CSUB's incoming recruiting class called the "most intriguing" in the WAC, Milo Yiannopoulos appears headed to CSUB and Stockdale Country Club unveils a new tennis facility

 * ... ROD BARNES: College basketball season is just around the corner and already a new group of recruits at Cal State Bakersfield is putting the spotlight on the Rod Barnes-led Roadrunners.

SB Nation recently called the 'Runners incoming class "the most intriguing" in the Western Athletic Conference, led by freshman guard Jarkel Joiner. Interestingly, although Joiner averaged nearly 40 points per game, the Oxford, Miss., native never got a scholarship offer from Ole Miss. Enter Coach Barnes, who not only played at Ole Miss but coached the Rebels and won 2001 Southeastern Conference 'Coach of the year' honors.  “That’s really tough, sometimes frustrating, because I’m right here in their back yard,” Joiner said about being overlooked by Ole Miss. “I feel like I’ve proven myself time after time. It just makes me work harder and adds fuel to my fire." Said SB Nation: "That lack of interest from a program Barnes played and coached for paid off for CSUB. The Oxford connection may have been a factor, as Jarkel mentioned that his father used to cut Barnes’ hair. Whatever the ultimate selling point, Barnes signed Joiner away from schools like Middle Tennessee and TCU. The WAC has some explosive point guards lately, and — if all goes right — Joiner seems built in that mold."

* ... MILO YIANNOPOULOS: Keep an eye on Cal State Bakersfield and the wrestling match between the CSUB College Republicans and the administration over the appearance of conservative commentator Milo Yiannopoulos on campus. Fearful that Yiannopoulos could trigger a disruptive backlash if he appears, the administration seems to be dragging his heels on approving his appearance. My advice to President Horace Mitchell and others: allow him to appear on campus and move on. Squashing free speech, even if you don't agree with it, sets a terrible example for a university.

 * ... STOCKDALE: I dropped by Stockdale Country Club for the unveiling of its new 7,500 tennis center, a marvel of a facility that includes a full fitness center, yoga and cycle spinning room and kid's room outfitted with the best of flooring, fixtures and lighting. Hats off to tennis pro Hank Pfister and the Stockdale membership for introducing a world class facility to town, which was built at the princely price of around $1.7 million.

 * ... GARCES BBQ: For all of you who count yourselves as part of the Garces family, make sure you calendar next Thursday, Sept. 28, for the annual Garces Holy Smoke barbecue. This long tradition started more than 50 years ago and this year it marks the 70th anniversary of Garces Memorial High School. To spice things up this year, organizers have included live music and the traditional New York steak has been replaced by a Harris Ranch "choice" filet in addition to a twice baked potato, salad, Pyrenees French bread and Jake's Tex Mex famous cake. Music will be provided by Lonely Avenue and proceeds from the event will fund student subsidies. Tickets are just $30 per ticket. The feed starts at 6 p.m.

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "If you keep following your dreams someone is going to file a restraining order against you."

 * ... COLUMNIST: Kudos to the management of The Bakersfield Californian who opened their pages to contributing columnist Justin Salters, who brings a fresh, sober and thoughtful perspective to local and state politics. In the wake of the firing of Danny Morrison, it's refreshing to read a columnist who relies on facts and accuracy to make a point.

San Francisco Chronicle takes a pulse of Kern County and our pro Trump voters, high school lacrosse comes to Bakersfield and calling attention to a local eyesore

 * ... CHRONICLE: If your perspective of politics and life comes from a Bay Area high rise, you can bet it will be different than how we feel here in the great Central Valley of California. For many in the more populous regions of San Francisco and Los Angeles, Kern County is a mere curiosity, a vast region serving the blue collar poor, the under served and those of us employed in such unpopular pursuits as fossil fuel extraction and water hogging agriculture. And you wonder why we are so often misunderstood? Which is why I was pleased to read a fairly balanced story on Kern County this weekend in the San Francisco Chronicle, which sent a reporter to our town to explore the support for Trump and our more conservative tendencies. For the most part the Chronicle eschewed broad stereotypes and focused on our quest for job growth, water security and the expansion of Medi-Cal under the Affordable Care Act. It is worth your read.

 * ... OBAMACARE: The number of folks who are now insured under Medi-Cal because of the

Affordable Care Act in California is staggering. These are some of the numbers from the Chronicle story: “51 percent Merced County residents have Medi-Cal, 45 percent in Madera County, 50 percent in Fresno County and 55 percent in Tulare County."

 * ... LACROSSE: It's nice to see the sport of lacrosse taking a hold in Kern County. Up at Garces Memorial High School, a club team has emerged featuring players from Garces, Frontier, Centennial and Stockdale high schools, many of whom had never played before. The lads recorded a 4-3 win on goals by Cameron Garcia, Logan McMurtrey, Corbin McMurtrey and the game's most valuable player, Jack "Wags" Waguespack.

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "If I ever go missing and there’s a big search party out looking for me, you can save time by not looking at any gyms."

 * ... SUMMER: Enjoy these springs days because summer is coming and in this town that means bracing for 106-degree days. My choice for a light meal on a scorching hot day? Try the new yogurt Parfait from QwikCafe on 18th Street, a perfect compliment to a season when the heat rules.

 * ... BAD FORM: If you regularly travel on Fairfax Road from Alfred Harrell Highway up to Panorama, you know it is often used as a dumping ground for old mattresses, discarded appliances and trash. It's an eyesore and in recent months it has gotten worse. Memo to my friend Sal Moretti at the city Solid Waste Division: can I strong-arm you into looking into this mess?

 * ... BARNES: Hats off to CSUB basketball coach Rod Barnes who chalked up another honor after leading the Roadrunners to the National Invitational Tournament semi finals. Barnes was named the Hugh Durham Mid-Major Coach of the Year. Can we keep Barnes or will he be recruited by a larger program with a higher salary? Stay tuned.

Kevin Burton decides against running for mayor of Bakersfield, an expert predicts the price of oil will double this year and Monsignor Michael Braun begins his farewell tour

 * ... OIL: With the price of oil hovering around $30 a barrel, it's hard to find optimists in the oil patch. But at least one analyst is bucking that trend by predicting the price will double to around $60 a barrel by the end of this year. That's the word from The Wall Street Journal which reported that

energy executive Harold Hamm believes the current glut will ease as U.S. producers "ratchet down production until the market recovers." Hamm, chief executive of the U.S. shale producer Continental Resources,  also described OPEC as "almost a nonentity" that is losing its ability to dictate market prices.

 * ... KEVIN: Kevin Burton has decided against running for mayor this year, citing his responsibilities as president of the San Joaquin Community Hospital foundation. Burton, who will turn 45 next week, called being mayor "a lifelong dream" but told me he was simply not in a position to run for election this year. "I love this city and it's been my goal to be mayor," he said. "But I just can't do it now." It is still not certain if Harvey Hall will run for reelection, and Burton's decision creates an even wider opening for former homebuilder Kyle Carter to seek the office. Carter says he is running whether Hall runs or not.

* ... MONA: An interesting exhibit of neon signs will be on display in Glendale next month when the Museum of Neon Art holds its grand opening. And one of its prized pieces is none other than one of the original neon signs for the now defunct Green Frog market. The sign, if you remember it, has the phrase 'Howdy Folks' under a strutting green frog decked out in a tuxedo and black top hat. By the way, if you are into this kind of stuff, take a leisurely drive through old east Bakersfield some time and take in the treasure trove of neon signs that grace our streets, from Pyrenees Cafe to Luigi's to Woolgrowers to the Arizona Cafe. Or, better yet, head over to the Kern County Museum to check out its impressive display of old neon signs.

 * ... BRAUN: Good luck to Monsignor Michael Braun, one of the smartest - and wittiest - pastors in town who has spent three decades leaving his imprint on Catholic life here. Braun will retire at the end of this month, but not before a 'farewell tour' of sorts that included a tribute dinner at Bakersfield Country Club that drew some 300 people. When Braun steps down, he will be the longest-tenured pastor at Our Lady of Perpetual Help, also surpassing those at other local Catholic parishes.

 * ... SPOTTED ON FACEBOOK: "I'd like to read an obit about someone who did not die surrounded by family. Someone whose niece was on her way but didn't quite make it."

 * ... FUND RAISER: Mark your calendar for the annual reverse raffle and fund raiser for the Our Lady of Guadalupe School, a small non-profit school that serves students through the eighth grade. The dinner is set for Saturday, Feb. 13., at the Our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine at 4600 E. Brundage Lane. Tickets are going for $140 (steak dinner for two and one entry into the reverse raffle) and there will be an $8,000 grand prize. This year's honorees for the Monsignor Craig Harrison award: Rose Alderete, Marylou Burlingame and Woolgrower's Restaurant-Jenny Poncetta and Mayie Matia.

Memorial service set to celebrate the life of David and Karen Reis, gunned down in San Diego

* ... DEATHS: My heart goes out to the family of David and Karen Reis, the Garces High graduates who were shot and killed in a senseless incident in Coronado. The widely circulated picture of the siblings (David in his dress Navy whites and his sister next to him) seems to say it all: young, handsome and both facing such bright futures. Police will no doubt figure this out, but the loss of two promising young people is beyond heartbreaking. A celebration of life and a prayer service is scheduled today (Friday) at Garces, beginning at 10:30 a.m.

* ... SPCA: If you are a regular reader of this blog you know how fond I am of our local SPCA, which fights a daily battle to provide homes for abandoned dogs and cats. The organization will hold its 3rd Annual "Furry Paws and Foggy Nights" formal dinner with live music set for Friday, February 24, at the Petroleum Club, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Spokesman Chuck Nordstrom told me there will be a three course dinner, jazz music and a ton of silent auction items. Tickets are $85 and are available now by calling (661) 323-8353 ext. 2.  Additionally they are still accepting donations for the silent auction. To donate just call the SPCA and ask for Chuck. Formal dinners not for you? You might consider writing them a check for all the good they do.

 * ... SPOTTED: Pamela M. Wagner brought this nugget to my attention: "I was refueling my car one morning at a Chevron station when I saw the driver of a pickup empty her can of Coors light into her travel cup as she visited with her passenger.  Some people are innovative when they want to drink and drive. "

 * ... FIRST FRIDAY: It's time for another First Friday, those monthly celebrations that have really transformed our downtown arts district. These are chances to support the downtown merchants while seeing some wonderful art and hearing some dynamic music. Don Martin, owner of Metro Galleries on 19th Street, is the founder of First Friday and says they will run all year this year. So mark on your calendar and make a night of it in our emerging arts district.

* ... HISTORY: Here's a walk down memory lane with reader Jack Hood, who shares a bit of history on old Bakersfield. His parents purchased a new house on Parkway Drive in 1927. It was 1,350 square feet with three bedrooms, one bath and a two-car detached garage. The price: $6,000. At that time, all the land west of Oak Street was undeveloped. As a child, he and his friends would hop a fence and occasionally ride sheep. "There was no air conditioning or coolers.... To get ice for our ice box we would put a sign in the front window letting the ice man know if we wanted 25 or 50 pounds of ice." He also recalls the street cars that cost only a nickel to ride. "The street car had controls on each end and when it came to the end of the line it would not turn around, so the conductor would walk down the aisle and reverse the seats so that you would always be facing forward while riding." Thanks to Jack for sharing those memories.

 * ... SHORT TAKES: Scott Strickland is the owner of Sully's Chevron station over at Buena Vista and Ming avenue, where a customer complained about being charged more for gas than what was advertised. Strickland apologized, told me the digital signage is now fixed and smoothed things over with the irate customer. Also, I erred in an earlier post on the death of Rev. Glenn Puder, saying the great earthquake happened in 1953 when it should have been a year earlier. Mea cupla.

Karen Goh's rookie mistakes, celebrating the big tipper around town and unions denounce Scrivner as the 'devil'

* ... JUST EMAIL ME: By all accounts Karen Goh, who went from director of a religious-based non-profit to an appointment to the Kern County Board of Supervisors, appears to be a good choice. I know Goh from the downtown Rotary club and can tell you she is both smart and articulate. But to most of the residents of the Fifth District, she's a virtual stranger. Which is why it's so puzzling that she consistently declines to speak in depth to reporters, choosing instead to communicate via sound bites or email, as in "just email me your questions and I'll send you a statement."  What keeps Goh so busy that she can't share her views with her constituents? Posting pictures to her Facebook profile? Playing Guitar Hero? I doubt it. Going silent is a rookie mistake for a public official, particularly a freshman like Goh whose views are unknown. It only leads to idle speculation, which in this case has her taking orders from local political power broker Mark Abernathy. I have no doubt Goh is qualified for the job, but I couldn't tell you where she stands on a single substantive issue. (She did tell KGET TV that she supports jobs, but gosh, who doesn't?) Eventually Goh will need to prove she is not anybody's puppet and can stand on her own. (photo by Felix Adamo)

 * ... THE DEVIL? The other newcomer to the Board of Supervisors is Zack Scrivner, whose past and positions - unlike Goh's - have been picked apart and dissected like a lab rat. Scrivner led the much-needed pension reform while on the Bakersfield City Council, incurring the wrath of the powerful police and fire unions. And they haven't forgotten him. On the California Professional Firefighters website, 2nd District, Scrivner is likened to "the devil" for daring to rein in pension costs. "The supervisor race that we  lost will have a greater impact then the two city council seats we won," said firefighter Derek Robinson. "The devil now sits on the Board of Supervisors and pension reform is coming, like it or not." Scrivner told me the remark was "unfortunate" and "inflammatory" and added this: "I think it's interesting and perhaps telling that he characterizes the election of Rudy Salas and Russell Johnson to the Council as wins for the unions, but goes on to say that my election trumps those victories. I guess time will tell."

 
 * ... BIG TIP: Remember that generous patron who tipped his server a sweet $5,000 last week at Cafe Med? Well now I learn that after leaving Cafe Med, he went to the Padre Hotel where he tipped a bartender $2,000. That's right. Seven thousand dollars in tips. Merry Christmas.


 * ... THE BUZZ: Everyone is talking about the rain, which has made our bone dry community appear more like Seattle, albeit for a brief few days.  It's been non-stop for days and let's hope it fills the reservoirs and means we'll have water in the river again next summer. One thing is for certain: if you have a leaky roof, you know it by now. 


  * ... DUSTIN'S DINER: Folks over in Haggin Oaks are continuing the long tradition of Dustin's Diner, a hot cocoa and cookie stand that collects money for the homeless through the holidays. This all started years ago on St. Cloud Lane when Dustin Kilpatrick, son of Dave and Danielle Kilpatrick, started the stand with the help of neighborhood kids. It has since grown huge, regularly collecting more than $10,000 a year for the Bakersfield Homeless Center. So if you want to enjoy the Christmas lights and help the homeless, drop by the dinner now located at 2301 Haggin Oaks Boulevard. It runs through December 23.

 * ... BAKERSFIELDISM: From reader Robert E. Holland: You know you're an East Bakersfield old timer if "your mom sent you to the Green Frog Market for an item and reminded you to pick up the new copies of Women's Day and Family Circle at the check stand that were given out at no charge."

Bakersfield soldier is honored for bravery in Afghanistan and the SPCA needs our help

 * ... BRAVERY: Staff Sgt. Travis Brown, a Bakersfield native, was among 14 U.S. service members who received Germany's Gold Cross Medal for their bravery in rescuing wounded German soldiers from a fire fight in northeast Afghanistan. It was the first time the award had been given to troops from another nation. The German soldiers had been ambushed by more than 200 Taliban fighters during a patrol on April 2. U.S. Black Hawk helicopters extracted 11 German soldiers, three of whom later died of their wounds. Travis is the son of Dennis and Debbie Brown of Bakersfield.

* ... MISS SMILE: John Ritter, former assistant principal at Garces Memorial High School, dropped me a note to correct a recent post on former Garces teacher Miss Smile. "While I do not believe that this slight editorial change warrants publication, I do believe that this ''ism' might suggest a different meaning given that many Garces students informed me that was really said was that "you were sent to the F row" by Miss Smile. "After all these years I still remember Miss Smile's classroom seating arrangement." And don't forget the annual Garces Fall Barbeque set for October 7. I omitted to include the date on a previous post.

 * ... BAD FORM: One of my regular contributors, who asked to remain anonymous, sent me this missive about yet another example of bad behavior in our town. "Only in Bakersfield would you go to a community concert and see a guy in the third row adorned in a baseball cap with the camouflage motif. He had hair peeking out around the edges so I don't think he was a recent radiation therapy or chemo patient. And only in Bakersfield would you see dozens of people chomping on gum as they enjoyed the concert. And I am talking chomping. Good manners are a thing of the past".

* ... HABITAT: David Bynum, a lawyer at LeBeau-Thelen, dropped me a note to tell me about a fund raiser for Habitat for Humanity, Golden Empire. Turns out private organizations are sponsoring or building custom play houses that will be auctioned off for Habitat's benefit. Six houses are being built at the Kern County Fair and another is being built and displayed by Lennar Homes on Stockdale Highway across from CSUB. There will be a live auction on Sunday, October 10, at the offices of Modern Office Environments at 830 21st Street. The auction starts at 2 p.m.

 * ... SPCA: The SPCA has always held a special place in my heart and I try to support it whenever I can. Next week, in the parking lot of KGET TV downtown, the SPCA will be taking donations to continue its good work in our community. Said the SPCA's Chuck Nordstrom: "So people can see how we use their money we highlight some of our services right there in the parking lot, including a low cost microchip clinic, low cost male cat neuter and of course dogs and cats looking for new forever homes. These services would not be available if the community did not support our efforts. This will be next Wednesday, October 6, from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m.

 * ... BAKERSFIELDISM: From a "real" East Bakerfield old-timer, Charles Duran: You know you're an East Bakersfield old-timer if "you shopped at Tony and Gino's deli on Kentucky Street just off Haley Street."

Is it 'beneath' children to pitch in and clean up some trash? A principal bows to a complaining parent

 * ... LITTER: A reader who asked to remain anonymous had this to say about the litter problem that plagues our community. "Perhaps one of the reasons we have so little regard for the litter problem would be explained by an incident shared with me by a local primary school teacher friend. The practice was that each of the classes took turns, in rotation, picking up loose trash before they returned to their classroom after recess. One of the mothers went to the principal to complain that it was 'beneath' her child to do that and so the principal canceled that responsibility teaching exercise for all the classes. Since when it is 'beneath' a child to clean up after themselves and to assist others as well?" Wouldn't you love to know the name of the elementary school involved here as well as the name of the complaining parent?

 * ... CRIME WATCH: I am always encouraged to hear about folks working together to keep our community clean and safe. At the end of the day, it is up to us to make it happen. David Collins, a sale representative for Commercial Trade, Inc., lives in the Northeast and addressed the issue by founding the South Oswell Neighborhood Watch. "Over the past year we have reported over 70 graffiti hits to the city, removed over 90 pieces of graffiti and picked up over 140 bags of trash." Well done, David.

 * ... VALLEY CLOUT: Nice to read in the Wall Street Journal how important the San Joaquin Valley is in the important Senate and Governor's races. Reporter Jim Carlton noted that Senate candidate Carly Fiorina  had made 22 trips to the Valley since announcing her candidacy. Locally, it seems hardly a week goes by that either Fiorina or Republican gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman is not somewhere in Kern County. The Valley is seen has holding some of the crucial swing votes in a tight race for both offices.

 * ... HOLY BOWL: The annual Holy Bowl football game between Garces Memorial High and San Joaquin Memorial is this Saturday at Garces. As part of the game, Garces will honor the 25th anniversary of the 1985 undefeated Valley Championship football team at half time. Among those on the team were Gino Valpredo, co-owner of Luigi's Delicatessen; Mike Lewis, a Garces record holder for career yards passing; Kevin Bead, Garces record holder for interceptions in a game; Dr. Josh Tobias, grandson of Sam Tobias, whom the Garces football field is named; Kelly Bellue, who played rugby at UC Berkeley; and Bobby Bellue, another rugby player at Berkeley and now the UC Santa Cruz rugby coach. And by the way, the  annual Garces barbeque is coming up October 7. Get your tickets now.

 * ... WAYNE'S DAIRY: Reader Larry Woertz wrote to talk about Wayne's Dairy, "the No. 1 dairy in Bakersfield's home delivery days of long ago. "Having been a milk man back in the 1960s and 1970s I can say it was the best job I ever had. If you were going to have to work you might as well have fun and enjoy it. I also ended up marrying one of my customers and am still married to her." Woertz went on to say that Wayne's is having its 20th reunion at Hodel's on Saturday, Oct. 2, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. with lunch served at 1 p.m.

 * ... SPOTTED: Middle-aged woman in late-model, metallic gray 3 Series BMW, aggressively weaving through traffic on Calloway Drive, blows through a red light at Brimhall and flips off a white Honda that dared honk its horn at her.

 * ... BAKERSFIELDISM: You know you're a Bakersfield old-timer if "you saw Willie Mays play at Sam Lynn Park in a 'barnstormer' exhibition game and remember the name of the Bakersfield kid who stole the show. (Johnny Callison)"

The Tour of California prepares to sweep into Bakersfield and Big Mike Ariey returns to Garces High School

 * ... AMGEN TOUR: This is your final reminder to get out and watch the Amgen Tour of California bicycle race sweep through Bakersfield and up the Panorama Bluffs Thursday afternoon. This is a world class event featuring some of the world's best pro cyclists, including Lance Armstrong, Mark Cavendish, George Hincapie and so many others. The finish to this Stage 5 event will happen sometime between 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. up on Panorama Drive in front of Bakersfield College. If you want to ride your bike to the event, Bike Bakersfield will have free valet parking for bikes up near the corner of Mount Vernon and Panorama. Simply check your bike in, enjoy the race and then pick it up by 4 p.m. A free "lifestyle festival" will get under way around noon and end at the finish of the stage.

 * ... HIGH DRAMA: Lots of drama around town as high school seniors get ready to walk across the stage to enter the next phase of their lives. It's always a stressful and exciting time for these seniors and their parents. I've heard of kids acting up (usually alcohol is involved) and being disciplined in the final weeks of school and others mentally checking out in bad cases of "senioritis." My advice: even good kids make bad decisions and they'll all pull through it. Time to leave high school and move on.

 * ... HERSBERGER KIDS: Good news for local residents Rod and Susan Hersberger, whose two children are both about to complete their MBA degrees. Mark is about to graduate from San Diego State and sister Kate Greenberg will get her advanced degree from UCLA on June 11. Both have undergraduate degrees from UCLA. Mark works in the corporate office of UPS in San Diego and Kate works for Disney Consumer Products in Burbank.  Mom Susan is director of public affairs at Aera Energy and dad Rod is the dean of the University Library at Cal State Bakersfield.

 * ... HARVARD LAD: Heard from local jeweler Gordon Wickersham that his son Greg will receive a master's degree in school policy from Harvard University at the end of this month. Greg graduated from UCLA and has been teaching English as a second language in the Atlanta school system.

 * ... BIG MIKE: Nice to hear that Mike Ariey, "Big Mike" to his friends, is returning to coach the freshman football team at Garces Memorial  High School. A product of Garces High and then San Diego State, Ariey played professional football with the New York Giants and Green Bay Packers and was instrumental in establishing the freshman program at Garces in the late 1990s. "I love working with these kids and I'm thrilled to be going back," he told me. "It's like going home." Ariey owns a barbeque and catering business.

 * ... HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Joyce Hobbs wrote to welcome home grandson Brian Mercado after two tours of duty in Iraq. Brian, his wife Veronica and their three children flew from Germany to LAX and will be home a month before heading to Fort Bliss, Texas. Veronica was also in Iraq on a tour of duty. "Brian was injured more than twice, fighting for our freedom, and I am so proud of him," Hobbs said. "Today is his 29th birthday, and he will be celebrating in Vegas on the 20th, and the 21st. Could you wish him  happy birthday?  Thanks so much- a proud grandmother." Welcome home, soldier.
 
 * ... BAKERSFIELDISM: This from reader Will Winn: "You must be from Bakersfield if you remember when there used to be two monuments at the Circle -- Father Garces and Chief Fire Water."

Bako Bits: the drama at Garces Memorial High, the indecision of Rep. Jean Fuller and Urner's celebrates 90 candles

 

 * ... THE DRAMA AT GARCES: Whatever is going on over at Garces Memorial High School isn't pretty. A lot of alumni and supporters are up in arms over the resignation of football coach David Fanucchi (some claim it was forced) and the demotion of his older brother, Vince Fanucchi. The Fanucchis (third brother John is school president) are virtual institutions at the private Catholic school and it's hard to envision a school year without the Fanucchis in charge in some way. Add to that the sudden resignation of swimming coach Bill Potter and it just adds to the intrigue. So what is it? A purge? Or simply a changing of the guard? The buzz around this community institution is hot, emails are flying and some longtime supporters are threatening to withhold their support, which is considerable. Honestly, I'm not sure I really want to know the inside dirt. Rather, I hope this  storm passes and the school returns to its roots of providing a quality private school education for our local kids. I did hear the school's annual barbeque last week was a huge hit, and that's a good sign. My take: let's hope cooler heads prevail and some form of explanation comes from the diocese to calm the alumni. Garces is a community institution that is too important to put at risk. 

 *  ... JEAN FULLER'S DECISION: State Rep. Jean Fuller addressed the downtown Rotary club last week but didn't reveal much about  her political future. Fuller, who represents the 32nd Assembly District, will either run for a third and final Assembly turn or make a run for the state Senate seat that Roy Ashburn is vacating. One thing was certain: Fuller seems to have grown in the job and impressed the group with her grasp of the issues, particularly regarding the water crisis that is of so much concern to valley farmers. She was accompanied by aide Dana Culhane, daughter of Holly Culhane, owner of PAS Associates.


 * ... 90 CANDLES FOR URNER'S: Urner's Applicance Center is one of those Bakersfield institutions along the lines of Dewar's Candy Shop, Woolgrower's and Luigi's. Is there anyone in town who hasn't purchased a refrigerator, TV or washer and dryer from these guys? So it's worth noting that Urner's, still family owned after all these years, is celebrating its 90th birthday. And they are doing it in with style. On Friday, Oct. 9, principals from Urner's will gather at the Bakersfield Rescue Mission to replace all the mattresses in the men's and women's dormitories with new Tempur-Pedic mattresses. In addition, they'll donate two 60-inch home theater televisions. This is why supporting family owned businesses like Urner's is so important. These are our neighbors, not  some faceless corporate bureaucrat from Arkansas. The company president is David H. Urner, son of the founder, and Steve Illingworth (grandson of David E.  Turner) serves as vice president.

  Urner's opened its doors on September 1, 1919, as Home Appliance Co. during a time when "modern appliances" were sold mainly in hardware stores. Urner's now also specializes in big screen televisions, sofas and mattresses. Over the years the family has been generous to such groups as the CSUB Foundation, the Bakersfield Symphony, Memorial Hospital House of Hope and Teen Challenge. (photo by The Californian)

Bako Bits: Confusing a Husky with a Cougar, a valentine to the historic Noriega Hotel and budget woes at CSUB

  Wrapping up some nuggets from around our community and trying to outrun some angry University of Washington alumni who are after my hide ...

 * ... MAKE MINE A PICON PUNCH: Always nice to see Bakersfield's rich culture recognized by the national media, and the September edition of the Altantic magazine turned its attention to the historic Noriega Hotel, one of our renowned Basque dining establishments and home of the famous Picon Punch. (read the entire story here) The writer Wayne Curtis gives the Noriega its due, even if he did focus primarily on the punch and not the terrific food. From the story:

  "But what lured me here was the Picon Punch. The early history of the drink remains murky, but it appears to be a Basque-American concoction, without antecedent in the old country. The punch has some variants within its broad range. But it’s usually made with grenadine, club soda, a float of brandy, and Amer Picon, a bitter French aperitif made with herbs and burnt orange peel. I’m told in some Nevada bars it’s served in a mug, rather than the standard old-fashioned glass."

  * ... WITH APOLOGIES TO THE HUSKIES: I erred in a recent item noting that former Bakersfield High Driller Will Mahan was punting for the University of Washington Huskies. I actually called the school the "Washington State Huskies," which given college rivalries these days is enough to get me tarred and feathered by the Husky faithful. It's like confusing UCLA and USC or the Georgia Bulldogs with the Florida Gators. KERO-TV anchor Jackie Parks, herself a University of Washington alum, told me she just about "choked on my coffee" when she read her beloved Huskies were mentioned in the same sentence as that "cow town" college across the state, the Washington State Cougars. So with apologies to Jackie and the Husky faithful ... mea culpa.

 * ... DIVISION ONE REPORT FROM CSUB: Karen Langston, one of the marketing folks over at Cal State Bakersfield, turned me onto the Athletic Department's  "Roadrunner Report" blog which is rich in information on the university. (you can read it here) In it, Athletic Director Rudy Carvajal gives an update on the school's move to Division I and how the recession and budget crisis is affecting the program. Tough times all around. In Rudy's words:

 

 "The bad news is that the budget crisis, particularly as it impacts CSUB’s Athletics Program, has been significant. Not only has it reduced staffing and state support, it has also increased our scholarship fees this year by 30%, which amounts to more than $250,000 in additional and unexpected expenses. Cumulatively, it also marks the third consecutive year of state budget reductions. Our ability to turn this around will depend upon our ability to encourage community volunteers to help us and to make significant progress in growing our donor base. Without considerable growth and support in both of these areas, it will have a profound effect on our future.

One can easily see that we need growth and not reductions in support to be able to sustain the 19 Division I sports we currently offer. While the average donation has grown over the last few years, the number of donors has fallen. We really need your help, and there are many ways that you can assist us. For example, if each of our current donors recruited just one new donor, we could double our donor base. It is that simple, and you could make that happen." (photo of Rudy courtesy of CSUB)

 

* ... REMEMBER THE GARCES, CSUB BARBECUES: Don't forget two important fund raisers coming up that need our support. The first is the annual Garces Memorial High fall barbeque, featuring the famous "Icardo special" New York steak or Teriyaki chicken dinner. Cost is $25 a person and doors open at 5 p.m. This comes up Thursday, October 1. My elder daughter graduated from Garces and I know the folks work hard and do a good job, and even when money is tight, this is a fund raiser to support. The next week, on Thursday October 8, you can dine again at the 31st annual Cal State Bakersfield athletics barbeque. Doors open at 5:30 p.m.. Tickets are being presold for $25 each and are $30 at the door. Call 661-654-3473.