New restaurants and sports stores headed to Bakersfield, a reader rants about our City Council and some good form about town

 * ... RETAIL GROWTH: I sat down with retail broker Duane Keathley of Cushman Wakefield for a roundup of local development. Among other tidbits: it looks like there will be a Texas Roadhouse Grill and a

Victors Cantinia Grill at Valley Plaza near the spot where the Sears auto center was demolished. In addition, both the Yard House restaurant and Dave and Busters are scouting for locations in Bakersfield, and the deal to land the Bass Pro Shops at the northeast corner of the Hoskings exit off Highway 99 is still on. Stay tuned.

* ... MAILBAG: Kym Vliem dropped this note to me regarding our City Council's decision not to enjoy additional tax revenue by regulating marijuana. "Thank you so much for stating the obvious in your column today.  Once again the city has cut off their nose to spite their face by not considering the bigger picture. It's not like the ban will keep pot from coming in to the city's boundaries. I really don't want to hear them whining anymore about needing money after turning down a potential for millions. I also couldn't believe they were kicking around the idea of a 5 percent property tax increase - my bill was over $300 more than last year and the city maintenance district fee went up 248 percent from the prior year. I used to work for the city years ago and have friends retired from there, but it's time for the city to realize it's not their residents' job to finance debt left by the follies of CALPERS who assumed they were always going to get 7-8 percent on their investments but for the city to make the hard financial decisions of making employees pay even more into their retirement funds and medical plans or cut future retirement payouts. I also don't vote for school bonds anymore after seeing an almost $700 assessment for the Rosedale Union School District, in addition to the plethora of other school bonds on my tax bill."

* ... GOOD FORM: Susan Padilla submitted this bit of good form that should brighten your day. Padilla had picked up her grandson at school and was going to treat him to yogurt at Tutti Frutti on Gosford when she realized she had left her wallet elsewhere. "The girl at register said she would hold the yogurts while I went home to get money. I informed her I lived in northeast  and that was impossible. Then an angel walks up and gives the girl his credit card. Thank God. My grandson had this sad face until he realized what was happening. He walked out so happy with his reward. Thanks to this gentleman. His teen son was with him and watched. Lesson learned. Go Bakersfield."

 * ... BAD FORM: What is it about those people who view the public roadways as their personal toilet? Well they are at it again, dumping their soiled mattresses, appliances and ugly couches and easy chairs near the corner of Fairfax and Alfred Harrell Highway. As soon as the city cleans it up, more appears.

 * ... SPOTTED ON FACEBOOK: "Most people don't realize this, but you can eat gluten-free, non GMO, lactose tolerable foods without telling everyone."

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "The ages 18-22 are a confusing time. I got friends getting married, some in prison, and some still have to ask their parents to stay out past curfew."

 * ... HALLOWEEN: My prediction for the most popular costume for Halloween this year: men in bathrobes posing as Henry Weinstein. In bad taste for sure, but expect it

 * ... CRYSTAL PALACE: If you ever get a chance to catch Chris Hillman in concert, don't pass up the opportunity. Hillman played with The Byrds, the Desert Rose Band and Souther Hillman Furay and his talent was on display at The Crystal Palace last week when he played with John Jorgenson and Herb Pederson, accomplished musicians themselves. The Crystal Palace, meantime, remains the best venue in town for live music and a hot steak. Hillman's new album, Bidin' My Time, was produced by the late Tom Petty.

Bako Bits: Bass Pro Shops once again eyeing Bakersfield, construction under way on BevMo! at the Shops at RiverWalk and a good deed for a deserving Vietnam veteran

 * … RETAIL: Had a nice chat with three of the partners at Cushman and Wakefield- Duane

Keathley, Wayne Kress and Jeff Andrew-who appeared as my guest on First Look with Scott Cox on Tuesday. A couple interesting tidbits: construction is well under way for the BevMo! wine and spirits store out at the Shops at Riverwalk, and Keathley says that Bakersfield is once again on the radar for a Bass Pro Shops, likely near the new Hoskings Road interchange off Highway 99.

* …GOOD FORM: Here's a little story that should brighten your day. Jim Atkins, a Vietnam veteran, was at Vons on North Chester last Friday proudly wearing a hat that identified him as a veteran. He was getting ready to purchase $40.40 in "bare essentials" when a stranger approached and insisted on paying. Atkins, who has suffered from a series of health setbacks and is legally blind, was stunned. "I about shook his arm off in gratitude. I've been thinking about this young man and am so thankful," said the Navy veteran, who was too flustered to remember to get the name of the good Samaritan he describes as between 30 and 35 years of age. "I'm on a limited income, so $40.40 will get me through until I get paid."

 * … SAY WHAT? Here is a real head scratcher for you, complisments of Jo Lynn Moralez: "I recently went into Chase Bank on Mount Vernon Avenue to deposit some cash ($120) into a friend's account. Since I do not personally have an account at this bank, I was informed by the teller that it was bank policy they could not accept cash. I was, however, allowed to write a check. Huh?"

 * … NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH: Hats off to the South Oswell Neighborhood Watch, which reached a milestone related to improving the quality of life in that area of town. Said watch founder David Collins: "We recently picked up the 1,000th bag of litter since our organization was founded in 2009. This represents about 20,000 pounds of debris that have been removed from our streets.  SONW board members that make key contributions are president, Don Moran; first vice president, Barry Wallace; second vice president, Herman Lopez; treasurer, Tomeka Powell; director of technology, Chris Keeler and secretary, Velma Flores.

 * … ACHIEVERS: Some more good news for some of our local scholar-athletes who have taken their talents to colleges. Centennial High graduate Molly Pruett and Bakersfield High product Evan Bowman both run cross country for Mount Mercy University in Cedar Rapids, and both qualified this past weekend for the NAIA Cross Country Nationals to be run in Lawrence, Kansas. Thanks to David Coffey for passing this along.

 * … BENEFACTOR: Congrats to Don Barnes who will be recognized tonight (Wednesday) at the Kern Community Foundation's 15-year anniversary celebration for his lifetime achievement of giving that has benefited local charitable causes dear to him. Barnes and his first wife, Audrey, who passed away after 50 years of marriage, generously donated to causes such as Bakersfield Christian High School and the Bakersfield Museum of Art. Don and his current wife Earlene, a friend from church whom he married in 2011, continue to donate regularly from the Donald and Earlene Barnes Charitable Fund to organizations where they see significant impact.

Crabfest pulls in 450 people to raise more than $250,000 for the St. Francis Parish, and Terry Maxwell tests the patience of his constituents

 * ... CRABFEST: A record 450 people turned out for the annual Rib and Crabfest to benefit the St. Francis Parish. This event has grown so popular (getting in is akin to scoring tickets to the Super Bowl) that Monsignor Craig Harrison had to move it to the old satellite wagering barn at the Kern County Fairground. Harrison told me the Parish expected to clear $250,000 from the Friday evening event. Among those I spotted there were Mikie and Dan Hay, Lisa Kimble Edmonston and husband Craig, Trevor and Annalise Townsend, Ken and Renee Carter, Day Raytis, Kristie Spitzer, Robin Mangarin Scott, Don and Patty Houchin, Jim and Beverly Camp, Jeff and Stephanie Pickering, Brian and Katie Kirschenmann and many others.

* ... BCHS: You have to love the print advertising for Bakersfield Christian High School that features beaming young people wearing sweat shirts of the colleges they will be attending: USC, UCLA, Cal Poly, Georgia Tech, Pepperdine among others. A picture like that speaks to the success of BCHS in sending our young people off to school.

 * ... MAXWELL: My colleague Lois Henry nailed it in her Sunday column about the Quixotic city councilman Terry Maxwell, who is ignoring the majority of residents in his own Ward 2 in opposing those who want cul de sacs on the "tree streets" at 24th Street. Maxwell holds to his own beliefs, if nothing else, but only time will tell if there will be a political price to pay.

 * ... RETAIL: With so many new retailers lining up to move to Bakersfield - BevMo!, Nordstrom Rack, Sprouts Farmers Market among them - what does that say about the state of our economy? On Tuesday, I will be chatting with commercial real estate broker Duane Keathley about new retail activity and what that means for 2014 and beyond. Catch us on First Look with Scott Cox on NewsTalk KERN 1180 or live on bakersfield.com beginning at 9 a.m.

 * … GOOD FORM: Ruth Darrington passed along this example of good form from an incident last week at the Albertson's on Mount Vernon. "A friend of mine and I were supposed to meet for lunch when I received a call from her telling me she had been in an accident at the Albertson's parking lot on Mt. Vernon.  I rushed to the site and found her standing next to the Albertson's manager, Jeff Albitre.  She was quite shook up and stood there as the paramedics checked her vitals. I don't know all the details, but what I do know is that this young man took it upon himself to talk to her insurance company and made sure that each person involved gave the insurance representative the information needed and then arranged for a tow.  This whole process took almost 2 1/2 hours and is something that she would have had a difficult time doing. My friend and I would like to thank Jeff for his assistance, compassion, and willingness to give the highest caliber of customer service."

Bako Bits: A kid goes east to school and thoughts for some local folks on the injured reserve list

Cleaning off my desk and checking on folks around town ...

* ... OFF TO FORDHAM: Is there anything better than seeing your children succeed? Duane and Corey Keathley have a lot to be thankful for now that youngest daughter Michele is off to school at Fordham University in the Bronx on a volleyball scholarship. Duane surprised Michele recently by flying to Buffalo, N.Y. to watch Fordham play Seton Hall, Boston College and the University of Buffalo. Michele made the starting rotation as a freshman and - get this - her roommate is Randi Ewing, daughter of former Georgetown and NBA great Patrick Ewing. Meanwhile, sister Kimberly Keathley is thriving as well, now a junior at Point Loma Nazarene down near San Diego. (Michele is on the left with Kim in picture below, courtesy of the Keathleys) Duane is a principal at CB Richard Ellis and is president of the downtown Rotary this year.





* ... ON THE INJURED LIST: Heard that old friend Leonard Bidart, one of the owners of Bidart Brothers Farms and a generous sponsor of local non-profits, took a nasty spill on his bicycle last weekend while coming down Lion's Trail near Caliente. Turns out Leonard broke his jaw in several places and underwent a long surgery at the UCLA Medical Center. He's apparently on the mend but it will be a long road back. Leonard is an avid cyclist and fitness nut and one of the all around good people of our community. Send some positive thoughts his way.

* ... ALSO RECOVERING: Also try to keep Marvin Steinert in your thoughts as well. Marv is one of our city's real treasures, personally generous, active in groups like the Stars Theater and downtown Rotary. Turns out Marv is suffering from a condition known as temporal arteritis, an inflammation or damage to blood vessels that supply the head area. Marv's eyesight has been temporarily adversely affected but he's under good care. (photo of Marv below)



* ... FALL FUND RAISING: If it's fall in Bakersfield you can bet you'll be attending a fund raiser sometime soon. And pity the school and non-profits who must be struggling in this horrible economy when so many folks can't be as generous as they would like. But here are a couple of good causes for you to consider: On Thursday, Oct. 1 Garces Memorial High School will hold its annual Fall BBQ. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased at the door. Doors open at 5 p.m. Then a week later on Thursday, Oct. 8, Cal State Bakersfield holds its 31st annual Fall BBQ for the athletics program. Tickets are $25 sold before the event and $30 at the door. To order tickets or help with a sponsorship, call 661-654-3473.

Short shots around town: a weekend of jazz and wine, kids heading off to college, the arts

Another day of cleaning out my cupboard of odds and ends. I continue to hear of more kids heading off to school (or staying here) and they all make us proud. It's May in Bako, so that means good weather and jazz and fine wine. Enjoy the weekend.
* WINE FEST: Don't forget the Party in the Park wine tasting tomorrow night (Friday) over at Cal State, hosted by the CSUB Alumni Association. This is always a fun event and kicks off the Jazz Festival weekend, which is one of the school's premier events each year. Check out today's Californian for a full lineup for the Jazz Festival. For last minute tickets to the wine tasting, call 661-654-3211.
* VISUAL ARTS FESTIVAL: The Bakersfield Museum of Art presents its annual "Visual Arts Festival" next Thursday, May 14. Curator Emily Falke say the festival is expected to draw hundreds of artists from around California who have submitted works for the juried competition. The exhibit opens with a reception from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. and awards at 6:45 p.m. The opening is free to members, $10 for non-members. Light appetizers and a no-host bar will be available. The exhibit runs through August 30. For more information call 661-323-7219.

* YOUNG ARTIST: Speaking of art, check out the painting by Stockdale High senior Stephanie Linn (above) who won a young artists contest sponsored by Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield). As the overall winner of the art competition, Stephanie’s piece will represent the 22nd Congressional District in Washington DC, and hang in the capitol tunnel leading to the United States Capitol for a year. Stephanie and two guests will be provided airline tickets courtesy of Southwest Airlines to travel to Washington for the exhibit opening on Wednesday, June 24, 2009. Stephanie is the daughter of Victor and Connie Linn and her art teacher is Art Sherwyn at Stockdale. She said her piece was influenced by the work of Paul Cadmus, specifically his oil painting, Coney Island. Stephanie went to River Walk Park and studied and photographed children playing on a jungle gym. She then compiled all the different photographs into one piece that includes 25 children.
* DOGS GONE WILD: While we are on the arts, Beth Pandol over at the Bakersfield Museum of Art told me their first "Doggone Morning" this week was a success. (See pictures below.) Folks brought their dogs for talks on obedience, breeds and other topics. Let's hope this continues and evolves into something bigger.


* GUNS AND ABORTION: Interesting recent survey by the Pew Center shows attitudes toward gun ownership are becoming more conservative, as in defending Second Amendment rights. (Check it out here)
* NON-PROFIT MOVEMENT: Meanwhile I hear that Jan Lemucchi has been hired as the new communication specialist over at the Kern Community Foundation, working for CEO Fred Drew and foundation chair Judi McCarthy. Jan has been around and previously worked at KGET TV, Mercy Hospital, the Bakersfield Assn. of Retarded Citizens, the Saba Agency and The Californian.
* AND OFF THEY GO: Rounded up a few more names of kids heading off to colleges, some going far and others staying closer to home. These are all Stockdale kids:
..... EAST COAST BOUND: Michele Keathley heads to Fordham University in New York on a volleyball scholarship. She's the daughter of Corey and Duane Keathley. Her sister Kim is attending Point Loma University in San Diego.
..... STAYING CLOSE: Julie Hutton, one of the stalwarts of the defending Central Section girls tennis team at Stockdale, will attend CSUB on a tennis scholarship.
.... DEEP IN THE HEART OF TEXAS: K.C. Hobson has signed with Texas A&M to play baseball even though he likely will be a high draft pick to play pro ball. Stay tuned for more on his future.
..... GO RENEGADES: Brooke Williford, daughter of Tara and Steve Williford, will be attending Bakersfield College in the fall.

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.

Southwest Baseball's Aera Park to open in April

Here's some welcome good news: that long-planned mega baseball park in the Southwest is set to open in April. If you recall this is "Aera Park," so named because of Aera Energy's generous donation of $250,000 to help the Southwest Baseball organization realize its dream. (the donation actually came from Kern Community Foundation via funds donated by Aera) Our town is sorely in need of improved facilities for our kids (soccer and baseball most prominently) so this will be a huge boost. There will be eleven baseball diamonds located behind Riverwalk off Jewetta and Stockdale Highway. Rob Noriega, a local attorney and VP of Southwest Baseball, filled me in over lunch and said Aera Park will be city owned but that his organization will run it on contract for 15 years. Southwest Baseball, which serves about 1,500 kids, will get priority and other groups can use the facilities by scheduling through Noriega's group. Three folks have been working diligently to make this happen: Rob, Aera communications chief Susan Hersberger and Duane Keathley, president of the baseball group.