California State University Bakersfield welcomes its largest freshman class ever, and a local couple sings the praises of the amazing Noriega Hotel eating experience

 * … CSUB: There is some good news out at Cal State Bakersfield, where the university is welcoming its largest freshman class ever. President Horace Mitchell said more than 1,400 freshman are registered to start classes, boosting total enrollment to another record - just over 8,000 students.

* … NORIEGA: Shirley Brazel and her husband proved the old adage about taking time to appreciate the things that are close to home. They were dining at the Noriega Hotel with their son and his wife who had heard about the restaurant's well deserved reputation. "What a delightful evening we had," she said. " We sat at long table and engaged in conversations with strangers while enjoying
outstanding food as well as the atmosphere. This was a whole new experience for us (I usually prefer privacy at restaurants). My husband and I have lived in Bakersfield for seven years and the couple sitting near us could not believe we had never been to Noriega's before. As we said our good-byes to new acquaintances we expressed liking our evening. When we left, we learned this nice couple had paid for our dinner. We thank them so very much and we in turn will do the same to some one else. In the meantime that generous couple will be added to our daily prayers."

* … BAD FORM: Donna Cazacus encountered a bit of bad form that seems all too common around town. She was having lunch at California Pizza Kitchen the other day when she encountered two other women with three children, who were running wild around the restaurant. "I know you were enjoying your lunch because neither one of you paid any attention to what your children were doing; you made no attempt to discipline them," she wrote. "Apparently, you didn’t notice that most of the people in the restaurant were looking at you and your children in disbelief. And the people who were seated at the booth next to yours actually changed tables in an attempt to enjoy their lunch. The manager spoke to you twice about the situation, but you didn’t see fit to address the issue. Allow me to address it. Your mothering skills are abysmal—perhaps even nonexistent. Your children not only lack common manners, but by allowing them to behave as they did only teaches them not to have any respect for other people or for things that don’t belong to them... You are not preparing them to be in social situations. You are not preparing them to be able to sit still and focus when they go to school.  You are not preparing them for life. And, worst of all, you are allowing them to be a danger to themselves and to others!" Well said.

 * … OVERHEARD: A group of women who regularly walk on the Panorama bluffs in the morning are sharing ideas about how to keep the area clean of trash. Said one: "We should get McDonald's and Taco Bell and Burger King to sponsor the trash cans up here with signs thanking people for discarding their trash properly. Otherwise they just leave in in the gutter."

* … FUND RAISER: If it's October in Bakersfield you know we have entered the peak of fund raising season. One of my favorites it the 2nd annual barbecue benefitting the St. Vincent de Paul Homeless Center at 316 Baker Street. The event is set for next Thursday evening, October 9. I attended last year's inaugural event and it proved to be an extraordinary success. Nearly 800 steaks were served, and an estimated $70,000 was raised to help the eastside facility help the neediest in our community. For tickets, contact Deborah Leary at (661)  872-1543. It may be the most important $25 you spend this fall.

 * … RACER: Congratulations to Sean Dodenhoff, a Garces Memorial High graduate and now a junior at University of Nevada at Reno who won the Bay Cities Racing Association Midget racing championship three weeks ago. Said his proud grand father Arnold Johansen: "Sean drives a midget race car built by his dad, local chiropractor, Dr. Brad Dodenhoff.  Sean is a pre-med student and drives the race car on a part time basis as his classes allow.

 * … BAKERSFIELDISM: Several readers wrote to correct an earlier post about local theaters, reminding me that the Rialto was located in East Bakersfield, not downtown. I stand corrected.

Cal State Bakersfield welcomes a record high freshman class and readers weigh in on the danger of pitbull terriers

 * ... CSUB: Despite all the challenges facing our local university (and there are many) it's good to see that Cal State Bakersfield is expecting another year of record enrollment. President Horace Mitchell says some 8,255 students are enrolled to date, and of those more than 1,300 are first time freshman, a record freshman enrollment.

 * ... PITBULLS; My inbox was overflowing with comments on pitbulls following a reader's post about dogs off their leashes on the Panorama Bluffs. Here are two examples, from both sides of the debate. Dannette Keeler said she used to be afraid of pit terriers until she met one named Buddy. "My husband brought him home from work because he was left there because his owner couldn't have him at an apartment. For months he wanted to bring him home and I refused. We already had the greatest dog and breed, a golden retriever. Well that was five years ago. I kick myself for the months I wasted with my prejudice. When I meet this sweet heart he climbed in my lap, kissed me and curled into a tight ball like a kitten. He is now Buddy Dallas Keeler and more loved than you could know.  He has been around every circumstance from babies, children, (Halloween is his favorite he greets the kids with a gentle kiss), elderly, small crowds, large crowds and last week a lost dog who walked into our home and scared him! He barked but did not bite!"

 * ... MORE PITBULLS: Meanwhile there are folks like Christy Morgan, a dog lover from way back but one who had a bad run-in with pitbulls a few years ago. She had been running with her golden retriever on the bike path near Cal State when a family of pitbulls attacked her dog. "They got him down in a ditch on his back and began tearing away at his neck and trying to tear his ear off. I kicked them, screamed at them, and threw any thing that I could find at them, all to no avail. When the pits’ owner finally got to the scene, she was so scared of her own dogs that she was unwilling to do anything to try to stop the fight." Finally, Christy picked up her bloodied dog and shrieked at the one dog who had not backed off. "When I turned and looked at my baby, he had blood all over his head and neck. One of his ears was hanging on by a thread of skin (literally)!" Her dog survived, but it's no surprise she has been wary of pitbulls ever since.

 * ... SPOTTED: House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield) with wife Judy and their two dogs taking a Labor Day stroll near the bike path at Cal State Bakersfield.

* ... FIRST FRIDAY: It's time for another First Friday and this one promises to be one of the best of the year. It's all centered around "Latination," a collection of dozens of pieces of really impressive art recognizing the culture and vibrancy of Latin American life. The juried show begins around 5 p.m. at Don Martin's Metro Galleries on 19th Street, and will feature food by El Pueblo and music by Mento Buru. But that's not all. You are missing out if you don't hit one of our downtown restaurants, starting with old reliables like Uricchios Trattoria and extending to new startups like The Mark and Muertos. Expect a good crowd and perfect weather. Make a night of it.

* ... HERRERA: Also on First Friday well known local artist Alberto Herrera will be at Kuka's Folk Art on 19th Street signing his most recent children's book called Musika. Stop by to meet the artist and to enjoy the local folk art store.