Medical experts fear a winter "twindemic" of flu and Covid-19, the "zen master" Art Sherwyn is profiled by The Californian and plaintiff's attorney Daniel Rodriguez on the mend after receiving a new hip

Welcome to Bakersfield Observed. Our mission is to celebrate life in Kern County by focusing on newsmakers and events and the local characters who make this community such a special place. The views expressed here are strictly my own and do not represent any other company or publication.

 * ... TWINDEMIC: Talk to any medical professional and he or she will tell you the experts are dreading this winter. The possibility of a "twindemic" (an explosion of both Covid-19 and the common flu) is a

distinct possibility, particularly considering the number of Americans at risk. For example, only 45 percent of American adults opt to get a flu shot every year (that rises to 62 percent among school age children) and fully half of American adults say they are wary of taking an Covid vaccine once it becomes available. Dr. Brij Bhambi of Bakersfield Heart Hospital says its all rather simple: wear a mask, practice social distancing and despite "pandemic fatigue," stay out of crowded spaces and away from strangers.

 * ... ART SHERWYN: It was nice to see the profile of Art Sherwyn in Sunday's Bakersfield Californian in a piece written by KGET's Robert Price. It was a lovely valentine to a man who has touched so many both in the classroom as a career teacher, on the tennis court as a successful coach at Stockdale High School and most of all as a mentor to young artists. Sherwyn is all of that: accomplished artist, legendary teacher and coach and most of all, a kind and sentient being who has the golden touch of a leader, mentor and teacher. I met Sherwyn when one of my own daughters played for Sherwyn at Stockdale where his tennis team won three consecutive Valley championships. I loved this quote from Sherwyn that Bob Price included in his piece:  "“The greatest leaders take no victims and the greatest victories have no losers,” he said he would tell his players. “We sat down and we discussed it: ‘You're going to send 32 teams home this year as losers. How do you make them feel like winners?’ And so we created ways to make sure that our opponents always left feeling good. When we won those valley championships, all three years, I refused to let them celebrate in front of our opponents. We went straight over, we shook their hands. We showed compassion. We'll celebrate later." (California photo by Alex Horvath)

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "Heard a rival dad is planning to hand out king size candy bars for Halloween so now every trick or treater that comes to my house is getting a full rack of ribs."

 * ... DANIEL RODRIGUEZ: It takes a lot to sideline noted plaintiff's attorney Daniel Rodriguez, but this was one opponent even his legendary tenacity could not defeat. Rodriguez recently underwent a hip replacement, compliments of Dr. Fadi Saied of Southern California Orthopedic Institute (SCOI). The verdict: Rodriguez was told his running days were over, but that simply was not going to happen."Why?" he said. "Because I have only one more continent to tun in order to have completed a marathon on each of the second continents: Antartica. I just received my confirmation that I'm enrolled in the running of the Antarctic Ice Marathon in December of 2121!"  Well done, counselor.

 * ... THIS WEEK: It will be a busy week in news. On Monday, the Senate Judiciary Committee begins hearings on the confirmation of Judge Amy Coney Barrett, a spectacle that will last all week. Also this week, Kern County should learn if it will advance to the "red tier" to allow limited restaurant dining and as a openings for churches, gyms and zoos. Finally, President Trump has been cleared to resume campaigning as we head into the final stretch of the campaign.

 * ... MIGRANT CAMP: Check out these classic old photos, taken by Dorothea Lange, of the Shafter Migrant Camp in 1938.

Bakersfield deals with a nagging jobless rate as another company, Lightspeed Systems, abandons California for Texas, and pickle ball comes to Bako

 * … JOBLESS: Kern County has dropped two spots and now ranks 55th out of 58 counties in the state with the highest unemployment. That's the word from local appraiser Gary Crabtree, who noted

that all six of the counties that comprise the Central Valley are ranked 50th or worse. Grabtree said our unemployment rate is now at 8.6 percent while California is sitting at 4.7 percent.

 * … LIGHTSPEED: Adding to those jobless woes will be the decision by Lightspeed Systems to abandon Bakersfield altogether for the more favorable climate of Austin, Texas. The local tech company, owned by Rob and Judi McCarthy, has provided jobs for hundreds of local people over the years, but high taxes and California regulations led to the decision to leave for Texas.

* … PICKLEBALL: Do you know what the fastest growing sport in America is? It is a tennis/ping pong hybrid called 'pickleball,' and it is gaining popularity in Bakersfield and across the west. In fact, retired arts teacher and longtime tennis pro Art Sherwyn put on his first pickle ball tournament at the Bakersfield Racquet Club this past weekend, running Thursday through Saturday with singles, doubles and mixed doubles. Pickleball uses a smaller, re-striped tennis court using smaller paddles and wiffle balls, creating a sport that is quick, intense and good for virtually any age. I participated in the tournament, if for no other reason than to give others a reason to feel good about their game.

 * … FROM COMEDIAN EDEN DRANGER: "I typed in 'frustrated and annoyed' and WebMD diagnosed me as 'married.'"

* … SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "I burned my mouth on my pizza and I feel this is a strong metaphor showing me that the ones we love can hurt us the most.

 * … DAVID PRICE: Looks like my old friend David Price III is facing some more delicate surgery next month as he battles an ongoing medical issue. Price is the former director of the county Resource Management Agency who retired to Johnson City, Tenn., a few years ago. Known for his keen dry wit and easy going style, Price left countless friends in Bakersfield who keep in touch on social media. Keep Dave in your thoughts as he prepares for the July 8 date with the surgeon.

* … MEMORIES: Mary Clark remembers Scotty's Pie shop but notes a tad differently than her brother, Superior Court Judge Thomas Clark. "Occasionally, when Tom and my sister were in school, Mom would walk to Scotty’s, with my younger brother and me. She would order one piece of pie, and share with us. Don’t remember which pie it was. I do remember sitting at a window table, and looking outside, while we had a special treat!"

State Sen. Michael Rubio hits the streets to support Leticia Perez in her race for 5th District supervisor, and a warning about a common scam about town

* ...  FIFTH DISTRICT: I had a nice chat with state Sen. Michael Rubio this weekend when he knocked on my door while walking the precincts in support of Leticia Perez, Rubio's field representative who is running for 5th District Supervisor. Rubio was optimistic that Perez would beat her two opponents, Supervisor Karen Goh and Arvin's Tim Tarver. "As you go east support for Leticia gets really strong," he told me. Rubio, who served as 5th District supervisor himself, has been knocking on doors for Perez almost every weekend. Meanwhile, Goh continues to pick up support from important business people, including three influential local women (Cynthia Icardo, Judi McCarthy and Sheryl Barbich) who wrote letters to the editor in support of the incumbent. (photos of Perez and Goh)

 * ... SCAM: My friend Pete Wonderly posted this warning on Facebook. "If you need extra cash, try this - it's all the rage: Approach someone downtown, at a gas station, or at any shopping center. Say, 'I won't lie to you... I just got out of Lerdo (or Corcoran Prison, etc), and I'm trying to take the bus home to San Diego (or Los Angeles, etc) and it's $72 and Pastor Bob at the Homeless Center (or Rescue Mission, etc.) gave me $50, and I only need four more dollars.' People give them the money and they move to the next person and the next with the same story."

 * ... SPOTTED: On Granite and Round Mountain Road this weekend I counted four tattered mattresses, two worn sofas and two recliners unceremoniously dumped on the side of the road.


* ... DOWNTOWN LIVING: If you haven't been downtown lately, make sure you check out 1612 City Lofts, an experiment in downtown loft living in an 1893 era building that is being totally gutted and renovated. The building, at the corner of 19th and Eye Streets, houses The Metro Galleries on its ground floor. There will be nine apartment loft units on the second floor sharing a common outdoor courtyard. Exterior painting is almost done and black awnings will wrap the building. The building is owned by Eydie and Gary Gibson and their partners, who are working with gallery owner Don Martin to expand his business on the Eye Street side. I have toured the loft units and they are stunning, offering a downtown lifestyle that is rare in our community. For more information go to 1612CityLofts.com. (photo of Don Martin and Eydie Gibson)

 * ... GOOD DEED: Roy Parks wrote with this feel good story that happened after he and his wife had lunch at Famous Dave's BBQ.  "I requested the bill from our server, Sara. She informed us that a man had paid our tab. She was told not to tell us until after he left. We do not know this man. This random act of kindness was much appreciated. I would rate this stranger as one of Bakersfield's finest."

 * ... SHERWYN: I'm not an artist, or an aspiring one, but if I were I might just sign up for the Quaking Aspen Art Retreat put on by plein air artist Art Sherwyn and photographer Greg Iger. Art told me it will be a three-day retreat in picturesque Quaking Aspen in the souther Sequoia, between Kernville and Camp Nelson. The retreat runs July 9-11. The fee is $320 and includes instruction, food and camping fees. Call (661) 834-4396 if you are interested.

An amazing random act of kindness and another First Friday features the arts district

 * ... KINDNESS: Consider the following nugget as further testimony to the generosity of our community. According to Donna Hylton, executive director of the Kern Adult Literacy Council, one of her volunteer tutors was on the receiving end of an amazing random act of kindness. Turns out the tutor suffered from crooked teeth that her family could not afford to straighten, but an anonymous donor emerged to pay for her dental work at absolutely no charge. "The random act of kindness has changed her life forever," Hylton said. "He paid for everything, even the surgery. I just want to let you know fantastic things are happening every day in good old Bakersfield even at the Kern Adult Literacy Council." By the way, if you are interested in tutoring at the council call (661) 324-3213.

 * ... WEEKEND: It may be Super Bowl weekend, but there's a lot more going on around our town than football. The weather will be a warmer so make sure you get out and enjoy our extensive bike trials and parks. And don't forget to include First Friday in your plans. Make a night of it and dine at one of our many locally owned downtown restaurants - Uricchio's Trattoria, Mama Roomba, Mexicali, Chef's Choice Noodle Bar, Cafe Med etc - and then run by the Metro Galleries on 19th Street to check out a show featuring the works of Art Sherwyn, his mother Doris, and Dean Johnson. The Foundry (located next to Dagny's on 20th Street) will also feature a show by young artist Jesus Fidel titled 'Plant Impossible Gardens.' On Monday, longtime Californian photographer Felix Adamo will have an exhibit of some stunning photography at Valentien Restaurant and Wine Bar from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Twenty-five percent from the sale of every print will go to the Cancer Center at San Joaquin Community Hospital.

* ... SPOTTED: Reader Chris Padham was driving south on Highway 99 between Ming Avenue and While lane when he spotted "a red Mustang being driven by a woman who was texting with a toddler on her lap. Evidently she must have a force field around her vehicle to prevent others from making her have an accident."

 * ... HALF PRICE: H. Walker's, a longtime purveyor of fine men's clothing downtown, will soon stop selling business suits to move to a more casual denim look. That's according to owner Tracy Walker-Kiser, who says the move is in line with the more casual style of men's clothing in California and the southern San Joaquin Valley. The good news: all suits are now on sale for $199, while they last.

 * ... HONOR FLIGHTS: There's an effort under way to create a local chapter of Honor Flights, the organization that flies veterans to Washington, D.C., to view the memorials honoring their service. Lili Marsh, the manager over at the Petroleum Club, told me the group is looking for folks who may be interested in serving on its board of directors or in some other way. Honor Flights was established in 2005 and since then some 22,000 veterans have been flown to Washington at no cost. If interested, email the group at honorflightsbakersfield@yahoo.com.

 * ... CSUB: Had a chance to walk through the Student Recreation Center at Cal State Bakersfield this week and it's an impressive addition to the campus. It was full of students using the treadmills, rock climbing wall and weight rooms, all amenities prospective students expect at a college campus. If you haven't toured it yet, drop by and check it out.

 * ... BAKERSFIELDISM: You know you're a Bakersfieldian if, after every cough, sneeze, sniffle and/or wheeze, you always blame "the air quality." Thanks to Jolie Brouttier for that one.

If Jesus is with the 99 percent, where does that leave Denver quarterback Tim Tebow?

 * ... SHERWYN: Ran into my old friend Art Sherwyn the other day and had a chance to catch up on his life since he retired as a teacher last year.  Sherwyn was a beloved art teacher for years and also coached the Stockdale High School girl's tennis teams to back-to-back Valley Championships. (He also taught at Wasco, South and McFarland high schools) He's now teaching a little tennis at the Bakersfield Racquet Club and pursuing his own art career. In fact, next month his own mother's art will be featured at The Metro Galleries beginning on First Friday, February 3.

* ... DRESS BARN: The local Dressbarn outlet on Rosedale Highway in the Northwest Promenade is not closing. That's the word from store manager Susan Schwartz who told me the store will be closed for only two months for a complete remodel. She wanted to put rumors that it was closing permanently to rest. "We are simply shutting our doors for two months for a remodel. Our store sales performance and customer service actually ranks in the top 10 percent of the chain. We will be back in business March 19 and I promise we will be one of the prettiest stores in Bakersfield."


 * ... OVERHEARD: A woman is telling a friend about a panhandler who stationed himself on a busy off ramp on Highway 178. "I always gave him money until one day he wasn't there, so I turned around and came back through the same spot and saw him getting into a black Lexus and driving away."

 * ... SPOTTED: A bumper sticker on an SUV reads "Jesus is with the 99 percent." Guess that leaves out Denver quarterback Tim Tebow, whose $10 million salary certainly qualifies him as a 1 percenter.

* ... GRANTS: Kudos to Mercy and Memorial Hospitals who distributed $227,041 in grants to local nonprofit agencies through the CHW Community Grants Program.  Receiving funding were:  Alzheimer’s Association -  $44,888; CASA - $40,000; Kern Assistive Technology Center - $29,276; Special Olympics - $7,000; Links for Life - $25,000; Mercy Housing California (Madison Place and The Haven) - $19,990; St. Vincent DePaul Stores and Center - $36,000 and the West Side Community Resource Center - $24,888.  In addition to this funding, Mercy and Memorial have contributed another $25,000 in grants to local nonprofit agencies through the Sister Phyllis Hughes Endowment and $180,000 in sponsorship of special events for local agencies.

 * ... EVENTS: A couple of events that are worth checking out. On Sunday, January 29, the Guild House will be presenting a five-course dinner for $100. Proceeds support the Henrietta Weill Child Guidance Center. Call (661) 834-3566 for reservations. Then on Friday, February 3, the Southern Valley Friends of the National Rifle Association hold its annual dinner and auction at the Bakersfield Elks Lounge. Tickets are $50. Call (661) 205-8569 for details.

* ... BAKERSFIELDISM: From my friend Riley Parker: "Most folks who have lived in Bakersfield for any considerable period of time know that Leo G. Pauly School is located at 313 Planz Road.  How many folks know that Leo G. Pauly served as Interim City Marshall from February 4, 1915, until February 28, 1915? This is when you know that you are really a Bakersfield old-timer."

Cindy Meek retires at St. Francis Parish School while Art Sherwyn says goodbye to Stockdale High School

 * ... MEEK RETIRES: Cindy Meek, the longtime principal at St. Francis Parish School, has retired after a long and distinguished career. She served as principal for 20 years and has worked with Monsignor Craig Harrison for years. "I started working with him when I was teaching at St. Francis and he was in the seminary.  It has been a great thirty-two years experience all together." Meek will continue to be involved with scholarship, teacher training and assisting her successor, Father Denis Ssekannyo.

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 * ... ART'S FAREWELL: I attended the retirement party for Art Sherwyn, the popular Stockdale High School art teacher who has left a lasting imprint on so many students, colleagues and friends over the years. If the measure of a life can be judged by an event like this, then Art Sherwyn has certainly done something right. Teachers, friends, former students and family members showed up at the Bakersfield Museum of Art to testify to the ability of one person - in this case a teacher - to profoundly influence the direction of one's life. His two children, Liz and Ben, gave moving tributes to their father, as did several former students of Art's when he was at Wasco High School. Sherwyn is best known as an artist, but I know him from his time guiding my younger daughter on the Stockdale girls tennis team. And I will you he was an artist there as well.


 * ... THREE SONS: It's not often that you have three sons in the same family celebrating graduations at the same time, but that's the case with John and Angela Genter. Their son Brock is graduating from CSUB with a degree in biology and a minor in chemistry. He was also named biology student of the year and is working for the Forest Service and studying for the MCATS. Son Aaron is also graduating from CSUB with a degree in business. He works for Lightspeed Systems as a sales force administrator. And finally, son Evan is graduating from Frontier High School with a not too shabby 4.2 GPA. He is headed for the Colorado School of Mines where he will be studying to become a petroleum engineer. Congrats to John, who is chief operating officer at Lightspeed, and wife Angela.

 * ... GOOD NEWS: Reader Shelley Cauzza dropped this nice note: "I meant to write a while back, then forgot, then was re-inspired by today's (Friday's) column  I can't tell you how much I appreciate the good news in your column.  I was very pleased to see your comments about Jacob Frost and University of Colorado.  I was his first grade teacher (and his younger brother's a few years later) and I can tell you he was a great kid back then. I wasn't surprised to see what he had accomplished. He had the heart of a lion back then. But proud to know him, for sure. And his parents deserve a round of applause too. Carol was probably one of the most amazing mothers I have ever met. Here I am 10 or so years later raising my own kids, and I pray I am half as good as she is. So, thank you, I enjoy the good news."

 * ... ENGINEER: And then there is Don McCuan, a 2000 graduate from Wasco High School who will be getting his master's in geology at CSUB. Dan worked  for his father's  window business but was inspired by Bakersfield College geology professor Natalie Burzstyn to pursue a career in petroleum geology. He is finishing his thesis in time to start work as a professional geophysicist at Occidental Petroleum in just a couple of weeks. While in graduate school at CSUB, he worked as a research assistant on a prestigious National Science Foundation grant to the Geology Department.
  
* ... WHO KNEW? Highland, East Bakersfield and South were all high schools attended by members of Bakersfield-grown, Grammy-award winning band, Korn.

UC, CSU systems threatening huge tuition hikes as they grapple with budget cuts

 * ... TUITION: Chilling news out of the office of the University of California president Mark Yudoff. Calling it a "nasty scenario," Yudoff is warning that UC students may face a 32 percent mid year hike in tuition if Gov. Jerry Brown's plan for tax extensions is not approved. And that would come on top of the 8 percent tuition hike set for this fall. UC tuition is expected to go to about $11,000 in the fall and if the 32 percent hike goes into effect, it will rise to $14,800. The CSU system is facing similar challenges and is warning of waiting lists, cuts in course offerings and even enrollment caps. None of this is good news in the midst of high unemployment, tight credit and a struggling economy.

 * ... SHERWYN RETIRING: It looks like this is the final year of teaching for Art Sherwyn, the long-time educator, artist and tennis coach. Sherwyn is one of the staples on the local art scene and his work has been shown across town, from the Bakersfield Museum of Art to Metro Galleries on 19th Street. But he is also well known for his long career in the classroom, most recently at Stockdale High School where he taught art as well as coached the successful Stockdale girls tennis team. He may be out of the classroom, but he will be around town. If you haven't checked out his website, you can do so here.

 * ... SPORTS MONDAY: You'll see some changes in the daily Bakersfield Californian starting Monday with the debut of "Sports Monday." We will be featuring expanded sports coverage and on most days the front page will be devoted to sports as well. We will continue to offer all our regular news and features but with an expanded emphasis on sports. Let us know what you think.

 * ... NEW EATERY: It looks like there is a another new restaurant opening downtown, yet another positive sign in the resurgence of our arts district. I am told that two local doctors - Mark Hamilton and Lee Marek - are renovating the 19th Street space once occupied by Goose Loonie's and the ill fated Victor  Victoria's. Called "The Mark," the new restaurant will open in the fall and the style will be in the tradition of the old Maison Jassaud's.

 * ... EAST ROTARY: The East Rotary Club has left the old Veteran's Hall building on the east side for a new venue, the Star's Theater downtown. The East Club had met on the east side for 52 years but apparently a more central location was more attractive to some of the club members.

 * ... MEMORY: Reader Jean Burdette to wrote to recall when her family would cross town "to get an ice cold Reed and Bell root beer - the best! - a little mug free for the children. I still have one of the mugs somewhere."

 * ... CAL RADIO: Join me Friday at 10 a.m. on SmartTalk 1230 Californian radio when I will be chatting with Gene Thome about gun rights and what is hot in the shooting sports. Gene owns Bear Mountain Sports and is active in the sporting community. If you can't get to a radio, Google "Radio Time" and listen to the program via your computer.

 * ... BAKERSFIELDISM: And loyal reader Linda Welch added this one: You might be a Bakersfield old-timer if you remember "when Zody's Department Store opened and Buck Owens was there along with the Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders."

UC California reports toughest year ever for graduating seniors while the TSA cracks down on snow globes. Say what?

* ... UC ADMISSIONS: It wasn't surprising to read that this turned out to be one of the most competitive years ever to get into one of the nine University of California (UC) campuses. Between state budget cutbacks and the sheer number of graduating seniors, the UC system admitted just 71.6 percent of applicants, compared to 75.4 percent two years ago. The UC system has always been the crown jewel of the California colleges, but there are plenty of other worthy schools out there. Consider some of the kids over at the AVID program (Advancement Via Individual Determination) at Taft Union High School. AVID teacher Debra Popejoy noted that because of financial constraints, most of the AVID kids will be attending junior colleges, but others are headed to four year institutions. Among them are Mayra Aguilar and Emmanuel Medina going to Loyola-Marymount University,  Chesney Doak and Hannah Koerner will be attending UC Davis, and Stephannie Heerdink, Brian Parsons and Hailey Smith will be attending CSUB. Also, Stewart Bandy is going to Humboldt State while Kathy Lopez will be attending Azusa Pacific.  Jared Miller will be attending CSU Monterey Bay while Will Palmer is heading to Cal Baptist.  Lastly, Alberto Uribe is going to UC Merced. Congrats to all these kids.

 * ... BANANA SLUG? Reader Laura Wolfe emailed me that her son Matthew had been accepted to the University of California at Santa Barbara and UC Santa Cruz. Laura is a UC Santa Barbara graduate and pointed out other family members graduated from UC Berkeley, UCLA and UC San Francisco. Laura says Matthew is heading for Santa Cruz and "I'm okay with that.!"

* ... SNOW GLOBES: If you plan on any air travel, leave that snow globe at home or risk the wrath of the Transportation Security Agency (TSA). Former Bakersfield resident Mary Lou Fulton posted a Tweet the other day noting a sign at the Orange County airport warning passengers against carrying aboard snow globes because they might contain potentially hazardous material. Huh?

* ... ART SHERWYN: Our town is full of interesting characters, and one of the more intelligent and delightful ones is Art Sherwyn, a long-time art teacher, tennis coach and accomplished artist. On Thursday, April 29, Metro Galleries downtown will sponsor an "Evening with Art Sherwyn" during which he will share his perspectives on making art. Sherwyn's paintings will be on display (and I assume for sale) but the real draw here is Art himself. He is a fascinating story teller and intellect who has multiple talents and interests. The cost is $30. You can call the gallery to reserve your spot. 

 * ... BAKERSFIELDISM: You know you're from Bakersfield when "you know who is engaged to whom by reading the Olcott's ad in The Californian."

Don Martin's eternal quest to bring art to B-town

You really have to admire Don Martin over at Metro Galleries. I've featured Don many times on this blog and all for good reason: he's one of the pivotal players in bringing a thimble full of culture to our community, which after all is known more for its adult illiteracy rate than for art. (read previous posts here) One caveat: lots of other folks have been busy on the local art scene, like the Arts Council of Kern and the Bakersfield Museum of Art, but what Martin and his involvement with First Fridays has done is to make it fun and cool and relevant to a much younger crowd. So you have to really hand it to Valley Republic Bank, the new bank in town, for asking Don to handle a special exhibit coinciding with the bank's grand opening this week.
Don says he sold the bank several pieces for its permanent collection but he'll also have works by Keith Wicks, Art Sherwyn, David Gordon and Bonnie Hineline-Kemper on view. The show is set for this Thursday from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the new Valley Republic Bank at 5000 California Avenue, Suite 100. Wine and cheese will be served. Art Sherwyn (read a previous post here) is a local artist and high school art teacher and of course David Gordon works at the Bakersfield Museum of Art.

Art Sherwyn: "I'm staying at Stockdale High"

Art Sherwyn tells me he's changed his mind and will be staying at Stockdale High School for another two years. A few days go I bumped into Art at the Bakersfield Museum of Art (check out the previous post here) and he told me he was taking early retirement from the Kern High School District. With any decision involving Art there's always a winner, and this time it's his art students at Stockdale High. Retirement can wait. His email to me:

"I feel kind of bad about this, but when I spoke to you about my retiring, I had not made the final decision as of that time. Even though retirement looked enticing, in my heart and my head I did not feel I was ready to leave yet; the art room is a magical place to exist. I decided today that I will stay at Stockdale High for two more years; I hope this does not screw up your blog. I’m very relieved with my decision."

Education's loss is a gain for local art aficianados

Ran into Art Sherwyn and his daughter Liz at a recent museum opening and he let it drop that come May, his teaching career is over. Seems the budget crisis led to an offer from the high school district that allows him to retire early, bringing an end to a long career at Stockdale High School. Some know Art as the tennis coach and art teacher at Stockdale, where he led the Mustangs girls tennis team to three straight Valley championships. But his real passion is art, and it was last December when the Bakersfield Museum of Art featured his work and that of his daughter, Liz. It was the first time the two accomplished artists held a joint show. Art is a natural teacher and an even more natural artist. Having had a daughter who graduated from Stockdale and was fortunate enough to play for art on the tennis team, his retirement will be a huge loss. But it will allow Art to throw himself completely into his art, which has always been his greatest passion. Check out his website here.