Bakersfield makes a list of top cities to live in America, yet homelessness continues to grow and move west, and RIP to car dealer Chuck Haddad and farmer Fred Starrh

 Friday, April 19, 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.

 * ... HAPPINESS: Is Bakersfield worthy of making a list of one of the top cities in America to live? Well, U.S. News World Report thought so and it included our town in its list of top places to live in

2019. That's right, Bakersfield ranked 124 among 125 cities listed as top places to live. Said David Knoeb, president of Frontier Real Estate Services: "There is not a better place e to raise your family, to live and the people around here... it's just a great community." The report based its findings on the value of local housing, the local job market and overall desirability.

 * ... HOMELESS: Back in the day, give or take five years ago or so, the homeless were more or less a downtown problem. Well no more, and no where was that on greater display than out near the baseball fields near Jewetta and Calloway roads. There, running along the river bed, are dozens of makeshift campsites, full of litter and reeking of urine, right within sight of some of the most desirable neighborhoods in town. District Attorney Cynthia Zimmer addressed it when I interviewed her this week, saying these homeless encampments have their own hierarchy that includes a "governor" who acts as the head of the camp. Often, she said, the "governor" will send homeless out to intersections to raise money for their camp. And so it goes.

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "When your boss tells you you’re fired do you finish the YouTube video or just leave? I need to know for future reference."

 * ... SPOTTED PON FACEBOOK: "Just a last-minute reminder that tax rates are merely legal minimums. If you believe you should pay more, it’s perfectly acceptable to send more."

* ... RIP: We lost some great men this week, and Assemblyman Vince Fong said it best in this post: "The past week, we have lost some tremendous individuals who have blessed me with their kindness, guidance, and mentorship. Words cannot describe the impact David Price, Chuck Haddad, and Fred Starrh Sr. has had in my life and the lives of countless others in our community. They were committed to family, service, and our community. My heart goes out to their families and I will be forever grateful for the friendship of these amazing individuals."

  * ... MEMORIES: Spotted this on my friend Matt Munoz's Facebook Page. Not sure what year this was published.

 * ... MORE MEMORIES: And how about this old picture?

Former county department head Dave Price dies, Campbell Soups sells Bolthouse Farms, cleaner air leads to fewer "fog days" in Kern County and spring in Bakersfield ...

 Monday, April 15, 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.

 * ... DAVE PRICE: RIP to Dave Price, one of the great citizens of our community who died last

Thursday at his Tennessee retirement home. Price retired as director of the county Resources Management Agency and left California for Kingsport, Tennessee, where his jovial manner and quick wit quickly endeared him to the locals. I knew Dave well and was proud to call him a friend, as did many. His wife, Liz, said he died of a cardiac event.

 * ... BOLTHOUSE: Bolthouse Farms, one of Kern County's powerhouse carrot and juice producers that was sold to Campbell Soup Co. a few years ago, has become a private company again. Campbell was looking to unload Bolthouse because, according to the Wall Street Journal, it proved difficult for the company to handle fresh food. Former Bolthouse CEO Jeff Dunn was leading a group of investors who purchased the business. No word yet if Bolthouse will return to Bakersfield as its corporate headquarters.

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "No matter how nice I ask random people, nobody will take me to Funkytown."

 * ... WEEKEND: If it is spring in Bakersfield it is time for outdoor events and celebrations. This weekend alone we saw downtown Rotary's Havana Nights, the Stars Dinner Theater Dancing with the Stars (congratulations to Robin Mangarin-Scott for placing first), the Coconut Cup pickle ball tournament at the Bakersfield Racquet Club, the 4th Annual Sikh Peace Parade, a community trash cleanup day and more. Spring in Bakersfield.

 * ... RIG CITY: Congratulations to the Rig City Coffee Roasters on its one-year anniversary downtown. The popular coffee and pastry shop is part of a downtown renaissance of small businesses that are breathing new energy into our downtown.

 * ... TULE FOG: Remember a few years back when the tule fog was so think you could hardly see the car in front of you? Well, those days are largely behind us and we can thank lower levels of air pollution for it. That's according to a new study by scientists at the UC Berkeley who analyzed meteorological and air pollution data from the Central Valley reaching back to 1930. They reported this: "The results help explain the puzzling decades long rise and fall in the number of 'fog days' affecting the region, which increased 85 percent between 1930 and 1970 and then decreased 76 percent between 1980 to 2016. This up and down pattern follows trends in air pollution in the valley, which rose during the first half of the century when the region was increasingly farms and industrialized, and then dropped off after the enactment of air pollution regulations in the 1970s."

* .... MEMORIES: Take a look at this, the before and after of 20th Street downtown.

Bakersfield deals with a nagging jobless rate as another company, Lightspeed Systems, abandons California for Texas, and pickle ball comes to Bako

 * … JOBLESS: Kern County has dropped two spots and now ranks 55th out of 58 counties in the state with the highest unemployment. That's the word from local appraiser Gary Crabtree, who noted

that all six of the counties that comprise the Central Valley are ranked 50th or worse. Grabtree said our unemployment rate is now at 8.6 percent while California is sitting at 4.7 percent.

 * … LIGHTSPEED: Adding to those jobless woes will be the decision by Lightspeed Systems to abandon Bakersfield altogether for the more favorable climate of Austin, Texas. The local tech company, owned by Rob and Judi McCarthy, has provided jobs for hundreds of local people over the years, but high taxes and California regulations led to the decision to leave for Texas.

* … PICKLEBALL: Do you know what the fastest growing sport in America is? It is a tennis/ping pong hybrid called 'pickleball,' and it is gaining popularity in Bakersfield and across the west. In fact, retired arts teacher and longtime tennis pro Art Sherwyn put on his first pickle ball tournament at the Bakersfield Racquet Club this past weekend, running Thursday through Saturday with singles, doubles and mixed doubles. Pickleball uses a smaller, re-striped tennis court using smaller paddles and wiffle balls, creating a sport that is quick, intense and good for virtually any age. I participated in the tournament, if for no other reason than to give others a reason to feel good about their game.

 * … FROM COMEDIAN EDEN DRANGER: "I typed in 'frustrated and annoyed' and WebMD diagnosed me as 'married.'"

* … SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "I burned my mouth on my pizza and I feel this is a strong metaphor showing me that the ones we love can hurt us the most.

 * … DAVID PRICE: Looks like my old friend David Price III is facing some more delicate surgery next month as he battles an ongoing medical issue. Price is the former director of the county Resource Management Agency who retired to Johnson City, Tenn., a few years ago. Known for his keen dry wit and easy going style, Price left countless friends in Bakersfield who keep in touch on social media. Keep Dave in your thoughts as he prepares for the July 8 date with the surgeon.

* … MEMORIES: Mary Clark remembers Scotty's Pie shop but notes a tad differently than her brother, Superior Court Judge Thomas Clark. "Occasionally, when Tom and my sister were in school, Mom would walk to Scotty’s, with my younger brother and me. She would order one piece of pie, and share with us. Don’t remember which pie it was. I do remember sitting at a window table, and looking outside, while we had a special treat!"

Local attorney Jay Rosenlieb takes a nasty spill on the bike path and putting a spotlight on those who inspire others

 * ... BIKE PATH: Longtime local lawyer Jay Rosenlieb took a nasty tumble on his bicycle recently while riding on our bike path.  (You may remember him as the spokesman for the Reis family after the tragic murder of their two children in Coronado) Jay is going to be fine but he had this advice for those of us who like to get out for the occasional ride. "My accident started with not consciously checking to make sure that I had all my riding equipment (my helmet), continued with listening to some great (but distracting) music, and finished with high speed. My concussion, dislocated jaw, staples in my leg, one totaled bike and another bike requiring repairs were the result." Thanks to Jay for sharing this and for all you who use the bike path: stay alert, leave your music at home and if you are on the bike, wear a helmet. Get well, Jay.

 * ... SICK BAY: One of my resolutions this year is to do better tuning out the negative influences in life. You know what I mean: the shrill political and religious zealots who demonize those who disagree, the petty  neighborhood gossip who delights in the misfortune of others. Now contrast that with an email exchange I had with Wendy Wayne, the delightful and thoughtful former First Five Commission chairman who is back in Los Angeles undergoing chemotherapy while battling non-Hodgkins lymphoma. Not content to dwell on her own illness, Wendy turned the tables and wanted to know about my life, my children, my own health. She simply refuses to feel sorry for herself and instead turns her attention to the welfare of others. Wendy is one who makes this world a better place, and I am rooting for a fast recovery.

 * ... RECOVERING: David Price III, the former county department head who retired to Tennessee only to be stricken by a severe back and neck problem, is slowly recovering with help from family and friends. "I am still getting stronger and I am able to take steps (with some guidance) forward, backward and to the sides." He now has a van outfitted to get around. Keep Dave and his family in your thoughts and prayers.


* ... SPOTTED: A male resident of the Porterfield Hotel in downtown Bakersfield is spotted on the hotel's front steps, shirtless, shaving his chest, then his back and finally his head.


* ... GOOD SIGN? Certain commodities including gold are often referred to as economic indicators.  When gold prices are up it usually reflects a sluggish or slow economy. Currently, gold prices are down significantly  ($1600) from only 6 months ago (September 2011 it was $1900 per ounce) where they reached an all time high.

 * ... CLEAN UP: The prospect of rain this weekend has led to the postponement of the downtown clean-up day. It is now set for next Saturday, January 28, beginning at 9 a.m. at The Metro Galleries on 19th Street.

State Farm transferring another 175 to Bakersfield and Dave Price is left a quadriplegic after four operations

 * ... STATE FARM: It looks like State Farm Insurance is transferring more employees to Bakersfield as it closes its Fresno and Rohnert Park offices. That's according to Richard Chapman, president of the Kern Economic Development Corporation. I had coffee with Chapman and his vice president, Cheryl Scott, and they told me another 175 State Farm employees are headed to Bakersfield. Of course that's good news for everyone, particularly Realtors, since these folks will be purchasing homes in a buyer's market.

 * ... SICK BAY: David Price, the former country administrator who retired two years ago and moved to Tennessee, is now a quadriplegic after four operations on his neck to relieve pressure on his spinal chord. This is devastating news to his many friends in our community, who remember Dave as a friendly, extremely witty administrator who would always lend a helping hand. In March he was admitted to the University of Virginia hospital to have surgery for a condition called Diffuse Idiopathic Skeletal Hyperostosis. Said his wife, Liz: "It appeared that the surgery was a success as he was feeling good, walking, talking and eating. On the second or third day trouble began with his tongue swelling. To make a long story very short, he has undergone four surgeries on his spinal column. He suffered an infection that setup in his spinal cord due to a hole that occurred in his esophagus during one if his procedures but we don’t know which one.
David is now quadriplegic, has a feeding tube and a tracheotomy. The doctors do not know how much function Dave will be able to regain. We do know that the window of possibility is two years. We would appreciate your prayers, specifically that he will regain his normal voice, that he will regain the ability to eat normal food very soon. We do believe that God can heal and we welcome all prayers for complete healing."

 * ... THE BUZZ: Rumors were swirling this week that the newly renovated Padre Hotel was being sold. But according to owner Brett Miller, it could not be farther from the truth. Miller said some employees got the wrong idea when he told them he was negotiating a "buy out" with a farming organization. In hotel parlance, that means the group wanted to rent the entire hotel for a convention, not actually purchase it. "Some people thought they were buying the hotel," he said. "I have no intention of selling the Padre. It's doing terrific!" 

 * ... STANFORD: Hats off to Raechel Paine, daughter of Maria and Eddie Paine, who just graduated with her masters degree in psychology from Stanford University. This Bakersfield High product landed a recruiting job at Box.net until she pursues her PHd.

 * ... ART AWARD: Ginny Espinoza wrote to mention that her oldest grandson, Andrew Hawley, was awarded the coveted George Award for his photographic entries recently. He was among the CSUB students who participated in a gallery show of local students.

 * ... OLD GLORY: And finally Glen Worrell wrote to thank the good folks over at Goin Postal on Brimhall road for offering up new American flags in exchange for older flags. "It is a great and generous thing for Goin Postal to do," he told me. "There is only one bad part... I fly my beautiful American flag over my house knowing it was made in China. On the other hand, no matter where I bought my flag it would be made in China."

 * ... BAKERSFIELDISM: Retired securities broker Vince Bertolucci says you might be a Bakersfield old timer if you remember the big swing dances at the old La Granada ballroom at the corner of 16th and Eye streets near the railroad tracks.

More kids select their colleges, Chancellor Oil celebrates an anniversary and pulling for a recovery for David Price

 * ... COLLEGE BOUND: Alexis Bailey, who is 12th in her class at Liberty High School, is heading to Dominican University in San Rafael on an academic scholarship. Proud mother Lynn Bailey told me her daughter was awarded a merit scholarship along with the Luther G. Smith Scholarship to allow her to attend Dominican, where she will major in international business. She hopes to work overseas and plans on earning her MBA as well. Alexis has an unweighted GPA of 3.9 and a weighted GPA of 4.88, impressive on any level. "Thanks for letting me 'sound her horn' as my dad used to say," her mother wrote.

 * ... ANNIVERSARY: Hats off to Chancellor Oil Tool Inc. that is celebrating its 50th anniversary in business. The company was incorporated in 1960 and in 1980 was purchased by the Townsend family. Tom and Mitch Townsend are the current owners. There are 28 employees involved in the manufacturing of Liner Hanger Tools and other products for oil production. Currently, some 30 percent of Chancellor's business is international. Helen Bown, office manager, noted that "we came from humble beginnings benefiting and learning from the ups and downs of the past... Our growth has been at a controlled 15 to 20 percent a year and a promising future lies ahead for Chancellor."

 * ... SMARTTALK1230: Gary Crabtree is a local appraiser and may be one of the leading authorities in town on the local housing market. He's a straight shooter and tells it like it is, which is why he will be my guest on Californian Radio on SmartTalk1230 on Tuesday at 10 a.m. We'll be talking about the local market, when we might see signs of a recovery and  what went wrong.

 * ... SICK BAY: David Price III, the former head of the county resource management agency, continues to struggle after a series of operations in Virginia. Price retired from the county and moved back to Tennessee but has since undergone four operations in seven weeks. He's currently at the University of Virginia Medical Center in Charlottesville. His family is asking for our thoughts and prayers for a speedy recovery.

 

 * ... BAKERSFIELDISM: This nugget comes from reader Al Gutierrez: "You can claim a real Bakersfield old timer moniker when you recall having attended Fremont School during the mid 1940s when it was located at the southeast corner of Highway 99 (now Union Avenue) and Eureka Street. If you lived west of '99' you had to use an under-ground, east/west tunnel in order to get to and from school. Fremont School was re-located to Texas Street (SE) during 1954, probably another consequence of the 1952 earthquake. A motel now occupies the old Fremont School properties, just south of Casa Munoz."

 * ... WHO KNEW?  Cal State Bakersfield’s six residence halls are named after places in J.R.R. Tolkien’s “Lord of the Rings,” such as Rivendell, Entwood and Numenor.

A judge recalls the back story of moving the jail lions to Reno and Dave Price faces a difficult recovery

 * .... RUNNER BASEBALL: One of the best kept secrets in town may be the Cal State Bakersfield baseball team. In only its third season, the Runners are one of the nation's hot teams but seem to draw few fans out at Hardt Field. Since going Division 1, the  Runners have defeated the likes of Arizona State, Kansas, Air Force, Northern Illinois and even defending national champion South Carolina. I suspect the low turnout for home games is largely due to CSUB's status as a commuter school, but certainly this team deserves better home town support. This week, The Ohio State University comes to town for a three-game series Thursday, Friday and Saturday. It would be good to see a big home crowd to greet the Buckeyes.

 * ... FARMER'S MARKET: And speaking of secrets, I continue to be impressed with the downtown Saturday morning farmer's market in the old Montgomery Ward parking lot. This week there was a large variety of oranges and tangerines (the Cara Cara orange from the organic Cliff McFarland farm near Visalia is my favorite) as well as broccoli, potatoes, herbs, scallions, home made breads, fresh flowers, nuts and frozen grass feed meats.

* ... JAIL LIONS: More on those huge old lions that once stood at the county jail until the 1952 earthquake. This comes from Superior Court Judge William Palmer, who apparently was one of those who helped move the lions to the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity house at the University of Nevada at Reno.  "The lions are currently in Evans Park, on the front porch of the SAE house, which is across the street from the southeast corner of the campus. By way of history, after several telephone calls between Bakersfield and Reno, on a Bakersfield City Council meeting evening, the successful bid for the lions was the fraternity’s. Over the Christmas holidays that year, several of my fraternity brothers met me here in Bakersfield, and with the aid of a very skilled hydro crane operator, after 'separating' the terracotta statues at the original seam points, the lions were loaded into the back of a rental truck. The lions arrived in Reno in separate pieces, but not damaged; and thereafter were reassembled and painted, and painted, and painted several more times, both by rival fraternities and restored to their white by the SAEs. One amusing aside, after loading the lions into the rental truck, we went to my parents’ new abode in Kern City where the truck was backed into the driveway. The neighbors were a bit concerned with a group of young men and a truck since my parents were still with my sister for Christmas. However I was able to convince them that our intentions were honorable."         

* ... REMEMBER BAXTER'S? I've been overwhelmed with reader responses on all the old drive-in restaurants that were once so popular in our community, and I love every one of them. Now comes Jerry Karr, talking about Baxter's Drive-In on Union Avenue at Kentucky Street. "The carhops did serve people on roller skates. Mrs. Baxter, whose name was Veda, was in charge of the carhops (who) wore roller skates and dressed in red and white. Mr. Baxter’s hair was a stunning white color, and yes, it had a lot to do with his wartime experiences in World War I. Mr. Baxter was 89 when he passed away in approximately 1986. The reason I know some details about these folks was because we were neighbors for several years. They were two wonderful people.  Mr. Baxter was often referred to as 'Bax' by his friends and family. At the end of his working career, he was considered Gene Winer’s top Cadillac person. He looked like a Cadillac. They are both laid to rest in the Baxter family plot at the Live Oak Cemetery in Monrovia."

* ... SICK BAY: David Price, the retired head of the county Resource Management Agency, is having a difficult recovery following a tricky surgery a few weeks back. Price, who retired to Tennessee last year, underwent an operation at the University of Virginia to treat numbness related to calcification in an area of his upper neck vertebrae. It's been a tough period for his friends and family and wife Liz is asking for your thoughts and prayers.

 * ... DID YOU KNOW:  Legend has it that Bakersfield is where the world’s first motel was created. It was built on Union Avenue at California Avenue and was named “The Motel” – a contraction of “Motor Hotel.” Once this name became generic, the motel changed its name to the “Bakersfield Inn.”

Get ready for another First Friday in downtown Bakersfield and an explosive wild flower season in our hills

* ... FIRST FRIDAY: Tired of the fog and cold and looking for some fun? Head downtown this Friday for the return of the First Friday activities, which took last month off. My advice: grab dinner at any of our downtown restaurants (Mama Roomba, Uricchio's Trattoria, Mexicali, La Costa Mariscos, Casa Munoz, The Padre to name a few) and then stroll through the art galleries, boutiques and antique shops or grab a cocktail at a speakeasy like the Alley Cat. The brainchild of First Friday is Don Martin,  a master marketer who always puts on a good show at his Metro Galleries on 19th Street. This week he's featuring photography by Samuel Wooten, a French born photographer and anthropologist whose work is really impressive. Also on display in nature photography by San Diego artist Peter Fay.

 * ... BIG ORANGE: Received a nice email from Tony Wilder, a businessman in Kingsport, Tennessee, now home of retired county Resource Management Agency director David Price. David was deeply involved in our community while here and apparently he's now been drafted into the social fabric of Kingsport. Wilder said Price had recently graduated from Kingsport's ENCORE Leadership program and is now serving on the non-profit board of Kingsport Tomorrow. "And I just want to confirm that yes, he is now a rabid Big Orange fan and was even seen wearing a University of Tennessee pin on his lapel at a community function last week. But I also know that Bakersfield must be a very nice community because I can tell that Dave still has a big part of his heart there."

 * ... WILDFLOWERS: All this rain we've been having is certain to signal a terrific wildflower season in the hills of Kern County. In just a few months, the lupines, fiddlenecks and poppies will be in full bloom. Make sure you don't miss them this year. And wouldn't it be nice if we'd have water in the river all summer as well?

 * ... BONNIE'S BEST: Heard the other day from Laurie Watson, owner of Bonnie's Best Cafe over off 21st and F streets. Bonnie's Best is one of those locally owned downtown fixtures that always serves up superb food, and it also has a terrific meals "to go" program. Laurie wanted me to know that the Country Rose Cafe on H Street is not owned by Bonnie's Best but rather by  another person who used to work at Bonnie's Best. "I have not purchased the Country Rose Cafe," she said, adding that she is concentrating on keeping Bonnie's fare and customer service at the top of their game.

* .. BAKERSFIELDISM: From reader Gregg Byrd: You know you're a Bakersfield oldie "if you have an original neon Coors sign from Trout's bar in your garage (given to me by my late father, Jack Byrd) and if you remember the Byrds Club, which was my grand father's bar a few blocks from Trout's."