Local radio shot host Ralph Bailey suffers a broken jaw in a fight at KC Steakhouse, Louis Gill resigns as head of the homeless center and the Wasco City Council removes Alex Garcia as mayor

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.

 * ... ALEX GARCIA: The Wasco City Council has voted to strip Mayor Alex Garcia of his title after

Garcia was cited for driving under the influence. The vote was 4-1 with Garcia objecting. Garcia claimed the move was in retaliation for his proposal to fly the LGBQT flag over Wasco City Hall, while his critics said it was a matter of personal responsibility. Garcia will remain on the City Council through the end of his term and has since pleaded no contest to reckless driving in exchange for the court dismissing a charge of driving while under the influence and acquitting him of a related charge of driving with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 percent.

 * ... LOUIS GILL RESIGNS: Louis Gill, one of the most prominent local players in the battle against homelessness, is leaving the nonprofit that operates the Bakersfield Homeless Center and the Alliance Against Family Violence and Sexual Assault. Gill has served as head of the homeless center for 21 years and he said it was time to move on. Gill's move immediately triggered speculation he may run for local office, although he has not said what may be next in line. Local Democrats have been privately hoping Gill might consider a run for office.

 * ... MORE TROUBLE FOR RALPH BAILEY: Longtime local radio talk show host Ralph Bailey has found himself embroiled in another late night controversy, once again involving his birthday celebration and KC Steakhouse, Bailey's favorite cocktail lounge. This time it happened over the weekend when Bailey, out with two friends to celebrate his 58th birthday, suffered a broken jaw when he was punched during an altercation on the dance floor involving a waitress and another customer. Grainy security footage appears to show Bailey headed to the dance floor with the waitress, but once there another man steps in to dance with the woman. Words are then exchanged, Bailey is pushed, Bailey reacts by grabbing a bar stool and then the unidentified patron punches Bailey twice before a crowd separated the two men. Bailey said he broke his jaw and it will be surgically repaired on Thursday.  Ironically, it was during the same birthday weekend in 2013 that Bailey once again found himself at KC Steakhouse before he was arrested for public intoxication while walking home. Bailey also pleaded no contest to DUI after a 2006 arrest on E Street near 20th Street and in September 2005 he was charged with DUI and ended up pleading no contest to reckless driving. Bailey currently does not drive, opting instead to use ride sharing services. The Ralph Bailey Show airs weekdays from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. on KERN NewsRadio 96.1 FM/1180 AM.

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "I’m on a plant based diet, and right now my favorite plant is the one where they manufacture the Tyson chicken nuggets. "

* ... ALL THE HATE: A sign of the times: of all the competition in the Olympics this year, few teams have proved more controversial with some U.S. fans than the U.S. women's soccer team, whose two losses  eliminated the team from the Gold medal round. The face of the women's soccer team is none other than Megan Rapinoe, whose fondness for bending the knee during the national anthem has incurred so much wrath among some Americans. After the U.S. women lost to Canada, the internet exploded with anti-Rapinoe vitriol.

 * ... MISSING: Did you read the story in The Californian about the search for two men who appeared in the newspaper more than 20 years ago at the California Living Museum (CALM)? Steven Mayer writes the museum is trying to locate the two young men - identified in the photo caption as Zach Elliott and J.J. Thomas - to recreate the photo two decades later. 

 * ... MEMORIES: I spend far too much time on the Kern County History Fans Facebook page where contributors share historic photos and postcards like the ones here. Enjoy.

Sarah Lawrence College tops the list of the most expensive schools in the country, and Terry Maxwell joins me on Californian Radio KERN 1180 to talk about the City Council race

 * ... COLLEGE COSTS: A stunning new study has identified the most expensive colleges in the nation. Ready for some sticker shock? Topping the list is Sarah Lawrence College in New York, which offers an annual tuition of $61,236. That's right, some $250,000 for four years and that doesn't include money for pizza, books, travel home, clothes and other things. Rounding out the top five were New York University at $59,837, Harvey Mudd College at $58,913, Columbia University at $58,742 and Wesleyan University at $58,202.

 * ... MAXWELL: Terry Maxwell is a well know restaurateur and long-time local businessman who is running for the Ward 2 City Council seat being vacated by Sue Benham. He has picked up some impressive endorsements, and Monday he will be my guest on Californian Radio KERN 1180 at 9 a.m. Tune in to hear Terry talk about his vision for our city and his views on the proposed 24th Street widening project.

* ... CALM: A couple updates on what is happening at the California Living Museum (CALM), compliments of Steve Sanders of the Kern County Superintendent of Schools. Next month will feature an exhibit of desert Bighorn Sheep, a partnership with the San Diego and Los Angeles zoos, and CALM's first cooperative breeding program. "Also on Nov. 10 CALM will be the recipient of a Kaboom! Playground in partnership with PGE.  Some 200 volunteers will build a playground in just one day. Last month over 25 kids helped design their dream playground at CALM and many of their ideas will be incorporated."

 * ... MILESTONES: Stinson's Stationers is celebrating 65 years in business this week. In a time when so many businesses have struggled to remain solvent, it's good to see a locally owned business flourishing by putting customers first.

 * ... OVERHEARD: During the Kern Wheelmen Spooktacular bicycle century Saturday a trim 62-year-old is sharing his fitness regimen with a group of riders. "Every day after I void my bladder in the morning - and I mean every day - I flush and then immediately jump on the bathroom floor and do as many push ups as I can before the water fills the toilet tank. I am aiming for 50 but yesterday I did 46. Sometimes I finish and I find the cat looking at me like I am insane." Really?

 * ... NICKELODEON: A local teenager has been chosen to appear on an upcoming episode of Nickelodeon when kids get a chance to as President Obama questions. Fernando Perez, a 15-year-old sophomore at Foothill High, will be among the students who will be posing questions on Linda Ellerbee's special, 'Kids Pick the President: The Candidates.' Fernando is the nephew of Connie Perez, an audit partner at Brown Armstrong who works out of the firm's Pasadena office.

 * ... FUND RAISER: The Boy Scouts Southern Sierra Council have come up with one of the more innovative ways to raise money. On Saturday, October 27, people will be rappelling down the tallest building in town (Stockdale Tower) to raise money. That's right, actually rappelling down the side of the building. Each participant has to raise $1,000 for the Boy Scouts, be at least 14 years old and weigh between 110 and 300 pounds. It's called Over the Edge and if you are interested, call (661) 325-9036.