Former state Sen. Dean Florez takes on meaningful education reform as CEO of a foundation, and talk show host Conan O'Brien takes a potshot at Bakersfield's conservative mentality

* … DEAN: There is a heated debate going on regarding how California's public universities and community colleges can better prepare students by providing more creative, inexpensive and efficient degree offerings. And right in the middle of the debate former state Senator Dean Florez, who serves as president and CEO of the Michelson Twenty Million Minds Foundation, which is devoted to transforming education in a major way. I ran into Dean the other day at a lunch with Bakersfield College President Sonya Christian and he brought me up to date on what he is doing. Among other things, he has been appointed to a statewide committee that will be handing out $50 million in funding to programs that emphasize online learning and new ways to prepare students for the real world. "It's an opportunity for the systems to look outside their borders," he said. Florez raised some interesting points, including the fact that colleges need to do a better job at offering post secondary certificates (instead of traditional degrees) that better prepare students for the workforce. Some faculty and administrators at the more traditional brick and mortar campuses view this as a threat and are generally opposed to the idea. Stay tuned.

* … BREAK-INS: Now that the weather is cooling folks are opening their windows and enjoying the change of seasons. But with that comes opportunity for thieves. A house up by Bakersfield College was burglarized just the other day, so make sure all the windows and doors remain locked and turn on that alarm.

* … SCAM: Today's telephone scam alerts comes courtesy of reader Marilou Burlingame: "Good morning: Just received a call that went to my answering machine, since I didn’t recognize the number on the screen. Supposedly call was from the IRS, asking that we immediately call the number (415) 506-2394 to avoid further action from the IRS. Name left is Julie Smith. I Googled number, it is out of Novato, Ca., from a communications company. This number has called my home numerous times. What can I do, do I call the number and give them HADES?"

 * … SPOTTED: Late night talk show host Conan O'Brien posted this on his Twitter account: "Massachusetts was just named the most liberal state. Researchers almost picked California but then they stopped for gas in Bakersfield." Is this an insult or a compliment?

* … GOOD FORM: Here's a bit of good form you don't hear very often. From Lauren Dimberg: "Recently a man and a big black dog came to my front door. He said, 'my dog just pooped on your lawn' and asked for a plastic bag  I gladly gave him a bag and thanked him for being a responsible dog owner.  How often does this happen?

 * … PRESERVE: Linda Isle regularly rides her bike on the bike trail near Manor Drive where work has been ongoing to improve the Panorama Vista Preserve in the riverbed. Her thoughts: "As you know from riding on the bike path the park there now has met with mixed results. The homeless  folks have appropriated the drip system into their  personal water service and many of the plants and trees  are dead with no replacements. Who is to be  responsible for the upkeep of the vast irrigation system in the preserve  once in operation? It will be a big job just to keep the drip system  operating  efficiently.    The comment about the justification of the water use was that the  unused water will just percolate back into the water table.  With that attitude the we should not worry about watering our own landscape.  Why weren’t plants that needed  little or no water used?"

Hispanic college enrollment spikes and Rubio gears up for a showdown with David Valadao

 * ... COLLEGE BOUND: Read the other day that the enrollment of young Hispanic students in college shot up 24 percent from 2009 to 2010. This is according to the Pew Hispanic Center, which noted that much of the growth among Hispanics attending school has been  in community colleges. Pew said 46 percent of all the Hispanics in school were in community colleges, compared to 73 percent of young white students in four-year colleges. Among Asians, 78 percent were in four year schools and 63 percent of young blacks were in four year institutions. Either way, it's all good news. Community colleges like Bakersfield College serve an important niche in our educational system, and it's good to see a surge in Hispanics taking advantage of the opportunities.

 * ... 21st CONGRESS: Had a chance the other day to catch up with state Sen. Michael Rubio, who is gearing up to run for the empty 21st Congressional District. Also expected to enter the race is state Assemblyman David Valadao, the former Fresno dairy farmer who has the blessings of Karl Rove and the Republican establishment. Democrats enjoy an 11 percent edge in registration in the district, and word is that this is one of the Republicans' top targets to wrest from the Democrats. Rubio is an astute politician, good at fund raising and willing to outhustle any opponent. A Rubio-Valadao match could only be derailed if former state Sen. Dean Florez enters the race, setting up a bruising Democratic clash between Florez and Rubio. Florez has yet to announce. (photos of Ruio with his family and Valadao on the campaign trail)

 * ... DESIGNER: An old pal in Texas alerted me to a story in the Austin American-Statesman about a former Bakersfield native who has made quite a name for herself in the world of fashion. The designer is Dawn Younger-Smith, who left Bakersfield in her 20s and has since moved to Austin where she markets under the name "the Boudoir Queen." Apparently selections from her work were used in the fall print and video campaign for accessories and handbag maker Nine West's Vintage America collection. Younger-Smith is also known for her 2009 lawsuit against rocker Courtney Love, who allegedly skipped out on paying for a $4,000 dress. (photo courtesy of The Austin American-Statesman)

* ... RILEY'S JOURNEY: Doctors will tell you it's never too late to start eating healthy and exercising, and no one knows this better than Riley Parker, a local private investigator who let his exercise routine slip in recent years. A routine physical found he had "blossomed" to 226 pounds and some of his key readings - cholesterold, triglycerides, blood pressure - were in the danger zone. "I had three choices," he told me. "Start taking a handful of medication every day, lose a boatload of weight or develop diabetes and have a crappy fourth quarter of life. I have opted for number two." Thanks to the folks over at Action Sports, Riley is now riding a new Specialized cross bike and is serious about shedding the pounds. He promised to keep me posted, and knowing Riley, I think this story will have a happy ending.

* ... GOOD SERVICE: I am always appreciative of good service when it comes my way, so here's my partial list of local retailers (excluding eateries) with the most helpful and friendly employees: Bed, Bath and Beyond, Hoggz Surf Shop, Wood-Dale Market, Trader Joe's, Action Sports, Williams-Sonoma, Stinson's, and Urner's, among others. What's on your list?

 * ... BAKERSFIELDISM: You know you're from Bakersfield is you remember "field parties," not "house parties."





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Will Rubio and Florez square off in the 21st Congressional District? Stay tuned.

 * ... RUBIO'S MOVE: Keep your eye on the newly created 21st Congressional District where we may be treated to a clash between state Sen. Michael Rubio and his friend and mentor, former state Sen. Dean Florez. Rubio is a rising star with an uncanny ability to raise money and work both sides of the aisle. A Democrat, he casts himself as a politician who puts problem solving and real issues over party loyalty, and likes to note he was the lone Democrat on the Board of Supervisors but thrived nonetheless. Florez, of course, is a veteran politico (also a Democrat) who was termed out in the state Legislature. Rubio is in the race. Florez is interested, but has yet to announce. (file photos of Rubio (top) and Florez)

 * ... VALENTINE: Barbara Teach is originially from Virginia but moved to Bakersfield when her husband landed a job with the Comprehensive Blood and Cancer Center. They had planned to be here just a couple of years, but like many of us, now call Bakersfield home. Here's her valentine to Kern County: "I am writing because 'you know you are IN Bakersfield' when the people around you are so genuine. My husband, Randy, passed away suddenly four months ago from a heart attack, and this community is still asking, praying, cooking, calling, texting, mailing cards and offering so much support for my kids and me. Even people who didn't know him, or us. Bako friends just checking in on us. So although we are not 'from' Bakersfield, friends here have carried the hospitality torch in true Bakersfield style and touched our lives as if we were one of their own. I am truly grateful and blessed to be here."

 * ... MIKE ELLISON: Charles Conner, retired manager Kern County Office of Emergency Services, wrote to remember James "Mike" Ellison, who died recently.  Conner worked with Ellison when he lived in Kern County and described him as "straightforward, untied (literally), upfront, transparent; what you saw is what you got. Unfortunately, this did not serve him well during his brief tenure as County Animal Control Manager. The last time I spoke with Mike he was Public Safety Director of San Miguel , California . He was an exceptional breed and truly an overall great guy."

* ... SUGAR ANGELS: A group of young girls out at Seven Oaks have spent the summer earning a valuable lesson in giving back. Sisters Katherine, Julianna and Caroline Morton, joined by friends Annie Stone and Kylie Minor, have been selling cookies and baked goods in their neighborhood to benefit the St. Vincent de Paul Homeless Shelter. Last week they raised $807.95. Hats off to these girls, who have branded themselves the "Sugar Coated Angels."

 * ... WOOD BOATS: Most people know Arnie Johnson as president and CEO of Holloway Gypsum Mining Co., but his real passion is restoring classic wooden boats. For the past 25 years, he has been restoring the magnificent mahogany runabouts built by the likes of Chris-Craft and Gar-Wood. (In fact he owns a 1932 and 1936 Gar-Wood) In the recent Lake Tahoe Concours d'Elegance, he took first place in his 1936 18-foot runabout.

 * ... BAKERSFIELDISM: Riley Parker writes that you may be a Bakersfield old timer if you remember when "Lakeview Avenue (now Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.) was a dirt road south of Virginia Street to Cottonwood Road."

Today's Bako Bits: from an obesity summit to Michael Rubio to Lois Henry and Alan Tandy

Coming off another fabulous weekend in B-town, beautiful weather, everyone outdoors, on the bike paths, out and about. But life and politics and fund raising goes on. Here are some tidbits about town:

* A PITBULL NAMED LOIS: You'd think City Manager Alan Tandy would know better by now than to take on Lois Henry. Alan is notoriously prickly and seethes when Californian columnist Lois points her snarky prose his way. But what is going on now is rich beyond words. Word to Alan: don't challenge Lois to do any digging because that's like giving scent to a Tennessee bloodhound. There is nothing she won't find. Check out their latest dueling on her blog found here. Enjoy.
* OBESITY SUMMIT: Not to pick on Bakersfield, but could there be a better place for an "Obesity Summit" than our fair city? Well we're having one, set for April 30, and no it won't be held at Costco or Hometown Buffet. It's sponsored by a host of well meaning public health organizations and will feature Gwen Foster, the "health czar" who challenged the city of Philadelphia to get serious about obesity. It's set for the Marriott Convention Center. Call Public Health at 661-868-0306 for more information.
* AREA PARK: Was great to see the crowds over at the new Aera Park baseball fields in the southwest this weekend. Thanks to a generous donation from Aera Energy and the efforts of folks over at Southwest Baseball, we have a dozen new fields on 40 acres that are absolutely beautiful. Hats off to folks like Duane Keathley (incoming downtown Rotary president and all around good guy) and local attorney Rob Noriega for making this happen.
* RUBIO FOR SENATE: Fifth district Supervisor Michael Rubio is one of the local Democrats' rising stars. He's got all the tools: he's young, extremely bright, extremely ambitious, has the nice looking family and most important, he has the money. Shown here with wife Dora and adorable daughter Iliana, Rubio is running for the 16th State Senate district seat being vacated by Sen. Dean Florez, the Shafter Democrat who is being termed out. Word has it that Rubio has raised almost $400,000 to scare off any competitors and it appears to be working. The only serious competitor for the 2010 race is former Assemblywoman Sara Reyes. Rubio, who also happens to be an accomplished runner and cyclist, is now up on Facebook (check out his website here) and is Twittering like a madman.