Bako bits: from dust allergies to the heath care debate to a stunning Latin art show downtown

Getting ready to leave town to get the kid settled into college in a town far away. (Is there a better way to weather the recession than to spend it on a college campus?) Lots going on, so I leave you with these nuggets around our town:

* ... JOHN BROCK AWARD: Vince Rojas, the longtime and retiring head of the Kern Schools Federal Credit Union, will be honored next week with the John Brock Award. The annual dinner and celebration is set for Seven Oaks Country Club next Thursday (Sept. 3.) As always, the proceeds will benefit the John Brock Endowment Fund for the School of Business and Public Administration at Cal State University Bakersfield. The Brock dinner always attracts a "who's who" in the Bakersfield business community. Past recipients have included Ray Dezember, Bernie Herman and Greg Bynum.

* ... IF IT'S AUGUST IN BAKO, YOU MUST BE SNEEZING: One of the downsides of living in one of the nation's richest agriculture areas is the annual almond harvest. To the uninitiated, almonds are harvested when huge belts are wrapped around the treet trunks and a tractor violently shakes the tree. This allows the almonds to fall harmlessly to the ground but also creates an incredible dust storm, triggering allergy attacks and sending folks running to their doctor's offices. The good news is the price of almonds have stabilized and is actually up a bit, and local farmers think this crop may be a good one. (harvest picture below)



* ... HEALTH CARE TOWN HALL: The much anticipated town hall meeting on health care will be held tonight over at the Icardo Center at Cal State Bakersfield. Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield) says more than 2,200 people have confirmed they are coming. Let's hope the tone is civil and Kevin creates an atmosphere where all sides can be heard. If you don't want to brave the crowd, KGET-TV channel 17 will be covering the event live I believe. No matter how you feel, you should tune in.

* ... DOVE SEASON OPENS SOON: The Kern County Gun Club is extending its hours to give hunters a chance to tune up for dove season. The new hours are 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Wednesdays, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Fridays, and 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. The club is located near the Lake Buena Vista Recreation Area west of town. Go to www.kerncountygunclub.com for complete directions.

* ... LATIN ART SHOW: Don Martin over at the Metro Galleries downtown is gearing up for "Latination," a show featuring works by local Hispanic artists and other local talent. I got a sneak peak at the offerings and some of the art is simply stunning. The show is sponsored by the Hispanic magazine Mas and will kick off next Friday, Sept. 3, during the monthly "First Friday" event. Make sure you check it out. Two pieces are featured below, photographers courtesy of Californian photographer Felix Adamo.






(Huelga painting by Larry Jason and chicken art by Claudia True)

Oildale as art and a window on the past through the Kern County Historical Society

Starting the week bracing for more temperatures in the 100s but getting some joy out of new life in the stock market. Let's take a look at some of the things going on in our world:



* ... DOGS AND MORE DOGS: I always look forward to the quarterly "bulletin" from the Kern County Historical Society. It's always rich with content about our past and carries some fascinating historic images. The latest issue did not disappoint, and focuses on an issue that is familiar to us all: the licensing of dogs in our community. The bulletin carries a notice that appeared in the Californian on Feb. 23, 1898, telling folks that all dogs had to be registered and if not, they'd end up in a new city pound. Some interesting tidbits:
* In 1898 there were 125 dogs registered, in 1900 that jumped to 174 and the following year 129.
* The most prevalent name in the books for a dog was Prince and "was bestowed on spaniels, setters, pugs, a poodle and a bulldog. Another popular name was Jip.
* The Pacific Coast Field Trial Club hosted field trials at several Bakersfield locations, including the old Stockdale Ranch in 1902, owned by William S. Tevis.
If you'd like to view a complete listing of the registrations, go to the Collections and Research section of the Kern County Museum website located here.



* ... OILDALE ART IN LA: Spotted this brochure for the Oildale art exhibit on the Facebook page of Claudia True, one of our popular local artists who recently picked up and moved out of town. Claudia is good at staying in touch and promoting our local artists, and I'm happy to pass this along. If you are in Los Angeles, make sure you check out the art exhibit.

* ... CARBON CAPTURE: Got word that the CSUB Department of Geology will be hosting a public workshop on "Carbon Capture and Sequestration" on Friday, Sept. 25, at the CSUB Student Union. Apparently a bunch of experts from across the country will be on campus to discuss various aspects to this technology. It's open to the public and free but you have to register. Go to the link here to do so.