Remembering the remarkable life of thespian Bryan Kelly, Julie Moss gives some love to our bike path and looking for the owner of a classic 1962 Cadillac

 * ... BRYAN KELLY: Do you ever wonder about what impact your life will leave on others? Will

your legacy be one of love and laughter and kindness, or one of achievement, drive and aloofness? I thought about those things the other day when I attended a "gathering" of sorts recognizing the life of the late Bryan Kelly, a longtime thespian who brought his wit and charm to his day job at Trader Joe's for so many years. His longtime partner and fellow theater co-conspirator, Michael Izquierdo, hosted the "celebration" at Little Italy where a group of 60-odd folks gathered to share stories and a few tears about the life of this remarkable man, who died of cancer at the age of 63. We were treated to a showing of Greater Tuna, the hit local play that featured Kelly and Izquierdo that was as fresh today as it was in the md 1980s when we were all younger. God's speed, my friend.

* ... JULIE MOSS: I was out for a long hike along the Kern River this past weekend when I ran into Julie Moss, the marathon runner whose dramatic finish in the 1982 Hawaii Ironman marathon made headlines around the world. (She was leading in the race when her body gave out and she was forced to crawl to the finish, only to be passed with just 15 yards to go by Kathleen McCartney). Moss lives in Cardiff but was in town often to visit her college friend, Lisette Whitaker. She was doing a brisk run along the river when she stopped to share this: "You should write about how great his bike path is. How many cities have something like this so accessible?" She is right, of course, and we all should appreciate this slice of nature that runs through our community.

* ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "Never trust a married guy's opinion of who’s hot. It’s like asking a starving guy what food tastes good."

 * ... CADILLAC: Nashville area Realtor Joe Rice reached out to me to help him find the original owner of a beautiful 1962 Cadillac he recently purchased in Florida. Rice bought the car, popped open the glove compartment and found the original bill of sale. It turns out the car was purchased in 1961 from Gene Winer Cadillac on H Street, purchased by a person named C.R. Smith who once lived on Trinity Lane. Said Rice: "I have also attached the original check used to purchase the car as well as the receipt from the dealership. This car has only 21,000 original miles. It also has original paint and interior with the exception of the headliner which I just had replaced. I purchased it about six months ago from a museum in Florida and love it. I thought it would be great to share this information and pictures with the family." The price of this classic product of Detroit: $6,999. 32. The check was drawn on an account from the East Bakersfield branch of Crocker Anglo National Bank. Folks: this car is a beauty and if you can help Joe Rice find the original owner, privately email me at rsbeene@yahoo.com.

 * ... WINTER FORMAL: Local high schools put on their winter formals last weekend and the restaurants were packed with young people spruced up in their formal dresses and tuxedos. I was dining out and found a piece of paper outlining the "Frontier High School Dance Policy," which laid out these guidelines: "No inappropriate or suggesting dancing will be allowed. No simulated sex acts, bending over or grinding. No dancing that threatens students safety." A sign of the times, I suppose.

 * ... GRAFFITI: Vicki Coble speaks for a lot of us when sent me this missive: "I drive (Highway) 99 from Panama Lane to Airport Drive four days a week. The wall that is being built on the freeway is full of graffiti every morning. Do these people have nothing better to do than paint names and gang signs on the wall and over passes. I know I could find them something to paint if they are bored. "

 * ... MEMORIES: Stephen A. Montgomery shared a special memory when he was in the military and used to take a bus between Bakersfield and Sand Diego.  "Members of the armed forces got all sorts of minor considerations and some not so minor. Management was proactive in making sure we made our connections and that sort of thing. One trip comes to mind. Around 1966 I was there in uniform along with many other sailors and Marines. We were waiting or had already boarded a local that was scheduled to stop at every fireplug between Bakersfield and San Diego when a manager came out and called to us to get off that bus and stand by as he was calling an extra express to take us nonstop to Camp Pendleton and US Naval Station San Diego. The bus they furnished was a very old art deco delight with a streamlined body. It featured thick and deeply padded seats next to highly detailed cast aluminum flourishes extending from the deck into the overhead with cast frosted glass side lights that followed the same line of detail as the aluminum elements. If I ever wanted to own a bus that gorgeous old lady of the highway would be it!?"

Graffiti vandals tag cars in the La Cresta neighborhood, more thieves target local mailboxes and another memory of the talented Bryan Kelly

* ... SCROOGE: Some folks in the neighborhood near Garces Memorial High School awoke the day after Christmas to find their cars had been tagged by graffiti vandals. I suppose these "artists" have

tired of bridge overpasses and alleyways and are now moving through the darkness randomly vandalizing cars parked in driveways. Let's hope they all get a visit from bad karma in the days and months ahead.

* ... MAILBOX THEFT: The amount of mailbox theft across town is simply staggering, and hardly a day goes by without someone telling me it happened to them. This time it happened to Nellis Johnson, who had put some Christmas cards in a stuffed blue postal receptacle only to find out later someone had fished our her mail. Said Johnson: "A nice lady came to our door with four of our Christmas cards she had found in the calendar department of Office Depot on Stockdale, stamps not canceled, letters opened. She was a mail carrier and advised me to go to the Post Office and report it. That afternoon, we received a UPS package from Office Depot containing six more cards, uncancelled and torn open, with a very, very nice letter of apology from the store. These letters had been found in their men's bathroom. The mail had been taken from the mail boxes outside the Stockdale post office! I had stupidly put them in an already stuffed box, laughing at us dummies who were trying to get the cards delivered at the last minute! The postal employee I spoke with was truly saddened by this event, suggested I bring the mail inside when the box was full, apologized for not having an empty post box, asked me to come in when I see this again (?) and gave me the number to the postmaster. He said he would report the matter himself, but knew my call would be needed. I learned a lesson I shouldn't have had to learn because I know better."

* ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "If you get a present from me with scissors and a roll of tape trapped under the wrapping paper, I'm gonna need those back."

 * ... BRYAN KELLY: Mary Bensusen-Page wrote to remember the well-lived life of Bryan Kelly, who died earlier this month at the age of 63. "Thank you so much for the  Bryan Kelly mentions in your column. I have known him for 35 years. I had the privilege of being one of his original dressers when he and Michael Izquierdo performed in 'Greater Tuna.' This is a two man show in which they portrayed over 20 different characters. The show ran for nearly a year. It was done at the Moose Lodge on Old Stine Road playing Sunday evenings only.  It became almost cult-like with full houses each performance. Jim  Baldwin led the audience in singing the Star Spangled Banner each performance to kick off the show. What a special time that was! He was a professional actor having earned a SAG card after appearing in a made for TV movie starring Judith Light and David Ogden Stiers. He has performed with almost every theatre group in town in addition to co-owning with Michael, TB Productions which gave local talent a chance to shine in commercials and in print. It was an honor to have called him friend. He and Michael, on stage and off, were incredible!"

 * ... OBITS: John Pryor was reading the obituary page and had this reaction to the death of Kathryn Bailey.  "We attended East High together although she was a senior when I was a sophomore. In that year, Kathryn and three of us sophomore trumpet players (Jim Jones, David Hauser, and I) entered a talent contest sponsored by the East Bakersfield Progressive Club on Baker Street where a temporary stage was constructed over the canal.  A huge crowd gathered.  What was special was Kathryn's talented transposition of her piano score of Aram Khachaturian's Sabre Dance into a trumpet trio.  Despite the high number of contestants, with Kathryn's piano accompaniment, we won first place!  As her obituary indicates, she went on in life to work with major performers in the Bay Area such as Pat Boone, Anita Bryant, Johnny Mathis, Billy Holiday, and The Four Freshmen to mention but a few -- plus multiple mentions in Herb Caen's columns in the Chronicle. Who says Bakersfield doesn't produce world-class talent? "

 * ... MEMORIES: Evelyn Johnson, the longtime secretary of the downtown Rotary Club, remembers when she and husband Roy moved to Bakersfield in 1947 and "all the police motorcycles were red. One day one of the wives of a city or county official complained.. eventually they all got painted black and white."

Hats off to Sal Moretti for cleaning up a community eyesore, Californians rush to buy guns and ammunition and Jackie Parks remembers Bryan Kelly

* ... TRASH: Here's a shout-out to Sal Moretti and the folks over at the city Solid Waste Division for taking the time to clean up a stretch of road that has become a community eyesore. After I posted last week about the mounds of garbage (mattresses, chairs, couches, old washing machines etc) that people

illegally discarded off Fairfax (the old county dump road) Moretti privately messaged me that he was going to send crews out to clean it up. And that they did. Supervisor Robert Manuel and his team filled several dump trucks full and left the area pristine. The city can't force people to do the right thing, and it must be tiring to spend so much time and energy cleaning up after people who view the world as their own personal toilet. But thank you Sal. So here is my remedy for that road: since it already is a dead end, close it off at Fairfax with a gate and code to allow access to authorized personnel. There is no reason for any vehicles to travel that road. And finally, shed the name Old County Dump Road and name it after Sal. (Before and after pictures provided by Sal Moretti)

* ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "On my marriage license, where they ask in which state I live, I wrote: Depression."

 * ... GUN LAWS: There's another rush on guns and ammunition in California, thanks to a legislature that embraces some of the toughest anti-gun laws in the country. Remarked Realtor Michael Richert: "I’m not good on a crowded day at Disneyland, or anywhere for that matter where my space bubble is pierced. That was never more evident on Saturday, December 17 when I stopped by for some ammo at a local gun store. The last Saturday to purchase certain types of riffles and it was chaos. We usually stay dormant unless someone tells us we can’t have something anymore."

 * ... BRYAN KELLY: When I wrote about the death of 63-year-old Bryan Kelly the other day, it triggered this response from former KBAK anchor Jackie Parks, who moved to a TV market outside of Baltimore with husband Todd Karli. Said Jackie: "You see, he was a dear friend of my eccentric aunt Millie when she lived in Bakersfield many, many years ago. He would later keep her updated on my life (from watching me on TV) and was thrilled to meet me one day at Trader Joe's so he could let Millie know. Over the years he chatted with me about the birth of our kids, recommended kid-friendly foods, talked to them about their interests, encouraged piano and ballet lessons (neither which took hold for long) and never failed to ask about Millie who, at 92, will be heartbroken to hear he is gone. Thanks for writing such a nice farewell."

* ... MAILBOX THEFT: I received a note from reader Kelly Clanton with this plea: "We have suffered our third mail theft this year, this time Friday night with Christmas packages taken from our dropbox. Last time a check was forged and we had to get a new account. At least 10 mail thefts have occurred within a half mile radius of our 'safe' northwest neighborhood this year. Sending this to encourage Postmaster Linda La Force, postal inspectors Jeff Fitch and Bill Zembridge and  Congressman Kevin McCarthy to work faster on this for us, and come up with an immediate solution please.  Running to the mailbox to pick up our mail mid day and driving miles to the post office to drop off outgoing mail is not the answer."

 * ... GOOD SERVICE: James in Taft wrote to thank someone who goes over and above with customer service: "Last Sunday morning (12/18/16) at 7 a.m. I was warming up with my morning tea as it was 32 outside, when my doorbell rang. I thought who would be hear that early. When I opened the door and I was surprised it was my Californian deliverer, Michelle Ayala in Taft. She handed me my paper and said it was too cold to have to come out and get it. She has been doing a great job and it was a pleasure to give her a Christmas gift as I try and do every year.  So all you subscribers be sure and do the same for your deliverer as they have to endure all types of weather and conditions.
MERRY CHRISTMAS."

Noting the loss of a friend who made me smile, Condoleezza Rice heads to Bako for a fund raiser and Kurt Rivera winds up in Sacramento as an anchor and reporter

 * ... FRIENDSHIP: I lost a good friend the other day, and I am kicking myself for not taking the time to stay closer in touch. His name was Bryan Kelly and many of you may remember him as the cheery, wise cracking host at Trader Joe's who was forever sharing stories and making people laugh. Many more of you may remember him as a regular in the local theater scene, primarily at the

Bakersfield Music Theater where his mile-wide personality felt at home on stage. He would often appear in the same plays as his husband and life partner, Michael Izqierdo. After Bryan left Trader Joe's on disability we stayed in touch, always planning a dinner party that somehow was never scheduled. His rapier-like wit was in evidence when he would fire off a politically incorrect email, and both being cat people, he would faithfully sign off with a reminder like this: "Now go get some fresh tuna for that queen puss and rub her tummy." But I lost touch over the past several months and I was not even aware Bryan was battling liver cancer until two friends - Susan Reep and Jim Baldwin - alerted me to the bad news. He succumbed to it last week. Thanks for the laughs and the smiles, my friend.

 * ... CONDI RICE: I heard the other day that the folks over at the Boys and Girls Club have scored a home run by booking former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to appear at a fund raiser early next year. The club's Ricki Peace confirmed that Rice will appear at the Feb. 22 fund raiser, along with our own House Majority Leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy. Rice will no doubt be a hit and the beneficiary will be the kids at the Boys and Girls Club.

 * ... KURT RIVERA: Remember Kurt Rivera, the KBAK news anchor who lost his job when he was accused of abusing his girlfriend? It looks like Rivera landed on his feet at KXTV in Sacramento, where he is both reporting and anchoring. Rivera, it should be noted, was never formally charged by the District Attorney, but the incident was enough to end his career in Bakersfield.

 * ... SPOTTED ON FACEBOOK: From my friend Joe Drew's Facebook page: "The older you get, the tougher it is to lose weight because by then, your body and your fat have gotten to be really good friends."

 * ... GOOD FORM: I ran into a local banker during last week's rain and he shared this inspiring story with me. "I saw a homeless guy on 17th Street and his pants were totally soaked," he told me. "I always have an extra pair of pants with me and he was about my size, so I gave it to him. I also gave him my Rotary cap. Think about all the old clothes we all have that we give away and there is so much need out there. Please don't use my name." Your request is granted, and thank you for your generosity.

 * ... APPLE CIDER VINEGAR: I never knew of the health benefits of apple cider vinegar until a friend shared his secret to healthy living. "I mix a little unfiltered apple cider vinegar with water every morning and I have not had a cold in five years." That is good enough for me; count me a follower.

 * ... SUBARU: Hats off to Sangera Subaru for donating a Subaru Impreza to the folks over at Convenant Coffee, the non profit dedicated to helping former foster youth gain job skills. The car will be used by Covenant employees to perform service calls. Subaru general manager Damon Culbertson noted he hoped to employ some of the Covenant clients, and added "the coffee is really good" as well.

Ken Metter criticizes Rep. Kevin McCarthy and then sics a lawyer on a radio host who joins the fray, thanking Harvey Hall and tackling a new hike

 * ... METTLER: So who knew former Kern High School District trustee Ken Mettler has such a thin skin? Mettler penned a "Community Voices" column in The Californian last week in which he lashed out at Rep. Kevin McCarthy for being "a former used car salesman turned taxpayer-paid politician" with no principles. Mettler fancies himself as a true conservative so you can imagine what the rest of the column said. Okay so far, so good, it is Mettler's opinion and we were happy to provide him a forum. But when you willingly join the debate circle you can bet you might be in for some criticism yourself. Which is exactly what radio host Ralph Bailey (KERN NewsTalk 96.1 FM/1180 AM) did last week, calling out Mettler on his hypocrisy and challenging his facts. So how does Mettler respond? He had his lawyer send a cease and desist letter to KERN corporate owner American General Media and then - get this - sends a similar letter to The Californian asking us not to report any Bailey criticism of Mettler. Goodness Ken, you should know better. As they say in Havana, "boca cerrada, no entran moscas."

* ... HARVEY: On the other end of the decorum spectrum is Mayor Harvey Hall, who announced last week he would not seek re-election. Here's my note to you, Harvey: Thank you for your service. Your gift has always been your genuine kindness and concern for all citizens of our town, no matter their race, religion or economic stature. You eschewed the polarization and divisiveness that is part and parcel of politics today (see Mettler above item), and instead you always took the high road. Like the happy warrior Hubert Humphrey, you wore your love for Bakersfield on your pin-striped sleeve, and for that we all owe you a word of thanks.

 * ... JAR TRAIL: I got out Sunday and tackled the Jar Trail, an incredibly steep two-mile ascent that climbs more than 1,000 feet per mile. It's located at the mouth of the Kern River Canyon and provides the most breath-taking views in town. But be advised: if you want to make it to the top, bring hiking sticks, water and snacks because for people of moderate fitness, the climb can take two to three hours. (They say a fitness buff nick named "the beast" can make the ascent in 32 minutes). This trail is not for beginners, but for those looking for a challenge, go for it. And please, if you go don't leave trash and water bottles on the trail.

 * ... BAD FORM: Bryan Kelly just can't seem to get a break. Remember Bryan? He is the former Trader Joe's employee who a few years ago found a soiled diaper stuffed inside a shoe box at a local Walmart. Well, it happened again, this time at the Walmart in the Northeast. While strolling through the store he stumbled upon two women changing the diaper of a small boy, right where the Pampers were displayed. The women casually opened a new box of Pampers, pulled out a diaper, put it on the boy and stuffed the used diaper back in the box of Pampers. "They put the used Pamper in the package and turned it around so one could not tell it had been opened. I finally cleared my way out of the remnants of the tower of babel and out into our unhealthy fresh air. Have you ever showered with a mixture of Comet, Lysol and vinegar?"

 * ... KERN RIVER VALLEY: Some folks up in Lake Isabella are holding a fund raiser to build a skate park for local kids. According to Karene R. Williams, a group of local volunteers has aligned itself with the non-profit California Recreation Foundation to raise the funds. "We have the support of First District Supervisor Mick Gleason as well as Parks and Recreation Director Bob Lerude. Kern County Parks and Recreation is providing the location at no cost. Once the skate park is built, it will be turned over to the county for upkeep and maintenance." The group hopes to raise $150,000.
Donations can be made to California Recreation Foundation and mailed to 2809 Irwin Avenue, Lake Isabella, CA 93240.

 * ... BAKERSFIELDISM: Ronal Reynier writes that you might be a Bakersfield old timer if you remember when high schools had "occupational classes... when Bakersfield Community College was at BHS and you went to Bakersfield Community College tuition free. Times have changed. We used to leave our books on an outside window sill and the next day they were still there."

Volunteers take on the enormous problem of trash in our community, while First Look with Scott Cox kicks off on bakersfield.com and NewsTalk 1180 KERN

  * ... LITTER: Interesting tidbits from the local campaign to clean up our community. The group, called "Litter: It's Beneath Us," estimates that the U.S. spends more than $11.5 billion each year for litter clean ups. In addition, 36 percent of business development officials say that litter impacts a decision on whether to locate to a community. And, fully 85 percent of littler is the result of individual attitudes. Somehow that does not surprise me.

 * ... VOLUNTEERS: Kudos to the group of retired citizens who are working with CalTrans to pick up trash along the Freeway 99 off and on ramps. These folks are volunteering their time to pick up trash discarded by others, and we all owe them a pat on the back.

 * ... MORE LITTER: And finally this, from the Bryan Kelly of Trader Joe's: "This is so totally awful... going west on 178 (what used to be a pleasant drive when litter was not so abundant) behind a pick-up loaded with household items, table, chairs, bookshelf etc... strapped in were two white plastic garbage bags. One had to assume these had been used for packing, as nobody would move garbage but a hole was ripped open in one and the contents were blowing to the four winds. When an empty toilet paper roll hit my windshield, I decided to at least pass and give the driver a dirty look. As I reached the bed of the truck a rat sticks his head out and obviously doesn't like the wind so he dives back leaving his tail to blow for a few seconds. They were at least driving away from our house."

* ... FIRST LOOK: A new, local three-hour radio and video newscast kicks off Monday morning, the first of its kind in the nation pairing the local newspaper with the leading news talk radio group. It's called First Look with Scott Cox and it will be produced from a new radio and TV studio built in the middle of The Bakersfield Californian newsroom. You can hear it on NewsTalk 1180  KERN or view in on your computer or iPad on bakersfield.com. The studio is named for Dignity Health, the leading medial provider in Kern County. The show will feature news, weather, entertainment and analysis from The Californian's staff of editors and reporters. House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy will be the first guest on First Look at 7:30 a.m.

 * ... SPOTTED: On 34th Street across from Bakersfield Memorial Hospital an ambulance approaches with sirens blaring. Traffic is pulled over but a young couple, pushing a toddler in a stroller and mom carrying a newborn, are stranded on the center median. Undaunted, they decide to make a run for it, crossing 30th Street in front of the ambulance, laughing with relief as they catch their breath safely on the other side.

* ... TEXTING: Here is one person's testimony about the dangers of texting while driving. A reader, who asked to remain anonymous, said her husband was following a mini van in the Northwest when it suddenly veered off the road and slammed into a tree. He stopped and went to the driver's side to find a woman in an apparent daze. "She told my husband that she had been texting. Seeing that she was clearly horrified and upset and not wanting to make her feel even worse, (although he rightly could), he told her that everything was going to be okay, that no one was hurt except a tree and her van, but that he truly hoped she learned a lesson from it, as that tree could have just as easily been his family going for a walk. She then began to cry even harder realizing this horrifying truth and said she knew she should not have been doing it. The police and her husband were called and my husband left. I wanted to share this with you so that we can once again remind readers to please not text and drive, facebook and drive, or do anything else on their phones while driving! Thankfully this situation was not horribly tragic, (except of course for the tree) but it certainly could have been."