Phil and Daniel Rudnick hope to put Buttonwillow on the map by creating a world class concert and festival center, in praise of the Yeti cooler and correcting the record on the old Padre Hotel

 * ... MUSIC FESTIVAL: Is Kern County ready to host its own Coachella-style music festival? Phil and Daniel Rudnick believe so and are trying to push through a plan to build a world class music festival venue off 7th Standard Road and Interstate 5. The venue would house up to 65,000 concert

goers and provide shuttle buses, RV parking for 700 vehicles, camping areas for another 2,200 people as well as security, stages, toilets, showers and food booths. The best part of it all? It won't cost the taxpayers a penny because all costs are picked up by the Rudnicks. Stay tuned as this is headed for a a Nov. 7 hearing with the county. If you support this idea, and I do, contact your supervisor to let him or her know. For more information go to the projects website CalCentre.com.

 * ... REMEDIAL CLASSES: It looks like the California State University System isn't the only public university system to scrap the concept of remedial classes. Colorado, Indiana, Tennessee, West Virginia and Florida are also rethinking the concept, which has come under attack for being an ineffective way to gauge student preparedness. Consider this from The Wall Street Journal: "For the class of students who started in 2009, the six year graduation rate across the California State University System was 66 percent for students who didn't need any remedial classes. It was 45 percent for those who took remedial classes in both math and English."

 * ... YETI COOLERS: Have you heard of the Yeti cooler? It is a basic plastic cooler but is so popular in some parts of the country that people pay up to $1,300 for the top of the line Yeti Tundra 350. A country song has been written about the Yeti ('Buy Me a Boat' by Chris Janson) and Miranda Lambert swears by hers. Yeti coolers started off as favorites of hunters and anglers, but burst into widespread popularity a few years ago with the introduction a stylish soft cooler that goes for the princely fee of around $300.

* ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "Get a head start on preparing for winter by beginning your seasonal depression on the first day of fall."

 * ... SPOTTED ON FACEBOOK: "I just read that Hugh Hefner passed away, but I only read the obituary for the articles."

 * ... PADRE HOTEL: Memo to 23ABC KERO TV which erred in a story on earthquakes by saying the Padre Hotel was constructed of brick and would be at risk of collapsing during a quake. Said Brett Miller, whose company renovated the Padre and now owns and operates it: "The Padre survived the big one because of the reinforced concrete structure. They have done a disservice to us by not fact checking."

 * ... MEMORIES: Did you know that John Philip Sousa and his "distinguished band" arrived by train and performed at the old Bakersfield Operation House (the old Hill Theater) on Nov. 1, 1909? An advertisement in the Bakersfield Californian announced that "the March King is in excellent health and a thoroughly enjoyable concert is a firm expectation of the local lovers of the best in music." Thanks to the Facebook page Kern County of Old for posting this.

RIP Graham Downes, an architect whose vision helped restore Bakersfield's Padre Hotel, and here comes the Kern County Nut Festival

 * ... RIP: I was devastated to learn of the death of Graham Downes, one of the original investors and chief architect of the recently renovated Padre Hotel downtown. Downes died in San Diego after he suffered a severe beating in front of his historic Bankers Hill home. Police have arrested a 31-year-old man who worked for Graham in connection with the death. I met Graham more than three years ago

when he and partner Brett Miller were refurbishing The Padre, now one of the jewels of our downtown. He was South African by birth and was a visionary architect, known for projects like The Padre where historic old buildings are brought back to life. I remember asking him if there was any doubt the Padre could get a second chance at greatness. He gave me an incredulous look, motioned his hands toward the then-gutted interior and said - if I remember his words correctly - "Are you kidding? This is the type of project I live for." He was 55 years old. (photo of Graham Downes (right) along with Brett Miller, owner of The Padre Hotel)

 * ... NUT FESTIVAL: The inaugural Kern County Nut Festival is just two months away, and I am a bit surprised there hasn't been more chatter about it. Organizers have high hopes that the June 15 event will put Bakersfield on the map, in a positive way. The idea: a full day celebrating local food products (centered on nuts) that will brand Kern County as a nut capital in the way that Gilroy has its garlic. Among the more than 40 food vendors are Valentien's, Village Grill, Cafe Med, Chef's Choice Noodle Bar and the Delano Elks Club. Tickets are available at the Kern County Museum, Valley Republic Bank, Farm Credit Bank and Vallitix locations.

 * .... FATHER CRAIG: Monsignor Craig Harrison won some praise recently when he offered the invocation and blessing at a recent meeting of the Kern County Bar Association's charitable foundation. Said local attorney Patrick Jennison: "In addition to the uplifting comments, invocation and blessing from Father Craig, he challenged those there to help our foundation fulfill its mission to encourage, assist and educate students with an appreciation and respect for the legal and judicial system. Without fanfare, Craig wrote a check to our foundation for five hundred dollars, and encouraged all those judges, attorneys and others in attendance to contribute for the good work of our foundation. What a terrific example he is for all of us."

 * ... GOOD FORM: This happy note from local food critic Pete Tittl: "This morning while driving to work on Jewetta Avenue I saw an older couple walking south from Brimhall who had plastic bags. They were picking up trash as they went along, trying to clean up the neighborhood. Didn’t get their names, but it’s another cool way of citizens taking action to keep Bakersfield clean."

 * ... FAN MAIL: Occasionally I receive a nice hand written note from a reader, sharing some memory or concern about our community. And occasionally I receive an embittered anonymous mail like the letter from a woman who only identified herself as a "vintage wife of a career Navy pilot." Clearly no fan of this blog, she described me as a "toofy-faced doofus, and a peculiar male yenta." Yikes. Apparently she felt that I was angling for a free meal when I mentioned how delightful Luigi's Restaurant and Delicatessen is on a spring Saturday. Sorry "vintage wife," but my late departed mother frowned on that kind of behavior, and I suspect Gino and Tonia do as well.

* ... MEMORIES: Reader Sigrid Peasha wrote that she grew up in Bakersfield in the early 1970s and fondly remembers shopping with her mother at Dunlap's department store in the College Center Shopping Center on Columbus Street. "Dunlap's was a wonderful department store, and had a beautiful bridal section, which was very impressive to a little girl!  My mom has since passed away, but I have very fond memories of our shopping trips there together."

Graham Downes, architect of the renovated Padre Hotel, dies after a San Diego beating

 Tragic news from San Diego: Graham Downes, the visionary architect who helped refurbish The Padre Hotel in downtown Bakersfield three years ago, has died after taking a severe beating. Police

found Downes outside his historic 103-year-old Bankers Hill home unconscious. A 31-year-old man who worked for Graham Downes Architecture was arrested.
 There is no motive for what started the fight.
 Downes teamed up with San Diego developer Brett Miller five years ago to buy the run down Padre Hotel in Bakersfield. It was his vision that led to the restoration of both the interior and exterior of the building.
 Downes was originally from Durban, South Africa, where he was a prominent rugby player. He has helped restore and build dozens of hotels and offices, including the Hard Rock Cafe and Tower23 in Pacific Beach.
 He was 55 years old.

The owners of The Padre Hotel win a contract to renovate and restore Belmont Park in Mission Beach and there is turmoil in our local arts organizations

* ... PADRE: The owners of The Padre Hotel have been chosen to renovate one of San Diego's most historic areas, Belmont Park in Mission Beach. Brett Miller, CEO of Eat.Drink.Sleep, the company that brought The Padre back to life three years ago, said he looks forward to working with architects and engineers to return Belmont to a premier entertainment venue.The company also owns the Tower23 hotel and restaurant in Pacific Beach and the boutique hotel Heat in Lake Havasu.

 * ... LOST DOG: If you have a dog or cat, have you bothered to have them "chipped" so they can be returned if they get lost? Susan Ferguson wishes she had done so with her 15-year-old Bichon who escaped from her Westchester home recently. "Please urge your readers to get their animals chipped," "She had just been brushed and her collar was off.  Someone said they saw her near Jim Burke Ford but wasn't able to get her." As a side note, she posted a note on her lost dog on Craigslist, which is notorious for its scam artists. And now people are calling her from boiler rooms offering to find her dog for a hefty price.

 * ... LOCAL ARTS: There is a lot of turmoil in the local arts community with the top jobs of two important organizations- the Bakersfield Museum of Art and the Arts Council of Kern - in limbo. At the museum, a search committee is interviewing finalists for the director's job being vacated by retiring director Bernie Herman. Meanwhile the director of the Arts Council, Michael Millar, is on leave for an unspecified illness. Miller has been on the job since last summer but is largely unknown in the community (never helpful when trying to raise money), and during his absence the board has had to resort to layoffs because of dire financial conditions. Stay tuned. (file photo of Bernie Herman)

* ... SCHAEFER: Kim Schaefer, who worked for Congressman Jim Costa for more than two years, has joined the staff of incoming Kern County Supervisor Leticia Perez. A native of Bar Harbor, Maine, Schaefer transferred to Stockdale High School in her junior year and later went on to study at both Bakersfield College and Cal State Bakersfield. She was a campaign coordinator for Costa and is now a communications director for Perez. She is 32.

 * ... SOUTHWEST BASEBALL: One of the better run, and more generous, organizations in town in the Southwest Baseball League. This weekend the leagaue will be hosting its Toys for Toys tournament with more than 60 teams involved. Each player will donate an unwrapped toy and the league will donate another couple thousand dollars to the Jamieson Center. In November, the league held a Turkey Trot Tournament that allowed it to donate 60 turkeys and $2,000 to local shelters. Now that's setting a good example for these kids.

 * ... RENEGADES: The victory by the Bakersfield College Renegades before 16,000 fans like week continues to resonate among fans. Said Ben Ansolabehere: "I think the best words I can use, as Jerry Collis used to say, is 'Good Old Kern County Pride.' Pride in the players, never quitting, determined to achieve their goals, and doing their jobs to the best of their abilities while knowing their teammates are doing the same... Finally to the people and fans of Kern County and BC in particular. They transported many of us old players and alumni of BC back, in my case 45 years, to the time when BC football was this very same experience every Saturday home game."

Good riddance 2010 and hello 2011, and the Padre faces another hurdle

 * ... NEW YEAR: By all accounts 2010 was another tough year in this prolonged Great Recession, so let's all hope the new year ushers in better times. I compiled my own list of hopes for our community for the new year. Here's a sampling:

  1) Let's hope we can go a full year without a single case of child abuse or animal cruelty in our community.
  2) I pray for the recovery of our real estate market and better times for  our hard working local Realtors.
  3) I hope for more of a civil discourse in our nation, and that all sides - liberals and conservatives - learn to work together for the common good.
  4) For all those out of work, here's hoping there are paychecks and health insurance on the horizon.
  5) For all those ailing and battling sickness, both physically and emotionally, here's to a rapid recovery and good health.
 6) If just a few of those come to pass, it will be a good year.

 * ... PADRE: Local risk management consultant John Pryor shared with me a letter, penned on old Padre Hotel stationery, that was written to him when he was just six days old. It was written by R.L. Hendrickson, who was an insurance company "special agent" who worked with Pryor's insurance broker father. "I was six days old when he wrote this letter," Pryor wrote to Brett Miller, the Padre's new owner. "The Padre Hotel was just four years old. Bakersfield's population was about 27,000. Our family's phone number at the time was 89 - without any dial until later. The Padre's phone number wasn't listed on its letterhead. It wasn't needed. Callers simply picked up the phone and asked for the Padre Hotel. The friendly operator complied and made the connection." The original owners were Roy Cummings and Fred Widmer. The letter gave Pryor some advice about obeying his mother and father and ended with the line, "A Merry Christmas to you and the OLD people."

 * ... MORE PADRE: Speaking of the Padre, I'm also hoping the historic hotel emerges from its latest round of worries and successfully renegotiates a $8.4 million loan to keep the old girl open. The Padre's dilemma is a metaphor for the  long-tail effect of this recession: a loan taken out two years ago by a La Jolla bank that no longer exists and now called by a new bank (OneWest) that has no ties to our community. The irony is that the Padre is doing well - sold out rooms for New Year's and cash flow positive. I work and live downtown and spend a lot of time at the Padre and know its owners well, so I am not unbiased here. But these are folks who put their own capital at risk to bring life back into downtown, and it serves absolutely no one to see this venture fail. It's in all of our interests that the Padre stays open and under its current ownership.

 * ... MORE MIGS: Yet another person has come forward to recall, with great fondness, former East High teacher and football coach Migs Apsit. This time it was John Brock who wrote to recall when he joined the group of kids who Migs took across the country every summer. "Others will know more about him than I  but I happened to go with him on one of the trips for high school kids he organized during summer vacations. It was called the USA Tour and it essentially circumvented the U.S. over a period of about six weeks. I recall that there were about 70 kids and we traveled in two buses. We stayed in hotels, motels and camped out occasionally. It was a fantastic experience." And so it sounds.

 * ... DID YOU KNOW? Some of the rumored Chinese tunnels downtown actually do still exist. During the retrofitting and renovations to the basement of the Hay Building (soon to be 1612 City Lofts) workers uncovered and then resealed tunnels leading out under Eye Street and also 19th Street.

  * ... BAKERSFIELDISM: You know you're a Bakersfield old-timer if "you remember when almost every doctor in town had an office in the Haberfelde Building."

Bakersfield Christian High celebrates a birthday and some chuckles on living in Bako

* ... BCHS BIRTHDAY: Reader Cherilee Ezell wrote to remind me that Bakersfield Christian High School is celebrating 30 years as a private, college preparatory school serving our community. She said last year the school kicked off an annual drive to raise funds for its financial aid program. She was proud to report that fully 30 percent of the school's students now benefit from some form of financial aid. The funds are being raised via "The Key Event," a black tie optional dinner with silent and live auctions to be held March 20 at Seven Oaks Country Club. For more information, call 661-410-7000.

 * ... BRAIN DRAIN: Susan Hersberger is the public affairs director over at Aera Energy and the proud mother of Mark and Kate, both of whom graduated from Stockdale High School and later UCLA. Neither returned to Bakersfield, but Susan's take on the "brain drain" is an optimistic one. "While my children's careers may not bring them back to Bakersfield, at some point in their lives they will perhaps move to a Bakersfield somewhere and contribute to that community. Meanwhile, some of the best and brightest from other Bakersfields will find their way to this community - the oil industry for example is bringing in some terrific young people - so over time it will all even out." Well said.

* ... REMEMBER CLINT OLIVIER? I received a nice call from local resident Janet Beckman who reports that her son in law, Clint Olivier, is running for the Fresno City Council. If that name sounds familiar, it's because Olivier was an on air reporter for KGET 17 here in Bakersfield before leaving for another TV station in Fresno. He married Beckman's daughter, West High and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo graduate Alisha Gallon. Alisha works at the ABC affiliate in Fresno.

 * ...  PADRE OR PETROLEUM CLUB? The reopening of the old Padre Hotel downtown has been the talk of downtown this week, and it has all been well deserved. The crowds have been impressive and owner Brett Miller told me he could not be happier. Saturday night every available room was sold out and there were waiting lists for both rooms and the main ground floor restaurant. Meanwhile, I stopped by the Petroleum Club on Friday and chatted with operations manager Lili Marsh, who reported business has been steady and good. Lunch was busy and I spotted Congressman Kevin McCarthy, retired oilman Harley Pinson and others enjoying the view Meanwhile over at Uricchios Trattoria Saturday night, it also was sold out and standing room only. Good to see all these places doing well.

 * ... BAKERSFIELDISMS: I've had several readers forward me an email full of hilarious 'Bakersfieldisms," so thought I would occasionally offer them up for a morning chuckle. For example, you know you are from Bakersfield when: "You realize that Valley Fever is not a disco dance" and "You think a red light is just a suggestion."

Padre Hotel officially opens for business; downtown Bakersfield gets a boost

 The historic Padre Hotel in downtown Bakersfield officially opened today (Thursday) to the public. Brett Miller, one of the co-owners, said the final permits were issued at 11 a.m., ready for a brisk lunch crowd and in time for the "First Friday" celebrations in downtown Bakersfield. The landmark hotel underwent an $18 million facelift.

The Padre Hotel reopens on an $18 million bet on downtown Bakersfield

 * ... WELCOME BACK PADRE: The historic Padre Hotel reopens today (Monday) after an $18 million bet that downtown Bakersfield can support a first class hotel and restaurant. I had a chance over the weekend to spend a few hours with the two principal owners, Brett Miller and Graham Downes, both entrepreneurs who have put their own capital at risk here. (their photo is below, Miller on the right) Downes is an architect from Durban, South Africa, who made it to the United States via professional rugby. Miller is originally from Visalia, graduated  from San Diego State (Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity) and has a long history in the hotel and restaurant business. Both live in San Diego and collaborated on Tower23, a sleek boutique hotel on Pacific Beach. (view its website here) Miller is also owner of Moondoggies (view its website here) and Gringo's restaurants in San Diego. This is their largest investment together and it has been a huge undertaking, and the results are stunning. I think our community is ready for the Padre, but Miller and Downes must be careful about the tone their multiple bars set and try to avoid the rougher late night crowd that has brought bad publicity to other downtown eateries. A couple of ugly incidents could scare off the demographic they need to succeed and cause irreparable harm. If they can do that - while providing good service and food - they will be a hit.

 * ... ANCHORS AWEIGH: Reader Wayland Louie wrote to correct me in my reference to the Navy fight song  "Anchors Aweigh" at the funeral for Claude Fiddler, the retired Chevron geologist and Navy veteran. "Your updates on Mr. Fiddler's services were helpful. I must mention though ... you said one of his granddaughters sang 'Anchors Away' at his service. I believe you meant to say she sang 'Anchors Aweigh." Naval personnel and boaters 'weigh' anchor... If you look at the song lyrics for each title, you will see that one definitely is not a naval song." I stand corrected.

* ... MAIN DRAIN ROAD: Local farmer Dick Porter sent me a humorous email noting that only in Kern County would we have roads with names like Brown Material Road and Main Drain Road, "and they don't even intersect!"

 * ... PARKING WOES? Reader Janice Holder wrote regarding the rumor that Trader Joe's may be thinking of moving to a larger facility on Rosedale Highway (a report the company says is not true.) Holder said she has "a love/hate relationship with Trader Joe's. Love the store, hate the parking.  The parking spaces must be the absolute minimum size.  Love to park at Sam's Club, Kohls etc. on South Gosford.  Large, roomy parking spaces.  If you haven't been there, you should check it out.  Many vehicles are so large that minimum sized parking spots are no longer practical.  And while we're at it, how hard can it be to take your shopping cart to the designated storage areas?  I've seen perfectly "fit" people just push the cart up in between the cars and drive off leaving it to be some one else's problem.
 "On another note, I often affectionately refer to Bakersfield as "Bakerspatch."  We have Weedpatch and Pumpkin Center.  Why not  Bakerspatch?   Can't be all that bad, I'm a transplant from the mid west and have stayed here for some 55 plus years.  I have many great memories here."  Thanks for the note, Janice.