Congressman David Valadao strikes an independent pose, some ideas for Hart Park and did we find that owner of the 1962 Cadillac that turned up in a Florida car museum?

 * ... DAVID VALADAO: There are few politicians who have been better at walking the tight road of being a Republican and supporting immigration reform than Rep. David Valadao of Hanford. The son of Portuguese immigrants, Valadao succeeds in a largely Hispanic congressional district by paying

attention to the needs of his constituents. I spoke with the congressman on my daily radio show on KERN NewTalk 96.1 and it was clear he was willing to butt heads with the Trump administration no matter the cost. He was an early supporter of comprehensive immigration reform, and this week he introduced legislation to protect the 'Dreamers' in case these young people who are here illegally but were brought to the United States as infants risk deportation. Valadao said there may be as many as 50,000 'Dreamers' in the counties he serves, as astonishing number by any standard. I was also curious to learn that Valadao, a strong supporter of Israel, supports the move of the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "If Jesus does return, I'm pretty sure he'll be stopped at the airport."

 * ... THEATER DINING: Count me among those who are skeptical about this idea of introducing restaurant dining into movie theaters. It's bad enough dealing with people who talk and incessantly check their cell phones, and now I have to hear the crunch of the taco and the sound of silverware on plates? No thank you, I'll pass.

 * ... TRICE HARVEY: And also count me among those who are mourning the loss of former county supervisor and Assemblyman Trice Harvey, a unique spirit who possessed a special gift of making others laugh. While working at The Californian, I would often stop by the office on a Sunday and would occasionally receive a call from Trice telling me his paper was not delivered. I'd grab a copy and drive it over to the Harvey home, where Trice would greet me with a big smile and this greeting in his deep Arkansas drawl: "Well lookie here, the CEO as my personal delivery boy! Now that is service!"

 * ... HART PARK: There is a lot of talk about what to do about Hart Park, that gem of a greenbelt out off Alfred Harrell Highway. The county is broke, and is now considering charging a daily fee to park there, but a better idea was raised recently on my talk radio show when Supervisor Mike Maggard was my guest. (For the record Maggard opposes the daily fee). A caller suggested hiring a vendor to bring back paddle boats, food trucks and other activities to raise money for the county and provide entertainment for the park goers. Yet another suggested having a private company build a restaurant on the river. "Can you imagine a nice steak house right there on the river?" she said.

 * ... BATTLE OF HUE: Hard to believe it was 49 years ago when U.S. Army and Marine units were engaged in the Battle of Hue, one of the bloodiest and longest battles of the Vietnam War. On Monday, Army veteran Fred Drew will join me on The Richard Beene Show to talk about his role at Hue and how the Vietnam experience shaped his life. I will also explore human trafficking and the moves afoot to raise awareness of this appalling crime. Join me from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on KERN NewsTalk 96.1 FM.

 * ... CADILLAC: Jeanne Schamblin read my post about the search for the original owner of a 1962 Cadillac that showed up in a Florida car museum. She recognized the address on the original bill of sale (the buyer was a C.R. Smith) and had this say: "I would bet it is and that person was Carmen Smith who lived in the large home behind what, at that time, was Mason Jassaud but is now the Casino. Carmen was a cousin to the Schamblin family, owners of Pioneer Mercantile for many years. I imagine I met her once or twice but understand that she was a very independent lady who lived in this large home with three bedrooms, each with their own full bathroom. The home also had a basement. When we purchased it, there was no lawn but plastic on the ground with small pebbles painted green. The home was transformed into a lovely residential care home where many well-known residents of Bakersfield lived. Today it is owned by a couple who continue to serve the community with this house as it has remained a  residential care home for the elderly."    

More Americans than ever now have college degrees and retired Lt. Col. Joe Drew is inducted in the ARMY OCS Hall of Fame, along with his son

 * ... COLLEGE: There has been a surge in the percentage of Americans who how hold a college degree. That's the word from the National Center for Education Statistics, which reported that 33.5 percent of Americans aged 25-29 how hold at least a bachelor's degree. That compared with 24.7 percent in 1995. Locally, according to Scarborough Research, just 14.8 percent of Kern County adults hold a college degree.

 * ... DREW: Hats off to Joe Drew, a Tejon Ranch executive who recently was inducted into the Army's Officer Candidate School Hall of Fame at Fort Benning, Ga. Drew served in Vietnam and retired as a lieutenant colonel. And to keep it all in the family, his son Col. Thomas R. Drew also was inducted into the OCS Hall of Fame at the same time. The Army OCS Hall of Fame honors infantry officer graduates who have distinguished themselves in military and civilian pursuits. This is believed to be the first time a father and son have been inducted together. And to make it truly a family affair, Fred Drew (Joe's brother and himself also a Vietnam veteran) was inducted in the Army OCS Hall of Fame in 2007. As for Joe:  his military awards include the Legion of Merit, two distinguished Flying Crosses (V Device), Three Bronze stars (V Device), Twenty Two Air medals (V Device) two Purple Hearts, and the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry.

 * ... BAD FORM: A driver spotted two bicyclists (one on Brimhall and the other on Old River) riding against the traffic in clear violation of traffic laws. Both were almost hit by cars taking right hand turns. Remember: if you are on the bike, ride with the flow of traffic.

 * ... FESTIVAL: The first Kern County Nut Festival is in the books, and organizers should be happy about how it all went. Some 9,000 people showed up at the Kern County Museum to celebrate the almonds, pistachios and other nuts that are so important to our local economy. These events are always good venues to meet and greet, and the Nut Festival did not disappoint. Hats off to some of the organizers and volunteers I spotted there, including Sheryl Barbich, Beth Pandol, Tracy and Brian Kiser, Nancy Chaffin, Coleen McGauley, Brian Burrow, Cynthia and Gary Icardo, Jim and Patrice Black, Pat Collins, Linda Hartman, Kimberly Ward Graham, Mimi Audelo, Chris Frank and so many more. 

* ... REUNION: If you are a graduate of West High, heads up: there is a reunion of the West High classes of 1967, 1968 and 1969 set for August 31 at Stockdale Country Club. It will run from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. Contact Jane Cormier (661) 332-5581.

 * ... GRANT: Hats off to the employees of the Von's on Coffee Road, who awarded a grant of $2,500 to the Assistance League of Bakersfield. The money will go to help fund Operation School Bell, which provides new school clothing to elementary age children locally.

 * ... NON PROFIT: The Society for Disabled Children is preparing for its annual camp in which 42 kids will spend 10 days fishing, swimming, riding horses and staying in cabins. Patricia Henson, the group's executive director, is looking for sponsors to help offset the costs. If you are interesting in helping, contact the society at (661) 322-5595.

Milk tops all commodities in total value in Kern County for 2011 and a reunion brings Vietnam vets together

* ... GOT MILK? Did you know that the highest grossing commodity in Kern County last year was milk? That's right, according to the Kern County Department of Agriculture milk shot to the top of the list after ranking fourth in 2010. Following milk were almonds, grapes, citrus, carrots and pistachios. The department said Kern County reached a milestone in 2011 by topping the $5 billion gross production value for the first time ever. The top five commodities - milk, almonds, grapes, citrus and carrots - make up 70 percent of the total value of all commodities.

 * ... LIFE SAVER: Reader Teresa Hutson wrote to recognize Terry Pederson, a Bakersfield High School teacher who may have just saved a life on a field trip to Los Angeles. "As they were unloading the bus, Terry noticed a frantic woman with her child. The woman was panicked because she couldn't figure out what was wrong with her child. Terry recognized that the child was choking, and took the child from the mother. She gave the child a firm pat on the back and lo and behold a piece of candy about the size of a quarter shot out of her mouth...  If Terry hadn't been there at that moment, and because the mother was panicked and couldn't react sensibly it could have turned out to be a terrible tragedy.  Kudos to Terry and her quick response."

* ... OVERHEARD: Vince Rojas, retired head of Kern Schools Federal Credit Union, is relating a story about spotting a woman in the old Mervyn's parking driving with a plastic bag full of trash stuck in the driver's door. "I motioned to alert her to the bag, so she opens the door and lets the trash fall to the ground and drives off. I couldn't believe it."

* ... REUNION: Fred Drew and wife Linda traveled to Fort Benning, Ga., recently for an emotional reunion with men he served with in the Tay Ninh area of Vietnam. He was just a 22-year-old  captain when he went to Vietnam in 1969, and the reunion brought him face to face with 18 of the 165 men in the company he commanded. "Among those attending was my executive officer, one of my platoon leaders, my driver, and two of my platoon sergeants. We had several planned activities, one of which was to recognize Danny Peterson, who was killed in action in a heavy action on Jan. 9, 1970, and who was later awarded the Medal of Honor. There was a lot of emotion and joy and a few beers. These were the guys who helped make my command a success.  I owe them a lot.  America owes them a lot, as we do our current soldiers in harm's way." (Vietnam war file photo)

 * ... TOILET LOVE: Who knew that giving away new toilets would be such a big hit? It was all in the name of water conservation, and last week the West Kern Water District in Taft, Cooper's True Value Hardware Store and the Water Association of Kern County partnered to host "Junk Your John Day" in Taft. Customers of West Kern brought in old, inefficient toilets and swapped them for new, water efficient toilets. The event was a huge success and 121 toilets were traded out.

 * ... GARCES: The folks over at Garces Memorial High School have reached out to a neighbor who complained about the fireworks every year at the school's homecoming game. New to the neighborhood last year, the woman was not aware of the fireworks which spooked her new cat, who was killed by two dogs who had escaped their own yard. Homecoming for Garces is Friday night, and Lou Ann Durrett at Garces told me that the school would distribute fliers letting everyone know about the fireworks.  "We feel awful about your reader’s rescued cat. Hopefully we can avoid having that happen again," she said.

Short takes around town: Another financial institution on the ropes and Fred Drew is out at the Kern Community Foundation

  

* ... AND THE DOMINOES BEGIN TO FALL: The news that Kern Schools Federal Credit Union is on the ropes is further evidence of the depth of this recession. The credit union has lost over $54 million since the beginning of last year, a figure that makes the losses at the now shuttered San Joaquin Bank look absolutely paltry. And now we learn the credit union, like the bank, has been put on notice that it must dramatically increase its liquidity or face the consequences. Unlike commercial banks like San Joaquin, which got into trouble on soured development loans, the credit union issues are more consumer based - bad auto loans, delinquent personal loans and the like - and reflect the depths of the recession in Kern County, where our jobless rate is hovering around 14 percent. Another just stunning aspect of all this is the fact that at least one Kern Schools board member, Jim Fillbrandt, told The Californian he was unaware of the demands and written agreement with the National Credit Union Administration until Monday when outgoing CEO Vince Rojas mentioned  it. How and why the board would be left in the dark (if indeed it was) are questions that need to be answered. Looks like Rojas got out just at the right time, handing over the reins to Steve Renock, who previously worked at a credit union in Orange County. Here's hoping Renock is well versed in crisis management, because that's the job he's inherited.

 * .... DREW OUT AT FOUNDATION: I learned today that Fred Drew is out as CEO of the Kern Community Foundation. Drew has only been on the job since January. The press release from the Foundation was short and to the point and offered no explanation. But obviously things didn't work out between Drew and the Foundation Board of Directors. Judi McCarthy, the Foundation board chair, issued a press release saying only that Drew and the Board of Directors reached "mutual agreement" that he would leave effective October 31. In the meantime, retired CEO Noel Daniells "has been engaged by the Board to offer continued guidance and assistance" and McCarthy will serve as acting executive until a new CEO is in place. An appreciation dinner was just held for Noel last month at Stockdale Country Club. Looks like he'll stick around longer to help in the transition.

 * ... INDUSTRIAL REAL ESTATE REBOUND?: We all know about the funk that residential real estate is in, but what about the commercial and industrial side? I follow the blog of Wayne Kress, a principal over at CB Richard Ellis Bakersfield,  and learned that things are indeed slow but may be showing signs of a rebound. (check out his posting here). Kress said we have recovered a bit from the "lowly performance" of the first and second quarters. Some of the numbers and percentages here are staggering. From his blog:

 "Sales volume is down 30% over 2008 and a whopping 91% over 2007.  Average prices have actually increased over each of the last two years (+11% in 2008 and +7% in 2009), but this is a little deceiving, as the average building size has also declined in each of those years (by 43% in 2008 and by another 53% in 2009).  There is generally an inverse relationship between unit pricing and size:  the smaller the building, the higher the unit price.  This holds here."

* ... HOT SHOT WINS THE WORLD: Kudos to Bakersfield's Brian Foley, the college freshman who just won the World Championships in skeet shooting. Brian did it by not missing a single target in the 410 bore competition at the World Skeet Shooting Championships in San Antonio, Texas, and then beating perhaps the world's best shooter,  Todd Bender of Atlanta, in a shootoff. Brian graduated from Ridgeview High and is a freshman at Lindenwood University, a private college of about 13,000 students in St. Charles, Mo. He's the son of Tim and Kim Foley of Bakersfield.

Today's Bako bits: Business booms at H. Walker's, a sick website and charity for a good cause

Some short shots around our fair community, trying to look for a bit of good news in a bad economy:

* THE MAGIC OF H. WALKER'S: Stopped by H. Walker's Men's Clothing Co. today and had a nice chat with owner Tracy Walker. Here's something you don't hear often these days: business is booming. Tracy said the company had its best April in five years, an incredible feat considering every other retailer I know is hurting. As mentioned before (see previous post here) Tracy is a master marketer and her shop is always brimming with good cheer, not to mention the occasional glass of cabernet. Tracy's birthday is tomorrow (April 24) and she'll spend a special weekend with hubby Brian in Santa Monica.

* WOMEN'S AND GIRLS' FUND: This unique philanthropy, part of the larger Kern Community Foundation, is gearing up to honor its grant recipients next Wednesday at a luncheon at Seven Oaks Country Club. Call 661-325-5346 if you are looking for tickets. Fred Drew is the new Foundation CEO and he is putting his stamp on the place. I hear that Amy Powell-Smith has left the Foundation and they are looking for a new communications person.
* HONORING LITERACY EFFORTS: The Californian and specifically publisher Ginger Moorhouse will be honored tonight by the Kern Adult Literacy Council for helping to fight illiteracy. The afternoon event will be held at the Bakersfield Museum of Art. Unfortunately Ginger will not be there; she's been caring for husband John who remains hospitalized at UCLA Medical Center fighting an infection from his recent kidney transplant. Ginger hopes to have John home in a few weeks.
* SKEET SHOOT FUNDRAISER: There will be a benefit skeet shoot on Saturday, May 9, to help fund the Scholastic Clays Target Program that teaches youngsters gun safety and prepares them to compete in the shotgun sports. This benefit will be held out at the Kern County Gun Club and will cost $40 per person. You shoot 100 targets in any gauge. Contact the gun club to sign up.

* I HATE BAKO: You had to figure this would happen, but there is now a Twitter feed devoted to finding stories that put Bakersfield in a negative light. (its logo is above) You can find it at twitter.com/IHateBako. It does have a link to an absolutely hilarious video on Bakersfield called "The armpit of the state" (click the link here to view) but you have to be able to poke a little fun at yourself. Here's another sample of what you will find there:

"Adult illiteracy rate in Kern County is 25%. I take that to mean that 25% of people in Kern County won't be reading this."

Some people have too much time on their hands.