A Staten Island bar becomes a focal point over the fight to open restaurants, Hodel's on Olive Drive closes temporarily, and the Lady Runners basketball team picks up a win over Cal Berkeley

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.

 * ... BAR WATCH: Keep your eye on the new flash point over coronavirus restrictions: Mac's Public

House bar on Staten Island. The bar has been the scene of lively protests since the bar manager was arrested this week for failing to comply with state restrictions. Protesters descended on the eatery in a graphic reflection of the national anxiety of state and local governments imposing restrictions while elected officials like California Gov. Gavin Newsom flaunt them themselves. Locally, the "push back" movement is also gaining momentum as business owners face the crippling reality to trying to run a business in a very unstable environment. Already some noted local restaurants, including Hodel's, have decided to suspend operations until things become clearer.

 * ... HODEL'S: Hodel's on Olive Drive has been a mainstay in the Bakersfield restaurant scene for decades. Generations of families have eaten there, hundreds of kids worked there as their first job and the family has been generous in its donations to non-profits and local sports teams. It was heart-breaking then, when I chatted with Don Hodel on KERN NewsTalk 96.1 FM and he explained why the restaurant is closing for a few months to ride out the pandemic. So much is up in the air, he told me: the future of buffets in the restaurant business, how long it will be before the catering business rebounds and most of all when will the industry return to some semblance of normalcy. Listen to my interview with Don Hodel here by going to www.KernRadio.com under "blogs."

 * ... SPOTTED ON FACEBOOK: From the Facebook page of my friend Kelly Gafford Gladden comes this: "Christmas gift suggestions: To your enemy, forgiveness. To an opponent, tolerance. To a friend, your heart. To a customer, service. To all, charity. To every child, a good example. To yourself, respect."

 * ... LADY RUNNERS: Congratulations to the CSUB women's basketball team that kicked off the pandemic plagued new season with a win over PAC-10 rival Cal Berkeley. The final: Runners 60, Cal 52. The man, meanwhile, kicked off their season with a close loss to Santa Clara.

 * ... CSUB RUNNERS: Check out this classic old picture of the first CSUB men's basketball team back in 1971. Jennifer Self, head of communications at the campus, posted the pictures as part of her informative daily roundup "Things to Know" of news from the university. Self writes: "The team, which had no home court, practiced at Lakeside School and local high schools. Despite these initial challenges, head coach Jim Larson - just 30 years old - assembled a quality roster that included team captain Odis Ward, co-captain Walter Clapp, Carl Toney, Ken Shiloh, Richard Ross, Robert Rodriguez, Ellis Porter, Jimmy Jones, Sean Baxter, Howard Bell, Rodger Carr, Kenny Pauls, Bob Kelly and James Anderson."

 * ... MEMORIES: Take a look at this old picture, circa 1890, on 19th Street from L Street looking west. Thanks to the Kern County of Old Facebook page for this one.

SEIU targets House Majority Leader McCarthy with radio campaign, CSUB continues its magical year in the NIT and water in the river triggers an explosion of activity

* ... HEALTH CARE: Big money from both the left and right is being thrown into the health care debate, and House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy is one of the prime targets. The latest radio

advertising campaign attacking McCarthy for supporting the repeal of the Affordable Care Act comes from big labor, in this case the SEIU (Service Employees International Union). The local unit of the SEIU was among the organizations that recently protested in front of McCarthy's personal residence in the Southwest.

* ... WIND WOLVES: I spent four hours hiking the majestic Wind Wolves Preserve this past weekend and was heartened to see so many people taking in the beauty of its 93,000 unspoiled acres. I arrived to a half full parking lot at 9 a.m. and when I left at 1 p.m. there were so many cars entering it looked like a scene from Woodstock. The wildflowers are spectacular so get out there before the summer heat settles in.

 * ... ROAD RUNNERS: Is there a hotter team in college basketball than CSUB, which continued its run through the National Invitational Tournament with yet another impressive win over Colorado State? The branding power of seeing CSUB on national TV cannot be underestimated. Up next: Texas-Arlington in the NIT quarterfinal on Wednesday.

* ... SPOTTED ON FACEBOOK: This post from my friend Jolie Brouttier, a teacher at McKinley Elementary: "If I wanted to touch the past, I'd touch a rock. If I wanted to touch the present, I'd touch a flower. But I want to touch the future, so I teach."

 * ... PADDLE BOARDING: Summer isn't here yet but I have already spotted some paddle boarders on the Kern River. The last time we had this kind of water in the river there was an explosion of recreational activity from Beach Park south to the Park at River Walk: canoes, paddle boards, rafts and swimmers. Expect an even bigger summer this year.

 * ... MAILBOX CRIME: A friend of mine reached out to share this rant. It speaks for itself.
"Twice this week we've had our credit cards stolen! My new corporate card never made it to my house, so I suspect mailbox theft (again). A few months ago, our mailboxes were broken into and our new debit card was stolen. Somehow, the thieves were able to activate the card and immediately stole $2,000 from us. Why is this a low level crime in the eyes of BPD and the USPS? Is it because the banks make us whole again? It is such a hassle! I'm having our new cards (three of them this week alone) be delivered via Fed Ex, with signature required."

CSUB basketball coach Rod Barnes is WAC coach of the year, solving the mystery of a house scheduled to be demolished on 25th Street and remembering Jose's Spanish Food

 * ... ROADRUNNERS: Cal State Bakersfield basketball coach Rod Barnes won his second consecutive "Coach of the Year" honor in the Western Athletic Conference, and with that he once again inched the Roadrunners closer to national prominence. If the Runners win the WAC again it

will mean an automatic tournament bid to attend the NCAA "Big Dance," which puts CSUB in rare company and under a national spotlight. The upside of this kind of image marketing for Bakersfield cannot be underestimated, and it brings the campus better recruits and moves us closer to the kind of recognition offered other smaller schools like Gonzaga, Bucknell and Creighton.

* ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "I miss a man around the house so he can watch me do all the work."

* ... GOOD FORM: Here's to the middle aged man who hopped out of his white GMC pickup truck at 19th and Chester the other day to help a homeless woman who fell in intersection, spilling her belongings in the crosswalk and holding up traffic.

 * ... BAD FORM:  Shame on two bicyclists who, on their weekly noon ride that takes them up Panorama Drive, decided to urinate in public at the corner of Alta Vista and Panorama on the wall of a private residence. One man's toilet is another's neighborhood. Let's try to treat every neighborhood as if it were our own.

 * ... 24th STREET: Earlier this week a reader wrote inquiring about the history of a house at the corner of 24th and Beech that bears a large white "P" on its chimney. It is among the houses scheduled to be razed for the 24th Street widening. My friend Peter Hunt responded this way: "The house at the corner of 24th and Beech Street that one of your readers asked about was my grandfather's home. His name was Pat Morison. The house was built in the late 1950s. In the 1960s it was written about in the Los Angeles Times or maybe Sunset Magazine or the Californian. I can't remember. During the construction he fell off of a saw house he had been standing on and severely broke his leg in several places. Doc Iger fixed him up. He sold the house in1970. The fireplace had a large M on it in those days!"

 * ... MORE 24TH: And Kevin McDermott added more history to the same house: "My dad, Robert McDermott, owned and lived in the house you mentioned in your blog at the corner of 24th and Beech from 1973 to 1989. I believe the house was built in 1956. The house had an initial up on the chimney when he moved in, and he changed to his when he moved in. I am not sure when it was first established, but have seen it change since he sold the house. I still remember 1981 when he dressed in a Santa outfit and sat on the roof next to the chimney waving to the passing cars. My daughter cried when she saw him up there."

 * ... DAN BLOCKER: ​And the local stories about the late Bonanza star Dan Blocker continue. This note came from reader Harry Love: "With all the recent articles about Dan Blocker I thought you would enjoy this one. I began teaching at Foothill High School in 1967. I was in the social studies department. Another member was Larry Yount (now deceased). He was a double for Dan Blocker on Bonanza. He was very proud of doing it and showed us photos of him on the set."

 * .... MEXICAN FOOD: So who remembers Jose's Spanish Food at California and K Street in the early 1960s? I spotted a menu for the place on the Kern County of Old Facebook page offering taco and tamale dinners starting at $1.45.

CSU Bakersfield, a blue collar team with its eye on the prize, heads to the NCAA tournament and Bakersfield loses a local titan with the passing of Ray Dezember

 * ... CSU BAKERSFIELD: I had the chance to sit down with Coach Rod Barnes to chat about the Roadrunners heading to Oklahoma City to play in the NCAA Tournament. After beating New Mexico State to win the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) tournament, Bakersfield goes into the game again the University of Oklahoma a 14.5 point underdog. The key to Bakersfield's success: Barnes

looks for hungry, blue collar players with something to prove, players who never give up and players believe in themselves and their teammates. Fifteen years ago Barnes took Ole Miss to the Sweet Sixteen, but it is this Bakersfield team that has won his heart. "We (his family) made a commitment to come here, to live and to build this program," he said. "We (the team) never talk about losing. We don't do that." One thing for sure: at 1 p.m. Friday everyone in town will be glued to the TV or radio when Bakersfield squares off against Oklahoma.

* ... RIP RAY: It's almost a cliche to refer to someone as "Mr. Bakersfield," but it was never an exaggeration when the term applied to Ray Dezember, the former banker and philanthropist who died Monday evening. I met Ray when I moved here in 1994 and he was on the Board of Directors of The Bakersfield Californian. He was unfailingly supportive and wise, and I was smart enough to take him up on his offer to have a weekly breakfast where he shared with me his knowledge of business and his love for this community. The philanthropy of Ray and wife Joan was impressive and widespread, but their giving was always done quietly and without fanfare. Deeply religious, Ray epitomized a life of servant leadership.

 * ... BOWLING ALLEY: No fewer than two dozen readers weighed in a reader's question about the name of the old bowling alley that once existed on the east side. And clearly there is still come confusion between two old businesses; the Bakersfield Bowling Academy and the San Joaquin Bowling Alley.  Said Richard Cardiel: "I believe the bowling alley was the Bakersfield Bowling Academy. It was located next to 7-Up Bottling, which was at the corner of 18th and Sonora Street kitty corner from the old Bakersfield Sandstone store yard. Also located in the same area was a pedestrian underpass under (Highway 99) now Union Avenue. The underpass was either on  the south side of 18th or 17th street. It was used by kids who lived on the west side of Highway 99 to get to Fremont School."

 * ... MORE BOWLING:  Others, including Frank Alvarez, remembered the venue as being the  San Joaquin Bowling Alley "and the proprietor was Joe Karam. I can remember that this is where the professional bowler Don Glover used to bowl." And Dave "Doc" Rangel, retired athletic trainer at Stockade High School, agreed: "The bowling alley that Mary Durham was thinking of was San Joaquin Bowl. It was a Brunswick bowling alley. The other bowling alley on 18th, across from the Rice Bowl, was called, The Bakersfield Bowling Academy."

 * ... MORE BOWLING: Lastly, there was this memory from Barbara Kilbreth Pederson: "The bowling alley mentioned in your column today, I believe to be San Joaquin Bowling Alley. My brother (Bill Kilbreth) was the manager there for a while. As an old timer, I have seen many changes in Bakersfield. Been here over 70 years, so lot of water under the bridge. I have always said that Bakersfield has the worst weather ( hot or foggy) but the greatest people in the world live here.  Go East High Blades!"

City Councilman Terry Maxwell gets some love, and what exactly did House Speaker Paul Ryan order for breakfast at Milt's Coffee Shop?

 * ... MAXWELL: When City Councilman Bob Smith endorsed Andrae Gonzales in his race to topple incumbent Terry Maxwell in Ward 2, it drew this response from reader Sue Castro: "Well, I

had to choke back some phlegm when I read that Bob Smith, as well as Alan Tandy, find Councilman Terry Maxwell not to their liking. Since Bakersfield's puffed up city manager likes to have his way, I can understand why a decidedly un-yes man like Terry Maxwell would be a thorn in his side. I guess Andrae Gonzales says 'si' with more ease!"

 * ... HOUSE SPEAKER: I was happy to field questions from readers and friends about my breakfast with House Speaker Paul Ryan and Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy at Milt's Coffee Shop the other day. But I was surprised at the most common question: what exactly did they eat? So here it is: Ryan, a fitness freak, enjoyed a Milt's omelette topped with avocado and hot sauce with  hash browns and a coffee. McCarthy eschews coffee and opted for a glass of water, two eggs overlight (no sides) and a small bowl of fresh strawberries.

 * ... BAD FORM: In the privately owned hills above Hart Park a man has towed a backhoe and is churning up the hills to create motorcycle jumps, all illegal of course, but there you go.

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "What if dogs bring the ball back because they think you enjoy throwing it?"

 * ... ROADRUNNERS: Congratulations to CSUB basketball coach Rod Barnes for being named coach of the year in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC). And how great would it be for Barnes, his team and the city of Bakersfield if the Roadrunners make it to the NCAA tournament and compete in March Madness? Follow the team as it heads to Las Vegas for the WAC tournament.

 * ... LIBRARY TAX: It looks like an uphill fight to pass a local tax to fund our library system, which distresses folks like my friend Ken Barnes. Said Barnes: "A note to the naysayers against the one-eighth cent sales tax... Surely we can all afford an extra 'one cent' for every
eight dollars we spend to help out our local library department. This is really just a common sense tax.  Too bad more people don't use common sense much any more."

 * ... SMOKERS: Stephen A. Montgomery wrote noting a pet peeve of mine: "Noting the observation by guest columnist Paul Netter referencing the risks to wild condors caused by micro-trash over time I note smokers I’m stuck behind in traffic who, after finishing their smoke, drop the butt out their car window. I’ve never seen a smoker in traffic when finishing their smoke ever keep the butt inside their car but in every case drop it in the street. This sense of entitlement and lack of civic responsibility by smokers who, in their denial of the facts of the outcome of the accumulated distribution of such trash, is frustrating. They all deserve a 'dope slap' for their arrogance and stupidity."

Younger people are avoiding signing up for the Affordable Care Act, and CSUB gets ready to kick off its men's basketball season

 * … OBAMACARE: Now that the Affordable Care Act is law, it appears its clunky website is only a small part of its many problems. The bigger issue, according to experts, is the reluctance of young people to sign up in the exchanges. Why? Most young people are healthy, broke and just starting out in their

careers, and the idea of paying $200 to $300 a month for a plan they rarely use is asking a lot. The problem: the economics of Obamacare depends on younger people subsidizing older people, and if this doesn't happen, the system will collapse under its own weight. Stay tuned.

 * … CSUB: Keep an eye on the Cal State Bakersfield men's basketball team this year as it competes in the Western Athletic Conference. Coach Rod Barnes is now in his third year and told me his team enters this year healthy and ready to compete for a berth in the NCAA Tournament. The Runners kick off the season with an away game this Friday against the PAC 12's Washington State, followed by their first home game at the Icardo Center on Monday against UC Merced.

 * … ACHIEVER: Bakersfield High principal David Reese shared with me a story of a local Driller who has gone on to make her hometown proud. She is Dr. Katrina B. Mitchell, a 1996 BHS grad who is now a general surgery resident at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York. She graduated Phi Beta Kappa with summa cum laude in history from Bowdoin College. She has now been honored with the Surgical Volunteerism Award for her outreach during residency and her contributions toward improving surgical care and education in Tanzania.

 * … MUSIC: Hats off to a few friends and colleagues of mine who have found a way to bring fresh new music to our town. Four friends - Herb Benham, Rogers Brandon, Harry Starkey and Jeff Pickering - formed a non profit called "Passing Through" to bring new musical acts to town. Over the weekend, upcoming solo artist Patrick Park sang for a crowd of 80 people at the beautifully decorated Metro Galleries. It was an eclectic mix in the audience, everyone from musicians Jim Shaw and Monty Byrom to former congressman Bill Thomas and his wife Sharon to Secure Systems owners Bruce and Molly Bussaca. If you ever get a chance to take in one of these concerts, you should do so. Up next: the band Houston Jones on Sunday, Nov. 17.

 * … FUND RAISER: Don't forget to make reservations for the big fund raiser for Catholic Charities Harvest for Hope set for this Saturday at the old satellite wagering building at the Kern County Fairground. Monsignor Craig Harrison will be there to hold court and the proceeds will go to help the neediest in our community. Doors open at 6 p.m. and tickets are $100 each. Call (661) 281-2130 to reserve your tickets.

Longtime Luigi's waitress Nancy Mickelberry, known for giving her customers shoulder massages, died this week, and CSUB basketball team opens its door for a scrimmage on Saturday

 * ... HAPPY ENDING: My earlier blog about packages being stolen from your front porch brought this note from reader Peter Wollesen. "In 2008, my brother-in-law was married in Oslo, Norway. Since he and his new bride were to visit California after the wedding, they instructed the wedding photographer to ship the photos to his parents' house here in Bakersfield. Several weeks later, the

shipment hadn't arrived. The photographer reprinted the order, but the mystery about the original order remained. That is, until months later, when my in-laws received an anonymous call. Apparently the box containing the photographs was too tempting for a wanna-be thief, who poached it off of my in-laws' doorstep. The caller explained that an unidentified relative of theirs had stolen the box, hoping for something of value. When they opened it and found only photos, they were disappointed, but apparently felt too guilty to simply throw them away. Instead, they held onto the photos until their conscience got the better of them, and they confessed to the mystery caller. An arrangement was made to retrieve the photos and I, presumably due to my size, was designated as the gofer. I drove to an area in Oildale that reminded me very much of Dorothea Lange's images of the dust bowl; I suspect that most of Bakersfield has no idea that such areas exist just a few miles away. Anyway, there I met the caller, who handed over the entire box of photos, undamaged,  with no words exchanged."

 * ... RIP NANCY: I was saddened to hear that longtime Luigi's "backrub lady" Nancy Mickelberry died this week. Mickelberry left Luigi's some years ago but while there was known for giving her customers a back and shoulder massage before they ordered. She was 78.

 * ... RUNNERS: The men's CSUB Roadrunners basketball team will hold a blue-gold scrimmage this Saturday. The university is opening the doors and inviting the public to meet the team and watch the Runners in action. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. and the first 100 fans will receive a free T-shirt.

 * ... SENIOR QUEENS: Hats off to two "queens" of the recent senior games out at Rosewood Senior Living Community. They are both 100 years old and more spry than people half their ages. One queen is Ruth DeKay, a Rosewood resident who will turn 101 on Thanksgiving Day. The other is Opal Lovett who turned 100 on August 18. A little background on Opal from her granddaughter Kelly Charles: she plays Bingo as often as she can, lives at Pinewood Glenn, attends church at Pinewood and is affectionately called "gram" by her six grandchildren, seven great grandchildren and one great, great grand child. (family photo of Queen Opal)

 * ... FIRST FRIDAY: It looks like the movement that began First Friday five years ago is morphing into something that will give the monthly celebration of downtown more muscle and definition. Those behind First Friday are incorporating it into a non profit and will soon announce a board of directors. The new organization will focus on marketing, promotions and building the arts district and First Friday. It is no surprise that the founder of First Friday, Don Martin of Metro Galleries on 19th Street, is also the driving force behind the new nonprofit. His aim: focus First Friday on getting people into downtown businesses and try to avoid food vendors and others that take away from the theme of arts and local businesses. More on this to come.

Nebraska Cornhusker fans gather in Bako and Californian Radio will host Cal State men's basketball coach Rod Barnes on Monday

 * ... CORNHUSKERS: So who knew that a group of University of Nebraska fans gather each Saturday at Goose Loonies to take in Cornhusker football? Local businessman Bob Tebbe said up to 25 fans meet each Saturday to root on the Big Ten team. Tebbe said the fans range in age from "from early 20s to 80 and just as many women as men, sometimes more. We are made up of  professionals, truck drivers, a judge, business owners, firemen, veterinarian, retirees ... just really nice people who have one thing in common.... a love of Nebraska."

 * ... CSUB: It may be football season but it's never too early to talk college basketball. On Monday, CSUB men's basketball coach Rod Barnes will join me on Californian Radio (KERN 1180) to talk about the prospects for the Roadrunners as the team goes deep into Division 1 play. The team just returned from Bermuda and a series of exhibition games. The show begins at 9 a.m.

 * ... BROCK DINNER: Hats off to Jon Van Boening, the president of Memorial Hospital who was honored with the John Brock Community Service Award at the annual dinner last week at Seven Oaks Country Club. Van Boening has been quietly steering Memorial during a period of hyper growth and has built an impressive team to offer the best quality care. The Brock dinner, sponsored by the CSUB School of Business, is always a good opportunity for our community's business and civic leaders to recognize one of their own.

 * ... SPOTTED: At a local Vons,  a woman pulls her loaded cart up to the express lane (15 items or  fewer) and proceeds to empty the cart 15 items at a time, paying at each interval until her cart was empty.

* ... KIWANIS: One of my regular contributors, Dona M. Baker, dropped me a note to remind me of the good that the Oildale Kiwanis club does each year for students at Standard and Beardsley elementary schools. Each year the club purchases back to school clothes and back packs for kids at the schools, meeting the kids at a local Target to select the supplies. Dona also wanted me to remind all World War II veterans to be part of the annual Veteran's Day Parade Nov. 12.

 * ... GOLF: If you want to support the Wounded Heroes Foundation of Kern County, you may want to sign up for the third annual Wounded Heroes golf tournament at Bakersfield Country Club. Club pro Bruce Burroughs told me the event is this Saturday, September 15, starting at noon with a shotgun start. Call the pro shop at (661) 871-4121 to sign up. All donations are welcome.