If it's election season in Kern County, is it any surprise that charges of dirty politics arise in the days before the election? And is someone lying and then trying to cover it up? And a classic 1936 truck disappears from a downtown home

Monday, June 4, 2018

Welcome to Bakersfield Observed, now online only. 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 place. Email your news and notes to rsbeene@yahoo.com.

 * ... ELECTIONS: I suspect there will be few surprises in this week's primary election. House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy will move on to November likely to face Democrat Tatiana Matta, who looks like the sharpest of the Democrats vying for the seat. Shannon Grove and Vince Fong will

move on with no problem, and my money is on Sheriff Donny Youngblood to beat challenger Justin Fleeman in a romp. But that doesn't mean there isn't drama. Will district attorney candidate Cynthia Zimmer be hurt by revelations that legally questionable TV ads were aired supporting her campaign? She is locked in a tight one with assistant DA Scott Spielman. And in the hottest judge's race, will Brandon Martin be hurt by revelations that his candidacy may in fact be tainted itself because his degree to practice law was suspended eight years ago? Stay tuned it will be a fun week.

 * ... POLITICAL HIJINKS?: Keep an eye on what happens when someone looks into the behavior of Cathy Abernathy's Western Pacific Research in support of district attorney candidate Cynthia Zimmer. This much is known: staffers from WPR may have violated the law by coordinating the airing of pro Zimmer campaign ads on several local TV stations. What is more interesting is that Abernathy denied any wrongdoing, as did Zimmer, who said she had not used WPR since earlier in the year after the death of Mark Abernathy. Yet, campaign disclosure statements show that Zimmer's campaign was paying WPR for services as late as the April and May reporting period. So who is lying here? Or are we all consuming so much Ambien it is clouding our memories?

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "I tried killing a spider with hairspray. He’s still alive, but his hair looks outstanding."

 * ... SPOTTED ON FACEBOOK: "You cannot make everybody happy. You are not a taco."

 * ... HARVEY HALL: It took literally minutes after the public service for late Mayor Harvey Hall before the sniping started on social media. The topic: apparently Hall's biological daughter Shelley Christine Brown was not invited to speak while her half sister, Amy, did pay tribute to her father. Brown posted her lament on Facebook and it was quickly shared. My advice: every family has its issues and frankly it is none of our business. Going on Facebook to lament that Shelley was not part of the inner circle is dabbling in private family matters that should be left to the Hall family and them alone. (photo by Felix Adamo)

 * ... BEAUTIFUL BAKERSFIELD: The Beautiful Bakersfield Awards were held this weekend, a night that sponsor KGET hypes as "Bakersfield's version of the Oscars." The evening does recognize some good work and people around town, but comparing it to the Oscars is like comparing the Bakersfield dirt tack speedway to the Monaco Grand Prix. It's a painfully long evening for those forced to endure it and I wouldn't wish it on anybody, but as I said, some good folks and organizations are honored. A couple of my favorites: the 17th Place Townhomes won the award for architecture and design, Bob Meadows of Mission Bank won business person of the year and CSUB President Horace Mitchell was honored with a chairman's award.

 * ... STOLEN TRUCK: A classic 1936 red truck was stolen out of a driveway on 20th Street downtown the other day. The truck. purchased new by the owner's late father, is a fixture in the annual July Fourth Westchester parade. Contact Bakersfield police if you see it.

 * ... MEMORIES: Check out this old photo of the original City Hall compliments of the Bakersfield Memories Facebook page. The caption reads: "Originally the Kern County Courthouse, it became City Hall in 1912. It was badly damaged in the '2 quake and had to be demolished. The new City Hall occupies the same spot today. This view is southwest at Truxtun and Chester. The Mission style tile roof in the foreground suggests this was taken from a perch on the Hotel El Tejon which, by the looks of the cars, would put this between 1926 and 1930ish."

Harvey Hall, Bakersfield's biggest cheerleader and ex mayor, dies at 77

 Harvey Hall, Bakersfield's unapologetic biggest cheerleader and a popular former mayor, has died at the age of 77. The cause of death was not announced and a spokesman for Hall Ambulance said only that he died of a "rapidly progressive disease." Hall was known for his sartorial flair and big personality and smile, as well as his ability to embrace all races and ethnicities of his beloved hometown. In memory of Harvey, enjoy some pictures of our former mayor over the years.

Fires, mayhem and high taxes force more Californians to give up on the Golden State, Villaraigosa closes in on Newsom in the governor's race and Rick Kreiser raises $42,000 for the Kern County Cancer Fund

 * ... GOODBYE CALIFORNIA: It looks like the recent fires in Santa Rosa and Ventura County are

pushing yet more people to finally leave California for good. At least that is what the New York Times reported recently, citing our long frustration with the high cost of living here. "For many Californians," the paper reported, "the question is always sitting there: Is this worth it? Natural disasters are a moment to take stock and rethink the dream. But in the end, the calculation almost always comes down to cost." Since 2010, it continued, "the state has lost more than two million residents 25 and older, including 220,000 who moved to Texas... Arizona and Nevada have each welcomed about 180,000 California expatriates since the start of the decade."

 * ... VILLARAIGOSA: Does former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa have a shot at beating former San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom in the governor's race? Apparently he does, at least if you follow the polls. Villaraigosa started off more than 20 points behind Newsom among Democrats and has now narrowed that to about five points. And Villaraigosa, who swung through Bakersfield this week, is making a bold bid to lure moderate Republicans by courting the conservative San Joaquin Valley. Expect to see more of Villaraigosa locally as we head into the new year.

 * ... SEASONAL LIES: Some of the lies we tell ourselves: "I am starting my diet tomorrow ... He will never hear from me again ... I'll just have one drink."

 * ... SPOTTED ON FACEBOOK: I saw this on my friend Justin Salter's Twitter feed: "If we can train ourselves to be optimistic, as soon as life gets difficult, we will have the mental toughness to persist and succeed. "

 * ... GREGORY PORTER: Here's a worthy fund raiser that you may want to consider: Habitat for Humanity will be holding a concert featuring Grammy winning jazz singer Gregory Porter. Porter is one of the most famous singers to come out of Kern County, having graduated from Highland High School and going on to San Diego State. Habitat says Porter will be singing some Nat King Cole tunes. The concert will be held in the Dore Theater at CSUB on Saturday, Jan. 20. Tickets are just $50 and all proceeds will benefit Habitat for Humanity Golden Empire. Porter appeared on NBC's Kathie Lee and Hoda earlier this week to belt out a tune. Check out the Habitat for Humanity Golden Empire Facebook page to buy tickets.

 * ... CANCER FUND: Hats off to Rick Kreiser and his Guitar Masters series, which raised $42,000 for the Kern County Cancer Fund during his annual concert featuring Christmas with the Cranktones. Kreiser sold out the Crystal Palace for the annual event, benefitting an organization that says all the money stays in our community to help cancer patients and their families pay for cab rides, living expenses, wigs and other items during their fight with cancer.

* ... HARVEY HALL: Another reason why I miss Harvey Hall as our mayor. Even out of office, Hall continues to give back to his hometown by funding the Downtown Street Ambassadors who pick up trash in our downtown area. Since kicking off April 1, the street ambassadors have removed 2,714 bags of litter. That's an average of 340 bags collected each month. Some good news: the amount of trash collected actually decreased in October. Hall stepped up to fund the program in February.

A huge "hydro event" of storms and rainfall are coming to California over the next week, new gun laws restricting ammo sales are on the books and a final goodbye from Mayor Harvey Hall

* ... STORMS ARE COMING: If you thought the rains last week were something, get ready for a huge "hydro event" over the next week. Meteorologists are warning that California will experience "jaw

dropping" amounts of rain, including up to 42 inches of precipitation for the Merced and San Joaquin River basins and up to 300 inches (or 25 feet) of snowfall into the Southern Sierra Crest, including the Lake Tahoe and Mammoth Mountain areas. This hydro event has already started in the Sierras and will include heavy rains in Central California through the weekend. And speaking of storms, wasn't our New Year's Day spectacular? Bright, sunny skies with the snow capped mountains clearer than I have seen them for years. Keep your cameras ready because more is coming.

* ... GUN LAWS: You can thank the California Legislature for the surge in gun and ammunition sales at local firearms shops. The Legislature passed a slew of new laws - some won't take effect until next January - that will make it much harder for law abiding citizens to buy ammunition or even borrow someone's weapon. It's interesting that the lawmakers who pass these laws are the same ones who choose to ignore other laws that don't suit their tastes, including declaring "sanctuary cities" to avoid working with federal immigration authorities. Wouldn't it be nice to be able to pick and choose which laws to obey?

* ... END OF AN ERA: Did you catch Harvey Hall's open letter to the community in the Tuesday Californian? It was typical Mayor Hall, oozing with sincerity and all from the heart, honoring our community and the people who make this such a special place to live. Hall's legacy as mayor will be one of inclusion and unity. Let's hope his successor, Karen Goh, does the same.

* ... GOOD FORM: Digging through old emails I found this note from Patricia Basset about her commute between Lake Isabella and Bakersfield. The message was from last year (sorry I missed it Patricia) but it is still relevant. Said Basset: "Quite often the canyon is closed due to an accident, someone over the cliff, rocks in the road, etc. (Recently) there was a large rock slide about half way up the canyon and the line of cars waiting to get through was massive. It was hot, hot, hot and we were told it could be up to 10 hours to get the road cleared. While I was driving up 178, I was behind a young man in a truck, pulling a backhoe. He was waiting along with all of us until a young woman walked back down the road, after going to the slide area. When that girl told the guy in front of me about the slide, he didn't even think twice. He pulled the chains off his backhoe, unloaded it (no simple task) and took off up the hill. Within minutes, he cleared one side of the road of several huge rocks which allowed the traffic to move slowly, but steadily along. I am pretty confident that nobody thanked him, but I want that man to know my husband and I, along with all those waiting, really appreciated his being willing to go out of his way to help us get through the canyon. We do have good people here in Bakersfield."

 * ... MILESTONE: I reached a personal milestone the other day when I actually remembered to bring a reusable plastic bag into Trader Joe's.

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "How dare you call me mentally unstable on this, the day of my cat's quinceanera."

 * ... TAFT COLLEGE: the annual Triple Play dinner and auction benefiting Taft College is set for Jan. 27 at the Historic Fort in Taft. Eric Byres, a former Oakland A's outfielder and now an ultra marathoner, will be the guest speaker. For tickets call (661) 763-7936.

 * ... PUZZLER: Here is a head scratcher from Bonnie Farrer: "While visiting my daughter and family in Orlando for Christmas we were all pleasantly surprised to see that the large bag of mandarin oranges on her kitchen shelf were from Bakersfield! When I returned home yesterday, I bought  mandarine oranges here. They were  from Florida. This doesn't make sense. PS: the Bakersfield oranges were seedless and tastier!"

Out with the old guard and in with the new and Bakersfield welcomes a new mayor, police chief and new council members, and recognizing the remarkable work of retiring Californian photographer Casey Christie

* ... CITY COUNCIL: Change is inevitable, particularly in politics and government, but it was bittersweet to watch the new City Council being sworn in. We will all miss Mayor Harvey Hall, the

eternal optimist and ambassador of goodwill, but I am confident incoming Mayor Karen Goh will display the same inclusiveness that was the hallmark of the Hall years. It's in her nature to do so. Terry Maxwell and Harold Hanson are also gone, and in their places are Andre Gonzales (downtown) and Jeff Tkac (southwest). New energy for new times.

 * ... CASEY CHRISTIE: Also leaving the local scene is longtime Californian photographer Casey Christie, whose stunning photographs graced the pages of the local newspaper for more than 25 years. Like Harvey Hall, Christie was always gracious, kind and thoughtful as he went about his work. Life will go on, but we will all miss his keen eye for capturing life in this place we call home.

 * ... LYLE MARTIN: And finally I am not sure there could have been a better choice to lead our police department than Lyle Martin, who replaced the retiring Greg Williamson as police chief. Martin's personality is one of openness and honesty, and he will have to call on that to confront a department under attack after yet another officer-involved shooting, this time claiming the life of an unarmed 73-year-old man in the southwest. Martin deserves a change to address some of the cultural and training issues facing the Bakersfield Police Department.

 * ... DUMP ROAD: Most of you have never been on the old County Dump Road right off Fairfax and Alfred Harrell Highway. The dump has long been closed, and the road is a dead end so it doesn't get much traffic other than cyclists who like its long steady climb to the top. And even though "no dumping" signs are posted all along the way, the road has become a favorite spot for people to discard everything from soiled mattresses to washing machines to old sofas and chairs. It is an absolute mess, a civic embarrassment, and it resembles something out of a dirt poor Third World country. Can we get it cleaned up?

* ... MEAN STREETS: My earlier post about the growing criminal element on our streets hit a nerve and prompted responses like this one from reader Lydia Dunton: "I think 'prison realignment' and the subsequent early-release programs are a direct cause of our mean streets. It doesn't take a genius to foresee that this would happen. Thanks federal mandate!"

* ... TAFT COLLEGE: There was a nice scene out at Taft College recently when the college foundation surprised Chevron with an announcement that it was naming its STEM Lab after the energy company. The Chevron STEM Lab recognizes Chevron's generosity to the college, totaling more than $1.3 million over the last several years. Said Dr. Deb Daniels, president of Taft College: “We are grateful to Chevron for their continuous generous support of not only the programs and students of Taft College but of their support for education from elementary school through college. Their investment in our community has made it possible for more students to go to college and become part of an educated workforce to return to our community."

 * ... MEMORIES: Lastly, Bill Clayton wrote to talk about the old 34th Street Junior Baseball diamonds off 34th Street. "I played Little League there in the 1950s and my team was the Hod Carriers sponsored by the labor union by the same name. Our coach was Mr. Pigg who I think was a union member. I like your Bakersfield Observed column!" Thank you Bill.

Adios to Harvey Hall, Bakersfield's longest serving mayor, get ready for the first Bakersfield Marathon and dealing with our litter problem around town

 * ... ELECTION: You know the sad thing about waking up with a new president-elect? There will be no honeymoon for the new president with the American public, and the vitriol and ill feelings that

have marked this campaign (thanks to two flawed candidates) will continue. I miss the days when a new presidency was met with a sense of hope, forgiveness and compromise.

* ... FAREWELL: One familiar character I will miss in the months ahead is Mayor Harvey Hall, our longest serving mayor who has brought dignity and decorum to the non-partisan office. Hall made a hard job look easy by keeping it simple; as he told a TV interviewer, his goal was "to facilitate good deeds and recognition." He was always gracious and defined the word 'inclusion' in a world that has become increasingly diverse. Sometimes it is just that simple.

* ... MARATHON: Have you determined where you will be this Sunday when the first Bakersfield Marathon hits the streets? The race will start at Cal State Bakersfield and wind its way through town (Stockdale Highway, California, Oleander, Westchester, up Chester, Columbus and Panorama before hitting the bike trail) and it will be a spectacle to watch. Take the time to research the route and be a part of this grand event.

* ... PAINTED PICKUPS: Have you seen those whimsically painted miniature pickup trucks about town? Juliet Smith wrote to say that her friends, Keri Gless and Katie Werdel, came up with the concept to benefit the Bakersfield Museum of Art. "Not only did they bring together artists, friends and businesses to raise funds to benefit the museum, they can be spotted each week with rags and bottles of 409, cleaning each of the 33 trucks! Their dedication and love of this wonderful project is an inspiration!"

 * ... CANNABIS: William Wood posed this question: "So when recreational pot becomes legal won't that put a whole new spin on the recipe for pot pie?"

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "My kids wanted to know what it's like to be a mom so I woke them up at 2 a.m. to let them know my sock came off."

 * ... TRASH: Steve Green wrote to tell me there is an app called "City Sourced" that can be used to report graffiti and trash. Said Green: "Just go to the city of Bakersfield website for this app that is customized for Bakersfield. Once you have the app on your phone you can open the app, create a service request for everything from potholes, graffiti, landscaping, and illegal dumping amount other issues as well. When creating your request you have the ability to submit a picture and it will also mark the location with the GPS coordinates."

 * ... GRANTS: Congratulations to the winners of several sizable grants from The Bakersfield Californian (family) Foundation. Fall cycle winners included the Kern Literacy Council for its Fighting Illiteracy program, $25,000; the Special Olympics Southern California for $25,000; the
California Recreation Foundation/One Spade Youth Packers’ One Spade Youth Packers Improvement project for $50,000; the Wildlands Conservancy for its San Emigdio Sunset Theater at the Wind Wolves Preserve, $50,000; and the Kern Medical Center Foundation for its Infusion Therapy Clinic for $100,000.

 * ... BAKERSFIELDISM: Kurt Seeger posed this question for all you old timers out there: " Who remembers the Let`s Eat sign on Golden State Highway, in front of the old Rancho Bakersfield Motel and restaurant?"

A new audit slams the University of California system for favoring foreign and out of state students because they pay higher tuitions, Mayor Harvey Hall shows more class and no, Trader Joe's is not shutting down

* ... UC SYSTEM: A new report sharply criticized the University of California system for favoring foreign and out of state students over California residents simply because they pay more in tuition.

This probably shouldn't come as any surprise, but the audit was the harshest criticism yet for the UC system that has long been under attack for admitting more out of state students as a way to balance its budget. It recommended, among other things, a cap on foreign and out of state students as well as stricter entrance requirements. How many outstanding, high achieving California students do you know who have been forced to out out of state simply because the UC System needs more money?

 * ... HARVEY HALL: Among the reasons I will miss Harvey Hall as mayor is the way he welcomes, embraces and appreciates all voices in our community. Among those voices is the local Sikh community, which is significant and growing, and which will hold its annual parade and celebration later this month. Hall is now appearing on public affairs spots on local television promoting the event, and we can only hope his successor is equally as welcoming to all diverse elements who share this place we call home.

 * ... APRIL FOOLS: What was the Yahoo! news site thinking by allowing someone to post an April Fools story saying Trader Joe's was shutting all of its 500 stores across the country? The story, posted Thursday the day before April 1, went viral on social media before it was exposed for just what it was, a premature bad joke.

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "I think the only way I’ll ever be motivated to go to the gym is if I’m in prison."

 * ... OVERHEARD: "The only thing worse than smokers are the smokers who dump their ashtrays into a parking lot."

 * ... SHARP SHOOTER: Frontier High school junior Remington DeWitt has done it again, earning yet another accolade in the sport of skeet shooting. DeWitt, daughter of Stuart and Kourtney DeWitt, has been named to the Zone 7 All Area Ladies team that will compete in the regional shoot next month in Phoenix. Not bad for a 16 year old.

 * ... MEMORIES: John Strand from Lake Isabella says you might a Bakersfield old-timer "if you remember Marge Stiles (Styles?).  She was the weather lady at KERO-TV when studios were in the El Tejon Hotel downtown. Even though her monochrome graphics consisted of a grease marker and some Plexiglas, and there were no weather satellites, her forecasts were surprisingly accurate."

Ken Metter criticizes Rep. Kevin McCarthy and then sics a lawyer on a radio host who joins the fray, thanking Harvey Hall and tackling a new hike

 * ... METTLER: So who knew former Kern High School District trustee Ken Mettler has such a thin skin? Mettler penned a "Community Voices" column in The Californian last week in which he lashed out at Rep. Kevin McCarthy for being "a former used car salesman turned taxpayer-paid politician" with no principles. Mettler fancies himself as a true conservative so you can imagine what the rest of the column said. Okay so far, so good, it is Mettler's opinion and we were happy to provide him a forum. But when you willingly join the debate circle you can bet you might be in for some criticism yourself. Which is exactly what radio host Ralph Bailey (KERN NewsTalk 96.1 FM/1180 AM) did last week, calling out Mettler on his hypocrisy and challenging his facts. So how does Mettler respond? He had his lawyer send a cease and desist letter to KERN corporate owner American General Media and then - get this - sends a similar letter to The Californian asking us not to report any Bailey criticism of Mettler. Goodness Ken, you should know better. As they say in Havana, "boca cerrada, no entran moscas."

* ... HARVEY: On the other end of the decorum spectrum is Mayor Harvey Hall, who announced last week he would not seek re-election. Here's my note to you, Harvey: Thank you for your service. Your gift has always been your genuine kindness and concern for all citizens of our town, no matter their race, religion or economic stature. You eschewed the polarization and divisiveness that is part and parcel of politics today (see Mettler above item), and instead you always took the high road. Like the happy warrior Hubert Humphrey, you wore your love for Bakersfield on your pin-striped sleeve, and for that we all owe you a word of thanks.

 * ... JAR TRAIL: I got out Sunday and tackled the Jar Trail, an incredibly steep two-mile ascent that climbs more than 1,000 feet per mile. It's located at the mouth of the Kern River Canyon and provides the most breath-taking views in town. But be advised: if you want to make it to the top, bring hiking sticks, water and snacks because for people of moderate fitness, the climb can take two to three hours. (They say a fitness buff nick named "the beast" can make the ascent in 32 minutes). This trail is not for beginners, but for those looking for a challenge, go for it. And please, if you go don't leave trash and water bottles on the trail.

 * ... BAD FORM: Bryan Kelly just can't seem to get a break. Remember Bryan? He is the former Trader Joe's employee who a few years ago found a soiled diaper stuffed inside a shoe box at a local Walmart. Well, it happened again, this time at the Walmart in the Northeast. While strolling through the store he stumbled upon two women changing the diaper of a small boy, right where the Pampers were displayed. The women casually opened a new box of Pampers, pulled out a diaper, put it on the boy and stuffed the used diaper back in the box of Pampers. "They put the used Pamper in the package and turned it around so one could not tell it had been opened. I finally cleared my way out of the remnants of the tower of babel and out into our unhealthy fresh air. Have you ever showered with a mixture of Comet, Lysol and vinegar?"

 * ... KERN RIVER VALLEY: Some folks up in Lake Isabella are holding a fund raiser to build a skate park for local kids. According to Karene R. Williams, a group of local volunteers has aligned itself with the non-profit California Recreation Foundation to raise the funds. "We have the support of First District Supervisor Mick Gleason as well as Parks and Recreation Director Bob Lerude. Kern County Parks and Recreation is providing the location at no cost. Once the skate park is built, it will be turned over to the county for upkeep and maintenance." The group hopes to raise $150,000.
Donations can be made to California Recreation Foundation and mailed to 2809 Irwin Avenue, Lake Isabella, CA 93240.

 * ... BAKERSFIELDISM: Ronal Reynier writes that you might be a Bakersfield old timer if you remember when high schools had "occupational classes... when Bakersfield Community College was at BHS and you went to Bakersfield Community College tuition free. Times have changed. We used to leave our books on an outside window sill and the next day they were still there."

Former residential home builder Kyle Carter readies for a run for mayor, celebrating the small-town feel of Bakersfield and noting some good form about town

 * … MAYOR: Mayor Harvey Hall's term in office doesn't expire for another year, but already folks are lining up to replace Hall if he chooses not to seek reelection. One name mentioned frequently is Kyle Carter, the former residential home builder who was recently elected to the Kern Community College District. Carter is deeply involved in the community and has recently been investing in downtown properties. He successfully sold the company bearing his name before the recession hit, and he would no doubt be a formidable candidate. Meanwhile Kevin Burton, who runs the foundation over at San Joaquin Community Hospital, is also eager to run. "It's all Kevin talks about," said one of his friends. Hall has served as mayor since 2000 and told me he would announce his intentions in February of next year.

 * … SMALL TOWN: Another reason to celebrate our "small town" feel comes from reader Aneta Adams: "Over the weekend, I caught two of the Bakersfield episodes of Diners, Drive-ins and Dives.  You know it's not Bakersfield if you don't see someone you know! At KC's Steakhouse, it was Howdy Miller and Gary Crabtree. At Mama Roomba, it was H.A. Sala. How did the restaurants choose the patrons for the show? I also caught the episode with Salty's. Both were good representations of Btown!"

 * … BAD FORM: Emily Shapiro was in res room at Barnes and Noble when she spotted this example of bad form. "In an era of water depletion, conserving water is of the utmost importance. However, this past Saturday around 5 p.m. at Barnes and Noble I noticed a patron in the ladies room who after washing and drying her hands left the water running full blast. Not only is it bad manners, but the lack of consideration for others is astounding."

 * … WATER: Reader Gene Bonas' note about the length of time it takes hot water to reach the other end of the house drew this comment from Lee Altmar, himself a former sailor like Gene. "A trick we used when I lived in Santa Barbara during the drought of the 1980s was to keep a 5-gallon bucket or two in the shower. We would fill the bucket(s) while waiting for the water to get hot, then use the water for cleaning (e.g., dishes and floors). The fun thing about Bakersfield is that, in the summer, it takes even longer for the water to get cold enough to use. I've had to brush my teeth with water that was almost boiling."

 * … NORTHEAST: Penny Young responded to a reader's rant about the lack of new retail in the Northeast. Said Penny: "Needless to say, we enjoy your column for all the voices and personalities and events and tidbits that come to light. Today Elizabeth Trainor was spot on about the feelings of northeast residents and our lack of shopping while there are such exuberant openings on the other side of town. However, I think she was a little hard on Ken Weir, our Councilmember Ward 3. It appears she misses some of the information published in The Californian. Very recently Mr. Weir organized a public forum at the new Paul Cato Middle School where he brought together directors of 5 agencies connected with development in the NE, (transportation, parks, etc.) It was enlightening, well-received, well-attended, and well-reported by Theo Douglas. It's easy to miss things, and I am sorry that Ms. Trainor has 'never seen or heard from him over the years.'  If  Ms. Trainor Googles Bakersfield City Council and clicks on the first link, she will be able to solve her problem of being 'unable to discover his email address.' (These comments are not meant in a smarty tone, but just to give more balanced perspective.)"

 * … MEMORIES: Here's a puzzler from reader Cheryl Hyde Reid: "I recently obtained my great grandfather's death certificate.  It states that he died at the Stockdale Country Club Hospital in 1940.  I was born here in 1947, and don't remember that hospital.  Does anyone else recall a Stockdale Country Club Hospital?"

Temple Beth El to honor Harvey Hall with 2009 Hillel Award

Mayor Harvey Hall gets a lot of chances to cut ribbons and get his picture taken, but next week he'll be given an honor of real substance when he will be presented with the 2009 Hillel Award by Temple Beth El. The Hillel Award honors a community leader who exemplifies the "spirit of the ancient sage Hillel the Elder ... known for his kindness, his gentleness, his concern for humanity, his moral and legal decisions are the cornerstone for Jewish tradition." Previous Hillel recipients include Wendy Wayne, Mayor Bob Price and Dr. Jess Diamond. Like all politicos Harvey may have his flaws - he can be a bit thin skinned - but no one can doubt his commitment to our community and the countless hours he puts in to improve our image both locally and elsewhere. Local political consultant Gene Tackett (husband of Wendy Wayne) will be the event MC and Fred Drew, new CEO over at the Kern Community Foundation, will give the introduction speech.

Famous words from Hillel include: "If I am not for myself, who is for me, but if I am for my own self (only), what am I? And if not now, when? ... That which is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbor. That is the whole Torah; the rest is commentary. Go and study it."

Temple Beth El is Bakersfield's Reform Synagogue and has been serving the community for more than 60 years. Rabbi Cheryl Rosenstein leads services Friday nights and the third Saturday of the month. Harvey will be honored Thursday, May 14, at the Doubletree Hotel. Tickets run $85 each or $850 a table. For more information, call 661-322-7607.