David Couch to appear on Californian Radio (KERN Radio) on Monday, and Mexico retains its allure

 * ... FOURTH DISTRICT: Longtime city councilman David Couch has joined the race for the 4th District seat on the Kern County Board of Supervisors. Couch is one of the more thoughtful members of the council, and along with retiring member Sue Benham and Supervisor Mike Maggard, he wis part of the more progressive and pragmatic group on the council. He joins businessman and attorney Harley Pinson and David Rouw in the race. Couch will be joining me at 9 a.m. Monday when Californian Radio moves to KERN 1180.

* ... VIVA MEXICO: Just returned from a splendid week on the beach in Mexico. The country is clearly in the grips of a horrific drug war, but its vacation spots remain safe and its legendary customer service is alive and well. Each time I visit our neighbor to the south, I am reminded how much I love the country. 

* ... SPOTTED: Young man with teenage girl in tow approaches customers at the downtown car wash. "Excuse me sir but me and my girlfriend and I are at the Tower Hotel with our baby and I need exactly ten dollars or they will kick us out." Minutes later, the couple is spotted near 24th Street counting a huge wad of greenbacks.

 * ... BOAT SHOW: Wooden boat enthusiast and expert Arnie Johansen and his wife Jan just got back from the international board meeting and boat show in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin where he was elected to the board of directors. The boat show featured over 120 wooden boats and the convention attendees were treated to tours of five magnificent turn of the century mansions. One of the oldest and largest was the Griffith Estate which was built in1879 and covered 100 acres. Originally built by R.T. Crane founder of the Crane Plumbing Co. When Johansen is not dabbling in classic wooden boats, he is president and CEO of Holloway Gypsum Mining Co.

 * ... MEMORY LANE: Bob Hall wrote to share his memories of the old Bakersfield. "Places and things to remember: parking in the center of Truxtun Avenue at Chester, the secret Lockheed plant, the Budge Drive Inn, the Golden Crust bakery, Baxter's Wheel Inn Drive-In, Freddie's steak house on the traffic circle... the Mosrite guitar factory, the Powell truck assembly plant on Union Avenue, Wimpy's Liquor Store, Owen's Toy Store."

 * ... GOOD SERVICE: Debbie Banducci nominated Clerou Tire Company for outstanding service. 

"They are prompt, efficient, friendly, and most importantly, they stand by their word. It is good to know that I will be well taken care of when I do business with them!"

 * ... BAKERSFIELDISM: You know you're from Bakersfield when you realize summer really isn't over until the Kern County Fair shuts down for the year.

Harley Pinson throws his hat into the ring for the Fourth District supervisor race and another successful Bakersfield Triathlon

 * ...HARLEY'S RUN: Longtime community leader and petroleum attorney Harley Pinson has entered the race for the Fourth District seat on the Kern County Board of Supervisors. I've known Harley for years and we are fortunate to attract quality people like him who are willing to serve. He's a graduate of UC Santa Barbara and the McGeorge School of law and a longtime volunteer in many community causes. Harley told me he already has picked up the support of some impressive local folks, including Ray Dezember, former Aera CEO Gene Voiland, former Mayor Mary Kay Shell, insurance consultant John Pryor, Bryan Batey and Taft Mayor Randy Miller. His wife, Cindy, is also a graduate of UC Santa Barbara. They've lived here for more than 30 years and have two grown children. The post opened after the retirement of Supervisor Ray Watson.

 * ... CAL RADIO: I'll be chatting with supervisor candidate Harley Pinson Monday on Californian Radio SmartTalk 1230 at 10 a.m. He'll be laying out his goals and expectations as he joins the race to succeed Supervisor Ray Watson. Later in the hour, I'll talk to local writer Lisa Kimble Edmonston about bad manners and what we can all do about it.

 * ... TRIATHLON: Hats off to Kerry Ryan and the folks over at Action Sports for putting on another successful Bakersfield Triathlon. I headed out to Lake Ming Sunday morning to watch the runners and cyclists come in, and was pleased to see a huge turnout of families and spectators. And of course, it's always nice to see large crowds of peole who take their health and wellness seriously. Ryan said he had about 200 entrants.

 * ... REPORT CARD: Bakersfield received the grade of a D minus in report listing the most, and least, educated cities in America. We ranked 81st on the list, which was assembled by Men's Health magazine. The magazine used graduation rates, school enrollment and education levels for adults over the age of 25 in compiling the list. The most educated city in the country? Madison, Wisconson, followed by Plano, Texas, and Raleigh, N.C. Houston was right behind Bakersfield at No. 82.

 * ... REUNION: Marlene Morales, marketing chief over at the Chain Cohn Stiles law firm, reminded me of the recent reunion of the 1981 Bakersfield College football team that beat Taft College in the Shrine Potato Bowl before 19,000 fans in Memorial Stadium. Teammates flew in from Hawaii, Texas, and Utah,  while most still live here. "These football players have become productive and successful business men that demonstrate great character and integrity. Too name of few alumni that were in attendance that evening... Mike Cody, Kevin Legg, Phil Anderson, Jim Starkey, Willy Reyneveld, Rick Van Horne, Dave Thorpe, Jim Maples, Mike Jelletich, Vyn Goodmon, Wayde Kirschenman, Mike Ramey, Jerry Montgomery, Wyatt Ross, Paul Putnam, Andre Smith, Paul Damron, Dean Manning, Gene Coughlin, Randy Ariey, Mike Ming, Clint Hunt, Curtis Allen, Brian Silvius, Richard Jones, Mike Renzi, Danny Wilson, Phil Turner, Todd Jackson, Mark Bebout, Rob Hallum, Eric Roth, Coach Gerry Collis, Coach Paul Damron, Coach Harvel Pollard, Forgive me if I forgot anyone (It's been 30 years)...Marlene Morales, 1981 Cheerleader. Go-Gades-Go!"

 * ... BAKO TO BALBOA: This note from Pat Toon Harrison popped up in my mailbox: "What a pleasant surprise when I received your article, written by Linda Smith, about my father's music store. I am the 80 year old daughter of Jack Toon. He was in the music business fron 1934 until he sold sometime in the early 1950s.My good friends, Larry and Glenda Verdin, sent the article to me. Our family moved to Balboa (Newport Beach) in 1952, but I have stayed in touch with several Bakersfied High friends from the 1948 class. Bakersfied is truly a town of special people!

 * ... BAKERSFIELDISM: Harvey Brockmeyer, a retired Bakersfield High agriculture teacher, says you may really be an old timer if you remember the school farm out on old Stine road. The area is now a gated community but Brockmeyer says residents still use the bridge on Stine Road as its entrance. "The slightly undulating farm land farther west was an ideal spot for BHS's agriculture class to use for its unit on survey and leveling. Still further to the west is now West High School; f ew know that this fine school rose out of the ashes of Bakersfield High's old school farm's  trash heap!"