Canyon Hills Assembly of God takes over the Golden State Mall and promises a total rehabilitation, not a homeless shelter, while out in the Southwest Grand Island at Serven Oaks gets some added security

 * … MONTGOMERY WARD: It's amazing how quickly rumors circulate in this age of social media and instant messaging. Yesterday, rumors were flying that the old Golden State Mall on F Street was about to be turned into a homeless center run by its new owner, Canyon Hills Assembly of God. Facebook and message groups buzzed with concern, particularly among homeowners in the Riviera Westchester and downtown area who were worried about an even greater influx of homeless patrons in their neighborhoods. So I tracked down Canyon Hills Pastor Wendell Vinson and met him for coffee at the Village Grill to get the truth. A homeless center? Not true, Vinson told me. Instead, Vinson said the church plans a $3 million rehabilitation to turn the 165,000 square foot mall into a multi-use "hub for church revitalization… We are a church but we are neighborhood friendly. We will create a bright spot in this historic location to serve our community." Plans are early, but Vinson said he could envision a pre school, a church affiliated with Canyon Hills, community meeting rooms and perhaps a food court. The church is also negotiating with an international disaster relief organization to assume some 30,000 square feet. Vinson noted he lives in the area and would settle for nothing less than an "irresistable environment" much like what the church has created at its Auburn Street campus in the northeast. The building, he noted, "is a complete mess" but he promised a total rehab job to create a "vibrant, beautiful and useful addition" to downtown.

 * …SPOTTED: Zach Martin, son of Covenant Coffee founder Randy Martin, posted this: "Trying my hardest to #live like Jesus. Woke up this morning and turned #water into #coffee … #biblestudy #crossroads #hopeinacup.

 * … SECURITY: I noticed that the entrances to the Grand Island neighborhood at Seven Oaks are getting an additional layer of security. Spike strips, the kind that prevent a car from entering the wrong way, are being installed at all of the gates. Entering through the exit gates is a dangerous practice as well as a security concern, and the traffic control spikes are being installed to prevent this from happening.

 * … RAFTING: The cancellation of the season for rafting on the Kern River because of the drought prompted this note from Diane Hopkins over at tghe MARE Riding Center. "I was so sad to read about River's End rafting trips being cancelled for this year.  Darron Nilsson has always been very generous to MARE Riding Center with their fundraising rafting trips. They were always a highlight of our summer fun. We are hoping next year will be a better year for River's End."

* … SCAMS: I heard from another reader who received one of those threatening calls from someone claiming to be with the Internal Revenue Service demanding money. This is an old scam and my advice: hang up the phone. If the IRS has a problem with you, they will do it in writing and in a way you can easily verify.

* … MEA CULPA: I forgot to mention that a group of students from West High School helped pitch in to make the West Rotary Cioppino Feed a success. Said Jodie Hare from West High: "I loved the fact that you both attended and mentioned Bakersfield West Rotary’s annual Cioppino feed; it is a wonderful event that serves a great cause. However, I feel obliged to remind you that Centennial was not the only school there that night; in fact, West High School’s Interact club provided the bulk of servers for Cioppino - and has done so for over fifteen years."

Bako Bits: car thefts in broad daylight, the explosion of panhandling and Covenant Coffee plans to open a kiosk in Bakersfield Memorial Hospital

 * … THEFT: Yet another theft and another sign of the times. Chris Lowe is a banker who works off California Avenue and recently he discovered that the the catalytic converter and the co2 sensors were stolen off his car  in broad daylight.  "I looked into why someone would steal this and there’s two

reasons:  they can resell them for a decent price and the catalytic converter contains platinum, which can be torn out and sold to a recycler. Also the time it takes to remove it is about two minutes. When I reported it to the police and my insurance they said it’s a common occurrence for the catalytic converter to be stolen from SUVs and Hondas. To protect it from being stolen again, I’ve ordered a device called a 'Cat Clamp' which goes over the catalytic converter and makes it harder to steal quickly.  Hope it works!"

 * … COVENANT: More good news for the folks over at Covenant Community Services, a non profit dedicated to helping foster youth get back on their feet. The organization is opening a Covenant Coffee kiosk at Bakersfield Memorial Hospital, open from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Saturday.  In addition, chief Covenant cheer leader Randy Martin tells me that Bakersfield North Rotary gave $5,000 for the Hope fund, which helps distribute books to students in Oildale elementary schools.

* … PANHANDLING: No matter how you feel about the homeless and panhandlers, it is clear this situation is way out of control. Consider this note from Mindy Wright, a church-going woman who helps numerous charities and who is on disability income. She was at the Starbucks on Mount Vernon when, while waiting in the drive-through lane, was approached by not one but two panhandlers. "The staff came out and chased him off. I gave my order and another young man came up to the driver window side of waiting cars knocking on windows. I just turned my head. When I finally got to the window as I was waiting I bowed my head and said a prayer for those men. The barista asked if I was all right and I said yes. It just upsets me when I can't even leave when being approached by these men... Then I go to Costco to pick up some pictures and an elderly man with a cane comes up and says he needed money to get to someplace and asked for money. I just kept walking! It is getting to the point that where a normal person likes me avoids places due to the possibility of being alone and being accosted!"

* … COUNTY ROADS: Carmen Needham Tyack wrote to give thanks to the foreman of the Pumpkin Center yard of the Kern County Roads Department for hearing out her concerns about a small quarter mile section of country road. "It gets chewed up by tractors and people in the community use it as a shortcut if its nice and smooth. He has always obliged until last week when he told me they had to do something. I forgot to tell him that I had survey marks in the road for when I paid to have it surveyed due to a property split. So I panicked a little bit when they were covered with blacktop of some sort.
Joe, the foreman came out with a metal detector and kindly marked and dug up my survey marks. I was so appreciative to what he was doing for me I went out to thank him and see if he had luck locating the nails. So for this I thank him… I want to also acknowledge the fact that county workers get paid by us, the tax ayer, and they should never forget that. We are all public servants if we are getting paid with taxpayer dollars. I recall in my younger days as a first grade teacher a principal me aware of that 'we are just a public servant.' That was about 30 years ago,everyone should be reminded."

 * … BAKERSFIELDISM: Paul Summers says you know you’re a Bakersfield old timer if you remember Don Hart talking about the “Fly Catching” (not baseball) contest in East Bakersfield .The one who caught the most flies was the winner and received a new bicycle donated by Roux and Kuentzel Sporting Goods.

CVS pharmacies drops cigarettes, Covenant Coffee will open a branch at the Bakersfield Racket Club, and what would Wendy Wayne think of the move to name a freeway after her?

 * … CIGARETTES: Before we get too excited about the news that CVS pharmacies will stop selling cigarettes, how many of us remember that Target did so back in 1996? The CVS move likely has more to do with the company positioning itself as a partner and provider of health care than with saving lives. But I applaud it nonetheless. Meanwhile the number of Americans who smoke has declined from 42 percent in 1965 to just 19 percent in 2011.

* … COVENANT: It looks like Covenant Coffee, the popular coffee and sandwich shop up on North Chester, will be setting up shop at the Bakersfield Racket Club. The BRC board has approved the idea and now head Covenant cheerleader and manager Randy Martin is working out the details to take over the BRC coffee shop. This should be a real boost in the arm for both BRC and Covenant, which employs foster children to give them a leg up on the road to success.

 * … WENDY: I'm not sure what the late Wendy Wayne would think of the effort by CSUB President Horace Mitchell to rename the Westside Parkway after her (it is proposed as the 'CSU Bakersfield alumna Wendy Wayne Westside Parkway'), but I have a suspicion she might be embarrassed by the whole thing. The Wendy I knew was less impressed with naming rights and more focused on random acts of kindness and helping those who are not so blessed as the rest of us. She would likely say, 'That's quite an honor, but just go give someone a hug."

 * … APNEA: For all of you who suffer from sleep apnea, Al Bensusen over at Sandman Technologies has some good news for you. There is a new sleep apnea machine out that is literally so small it fits in a shirt pocket, and is just as powerful and reliable as the larger, older models. I credit Bensusen and his clinic for providing me with a good night's sleep, and he says this new smaller machine is bound to be a big hit among the sleep deprived. And he's the only outlet in Bakersfield to have it. The palm-sized device, made by Human Design Medical in Ventura, weighs just 10 ounces and is perfect for those who travel a lot.

 * … OVERHEARD: At a local Starbucks a young man tells his friend: "That girl in front of me just order 2,100 calories of caramel coffee and muffins. Wonder what she is having for lunch?"

* ... RED: Bakersfield Sound legend Red Simpson entertains the crowd at the Rasmussen Senior Center every Tuesday. His secret to a long and happy life: smile. His favorite local restaurant? Milt's Coffee Shop.

Pots holding shade trees for the downtown arts district are vandalized and The Salvation Army gets a $100,000 grant from The Bakersfield Californian Foundation

* … VANDALISM: It was distressing to awake Saturday and learn that someone took a hammer to one of the beautiful new pots that were installed downtown to beautify the area. The pots, which were

purchased via a grant from The Bakersfield Californian (family) Foundation, were placed throughout the arts district to hold shade trees. The pot that was demolished sat near the Ice Housing framing studio on 19th Street.

 * … GRANTS: And speaking of The Bakersfield Californian (family) Foundation, it awarded a $100,000 grant to the Salvation Army, Tehachapi Service Center to fund the creation of a Community Center that will serve the residents of the Tehachapi area. The Foundation has also offered the Bakersfield Homeless Center Job Development Program a matching grant of $50,00. If the Homeless Center can raise $50,000 within six months, the Foundation will match that amount with its own $50,000.

* … DIAPERS: My earlier blog post on a woman who tossed a dirty diaper into a car via the sun roof after watching a couple leave in on the curb drew applause from more than a dozen readers. This, from Gene Bonas, was typical:  "I just love it when the Esthers of the world seize this type of opportunity and act on it. Great story! If you see Esther in a future meeting, give her a great big hug for me."

* … BAD FORM: Frances Quiroz raises a point about bad form that I just happen to agree with. It happens when parents take their young children into R-rated movies. "There were at least three families with kids that I saw going in to this movie. A movie, that if you looked up it's reviews, has three scenes of nudity, sexual content and sexually suggestive scenes and fondling… Are you kidding me? This is what you want to expose your kids to? As a parent of two minors myself, ages 13 and 16, there are some movies that are PG13 that I won't let my kids watch. Maybe I'm a parent from the dark ages, but I care about what my kids are exposed to. Please tell me that I'm not the only one!"

 * … BAKERSFIELD COLLEGE: Four distinguished alumni of Bakersfield College will be inducted into the alumni association's Hall of Fame this week. On Thursday, the alumni group will hold a dinner to honor Dr. John Alexander, Peter Reyes, Bill Houser and Gerry Collis into the hall of fame. Some tickets are still available by calling (661) 395-4800. Tickets are $35. The event kicks off at 6 p.m. in the Bakersfield College Cafeteria.

  * … GOOD FORM: The folks over at Covenant Coffee on North Chester are sponsoring a Book Drive for Oildale Schools. Said Covenant's Randy Martin: "The goal is for each K-6 grade student from Wingland, Standard, Beardsley and North Beardsley to be given two books each ...we need about 4,000 books! The drive runs through Nov. 17. We are giving a free coffee with the donation of two books!" This is a good cause and, if you haven't been to Covenant's trendy coffee shop on North Chester, here's your chance to check it out.

One person finds a way to deal with our trash and litter problem, and the CSUB wrestling boosters plan another evening with Stephen Neal to save the storied program

 * ... TRASH: I was heartened to receive this note from reader Lynn Bailey, who submitted a shout-out to an unidentified neighbor who is single handedly trying to tackle our litter problem. Someone, she said, put a small trash can next to the community mail boxes, leaving it a handy receptacle to dispose of community trash. "Everyday when I walk down Jenkins with my dogs I collect trash and dash across the street to dump in the can," she said. "I also try and collect some on my return to dump again in the can. I wish I knew who put it out so I could thank them! I also wish we had a concrete pad to put another one on the opposite side of the street where the kids wait for the buses. There is a ton of wrappings, baggies, cans, cups etc. laying about. Maybe the city could start a program like adopt a street only this could be buy a can and individuals would adopt the 'can' to dump. Just some ideas and a big shout out to the creative person who put that trash can out on Jenkins!"

* ... TRANSITION: From Randy Martin, the Covenant Coffee director: "In the 1950s the Junior Baseball Association was located on west Columbus. The site was a collaboration between the county and city. Now, the Residences at West Columbus, an affordable housing project serving transition age youth and low income families occupies the site. Another partnership to bless the community."

*... WRESTLING: The CSUB wrestling program has been cut off by the university and only exists because of a group of committed boosters who raise $250,000 annually to keep the program alive. On Tuesday, May 7,  the boosters will host an "Evening with Stephen Neal" to raise money for the wrestling program. Tickets are going for $75 and sponsorship opportunities are available. Call (661) 302-4455 for more information. The dinner will be held at Stockdale Country Club. If you have ever dealt with a former wrestler, you know that these people never give up, and they approach every challenge with the same grit they did when their faces were flat on the mats. I'm not betting against them to keep this program alive.

* ... EAST ROTARY: Hats off to the folks over at the East Rotary Club, who put on upscale five-course dinner Saturday to raise money for three local charities. The event was held at Garces Memorial High School and featured a meal by T.L. Maxwell's, wine and a live and silent auction. Word is they raised some $50,000 for Valley Fever Americas, the local Ronald McDonald House and the East Rotary Foundation.

* ... MEMORIES: One final memory about the old Brundage Variety store, where the family of reader Debby Rodrigues shopped. "West on Brundage was Fiddler's Variety, which became Southwest Variety, where birthday presents were purchased for friend's birthday parties. Young's Market, El Tejon Pharmacy and the Belvedere as Brundage Lane met Stockdale Highway. Piggot's Bar stood where the Highway 99 now is. The highway was two lanes with dirt shoulders on either side.  No traffic to speak of. We could walk to Stockdale Liquors or the Oaken Bucket Liquor Store for candy or in the mid 1960s, Foster's Freeze to enjoy a 10 cent soft serve ice cream cone. Carefree days, except of course the Cold War bomb drills! We did think nothing of being out and about, taking our safety for granted. Lots of changes since then.  Kids on the street now! Oh my, what are their parents thinking!"

 * ... BAKERSFIELDISM: You may be a Bakersfield old timer if you attended the Saturday morning movie matinees at the Granada Theater.

City of Stockton's bankruptcy was borne by recklessness and promises that could not be kept, and more memories of old Bakersfield

* ... STOCKTON: The most disturbing aspect of the city of Stockton's bankruptcy is the sheer recklessness the city made in offering lifetime pensions to its employees. The city owes the California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS) more than $900 million, a staggering amount of debt that the city simply cannot repay. One of the key questions before the bankruptcy court is do you continue to honor the pension promises at the expense of other creditors? The case in Stockton is a business school case study in fiscal irresponsibility, and a warning to other municipalities about being realistic about promises made to public employee unions. (photo courtesy of the Los Angeles Times)

 * ... SPOTTED: From reader Candace Bumes: "To the driver of a red Mercedes SUV who did not yeild to an emergency vehicle with lights and siren: next time the paramedics could be going after your loved one. Think about it."

 * ... BUCKEYES: Sunny Kapoor is a proud graduate of The Ohio State University and took son Nigel to the Staples Center to take in the Buckeyes-Wichita State game during the Elite 8 round of the NCAA Tournament.  "As a Buckeye alumni, it was my opportunity to support my alma mater, and be surrounded by the best college fans in the country, and be entertained by the 'best damn band in the land.' Even though we lost, the experience was priceless, and we had a great time." Nigel is now a senior at Centennial High School and will be interning soon with a local engineering firm.

 * ... MEMORIES: Reader Victoria Shallock was among several folks who responded to an earlier post about old memories. Said Vickie: "I, too, fondly remember the 'Un-Lock-A-Loc' game from the local afternoon kid show with 'Meet Mitchel' (I believe his first name was really Harry?) You had to send in your entry along with the end panel from a loaf of Golden Crust Bread (another local entity/memory) and select which lock you wanted to open (there were three). I won a really cool microscope set one time! And I think one of Don Rodewald's features was a 'Come as You Are' segment on the local afternoon matinee show. Our family was called one afternoon and hurried down to the studio to be interviewed and appear on his show. I recall Don and my dad (who was a CHP officer) having a very interesting conversation about traffic laws. Great memories of wonderful times gone by when life was much more simple and uncomplicated."

 * ... FACE CREAM: And Rick Kreiser and other readers identified the woman who used to market a face cream that was "so pure you can eat it." Said Kreiser:  "Her name was Hazel Allen...a staple of Channel 10's (23) movie breaks... Don Rodewald lived in my neighborhood and I went through school with his girls, April and Judy... smart cookies, they were.  His tag line was 'half an hour before three, when it's just you and me.""

 * ... BREAD: And finally there is this from Albert Lyons: "Does anyone remember the jingle for Golden Crust Bread? I think it was a contest on a local children's program and I think Zippy was the clown and it might have been sponsored by Toy Circus. If you got on the program and was able to sing the jingle you could when a bike from the Toy Circus. "

 * ... BAKERSFIELDISM: Randy Martin, the head honcho over at Covenant Coffee, says you may be a Bakersfield old timer if "you remember the dump located on the bluffs near where Bakersfield College now sits."

Local cycling phenom Tyler Williams is named to a major racing team, looking for sad Christmas songs and remembering Officer Val at Bakersfield High School

 * ... OFFICER VAL: My story on the late Bakersfield police officer Val Torres last week brought another memory from former Bakersfield High student Riley Parker. "Like David Gay, I also had a flood of memories when I saw Val Torres’ (obituary) photo last week. Probably the best was the day that he stopped four of us returning to school from an off campus trip to a local pool hall. Val’s solution was to escort us to the old BPD building that sat on the north side of Truxtun Avenue between ‘H’ and Eye Streets. Val marched us in and sat us all down in the ‘squad room’ where he instructed us to read various sections of the Penal Code addressing our absence from classes and the possible ramifications of our conduct. After a brief education in the law, Val sent us back to BHS to meet with Mr. Martin. That experience ended our short lived career in the fine art of cutting classes."

 * ... CYCLIST: Congratulations to Tyler Williams, an 18-year-old former Centennial High School student who will be joining the BMC professional cycling team. Only four of the 14 riders on the elite BMC development team are Americans. The team will give these incredible young athletes a chance to race at a higher level in Europe and the United States. Tyler only started riding bikes a few years ago and has risen quickly to the highest levels of the sport. Last year he spent time in Europe riding for the U.S. Junior cycling team.

 * ... CRIME: The amount of petty thefts across town this Christmas season is truly astounding. Bikes are stolen out of garages and even Christmas decorations are disappearing from yards. This past weekend, a young woman was locked out of a house and was sleeping in her car in La Cresta (waiting for others to return) when she was awakened by a man who used a rock to smash the window to steal her purse.

* ... LOST CAT: The folks over at the SPCA on Gibson Street provide an important service in scanning stray cats to determine if they are "chipped" so they can be returned to their owner. I took a stray over there the other day and sure enough she was chipped and registered to a Karen Smith of Ridgecrest. The phone number was disconnected and the address was no longer relevant, but if you are reading this, Karen, contact me to be reunited with your pet.

 * ... COVENANT: Covenant Community Services, the group devoted to helping current and former foster children get on their feet, is hosting a unique fund raiser beginning this Thursday. It's called "The Party No One Came To" and is a way to bid on auction items online. There are tickets to San Francisco 49er games, a NASCAR racing experience and much more. Simply go to www.thepartynoonecameto.com to register and bid.

 * ... BUCK: Longtime music critic and writer Randy Lewis of the Los Angeles Times has released a list of "some of the saddest yuletide songs ever recorded." Among those making the list were "It's Christmas Time for Everyone but Me" by Buck Owens and "If We Make it Through December" by Merle Haggard.

Facebook rejects advertisement from a local gun store featuring little more than plastic decoy ducks, and Imbide Wine and Spirits sponsors a fund raiser for Covenant Coffee

 * ... FACEBOOK: Gene Thome is the easy going owner of Bear Mountain sports, a store that has catered to hunters and sportsmen for almost 30 years. Normally he's not easy to rile, but he was Thursday when the administrators of Facebook refused to allow him to advertise on its pages. Why? Gene wanted to post a picture of employee Bill Curtis holding a plastic dove decoy. Seemed innocent enough until Facebook rejected the ad, saying it not not allow "ads for ammunition, firearms, paintball guns, BB guns, or other weapons, including but not limited to: knives, daggers, swords, bows, arrows, knuckle dusters, and nunchucks." But the ad only showed a plastic decoy, so Thome was left scratching his head. "How is this offensive?" he asked me. "According to Facebook there is nothing in my store that I can promote with them. This is so sad on many levels."  (photo courtesy of Gene Thome)

  * ... COVENANT: Regular readers of this column know how fond I am of Covenant Coffee, the little non-profit on North Chester that helps former and current foster children gain skills to become productive citizens. If the converted bank building at 1700 North Chester is out of your way, here's an excuse to drop by to check out what they are doing. On Thursday, October 18, Covenent will open its doors to the public with a wine tasting and live music. David Dobbs, who owns Imbide Wine and Spirits along with wife Tami, are donating all the wine for the evening. Tickets are $25 and all proceeds go to Covenant. The event will run from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Pick up tickets at Imbibe on Truxtun Extension.

 * ... RUNNERS: And speaking of worthy fund raisers, the woman's basketball team at Cal State Bakersfield is trying to raise $100,000 by the end of December to provide more training opportunities over the summer months. Head coach Greg McCall is promising a "stronger, faster and taller" Lady Runners team that will open its season against the University of Arizona on November 9.

* ... TEHACHAPI WINE: Eugene Wood was shopping at Country Club Liquors on Columbus up in the northeast when he ran into a Forest Glen wine labeled Tehachapi Clone. It's a pinot grigio and "comes from a vineyard they have in Tehachapi, and they are giving credit to the area. On hot summer nights a glass of chilled pinot goes well with some grilled salmon on a cedar plank. I recommend it."

* ... STRANGERS: A reader wrote with a cautionary tale about suspicious people showing up at your door in the evening. "I answered  the door tonight to a lady with a young boy. I asked what I could do for her, she said, 'Yesterday my brother died of a heart attack and I'm  collecting for his funeral. Would you please help?' She had a plastic baggie with money in it.  I was so shocked, I just looked at her and then I said, no, where do you live?' She said up the street in the apartments. Was she for real,  or just someone begging money or just casing the neighborhood?"

 * ... LEADERSHIP: A reunion of the last 25 classes of Leadership Bakersfield is set for Thursday, October 4. The program is sponsored by the Greater Bakersfield Chamber of Commerce and exposes future leaders to all aspects of our community. If you served in a class and are interested, go to the Chamber of Commerce website for more information.

Out of town speculators are returning to the Bakersfield housing market, driving up prices but crowding out many local buyers

* ... REAL ESTATE: There is some good news and some bad in the local housing market. According to Coldwell Banker's Adam Belter (son of longtime Realtor Gary Belter) there are fewer than 550 homes on the market, a near all time low. That drives the prices up, which is good news, but it also has attracted a new wave of out of town speculators who are crowding out local buyers, often paying above the asking price. "We are in danger of becoming a community with more rentals than owners," he told me.

* ... COMING HOME: I had the chance the other day to catch up with plaintiff's attorney Daniel Rodriguez, who told me his 24-year-old son Marcos just graduated from Loyola University Law School in Chicago after receiving his undergraduate degree in business administration from the University of Arizona.  Marcos is coming hope to join his mother, Sylvia Lopez, to practice law. He is a 2005 graduate of Garces Memorial High School where he played basketball and football.  "I’m hoping to pry him away from time to time to help me in a trial or two," he told me.

  * ... BAD FORM: Steve Illingworth is the general manager of Urner's and a friend for almost 20 years. He's not prone to hype, which is why I am passing along this note about what appears to be some bad form on the part of a Kern High School District passenger van.  "I was driving west on White lane on Monday morning, Memorial Day, and was passed and cut off by a KHSD passenger van (no students on board). I observed the driver changing lanes multiple times to get by other drivers who were observing the 55 mph speed limit. The KHSD van was driving in excess of 65 most of the distance between Wible and Old River. She exceeded 70 mph at least once. After I gestured to her at a stop light to slow down, the light turned green and she honked at me and then tailgated me at a very close distance for quite some time. When I called the district on Tuesday morning to report the incident they were able to identify the driver but they could not answer why this employee was driving so recklessly or why she would be driving a KHSD van on a holiday."

 * ... RIP COOPER'S: Steve Montgomery joined the chorus of people lamenting the passing of Cooper's Nursery, which has served our community for so many years. "This past Saturday I picked up a tree for a friend of my wife's and while in the office handling paperwork I noted on the wall vintage signs from past businesses of the family. One sporting a three-digit phone number and a much newer one with a phone number starting with a two letter prefix. Remember those?"

* ... COVENANT: I stopped by the new offices of Covenant Community Services, the local organization that does so much good to help current and former foster children acquire the skills necessary to lead productive lives. The stunning new offices are located at 1700 North Chester in an old bank building that his been rebranded "Covenant Coffee: Hope Lives Here." It is now a full coffee house and sandwich bar, staffed by foster youth who have been trained by some of our community's most prominent restaurateurs and business people. Covenant's chief is Randy Martin, who told me a second location is being planned for Taft at the intersection of 4th and North streets. Drop by for a coffee sometime to help this worthy organization.

Bako Bits: rudeness is in the eye of the beholder and Randy Martin will appear on Californian Radio to discuss Convenant Community Services

 * ... BAD FORM: On Friday I passed along a reader's complaint about a middle aged woman who interrupted a speech at the opening of the Southwest Baseball season because her car was blocked. The woman in question came forward, asked for anonymity and submitted this retort: "I'm the woman who interrupted the speeches at the Southwest Little League opening ceremonies March 5 to ask that the person who had blocked me in kindly move his/her vehicle. I had already called the number listed on the back window of the Chevy Silverado, left messages and waited to no avail. I knew I'd have no hope of getting an announcement to the crowd once the ball games started. I apologized and asked the emcee for help. I did not interrupt multiple times. I thanked him, apologized again and left. The entire episode lasted less than one minute — tops.  My patience, or lack thereof, isn't the issue here. The true discourtesy and bad form was on the part of the many, many parents who chose to park blocking other cars without even leaving a note including their cell number. What if someone had had an emergency? And whatever happened to 'do unto others?' Rude!"

 * ... TREES: Had a chance to stop by the Friday night fund raiser for the Tree Foundation of Kern and it proved to be a huge success. Among those I spotted at the gala, held at The Metro Galleries, were supervisor candidate Harley Pinson and wife Cindy, artist Art Sherwyn and wife Cheryl, John and Ginger Moorhouse, Melissa Iger, Rick Peace and West Rotary president Ricki Foster, Ward 2 city council candidate Ron Fraze and wife Shelly, Clinica Sierra Vista CEO Steve Schilling, former Kern School superintendent Larry Reider and wife  Sandy, water district manager and former Tree Foundation president Harry Starkey and many others.

 * ... HELMETS: It was a wonderful weekend to get outside and the bike trails and parks were full of families and recreational cyclists. That said, I am always amazed by the number of families - and their children - who ride bikes without a helmet. As a paramedic once told me: "You know what we call people who ride without helmets? Organ donors."

* ... COVENANT: Randy Martin is the chief "inspiration officer" for Covenant Community Services, a local nonprofit that is devoted to helping former and current foster children transition to adulthood. The organization fills an important void in our community by counseling and providing training and jobs for these youth. Martin will be my guest Monday on Californian Radio KERN 1180 starting at 9 a.m. Tune in to hear about this important work.

* ... PETROLEUM WIVES: The Association of Petroleum Wives is an active group in our community, and each year they raise thousands of dollars for a local charity. This year, according to Kacie Hathaway, the group is raising money for the Brain Injury Association of America with its annual charity bunco night at Stockdale Country Club on March 22. Any woman whose husband works in the petroleum industry who wants to join should email the group's membership char, Deb Carrieri, at dcarrieri@att.net.

 * ... REBUTTAL: Frank Hamon wrote to respond to my earlier post about a woman at a Christian school being rude after a fifth grade girls basketball game. "My wife teaches at a Christian school and also happens to coach our daughters fifth grade basketball team.  I also have taught at this Christian school and want your readers to know that not all families that attend Christian schools are Christians themselves.  I know that we have a great basketball team and I hope that none of our parents would do such a thing.  This includes me."

 * ... SPOTTED: Two young men in an older model pickup truck, headed west on Stockdale Highway near Chipotle and Cafe Med,  sharing a bong at a traffic light.

* ... BAKERSFIELDISM: John Strand from Lake Isabella says you may be a Bakersfield old timer if you remember "the monkeys in the large cage at Canady's Nursery in Pumpkin Center. One monkey in particular, Bruce, had a powerful pitching arm." Unfortunately, sometimes he was pitching fecal matter at innocent bystanders.

Nashville's Country Music Hall of Fame to honor the "Bakersfield Sound" and more bad news for the local jobless rate

* ... BUCK: The Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville is opening a new exhibit dedicated to the late Buck Owens, Merle Haggard and others who helped create the 'Bakersfield Sound.' The exhibit opens March 24 and will run for two years. Said CMT: "Narrated by Dwight Yoakam, the exhibit will explore the roots, heyday and impact of the Bakersfield Sound, the loud, stripped-down and radio-ready music most closely identified with the careers of Country Music Hall of Fame members Buck Owens and Merle Haggard."

* ... WORST CITIES: In a reflection of just how bad the housing collapse hit California's Central Valley, a new list of the 10 worst cities for finding a job includes six from our valley. USNews compiled the list and noted that "the list of cities where housing prices remain depressed has striking similarities to a list of the cities with the worst employment problems." The top five were Merced, Fresno, Modesto, Stockton and Visalia-Porterville. Rounding out the list were Atlantic City, N.J., Bakersfield, Hickory-Lenoir, N.C., Riverside and Brownsville, Texas.
* ... TOO RISKY? Maybe it's just a sign of the economic times, but since when did U.S. Savings Bonds become "too risky" to cash? That's what an employee of the Bank of America told Anthony Finochhiaro the other day when he went to the Oswell branch by Country Club Liquors to cash six bonds. First he was told they would only cash 10 or fewer for non-account holders but later - even though he only had six - "the woman told me they were too risky and they wouldn't cash them. What is this, Greece?"

* ... SPOTTED: A couple runs out of gas and is struggling to push their 1980s-era Chevrolet Blazer into the gas station at Mount Vernon and Columbus while a dozen people non chalantly look on. A U.S. Army soldier in fatigues then pulls up, spots the couple and hops out to help push the Blazer into the gas station.

* ... CONVENANT: Covenant Community Services, the group that does so much to help put foster youth back on their feet, needs just $33,000 more to complete the remodel of its new headquarters and coffee bar at 1700 North Chester Avenue. The non-profit has managed to raise $50,000 so far, transforming the former bank building into an impressive center to help foster youth. Drop by sometime to buy some of Covenant's outstanding coffee and support this worthwhile project.

* ... OBESITY: Obesity and the factors that lead to it - poor diets, lack of exercise etc - are some of the biggest challenges we face not only here in Bakersfield but also in the country as well. So I suppose it's good news that the latest research shows obesity rates have stalled, but they remain extremely high. Overall, almost 36 percent of the adult population and 17 percent of children are obese. In Kern County, the rates are much higher, with as many as half of all adults overweight. With statistics like this, it's little wonder the number of people coming down with diabetes remains stubbornly high.

Time for some old fashioned story telling and celebrating wildflower season in Kern County

 * ... THE PORCH: Every family has that aunt or uncle who can tell a story and  leave you in stitches with laughter. And now there's a new effort in town to bring back the lost art of story telling, and it will kick off this Thursday, April 21, at the Bakersfield Museum of Art. This is all the bran child of the museum's David Gordon, who is looking for folks who want to tell a true story in front of a live audience. "Stories must relate to the theme and must be in story form – no random thoughts or observations. True stories only (honor system) and no stand-up routines, notes or cards. Strictly the spoken word. Stories can be funny, sad, incredible, poignant - whatever direction your story takes. The time limit is 5 minutes. A panel of judges will rate the stories on a scale of 1-10. First place winner receives a prize. Winners of the first series of story throw-downs (to be held over the next year) will go on to a Story-off and compete for even better prizes!" he said. The throw down will run from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. and the cost is $5 per person."

 * ... COFFEE: Had a few readers ask where they could buy Covenant Coffee, roasted by a local organization who uses the profits to help foster children in Kern County. Covenant gets its coffee from Africa, Mexico and other countries but sells it locally. You can order exactly what you want through its website (www.covenantcoffee.org) or visit Covenant's local offices at 1616 29th Street.

 * ... WILDFLOWERS: It's that season again to view our famous wildflowers, and they are out in abundance along the bike path headed west toward Enos Lane. And so is the water. The recharge basin is brimming with wildlife almost the entire way to Enos Lane to Interstate 5, and it's worth a visit. With that said, apparently there was so much rain this year that the high grasses are choking off the wildflowers along the Grapevine, which is always a spectacular sight.

 * ... SPOTTED: Young woman in a new red Ford Mustang, turning west on California Avenue from Oak Street while blissfully texting on her cell phone, nearly running two cars into the oncoming traffic.

 * ... RADIO: There are some amazing things happening in downtown Bakersfield these days: new restaurants, an emerging arts district, a fresh new spirit that brims with confidence. One of the urban pioneers behind this transformation is Don Martin, the owner of the Metro Galleries art boutique on 19th Street. I'll be interviewing Don this Friday at 10 a.m. on "Californian Radio" on SmartTalk1230 about the changes downtown. Can't listen at work? You can download a free application that allows you to listen to the radio on your cell phone. Just Google or search for "Tune In" to download the app.

 * ... ST. FRANCIS: The annual barbeque to support the St. Francis Parish is set for Thursday, April 28, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. This is always a good evening to mingle with Monsignor Craig Harrison and dine on some excellent steaks, fettuccine alfredo, green beans and salad. This is an adult only affair and tickets are $25 each. Contact (661) 327-4734 for tickets or stop by the office at 900 H Street to buy tickets. 

 * ... WHO KNEW? Kern County experienced its own gold rush in 1851 when gold was discovered on the Kern River. One of those who sent teams to mine the gold was John C. Fremont, known as "the Pathfinder."