Gov. Newsom wants to shrink the state prison system at the same time business people are being threatened for reopening their shops, Uricchio's Trattoria to reopen for curbside service this Tuesday and Pastor Angelo Frazier to appear on The Richard Beene Show

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.

 * ... RELEASING PRISONERS: Gov. Gavin Newsom wants to drastically shrink the footprint of California’s prison system, blaming massive budget cuts triggered by the coronavirus. According to his revised budget, Newsom wants to close two state prisons, shutter all three of the state-run juvenile prisons and cut some inmate firefighter programs. And if that is not enough, he is also proposing that prisoners be released early by shortening parole to a maximum of two years, down

from five years. The irony, of course, is all this comes at the same time that state officials are threatening to jail business owners who open during the pandemic. Now think about that: at the same time we are releasing hardened criminals, we are threatening local business people - the lifeblood of our economy - if they reopen their business to make a living. Kern County Sheriff Donny Youngblood is among those who think this is ludicrous, as does District Attorney Cynthia Zimmer. Let all that sink in while you gaze at the picture below of some of the inmates of our state prison system.

 * ... RESTAURANTS: If one thing is for certain, it's that we are all itching to go back out to eat at our favorites haunts. And while we aren't there yet, people are voting with their feet. Outside Luigi's on Friday, takeout customers enjoyed sitting at a long table to catch up, and the same was happening Bootlegger's on Oak Street. This week, Tuesday to be exact, Uricchio's Trattoria opens back up for curbside pickup and it's safe to assume there will be a mad rush to catch up with owner Claire Porter and her crew of regulars.

 * ... OPEN UP: Speaking of the pandemic and the lockdown, Pastor Angelo Frazier of Riverlakes Community Church has been an outspoken proponent of allowing churches to reassemble and for businesses to reopen in Kern County. You might have spotted him at the rallies in front of City Hall, wearing a mask and waving signs urging the reopening of the economy with reasonable accommodations. Frazier will be my guest on The Richard Beene Show this Monday at 2:30 p.m.

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "When a disc jockey or a talk show host or a journalist who is being paid to work from his or her home tells people who can’t work, pay bills or pay their rent or mortgage to 'Stay home and be careful because we’re all in this together,' it’s okay to question the premise."

 * ... PUBLIC DEFENDER: An attorney in the Kern County Public Defender's office has triggered a firestorm over a Facebook post suggesting there should be a "memorial" for the "victims" of law enforcement officers. The post read: "If Friday is Peace Officer's Memorial Day then is Sunday their Victim's memorial day?" Bad form? You be the judge.

 * ... EARTHQUAKE: Did you feel that 6.5 earthquake out of Nevada on Friday? It happened around 4 a.m. and while it produced little damage (see the pictures below) it was felt in some parts of Bakersfield.

 * ... JIM BURKE FORD: Well here is another sign of the times. The Jim Burke Ford dealership on Street was vandalized this past week to the tune of some $70,000. Apparently a homeless person took rocks and bricks to the showroom windows as well as damaging multiple new vehicles on the lot.

 * ... MEMORIES: Who remembers the old River Theater, where Oildale teenagers of the 1960s would enjoy a matinee for just 25 cents Thanks to the Kern County of Old Facebook page for this nugget.

It's no surprise but 2013 turned out to be a horrible year for air travel, with United and American ranking as the worst performers. Meanwhile Garrett Ming leaves Jim Burke Ford to strike out on his own

 * … AIR TRAVEL: It turns out that 2013 turned out to be one of the worst years for airline travel in the past five years. An annual scorecard of airline service, reported in the Wall Street Journal, said that

more flights were delayed and more bags lost than anytime since 2009. The best airlines? Those would be Alaska Airlines followed by Delta. The worst: United and American airlines. All this comes as airlines are continuing to reduce the number of flights while squeezing in more seats at the expense of leg room.

* … MING: Garrett Ming has left Jim Burke Ford after almost three decades and is striking out on his own in a new business venture. Ming, outgoing chairman of the Greater Bakersfield Chamber of Commerce, spent 27 years with the Burke auto group. His new business creates software solutions for automative and related industries.

* … EDITOR: Kudos to Katie McCarthy, a Garces Memorial High graduate who has been named managing editor of Total Beauty. A graduate of Loyola Marymount University, she is the daughter of Rob and Judi McCarthy, owners of Lightspeed Systems. She previously was editor of Where LA magazine.

* … BAD FORM: Shame on the person who dumped an emaciated female dog in front of a group of children the other day. Said Candace Bunes, who witnessed it: "THe dog was abused and terrified," she said. "How do you dispose of puppies, or any unwanted inconvenient children you might have? Many have said the best way to judge the civility of society is how it treats the weakest among us."

* … BIKE PATH: A lot has been said about proper etiquette on our bike path, but Kevin Malamma sums it up well here: "As a member of the cycling public those I ride with seem to understand the need to follow certain ‘rules-of-the-road’ such as stay to the right, pass on the left, ride single file, announce hazards (and other objects).  It would be nice of the other members of the public that frequent, among other places, the bike path, were to observe similar rules. Dogs not on leashes, dog owners tossing objects for retrieval, walkers meandering  three or four abreast, parents with their three year old daughter learning to - you filling the blank - ride, skate, etc,  frisbee players tossing across the bike path without looking, walkers and riders stopped on the path in front of oncoming traffic - the list could go on. These all present dangers, not just to the unsuspecting cyclist, but also to the above mentioned public. It would be wonderful if these folks used the path with the same consideration that they expect out of groups of more avid bicyclists. But, the best example of public misuse of the path is one that i have encountered twice now. A young lady, who must fancy herself a photographer, seated, cross-legged directly in the middle of the path facing her subjects (families with children of various ages), also seated, in a group, in the middle of the path. Certainly a recipe for disaster.  I suppose if she has some romantic image of a photographer as a risk taker and wants to insert herself into a dangerous situation we could find a photojournalist job for her somewhere in the Middle East. She just shouldn’t think that family portraits are worth putting those families and riders at risk. By the way, I am both an avid cyclist and a photographer, enjoy both activities, and hope to continue to do so for many years, barring any unforeseen accident."

Thanksgiving: a time for reflection, smiles and giving thanks for what really matters

  

 * ... GIVING THANKS: This is the time of year when Bakersfield is at its best: our short fall and the changing of the leaves brightens our parks, the days are crisp and we've yet to enter Bako's "nuclear winter" when the days are marked by gray skies, fog and bitter cold. And  it's also the time when  families gather for Thanksgiving and all the college kids come home and bring smiles to our lives. I spent some time this week with young Sam Brandon, son of dear friends and now a junior at University of Colorado at Boulder. (He is the son of Esther and Rogers Brandon) Sam was full of confidence and college swagger and was eager to reunite with his pals who are spread out across the country. I am always amazed at how quickly these kids grow up after a just few years away. Wednesday night, on the eve of  Thanksgiving, you can expect the annual pilgrimage of these kids (particularly those who graduated from Garces Memorial and Bakersfield High School) to Woolgrower's and on Friday and Saturday, you'll see them all reconnecting at Luigi's restaurant.


* ... THANKSGIVING PIE RUN: One of the great Bakersfield traditions is the annual Thanksgiving morning "Pie Run." At the crack of dawn every Thanksgiving hundreds of local runners, cyclists and walkers (with their dogs of course) show up at Hart Park for a chilly morning jog in the hills overlooking the park. Everyone brings a dessert (usually a pie but also doughnuts, coffee cakes etc) which are all eaten after the folks descend from the hills. Retired insurance manager John Rous, himself a veteran of many bike rides and a few marathons, is credited with being one of the founders of the event. John's son is David Rous, a principal in Glinn and Giordano Physical Therapy and himself an accomplished competitive cyclist. The Pie Run is a terrific way to start the holiday, see old friends, kids home from college and yes - all those beloved pets. Starts at 6 a.m. at Hart Park. Look for the bonfire.

 * ... I GIVE THANKS: There is a lot of be thankful for this time of year, even with a deepening recession, record high unemployment and stress at many levels. My top five list goes like this:
  1) I am thankful to have a job, and to work for an employer who provides top flight health insurance that has kept my family healthy.
  2) I am thankful for the unconditional love and support of close friends in a time of great tension.
  3)  I am thankful for my two daughters who - despite being knuckleheads from time to time - make me proud every day.
  4) I am thankful to live in a community with so many good people who inspire me every day, people like Dan Hay at Jim Burke Ford who forever has a smile and dismisses this recession as "merely a test."
 5) And I am thankful to live in a country and a community that show such great resilience and generosity in the face of historic challenges.

* ... SEASONAL GIVING: I came across a wonderful website that allows you to search and pick and choose your favorite charity from literally tens of thousands of non-profits. It is called "Just Give" and can be found at www.justgive.org. Go to the website, put in a local zip code and up pops hundreds of Bakersfield non-profits with an explanation of what they do and who they serve. The website allows for credit card transactions, making giving in the holidays all that much easier.

 * ... MEA CULPA: I committed an error the other day in talking about Dustin Kilpatrick, one of the local kids who went to USC and came home to Bakersfield to work. Dustin's parents, Dave and Danielle Kilpatrick, both graduated from USC as did his brother Daniel. I implied the parents graduated from Garces, which is in error.

Coming home: Making a list and celebrating all the local kids who chose Bakersfield as home

* ... THOSE WHO CAME HOME: I received a lot of feedback after a recent post about young people who have returned to Bakersfield after graduating from college. So many of our best and brightest leave and never come back, opting for more exciting venues with larger and more diverse peer groups and more professional opportunities. But there are many who do come back, as I was reminded by Kelly Giblin, a former East Rotary president and administrator at the LeBeau Thelen law firm. Working at that firm alone are Nicholas Mears, Bakersfield High graduate who went on to William and Mary; Melissa Brown, Stockdale High and UCLA; Kevin Thelen, Garces Memorial High and UCLA; David Bynum, Garces Memorial and University of San Diego; and Andrew Sheffield, Bakersfield High and Cal State Bakersfield.

 * ... AND A FEW MORE: As the days wore on I received more emails about local kids who chose to come home, including Adam Icardo, a Cal Poly grad working in the family farming business; A.J. Antongiovanni, UCLA and now at Mission Bank; Dan Clifford, a University of Oregon grad working at Clifford and Brown; Ryan Hansen, Pittsburgh and now a manager at Frito-Lay; Vince Fong, a UCLA Bruin running point for Rep. Kevin McCarthy; Brian Grant, a product of Colorado State and now working at Tejon Ranch; Sarah Trichell, a Fresno State Bulldog employed at W.A. Thompson; and Chad Manning, Purdue University sales manager over at Jim Burke Ford. My special thanks to Joe Hay, a proud grad of Notre Dame and now commercial sales manager at Burke Ford, for helping me compile this list.

 * ... A DUKIE CHOOSES BAKO: I also received a nice email from Jerry Matthews of Bakersfield, who reminded me that his son Jason Matthews  graduated from the prestigious (my word, not his) Duke University a couple of years ago and is now working for Colliers Tingey. Jason is a graduate from Stockdale High School. His mother is Sandy Matthews.

 * ... EXPIRED TAGS AT EVERY LIGHT: Bob Stine, CEO of Tejon Ranch, shot me an email wondering about all the folks driving around Bakersfield with expired tags. I've certainly noticed it and like Stine, wondered how all these people get away with it. Stine thought it may be yet another economic indicator of bad times and wondered how much revenue the state was losing when folks simply refuse to register their vehicles. Next time you are at a light, check out the car or truck in front of you.

 * ... FIXING HIGHWAY 46: It was good to see work finally getting under way to widen part of Highway 46, so named "blood alley" for the seemingly never ending string of fatal car crashes. Sen. Dean Florez (D-Shafter) was on hand Tuesday for the groundbreaking to widen an eight-mile stretch of Highway 46 from just west of Highway 33 to Brown Material Road near Lost Hills. It can be a terrifying ride along that stretch and this is certainly welcome news.

Bako Bits: Brain drain at the county, more drunks on the road and a bid to spike car sales

Cleaning off my desk preparing for a little vacation on the other coast. Wish I had better news on the local economy but it's chugging along the bottom, not getting any better but not getting much worse either. Let's wrap up some loose ends:

* FATHER OF THE YEAR? ... Just as we suspected, the driver who crashed head-on into another vehicle on Enos Lane on Sunday was drunk, according to the cops. And I suppose it should come as no surprise that the driver, 27-year-old Pedro Munoz of Delano, had been arrested on drunken driving charges two years ago. The tragedy is that Pedro's lack of responsibility led to the death of his wife and his two daughters, and the injury of a family of innocents in the truck he hit. Pedro's first mistake was driving drunk and his second - and fatal - mistake was trying to outrun a CHP officer who clocked him going 83 mph on Enos. Father of the year? Don't think so. By the way, that stretch of Enos between Panama Lane and Stockdale Highway is always treacherous. You have traffic heading to Interstate 5 and then trucks towing boats and RVs coming from the Lake Buena Vista Recreational Area. Be careful out there. (photo below courtesy of KGET TV)



* COUNTY BRAIN DRAIN ... Didn't want to let it pass without noting the pending retirement of David Price III, the chief of the Resource Management Agency. Dave is a longtime county bureaucrat and a good one at that, and it never hurts when you are blessed with a keen sense of humor and wit. Dave is heading to the bucolic hills of east Tennessee where his wife has family. He's worked at the county for 21 years. Price joins a number of other longtime county employees to leave recently, including County Counsel Bernie Barmann, waste management director Daphne Harley and Schools Superintendent Larry Reider.

* CLUNKERS FOR CASH ... Nice piece in today's Californian on the "clunkers for cash" program aimed at getting high polluting cars off the road. Turns out the California New Car Dealers Assn. is advising members to hold off until details can be worked out. One dealership eager to get in on the deal is Jim Burke Ford, where general manager Dan Hay reports a lot of interest. The deal: you get up to $4,000 for a trade-in toward the purchase of a new more fuel efficient vehicle but there are some small hiccups the program has to hurdle. Questions? Call your local car dealer for details.

Ford: steady hand and good products give its dealerships something to crow about

Nobody over at Jim Burke Ford is claiming the recession is about to end, but there is an undeniable sense of optimism about the direction Ford Motor Co. is heading under new CEO Alan Mulally. Ford is turning out some terrific cars (read my earlier post on the Fusion hybrid here) and its decision to reject federal bailout funds has turned into a huge public relations windfall. (Before I go on, an anonymous "commenter" on this blog earlier accused me of hyping the Fusion because I likely owned a Ford. For the record, I drive nothing but Toyota products and have for years, but I'm an unapologetic cheerleader for local companies like Jim Burke Ford and am thrilled that Ford Motor Co. is making a comeback.)

So when I got an email today from Burke marketing czar Kyle Northway about a story in Fortune magazine about Mulally and his efforts at Ford, I was eager to open the file. You just have to love the common sense that Mulally has brought to Ford, as seen in this excerpt from the story (full story available here):

"I arrive here, and the first day I say, 'Let's go look at the product lineup.' And they lay it out, and I said, 'Where's the Taurus?' They said, 'Well, we killed it.' I said, 'What do you mean, you killed it?' 'Well, we made a couple that looked like a football. They didn't sell very well, so we stopped it.' 'You stopped the Taurus?' I said. 'How many billions of dollars does it cost to build brand loyalty around a name?' 'Well, we thought it was so damaged that we named it the Five Hundred.' I said, 'Well, you've got until tomorrow to find a vehicle to put the Taurus name on because that's why I'm here. Then you have two years to make the coolest vehicle that you can possibly make.'?" The 2010 Taurus is arriving on the market this spring, and while it is not as startling as the original 1986 Taurus, it is still pretty cool."

Photo of Alan Mulally courtesy of Fortune magazine.

Lunch with the First Lady, home invasions, the new Ford and dogs at the museum

A few short takes around town, starting with a few locals having lunch today with First Lady Michelle Obama.
* FIRST LADY LUNCH: The annual First Lady's Luncheon will be held today at the Washington Hilton and four McCarthys from Bakersfield will be there. The wife of Congressman Kevin McCarthy, Judy, and daughter Meghan will be there, along with their guests Judi McCarthy and daughter Katie. Though not related the connections here are deep, so bear with me: the second Judi McCarthy is the chair of the Kern Community Foundation and founder of the Women and Girl's Fund, which I wrote about yesterday. Just so happens her son, USC grad Rob, works for the congressman in D.C. Daughter Katie is a grad of Loyola Marymount and works as a magazine editor in Los Angeles.
* HOME INVASIONS: Not sure about you, but the piece in today's Californian about home invasion robberies doesn't exactly make me feel any better. The story says most are not totally random, and that there always is some kind of connection - like a kid down the street who grew up to be a thug or someone who worked on your car or a former contractor. I'm not sure how this is supposed to calm any fears unless you have gone through life in total solitude. And it won't stop folks from arming themselves to the teeth to protect their castle. So the next time someone barges into your house and puts a 9mm Glock to your wife's head, think: "I should know this guy!:
* INCREDIBLE GAS MILEAGE: I wrote earlier (see post here) about a team from Ford setting out to get 1,000 miles out of a single tank of gas with the new Ford Fusion hybrid. Well, sales manager Chad Manning over at Jim Burke Ford tells me they did it. Actually, the team managed to get 1,445 miles (or 81 miles per gallon) out of the Fusion hybrid. This is one of Ford's hottest new models and every time they get one over at Burke Ford, it doesn't last.

* DOGS GONE WILD: I heard from Beth Pandol over at the Bakerfield Museum of Art that the museum is holding a "Doggone Morning" next Wednesday May 6. Folks can bring their dogs over for classes on training, obedience, behavior and breed characteristics. Wouldn't it be terrific if this led to some kind of "Big Dog" parade like they have in Santa Barbara every year? The event runs from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. Contact David Gordon at 661-323-7219 for details.

1,000 miles on one tank of gas? Meet Ford Motor Company's new green Fusion hybrid

Sounds impossible, doesn't it? Hybrid or not, how can any car get 1,000 miles on one tank of gas? Apparently the folks over at Ford Motor Co. have figured it out, and they are out to prove it with the 2010 Ford Fusion hybrid now selling locally over at Jim Burke Ford. I've sung the praises of the Fusion before (read previous post here) and now comes a story saying a team at Ford plans on driving the Fusion one thousand miles on a single tank (read full story here), all to raise money for the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation. To reach their goal, they have to average at least 57 miles per gallon. I talked with Chad Manning, general sales manager over at Burke Ford, and he had this to say:

"We have received four and sold them all within 24 hours of hitting the showroom! Yes, the customers love them and the feedback is wonderful. They really enjoy playing the 'fuel economy game.' The LCD instrument cluster has a real time fuel economy gauge so that the driver can monitor their economy based on their driving habits. The better driver you are (greater fuel economy) the more green leaves you are awarded for your tree on the display, signifying eco-friendly driving. It is really a kick. We have two more 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrids due to arrive the early part on May."

It's the ultimate irony that just at a time when folks are having trouble getting credit, and when domestic automakers are struggling, Ford comes out with a product just perfect for our times.

Ford gets some love from consumers while the first Fusion hybrid sells at Jim Burke Ford

Ford got some good news today when CNBC reported that consumers are increasingly seeing Ford as the car maker of choice as GM and Chrysler continue to struggle. (When asked what brand they might purchase, Ford was up 12 percent while GM was down 12 percent and Chrysler down 38 percent) Why? Consumers love the fact that Ford rejected any government bailout money and they like the path Ford is on in bringing out hybrid cars. Dan Hay, owner over at Jim Burke Ford, told me sales have inched up in the past week. Said Dan:

"We had one of our PUBLIC NOTICE used car sales. It did as well as ever (and) the new vehicle business was good over the weekend, which is unusual on a used car promotion weekend. I don't think the (upcoming increase in the) sales tax has had that much effect. Ford is really going in the right direction and the company and the people are very focused on the execution of their One Ford plan."

Dan went on to say that the dealership received its first 2010 Fusion hybrid (pictured) on Friday and sold it on Sunday. And, Dan added, the buyer had been comparing it with a Camry, Toyota's juggernaut best seller. None of this means we are out of the woods yet, but there seems to be some stirrings that the economy wants to recover. If home sales bottom and cars start to move, we will be on our way.

Obama's gift to car buyers: deduct the sales tax

Kyle Northway over at Jim Burke Ford sent me an email reminder about a valentine in the Obama stimulus plan that directly benefits car buyers: purchase a new car in 2009 and you can deduct the state or local sales or excise taxes. There are of course income restrictions (if you make over $250,000 a year, forget it) but the local car dealers are hoping this provides a much needed stimulus to car sales, which have been just awful. Plus, as Kyle correctly notes, buyers can save even more if they avoid the increases in the state sales tax (effective April 1) and the increase in the vehicle license fee starting May 19. Kyle says the deduction is limited to purchases up to $49,500, which is more than enough to buy you a mighty sweet Ford over at the Jim Burke lot. The local guys certainly can use a boost: In February GM, Ford and Chrysler saw sales drop 52.9%, 48.4% and 44% respectively. The imports didn't fare much better, with Toyota down 37.3% and Nissan down 37.1%.

It's hunker down time for Bakersfield business leaders; wondering when the recession will pass

They say misery loves company, and there's plenty of company in the misery club during this recession. Talk to any business person or executive in town and the refrain is similiar: "we're hunkering down" until things improve. And the consensus seems to be that instead of a recovery in 2010, it may be 2011 or 2012 before things get appreciably better. Consider:
* Talked to Bruce Freeman, president of Castle & Cooke, who told me the company is sitting on some prime land in the Central Valley and has all the permits pulled ready to develop but simply can't until things get better. Castle & Cooke is singularly responsible for some of the highest end developments in Bakersfield (think Seven Oaks and the Marketplace) and has been forced into a sort of semi hibernation waiting for the storm to pass.
* Over at Jim Burke Ford marketing czar Kyle Northway is encouraged that Ford - among the Big Three - is best poised to make a recovery. And it doesn't hurt that the family-run company, now led by Dan Hay, takes a long-term view and is not whipped by the winds of a need for short-term profits.
"I can tell you the employees at our dealerships have come to realize just how good our management team and especially Dan Hay, our company president, really is with counting the beans and working out plans that fit the economy," Kyle told me.
* Local Realtors, including high-end residential expert Mary Christiansen, likewise have hunkered down but see some signs of thawing as sales pick up despite lower prices.
These are all quality companies and quality business people who will certainly ride out this recession, but not without what Mary calls "some pain." But she adds with characteristic optimism: "It will get better!"

Ford's creative Fiesta marketing program

Let's be certain about one thing: no matter what you think about American car companies, there will be hell to pay if they go under. Which is why I am always encouraged to see them taking innovative steps to stay alive. We've mentioned Ford's new Fusion which boasts gas mileage in the 40-plus range. Now Kyle Northway over at Jim Burke Ford tells me about the new push behind the Fiesta, a subcompact that has enjoyed huge success in Europe for many years. It will be sold in the US in 2010, and to stir some excitement Ford has unveiled its "Fiesta Movement." Ford is looking for about 100 of what Kyle calls "young, tech savvy, socially active consumers" to take the Fiestas on "extended test drives" and then blog about them, or at least spread they word via social networking. (If intertested apply on the FiestaMovement website). I like where this is going: Ford sees the movement toward smaller, more fuel efficient vehicles, and they're showing a good touch using social networking to get the word out. Once Ford lines up some Fiesta drivers here, I'll report back.

The Brain Drain, Part II

One of the disheartening aspects of calling Bakersfield home is watching the steady exodus of bright young people who go off to good schools and never return. It's not that they don't have soft feelings for Bako; it's just the simple lack of opportunities. And despite what our city leaders may say, it takes more than an affordable home to attract young people here. Things like culture, a nightlife where you won't get shot or stabbed and a crowd of the similarly educated would be a good start. It's why I started the "brain drain" list farther down on this page to note those who chose not to come back, and these were just the names that came to mind over a 10 minute period. Some kids do of course return, but it doesn't hurt if there's a family business in town. Joe Hay (son of Mikie and Dan Hay, owners of Jim Burke Ford) went to Notre Dame and is now back in town working at the dealership. Kelly Loyd, daughter of Steve and Pat Loyd of Loyd's Aviation, is back in town after graduating from UC Berkeley and working for Gap in San Francisco. Morgan Clayton, owner of Tel-Tec Security, has three children including one of whom, Tasha, is working at the company after graduating from Pepperdine. (His two boys are both working in Los Angeles.) It's just a shame that there aren't more opportunities for our best and our brightest to return home.

Ford: The good, the bad and the really ugly

There's more bad news for the car industry, and it's no longer relegated to the Big Three. Toyota and Honda also report plummeting sales. But there could be some good news for Ford, and I am unabashedly pulling for Ford's recovery. Why? Locally Jim Burke Ford is a family company that over the years has done a lot to improve our community. They are good stewards who have always given back when others have not. So let's hope they stick around for many more years. Ford reported today that sales dropped 32.4 percent in December from the period a year ago. That's tough but there is some good news: the company said its market share increased to 14.6 percent in December, up 0.7 of a point from a year ago. In addition, the Ford F-Series pickup has maintained its position as the best selling model in the United States, and on the horizon in the incredible Ford Fusion Hybrid that promises gas mileage in the 40-plus range. We'll take the good news when we can get it.

Ford Fusion Hybrid: 50-plus mpg?

Got an email today from Kyle Northway, the marketing manager over at Jim Burke Ford, a Bakersfield institution that has done much to give back to the community. Kyle was pointing out (with justified pride, given the bad news surrounding the car industry these days) that the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid is being praised as the most fuel efficient mid-size car in America. The Fusion Hybrid gets an incredible 41 mpg in the city and 36 mpg around town, and one review (not cited by Kyle) had it getting 56 mpg around town. Ford needs some good news and for the life of me I don't know why they're not promoting the Fusion every hour of every day.