Experts say we may be flattening the curve on the coronavirus but warn us not to let off the pressure... plus Tim Calahan joins Clinica Sierra Vista, keep an eye on Ishaan Brar and wearing masks as fashion statements

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 person or organization.

 * ... CORONAVIRUS:  Are we seeing the light at the end of the tunnel in the fight against the coronavirus? Judging by our ability to flatten the curve, it appears we are all making good progress, but experts tell us not to let off the pressure. Dr. Hemmal Kothary told KGET Kern County is not yet

a "hot spot" but it could well become one, if we stop practicing social distancing. Over at Bakersfield Heart Hospital, cardiologist Dr. Brij Bhambi echoed that sentiment: "If we fail to implement an incremental approach and near total compliance we will allow the virus to come back with a vengeance. The light at the end of the tunnel cannot be the train rushing at us."

 * ... BLACK SWAN: If you are like me, you have grown weary of the finger pointing in Washington and the search for someone to blame in this pandemic. Is it Trump's fault? Was the administration prepared? Was it Obama's fault? What about George Bush, was he prepared? For me, the coronavirus is s classic "black swan" event, an unpredictable catastrophe that is beyond what is normally expected and has potentially severe consequences. Black swans are characterized by their extreme rarity, their severe impact, and the widespread insistence they were obvious in hindsight. A little research shows the black swan as "an extremely rare event with severe consequences. It cannot be predicted beforehand, though many claim it should be predictable after the fact. Black swan events can cause catastrophic damage to an economy, and because they cannot be predicted, can only be prepared for by building robust systems." So here is a plea: how about we all pull together and stop politicizing one of the greatest health crises of our generation.

 * ... TIM CALAHAN: Former KERO TV evening anchor Tim Calahan has joined Clinics Sierra Vista as director of public relations and community development. Calahan previously worked KGET TV and the Mission of Kern County and said he is excited to join Sierra "to serve the community and healthcare marketplace in such a critical time. Families up and down the centra valley are concerned about their health during the Covid 19 crisis. I'm excited to serve the public interest, and support our doctors, nurses and critical staff on the front lines of this battle, it is truly an honor. I'll be responsible for providing critical information to the public about Clinica Sierra Vista mitigation efforts, how the public can be tested for Covid 19, and future plans for Clinica. My 13 plus years of experience in Kern County, both in news broadcasting and community non-profits have prepared me for this role, I'm excited to continue to serve the pubic--and look forward to the days ahead, we will be a stronger community because of it--excited to help take Clinica into the next chapter!"

 * ... A STAR IS BORN: Keep an eye on Ishaan Brar, a Stockdale High School junior who continues to excel academically - and astound - us all. Brar, a science whiz and the son of two doctors, is spending his quarantine producing podcasts featuring interviews with local doctors discussing the coronavirus. He is streaming the podcasts called Brarcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. (Brar pictured here during a recent appearance on The Richard Beene Show)

 * ... MASKS: Well we knew this would happen. Ordered to wear masks, some will take that as a fashion challenge while others will simply do their own thing. Can you identify these local celebrities behind the masks?

 * ... RAINBOW: The rains earlier this week brought spectacular rainbows about town. Here are a few.

 * ... MEMORIES: Enjoy these old color pictures of the Lebec Hotel, once a grand and famous landmark on the old Ridge Route before Interstate 5 was constructed. It no longer exists.

Supervisor Leticia Perez's amazing comeback, Frank DeMarco of Rosemary's Creamery dies, Anna Lavin named to head the Kern County homeless collaborative and Chevron gives Taft College $156,000

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 person or organization.

 * ... LETICIA PEREZ: Not long ago many had written Leticia Perez off, dismissed as irrelevant in today's political climate and certain she could not recover from the legal problems involving her husband's role in promoting marijuana. But like the mythical phoenix she not only rose from the ashes but came roaring back, and here she was Wednesday night speaking at the State of the County dinner as chair of the Kern County Board of Supervisors. And not only that, but she did so as the defender of the oil and natural

gas industry, speaking passionately about how work in the oil fields has allowed so many families to rise out of poverty. Who would have thought that a lifelong Democrat, once fighting for her political life and subjected to relentless criticism by local right wing radio, would be a pivotal player in the fight to save the fossil fuel industry? "No one ever doubted her intelligence," one political insider told me, "but the way she has positioned herself is nothing short of brilliant. " And make no mistake but conservative Kern County needs allies in the office of Gov. Gavin Newsom, who seems hellbent on putting the oil industry out of business. "If she has the governor's ear and it helps Kern County," the insider continued, "well that is important." (photo by Sam Morgan)

 * ... RIP FRANK: Frank DeMarco, one of the original owners of Rosemary's Creamery, has passed away at the age of 89. DeMarco and his wife, Rosemary, started Rosemary's in November 1984 and over the years the F Street store became a favorite place for people to recognize birthdays and special anniversaries. Family members said DeMarco had been suffering from heart and kidney issues and had been under hospice care. Frank and Rosemary were high school sweethearts and celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary in December. Their daughters, Roseanne and Katie, run the family business with DeMarco's grandson Patrick. Services are set for next Wednesday at St. Francis of Assisi. A rosary service is set for 10:30 a.m. followed by an 11 a.m. mass.

 * ... SMART KIDS: So you think you were a smart kid? Have you met Ishaan Brar, a junior at Stockdale High School? The local student was named to the prestigious Global Team Leaders, a group of 35 young people from 18 countries who have achieved the ability to creating innovative technologies that encourage healthy communities. He is the son of rheumatologist Dr. Sumeet Bhinder and nephrologist Dr. Harjeet Brar.

 * ... GRIMMWAY: Hats off to Grimmway Farms for donating $5 million to CSUB to establish the Grimm Center for Agricultural Business, the largest single gift ever bestowed on our local university. The money will come over three years and comes from an endowment created by Barbara Grimm-Marshall and Kari Grimm Anderson. The gift coincides with Grimmway's 50th anniversary in business.

 * ... TAFT COLLEGE: And also a big hats off to Chevron which gave the Taft College Foundation $156,000 to help fund the development of the allied health and sciences lab, specifically by providing medical equipment for expansion of the TC anatomy and physiology curriculum. This donation will strengthen Taft College’s collaboration with Kern County schools by expanding classes for STEM careers, said Sheri Horn-Bunk, executive director of the TC Foundation.

 * ... ANNA LAVIN: Bakersfield College administrator Anna Gavin has been named the new head of the homeless collaborative. Gavin has worked at BC for three years and is now the first executive director of the organization, which seeks to coordinate the efforts of multiple agencies to fight homelessness in our community.

 * ... THUGS: I spotted this on Facebook. Beware of folks who walk our streets. The caption read: "The Bakersfield Police Department is requesting the community’s assistance in identifying suspects responsible for an assault. The incident occurred on November 2, 2019, in the 2500 block of Wible Road. The victim was walking to a convenience store in the area when he was assaulted by the suspects... Anyone with information regarding this case is encouraged to call Detective Eric Celedon at (661) 326-3964 or the Bakersfield Police Department at (661) 327-7111.

 * ... KERN SCHOOLS: One of the most familiar brands in town - Kern Schools Federal Credit Union- is going away. The company has announced it's changing its name as part of plans of expand in the region and is opting for Valley Strong Credit Union. Kern Schools was founded in 1938 to serve local teachers before eventually expanding to general Kern County residents, according to its website.

 * ... MYSTERY PHOTO: I spotted this old photo on the Kern County of Old Facebook page. It was taken somewhere in Bakersfield. Do you know where?

Facial recognition technology is here and chances are they know who you are, the city of Bakersfield faces a decision on the homeless issue, Kevin McCarthy loses a beloved pet and Stockale student Ishaan Brar gets some top honors

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 person or organization.

 * ... FACIAL RECOGNITION: You know how they always say the future is here? Well when it comes to facial recognition technology, it is true. According to a story in The New York Times, a company called Clearview AI has broken new ground in facial recondition technology, scrolling through Facebook, LinkenIn, YouTube, Venmo and other sites to grab pictures of all of us and

compile them in huge databases that make it relatively easy to match any face to a real name. Police departments love it - some have already signed on to solve numerous cases - but civil libertarians are alarmed because of privacy concerns. But think for a minute, what this technology can do in the hands of responsible law enforcement. That picture of the scumbag who broke into your car? Clearview AI would give police a name in seconds. That couple who shoplifted but were caught on camera? Ditto. It is all here, and the truth is, if you are on social media at all, it is likely your identity has already been catalogued in Clearview's vast database, for better or for worse.

 * ... HOMELESS QUESTION: Will the city of Bakersfield finally decide what to do about building a homeless shelter this week? Rightfully so, the city council has come under increasingly harsh criticism for its failure to address the issue, postponing and delaying it time and again as it struggles to find a location to build its shelter. This Tuesday we may get an answer and it appears to come down to two choices: purchase 17 acres of land on East Brundage and build a shelter there, or join the county to help fund the county shelter set to open next week. Councilman Willie Rivera opts for joining the county, while Councilman Andrae Gonzales is in favor of the old Calcot facility on East Brundage. Stay tuned.

* ... RIP MAC: Kevin and Judy McCarthy are mourning the death of their longtime pet Mac, a tri colored Australian Shepherd who passed away of cancer. The House Minority Leader posted this picture of Mac on Facebook to announce his passing. Mac was the familiar companion of McCarthy when he would make his daily walks through the CSUB campus while visiting his home district.

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "One minute you are young and cool, maybe even a little dangerous, and the next minute you are reading Amazon reviews for birdseed."

 * ... RISING STAR: Congratulations to Ishaan Brar, a Stockdale High School student who has been named one of the 35 global teens making a difference. Brar, son of Dr. Sumeet Bhinder, was named to the prestigious 2020 Global Teen Leaders group representing 18 countries on six continents. They were recognized for "harnessing creativity to positively impact the world."

 * ... MEMORIES: Yet another picture of the old Bakersfield Inn thanks to the folks of the Kern County of Old Facebook page. Enjoy.