in the northeast parking lot on the campus of Bakersfield College from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. the day of the race, and it's free to the public. This is a chance to show off Bakersfield, so don't miss it.
  

* ... COOL WATER: Ever notice how just the tiniest bit of water in the Kern River makes us all feel better? It's always a surprise to return from a long trip to find real liquid in our river, as crazy as that sounds to outsiders. Wish it were there all the time.(photos courtesy of Don Martin)

 * ... OFF TO KOREA: Kudos to Emily Shapiro, a 2009 graduate of Cal State Bakersfield, who is off to Seoul, South Korea, to teach English. She majored in communications with an emphasis in journalism and public relations.


* ... MEA CULPA: I heard from the mother of Jenna Richmond, the fourth grader who had a chance to see pop singer Miley Cyrus as part of the local "Make a Wish Foundation." I reported that Jenna was suffering from a brain tumor but mother Kellie Richmond happily reported the tumor is in remission. Now that's a mistake I don't mind correcting.

 * ... BAKERSFIELDISM: You know you're from Bakersfield when "you think beans and salsa go with everything."

Amgen Tour of California: Visalia to Bakersfield

 Wonderful promotional video of the upcoming Amgen Tour of California, stage five from Visalia to Bakersfield. If you want to see what why Bakersfield is a cycling paradise, view this video.

Bako Bits: dealing with a dysfunctional state Legislature, San Joaquin bank and news of the day

Getting ready for the weekend, cleaning off my desk and crossing my fingers that a resurgent stock market means better economic times ahead. Let's get to it:

* ... The (MESSY) STATE OF CALIFORNIA: Once the envy of the country, the Golden State has become the punching bag for the nation. People now talk about California the way they used to talk about Mississippi. Our Legislature is totally dysfunctional, the two parties talk past each other and cater to the extremes at both ends while meanwhile the special interests (state employee unions etc) rule the day. Consider the following excerpt from a recent column:

"The (state) Senate is not dysfunctional-it is nonfunctional. The problem is that neither the institution nor its members are accountable to 'We the people.' Instead members concern themselves with personal and partisan agendas."

Sounds like California right? Well, this is a story about the New York legislature, which apparently is afflicted with the same paralysis and lack of leadership as our own. Written by Gerald Benjamin and Mario M. Cuomo, this column appeared in the Wall Street Journal and was brought to my attention by Ray Dezember, the retired banker who may singly be the most influential man in town. Affectionately known as "Mr. Bakersfield," Ray is known for his personal generosity and his deep involvement and love for our community. He passed this column along to me with a personal note saying California needs a state constitutional convention to get out of this mess.
This is precisely what Benjamin and Cuomo argue, that things are so bad in New York that only rewriting the rules can save the state. Ray is among a growing number of folks who believe the same is true for California, that between the initiative process and gutless legislators, we simply need to rewrite the rules and start anew, focusing on the core issues facing our state. The Cuomo column ends this way, and rings true for California:

"Albany can show that it is genuinely interested in considering reform by putting the convention question on the ballot. Alternately it can ignore calls for change. This, of course, would further reinforce the cynicism of New Yorkers and push them further away from public life - and from democracy. If the legislature wants to avoid this fate, which is of its own doing, then it should take up the calls for reform."

That's Ray shown in the photo below along with Californian publisher Ginger Moorhouse and me, shortly after Ray retired from our Board of Directors.



* ... SAN JOAQUIN'S INDIAN CONNECTION: As reported earlier this week, troubled San Joaquin Bank announced a recapitaliization that will bring $38 million into the bank from a group of Indian investors. This is good news for the local bank, which has been under the screws of federal regulators who are concerned about "impaired" development loans on the books. CEO Bart Hill said the investment would be enough to stabilize the bank, but there are a series of steps that must be taken before the money can leave India and get to the bank. Meanwhile, the bank filed a "Form 8-K" which details the transaction, and this notes that San Joaquin can and will continue to look for yet more investors. If you're curious about this stuff, and want to read the names of the Indian investors, check out the Form 8-K here.

* ... WAITING ON THE TOUR: Meanwhile, local cycling enthusiasts are waiting to hear if Bakersfield's bid to host a leg of the 2010 Amgen Tour of California will be approved. A large group of local business leaders, supported by the city of Bakersfield, are supporting this move to bring this premier professional cycling event to Kern County next year. This would be a sure-fire winner in terms of tourism and showing off our community, so keep your fingers crossed. If you want to keep up with the progress of our bid, check out the website here. That's a photo of past winner Levi Leipheimer below.



* ... A TOUCH OF OILDALE IN LA: Local photographer Felix Adamo passes along word that a gallery in Los Angeles is featuring six Bakersfield artists and their art of Oildale. The exhibit runs Aug. 1-29 at L2kontemporary, located at 990 North Hill Street, No. 205. Felix says one of the artists is our own Jill Thayer, North High and CSUB graduate. Make sure to check it out if you're down in Los Angeles.

Local leaders make final push to land major pro bicycle race; the waiting begins

As mentioned here before, the final push has been made to make Bakersfield a stop on the 2010 Amgen Tour of California bicycle race. I got a copy of the city's official "entry" to land a tour stop and it was an impressive piece of work. A dozen or so letters of support from local business leaders, maps proposing race routes around town and lots of details on what a terrific host we would be. Bakersfield has never seen anything like a pro cycling tour coming to town, and it would be something we wouldn't soon forget. All the greats would be here: Lance Armstrong and his Astana team, the great Spaniards Carlos Sastre and Alberto Contador, the big Belgian sprinter Tom Boonen and those crazy Aussies like Robbie McEwen and Cadel Evans. The group of supporters, led by folks as varied as Action Sports owner Kerry Ryan and local lawyer Jay Rosenlieb, has raised $160,000 in pledges already. Now the waiting begins. We should know something within a month or so. Past Amgen tour winner Levi Leiphiemer (an American) is shown in the picture and other pictures are courtesy of Lyne Lamoureux.

Local coalition lines up to bring Amgen Tour of California through Bakersfield next year

It looks like the local effort to bring the Tour of California bicycle race to Bakersfield is picking up some important steam. For the uninitiated, the Amgen tour is this country's only major race featuring the pro cycling teams that compete in the Tour de France, Giro d'Italia and other major events. It's quite a spectacle that draws thousands of visitors along the roadsides to see the world's best professional cyclists. It would be terrific for tourism and local businesses, and would show off our city well. Normally it starts somewhere in northern California, winds down through the coast, hitting places like San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara, before ending up somewhere in Los Angeles. The only thing preventing the tour from coming to Bakersfield is money and local support. And that seems to be changing. One of the driving forces behind all this is Kerry Ryan, owner of Action Sports over off Brimhall Road. He's part of a coalition that involves the Convention and Visitor's Bureau, some city and county officials and other local supporters, including The Californian and American General Media. Don Cohen, head of the convention and visitor's bureau, says $161,000 has already been raised to bring the tour to Bakersfield. A decision should come some time in July. If it happens, we'll be seeing pros like Lance Armstrong, Levi Leipheimer, Ivan Basso, Carlos Sastre and others here next year. Stay tuned. (photo of 2009 winner Levi Leipheimer courtesy of the official Amgen website)