Three young men get a Darwin award nomination for busting into a huge gun store overnight (yes they were arrested) and NBA legend Bill Walton will be in town Thursday to support Bike Bakersfield

 * ... DARWIN AWARDS: Just how stupid were the three young men who broke into Second Amendment Sports and were arrested after being trapped inside? Never at a loss for words, another

local gun shop owner, the colorful Gene Thome, described the two suspected gang members and a juvenile as being "industrial strength stupid," which is a nicer way of saying they should be in the running for the Darwin Awards, which recognizes folks who have "contributed to human evolution by selecting themselves out of the gene pool via death or sterilization by their own actions." Outside of banks and other financial institutions, is there a riskier place to rob or burglarize than a gun shop?

 * ... ROAD WORK: Tom Ware wrote about a construction project that has motorists fuming, particularly at rush hour. Said Ware: "It appeared that a right turn lane at the southeast corner of Calloway and Rosedale Highway was in the works. Houses have been taken down and the corner business vacated. Now, new curbs and sidewalks are in on that southeast corner as if no right turn lane is going to appear. The traffic there backs up about a half a mile at times. A designated right turn lane going on to Rosedale Highway east is badly needed. Do you have any information or pull?"

 * ... BILL WALTON: UCLA and NBA legend Bill Walton will be in Bakersfield this Thursday speaking at a fund raiser for Bike Bakersfield. His prowess on the basketball court is well known, but his messages of persistence, second chances and hope are what has defined his life since retiring in 1987. I chatted with Walton on NewsTalk KERN 96.1 on the Scott Cox show, and his energy and enthusiasm for life is intoxicating. And did you know his father was from Taft? Walton knows the oil patch, and he had this advice for local folks who have lost their jobs in the oil industry. "These are defining moments of your life when the ball bounces the wrong way," he said, noting his 30-plus surgeries on his 6 foot, 11 inch frame as well as his personal struggle with stuttering. Look at these setbacks as opportunities, he said, and with faith and persistence anything is possible. Walton will appear at the Gardens at Mill Creek (712 19th Street) from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Go to bikebakersfield.org to buy tickets.

 * ... HAPPY THOUGHT: This note from Mary Moreland brought a smile to my face: "Yesterday as I was walking my dogs Scruffy and Rusty east of Bakersfield College I noticed some chalk drawings on a driveway. I thought how great it was that despite cell phones, kids still do that. The important message in large script: LIVE LIFE HAPPY."

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "You trust me holding your child? Do you know how many iPhone screens I’ve cracked?"

 * ... FOODIE: I was saddened to hear that Quig's BBQ and Catering, housed in a huge trailer that has graced the Garces circle for a few years, is closing down. Owner Scott Quig and his young family are moving to Maryland and hope to sell the trailer.

 * ...  LIBRARIES: Have you considered how you will vote on Measure F, the proposed tax to save our public libraries? Linda Fiddler is among those who supports the measure, and shares this memory from when she was a child in Taft. "I remember visiting the Taft branch library and participating in the summer reading program. After swimming at Taft High, we would spend the rest of the hot afternoon at the library picking out books, listening to stories and doing art projects. I went to the community meeting at the Taft branch recently. It looks just the same, only smaller."

Cal State Bakersfield heads to the NCAA Big Dance and Bill Walton to appear in Bakersfield to promote Bike Bakersfield

 * ... RUNNERS: Congrats to Coach Rod Barnes and his CSUB Roadrunners who are headed for an historic first appearance in the NCAA Tournament. But remember: all of this could not have happened without

the vision of President Horace Mitchell and many alumni and local business people who raised the money to get CSUB elevated to Division 1 status six years ago. It was not wildly popular at the time, but the idea was always simple: put CSUB on the national radar and add value to that Bakersfield diploma, thereby attracting more out of area students and athletes.

 * ... CIOPPINO: This is a community that boasts a wealth of terrific fund raisers but few are as fun, and unique, as the annual Cioppino Feed. Golf tournaments are a dime a dozen in this town, but the annual West Rotary Cioppinio Feed is truly a one of a kind event. Featured is a tasty cioppino (fish and shrimp stew) along with salad, bread, wine and all the steamed clams you can eat. This year's event is Saturday, March 19, at Monsignor Leddy Hall at Garces Memorial High School. The cost is $100 a ticket and proceeds - usually around $100,000 - go to local charities.

* ... SMOKERS: Paul Forster agrees that smokers should stop throwing cigarette butts out their car windows, but he offered this interesting twist: "For many years, if I am not mistaken, no one has been able to buy a new vehicle that has an ashtray in it, (nor a cigarette lighter). Just saying."

 * ... GRATITUDE: Martha Ingle found something good in a terrible incident involving her daughter in law: "Our family is very grateful for the quick work of city employees and several BPD officers. Our daughter-in-law was attacked yesterday afternoon. Jorge and his co-worker of truck 4233 stopped the attack, called police and ambulance and stayed with her until the responders arrived.  Quick work by the police officers resulted in the arrest of the attacker. We wanted to publicly thank all involved for their bravery and kindness during a very frightening situation."

* ... WALTON: And speaking of sports, and legends, I have purchased my ticket to see Bill Walton when he comes to town April 21 to support Bike Bakersfield. The famous UCLA center and pro basketball player credits cycling with returning him to fitness after years of surgeries and physical ailments. "My bike is my gym, and my church and my wheelchair," he said. Walton will appear at the Gardens at Mill Creek at 6 p.m. For tickets and sponsorship information call (661) 321-9247.

 * ... MEMORIES: So who out there can help Mary Durham answer this question: "Richard, our birthday buddies gathered at Casa Munoz for Taco Tuesday and the discussion came up that the restaurant at one time was Sambo's and the 7-UP Bottling Company was down the street on 18th but none of us could remember the name of the bowling alley next to it. Could you help us?"