County CAO Ryan Alsop rolls out an ambitious plan to upgrade Hart Park, Harry Starkey leaves the West Kern Water District, and do remember the great snow day 20 years ago?

Friday, January 25, 2019

 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 such a special to live. Send your tips to rsbeene@yahoo.com.

 * ... HART PARK: The county is getting ready to roll out an ambitious, multi-year project to renovate and improve Hart Park, the 300-acre green lung of lakes, trees and hiking trails that has fallen into disrepair. County CAO Ryan Alsop laid out the plans for me on KERN NewsTalk 96.1 FM (the complete interview is posted on Kernradio.com). The plan, which must be approved by the

Board of Supervisors, would implement improvements over three to five years. Among the improvements would be a dog park, a splash water park for children, new signage at both entrances, upgraded picnic and play areas, food vendors, increased law enforcement patrols at all hours and restricted access to the river where people leave trash. Improvements to the four bathrooms will begin soon and funded out of the current budget.

 * ... SNOW DAY: Has it really been 20 years since the "great snow day" in Bakersfield? I remember waking to what I thought was sunlight but it was the reflection off a fresh coat of snow that toppled four trees at my southwest Bakersfield residence. It was a remarkable day for a desert community like ours. Enjoy these pictures published by The Bakersfield Californian, KGET TV and KERO TV.

 * ... HARRY STARKEY: Harry Starkey. general manager of the West Kern Water District for the past nine years, is leaving to join the Hallmark Group, a consulting and project management firm based in Sacramento. One of the leading authorities on water law and water politics in California, Starkey will be dividing his time between  Bakersfield and Sacramento. He has also agreed to become a regular Wednesday guest on The Richard Beene Show (KERN NewsTalk 96.1 FM) at 1:30 p.m. Greg Hammett, manager of the Belridge Water District. is taking Starkey's position at West Kern.

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "Apparently putting Alka-Seltzer in my mouth while getting baptized and pretending I’m being possessed by the devil is not funny."

 * ... RODRIGUEZ: Local plaintiff's attorney Daniel Rodriguez is moving his firm to a new building on Truxtun just blocks from the courthouse. The building is located near the old church plaza that is now home to the Tower Craft Bar. Rodriguez and Associates is currently located in an historic brick building on Eye Street near Dagney's Coffee shop.

 * ... DANIEL ROOT: Daniel Root, a Garces High grad, has taken a job with the law firm of Young Wooldridge in the firm's water department. Root went on to attend University of San Diego where he earned his B.A. in Business Administration in 2012. He later obtained his law degree from McGeorge School of Law with an emphasis in Business Law and Environmental Law. He joins the firm's experienced team of water and environmental attorneys and will serve the needs of clients throughout Kern County and the state of California.

* ... PERRY FINZEL: Perry Finzel, field rep for former Congressman David Valadao, has joined the staff of Rep. Kevin McCarthy in Bakersfield. Valadao lost his bid for reelection to Democrat T.J. Cox and McCarthy picked up Finzel after Cox was sworn into office.

* ... MEMORIES: Don't you just love these old photos that appear on the Kern County of Old and Kern County History Fans Facebook pages?

Rep. Kevin McCarthy votes against the fiscal cliff compromise and celebrating the success of two local businesses in our downtown area

* ... MCCARTHY: Interesting to note that our own Rep. Kevin McCarthy, the House Majority Whip in charge of herding votes for House Speaker John Boehner, voted against the fiscal cliff compromise that Boehner supported. Did McCarthy vote against the measure only once he was sure he had the votes to pass it? Or was he simply casting a vote in tune with his conservative district? Also voting against the measure was Rep. Eric Cantor, the House Majority Leader. Former GOP vice presidential candidate Rep. Paul Ryan supported it.  McCarthy told me this about his vote: “There were good reasons to vote for it, and good reasons to vote against it. I believed that any legislation considered by the House had to seriously address the root of our debt crisis: Washington’s out-of-control spending.”

 * ... SERVICE: Harry Starkey, general manager of the West Kern Water District, gave this shout out to  good service in the city of Taft. "I went to a local framing shop here in Taft (KC Photography and Framing owned by Robert and Karen Mitchell) to have a few things matted and framed for a small job in my office. I was trying to describe the colors I wanted matched when the owners offered to come by my office to match the colors directly. Now that’s service!"

 * ... YOGA: It's good to see two locally owned yoga businesses doing so well. Both Inner Bodyworks and Yoga Space have moved to freshly renovated buildings in the downtown area, and both seem to be enjoying brisk business. Yoga Space is located on F Street and Inner Bodyworks is near the Fox Theater on H Street. (photo of staff at Inner Bodyworks)

 * ... OLYMPIAN: There are reports that five-time Olympic medalist Kim Rhode, the most successful female shooter in Olympic history, may be coming to Bakersfield in April for the Ken Barnes Open Skeet Championship. Rhode most recently won a gold medal in last year's Olympic skeet shooting competition. If her schedule permits, I am told she will shoot the 12 gauge in the April 12-14 tournament to be held at the Kern County Gun Club. The tournament is named after local Realtor Ken Barnes, the first person to ever shoot a perfect 400 X 400 in tournament skeet.

* ... FIRST FRIDAY: Downtown's popular monthly event returns for the first Friday of 2013. Metro Galleries continues to show Christine McKee's "On the Homefront" exhibit, a stunning show devoted to military families and those who serve. Next door at The Foundryit  is opening night for "It's Not Easy Being Green." This show features works created by Foundry members using green as the predominant color. First Friday organizer Don Martin tells me there are lots of new events planned for 2013 including a free monthly concert starting in March.

The Haupts celebrate 30 years of marriage, burglars hit Haggin Oaks and high praise for Michael Turnipseed

 * ... BURGLARIES: The folks over in Haggin Oaks are on guard after two recent burglaries left the otherwise quiet neighborhood rattled. One resident returned to find her house ransacked, indicating the intruders had spent some time inside her home.

 * ... THIRTY YEARS: Congratulations to longtime residents Bruce and Jane Haupt, who celebrated 30 years of marriage in grand style this weekend. As a surprise to his wife, Bruce arranged to fly in her mother, Jane Geldermann, from Chicago along with her brother and sister. Bruce's parents, brothers, their four children (all products of Garces Memorial High School) and a couple dozen cousins were also there when Jane showed up at Luigi's Saturday night for a steak and chicken dinner. Sounds like a nice way to kick off the next 30 years of marriage. Bruce is vice president of Independent Pipe and Steel and Jane works at Valley Oaks charter school.

 * ... HIGH PRAISE: Harry Starkey, general manager of the West Kern Water District, talking about Michael Turnipseed, the head of the tax watchdog group KernTax: "Turnispeed should be knighted for the work he has done to bring PGE rates in line."

 * ... IMBIBE: Stopped by Imbibe Wine and Spirits off Truxtun Extension the other day and was treated to some great live jazz. Mark Meyer on the saxaphone and Steve Elsen on the trumpet appear at Imbibe regularly and are worth checking out while treating yourself to wine, specialty beer and a cheese plate.

* ... NEWCOMERS: Received a nice note from LA-area transplants Mike and Tish Burnett, who moved to our town earlier this summer. It's their first summer here and they're loving it, hardly missing at all their old home in La Canada Flintridge. The Burnetts moved here to be closer to Tish's sister, Pam Walker. Her husband, Neil, is a longtime resident and works at Kern Oil and Refining. "I just wanted to close the loop and let you know we are here and loving it, heat and all!" Mike wrote. "Actually Neil tells me it's actually spring like right now." Mike is currently sales manager for Sparkle Uniform and Linen Service, one of our many family owned companies in town.

 * ... GUILD HOUSE: Carole Cohen wrote to let everyone know that the Guild House is reopening for lunch on Tuesday, September 6. The Guild House is located on the corner of 18th and F streets, is staffed by an all-volunteer staff, and everything served is homemade. All proceeds go to benefit the Henrietta Weill Child Guidance Clinic.

 * ... BAKERSFIELDISM: Linda L. Smith writes that you may be a Bakersfield old timer if you remember "Toon's Piano store on Chester Avenue near 8th Street." She recalls that a man named Leech was the general manager and later purchased Toon's, renaming it Leech Piano. Linda said this would have been in the 1950s and that the store was later moved to the Westchester area.