Wildfires turn the sun a blood orange and air is thick with crud, the Parks-Karli family come back for a visit and we finally get a (small) break in the heat wave

Monday, August 6, 2018

 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 place. Email your news and notes to rsbeene@yahoo.com.

 * ... NUCLEAR WINTER? Bakersfield is never at its best in the summer, but the impact of the smoke from the wild fires, including a new one off Breckenridge Road, has made this a particularly

ugly period. On Saturday, the sun was blood red, the air thick with the acrid stench of smoke, and when you add in the legions of homeless wandering our streets like dazed zombies, it was not exactly a Chamber of Commerce weekend for our community. And speaking of the homeless, have you noticed they seem to be everywhere? Downtown has always had its issues with the homeless, but a casual drive around town you will find them deep in the Southwest and Northwest, all along Ming Avenue and yes, even out at the Shops at the Riverwalk on Stockdale Highway.

* ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "If a man said he’ll fix it, he will. There is no need to remind him every six months about it."

 * ... SPOTTED ON FACEBOOK: The Bakersfield Californian's Steven Mayer posted this on Facebook: "As the air slowly kills you, remember to enjoy the toxic sunsets as you sink into oblivion."

* ... MERLE'S HOUSE: Only in Bakersfield do you open the newspaper to find a house for sale that was once owned by the late country music legend Merle Haggard. The house, located in the Bakersfield Country Club area, is priced at $359,000. The headline above the picture read: "Merle and Bonnie Haggard's History."

 * ... REUNION: Former KERO TV anchors Jackie Parks and husband Todd Karli were back in Bakersfield this past week. The couple, who left town to join a TV station in Maryland, made the rounds catching up with old friends and co-workers. Parks and Karli were always a class act, and much like Jim Scott and Robin Mangarin Scott, made Bakersfield their home for many years before finally moving on.

 * ... GOOD FORM: Hats off to the off duty police officer who confronted a homeless man digging through a trash can and tossing the content across the sidewalk at 19th and Eye streets on Saturday. The homeless man became belligerent until the officer quietly showed him his badge and told him that "some of us want our city to look better. Put the trash back in the can."

 * ... MEMORIES: Check out the old Bank of America building at the corner of Chester and 20th Street, now the home of Stars Theatre.

Hats off to Sal Moretti for cleaning up a community eyesore, Californians rush to buy guns and ammunition and Jackie Parks remembers Bryan Kelly

* ... TRASH: Here's a shout-out to Sal Moretti and the folks over at the city Solid Waste Division for taking the time to clean up a stretch of road that has become a community eyesore. After I posted last week about the mounds of garbage (mattresses, chairs, couches, old washing machines etc) that people

illegally discarded off Fairfax (the old county dump road) Moretti privately messaged me that he was going to send crews out to clean it up. And that they did. Supervisor Robert Manuel and his team filled several dump trucks full and left the area pristine. The city can't force people to do the right thing, and it must be tiring to spend so much time and energy cleaning up after people who view the world as their own personal toilet. But thank you Sal. So here is my remedy for that road: since it already is a dead end, close it off at Fairfax with a gate and code to allow access to authorized personnel. There is no reason for any vehicles to travel that road. And finally, shed the name Old County Dump Road and name it after Sal. (Before and after pictures provided by Sal Moretti)

* ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "On my marriage license, where they ask in which state I live, I wrote: Depression."

 * ... GUN LAWS: There's another rush on guns and ammunition in California, thanks to a legislature that embraces some of the toughest anti-gun laws in the country. Remarked Realtor Michael Richert: "I’m not good on a crowded day at Disneyland, or anywhere for that matter where my space bubble is pierced. That was never more evident on Saturday, December 17 when I stopped by for some ammo at a local gun store. The last Saturday to purchase certain types of riffles and it was chaos. We usually stay dormant unless someone tells us we can’t have something anymore."

 * ... BRYAN KELLY: When I wrote about the death of 63-year-old Bryan Kelly the other day, it triggered this response from former KBAK anchor Jackie Parks, who moved to a TV market outside of Baltimore with husband Todd Karli. Said Jackie: "You see, he was a dear friend of my eccentric aunt Millie when she lived in Bakersfield many, many years ago. He would later keep her updated on my life (from watching me on TV) and was thrilled to meet me one day at Trader Joe's so he could let Millie know. Over the years he chatted with me about the birth of our kids, recommended kid-friendly foods, talked to them about their interests, encouraged piano and ballet lessons (neither which took hold for long) and never failed to ask about Millie who, at 92, will be heartbroken to hear he is gone. Thanks for writing such a nice farewell."

* ... MAILBOX THEFT: I received a note from reader Kelly Clanton with this plea: "We have suffered our third mail theft this year, this time Friday night with Christmas packages taken from our dropbox. Last time a check was forged and we had to get a new account. At least 10 mail thefts have occurred within a half mile radius of our 'safe' northwest neighborhood this year. Sending this to encourage Postmaster Linda La Force, postal inspectors Jeff Fitch and Bill Zembridge and  Congressman Kevin McCarthy to work faster on this for us, and come up with an immediate solution please.  Running to the mailbox to pick up our mail mid day and driving miles to the post office to drop off outgoing mail is not the answer."

 * ... GOOD SERVICE: James in Taft wrote to thank someone who goes over and above with customer service: "Last Sunday morning (12/18/16) at 7 a.m. I was warming up with my morning tea as it was 32 outside, when my doorbell rang. I thought who would be hear that early. When I opened the door and I was surprised it was my Californian deliverer, Michelle Ayala in Taft. She handed me my paper and said it was too cold to have to come out and get it. She has been doing a great job and it was a pleasure to give her a Christmas gift as I try and do every year.  So all you subscribers be sure and do the same for your deliverer as they have to endure all types of weather and conditions.
MERRY CHRISTMAS."

Kern High School District to comply with federal policy on transgender access to restrooms, the crowded Bakersfield mayor's race and more memories of old Bako

 * ... KHSD: No matter how you feel about the issue of transgender rights, the Kern High School District board of trustees did the right thing in voting to comply with the new - albeit controversial -

law regarding open access to restrooms. Now, with that said, I do believe President Obama erred in not allowing a full national debate on the issue before handing down the guidelines, but that's the way it rolled out and we have to deal with it or potentially forfeit millions of dollars in funding. As for trustee Chad Vegas' decision not to seek reelection because federal law conflicts with this religion, that was the right move for a pastor who believes his personal religious views trump civil policy. Jesse Aguilar spoke to it eloquently: "The board has no authority in deciding which laws the district
will follow and which they will not. If the latter is what some board members want to do, I suggest a run for the state legislature or congress. Please do not use our Kern High students as political hostages for personal, ideological agendas."

 * ... MAYORAL FEE: Did you know it only costs a $25 filing fee to run for mayor? So is it any wonder we had 25 candidates, some well meaning, some a bit odd, some resembling Manchurian candidates and all vying for our attention? Is it time to raise the cost of entry, if for nothing else to attract those who are truly serious about serving our community?

* ... KERO: I ran into KERO TV anchor Tim Callahan the other day, and he introduced me to Jacki Ochoa, his new evening co-anchor replacing Jackie Parks, who left to join her husband in Maryland after 27 years in the local market. Ochoa is a native of California who most recently was a reporter in Seattle. She also worked in Phoenix, Omaha and Redding and is a graduate of the University of Denver.

* ... SPOTTED: "Cardigans. Because you don't want to be murdered while pulling a sweater over your head."

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "I live for those really small but special moments in life, like when I see the waiter bringing my food to the table."

 * ... GOOD FORM: Susan Reep wrote to brag about the white-glove customer service she received from Lupe Sanchez, assistant service manager at Jim Burke Ford.  "He told me that he loved reading about the old days and he remembered Krauter’s Nursery on Kentucky Street where he grew up. He said they had lots of animals around there and once they found a big snake in their yard and called Mr. Krauter who came with his forked stick and got it and took it back to his place. "

 * ... ICE CREAM: Earle Murie is among the readers who remembers when ice cream came packaged in paper cubes. Said Murie: "I distinctly remember cubed ice cream because my father worked for the Arden Farms Milk Company from the early 1930s to the 1960s when he retired. In 1948 my mother opened a restaurant in Pomona, where we lived and where my dad was assistant manager for Arden. He was excited about the new product his company was promoting: cubed ice cream. So he convinced my mother to include the product in the menu. I was working for my mother at that time, having graduated from Pomona High School in 1947, and experienced the frustration of trying to make a milkshake or iced cream soda from a cube that had to be unwrapped before it could be placed in a container. Needless to say, cubed ice cream did not last long, at least with Arden!"

 * ... MEMORIES: Marjorie Poor Payne wrote that her farther was a dairyman who shipped milk to the Carnation plan on Union Avenue years ago. "My other and I plus four to five siblings would drive into Bakersfield to shop and one sibling took piano lessons at Toons Music Studio on Chester Avenue. I remember driving by the big Carnation plan and stopping for a milk shake - always a special treat - and they served food also."

Memorial Day in Bakersfield, Monsignor Craig Harrison readies for a 10-day fast in an Italian cave, and the end of an era on local television

 * ... MEMORIAL DAY: Did you know Memorial Day was initiated to honor those in the Union and Confederate armies that died during our Civil War? Originally called Decoration Day, it was first

celebrated on May 30, 1868. On this Memorial Day, I took time to remember Harold Swysgood, a young infantryman who died in the battle of Anzio in January 1944. He was 20 years old when he died in Italy. His younger sister back in the tiny hamlet of Saint Marys, Ohio, was my mother.

 * ... FATHER CRAIG: I had a chance to catch up with Monsignor Craig Harrison at a dinner party this weekend, and he shared that he is headed to Italy next month for his annual pilgrimage to Assisi, the birthplace of St. Francis, founder of the Franciscan religious order. This will be Harrison's 44th trip to Assisi, where he spends 10 days alone in a dark cave (no bathroom, no electricity, just a notepad, one candle - it has to last 10 days - and the barest of meals that show up at the cave entrance). "I don't see anybody for 10 days, nobody," he told me. "It's a time of reflection and you find yourself talking to butterflies and birds." Harrison called it a "Franciscan cleanse" and it is something he looks forward to every year. Curiously, I find the whole concept appealing.

* ... END OF AN ERA: When Jackie Parks left KERO TV after 27 years in Bakersfield, it truly seemed to mark and end of an era when local anchors stayed on and embraced this community as their home. Within an hour of her last newscast last Friday, Parks joined fellow former anchors Lisa Kimble Edmonston (KGET, KERO) and Robin Mangarin Scott (KERO, KGET) at the home of former KBAK reporter and marketing director Don Martin to share stores and toast the future. Parks is headed to Maryland to join husband Todd Karli at a local affiliate.

* ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "Whenever I start to hate my job I think about the camera crew who has to follow the Kardashian’s 24/7."

 * ... SPOTTED ON FACEBOOK: Friend at Memorial Day BBQ: I see you wasted no time with the white pants. Me: These are my legs.

 * ...MEMORIES: My friend Susan Reep submitted this tidbit to see if it would spark any memories: "I have lunch quarterly with a group of Hollywood High alums, and one said her family used to stop for ice cream long ago in Bakersfield on their way up the valley. She thinks it was Carnation. Does anyone remember a Carnation ice cream shop or plant? By long ago I mean 60 years or thereabouts."

KERO TV anchor Jackie Parks leaves Bakersfield after 27 years, Kyle Carter addresses the gay question and celebrating those kids going on to college

 * ... PARKS: The Bakersfield television market has long been used as a stepping stone for local anchors and reporters to get some experience and trade it in for a better job elsewhere. They move in and out of the market so quickly that sometimes it's hard to put a face with a local network. But

occasionally some TV talent finds a reason to stick around, to raise a family and enjoy what our town has to offer, and one of them is Jackie Parks, the longtime KERO TV anchor whose last day is today. After 27 years here, she is leaving for Maryland to join husband Todd Karli at a local station. Parks is a class act, smart, sensitive and humble, and she will be missed. Good luck, Jackie.

 * ... CARTER: You have to give Kyle Carter credit for transparency. Unlike other mayoral candidates who have dodged the question, the former homebuilder chose to address the question of participating in a gay pride parade head on. Said Carter: "As mayor, would I march in a LGBTQ parade? I believe it would be unwise for a mayor to try to represent every event that the people of Bakersfield can possibly host. For a mayor to stand for everything would automatically cause him to stand against something else. As mayor I think my time and efforts should be spent to promote job growth and education and also work on our transportation and water issues, while providing support for fighting crime and solving homelessness. And then celebrate those things."

* ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "All I’m saying is you don’t see many neck tattoos on Jeopardy."

 * ... OVERHEARD: From a reader: "An Aul-Dailian with bulls extremities hanging from his truck trailer hitch engages a Toyota driving bearded fellow who has 'SF' on his bumper. 'It’s bay area weenies like you that have ruined our country!' The un-assuming bearded man responds…'Actually, SF is for the ten years that I spent in Special Forces.' OOPS!"

 * ... FLAGS: If you are out and about this weekend, make sure you swing by the Park at RiverWalk which will be adorned with a thousand American flags. This popular Breakfast Rotary project is visually stunning, and worth a trip to recognize Memorial Day and all the sacrifices made for our country.

 * ... LIBERTY HIGH: Liberty High School is well known for producing outstanding athletes, but who knew it was also a feeder for Division 1 cheer and dance team members? Proud Liberty parent Basconcillo passed along where some of the young Liberty women have gone: Kennedy Poe, class of 2012, Cal Poly, SLO Mustangs Cheer; Lauren Fringer, class of 2012, Boise St. Broncos Dance Team; Paige Basconcillo, class of 2013, Cal Bears Dance Team; Annalee Fanucchi, class of 2015, Fresno State Bulldogs Dance Team; Amy Cox, class of 2015, Long Beach State 49rs Dance Team; Chandler Basconcillo, class of 2016, UC Santa Barbara Gauchos Dance Team.

 * ... BAKERSFIELDISM: Jack Kelley submits this tidbit from the way back machine: "You may be a Bakersfield old timer if you remember when there wasn’t a Christmas Tree Lane, and not a Foothill High School either. LOL."

A couple who burglarized a downtown home are arrested thanks to their pictures being circulated on Facebook, celebrating Hammons Meat market and it's time for another Guitar Masters concert

 * ... SOCIAL MEDIA: You can mark this one as a victory for the good guys. A neighbor's house downtown was burglarized this past weekend and later in the day the intruders came back to finish the job, eyeballing the home from a rear alley. This time the owner was home, snapped a couple of

pictures of the suspects in the alley (a couple in their early 30s, heavily tattooed) that were later circulated first on a neighborhood watch email list and later on Facebook. Within hours the couple was arrested (turns out they were driving a stolen car) and most of the stolen items were recovered. Now that is social media at its best.

 * ... VISITOR: When visitors come to town, how do you entertain them? I had friend from college this weekend and at his request, gave him a tour of the almond groves off Famoso Road and the Kern River oil field. We take this stuff for granted, but for folks from another area of the country, they are awesome sights and a chance to educate them on agriculture and oil. Then, a weekend of our landmark downtown restaurants: dinner at Muertos on Friday and Uricchio's Trattoria the next day, along with the signature Bakersfield event: Saturday lunch at Luigi's. Doesn't get much better than that.

 * ... HAMMONS: And speaking of local family-owned businesses, I had a nice chat the other day with Jenny Hammons, the dynamic 27-year-old who has taken over JJ Hammons Meats, the remarkable meat market founded by her grandfather in 1975. Jenny told me the market has a July Fourth special on rib eyes for $7.59 a pound, a bargain by any standard and almost 50 percent less than other high end meat shops. The special runs from June 24 through July 4. Check Hammons out at 1700 South Union Avenue.

 * ... SPOTTED: A local bumper sticker reads: "Duct tape can't fix stupid, but it sure can muffle the sound."

 * ... MUSIC: Guitar virtuoso Albert Lee is performing tonight (Wednesday) at the Simonsen Performing Arts Center at Bakersfield College. This is part of Rick Kreiser's "Guitar Masters" acts that have become so popular. Tickets at $35 at the door and $18 for students. The fun begins at 7:30 p.m. and Kreiser promises a "surprise" appearance at the concert.

 * ... SCAMS: My post on KERO TV anchor Jackie Parks shutting down a telephone scam brought this response from reader Mike: "I got a laugh out of your article re Jackie Parks and thought you might get the same with an incident that happened to my mother. Years ago she had some furniture in storage. After she had it removed and paid her last bill she thought it was over. It wasn't! The following month she got a bill. She wrote back that the furniture was no longer in storage and to please stop billing her. Next month, same thing. And the next, etc. Finally she wrote them and said
'Please forward all furniture immediately to the following address!' She never heard from them again.                                          

 * ... ACHIEVERS: Louise Scurlock, a proud mother and grandmother, offered the following about some high achieving local products of our local schools: "You might go to Memorial Hospital one day and find Bruce Scurlock M.D.,  his daughter, Kristin Chrisum P.A., and his other daughter Brooke Holmes, R.N., all working there. Maybe son, Joshua Scurlock M.D., from Massachusetts, should be intrigued to come back to Bakersfield and practice. All are graduates of Bakersfield High Schools."

                             

Celebrating the edible schoolyard, remembering Chet Love and learning of more credit card fraud

 * .... EDIBLE SCHOOLYARD: You really have to hand it to the Grimm Family Education Foundation for its support and creation of the edible schoolyard at Buena Vista Elementary School. In a time when obesity and diabetes seem to be the norm, the Grimm family funded the creation of a garden and special classroom to teach young children about the value of integrating fresh fruits and vegetables into their diets. Alice Waters, a pioneer in the philosophy of using the freshest locally grown ingredients (and the owner of the famous Chez Panisse restaurant in Berkeley), was at Buena Vista school last week for the grand opening. Among those attending were Bitsy and Garrett Ming, Erin and Sean McNally, Kay and Harold Meek, Sue and Herb Benham, Mary and Greg Bynum, Dinah and Jeff Mettler and many others. Hats off to the Grimm family for supporting such a worthy cause. (file photo of Alice Waters)

 * ... RIP CHET: Bakersfield lost one of its truly great citizens with the passing of Chet Love, a retired oil executive who was deeply rooted in our community. Chet passed away while visiting his mother in Witchita, Kansas, and is preceded in death by his wife of 51 years Mary Lou, who died last year. He was active in the Rotary Club of Bakersfield and the First United Methodist Church and was one of the nicest and kindest men around town. He was 76.

 * ... CARD FRAUD: KERO TV anchor Jackie Parks Karli dropped me a note about her own experience with credit card fraud, and this one is a doozy. Said Jackie: "Our card was scammed to the tune of almost $13,000 in a single charge at a farm supply store in Colorado. The woman was from Indonesia and had even had a Visa card made with our number but her picture on it. It took months to clear up. That was two years ago and we've had to cancel our card twice since due to other fraud." Ouch. (file photo  of Jackie Parks Karli)

 * ... CAR THEFTS: Linda Parker, executive director of the Kern Wind Energy Association, wrote to warn about a rash of car thefts in the Southwest. Her teenage daughter's car was stolen, and she knows of many others in the Southwest and Silver Creek area. "We work hard to provide for our family and to have someone come in and violated our space is very disturbing, not to men our daughter's emotions of not having her car," she said. "Car thefts just are not a priority when the police are tapped out on violent crimes. All you can do is report it and sit and wait for a call from the BPD and that is only if they find it!"

* ... HISTORY: Reader Pat Mahan needs some help with a history question. "There was a restaurant and motel/hotel that was up on the Ridge Route back in the 1940s or 1950s. It was frequented by movie stars and the Hollywood elite. Stories were that is where many of the male stars brought their girlfriends. Can you or any of your readers help me out?"

 * ... PUMPKINS: If you're in the market for a pumpkin - and it is that time of year - check out a sale on Saturday, October 22, behind the Roadhouse Grill at the Northwest Promenade Shopping Center. This one will support local Cub Scout Pack 177, and is there a more worthy cause than our Scouts? It will run from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

* ... BAD FORM: Another example of bad behavior submitted by reader Mona Martin: "I observed a Hispanic male in a 2008 black BMW in northeast Bakersfield cut a woman in a red Dodge truck off and then block her at a green left turn while flipping his finger at her. Just because your car is classy doesn't mean it transfers to the driver and occupants! Also, my son's debit card was hacked into a day after he bought gas at a convenience store gas pump. So important to check your bank accounts daily, as he does! The charges were all local and all of them blocked due to his daily diligence."

Bako Bits: Confusing a Husky with a Cougar, a valentine to the historic Noriega Hotel and budget woes at CSUB

  Wrapping up some nuggets from around our community and trying to outrun some angry University of Washington alumni who are after my hide ...

 * ... MAKE MINE A PICON PUNCH: Always nice to see Bakersfield's rich culture recognized by the national media, and the September edition of the Altantic magazine turned its attention to the historic Noriega Hotel, one of our renowned Basque dining establishments and home of the famous Picon Punch. (read the entire story here) The writer Wayne Curtis gives the Noriega its due, even if he did focus primarily on the punch and not the terrific food. From the story:

  "But what lured me here was the Picon Punch. The early history of the drink remains murky, but it appears to be a Basque-American concoction, without antecedent in the old country. The punch has some variants within its broad range. But it’s usually made with grenadine, club soda, a float of brandy, and Amer Picon, a bitter French aperitif made with herbs and burnt orange peel. I’m told in some Nevada bars it’s served in a mug, rather than the standard old-fashioned glass."

  * ... WITH APOLOGIES TO THE HUSKIES: I erred in a recent item noting that former Bakersfield High Driller Will Mahan was punting for the University of Washington Huskies. I actually called the school the "Washington State Huskies," which given college rivalries these days is enough to get me tarred and feathered by the Husky faithful. It's like confusing UCLA and USC or the Georgia Bulldogs with the Florida Gators. KERO-TV anchor Jackie Parks, herself a University of Washington alum, told me she just about "choked on my coffee" when she read her beloved Huskies were mentioned in the same sentence as that "cow town" college across the state, the Washington State Cougars. So with apologies to Jackie and the Husky faithful ... mea culpa.

 * ... DIVISION ONE REPORT FROM CSUB: Karen Langston, one of the marketing folks over at Cal State Bakersfield, turned me onto the Athletic Department's  "Roadrunner Report" blog which is rich in information on the university. (you can read it here) In it, Athletic Director Rudy Carvajal gives an update on the school's move to Division I and how the recession and budget crisis is affecting the program. Tough times all around. In Rudy's words:

 

 "The bad news is that the budget crisis, particularly as it impacts CSUB’s Athletics Program, has been significant. Not only has it reduced staffing and state support, it has also increased our scholarship fees this year by 30%, which amounts to more than $250,000 in additional and unexpected expenses. Cumulatively, it also marks the third consecutive year of state budget reductions. Our ability to turn this around will depend upon our ability to encourage community volunteers to help us and to make significant progress in growing our donor base. Without considerable growth and support in both of these areas, it will have a profound effect on our future.

One can easily see that we need growth and not reductions in support to be able to sustain the 19 Division I sports we currently offer. While the average donation has grown over the last few years, the number of donors has fallen. We really need your help, and there are many ways that you can assist us. For example, if each of our current donors recruited just one new donor, we could double our donor base. It is that simple, and you could make that happen." (photo of Rudy courtesy of CSUB)

 

* ... REMEMBER THE GARCES, CSUB BARBECUES: Don't forget two important fund raisers coming up that need our support. The first is the annual Garces Memorial High fall barbeque, featuring the famous "Icardo special" New York steak or Teriyaki chicken dinner. Cost is $25 a person and doors open at 5 p.m. This comes up Thursday, October 1. My elder daughter graduated from Garces and I know the folks work hard and do a good job, and even when money is tight, this is a fund raiser to support. The next week, on Thursday October 8, you can dine again at the 31st annual Cal State Bakersfield athletics barbeque. Doors open at 5:30 p.m.. Tickets are being presold for $25 each and are $30 at the door. Call 661-654-3473.