The lessons of the tragic murder-suicide in Stockdale Estates, celebrating Kern County's almond industry and dealing with California's long drought

* … SUICIDE: The tragic apparent murder-suicide in Stockdale Estates (the grisly details of the story and names the victims hardly need to be repeated) serves as a sober reminder of the

emotional pain and anguish that so many of us privately carry. The lesson: it doesn't take much to muster a little kindness to our friends, neighbors and the random strangers that pass through our lives. May we all be aware of the burdens that each of us bear.

* … ALMONDS: Did you know that California (and Kern County in particular) supplies virtually all of the U.S. grown almonds, walnuts and pitacchios? The state, according to the Agriculture Department, produces 82% of the globe's almonds and ships about 70 percent of them overseas.

* … DROUGHT: Diane Arends responded to reader Gene Bonas' comment about how long it takes to get hot water from his home's east side to west side. "My husband's solution is that he uses an old plastic container and fills it with water while waiting for the water to get hot.  He then uses that water to fill the bird bath and water a flower bed. We also don't take as many showers as we used to and installed a shut off valve on the shower head. We also practice 'if it's yellow, let it mellow; if it's brown, flush it down.'"

* … MORE DROUGHT: And Bryan Williams added this: "Call me a bad citizen - but I did have winter rye planted in my front yard this winter.  Because of my dogs eating my sprinkler master system, I have had to water my lawn with a sprinkler attachment on the hose for months. However - I have not watered my lawn since September! The winter rye has been green and beautiful since that time surviving off of only the rain we have received and the dew in the morning. My water bill for the months since it was planted has hovered around $25. Thanks Mother Nature!"

 * … MEMORIES: Risk management consultant John Pryor is the go-to historian when it comes to Stockdale Country Club, and he assures me that the club never served as a hospital. (An earlier reader claimed her great grand-father's birth certificate said he was born at the club) Said Pryor: "As former historian of Stockdale Country Club for many years, I can assure you there is no reference in its recorded history since the 1920s that mentions any Stockdale Country Club Hospital. However, I can assure you there are multiple historical references to Stockdale Country Club hospitality -- a long-standing and key element of the Club's culture and staff quality that continues to this day."

* … KEEP: The Camp KEEP Foundation is hosting its annual “Wine Camp for KEEP” fundraiser to raise money to help send kids with financial needs to Camp KEEP. The event is Saturday, April 25, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at a private residence in northwest Bakersfield. There will be food, wine and live music from Roadhouse Revival. Tickets can be purchased for $40 at any local Sparkling Image Car Wash location or by calling (661) 636-4629.

 * … HEALTH: Mark your calendar for Saturday, March 21, for the 6th Annual Bakersfield Health and Fitness Expo. It will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Rabobank Theater and is absolutely free. Among the exhibits will be an obstacle coursae for kids offered by Terrio Fitness, a child identity program hosted by the Kern County Sheriff's Department, free adult health screenings by Dignity Health and lots of live demonstrations on Zumba, Hot Hula, personal defense, spinning and healthy cooking. ANd of course some adorable former strays from Marley's Mutts will be on hand for sloppy kisses."


 

Chain Cohn Stiles buys a landmark building in downtown Bakersfield, a golf tournament raises $200,000 for charity and a trip down memory lane for readers recalling the good old days

* … DEATH: The law firm representing the family of Nancy Joyce Garrett, the 72-year-old woman killed in an early morning crash with a Kern County sheriff's deputy, is waiting for a Highway Patrol investigation before deciding whether to file suit. That was the word from Matt Clark, a partner

at Chain Cohn Stiles, who appeared with me on First Look with Scott Cox Tuesday morning. Garrett was a beloved grand mother who spent her last night with her family at a Los Angeles Dodgers game. Clark said the extended family was so close that they shared breakfast once a month, and the day she was killed it was her turn to host the family breakfast. The CHP investigation could take several months before the decision is made whether to go to trial. If a lawsuit is filed, it will be the second fatal accident in a short period of time involving a Kern County Sheriff's deputy on North Chester. (Facebook photo of Nancy Garrett)

* ... CHAINLAW: And speaking of Chain Cohn Stiles, the law firm has just closed escrow on a 30,000 square foot building at the corner of Chester Avenue and 17th Street (1731 Chester). The plaintiff's law firm, which has been headquartered in the Bank of America tower downtown for more than 20 years, will renovate the building and use the ground floor for its main offices. Dave Cohn, principal partner, said the firm has been looking for its own home for several years now and he expects the renovation to last several months. Cohn said the firm was committed to staying downtown to continue in its revitalization. The building was originally constructed in 1899 as a bank but has morphed through the years, its last incarnation as the downtown headquarters of The Goodwill. (Chainlaw file photo)

 * … MEMORIAL: I am always impressed by the generosity of this community, and it was certainly on display recently at the Larry Carr Memorial Golf Tournament benefitting the Bakersfield Memorial Hospital Foundation. The tournament raised an impressive $200,000 to benefit the Robert A. Grimm Children’s Pavilion for Emergency Care at the Lauren Small Children’s Medical Center. Hats off to BMHF board chair Rogers Brandon, golf committee chair Jenny Waguespack and two big sponsors, Valley Republic Bank and Terrio Therapy.

 * … MEMORIES: Cheryl Rodriguez of Arvin responded to an earlier reader's mention of a theater south of Lamont. "In the 1950s that was known as the south Lamont Drive-In and the road he referred to was located next to Robert A. Teller's plum orchard. Mr. Teller was my grandfather. The Lamont post office and the South Kern Court now stand where the orchard was. The drive-in sign remained for many years after the theater was torn down. Also, there was the Rancho Theater in Arvin. It had a beautiful moving neon wagon wheel sign high atop the building. That sign was replaced a few years ago by a pizza sign. This was a slap in the face to longtime citizens who regarded the wagon wheel as a historic icon."

 * …. DRIVE-IN: And finally, one last memory of the Lamont drive-in compliments of Carlos Luna. "Regarding the theater located south of Lamont after you crossed the rail tracks and heading
towards Weedpatch, it was the Thunderbird Drive-In. ... Furthermore, Lamont also had a walk in theater on main street next to the school. Pretty good for a small town way back when."

 * … MORE MEMORIES: I need to correct an earlier writer who referred to a wonderful old business called Mom's Bakery. John Pryor reminded me the correct name was Mother's Bakery and it was located on the west side of Baker Street just south of Kentucky Street. Said John: "Owned by the Mellas family, they were famous for delivering a truly 'baker's dozen' of any item.  If you ordered a dozen doughnuts, you always found 13 in your sack! One of their sons, Angelo Mellas, was a classmate at East High where he was a student leader and fierce lineman on the Blades football team -- including our senior year when we beat the Drillers (20-19) for the very first time."

Women and Girls Fund addresses violence against women and a reader rants

 * ... GIRLS FUND: Violence against women has long been one of our community's greatest problems, so it was nice to see the Women and Girls Fund handing out some grants to combat it. The Alliance Against Family Violence and Sexual Assault and the Kern County Network for Children were each awarded $10,000 during a luncheon at Seven Oaks County Club last week. The Alliance will use the money for education programs for 600 young women in rural Kern County, and the Network's funds will go for circumstances where children witness domestic violence or suicide of a parent or caregiver. The girls fund has an endowment of some $460,000 within the Kern Community Foundation.
 
* ... PORTUGAL BOUND: Joe and Judy Mullins are two Bakersfield natives who now live in Loveland, Colorado, and wrote to share a story about their son Kevin and his wife Angelina. They both attended high school in Bakersfield and Kevin later graduated from CSUB with a BS in religious studies. After moving to Lubbock, Texas, to attend the Sunset Bible School, they moved  to Dublin, Ireland. They returned to Bakersfield so Angelina could finish her degree at CSUB. They are now planning on moving to Portugal to work with a church planting organization called Kontact Mission. Why Portugal? Turns out Angelina's mother was originally from the Azores Islands, immigrated to the United States as a teenager and became a teacher at Shafter High School. Her name is Maria Sanchez. "Our kids have sold everything except their basic essentials, and those are being freighted to Lisbon as I write this. Kevin will be working as a contractor for his current employer there in Bakersfield, Lightspeed internet, and Angelina will be giving birth to their first child in September. I just wanted you to know of two more Bakersfield natives who grew up there and gone on to truly make a difference in this world."

 * ... READER SOUND OFF: This from reader Barbara Meuleman: "Why do you continue to write notes about the higher-income people who send their children off to schools and then return to Bakersfield, blah, blah, blah, which apparently makes you and them so proud of our town.....but then you follow up with an ending not  about what people call Bakersfield. A touch of Johnny Carson and not needed. Bakersfield is Bakersfield, not Bako, or anything else somebody thinks is cute. I'd hate to see what nickname they give their children, by the way.  I love Bakersfield and am disappointed when it is not built up, but instead given names that reflect we are either stupid, just in off of the farm, or whatever. Who started this, and why is is so important to label a wonderful, compassionate town when there are other ways to use the space?  Let's let the name Bakersfield be important, well thought of and if with a nickname, a great one, not one that pulls it down to the level of "dumb blonde" jokes.  Thanks, beano...whoops Mr. Beene."

 * ...SAN JOSE STATE: Got an interesting email from insurance risk consultant John Pryor, who was remembering some special local folks who graduated from San Jose State. In his words. "In 1954, four Bakersfield residents graduated from San Jose State wearing traditional caps and gowns for the ceremony in Spartan Stadium.  However, underneath this traditional garb, they each wore US Navy officers' uniforms.  Dick Giles, Bob Gorman, John Pryor, and Terry Whitney 'went forward' to receive their degrees.  Then they each removed their cap and gown and - now in their naval officers' uniform - went forward a second time to receive their commission from a senior US Navy officer.  Each immediately reported for active duty with orders to ships or duty stations ranging from Japan to France -- and points in between."  

  For background, John said Dick Giles' career was in sales management for Hopper, Inc. and McCarthy Tank and  Steel, Bob Gorman, who passed away last year, was a local workers' compensation consultant, Whitney was CEO of Welch Grape Company in Buffalo NY (now living in San Francisco), and John was a local insurance broker.

* ... BAKERSFIELDISM : You know you're  from Bakersfield when you know that ordering a "half and half" at Luigi's means half pasta and half beans.

 

Bako bits: Short takes from around our community

If it's spring (albeit a short one here in Bakersfield) you know it's the season for non-profits to come out swinging with fund raisers and events. We've got a solid couple months of fund raisers and events lined up. Some of the things going on around town:
* In two weeks (April 21) Bakersfield Memorial Hospital will recognize Dr. Hans Einstein with the opening of the Hans E. Einstein, MD Pavilion. Memorial has been on a roll with millions spent on capital improvements and the Einstein Pavilion will be just the latest addition.
* Valley Republic Bank next Monday (April 21) will hold a ribbon cutting to open its first branch at 5000 California Avenue. Bruce Jay is the new bank CEO and he promises to go after some of the same kinds of small business customers that locally owned San Joaquin Bank serves.
* John Pryor, longtime local insurance guru, has now turned to risk management consulting and is promoting an April 23 event at Stockdale Country Club featuring Mark Abe, one of the FBI's local counter-terrorism leaders. Abe will be talking from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.. Contact John at 588-1100 if you are interested.
* I read with great curiosity the front page story in today's Californian on "technology fatigue." Curious because while conceding that almost half of all adults are enthusiastic about social networking, the story then focuses on the 7 percent who are not. Of course this story was written by the Associated Press, an embattled and backward looking organization that is directly threatened by the growth of online. And so it goes. Welcome to our Bakersfield spring.