Despite its Christian stand Chick-fil-A is one of the nation's most popular restaurants, Julie Crawford gets a surprise birthday, trucks are being stolen in droves around town and Dick Taylor bows out of a county supervisor race

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. 

 * ... CHICK-FIL-A: Just how popular is Chick-fil-A? Well, the restaurant industry says the popular chicken restaurant is now the third most popular fast food eatery in the country, right behind No. 1

McDonald's and No. 2 Starbucks. But it is also one of the more controversial ones simply because its corporate mission is to "glorify God" and it is closed on Sundays. A national research groups showed that Chick-fil-A posted double-digit sales gains in 2018, passing Subway to claim the No. 3 spot in terms of toppling revenue. The company was founded by Truett Cathy, a Christian businessman who incorporated his faith into the company’s practices.

 * ... HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Happy birthday to Julie Crawford, one of the owners of Pyrenees Cafe and the Silver Fox Starlite Lounge downtown. The longtime entrepreneur was surprised on her birthday by husband Rod Crawford with a surprise party at The Bell Tower club downtown. The Crawfords bought Pyrenees a few years ago (and later the Fox Starlite Lounge) and restored both to their former beauty.

 * ... SUPERVISOR RACE: Former county veterans affairs director Dick Taylor has taken his hat out of the race to succeed Mick Gleason on the Kern County Board of Supervisors. Taylor had been courted to run but said Saturday he had decided against it. "Based on my 27 years running our family business, military record, experience service as a county department head, and knowledge of the district, I've been urged by many community leaders and friends to run for District 1 of the Kern County Board of Supervisors.  Having first moved into the district in 1979 after my honorable discharge from the Marine Corps, I consider it a great honor to be approached to run for this office.  However, after a lot of thought and research, I have decided to not seek election in March 2020 as District 1 Supervisor.  My hope is that a candidate arises to represent this incredible district who possesses the necessary experience, character, trustworthiness, maturity, and statesmanship befitting the highest leadership position in the county.  I want to sincerely thank everyone who has offered their support and I continue to be proud of all the work happening in our great county."

 * ... CALIFORNIA: Few people outside of those of us living in California understand just how big a state we live in. Check out this map that explains it all.

 * ... TRUCK THEFTS: Want to know how bad car thefts are in Bakersfield? I randomly collected pictures of pickup trucks that have been stolen in the last couple of weeks. Here is a selection. Be careful out there.

 * ... MEMORIES: Some old pictures as we walk down memory lane.

The city of Bakersfield punts on deciding on the site for a homeless shelter (again), Phillip Peters enters the race to succeed county Supervisor Mick Gleason and RIP Dennis Mullens, local water lawyer

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. 

 * ... WAITING ... AND WAITING: The city has once again punted on the long overdue decision on where to locate a low-barrier homeless shelter. First the city walked away from a small park off Golden State after a handful of people objected, and now it has done the same after opposition arose to buying the old Calcot facility on East Brundage for a 450-bed shelter. Understanding no one

wants this kind of shelter in their neighborhood, the situation calls for bold leadership which seems to be lacking on our City Council. The city will not resolve this until January, while in the meantime homelessness grows and becomes more visible and serious by the day. By contrast, the county under CAO Ryan Alsop has moved with more urgency, and its 150-bed facility off Golden State should be up and running in just a couple of months. Consider this quote attributed to President Theodore Roosevelt: “In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing.”

 * ... DISTRICT ONE: Campaigning has started early in the race to succeed Mick Gleason as the District 1 county supervisor. Phillip Peters, a longtime aide to Gleason, has announced he will run and he is already picking up support, and a fund raiser has been scheduled to build his war chest.  Some of Peters' early supporters include Ken Small, Wes Bradford, Terry Hearron and Dr. Sarabjeet Singh. Another potential candidate, former county veteran's affair coordinator Dick Taylor, has yet to decide if he will run.

 * ... EXODUS: It is no secret that people and businesses are leaving California in droves, fed up with high taxes, outrageous housing costs and overbearing rules and regulations from Sacramento. But you might be surprised where they are going. In 2018, the top destination for Californians was Texas, which absorbed 86,164 Californians, then Arizona (68,516), Washington (55,467), Nevada (50,707) and then Oregon (43,058).

 * ... SPOTTED: I spotted this on the Bakersfield Thieves Facebook page: "To whoever tried to ransack my grandmothers garage on the south side and stole two of her giant laundry detergents and whatever else you might have taken. I hope you rot in hell."

 * ... RIP DENNIS: Dennis Mullens, a local lawyer with an expertise in water law, died unexpectedly in his sleep this week. Mullen, 67, worked for Tejon Ranch and Klein DeNatale before retiring recently, Mullen, a quiet but firm force, was active in local water politics. He leaves a wife, Melanie, and a daughter, Anna, who recently graduated from Indiana University.

 * ... PANORAMA BLUFFS: Hats off to Supervisor Mike Maggard who helped coordinate a beautification program up on the Panorama Bluffs. Various artists from the Arts Council of Kern
(Iva Fendrick, Jorge Guillen, Taya Morroquin, Kristen Montoya and Jennifer Williams Cordova) painted power boxes on the bluffs to discourage graffiti and give the park some extra pizzaz.

 * ... GOODBYE CALIFORNIA: So what do some Californians think of their governor and his policies that drive people and businesses out of the state? Chck out this meme I spotted on Facebook.

 * ... MEMORIES: Check out this wonderful first old photo from the Kern County History Fans Facebook page. Just love it. The second shows a group of what could be football players from the old Kern County Union High School.