Hart Park and the park at the Panorama Bluffs are set for improvements, the city is overrun with stray cats and dogs and Tina Marie's to open downtown in the old Chef's Noodle Bar

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 community such a special place. The views expressed here are strictly my own and do not represent any other company or publication.

 * ... GREENBELT IMPROVEMENTS: Hart Park and the green belt along the Panorama Bluffs are in for major improvements over the next few months. That's the word from county Chief Administrative

Officer Ryan Alsop who said the Hart Park "master plan" called for new signage at both ends of the park, refurbishing an old adobe building for new use and improvements to the trail head parking area near the old Sheriff's pistol range. (historic photos courtesy of the Kern County of Old Facebook page)

 * ... DOGS AND CATS: Do you remember a few years ago when there was a big stink about the enormous number of dogs and cats that were being euthanized at our local shelters? Well things are better, I am happy to report, not perfect, but certainly better. Julie Johnson, who wears two hats as director of both the local SPCA and city of Bakersfield Animal Care services, said it wasn't long ago that 80 percent of the dogs brought to local shelters were being euthanized. "Now we are saving 80 percent," she told me. The reason: more awareness about the benefits of spay and neutering and the emergence of the non-profit Critters Without Litters in 2013. Still, the situation here in Kern County is critical, she said, and there is a particular problem with pit bull and pit mixes, which currently comprise half of all dogs at the city shelter.

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "Had a dude smoking a cigarette next to his oxygen tank tell me I look stupid in my mask."

 * ... OLD HANGTOWN: The city of Placerville, known as "Old Hangtown" in remembrance of the number of hangings during the Gold Rush, has removed the image of a noose from its logo. The logo shows a miner washing gold in a stream. The noose hangs from a tree in the background. The noose was removed when some residents argued it gave the city a bad reputation.

 * ... ADIOS EMA: Ema Sasic, a features reporter at The Bakersfield Californian, is leaving the paper to join USA Today in Palm Springs. Sasic announced the move on Twitter saying this: "After almost three years at  @Bakersfieldcali,  I’m moving on to a new California adventure. I’ll be joining the 

@MyDesert @USATODAY. Network in Palm Springs as a health reporter! Apparently it’s not hot enough in Bakersfield for me so now I’m headed for the desert!"

 * ... TINA MARIE'S: The restaurant Tina Marie's, which suffered a devastating fire a few months ago, will be setting up shop in the location of Chef's Choice Noodle Bar which is moving to the Southwest. Tina Marie Brown said she was thrilled to remain downtown and reiterated that she plans to rebuild in the original location. 

 * ... MEMORIES: Check out this picture of a building along Chester that once housed the JC Penny's store. Look familiar? Thanks to the group Kern County History Fans for this gem.

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?

Rio Bravo Country Club to shut down at the end of May, a USC study identifies the worst traffic choke points, and Cheesecake Factory to open at Valley Plaza

 * ... TRAFFIC: Traffic in Los Angeles is already bad, and it is getting worst. That's the word from the USC Annenberg School which identified the five worst freeway interchanges. For those of us who

occasionally commute to LA, these will come as no surprise. Among them: The 405 south to the 101; the 405 north to the 105 and 90; the 10 east to the 405; the 110 North to the 10; and the 405 south to the 10 and the 90. The study concluded: "There is no sign of traffic letting up, either. Over the last year, average rush-hour speeds at the worst interchanges have dropped from two or three miles per hour all the way up to 13 mph. On the eastbound I-10 during evening rush hour, average speeds just after the 405 interchange tanked from about 25 mph in 2012 to just over 12 mph this year. The smallest declines may not sound like much, but they amount to double-digit percentage drops when you’re already crawling by at 15 mph. And they become significant when multiplied across dozens of lanes throughout the city."

 * ... LOCAL TRAFFIC: Locally, here is my list for some of Bakersfield's worst traffic chokepoints: the east-bound Westside Parkway at Truxtun in the morning; Truxtun and Oak at rush hour and at noon; Oak and California; California and Stockdale Highway; Rosedale Highway virtually anytime; and Highway 99 at Highway 58, Ming Avenue and 24th Street. What is on your list?

* ... SPOTTED ON FACEBOOK: "At the end of the day, life should ask us, ‘Do you want to save the changes?’"

 * ... RIO BRAVO: Folks who live in the Rio Bravo area are reeling after learning that the Rio Bravo Country Club may be shutting down at the end of May. Homeowners say they were notified of the pending closure and are hoping someone buys the club and saves the spectacular, 7,000 yard course located in the scenic foothills at the mouth of the Kern River canyon.

 * ... CHEESECAKE: I heard the other day that a Cheesecake Factory is being built at Valley Plaza Mall on the site of the old Sears auto and tire shop. No word yet on when that will be open for business. Meanwhile, Sears itself is in dire straits, and it warned investors this week that it may not survive.

 * ... WARD 5: Ward 5 City Council candidate Bruce Freeman has launched an aggressive social media campaign via Facebook and other digital offerings. Expect the spending in Ward 5 to increase as Freeman and challenger Ryan Nance work the Southwest for vote.

 * ... MEMORIES: I received a sweet, hand written note from Frances Doyle of Taft sharing her memories on an archery club that held tournaments out at Hart Park in the 1950s. She recalls a cardboard bear target and the founder of the club, Jim Murphy. Later, her son and daughter took up the sport with much success. Sherilyn, the daughter, won her first junior state championship at the age of 10, became a national champion at Clemson and was inducted into the Bob Elias Sports Hall of Fame in 1983. "I wish I could name all of our archery friends, such as Tom and Bev Beaty, Clarence Kozloski, Jake Thomas, Bob Poznoff, Betty Nelson, Richard Land, Gladys McCain, Bud and Ruth Greer... so many more."

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."    

Supper time at Hart Park: A heron dines on a local squirrel

 A terrific series of pictures by Californian photographer Felix Adamo …. enjoy.

The day in 1965 when the Hell's Angels visited Bakersfield and stopped by the storied Blackboard Cafe on Chester Avenue

 These historic photos, taken by photographer Billy Ray (shown in the first picture) capture the day in 1965 when the Hell's Angels of San Bernadino visited Bakersfield. Locals will notice the Blackboard Cafe on Chester Avenue as well as Hart Park. Billy Ray traveled with the Hell's Angels for a month on assignment for Life magazine (the photos are owned by Time/Life) but apparently they were never published, which is a shame. The photos are available in the book 'Hells Angels of San Berdoo ’65 | Inside the Mother Charter.' Enjoy.

Get ready for the inevitable dustup over off road motorcyclists in the soon to be preserved 'grand park" out by the Kern River, and we lose another member of the Greatest Generation

 * … CANYONS: Some of the best news in years came recently with the decision by the Metropolitan Bakersfield Habitat Conservation Trust Group to acquire the "crown jewel"of our area, the nearly 850 acres of bluffs out near Hart Park and the Kern River. Ever since the scheme to develop the property went bust, the rolling hills have been used by joggers, hikers, bicyclists and off-road motorcyclists. It is a beautiful area and certainly worth the investment as a new "grand park" for Bakersfield. But once the land is turned over to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, there will no doubt be restrictions on the off-road motorcyclists who are destroying habitat and carving their own trails in the area. Stay tuned for the inevitable dust up.

 * … RIP: We lost another member of the Greatest Generation the other day with the passing of 90-year-old Ed Barnet. My friend Angelo Haddad told me that Ed, who lived in the Northeast near the old Green Frog Market, received a Purple Heart for his D-Day invasion wound, the Bronze Star, the European Theater Combat medal, the Presidential Unit Citation medal, and numerous campaign ribbons including the Battle of the Bulge during the winter of 1944 as a 19 year old from Memphis. May you rest in peace.

 * … OVERHEARD: A local businessman whose wife is Jewish is telling a friend at lunch: "When we moved here we were surprised at how many meetings start off thanking 'our savior Jesus Christ.' It doesn't bother me but that would never have happened back where we used to live."

 * … SPOTTED: On a friend's Facebook wall: "NBA commissioner rules that Donald Sterling cannot bring a white person -- namely, himself -- to any NBA games ."

 * … OLPH: Don't forget the annual Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish spring barbecue is this Thursday, May 1, at the Parish ground on Columbus. A $25 ticket gets you a delicious Harris Ranch steak or Teriyaki chicken grilled by Gary and Adam Icardo. The doors open at 5 p.m. with dinner service from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 pm.  Call Deborah Leary for tickets (661) 872-1543 or buy them at the door.

* … MEMORIES: Local architect Tom Jannino added to the discussion of the old downtown. In his words: "If memory serves me correctly, and it is getting a little foggier, Tiny's was originally on the  southeast corner of 18th and Chester, across 18th from the building in question. It later moved across 18th when it's former location was demolished for the construction of what was originally 'Bakersfield Savings and Loan', a structure presently housing 'Caesars' and several other tenants. As a child, I had many trips downtown with my mother, often stopping for lunch at Tiny's, the Tea room at Brock's, or the lunch counter at Newberry's or Woolworth's. A personal favorite was a small donut shop located on the east side of Chester Avenue just across the alley from the building that was originally the Californian Theater. Of course, all of this happened before the existence of Valley Plaza, when downtown Bakersfield was the center of shopping and banking."

 * … MORE MEMORIES: Jack Pasek reached out to remind me that a Sambo's restaurant once occupied the building on Ming Avenue that is now Bob's Big Boy. And Rollie Moore reminded be that the 'Salad Bowl' on Chester and 18th Street (Northeast corner) was his favorite eatery. "They had a 'Door open Toaster' sitting on every table along with a small cereal shaped box listing all the current songs. For a nickel you could select your favorite song and it would signal the big juke box in the corner to play your request as you visited and ate. The food was great!"

Bako Bits: Ashburn says he will step down from state board if he wins election to county supervisor, and a little history quiz courtesy of Mary Kay Shell

 * ... ASHBURN: Roy Ashburn has had a change of heart about remaining on a state board if he is successful in his race to serve as 1st District county supervisor again. Ashburn told me Tuesday that - if elected - he will step down from the Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board, an appointed position that earns him $129,000 a year. "I want to clear that up," he told me. "There has been some misunderstanding and I want people to know where I stand."

* ... MEXICALI:  Here's a trivia quiz for all your Bakersfield old timers. Before it became known as Mexicali, the downtown restaurant operated under the name Herb King's. Before it was Herb King's, what was it known as? The answer from former mayor Mary Kay Shell: "It was called the Drink-o-Link Drive In before Herb King took it over. Maybe Drinkolink was all one word. I can't remember!" (staff photo of Mary Kay Shell)

 * ... TRAIN: More reader input on the miniature train that used to ferry passengers at Hart Park. Leslie Torrigiana said it was her grandfather, J.M. Van Cleave, who built the train. "I don't know the year. My mother has told us many a fun family story that can't be repeated in the paper about train passengers. My mother and her siblings were at Hart Park the day the train took its first trip around the track.  There were many spectators as the train pulled away that day. The train took riders across a wooden bridge and through a dark tunnel. My grampa went every weekend to service the train and his family rode for free."

 * ... SPOTTED: A woman walking three small girls to Standard School is spotted wearing pajamas, a robe and slippers. Said Linda Welch: "I think some people carry casual Friday just a little too far."

 * ... CALORIES: Some interesting (and alarming) statistics on how Americans consume calories from The New York Times' Jane E. Brody. Brody noted that Americans are consuming billions of calories unwittingly and often between meals. For example, a Double Gulp 64-ounce cup of soda at a 7-Eleven has a full 800 calories, and some bagels now pack up to 600 calories. At one New York restaurant, a personal size pizza contained 2,100 calories, the amount "the average woman needs in a day." Is it any wonder we are a "full size" nation?

 * ... TAFT COLLEGE:  Sheri Horn Bunk, now executive director of the Taft College Foundation, tipped me off to a grand opening reception this Friday of the school's new Campus Art Gallery.  On display will be the works of two established artists, entitled 'Women Working' which will include watercolors by Nancy Dawson and sculpture by Betty Younger. It's open to the public and begins at 5 p.m. Bunk says there will be music and poetry readings and a "special dramatic surprise."

 * ... WHO KNEW?: Courtesy of the Kern Economic Development Corporation: "The statue of Father Garces on the Garces Circle was commissioned in 1939 by the Works Project Administration of the Great Depression. He was sculpted out of limestone by John Palo Kangas, who also did a sculpture of our beloved Colonel Baker."