Kern County's CAO warns the Newsom administration its energy policies could devastate our economy, the strange case of Michael Bowers and we lose two civil voices in town: KERO's Elaina Rusk and The Californian's Herb Benham

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. 

 * ... ALARM BELL: Kern County's chief administrative officer has fired a warning shot across the bow of the Newsom administration, charging that its "Regions Rising Together" economic plan will "devastate" our economy by destroying thousands of high paying jobs in the energy sector. Alsop's warning came in an Op-Ed piece for The Californian where he denounced as "insufficient" a one-time $15 million fund to train displaced oil workers. "With 1 in 7 workers in Kern employed by or associated with the petroleum industry, the state's efforts to shut down energy production translates into layoffs, business closures, human suffering and greatly impacts the county's ability to provide necessary services including health care, police and fire, education and social service," he wrote. Alsop went on to argue that the state had "no realistic plan" for Kern County. "There is no ability to retain high quality jobs, no obvious industry waiting in the wings and no existing plan to expand a fraying safety net," Alsop said. Will Newsom listen? What do you think?

 * ... THE HOMELESS ISSUE: It's a new year but don't expect 2022 to be much different than the past couple years when it comes to the homeless. Let's just be honest here: a lot has been accomplished over the past couple years as the city and county have thrown millions into the fight against homelessness. Dozens of once homeless are now in their own apartments and more have been counseled out. Hundreds are being exposed to mental health and substance abuse counselors at the new homeless navigation

centers. All that is terrific, but this is also true: the homeless still rule our streets and alleyways, and no amount of cheerleading can change that. Our city is an awful mess. The Kern River Parkway bike path, once the crown jewel of Bakersfield, has been rendered a dangerous, filthy place. I ride that path almost every day and between the drug addicts and mentally ill, it is not a safe place to be alone cycling, walking or running. And yet, our city accepts it as our fate. When was the last time you heard our mayor or anyone on the city council lament what our city has become? Well, I haven't heard it either. And finally there is this: one day (and I take no joy in predicting this) there will be a horrific crime involving a vagrant. Someone will die, or be seriously injured. There will be the predictable press conferences and hand wringing, but by then it will be too late. And all the warning signs were there.

 * ... THEY DID WHAT? I don't know the full story behind the attempt by City Councilman Eric Arias to push Michael Bowers off the Planning Commission, but it doesn't sound right. In fact, it stinks. Bowers, a rising star and next generation leader in town who just happens to have worked for Republican politicians, said he is considering moving and that would render him ineligible to continue to serve on the Planning Committee. So far, so good. But along comes Arias, seemingly hellbent on putting a target on Bowers' back, leading a charge to get Bowers off the city panel before he has moved. At least that's the way Bowers put it and it took a groundswell of support for Bowers in the black community to retain his seat, even if it is only for a few weeks or months. I understand politics and Arias' desire to appoint his own people, but Bowers is a smart, articulate guy and Arias committed a huge blunder trying to speed the process. It made him look small, petty and undignified. Bowers dismissed it as all politics, which seems gracious in this case. 

 * ... ADIOS AND FAREWELL: Bakersfield lost two of its strongest voices and personalities this week, both due to retirements of sorts. First, longtime Californian columnist Herb Benham announced his retirement, ending a few decades of column writing that paid a tribute to family, neighbors, the weather and whatever issues Herb was tackling at the time. He will now write once a week, on Sunday, in a special contract arrangement with The Californian. Also leaving is Elaina Rusk, the KERO-TV meteorologist whose professionalism, wit and grace was on display for more than 13 years. For Rusk it was a family decision. Both Rusk and Benham will be remaining in Kern County but their contributions to civility and our community will be missed.

 * ... MEMORIES: Compliments of the Kern County of Old Facebook page, take a look at the old Kern County Courthouse and other shots of old downtown.

Remembering a big boned neighborhood dog named Gennie, a star at the Fox Theater for the late Wendy Wayne and do we really want full dinner service in movie theaters?

 * ... RIP GENNIE: Pets are like friends, even if they didn't belong to you. So it was with a heavy heart that I read that Gennie, the big boned, 16-year-old white muzzled Lab mix that belonged to Herb and Sue Benham, had finally died. I got to know Gennie when I would feed her and her blind

companion, Poco, when the Benhams were out of town being doting grand parents. Even on those days when I didn't provide the occasional rib bones from Luigi's, Gennie was ever grateful for the attention and a fresh bowl of food and water. She was a big girl and I suppose imposing to a stranger with bad intentions, but to me she was sweet Gennie who embodied all that is good about Bakersfield: born of humble origins, a bit awkward for her size, yet grateful, loving and determined to make that last two block walk until the day she could not longer muster the strength. The selfless love of a dog or cat is unequalled in this world even if she doesn't happen to be yours. RIP Ms Gennie.

 * ... WENDY WAYNE: The next time you are at the Fox Theater downtown make sure you check out the new 'walk of fame' star honoring Wendy Wayne, the big hearted community activist who died of cancer in July of 2012. The star was uncovered on a beautiful Saturday morning by her husband Gene Tackett and a couple dozen friends and family members. Tackett read a poem by an unknown author called "I'm Free" that ends this way: "Perhaps my time seemed all good brief, don't lengthen it now with undue grief, lift up your hears and share with me .. I'm free." Wendy would be 69 today had she survived her cancer.

* ... SILVER FOX: Expect the renovated Silver Fox Starlite Lounge to reopen by the first of March. That's the word from the new owners Rod and Julie Crawford, who have pledged to bring the Silver Fox back to its old glory. The interior now sports a beautiful, classic black and silver wallpaper that beckons back to the hey day of old Bakersfield, a fresh new coat of paint has been added and expect to see new "Silver Fox" signage in the coming weeks.

* ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "Imagine how fun Pringles would be if the cans were spring-loaded."

 * ... HISTORY: Did you know that there used to be two elementary schools on the site where Bakersfield Fire Station No. 1 is now located at H and 21st streets? The first was called Bryant Grammar School until it burned in 1889 and the second was simply called the H Street grammar school. I learned this on the 'Kern County of Old' Facebook page, a wealth of information about our community.

 * ... MOVIE THEATERS: I have already weighed in on the idea of serving full meals and cocktails in movie theaters - that would be a resounding 'no' - but Carole Cohen told me about a better idea that she experienced in New Mexico recently. "I recently attended the movies in Santa Fe.  Lots of different food and beverages, including alcohol, served IN THE LOBBY, where tables and chairs were plentiful. Some items could be taken into the theater, but I didn't really see big food orders going in. I'm assuming this was mainly because, with reserved seating, no one was let into their individual theater until 10 mins before show time. (All seats were reserved, and tickets could be purchased by machine in the lobby, several days in advance, or through the usual means -
humans behind a counter.) The theater was always packed and their business model was obviously popular. It seemed much better suited to the Bakersfield market."