Former Bakersfield priest Craig Harrison, accused of sexual misdeeds, is ordered to pay $219,000 in attorney fees to a critic who was investigating the sexual abuse allegations against him; it is Harrison's latest loss in court

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 represent any other company or publication.

 A Kern County Superior Court judge has ruled that accused sexual molester Craig Harrison must pay $219,000 in legal fees to a man who criticized Harrison and was promptly sued for libel by Harrison and his team of attorneys.

 The ruling by Judge Eric Bradshaw was handed down last week and made public by The Church Militant, a national organization that is devoted to outing sexual predators in the Catholic clergy. The ruling came in the case of Stephen Brady, who runs the organization The Roman Catholic Faithful, which helps track and report on priests accused of wrongdoing.

 In the ruling, the court named two Harrison attorneys: civil attorney Craig Edmonston and criminal lawyer Kyle Humphrey. Both were part of Harrison's defense team that worked to silence critics by slapping them with lawsuits, several of which were thrown out of court.

 Brady was represented by the San Diego law firm of Limandri & Jonna, which specializes in church abuse cases.

 Brady was accused of libel after he held a press conference in Bakersfield to talk about the accusations against Harrison. At the time the libel suit was filed Humphrey said the intent was "to restore the reputation and good name of Monsignor Craig Harrison and to hold accountable these defendants for their false, malicious and reckless accusations." 

 The court disagreed.

 Harrison's lawsuit claimed Brady published false defamatory, libelous, and slanderous statements about Harrison, including that he had sex with two high school students while a pastor in Firebaugh. The lawsuit also claimed that Brady said Harrison would examine boy's private parts every morning. Another claim stated that he had sex with a minor in a Ford Explorer and that teen committed suicide following abuse by Monsignor.

 Brady's attorneys argued the case against him was frivolous - they claimed it violated his First Amendment rights to speak about matters already in the public arena - and that they should be reimbursed for attorney costs. The judgment presumably will be paid by Harrison or his group of local supporters.

 The $219,000 judgment comes in the Brady case, and a similar outcome could be expected in a second libel case that Harrison lost against Ryan Gilligan, a former Benedictine monk and confident of Harrison's who accused the former priest of sexually inappropriate behavior. Harrison sued Gilligan and lost that case as well.

 All of this harkens back to when Harrison, once a wildly popular monsignor, media darling and accomplished fund raiser, was suspended by the Diocese of Fresno in April 2019 after a man came forward to say Harrison abused him when he was a young man. After that numerous other accusations from once young men followed, the church launched a formal investigation, Harrison sued the church and lost and Harrison eventually voluntarily left the church.

 So far all of Harrison's lawsuits against his detractors handled by Edmonston and his team - The Catholic Church, Stephen Brady, Ryan Gilligan and a diocese employee - have failed in the courts.

 Once Harrison had surrendered all of his priest duties, the church responded by removing all memories of Harrison at St. Francis Church, including taking Harrison's name off the side of a youth center that had been named after him. Harrison is shielded from any criminal charges because of the statute of limitations, but two civil lawsuits by men accusing Harrison of sexual impropriety are making their way through the courts and appear headed to trial.

The city sets aside funds to consider saving the Union Pacific rail depot, the Bishop of Fresno orders Craig Harrison to shut down his counseling service, and a stroll through Bako on Flag Day

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 represent any other company or publication.

 * ... CITY BUDGET: Do you remember a few years ago when the city of Bakersfield was so short on cash that it couldn't hire enough police officers for the streets? Well that was before the voters narrowly approved Measure N, which raised the sales tax with the promise of using the money to fight crime and clean up with homeless issue. And now that Measure N is generating more money than anticipated, our City

Council is far too eager to spend it. This week, the Council approved a $638 million budget that includes tens of thousands of dollars to try to salvage the old Union Pacific rail depot on Sumner Street. This is the pet project of Ward 2 Councilman Andrae Gonzales, whose own ward is an embarrassment of vandalism, petty crime and trash because of the homeless, but he has focused his attention on saving a grand old building that will likely never become a viable business simply because it is located in one of the most economically deprived areas of town. I hope I am wrong about this one but if not, I hope the City Council pulls the plug on this little adventure before we pour millions of dollars into "Andrae's folly." If I asked every one of you reading this to list the top 10 things that Bakersfield needs to address, would pouring millions into an old railroad depot on Baker Street be one of them? Or is this just another opportunity for a photo op?

 * ... HOMELESS FUNDS: The good news in the budget is another $1.9 million for 11 new positions to address issues along the Kern River Parkways, $3.1 million for continue operations at the Brundage Navigation Center and $6 million for affordable housing projects.

 * .. HARRISON VERSUS BRENNAN: In journalism, a story has "legs" when a constant series of new developments keeps a story fresh and in the news. And that describes the ongoing saga of Craig Harrison, the once wildly popular priest who clashed with his own bishop and chose to leave the church amid allegations that he sexually preyed on young men while serving at churches in Firebaugh, Merced and Bakersfield. And now comes word that Bishop Joseph Brennan has ordered Harrison to close his counseling business and nonprofit (Reflections for Women). Kyle Humphrey, one of Harrison's attorneys, accused Brennan of conducting a personal vendetta against Harrison. "If (Harrison) does not comply," he told KGET, "the bishop, acting in his capacity for the Diocese of Fresno appears to be threatening to publicly define Father Craig, a private citizen." Interestingly, Humphrey claimed he had received confirmation from the church that Harrison was not on the list of credibly accused priests. The Fresno diocese has indicated it is about to release that list, but other than Humphrey's statement, there is no word on if Harrison will make the list.

 * ... SEXUAL ABUSE: Meanwhile an expert in sexual abuse says the allegations against former Bakersfield priest Craig Harrison appear to follow a predictable pattern involved accused predators: the accused denies the charges, his attorneys attack the accusers and supporters rally to defend the embattled priest. Joelle Casteix, a survivor of sexual abuse herself while in high school in Orange County, joined me on the Bakersfield Observed podcast to discuss how communities react when one of their own popular members is accused of inappropriate sexual activity. Casteix said she had "heard rumblings for years" about Father Craig Harrison and was not surprised when men came forward to accuse him of sexual abuse. "The goal is to blur boundaries," she said, referring to a predator's attempt to "groom" victims by offering them friendship, emotional support and sometimes even cash as they struggle with personal issues. Predators often focus on troubled young men, many from broken homes, who often turn to their churches when things become difficult in their lives. Once allegations are made, Casteix said it is typical for the accused to cast doubt on the intent of the accusers by implying they are out for money. "It's easy to silence a survivor," she said, adding it is doubly difficult when the community appears to have rallied unquestionably around the accused. Casteix described herself as an "advocate" for men and women who have been sexually abused, sometimes by a priest or a teacher, friend, parent, scout master or coach.

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "Halfway through the argument I realized I was wrong but I kept going because you can't just stop an asshole train on a dime."

 * ... FLAG DAY: Some random pictures of flag day around Bakersfield.

 * ... MEMORIES: Thanks to my friend John Kelley for posting this old map of Bakersfield looking north. The map predates the 1952 earthquake.

 * ... MORE MEMORIES: And special thanks for Art Moore of the Kern County History Fans for this cool picture from back in the 1960s.

The Valadao-Cox race goes down to the wire, Father Craig Harrison wins a court case against an accuser and are you leaving Facebook for more conservative social media sites?

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 represent any other company or publication.

 * ... VALADAO-COX: Is history about to repeat itself in the race between Democrat Congressman T.J. Cox and Republican challenger David Valadao. Two years ago Valadao was the incumbent and on election night went to sleep thinking he had won. But after absentee and late reporting precinct ballots were counted, Cox

narrowly edged Valadao and won. As things stand now, Valadao leads Cox by 4,000 votes, yet once again Cox is slowly catching up thanks to late reporting precincts from Cox strongholds and mail-in ballots. There are some 34,000 votes yet to be counted in the four counties that comprise the 21st Congressional District, and 31,000 of them are in Kern County. And that is bad news for Valadao since the Kern ballots come from deeply Democratic pockets of Kern County. Hold tight because this will be another tight one.

 * ... FATHER CRAIG: A judge has ruled that Monsignor Craig Harrison can move forward with a defamation lawsuit against a former friend who said Harrison hit on him sexually and had a pattern of acting inappropriately with other young men. Judge Kennth G. Pritchard denied an anti-SLAPP motion filed by the attorney for Ryan Dixon, who at one time considered Harrison a close personal friend, mentor and spiritual guide. Dixon, who later studied to become a Benedictine monk, turned on Harrison after he claimed Harrison was guilty of "inappropriate touching, lies, manipulation and abuse of power." Perhaps equally damning, Dixon claims Harrison had a pattern of touching and being alone with children, subjecting them to grooming behavior including lavishing then with money and other gifts. Harrison has denied the allegations by Dixon, as he has the other now middle aged men who have accused Harrison of similar incidents of sexual touching and impropriety. Harrison was suspended by the Diocese of Fresno in April of 2019 after multiple allegations of abuse arouse involving Harrison over several decades at different parishes in the Central Valley. Since his suspension he has filed a lawsuit against the Diocese as well as against Dixon and other critics. Harrison can no long perform priestly duties for the church and has been waiting for the church to rule on his fate. The statute of limitations has expired on any possible criminal offenses but Harrison could face civil action by any of the men who have come forward to accuse him of sexual abuse. (file photo of Harrison and Dixon)

 * ... SPOTTED ON FACEBOOK: "I’ve blocked several family members on social media this year. Now how can I block them for the holidays?" 

* ... FACEBOOK EXODUS: Are you part of the migration of conservative voters away from Facebook and Fox News? A large number of viewers, most of them Trump loyalists, are angry at Fox News for allegedly showing bias toward liberals and they are also fed up with Facebook and Twitter because of its censorship policies. Those leaving Facebook are opting for more conservative social media platform options like Parler, MeWe, Rumble or Newsmax.

 * ... MEMORIES: Thanks to the Kern County History Fans for sharing this great old picture from Delano, back in the day.

A stressed out nation prepares to vote, a Bakersfield man who has accused Monsignor Craig Harrison of sexual impropriety takes to the airways to discuss deviant priests, Rep. Kevin McCarthy and the GOP hierarchy celebrate Halloween and did you catch the Blue Moon this weekend?

 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 represent any other company or publication.

 * ... ELECTION EVE: This probably won't come as a surprise but did you know that almost seven out

of 10 Americans have experienced crushing stress over this election? That's the word from the New York Times that reported Sunday that never before has the general electorate been so stressful as in this election year. Families and friendships have been torn apart, the cancel culture is in full swing and perhaps never have people on both sides considered themselves so right, and the other side so wrong. If you are a stressed out voter, rest assured you are not alone.

 * ... THE ANGRY CATHOLIC: Ryan Gilligan, a former Benedictine monk who is among a group of men accusing Monsignor Craig Harrison of sexual improprieties, was featured on a podcast devoted to cleansing the church of deviant priests. A graduate of Bakersfield High School and a former confidant of Harrison's, Gilligan now stands as one of the few accusers who has gone public against Harrison, who was suspended by the Diocese of Fresno in April of 2019 after multiple men came forward to accuse him of lewd sexual behavior. Gilligan was the featured guest on The Angry Catholic podcast and spoke to the intimidation of men who come forward to accuse priests and the long history of the Catholic Church in covering up abuse cases. Harrison has since filed a slander suit against Gilligan, and he has slapped a lawsuit on the church itself. Kyle Humphrey, one of Harrison's attorneys, has likened accusers to "pigs" lining up at the trough for payoffs, a point which Gilligan cites as another example of the type of intimidation and slander that has become the focus of the defense of Harrison. At this point, going on two years since his suspension, it appears unlikely Harrison will ever return to St. Francis and his future in his hometown of Bakersfield seems uncertain. (The good news for Harrison: the statute of limitations has expired in most of the cases so Harrison will likely avoid any criminal prosecution, although we may see some civil lawsuits against him) For this part, Gilligan has since left the monastery but remains committed to exposing wayward priests, including his old mentor Harrison. Gilligan is featured twice during the 50-minute podcast, at the beginning and the end.   (file photo of Gilligan and Harrison in happier times at St. Francis Church, Bakersfield)

 * ... LIST OF ACCUSED PRIESTS: Meanwhile pressure is mounting for the Diocese of Fresno to publicly name the priests who have been accused of sexual misconduct. The Fresno Diocese is only one of two in the state that have yet to release the names of the accused priests, saying it remains a "work in progress." But lawyers for accusers are demanding to see the list. Attorney Jeff Anderson, whose firm specializes in clergy abuse cases, said it is long past time when "the identities, histories and current whereabouts of all clergy accused of child sexual abuse who worked in the Diocese of Fresno to be known." The Diocese of Fresno serves some 1.2 million Catholics in 87 parishes in eight counties: Fresno,Tulare, Kings, Kern, Inyo, Madera, Merced and Mariposa.

* ... HALLOWEEN: Rep. Kevin McCarthy and some of the local Republican hierarchy were out to provide a safe Halloween for hundreds of local children this weekend. McCarthy and his staff provided a drive-through Halloween and campaign rally Saturday afternoon at his local office off Empire Drive, drawing hundreds of cars, many festooned with Trump flags and even a masked Trump impersonator. Helping the congressman work the crowd were Mayor Karen Goh, Assemblyman Vince Fong, Kern High School District trustee Jeff Flores and David Valadao, who is running to return to Congress after being ousted by Democrat T.J. Cox. KERN radio producer J.R. Flores (pictured) was among those who brought their children to the event.

 * ... BLUE MOON: Did you catch the full moon on Halloween night? It was spectacular, and it turned out it was the first Halloween full moon since 1944. The Oct. 31 full moon is also referred to as a "blue moon," which means a second full moon in as single calendar month (also called a Hunter's Moon). The full moon was visible across the United States.

 * ... TRASH CLEANUP: Hats off to all the volunteers to fanned out across our community this weekend to help pick up trash. Peter Wollesen, a cyclist, posted this comment along with the pictures below: "While volunteers from the Kern River Parkway Foundation were cleaning up trash around the Adobe House at Hart Memorial Park, I joined up with cyclist volunteers from Team Action Dad and Kern Wheelmen Bakersfield to pick up trash in the foothills above Hart Park. With help from county staff and dozens of volunteers, we made a huge impact! Big thanks to Adrian Monge for organizing this!"

 * ... MEMORIES: Check out this 1910 circa photo of old Bakersfield with the Beale clock tower in the distance. Thanks to the Facebook page Kern County History Fans for this one.

Defendants in a Father Craig suit file an appeal, Bakersfield makes a list of "fat" cities and a Golden Eagle Hawk makes a spectacular flight back into the wild

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 represent any other company or publication.

 * ... FATHER CRAIG: There's been a development in legal battle between Monsignor Craig Harrison and a critic and an organization he sued after Harrison was removed from his post because of allegations he may have molested young men and boys over the course of his career. Lawyers for the Roman

Catholic Faithful and Stephen Brady filed an appeal this week asking the Fifth District Court of Appeal to reverse a lower court decision that denied an anti-SLAPP motion because Harrison was not a public figure. Attorney Paul Jonna argued that Harrison's high standing in the community and frequent appearances in the media rendered him a public figure by any standard in Kern County, and that Brady had never defamed Harrison in any of his statements. The 71-page appeal graphically details allegations from six or more men who claimed Harrison subjected them to both emotional and sexual abuse while Harrison served as a priest in Merced, Firebaugh and Bakersfield. Only one of the accusers, a Benedictine monk who went by the name Brother Gilligan, was named in the report. Gilligan - his real name is Ryan Dixon - has also been sued by Harrison. Jonna is asking the court to reconsider throwing out Harrison's lawsuit because he is a public figure and has engaged in a "pattern of rank intimidation against those who speak against him. He's sued a victim, an investigator, and his own diocese - and enlisted his brother to engage in a campaign of harassment." (file photo of Stephen Brady and Harrison)

* ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "Everything that makes me happy either gives me cancer or makes me fat."

 * ... WORST CITY: Did you catch the story going around the internet showing the "worst city" in every state? Well you guessed it, Bakersfield is listed as the "worst" city in California. A puzzling list for sure and few would argue there are plenty of "worst" cities even in Kern County much less the state.

 * ... AND WE ARE FAT, TOO: Maybe one of the reasons we rank so low on the list of desirable cities is because we are collectively grossly overweight. That's the word from The American College of Sports Medicine and the Anthem Foundation that says Bakersfield came in a dismal 99th out of 100 cities in terms of exercise and eating well. In case you care, Arlington, Va. ranked best among the cities examined and dead last, right behind us, was Oklahoma City, Okla.

* ... GOLDEN EAGLE: There was a magnificent small ceremony out at Wind Wolves Preserve this week when a Golden Eagle hawk was released back into the wild after recovering from an injury. The bird was released in a part of the 93.000-acre preserve that is off limits to visitors, but these pictures are stunning.

 * ... MEMORIES: This week we feature a couple of old hotels from back in the day. This one is of the old F.M. Noriega Hotel, built in 1893 located at 525 Sumner Street. The original name was the Ibaria Hotel.

 * ... MORE MEMORIES: And then there is this old photo of the El Tejon Hotel, compliments of the Kern County History Fans' Facesbook page.

The resistance to the shut order grows louder in Kern County, Noriega's closes its doors for good, business owners say the homeless are running amok downtown and we mark one year since a local priest was suspended because of sexual abuse allegations

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 represent any other person or organization.

 * ... RESISTANCE: More than a month into the lockdown, the calls are growing louder to allow businesses to reopen before the pandemic puts everyone out of a job. The latest move came in a four-

page letter to the Kern County Supervisors, demanding they reopen the county or face possible legal action for violating the 1st, 2nd, and 5th amendment as well as the "fundamental right" of freedom of movement. The local movement reflects the national frustration with the stay at home order that has put 26 million Americans out of work and threatened the viability of businesses across the nation. The letter to the Supervisors was signed by 20 local business people and attorneys, among them Cassie Bittle of KC Steakhouse, Clayton Campbell, Mark Carroll ,Isaac L. St. Lawrence, Mark J. Bigger and others.

 * ... NORIEGA HOTEL: The Noriega Hotel, the grand dame of the Basque eateries that once won a James Beard Award, has closed for good. The startling announcement was made this weekend by the owners who said a combination of factors - a tough business climate even before the pandemic, the hassle of running a business in old town Kern and now the coronavirus - had convinced the owners that now was the time to shutter the place for good. Of all the Basque eateries, and there are some great ones - Pyrenees Cafe and Woolgrowers to name two - the Noriega Hotel was my favorite. Family style seating, the best garlic chicken found on the planet and a priceless atmosphere that we may never see again. Will someone with deep pockets swoop in to save the place? Stay tuned.

 * ... FATHER CRAIG: Can you believe it has been over a year since Monsignor Craig Harrison was suspended by the Diocese of Fresno because of allegations he sexually abused young men over the course of more than 30 years? Or is it more remarkable that the anniversary passed without so much of a whisper of recognition? What was yesterday's biggest story hardly deserves a mention today as the community has moved on. So where are we now? The Diocese seems in no rush to pass its final judgment on Harrison, who in the meantime remains in some kind of Dantesque inferno of suspended animation, a priest without portfolio who must be content to spend his days tapping out Instagram posts from his front porch. It's a far cry from when Harrison enjoyed the perks of  being one of the most beloved figures in town, but that increasingly seems only a distant memory. In fairness to everyone - Harrison, the St. Francis parishioners, the accusers, the families of the accusers and the community at large - the Diocese needs to make a call: defrock him, retire him or allow Harrison to return. It has gone on long enough.

 * ... JORDAN LOVE: Bakersfield has landed another player in the National Football League. Jordan Love, formerly of Liberty High School and later Utah State, was selected in the first round by the Green Bay Packers.

 * ... HOMELESS: There are many who believe the coronavirus lockdown has simply emboldened the homeless, pointing to yet another rash of break-in and vandalism downtown. Ask any downtown property owner and they will tell you harrowing stories of lurching from one break-in to another now that the enforcement of homeless encampments has pulled back because of the pandemic. Some random shots of those who live on the streets.

 * ... MEMORIES: Of all the pictures of the old clock tower, few top this one which I spotted on the Kern County History Fans Facebook page. I could gaze at this for hours.

 * ... SAN ANDRES FAULT: An amazing shot of a section of the San Andreas fault, from about 30,000 ft. over the Carrizo Plains.

A CSUB economic predicts the coronavirus will trigger a recession, Grimmway Farms celebrates 50 years in business and Bishop Joseph Brennan makes an appearance at St Francis no less

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 represent any other person or organization.

 * ... CORONAVIRUS: Will the coronavirus plunge the United States into a recession? CSUB

economics professor Dr. Richard Gearhart believes it will, and it's hard to argue against when you look at the economic hit we are taking as we respond to the virus. CSUB has suspended classes for the rest of the semester, Disneyland has closed, Broadway shows have shuttered, the NCAA has canceled the men's and women's college basketball tournament known as March Madness, the NBA and NHL seasons have been suspended, major league baseball delayed the start of spring training, the Bakersfield Tennis Open has been canceled and there will be no more audiences at hit TV show recordings like Jeopardy!, Wheel of Fortune and The Ellen Show. Can the closing of public elementary and high schools be far behind? What about all the charity events and walks that start in the spring? What about high school and college graduations? How will this affect the homeless and their encampments? All signs point to a tough few months ahead of us, so stay calm, and stay tuned.

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "The wage gap isn't real. Men just tend to go for higher paying jobs, like doctor, engineer and CEO. Whereas women go for lower paying jobs like female doctor, female engineer and female CEO."

 * ... GRIMMWAY FARMS: Grimmway Farms is celebrating its 50th anniversary, one of the truly inspiring local stories of two brothers (Rob and Bob Grimm) who started hawking corn on street corners in Anaheim and went on to build what is now the nation's largest carrot producer. The Grimms have both died but CEO Jeff Huckaby is now at the helm and says Grimmway is weathering the coronavirus scare quite nicely. Orders for Grimmway's line of organic produce sold under the Cal-Organic brand are up, and fully 50 percent of all of Grimmway's business now comes from organic produce. The company employs some 7,000 people in seven states and ships product to 20 countries.

 * ... BISHOP BRENNAN:  The Kern County Catholic Prayer breakfast was held this week, featuring an address by Bishop Joseph Brennan from the Diocese of Fresno. The irony in the room was rich: here was the bishop who will make the final decision on the fate of Monsignor Craig Harrison, who has been accused by multiple men of sexually molesting them dating back to the late 1980s. Some Father Craig supporters boycotted the event although there was a robust turnout nonetheless. And this is the same bishop whose diocese is being sued by Father Craig for defamation. Finally, the event was held in the Monsignor Craig Harrison Youth Center at St. Francis. If Harrison is kicked out of the church, that signage will undoubtedly come down. 

 * ... SPOTTED ON FACEBOOK: A sign of the times.

* ... MEMORIES: Workers attend to the wreckage of the Porche Spider that James Dean was driving when he lost control and went off the road on Highway 46, dying at the scene.