Assemblyman Vince Fong says threat to kill the oil industry is real and "dire," will Supervisor Leticia Perez resign before her trial, and we get the last super moon of the year

Friday, March 22, 2019

 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 such a special to live. Send your tips to rsbeene@yahoo.com.

 * ... OIL SUMMIT: How dire is it for the oil and gas industry in left leaning California? "The fight is real," says Assemblyman Vince Fong. "It's dire." That was one of the themes coming out of the West

Kern Petroleum Summit put on by Sheri Horn-Bunk and the Taft College Foundation. Fong, joined on a panel by Supervisor Zack Scrivner and state Sen. Shannon Grove, said it was too early to assess how Gov. Gavin Newsom feels about hydrocarbons, or if he is willing to sign onto legislation that would set a time limit on how low fossil fuels can be developed here. "Common sense is not very common in Sacramento," Fong noted.

 * ... LETICIA PEREZ: Julie Solis is a local Democratic activist and she prides herself with being plugged into the local political scene. And that is why I was so intrigued to see her Facebook post claiming that Supervisor Leticia Perez, charged with a conflict of interest violation for not disclosing her husband was representing cannabis interests, would resign before her trial. True? Perez told me via text that she was fighting the charge and would continue to serve her district. Time will tell.

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "Do regular dogs see police dogs and think, 'Oh crap! It’s the cops'"?

 * ... HEAD SCRATCHER: After reporting the number of homeless in Kern County had jumped 50 percent since last year, KBAK TV uses this headline over its story: "The number of homeless in Kern County doubled since 2018 PIT count." Doubled? Math is not someone's strong point over off Westwind Drive.

 * ... DORMS: The opposition to the proposed privately funded dormitories for CSUB students is formidable, and if I were a betting man, I would say this project is dead on arrival. Some of the most prominent names in town live in areas that oppose the idea - Stockdale Estates, Olde Stockdale, Amberton, the Shores, and Quailwood - as well as CSUB  president Lynnette Zelezny.

 * ... SUPER MOON: Did you catch the full moon this week? This was your last chance of the year to catch the supermen and it'd falls on the same day as the vernal equinox, which signals the end of winter and the beginning of spring. It is also called the Full Worm Moon. Also known under names like the Crow Moon, Sap Moon, Sugar Moon, and Lenten Moon, the Full Worm Moon is the last full moon of the winter and basically signals the start of spring—it's finally here!—which is when temperatures rise and earthworms begin to surface, hence the name. This full moon is also a supermoon, meaning it'll be the closest to the Earth at that time than it was the whole month of March.

 * ... GRIMMWAY FARMS: Grimmway Farms President Jeff Huckaby joined Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue this week to ring the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange. The New York Stock Exchange welcomed Secretary Perdue, other agriculture executives, and his guests to profile the future of agriculture in America. Also joining the group were two young members of the New York Future Farmers of America.

 * ... MEMORIES: Another great old picture from downtown Bakersfield over the years.

* ...MORE MEMORIES: And here, thanks to the Kern County of Old Facebook page, is a wonderful shot of the county court house. (1912-1952) 1415 Truxtun Avenue. Demolished after 1952 quake.

Cal State Bakersfield to christen new state-of-the-art dorms for 500 students and a scammer is busted when he hits up the same generous couple

 * … SCAMS: Can you stand another story on people getting scammed out of their money? This one comes compliments of Irene Edmonds, who was going to a local restaurant with her husband Tom

when they were approached by a clean-cut man who claimed he was trying to get back to Fresno after his truck broke down. "For some reason, probably because he was so clean cut looking,
we gave him $20, figuring he was telling the truth and not looking for booze money… Maybe a month later we were going to an event at the Museum of Art and he approaches us again, same story. We informed him that we had given him money recently and he had that story then too… I would say that the look he gave us was pure hate. If I had been alone I would have been scared."

 * … WASTE: Hats off to the folks over at the Kern County Waste Management Department who opened their doors this past weekend to accept household hazardous waste. I dropped off some old paint and pesticides that had cluttered my garage and the process was simple and efficient. The facility is located at 4951 Standard Street and is open to the public Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Isn't it nice when local government works?

 * … CSUB: There is some really good news out at Cal State Bakersfield where they are getting ready to christen the new student dormitories. A ribbon cutting is set for Tuesday, Nov. 18. The dorms will house some 500 students, all part of President Horace Mitchell's vision to bring a true "campus experience" to the local university.

 * … HALLOWEEN: Halloween is coming up and Bakersfield police will be out in force with DUI checkpoints. Unfortunately, Halloween is one of the deadliest nights of the year for alcohol-related accidents. Be safe and if you drink, don't drive.

 * … OVERHEARD: A reader shared these thoughts on water rationing he has heard on the street: "Recent opinions I've encountered are 'I'm not going to stop overseeding rye grass in winter until they pass a law' and 'I'm going to continue overseeding in an effort not to put gardeners out of work.'  Is denial just a river in Egypt? Good news: in a recent visit to Famous Dave's restaurant recently, some nice gentleman paid for dinner, honoring the military service of one person at the table. He said 'I just wanted to show my son a real hero'. I was blown away. And 'Famous CJ' was the greatest waiter.  Thank you for such a nice gesture whoever you are! Now I will make sure to pass that favor on."

 * … MOVIE: A friend passed along a note that at 1 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 8, TCM (Turner Classic Movies)  will be airing the movie Hells Angels on Wheels. Said a reader: "This was made in 1967 mostly here in Bakersfield. Hart Park, the road to Hart Park, the Tilt-A-Wheel and other rides at Hart Park are made to look like a carnival. Also it shows Outlaw Hill, The Bakersfield Inn (Mexican tiles) and I think scenes using a church at the Pioneer Village (Kern County Museum).

New dormitories could transform Cal State Bakersfield and celebrating a good deed

* ... CSUB: There's an important development over out at Cal State Bakersfield that has been overshadowed by the serious cutbacks affecting the entire university system. The Cal State Board of Trustees has approved the funding for new dormitories that will feature 500 beds for students, the first phase of a project that will slowly allow CSUB to evolve from a commuter school to a more residential environment. Why is this so important? It's all part of President Horace Mitchell's plan to bring a more authentic college experience to the campus, and that can only be achieved by having students live on the campus. Can you imagine the campus with 500, 1,000 or even 5,000 students living there? The smaller older dorms (now 40 years old) will be phased out, replaced by the new dorms featuring suite-style rooms with bedrooms connected to a bath. The master plan calls for three phases of dorm building on the soccer fields fronting Stockdale Highway. If things go as planned, the first phase will be ready for fall 2014. The funding is coming via new revenue bonds.

 * ... SPOTTED: A young couple braves the rain recently to take a hot cup of coffee to a homeless man who was standing in the downpour protecting his belongings.


* ... SAM THE HIPPO: Harry Love, a retired teacher at Foothill High School, chimed in with his memory of Sam the hippopotamus who once lived at the old Larson's Dairy in town. "I was teaching Social Studies at Foothill High School. I think it was in the early 1970s. I had students who were passing out bumper stickers that read 'Save Sam the Hippo.' They went to different classes, charging $1 for them. It was a publicity stunt to get the county to purchase land for Sam and other animals at the small zoo in Hart Park."

* ... PAJAMAS: A reader's note mentioning she "spotted" a mother walking her children to school while wearing a robe and pajamas has triggered a healthy little debate. Is this another example of how lazy we've all become, or should the mother be applauded? Raymond S. Pederson wrote to send "kudos to Pam Cheatwood for pointing out the simple but unavoidable truth that getting children to school, even in if mom wore pajamas, is a noble act.  How many people would not have taken their children to school under these conditions. You would think that with the present rate of drop-outs in Kern County, getting the kids to school so that they might move on to eventual graduation represents a true effort on the part of the mother, regardless of outward appearances. Thanks to a mom who cares enough to make sure her children get a good start on the path to a better future through education."

* ... THRIFT STORE:  A new thrift store has opened to serve the neediest in our community. It's called the Blessing and Bargains Thrift Store and is located at 2141 South Chester Avenue. This is a project of the Chester Avenue Community Church, which member Paul Warner describes as "small but we have strong faith." Stop by sometime and if you have leftover items from a garage sale, or other donations, they will be happy to take them off your hands.

 * ... WHO KNEW? Did you know that the giant fiberglass Indian statue now at Ethel's Old Corral Cafe is a “Muffler Man Indian” and once stood on the Garces Circle? The Vision 2020 Image Committee says there are different versions of Muffler Men all over the country. There is even a website devoted to Muffler Man sightings.

New dorms at CSUB push out the Relay for Life and mourning over the loss of a member of the Greatest Generation

 * ... RELAY FOR LIFE: It's too bad that Relay for Life has been forced to leave Cal State Bakersfield for a less desirable site in Southwest Bakersfield. This annual fund raiser to fight cancer is hugely successful, drawing thousands to the campus in a win-win for both the university and the fight for a cure. So what prompted the move? Rob Meszaros, director of public affairs over at CSUB, said the soccer fields used by Relay for Life have long been designated to house student residence halls. Until recently, he said it looked like the dorms would be open in the fall 2013 term but that has been pushed back a year. Either way, the school hopes to break ground about a year from now and open the new dormitories in the fall of 2014. When it does happen, the complex will consist of 500 beds in "semi suites" - two bedrooms connected to a bath. Each bedroom would have one, two or three students. Meanwhile, the Relay for Life event will be held April 30-May 1 at the Old River Sod facility at 11800 Old River Road.

 * ... RIP WALTER: We lost another member of the Greatest Generation the other day. Walter Truax passed away on February 2 at the age of 91. He served in the Army from 1941 to 1945 and spent most of his time in Germany, serving as a squad leader sergeant. He won both the Silver Star and Bronze Star. Two years ago, Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield) presented Truax nine medals he earned during the war that he never thought to collect. Truax was married to his wife for 52 years until her death a few years ago. After the war he opened his own business, Truax Optical, in Bakersfield and was a member of the Bakersfield Lion's Club for more than 40 years.A funeral service is set for 1 p.m. Friday at Hillcrest Memorial Chapel and graveside services will follow. (Californian photo by Casey Christie)

 * ... BUDGET CUTS: California's budget mess will mean sacrifices all around, but it was particularly distressing to read about the cuts facing our university and state college systems. University of California President Mark Yudof said the UC campuses are prepared to accept another 30,000 to 40,000 students but can't because of the lack of finances. All this is bad news for our state and particularly areas like Kern County that already suffers from one of the lowest educational rates in the state.

 * ... OVERHEARD: A local Realtor, thrilled with four, near full price offers on a downtown bungalow within days of it going on the market, expressing hope things may be finally turning around for our beleaguered housing market. Meanwhile, The Wall Street Journal is reporting that buyers around the U.S. are "snapping up homes in all cash deals, betting that prices are at or near bottom and breathing life into some of the nation's most battered housing markets." Last year, 42 percent of all deals in Phoenix were all cash, and in the Miami-Fort Lauderdale area, fully half of all sales were for cash.

 * ... BAKERSFIELDISM: Reader Maxine Baker remembers when a drive-in diner called Bloomfields was located at the corner of Niles and Baker streets. "My mom was a car-hop there. It has been many things since but is now a parking lot for BCSD. This had to be in the late 1930s or early 1940s."