Interstate 5 in California ranks as one of the most dangerous highways in the nation, a publisher with deep roots to Kern County retires and City Serve raises $558,000 with the Mayor's Ball

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. 

 * ... DANGEROUS ROADS: Some of the most dangerous interstate highways in the country are located right here in California. According to the insurance website The Zebra, Interstate 5 is ranked No. 3 out of the 10 most dangerous roads in the country. The website also found that California contains portions of

four of the deadliest U.S. interstates, spanning from Northern California to Southern California: I-5, I-15, I-40, and I-80. Interstate 95, which goes through major cities like New York, Baltimore, Boston, Jacksonville, Florida and Miami, Florida, was found to the most dangerous highway in the U.S.

 * ... LOGAN MOLEN RETIRING: A longtime editor and journalist with deep ties to Kern County has retired. That's the word from Logan Molen who announced his retirement as publisher of the Steamboat (Co.) Pilot after 3 1/2 years. If that name is familiar it should be: Molen served in a variety of editing and management positions at The Bakersfield Californian over the course of more than 20 years, and he also served as publisher and CEO of the family-run Eugene (Oregon) Register-Guard before joining Swift Communications in Steamboat.

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "Sorry I couldn't respond to your emails. Supply chains are messed up right now."

 * ... KERN COMMUNITY FOUNDATION: Hats off to Aaron Falk, formerly a district field manager for Rep. Kevin McCarthy and now newly hired as head of the Kern Community Foundation. Falk succeeds Dr. Kristen Beall Watson, who held the position for six years before leaving to serve as chief of staff to the president at California State University, Bakersfield. Falk takes over as CEO of perhaps one of the most undervalued non -profits in the community. It arguably helps more people throughout Kern County, particularly via its Women's and Girl's Fund, than most other non-profits and has grown into an important and influential voice in our community.

 * ... MAYOR'S BALL: And speaking of valuable non-profits, the CityServe organization benefitted from the annual Mayor's Ball this past weekend, an elegant evening that raised some $558,000 for the charity that aids families in need. That's almost twice the amount ($271,000) raised last year, and it drew an eclectic mix of Bakersfield representing the goodwill generated by the work of CityServe. Its success was due in no little part to the popularity of Pastor Robin Robinson, whose sheer energy and commitment has elevated her to perhaps the most popular (and effective) religious leader in town. (Her ability to tap into corporate donations for a worthy cause is impressive.) The event was held in the old Montgomery Ward building on F Street, now owned by Canyon Hills and used as a headquarters for CityServe.

 * ... ST. FRANCIS CHURCH: How many of you have seen this picture of the old St. Francis Church, circa 1920, before the 1952 earthquake destroyed it? Thanks to the Kern County of Old website for sharing.

 * ... MEMORIES: And take a look at this map, circa 1923, of the downtown area around Jastro Park. Some of the older homes have been built but others not. Thanks to Matt Revenaugh for posting this jewel.

Accelerated Urgent Care doctors trigger a storm of controversy over the coronavirus, images of child porn appear on a Bakersfield College Zoom meeting, catching up with KBAK TV personalities and how about getting a speeding ticket for going 165 mph!

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 person or organization.

 * ... CORONAVIRUS: Two doctors who own and operate Accelerated Urgent Care (known as one of the places that offers coronavirus testing) have ignited a storm of controversy by calling for the opening of the economy and casting doubt on the motives behind the current policy to control the virus. Dr. Dan Erickson and Dr. Artin Massihi basically said the virus is simply a another flu and the reaction has been overblown. (Erickson proudly boasted that he does not wear a mask) The response from other doctors was swift. One expert, quoted in The Californian, said the doctors used flawed data and accused them of "advancing factual inaccuracies." On social media, the blowback was  hard and immediate. One reader accused the doctors of taking the stand so they can make more money at Accelerated, which is now closed to most all other business while it provides testing. The Kern County Health Department also disagreed and said the county should continue to practice social distancing. So are the Accelerated doctors motived by money or science? You decide. (photo courtesy of The Californian)

 * ... ZOOM BOMBING: Imagine being Bakersfield College president Sonya Christian and you are hosting a Zoom meeting with community leaders to talk about the school's response to the coronavirus. And then imagine you are looking at the screen and someone - a hacker - posts a graphic video of child pornography. Well it happened, as it often does on unsecured Zoom meeting accounts, and the meeting was quickly ended. Bakersfield police are investigating. Among those attending were state Sen. Shannon Grove, county CAO Ryan Alsop and Michael Turnipseed of the Kern Taypayer's Association. (stock photo for illustration purposes only)

 * ... SPEED: Remember when I reported that speeding along Interstate 5 had skyrocketed since the shelter at home orders? Well, check this out: a CHP officer ticketed someone for going 165 mph - yes that is right - in south Orange County. Be careful out there.

 * ... NEWS ANCHOR: It was good to see KBAK TV anchor Rachelle Murcia posting a video on Facebook during one of her visits to the Comprehensive Blood and Cancer Center (CBCC) for treatment. Murcia is staying busy and occasionally broadcasting from home during her treatment, which has compromised her immune system and put her at greater risk of the coronavirus. Keep Murcia and her family in your thoughts.

 * ... REYNA HARVEY: Now that we are catching up with local television personalities, Reyna Harvey, a high spirited and talented reporter for KBAK TV, has joined KRON TV in San Francisco. Harvey is originally from Oakland so the move north was a homecoming of sorts.

 * ... JACKIE PARKS: And finally, you likely remember longtime anchor Jackie Parks who moved to Maryland a few years back along with her anchor personality Todd Karli. It turns out their son, Jack, s returning to the Golden State to attend Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo. Sometimes you just can't take the California out of the kid no matter where you end up. Parks and Karli were the most prominent husband-wife couple on TV when they left KBAK a few years ago.

 * ... GASOLINE PRICES: Who thought we would see prices like this at your local pump?

 * ... TRASH: If you ever drive on Round Mountain Road, a favorite spot for local cyclists, you may have noticed how some people use it as their own personal dumping ground. Check out this photo from Facebook allegedly showing a truck that may have left a load of dump on the side of the road. We are told this has been reported to the Sheriff's Department.

 * ... MEMORIES: Don't you just love this picture of the old "Dead Man's curve" on the old Highway 99 before Interstate 5 was built? Thanks to the Kern County History Fans page for this shot.

A reader shares the uplifting story of rescuing a starving pit bull, more on those gardening scams about town and just what is a transracial person?

 * ... STRAY PIT: For every sad story about dogs being abandoned by their owners there are folks like Beth Morse who give us hope. Morse shared her story of rescuing a blue pitiful that she found in her neighborhood, skinny and starving after giving birth to a litter. (She submitted an

adorable picture of her grand daughter cuddling with the pit) "She was as thick through as my index finger is long. She weighed 35 pounds. After a night in my side yard with food and a bed I introduced her to my dogs while I figured out what to do with her. Keeping her on a leash for my dogs protection, she stepped on the lead and just froze, never trying to take another step. I knew then she had been staked out somewhere and had quit trying to walk around. We figure she was so starved the puppies didn't survive and since she wasn't a good breeder (although being a 'rare blue') it was easier to dump her. She suffered a dislocated hip and had been so hungry she had eaten a corncob which lodged in her intestine. Today, three and a half years later, Lucy Loo Loo is a wonderful part of my daughter's family."

 * ... STRAYS: And Carol Knapp added this: "It is sad to hear about all the abuses to the animals in our county and even sadder to know that that the idiots that commit the abuses more than likely are illiterate and can't read the paper. We need to have more public announcements in regards to spay and neutering dogs and cats on multiple ethnic radio stations in Kern County."

 * ... SCAMS: More on local scams thanks to reader Carol Craig: "Richard thank you for reporting on the mulch scam happening. Unfornately they got us in the fall of last year but for a lot more money, $1,100. They also stated we would not have weeds which was not true. I would like to warn folks of another scam going around. I have received calls from a group stating they are calling from Geek Squad and of course there are problems with your computer. They sound like the same folks that would call and stated they were from Microsoft. Of course I contacted Geek Squad and they don’t make random calls and of course neither does Microsoft."

 * ... GROVE: Now that Assemblywoman Shannon Grove has denied linking God's anger to the California drought, I hope we can put this episode behind us. And as reader Susan St. Laurent reminded me: "It made me think of this quote from Thomas Merton: 'Our idea of God tells us more about ourselves than about Him.'"

 * ... SPOTTED: On a lighter note I spotted this on Twitter: "Isn’t it weird that after 30,000 years of eating bread, everyone is gluten allergic now?"

 * ... NAACP: And there was this from Baxter Canfield on the story of the Spokane, Wash., NCAAP president who has been posing as an African American: "I just heard that Rachel Dolezal is a new 'trans' now. It is 'transracial' when a person from one race identifies with another race. I feel left out so I created my own 'trans' called 'transager.' This is where one person is old and thinks he/she is still young."

 * ... GOOD SERVICE: Nancy and Jim Bryant wrote to give a shout out to Southwest Garage which has taken care of their family cars for more than 30 years. "Southwest Garage exemplifies a business who persists in getting the job done. We have always been impressed by their service, but this goes way beyond our expectations."

Is the national housing market slowing down, and what does that mean for buyers and sellers? And good samaritans show some really good form to strangers

 * … HOUSING: The housing rebound continues with its fits and starts, and now comes word that a slowdown may be underway. On the national level, The Wall Street Journal notes that home prices rose 9.3 percent in May compared to the same period last year. That is certainly good news, but the

Journal warned that "there are growing signs of a slowdown. While the current weakness could provide investors with an opportunity to place new wagers and lower prices, analysts warn that the environment has become more challenging." For home buyers, the Journal noted, "the slowdown is good: Slowing price rains and low interest rates make homes more affordable."

 * … GOOD FORM: Lucy Gallardo wrote to share this random act of kindness. "My parents are in their 80s and my dad is having heart surgery next week. On Tuesday of this week, we dropped off their vehicle for repairs with Juan, the owner of Performance Off Road and Auto Accessories. The repairs were going to take about two hours so we went to breakfast at one of my parents favorite places….. Lil Spencers.  While there, an anonymous angel paid for our breakfast. Then it was time to pick up my parents' vehicle and the owner did not charge them for his services. As we were driving off, the owner says, 'I will be praying for your husband's surgery next week.' Wow, a double act of kindness in one day! Thank you for making my parents day, they were so moved by your acts of kindness.

 * … SPOTTED: A woman is telling a coworker about a tan and a plastic folding table parked in the dirt lot across from Marie Callender's, selling Krispy Kreme doughnuts of all things. "A man was standing on sidewalk waving a small Krispy Kreme banner. I wonder how far they brought these presumably bootleg doughnuts from." she said.

 * … WATER: The rain and wind we experienced Sunday triggered the predictable round of photos posted on Facebook showing wet road and rain drops on sidewalks, yet further evidence how desperate we are in this long drought. And reader Gil Nolasco added this idea about water conservation: "Hi Richard, I started to flush out my pool filters in the driveway like I usually do but I immediately felt guilty of letting the water go down the gutter. Then I realized, hey move over to the lawn, dummy! What little hair and dirt won't hurt the grass. The gardeners will clean it up when they come by. Problem solved. I also thought, I usually don't use any soap when I wash the car (cars don't get body odor) just water and sponge, why not do a 'hillbilly bath?' Park the car on the lawn and wash it down. Too low class? Or the future of car washing? Just be careful not to run over your sprinklers!"

 * … ROTARY: Another shout out to the Rotary West club for once again helping needy children prepare for school. The event is Child Spree, where each child participates in a $100 back to school shopping indulgence at Kohl's. Said Vija A. Turjanis for the county Mental Health Department: "If not for this event, many of these children would not start the school year with brand new outfits. Most of these children have experienced severe trauma and are on their way of becoming healthy children, and really benefit from positive childhood experiences. Shopping for school clothes, getting a new backpack, (and of course a hot breakfast sandwich) is a great way to start the school year."

* … GROVE: Assemblywoman Shannon Grove has appointed Greg Burt as her new communications director. Previously Burt worked as a reporter in Colorado, worked for a member of Congress and a State Senator in Orange County.

Wool Growers restaurant likely to get some new love in an upcoming feature of Saveur magazine, and an old timer remembers the original Green Frog market

 * ... WOOL GROWER'S: It looks like Wool Growers, the famous Basque restaurant on 19th Street, will be getting some more love from the national press. Christiane Camou, daughter of Wool Grower' owner Jenny Maitia-Poncetta, tipped me that the editor of Saveur magazine (James Oseland) popped into the eatery last week.  "He enjoyed it so much that he had his photographer take hundreds of pictures of the food, and visited with my grandmother and myself about the history of Basque restaurants in Bakersfield," she said.

 * ... CAL RADIO: Tune in to Californian Radio (KERN1180) Monday at 9 a.m. when Assemblywoman Shannon Grove will be my guest to talk about AB 202, the school marshal's bill. In addition, I will be chatting with Cal State Bakersfield Athletic Director Jeff Konya and Runners baseball coach Bill Kernen.

 * ... HIGH ACHIEVER: Hats off to Stacy Vanderhurst, valedictorian of her 1994 graduating class at Centennial High. She went on to graduate from Notre Dame with honors and is now completing her doctorate at Brown University. In addition, Stacy is teaching an "Anthropology of Globalization" class at Brown this semester.

* ... NIGHTMARE: Here's a nightmare story on air flight that I wouldn't wish on anybody. Lois Henry, our Californian columnist, was flying back from the inauguration when she missed her 6 p.m. connection in Phoenix and was bumped to the 9 p.m. flight. That turned out to be two hours late, but it did make it to Bakersfield only to pass over the city and turn around because of fog at Meadows Field. "They initially rebooked me on the next day's 9 p.m. flight, but I was able to finagle a seat on the 11 a.m. flight. And no, US Airways did not put us up in hotels. You either had to pay for your own room, or schlump around the airport all night. If I don't see the Phoenix airport again for a good long while, it still won't be long enough!"

* ... WHAT'S IN A NAME: Cheryle DeMaro shared with me the origin of her own namne. "In the mid 1950s there were quite a few female babies (me included, except my dad changed my middle name to Jeanette in a compromise with my mom) that were named Cheryl Ann. Working in banks over the years I met a few of them in Bakersfield. I got curious and asked my mom why she picked that name. She said while in the hospital a new TV series came on and it was called 'On the Waterfront' starring the hunk at the time Preston Foster. His famous tug boat was named the Cheryl Ann. It was only on a couple of years but he had some Bakersfield women who had a crush on him. I thought maybe these 'Cheryle Anns ' would like to know. Also, does anyone know the story of the beautiful old Victorian house located behind the new Maya?"

 * ... GREEN FROG: Stan Anderson wrote to recall the old Green Frog Market that was located on the southeast corner of California and Chester. "In the early 1950s, Paul Taylor owned and operated the grocery department, and my dad, Clif Anderson, owned and operated the 'full service' meat department while Charlie Everett owned and operated the produce department  Somewhere around 1953 or 1954 Mr. Everett built the store at Alta Vista and Bernard and the Chester store closed. At this point, my dad went to work in the Alta Vista store where he worked for Mr. Everett as a meat cutter until he retired in 1974.  My Mom, Naomi Anderson, was the bookkeeper for the Bernard store from about 1955 until she retired in about 1992."

Kern supervisors appear ready to strike down medical marijuana sales and remembering the Chinese school boycott of 1920

* ... POT LAWS: The Kern County Board of Supervisors seems poised to outlaw the sale of medicinal marijuana, despite the fact that some 20,000 local citizens have joined the cooperatives. Sheriff Donny Youngblood calls the law a sham, saying virtually anyone can qualify for a pot ID card and adding that the storefronts attract crime and other bad elements. Others, like local attorney Phil Ganong, argue that thousands of people suffering from illness and pain are benefiting from being able to legally purchase pot. What is your view? On Friday, I will be discussing the issue on Californian Radio SmartTalk 1230 from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Call in at (661) 631-1230 to share your view.

* ... BAD BILLS: Got a chuckle out of a press release from the office of state Assemblywoman Shannon Grove, who pointed out some examples of government-run-amok bills introduced in the Legislature. One example: Senate Bill 432 "requires hotels to use fitted bottom sheets and not flat sheets so housekeepers won’t need to fold in corners." Said Rep. Grove: "Can’t hotels serve their patrons without state legislators telling them what they can and can’t put on their beds?" Could not agree more. (File photo of Shannon Grove)

* ... LOCAL HISTORY: The story of Bakersfield's Chinese community is a fascinating one, which is why I enjoyed reading Gilbert Gia's history of the Chinese boycott of local schools in 1910. It seems that 40 Chinese students were assigned to a special "Oriental class" at the Hawthorne School (24th and P streets). Chinese parents rebelled, arguing that their children would not learn English fast enough in a segregated classroom. One of the leaders of the boycott was Sing Lee, a respected wealthy businessman and laundry owner who died in 1922 at the age of 107. The boycott eventually failed but the local Chinese population had made its voice heard.

* ... COLLEGE COSTS:With the cost of a California college education steadily rising, a growing number of students are looking abroad for bargains at equally prestigious universities. According to Forbes, the cost of tuition at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, alma mater of Britain's Prince William and wife Kate, is $21,650. Likewise, tuition and fees at McGill Universty in Canada is $17,400. Compare that to public universities like the University of Michigan, which charges out of state students more than $40,000 a year in tuition alone, and going abroad starts to look like a real bargain.

* ... FRAUD: My mailbox is brimming with stories of credit card fraud. This one from reader Rhonda MacGillivray-Brady explaining how her husband's personal and business American Express cards were compromised. "He learned this by a phone call from the card company asking if he was in Canada as one of his cards have been used four times that day, once at a gas station for $100. Two days later, the second card was also used in Canada. I don't know what is going on or hwere these criminals obtained both of his card numbers, but at least American Express is keeping an eye out."

* ... SPOTTED: Young woman driving a green Toyota Camry down Rosedale Highway in the morning commute, shaving her chin with a razor.

* ... BAKERSFIELDISM: You may be a Bakersfield old timer if you had a charge account at Brock's department store "because each generation did ... you qualified because your parents paid their bills and Mr. Brock believed that you would too." Thanks to Riley Parker for that gem.