Bakersfield Observed's 2019 Winners and Losers: the high, lows, challenges, setbacks and victories in a wild year in Kern County

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 reflect the views of any other individual, organization or company. 


 WINNERS AND LOSERS: It was a year to remember in Kern County. A longtime District Attorney retires, a federal court orders the supervisors to rewrite their district boundaries, homelessness surges, the locally owned newspaper is sold, the question of legal cannabis roils the community, some iconic local restaurants close and a beloved local priest is accused of sexual impropriety. So today we look back on 2019 and present some of the winners and losers for the year. Enjoy.

 2019 WINNERS

 10)  ... CYNTHIA ZIMMER: After a divisive election which pitted her against another member of the District Attorney's office, Cynthia Zimmer became the new DA and immediately set a law and order tone in sync with a community dealing with a sharp spike in crime, gang activity and homelessness. Zimmer is on my "watch list" of those public officials whose prominence will only grow in stature.

 9) ... EAST CHESTER: It's hard to find a better example of resilience, challenge and grit than the emergence of the "east Chester" business district (east of Chester on 18th Street). Young people with vision, drive and working capital moved into this previously sleepy part of downtown and created something new and magical. First there were the 17th Street Townhomes, a project by City Councilman Bob Smith and investors, followed by Cafe Smitten, Dot & Ott, The Angry Barnyard BBQ, the new Metro Galleries and others. The aptly named East Chester is fast becoming one of  "the" places to shop and be seen.

 8)  ... ROB AND JUDI MCCARTHY: Former Bakersfield residents Rob and Judi McCarthy,  owners of Lightspeed Systems who took the company to Austin where it was sold, never forgot their hometown and generously donated $2.5 million to the Kern Community Foundation and the Women's and Girl's Fund. That's called walking the walk.

7)  ... KERN COUNTY: Props to the county of Kern that proved itself more nimble, aware and aggressive in dealing with our homeless crisis. While city officials fretted and flirted with paralysis, the county charged forward and is on the verge of opening its 150-bed low barrier homeless shelter off Golden State Avenue. This is a testament to the entire Board of Supervisors for getting it right.

 6)  ... TBC STAFF: With the newspaper industry in turmoil, some of the most talented of The Bakersfield Californian's staff have fled to jobs outside the industry, and many of them are already making their mark on the community. Among them: ranking editors Jennifer Self and Christine Bedell to CSUB, Trevor Horn to Garces Memorial High School, Jason Kotowski to KGET, James Burger to CAPK, Harold Pierce to Adventist Health Tehachapi and Lois Henry to the non-profit SJVWater.Org, devoted to the politics of water in the Central Valley.

 5)  ... CSUB: CSUB lost president Horace Mitchell to retirement, but the school didn't miss a beat when Lynnette Zelezny came from Fresno State to replace Mitchell as the school's new president. The campus is booming, entering into a partnership with Bakersfield College, expanding its academic offerings and continuing on its quest to evolve from a sleepy commuter school to a true major university. Zelezny may turn out to be the idea choice for CSUB at just the right time.

 4) ... VINCE FONG: It must be hard to be a Republican legislator serving with the Democratic majority in Sacramento. But Assemblyman Vince Fong does it with ntelligence, focus and grace, a tireless advocate of the lifestyle, priorities and morality of the Central Valley in an increasingly hostile setting. Never an ideologue or bomb thrower, Fong works with both sides of the aisle to get things done.

 3)  ... DAVID COUCH: Supervisor David Couch drew the short straw in the battle over drawing new districts at the Board of Supervisors. His district was gutted and he lost relationships with voters and communities that took years to establish. And, he was forced into running for re-election prematurely in a predominantly Hispanic district. Yet Couch defeated Grace Vallejo handily and proved once again that focus and commitment will always trump skin color at the ballot box.

 2) ... THE 18HUNDRED: Hard to find a better example of urban renewal, vision and infill that the opening of The 18Hundred restaurant at the corner of 18th and Chester downtown. This elegant old bank building, once covered up by an ugly facade, has been completely restored and his now one of the hottest eateries in town.

 1) ... RYAN ALSOP: And the biggest winner of the year: Kern County chief administrative officer Ryan Alsop, who has made a name for himself as a person who gets things done with razor-like focus. He brings to the CAO's role the same discipline and determination that he brings to his personal workout schedule, which in itself is impressive. Alsop was the tip of the spear in the county's aggressive efforts dealing with our homeless crisis, the rebuilding of Hart Park and putting the county back on sound financial footing.

 2019 THE LOSERS:

 10)  ... DAVID ABASSI: Local businessman David Abassi went from vocal marijuana advocate to erratic (and some say potentially dangerous) gadfly over the course of the year. Once merely a cannabis advocate, his behavior is increasingly under question as he levels charges of fraud and conspiracy against countless people. And among other things, Abassi was cited for drawing a gun in public and he once went before the supervisors with a bizarre rant taken from straight from the soundtrack of the move "Pulp Fiction."

 9)  ... CAFE MED: Meir Brown's Cafe Med went out of the business this year, in itself no sin given the brutal competitive nature of the restaurant business, but when it went belly-up it left dozens holding useless Cafe Med gift certificates, some sold to support local schools.

 8)  .... TATYANA HARGROVE: Add this Millinneal to the list thanks to her arrest for tampering with food where she worked at the McDonald's on Stockdale Highway. Hargrove sued the Bakersfield Police for false arrest (she lost that case) and later retaliated by spitting on an officer's to-go order, only to be discovered by her boss who turned her into police. Real class that girl.

 7) ... DOWNTOWN BUSINESS ASSOCIATION: The DBA earned its reputation as a do-nothing local organization by hosting a series of expensive luncheons where it featured city officials, proving once again the DBA's main mission seems more about paying its own salaries rather than serving its business members.

 6) ... ELAINA SOSA: Add the name Elaina Sosa to our list after being charged with animal cruelty for dragging her dog behind her while she used a scooter to drive down 20th Street downtown. The dog's paws were swollen and bleeding after Sosa was caught on video dragging the poor thing down the street while on a leash.

 5)  ... KERN COUNTY FAIR BOARD: Yet another fall from grace was the Kern County Fair Board, which was cited in a state audit for gross mismanagement of funds. Led by Fair director Mike Olcott and board chair Blodgie Rodriguez, the fair board was cited for spending lavishly on expensive meals and booze on out of town junkets.

  4)  ... WE, THE PEOPLE: This list would not be complete without including us - yes, you and me - on the list of losers. Thanks to liberal policies that decriminalized everything from heroin possession to prostitution, crime is exploding in California and yes, we are the true victims. Petty crime, car theft and vandalism, retail theft, public urination and drug use are all on the rise in California.

 3) ... BOARD OF SUPERVISORS: In the list of "winners," we rightfully recognized the county of Kern for its singular focus on getting its financial house in order and addressing the homeless issue. But the Board of Supervisors also earned a "loser" nod for two boneheaded decisions: they showed short sightedness in failing to approve a concert venue off Interstate 5 (choosing instead to cow-two to a handful of influential farmers) and failing to approve the retail sale and delivery of cannabis products, a decision that has benefited other communities by the millions.

2) ... OIL INDUSTRY: It's now official: the state of California has declared war on the oil industry and seems more determined than ever to shut down the exploration and production of fossil fuels in the state. Gov. Gavin Newsom has made it clear that the future of California - if he gets his way - will be oil free, and the Democratic legislature agrees. The next few years will be crucial as we see just how fast this movement will surge, and what it will mean for oil patch communities like Bakersfield.

 1)  ... FATHER CRAIG HARRISON: It's hard to find a bigger loser this year than Monsignor Craig Harrison, who was suspended from St. Francis Parish in April after a handful of men accused him of sexual abuse when he served in Firebaugh, Merced County and here in Bakersfield. Although his fate remains uncertain and Harrison has retained the support of a core group of local Catholics, including some of the richest and most prominent people in town, Harrison is on the verge of losing everything if he is not re-instated. Whatever Bishop Joseph Brennan decides, the damage to Harrison's once unblemished reputation has been done, a dramatic fall from grace that has no peer locally. Today Harrison is a man without a portfolio, a man of the cloth at heart who can no longer practice in the Catholic church as he awaits his fate. If Harrison is cleared and returned to the pulpit, no doubt he will head next year's list of "biggest winners," but the odds are clearly against him.

A breakthrough in solar technology could spell trouble for fossil fuels, Cafe Med closes abruptly and Mexican drug cartels are now focusing on the latest cash crop: avocados

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 reflect the views of any other individual, organization or company. 


 * ... SOLAR BREAKTHROUGH? A story that didn't get much play this week involved a potentially game changing technology in the fight against global warming. Backed by Microsoft founder Bill Gates, the technology uses concentrated solar energy to exceed temperatures greater than

1,000 degrees Celsius (1,800 degrees Fahrenheit). Said one story: "For perspective, that kind of heat is about one-quarter of the temperatures found on the surface of the sun. At that temperature, the energy company—Heliogen—can replace the use of fossil fuels in critical industrial processes, including the production of cement, steel, and petrochemicals, dramatically reducing greenhouse gas emissions from these activities. This singular scientific achievement was accomplished at Heliogen’s commercial facility in Lancaster, California." Keep an eye on this techonology.

 * ... AVOCADO CARTEL? Are you ready for this? Apparently avocados have become so valuable that Mexican drug cartels are now adding the popular fruit to the list of other products - marijuana, cocaine and other drugs - that they want to control. According to a piece in The Los Angeles Times, Mexican cartels have beens seizing hundreds of thousands of acres of land to plant avocados in Michoacan state, already a region notorious for cartel activity. Said The Times: "Mexico's multi billion dollar avocado industry, headquartered in Michoacan state, has become a prime target for cartels, which have been seizing farms and cleaning protected woodlands to plant their own groves of what locals call 'green gold.'" (LA Times photo)

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER :Saw a rival dad unloading a turkey fryer so I brought him a fire extinguisher.

 * ... ADIOS CAFE MED: Cafe Med, the iconic Mediterranean eatery on Stockdale Highway, is closing after three decades in business. Owner Meir Brown said business had grown soft in recent years and factors out of his control - increases in the minimum wage, skyrocketing utility costs to name two - had made going forward untenable. The closing triggered a tsunami of criticism on social media over customers who held Cafe Med gift cards, some purchased recently, that are now virtually worthless. Brown first announced he was closing this Wednesday but the doors were shut for good on Friday, leaving fans torn between sadness and anger over being stifled with gift certificates. The closing of Cafe Med is just the latest in a long string of local businesses to shut their doors. Others include Joseph's Italian Restaurant, Red Door Interiors and Beverly's Craft store.

 * ... GOOD FORM: Hats off to Gary and Deborah Leary, who celebrated their 49th wedding anniversary this weekend. If you have attended a fund raiser where steaks are involved, chances are you spotted Gary and his son Anthony tending to the grill, while Deborah worked the room making sure the trains ran on time. Whether it is CSUB or the St. Francis du Paul homeless shelter, the Learys are among those who have contributed to its success.

 * ... MEMORIES: Here are a few pictures worthy of a walk down memory lane, thanks to the Facebook pages Kern County of Old and Kern County History Fans.

Bluegrass comes to town, the scourge of homelessness presents health problems, BHS rated one of the top football high schools in America and a vegan eatery proves to be a big hit

Monday, January 14, 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.

 * ... FOODIE SHORTS: The Hens Roost, a relatively new vegan restaurant downtown near the

Post Office, is enjoying a business boom that seems to know no end. I dropped by the Roost on Saturday, eager to sit down to the Impossible burger after a long workout, and the place was wall to wall with customers. The whole plant based diet is not for everyone, but it is good to see there is enough of a base in town to support this kind of healthier eating. Meanwhile, we have also learned that Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers will open on February 12 over off Downing Avenue.

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "Do what you love” is shitty career advice because mostly what I love is spending time alone and eating breakfast food."

 * ... THE GREAT 48: If you happened to stop by the Marriott downtown this weekend, chances are you happened into some bluegrass. For the third consecutive year, the California Bluegrass Association brought its annual convention, called The Great 48 to signify 48 hours of picking and grinning, to the Marriott. (The event has been in Bakersfield for at least a decade but at other venues) Why Bakersfield? Organizers said we are ideally situated to attract bluegrass enthusiasts from both Northern and Southern California. The lobby was full of musicians jamming, and the ninth floor of the hotel was a virtual sea of fiddles, banjos, guitars, stand up basses and dobros.

 * ... BHS DRILLERS: The website StadiumTalk released its list of the top 20 high schools in America that produce the most professional football players. And yes, Bakersfield High made the list, ranking as the 14th best high school in the country. Said StadiumTalk:  "California is well represented on this list with 13 schools, but Bakersfield High is the only one of those that is not in Greater Los Angeles. That has not hurt the school’s success on the field as it has more wins than any other high school football team in the state. The crown jewel of its football program was Frank Gifford, who later won an NFL MVP and was inducted into the Hall of Fame. Just as Gifford eventually made his way into cinema, so would his alma mater. The feud between Bakersfield High and rival Taft High served as the backdrop for the 1986 comedy 'The Best of Times' starring Robin Williams and Kurt Russell."

 * ... CAFE MED: Cafe Med, one of our town's longest running successful restaurants, has opened a second located at Rio Bravo Country Club. It's a unique marriage: Rio Bravo is trying to rebrand itself and gets Meir Brown and his culinary expertise to help jump start the kitchen, and Brown gets a new outlet for his Mediterranean cuisine. The restaurant is open to the public.

 * ... HOMELESS: If you don't think our homeless problem is a public health issue, think again. Or just look at this picture of feces and urine found at the Assistance League offices on Q Street downtown. The problem is getting worse, friends.

 * ... MEMORIES: Who remembers the haunted house on Dracena Street? Photo courtesy of the Kern County of Old Facebook page.

Updating that list of things we are thankful for, Taft College pitches in to help victims of the hurricane and Leticia Perez gets a statewide honor

 * ... GIVING THANKS: Have you done a self audit about the things you are thankful for? I have, and it starts with two healthy adult children, a cadre of friends who uplift me and provide a

sympathetic ear when I am down, a job that challenges me and work colleagues who always make me laugh, a doctor (Dr. Raj Patel) who walks me through the mine field of middle age, and a pair of tabby cats (one inside, the other out) who always great me with soft purrs and kisses.

 * ... MORE THANKS: Add to that all the local business owners who go out of their way to provide me with top flight service and food: Claire from Uricchio's Trattoria, Rod and Julie from Pyrenees Cafe, Jake from Jin Sushi, Meir from Cafe Med, Victor from Mama Roomba, Jeff from Salty's BBQ, Shauna from Muertos and Sonny from Mexicali.

* ... TAFT COLLEGE: Did you know that the Taft College baseball team has eight players from Puerto Rico? In solidarity with these athlete-scholars, the campus is holding a campaign to raise $10,000 for hurricane relief aid.

 * ... LETICIA PEREZ: Congratulations to Kern County Supervisor Leticia Perez who will be sworn in as president of the California State Association of Counties later this month in Sacramento. The organization is a lobbying, advocacy and service organization representing the state's 58 counties at the state and federal level. It deals with issues as diverse as health care reform, water and climate change and the budget. Perez is the first Latina to ever head the lobbying group.

 * ... KUDOS: Hats off to CSUB political science professor Jeanine Kraybill, who edited a new book coming out exploring the new age of hyper partisan politics. The book is titled "Unconventional, Partisan and Polarizing Rhetoric... How the 2016 Election Shaped the Way Candidates Strategize, Engage and Communicate." Kraybill is a professor of religious studies and political science and appears on my radio show (KERN NewsTalk 96.1 FM) every Thursday.

 * ... SPOTTED ON FACEBOOK: "Just when I thought this year couldn’t get worse, I heard a grown woman describe time spent doing art projects as a 'crafternoon.'"

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "I'm going to make Thanksgiving bearable this year with my super laid back Xanax cranberry sauce."

 * ... PIE RUN: Don't forget the Pie Run on Thanksgiving morning out at Hart Park. It's the perfect way to start the holiday with a quick run (or hike or walk) into the hills overlooking the park and returning to connect with old and new friends and enjoy some hot coffee and plenty of pastries. Get there before sunrise (follow the tail lights in front of you) and start the day with some exercise.

Another storm will bring steady rain and snow to California through the weekend, Rod and Julie Crawford take me on a tour of the Silver Fox Starlite Lounge, and Cafe Med gets some 5-star love from a customer

 * ... RAIN AND COLD: Brace yourself because we are in for yet another weekend of steady rain, snow in the mountains and possible road closures. Is this California? Is this the Kern County I have

known for so many years? The rains this winter have been spectacular - and needed - but we are desert rats here and occasionally I admit to missing those morning when it is 80 degrees at 6 a.m. Let it rain, and snow, but when the sun returns, I will welcome that too.

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "I love my husband. But, what really motivates me to stay married is how much weight I'd have to lose to date again."

 * ... SILVER FOX STARLITE: I took a tour of the old Silver Fox Lounge that is being lovingly restored by Rod and Julie Crawford, the couple who turned Pyrenees Cafe into one of the most popular spots in town. The couple purchased the 18th Street restaurant across from Mexicali (it had been renamed the Castaway Lounge and its iconic Silver Fox sign donated to the Kern County Museum) and are determined to return it to its nostalgic form of 40 years ago, when the best places in town were venues like The Town Casino in the old Padre Hotel, Suds Tavern, The Mint and of course the World Famous Alley Cat. "The Fox definitely won't be the dive that they once knew but not so nice that you are going to feel under dressed," Rod said. Longtime restaurateur and Crawford friend Andrew Willingham is helping in the restoration and will likely help run the place. My bet: expect the Crawfords to deliver a menu of outstanding food and service, served in a lively, homey atmosphere with plenty of outdoor seating. The new Silver Fox Starlite Lounge should be opened by sometime in February.

 * ... 18th STREET REVIVAL: The Silver Fox Starlite Lounge is just the latest in the gentrification of 18th Street, already home to Mexicali, The Goose Bar and Grill (formerly Goose Loonies), Bill Lee's and an expanding Sequoia Sandwich Co. Add the upscale new apartment complex just a few blocks west, and a new coffee house called Cafe Smitten that looks about to open, and you have an urban renaissance that is transforming 18th Street east of Chester Avenue. Will this corridor become one of the "it" places to live downtown?

* ... SPEED RECORD: Last week I wrote about a man who set a land speed record on a bicycle here in 1941. As it turns out, Harvey McCown said the late Vince Clerou was part of it. "The car not only 'paced' the bicycle, but had a wind screen mounted on it. That way the car was braking the wind and the rider only had to focus on his speed. Vince grinned and chuckled about the wind coming around and 'probably' pushing the rider to a higher speed. The car driver had to be very skilled to maintain the speed and not cause a problem for the rider. The race car driver was in town for a race at the race track at the old fairgrounds. The area is now south of Sam Lynn Ball Park. The big mound that used to be there was the grandstand for the race track. I seem to remember the name of Barnie Olfield, but that may just be the passage of time enhancing the story telling."

 * ... CAFE MED: If you think customer service is dead, consider this note from Nick Phillips who recently visited Cafe Med his wife Celeste and their 3-month-old son Adonijah. They showed up without a reservation and waited for a bit until the staff set up a fresh table for them in the deli area.
"While waiting for our table, about six passersby stopped to compliment us on our handsome baby boy. One more approached, with a friendly smile and familiar presence, to kneel down and admire Adonijah - Adonijah's feedback was a very intent stare. The food was delicious and the service great. We were amazed at how many friendly faces we had encountered in one evening, not to mention the fact that our baby had not complained the entire time!" When the check came, a stranger appeared to intercept the check, wished them a happy new year and told Phillips to save his money for a special date night. "Stunned, surprised, and slightly scared, my wife and I were feeling very blessed. I rose to give the man a hug and a big thank you, learning that his name was Kenny. We would like to thank God, for blessing us and preparing such a perfect evening. We thank Kenny, for such a thoughtful act of kindness. And we thank Cafe Med, for great service."

Another Bakersfield Pie Run is in the books, a local bicycle rider takes a nasty spill and Cafe Med serves up some delicious morsels while catering

* ... PIE RUN: Here's to John Rous and his team of volunteers for another successful Thanksgiving Pie Run at Hart Park. It looked like a record crowd in the 400 to 500 range who gathered at sunrise to get in a brisk and chilly morning hike or run to start the holiday. There was plenty of food, and each

year Sid Fulce and his wife Karen take the leftover pies (up to 70 at a time) to the Bakersfield Homeless Shelter. Soundman Pete Wonderly, wearing a Cossack fur cap to ward off the chill, served as emcee while Fluce tended to a roaring fire that welcomed the runners back to the starting line. Among those I spotted were Marcia Giumarra (one of the organizers), Mark and Betsy Ramsey and son Miles, Rob and Sally Baker and their three daughters (Katie, Sarah and Maggie), Hillary Haenes and Patrick Wells, Pam Binns, (Bakersfield Track Club president) Margaret Scrivano Patteson, Jim and Kelly Damien, Pete Elieff, Andrea Ames, Sam and Lauren Benham and daughter Nora, Mike Toland, David Rous, Bill Elrich, Rogers and Esther Brandon and Herb and Sue Benham along with grandson Andrew.

* ... THANKSGIVING: I spotted this on my friend David Jenson's Facebook page: "A lady was picking through the frozen turkeys at the grocery store but she couldn't find one big enough for her family. She asked a stock boy, 'Do these turkeys get any bigger?' The stock boy replied, 'No ma'am, they're dead.'

 * ... SICK BAY: Wishing a speedy recovery to my friend Jason Barnes who was involved in a nasty bicycle accident the other day. Barnes was doing a mid-day ride with a small group when he accidentally overlapped another rider's wheel, forcing him to the pavement. He broke five ribs and has a fractured clavicle but is expected to fully recover.

* ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "The sole purpose of a child’s middle name, is so he can tell when he’s really in trouble."

 * ... SPOTTED DOWNTOWN: A new business downtown is called "Herban Legend." Think about that one for a moment.

* ... GOLDEN SPIKE: 'Bunny" Giraud Haaberfelde, Bakersfield High class of 1945, wrote to say she remembers the old Golden Spike Cafe located at 1510 F Street. Said Haberfelde: "Hi Richard, in reference to the cafe, if I remember correctly it was next to the railroad track and had pretty good food. We’re talking around 1949. Many Thanks for your column that continually contains many wonderful old and happy memories of my beloved hometown." Thank you Bunny!

 * ... CAFE MED: Hats off to Meir Brown and his crew over at Cafe Med who knocked it out of the park while catering a recent fund raiser to support CSUB wrestling. Brown's spread included an assortment of fresh pizzas, pastas and seafood that were so good I had to take some home in a plastic to-go box.

 * ... HOLIDAY HOME TOUR: It's that time of year again for the popular 27th Annual Chez Noel Holiday Home Tour. This annual event, a major fund raiser for the Assistance League of Bakersfield, is set for Friday and Saturday December 2 and 3. Tickets are $40 and can be purchased from the Bargain Box Thrift Store at 1924 Q Street, Christine’s in the Stockdale Fashion Plaza, Kern Travel at 3501 Mall View Road,  Sugar Daddy at Stockdale Village and Victoria’s at the The Marketplace.

It's white knuckle time in local elections with one month to go, Cafe Med's new brunch spread gets some love, and it's that time for high school reunions around town

* ... ELECTIONS: I can't imagine anyone being more sick of this election season than the candidates themselves. Who wouldn't grow weary of the constant begging for money, public appearances, candidate forums, interviews and precinct? And with just a month left before we cast

ballots, things are only intensifying. Don Martin, owner of Metro Galleries, held a 'meet and greet' for Ward 2 city council candidate Andrae Gonzales, local supporters of Measure J (improvements in the Kern Community College District) are working hard to make sure the measure doesn't get lost in the landslide of local initiatives (good luck with that) and I haven't seen a Facebook newsfeed in weeks that doesn't feature a smiling Karen Goh or Kyle Carter out glad handing the public.

 * ... FOODIE: Do you ever wonder where local restaurant owners go when they are not dining at their own place? Rod Crawford, who along with wife Julie run the successful Pyrennes Cafe, recently posted on Facebook high praise for the Sunday brunch at Cafe Med on Stockdale Highway. Crawford confirmed the word on the street that Meir Brown has introduced a can't miss brunch at the iconic Mediterranean eatery. "This is our favorite restaurant, and the place we feel like home when we leave ours," he said. "It doesn't happen often but when it does that's where we go."

 * ... SAVE WATER: Meanwhile over at La Costa Mariscos the waiters have new T-shirts with this message: "Save Water. Drink Tequila."

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "Johnny Depp was the ultimate bad boy until he started looking like my great aunt."

 * ... OVERHEARD: A recent retiree is telling a friend about becoming a driver for Uber: "I prefer to drive in the morning. People are showered and nice and headed somewhere. You don't know what you are going to get at night."

 * ... SPOTTED: This is the season for high school reunions, and they were happening all over town this past weekend. There was a big group of Highland High grads who celebrated their 40th anniversary at The Petroleum Club, and there wasn't a better looking group of 40 year olds than the group who descended on The Padre hotel to celebrate the Bakersfield High class of 2006.

* ... DEE: My post about retired educator Dolores "Dee" Whitley struck a never readers who know her and worked alongside her. This from Dr. James L. Sullivan: "Thank you for recognizing one of the true treasures of our community.  I had the pleasure of serving on the Board of Trustees of the Panama-Buena Vista School District from 1980 to 1994, at which time Dee was one of my daughter's teachers both in the second and fourth grades (lucky girl). She served as principal of Van Horn and McAuliffe elementary schools. She later was  an outstanding member of the school board. Her kind leadership and devoted efforts on behalf of the students, staff and parents has made our community a much better place. 'Special' is someoneto be admired, to be considered valuable and someone who cannot be replaced.  'Special' is the word that best describes Dee."

Local restaurants take to social media to promote specials, Dee Whitley gets a school named in her honor and more memories of old steak houses about town

 * ... DEE: Congratulations to retired educator Dolores "Dee" Whitley who will have an elementary school named after her in the Panama-Buena Vista School District. Whitley was principal of Christa

McAuliffe Elementary when my two daughters attended there in the 1990s, and her kindness and steady hand did not go unnoticed by the school staff and parents. The new school will be located at the corner of Wible and McKee roads and will open in 2018.

* ... FOODIE: In food news, the downtown Padre Hotel is about to roll out new menus for both the Brimstone bar and the more upscale Belvedere lounge. One of the new items that caught my attention was a toasted "avocado torta." Meanwhile, savvy locally owned restaurants are doing a good job in using Facebook and other social media platforms to announce their specials. Make sure to follow Cafe Med and Uricchio's Trattoria on Facebook to see what they are up to. And finally, a new grab and go eatery getting a lot of buzz for its healthy local offerings is the Hens Roost downtown on G Street. Make sure you check the hours for the Hens Roost before stopping by.

 * ... OVERHEARD: A 91-year-old woman is at a local restaurant celebrating her son's birthday when the conversation turns to local politics. "Kyle Carter is running for mayor?" she asks. "I thought all those signs were for sale signs."

* ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: 'My friend isn’t promiscuous, per se. She just prefers to think of her sexuality as festival seating.'

* ... ARNOLD PALMER: Two days after Arnold Palmer died the requests for the tea and lemonade drink named after him skyrocketed over at Muertos Kitchen downtown. Owner Shawna Haddad Byers said lunch orders for Arnold Palmers were up 50 percent.

* ... MEMORIES: Dave Krecklow wrote to recall some of the late and great old steak houses about town, including a place called "Happy Steak" at the northwest corner of 34th and Union. "Next and north to it was the Coachlight Inn. It always had the patio, and later they did add the bar at the back. Further up Union Matia's built a new building and opened a Basque restaurant, now a church.
I don't recall the Stockdale Inn ever being Coachlight II but I do remember the Coachlight being on California near Mervyn's. Stockdale Inn, Tam O'Shanter and Ewing's on the Kern were all from the Ewings originally. Stockdale Inn was eventually moved and reconfigured with some railroad cars at northeast corner of California and Oak and became Milt's... My wife and I were at KC Steakhouse last week and lamenting they are all gone except KC. Toss Maison Jassaud's and House of Don in there. Sure there are lots of good places but we miss the steakhouses. Two thumbs up for KC, still dark, red leather and great food."

 * ... MORE MEMORIES: And lastly, Navy veteran Gene M. Bonas added this memory:
"You've done it again, Richard. The Coachlight Inn comments brought back so many excellent memories of when I first was separated from the Navy. Friday and Saturday nights were always reserved for dinner at the Inn with many a lovely acquaintance. My date and I thoroughly enjoyed picking out our own steaks, and then sipping a choice cabernet while waiting for our salads. Mr. Wright had a very good wine list, and we always saw many friends enjoying themselves. Then, after dinner it was off to the Jasmine Tree for dancing. I'm confident many of your readers remember the Jasmine Tree which brings to mind other fond memories."