Renovation of Griffith Field at Bakersfield High School moves toward completion, it's college "move out" day for students and watch those dirty grocery cart handles

 * ... DRILLER PRIDE: The new stadium, track and football field at Bakersfield High School is finally coming together, and it looks spectacular. Next time you are on California Avenue headed

west glance to your right to check out the new digs, all worthy of Driller Pride for the new season. The vintage 1923 stadium upgrade includes moving the visitor stands behind the track; new concessions, ticket booths and restrooms for the home and visitor sides; the addition of two (2) “mini-Griffiths” that will attach to the current stadium that will expand seating and provide additional room for a new weight room and trainers facility;  replacing the locker and shower areas with modern plumbing and facilities; replacing the watering and drainage systems in the stadium and Morrow Field to ensure fields get evenly watered and properly drained when rain occurs; redoing the field and the track; and enhancing curbs, gutters and parking.

 * ... GRADUATES: Congratulations to all those high school seniors out there, and especially the ones who have settled on a college to continue their journey. They're headed off to places like the University of Arizona, Baylor University, Cal Berkeley, Loyola Marymount and closer to home CSUB and Bakersfield College. This is also the time when parents are trudging off to colleges to move their children out of the dorms for the summer. Said one friend: "I got more than 15,000 steps on my Fitbit going up and down six flights of stairs. My knee hurts."

 * ... WELCOME HOME: Congratulations to a special couple - Bakersfield High School dean of instruction Tamara Clark and her city firefighter captain husband A.J. Clark - for bringing home their third son Ben from Children's Hospital Los Angeles. Ben was born with a congenital heart defect but underwent successful open heart surgery while just a few days old. They were grateful for not only the care at CHLA, but also at Memorial Hospital (where the defect was detected) and the Ronald McDonald House at CHLA. 

* ... HAND SANITIZERS: Next time you ignore the hand sanitizer at the grocery store, consider this as reported in The New York Times: "Grocery carts can be particularly risky points of transmission. Someone grabbing chicken or meat can leak the juices onto a cart and their hands and then continue to push the cart around, transmitting pathogens like Salmonella and E. coli onto the handle. The next person who handles the cart, or the next child who sits in the top of the wagon, can then pick up the bugs."

 * ... SPOTTED ON FACEBOOK: "Being cremated is my last hope for a smoking hot body."

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "That awkward moment when you’re checking yourself out in the window of a car and then realize there’s someone inside."

 * ... GOOD FORM: Hats off to the two ladies who spent Mother's day morning walking the park at the Panorama bluffs picking up trash. By the way, I was the guy on the bike who waved hello.

 * ... DOG PLAQUE: And finally there was this from James M. Stuart: "I always thought the 'Lucky and Friends' was the best dog plaque at Riverwalk Park (mainly because it was the only one and Lucky is my dog), but now I have to say that there is one that is much better... located on a bench, it reads: 'Lucas: For my beloved friend and constant companion, my little dog. I will love you always-  Anita.' I don't recall ever meeting Anita or Lucas but am appreciative of how much a pet can mean to someone."

Step aside all you negative people, researchers show happy people really do have more fun ... plus a trip to Lakeside School and LGBTQ group shuns both mayoral candidates

 * ... LAKESIDE: Want to feel good about America and our country? Spend a few hours in one of our local classrooms and chances are you will come out impressed with the level of teaching and

surprised at how bright our kids are these days. I rarely set foot inside a school these days, but this week I spoke to Joseph Andreotti's AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) class at the Lakeside School. My thoughts: a committed teacher, promising and bright students and a supportive faculty and administration.

 * ... HAPPINESS: And here's something else that lifted my spirits: researchers say people who are genuinely happy, kind and sympathetic really do have more fun. That's good news in a world where narcissism and pettiness seem to rule the landscape in politics and entertainment. Said the Wall Street Journal: "Nice people, rejoice: Notwithstanding the prominent examples today in political and popular culture, the best available research still clearly shows that in everyday life the nice people, not the creeps, do the best at work, in love and in happiness."

* ... QUEER THE VOTE: So what do you think of the movement to write in "Queer the Vote" instead of voting for either Kyle Carter or Karen Goh as mayor? That's the recommendation of some folks in our local LGBTQ community who are unhappy with either candidate. Neither Carter nor Goh, they argue, has done enough to embrace the gay, lesbian and transgender community. To his credit, Carter has been up front about saying he would not participate in a gay pride parade for fear or angering some segment of the community. (Carter says he has gay friends but on this issue he will not get involved.) Goh has been consistent too in dodging the question and failing to return calls. This issue is hardly large enough to turn this election, but it's an interesting sideshow in this show we call the 2016 election campaign.

* ... FOODIE: If you like food that talks back to you, try the new spicy chicken sandwich at The Padre Hotel, part of its new menu that was rolled out recently.

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "Bad Hombre" is the name of the cologne I buy at the Dollar Store."

 * ... WATER TOWER: Remember the old water tower that was taken down at Bakersfield High School to make way for the renovation at Griffith Field? It's now at the Kern County Museum and a group of Driller supporters are looking for input on how to make it a star attraction there. There will be a meeting at 4:30 p.m. on November 2 to discuss this. For more information call Jami Anderson at (661) 633-0340.

 * ... GOOD FORM: And hats off to those ladies over at the Assistance League of Bakersfield who will be contributing books to the students at Stella Hills Elementary School this Saturday. Said Dona Chertok: "We are participating in the Make a Difference Day; on which thousands of volunteers will be giving back to their communities. On Oct. 22, volunteers from across the country will unite for Make A Difference Day, one of the largest annual single-days of service nationwide."

 * ... LIBRARIES: Those mini, roadside libraries about town are about to celebrate their fourth anniversary. Named after the late Wendy Wayne, an educator and inspiring community activist, there are now some 63 libraries in Kern County, according to Susan Reep. One of them, located in front of Bernadette Ferguson's house on C Street, was featured on a Times Square billboard as a finalist in a Black and Decker contest.

CSU Bakersfield seeks to emulate the success of Gonzaga, Butler and others, Griffith Field gets a renovation and looking for wildflowers in Kern County

 * ... BIG DANCE: CSU Bakersfield's appearance in the NCAA Tournament will give the university some priceless national exposure, and there are plenty of examples of the tournament putting smaller schools on the map.
Gonzaga, a small Jesuit school in Spokane, Wash., is primarily known for its "giant killer" status in college basketball, as is Butler University, another small school in Indianapolis that has created a national brand via the Big Dance. Like CSUB, these are regional schools that have gained national prominence via excelling in one sport: basketball. And with that exposure comes recruits, alumni pride that evolves into alumni giving, and out of area students seeking to live on a campus with a rich winning tradition.

* ... WILDFLOWERS: There are pockets of Kern County where the wild flowers are spectacular this year. Consider this note from Jon Crawford: "Highway 58 up the grade from McKittrick to Carrisa Plains is at its peak of Gold Fields, Fiddlenecks, Lupines, etc. – just beautiful and then to top it all off, are the multitude of solar farms. The contrast of God’s beautiful creations to man’s eyesores are too apparent to avoid."

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "You can’t buy happiness, but you can buy a huge house and cry in any room you like."

 * ... GRIFFITH FIELD: It's bitter sweet to watch the demotion and renovation of Griffith Field, Bakersfield High School's legendary venue for decades of Driller football. The main grandstand will remain, but pretty much everything else of the stadium is being leveled to make way for a new track and artificial turf.

 * ... RAY DEZEMBER: A memorial service the Ray December will be held on Monday at 10 a.m. at St. John's Lutheran Church off Buena Vista. This will no doubt be a standing room only affair for a man who meant so much to this community and exemplified the concept of "servant leadership." If you expect to get a seat, I would advise arriving early.

* ... FOODIE: My recommendation of the week goes to Match Point Grill, the aptly named sandwich shop that operates at The Bakersfield Racquet Club. I stopped by the Pine Street diner to catch some of the incredible tennis being played at The Bakersfield Open, and wandered into the sandwich shop for a tuna sandwich and iced tea. It's a homestyle diner with a limited menu surrounded by tennis action. BRC, meanwhile, is looking as good as it ever has. If you haven't been in a while, check it out.

Bakersfield Observed is back from a vacation on the east coast and returned home to find my mailbox full. Some musings from around town

 * ... HOME: I am back from a few days on the east coast and returned to find my mailbox full and a 10-year-old tabby needing a lot of attention. Enjoy these random musings around our community as I settle back into our California lifestyle.

* ... GOOD FORM: Victoria Derringer wrote to thank the stranger who picked up the tab for her father's haircut at Super Cuts at The Marketplace. Her 90-year-old father was wearing his World War II cap when the younger man engaged them in a conversation, thanking her father for his service.
"It brought my dad to tears and he wouldn't even let my dad leave a tip for the hair dresser. Thank you very much Bob Rodgers."

 * ... MORE GOOD FORM: And then there was this note from Rick Tomlinson, who spotted a car with a Semper Fi bumper sticker out at Rio Bravo Country Club. "That in itself is not unique, but there was another bumper sticker referencing the 'Chosin Few.'  Knowing the significance of that bumper sticker I engaged the gentlemen in a conversation. He indeed fought with the 1st Marine Division at the Chosin Reservoir. He also mentioned that he just attended an annual meeting with the remaining 20 members of his company from that battle.  Needless to say, that is a sober reminder that our aging vets from World War II and Korea are slowly leaving us. He mentioned that he was at this golf tournament as a guest of Honor Flight. He was very 'Gung Ho about the program. So the next time you see a vet wearing a military cap or displaying a military bumper sticker, thank them for their sacrifice and service to our country."

 * ... SKEET: Congratulations to 16-year-old Remington DeWitt, who shot a perfect 100 straight in the 12 gauge at a skeet tournament in Stockton recently. DeWitt joins an impressive line of junior shooters from Kern County who have mastered this hard-to-accomplish feat. The Frontier High School junior is the daughter of Stuart and Kourtney DeWitt.

 * ... GOLLA: Bakersfield High principal David Reese sent me this bit about a recent Bakersfield College football game: "Coach Golla had some criticism thrown his way for not having the team wear pink socks for Breast Cancer Awareness month. Coach told the team in September that they would donate the $250 that it would of cost to purchase the socks to cancer research. I thought that was pretty cool of him. He told the team that if every high school in California did the same thing  (4,495 high schools in California) they could raise over $1 million dollars."

 * ... LITERACY: Did you know that Kern County has an adult illiteracy rate in the range of 25 percent? Appalling yes, but one group that is doing something about it is the Kern Adult Literacy Council, which is holding a big fund raiser at Hodel's on Wednesday, Oct. 21. It is a breakfast event called "Read for Success" and will feature Monsignor Craig Harrison and Tel-Tec owner Morgan Clayton, moderated by Javier Lozano of Aera Energy. Reserve tables or seats at kernliteracy.org or call Laura Wolfe at (661) 324-3213.

 * ... GIRLS NIGHT: Feel like being pampered for an evening? If so check out the Girls Night Out event this Thursday at Motor City Lexus where women will be treated to gourmet food, wine from Imbibe and shopping from a host of retailers. It runs from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. and tickets are $60. For more information call (661) 392-5716.

 * ... MEMORY: This nugget comes compliments of my Navy veteran friend Gene Bonas about growing up in a Bakersfield when it was truly a small town. "I grew up in east Bakersfield during a time when it had much in common with Andy Griffith's Mayberry.  Both towns were peaceful and quiet.  Everyone knew their neighbors. I recall the friendliness when mom and I walked to ADS Market or Safeway on Baker Street to purchase our groceries. There was only one major difference: in Mayberry, no one was married. Andy, Aunt Bea, Barney, Floyd, Howard, Goober, Gomer, Sam,  Ernest T. Bass, Thelma Lou, and Clara were single. The only one married was Otis, and he stayed drunk! Sure glad that's not the key to happiness."

Chain Cohn Stiles buys a landmark building in downtown Bakersfield, a golf tournament raises $200,000 for charity and a trip down memory lane for readers recalling the good old days

* … DEATH: The law firm representing the family of Nancy Joyce Garrett, the 72-year-old woman killed in an early morning crash with a Kern County sheriff's deputy, is waiting for a Highway Patrol investigation before deciding whether to file suit. That was the word from Matt Clark, a partner

at Chain Cohn Stiles, who appeared with me on First Look with Scott Cox Tuesday morning. Garrett was a beloved grand mother who spent her last night with her family at a Los Angeles Dodgers game. Clark said the extended family was so close that they shared breakfast once a month, and the day she was killed it was her turn to host the family breakfast. The CHP investigation could take several months before the decision is made whether to go to trial. If a lawsuit is filed, it will be the second fatal accident in a short period of time involving a Kern County Sheriff's deputy on North Chester. (Facebook photo of Nancy Garrett)

* ... CHAINLAW: And speaking of Chain Cohn Stiles, the law firm has just closed escrow on a 30,000 square foot building at the corner of Chester Avenue and 17th Street (1731 Chester). The plaintiff's law firm, which has been headquartered in the Bank of America tower downtown for more than 20 years, will renovate the building and use the ground floor for its main offices. Dave Cohn, principal partner, said the firm has been looking for its own home for several years now and he expects the renovation to last several months. Cohn said the firm was committed to staying downtown to continue in its revitalization. The building was originally constructed in 1899 as a bank but has morphed through the years, its last incarnation as the downtown headquarters of The Goodwill. (Chainlaw file photo)

 * … MEMORIAL: I am always impressed by the generosity of this community, and it was certainly on display recently at the Larry Carr Memorial Golf Tournament benefitting the Bakersfield Memorial Hospital Foundation. The tournament raised an impressive $200,000 to benefit the Robert A. Grimm Children’s Pavilion for Emergency Care at the Lauren Small Children’s Medical Center. Hats off to BMHF board chair Rogers Brandon, golf committee chair Jenny Waguespack and two big sponsors, Valley Republic Bank and Terrio Therapy.

 * … MEMORIES: Cheryl Rodriguez of Arvin responded to an earlier reader's mention of a theater south of Lamont. "In the 1950s that was known as the south Lamont Drive-In and the road he referred to was located next to Robert A. Teller's plum orchard. Mr. Teller was my grandfather. The Lamont post office and the South Kern Court now stand where the orchard was. The drive-in sign remained for many years after the theater was torn down. Also, there was the Rancho Theater in Arvin. It had a beautiful moving neon wagon wheel sign high atop the building. That sign was replaced a few years ago by a pizza sign. This was a slap in the face to longtime citizens who regarded the wagon wheel as a historic icon."

 * …. DRIVE-IN: And finally, one last memory of the Lamont drive-in compliments of Carlos Luna. "Regarding the theater located south of Lamont after you crossed the rail tracks and heading
towards Weedpatch, it was the Thunderbird Drive-In. ... Furthermore, Lamont also had a walk in theater on main street next to the school. Pretty good for a small town way back when."

 * … MORE MEMORIES: I need to correct an earlier writer who referred to a wonderful old business called Mom's Bakery. John Pryor reminded me the correct name was Mother's Bakery and it was located on the west side of Baker Street just south of Kentucky Street. Said John: "Owned by the Mellas family, they were famous for delivering a truly 'baker's dozen' of any item.  If you ordered a dozen doughnuts, you always found 13 in your sack! One of their sons, Angelo Mellas, was a classmate at East High where he was a student leader and fierce lineman on the Blades football team -- including our senior year when we beat the Drillers (20-19) for the very first time."

The oil patch is booming and a group of 30-somethings create a shadow group to promote good government

 * ... ENERGY: There is a lot of good news on the local energy front. Oil and gas production is booming, good jobs are being created and now I read that U.S. petroleum imports are down to just 46 percent of total consumption, compared to 60 percent just a few years ago. That's according to the Wall Street Journal which says U.S. crude oil production has risen by 18 percent since 2008. "The reason is the appearance of a new source," the paper said, "'tight oil' which is extracted from dense rocks. In 2000 it was only about 200,000 barrels per day, 3 percent of total output. Today is is about a million barrels per day." All good news for our local companies and suppliers.

 * ... GOOD GOVERNMENT: Keep your eye on a new organization in town that is supporting responsible and sustainable government. It was created by three 30-something local businessmen - John Paul Lake, Patrick Wade and Chad Hathaway - and it promises to be an important new group to hold our local politicians accountable. It's called "Kern Citizens for Sustainable Government" and no doubt you will be hearing more from these guys in the days and weeks to come. They've got the smarts, the money and the connections to make things happen. Lake works at his family's business Rain for Rent, Wade owns Precision Pharmacy and is a member of the city Planning Commission and Hathaway is in the oil business.


 * ... OVERHEARD: A young woman at a Starbucks orders two iced green teas, one with three packets of sugar and the other with 20. That's right, 20 packets of sugar.


* ... ONCE A DRILLER: Jean Park wrote to congratulate Bakersfield High School on its undefeated season and Valley Championship. "My husband, Carl Park, played on the 1951 Valley Championship team. That game was 60 years ago almost to the day. Game was in Fresno, not sure if same school, but same town. It was a good game for Carl and good day for me. First time we met and still going strong 56 years later!" (Driller photo by Henry Barrios)

 * ... LIGHTS ON: I stopped by a neighborhood gathering in La Cresta recently to watch the lighting of a huge Christmas tree outside and join in the revelry. For the past 20 years, folks in La Cresta gather along a stretch of Hermosa Drive to light the tree and enjoy the Christmas spirit. Cindy Anspach and Kathy McDermott organized the event with That's Amore Pizza supplying dinner via a portable pizza oven mounted on a trailer. Neighbors brought appetizers and desserts and it was a remarkable way to usher in the season. Other neighbors involved included Jane and Bruce Haupt, Frankie Villani, Greg McDermott, and Reed Adamson.

 * ... SPOTTED: From reader Harry Love: "At the corner of Merle Haggard Drive and Highway 65 next to the Choco Taco stand at the Shell station. Two signs: 'Now Open Unit 7 PM,' with one underneath 'Obama Bin Lyin.' Apparently tacos are political or not liked by Democrats."

McCarthy: still a Driller and recognizing the brightest of our students

Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield) heads back home today and sends in this report from the week. In his words:

"This week I announced the 22nd Congressional District of California Merit Award winners for Kern County. The award honors the achievements of our communities’ best and brightest high school students, and recognizes their positive achievements to inspire all of our students. As a community, we can create a positive environment that supports the hard work of our next generation’s leaders. Students who will receive the award were nominated by their principals because they have demonstrated academic excellence (having earned a 3.5 GPA or higher), exemplary school citizenship, volunteerism, involvement in extracurricular activities and leadership skills. To join us for the Merit Award Presentation, come by the Kern County Superintendent of Schools Office today May 8, from 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm.

"This week I also introduced a resolution (H.Res 411) to support the Intermediate Space Challenge in Mojave, which will take place on May 15. The Space Challenge is an exciting and challenging opportunity for students in grade school to think about outer space and energize their interest in science and math. We can encourage our children’s imagination to explore career opportunities in science and math to help them compete in a competitive global economy.

"I am excited to be participating in the Fourth Annual Driller Football Hall of Fame Banquet and induction ceremony on Friday night at the Marriott. As a proud member of the class of ’83, I was glad to be asked to offer the keynote remarks for the dinner. We will be honoring the following alumni: William Fanning, T.H. Lockard, Davis Loustalot, Bob Warkentin, Willie Brown, and Pat Preston.

"Last week I told you about the National Council for a New America that my colleagues and I introduced to engage citizens and create solutions to address the issues we face in our country. The first discussion kicked off at a pizza restaurant in Arlington, Virginia this past Saturday with former governors Mitt Romney and Jeb Bush, and had a good turnout to talk about solutions to move our country forward. If you would like to find out more about the National Council for a New America, please visit the recently unveiled website: www.wethepeopleplan.org.

"And if you are on Facebook, don’t forget to check out my Facebook page for the latest happenings in DC and our local communities. Check out the video of Burt Rutan’s latest project – amazing things are happening out there in Mojave!