Bakersfield makes a list of "white trash" cities in California, we lose some jobs to Fresno but boy do we have some good music and festivals coming to town

 * ... WHITE TRASH: I usually pay little attention to the myriad of "lists" that show up on the internet. You know what I mean: best and worst places to retire, safest and most dangerous cities, highest illiteracy, most sunshine, worst air. So here is another list we've made, and make of it what

you will. Here are the ten most "white trash" cities in California, meaning those municipalities with the most violent and drug addicted white populations. The top ten, according to the website homesnacks.com: Hemet, Barstow, Hesperia, Stockton, Bakersfield, Riverside, Antioch, Livermore, Fresno and Lakeside.

 * ... JOBS: It looks like Bakersfield lost out on some 600 jobs when Ulta Beauty selected Fresno as the site of a large distribution center. That is the word from The Sacramento Bee that said the facility is expected to create some 600 jobs. Fresno city leaders said Ulta Beauty is the largest beauty retailer in the nation and its planned warehouse would help it fulfill orders from its online sales unit. Other Valley places under consideration by the company were Visalia and Bakersfield, as well as sites in Utah and western Nevada.

 * ... CALENDAR: Who says there isn't anything to do in Bakersfield? Next week, there will be two live performances in town Thursday evening, starting with the California Guitar Trio over at the Bakersfield Music Hall of Fame. This is part of Rick Kreiser's Guitar Masters series now in its sixth year. On the same evening, Nora Jane Struthers returns to town over at Temblor Brewing Co. as part of the Passing Through Productions series of concerts. And finally, mark Saturday, April 22, on your calendar for the fourth annual Mac 'n Cheese festival out at Cal State Bakersfield, a big event featuring more than 20 beer and wine distributors and plenty of food.

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "There are stories of mothers so full of adrenaline they've lifted cars off their children. Mine just refused to share a slice of cake."

 * ... 24TH STREET: Sharon Ellington shared this note about one of the houses scheduled to be razed on 24th Street. "It's sad to see the first of many homes being demolished for the 24th Street widening project.  I've always loved the white house on the north east corner of Beech and 24th Street. It sits perfectly on that corner, as if it's welcoming people to the Westchester neighborhood. I'm wondering if anyone who reads your column could provide some history on the house. Who built it and when, and how the tradition of putting the owner's initials on the chimney began? I'm really going to miss that house! So sad that it will be gone very soon."

 * ... FOUNDATION: The Bakersfield Californian (family) Foundation has put out calls for its Spring grant cycle. The foundation is focusing on animal welfare causes or summer based literacy programs. Only 501(c)3 organizations need apply, and for details go to www.bakersfieldcalifornianfoundation.org.

 * ... DAN BLOCKER: So who knew that the late Dan Blocker of Bonanza fame was so loved in Bakersfield, and he spent so much time here. Blocker, along with the actor who played Hop Sing on the popular Western, made frequent trips to Bakersfield for events, and West Rotary's Howdy Miller also remembers when Blocker owned a boat that he kept at Marina del Rey. "It was 1972 Marina del Rey,  a new boat arrives next to slip #17...LADY IN CEMENT... a Frank Sinatra movie that was used for a boat name by Sinatra and sold to Dan Blocker. That boat looked as if was going 100 mph just sitting in the slip! Mr. Blocker was a large hairy chested GENTLEMAN who loved wearing overalls and deck shoes, quit a combo. The three boats slipped next to each were: Lady in Cement, It's The Water (Olympia beer distributor), and the Howdy Howdy."

  * ... MORE BONANZA: And finally, this memory from Jeanell Kaufman: "While working for Avon Cosmetics, my route took me to the Stockdale area. My customer was helping with a cocktail party for Dan Blocker. There was an emergency situation and I stayed to help my client. Because I helped her, I was invited to the cocktail party. I wasn't able to go but was happy to be invited. He was Grand Martial of the Christmas parade that year (1961).":

A couple who burglarized a downtown home are arrested thanks to their pictures being circulated on Facebook, celebrating Hammons Meat market and it's time for another Guitar Masters concert

 * ... SOCIAL MEDIA: You can mark this one as a victory for the good guys. A neighbor's house downtown was burglarized this past weekend and later in the day the intruders came back to finish the job, eyeballing the home from a rear alley. This time the owner was home, snapped a couple of

pictures of the suspects in the alley (a couple in their early 30s, heavily tattooed) that were later circulated first on a neighborhood watch email list and later on Facebook. Within hours the couple was arrested (turns out they were driving a stolen car) and most of the stolen items were recovered. Now that is social media at its best.

 * ... VISITOR: When visitors come to town, how do you entertain them? I had friend from college this weekend and at his request, gave him a tour of the almond groves off Famoso Road and the Kern River oil field. We take this stuff for granted, but for folks from another area of the country, they are awesome sights and a chance to educate them on agriculture and oil. Then, a weekend of our landmark downtown restaurants: dinner at Muertos on Friday and Uricchio's Trattoria the next day, along with the signature Bakersfield event: Saturday lunch at Luigi's. Doesn't get much better than that.

 * ... HAMMONS: And speaking of local family-owned businesses, I had a nice chat the other day with Jenny Hammons, the dynamic 27-year-old who has taken over JJ Hammons Meats, the remarkable meat market founded by her grandfather in 1975. Jenny told me the market has a July Fourth special on rib eyes for $7.59 a pound, a bargain by any standard and almost 50 percent less than other high end meat shops. The special runs from June 24 through July 4. Check Hammons out at 1700 South Union Avenue.

 * ... SPOTTED: A local bumper sticker reads: "Duct tape can't fix stupid, but it sure can muffle the sound."

 * ... MUSIC: Guitar virtuoso Albert Lee is performing tonight (Wednesday) at the Simonsen Performing Arts Center at Bakersfield College. This is part of Rick Kreiser's "Guitar Masters" acts that have become so popular. Tickets at $35 at the door and $18 for students. The fun begins at 7:30 p.m. and Kreiser promises a "surprise" appearance at the concert.

 * ... SCAMS: My post on KERO TV anchor Jackie Parks shutting down a telephone scam brought this response from reader Mike: "I got a laugh out of your article re Jackie Parks and thought you might get the same with an incident that happened to my mother. Years ago she had some furniture in storage. After she had it removed and paid her last bill she thought it was over. It wasn't! The following month she got a bill. She wrote back that the furniture was no longer in storage and to please stop billing her. Next month, same thing. And the next, etc. Finally she wrote them and said
'Please forward all furniture immediately to the following address!' She never heard from them again.                                          

 * ... ACHIEVERS: Louise Scurlock, a proud mother and grandmother, offered the following about some high achieving local products of our local schools: "You might go to Memorial Hospital one day and find Bruce Scurlock M.D.,  his daughter, Kristin Chrisum P.A., and his other daughter Brooke Holmes, R.N., all working there. Maybe son, Joshua Scurlock M.D., from Massachusetts, should be intrigued to come back to Bakersfield and practice. All are graduates of Bakersfield High Schools."

                             

Monday Bako Bits: Dr. Ravi Patel to appear on First Look this week to talk breast cancer awareness and noted bluegrass great John Jorgenson to appear in Bakersfield for the Guitar Masters series

* … CANCER: October is breast cancer awareness month and a brief look at the statistics are humbling. For example, about 1 in 8 U.S. women (about 12%) will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of her lifetime. In 2014, an estimated 232,670 new cases of invasive breast cancer were

expected to be diagnosed in women in the U.S., along with 62,570 new cases of non-invasive breast cancer. And, about 2,360 new cases of invasive breast cancer were expected to be diagnosed in men in 2014. A man’s lifetime risk of breast cancer is about 1 in 1,000. On Tuesday, at 9 a.m. on NewsTalk KERN 1180 and on First Look with Scott Cox, I will be talking with Dr. Ravi Patel of the Comprehensive Blood and Cancer Center about the progress being made against this deadly disease.

* … SPOTTED: I spotted this post on a friend's Facebook page: "I've totally been taken advantage of… at the gas station on the corner of Cali and Oak this man told me he was trying to get to the hospital because his wife was in an accident. He left the house without his cell and wallet and ran out of gas. He was dressed nice and had an older Ford Taurus. He reminded me of my dad. Then a few days later I saw him running the same scam at another gas station."

 * … OVERHEARD: "You are a true '08er if you live south of Decatur (street)."

 * … GUITAR MASTERS: If you appreciate great musicians, then you should consider attending the final session of the Guitar Masters season this Thursday over at American Sound Studios, 2231 R Street. The brains behind this series is local businessman Rick Kreiser, and he told me this final session will feature multi Grammy winners John Jorgenson (Desert Rose Band, Hellecasters, Elton John) and Jim Cox (Mark Knopfler, Lyle Lovett). Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the cost is $30 with a cash bar by Cafe Med. (file photo of John Jorgenson)

 * … SABA Congratulations to Tom Saba and the folks over at the Saba Agency, the creative media group that is now celebrating 25 years in business locally.

 * … MEMORIES: The memories of life when Baker Street was the center of town keep rolling in. Consider this one from Richard Giachino: "I also have some great memories of Baker Street. I went to Saint Joseph's, remember watching all the pretty girls across the street at Washington Junior High.
Mothers Bakery was great. Tejon theater, where forgive me Mr. Lemucchi, we would walk in backwards while people were leaving after the movie was over! I also worked there after, but kept that to myself. Great memories and great times!"

 * … MORE MEMORIES: And finally this last word on the old Golden Crust Bakery from reader Dennis Claxton: "My dad was a salesman for Golden Crust Bakery, one of the 60 salesmen employed by Golden Crust in Bakersfield. In the summers, between the ages of 9 and 11 years old, dad would take me on his route which covered Taft, Maricopa, and Ford City.  He would wake me around 4 in the morning to go down to load his truck.  The smell of the fresh bread is something you don’t forget.  We would travel to the stores and restaurants that were on his route.  When we arrived at Jo’s restaurant, in Taft, i would get a piece of fresh pie or cake from the owner.  One time, again in Taft, i was at the back of truck and a guy rode up on a horse to go inside the market.  He asked me to hold his horse, and of course i said yes.  As soon as the rider walked into the store, this huge animal stepped on my foot and i couldn’t get him off, that hurt. In Ford City, my dad and I would meet Al Green, aka “Whitie”, and have lunch. Al, founded Pizzaville here in Bakersfield, and from time to time still drops into the business, now run by his son.  At the end of the work week, my dad would pay me $10 for the weeks work.  I still have one or two of the Golden Crust key rings and i think i have one of his old work shirts, lots of good memories."