We open the airways to talk about race in America, Jacquie Sullivan decides not to seek another term on the City Council, and Uricchio's Trattoria and Pyrenees Cafe get ready to reopen for table service

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.

 * ... RACE AND KERN COUNTY:  Michael Bowers remembers being questioned by police as a young man. Keith Wolaridge is seized by utter fear when he spots he is being followed by a police

car. Leticia Perez looks at birth rates, demographics and civic engagement and reminds us that Kern County's future will look far different than its past. And Sheriff Donny Youngblood pulls no punches in condemning the officers involved in the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. These are just a smattering of the comments made over two days when I hosted these four people for a conversation on race on The Richard Beene Show (KERN NewsTalk 96.1 FM). Check out these links to my conversations with Bowers and Wolaridge, and with Perez and Youngblood.

 * ... JACQUIE SULLIVAN: Jacquie Sullivan will not be seeking reelection, ending a long 25 career on the Bakersfield City Council. She becomes the second council person to say they won't seek a new term, joining Ward 1's Willie Rivera who made a similar announcement last week. It's been a while since two open seats appeared on the ballot, and it could dramatically alter the coalitions on the council. Meanwhile, fellow Councilman Bruce Freeman said he would seek another term.

 * ... STEVE TEGLIA: Breaking news here from Lois Henry, chief executive officer of SJVWATER.ORG, a non profit devoting to covering California Water issues: Steve Teglia, a long time Assistant City Manager of the City of Bakersfield, has formally taken over the reins of the Kern Delta Water District. He was appointed to the position to replace retiring Mark Mulkay on May 16 and officially took over on Monday, June 1. “This is a great move for Kern Delta and we expect Mr. Teglia to lead this district into the future,” Mulkay wrote in an email Tuesday. “I hope that the water community will accept Mr. Teglia and treat him with the patience and professionalism in which I have been for the past 27 years.” Mulkay will continue working for Kern Delta as its Water Resources Manager, according to the email.

 * ... PYRENEES: The iconic Pyrenees Cafe in old town Kern will be reopening this weekend, and you can bet its legions of fans will make it a "standing room only" event. Pyrenees owners Rod and Julie Crawford said they spent the past month doing improvements and making sure the restaurant meets health and safety guidelines.

 * ... URICCHIO'S TRATTORIA: Meanwhile, Uricchio's Trattoria will return to in-house dining next Tuesday, according to owner Claire Porter. Claire told me the dining room will hold a "soft opening" this weekend  to see how it goes in dining rooms with fewer tables and no seats at the bar. The new hours will have Uricchio's closed Sunday and Monday.

 * ... PROTESTS IN PICTURES: With my compliments to all the folks around town who captured these images, a sampling of the protests around town this past weekend.

 * ... MEMORIES: Pictures of wrecks on the old Grapevine connecting Bakersfield with Los Angeles in the years before Interstate 5 was built.

A final wish for less pettiness in our political discourse for the new year, Muertos and the Silver Fox Starlite Lounge roll out new menu items and some recommendations for the new year

 * ... FINAL WISH: A final thought as we head into 2018 after a tumultuous year politically and

socially. My simple wish is that we as a people can reject the poisonous attitudes of tribal politics that focus on blame and character assassination and instead look for the beliefs and traditions that bring us together. No matter who is in the White House or Congress, it is up to us as individuals to establish a more civil discourse. Identity politics that categorize us by the color of our skin, our gender, our nationalities or our political affiliation serve only to divide us and do precious little to advance a meaningful and honest conversation. Enough of pettiness and blame. Surely we can do better.

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "When I told my parents over the phone that my husband had the flu, my dad said 'Have you tried euthanasia?' and in the background my mom yelled 'For the last time, it’s echinacea!'"

 * ... SPOTTED ON FACEBOOK: "Reflections on sexual harassment: Be respectful and don’t say anything to a woman at work that you wouldn’t want another man to say to you in prison."

 * ... GOOD EATS: One of the local eateries I frequent - Muertos in the Wall Street alley downtown - is adding a handful of custom hot dogs to its menu. Among them: the "serrano dog" featuring grilled serrano peppers and onions, chopped bacon jack cheese and tomatillo slices, the "cheesesteak dog" featuring grilled carne aside, onions and bell peppers with melted jack cheese, and the "bird dog" with grilled chicken with pico de gallo, melted jack cheese, chopped ortega chillies and tomatillos salsa.

 * ... SILVER FOX: Meanwhile they are now serving food over at the newly renovated Silver Fox Starlite Lounge across from Mexicali on 18th Street.  Bar manager Andrew Willingham told me the Starlite is now serving street dogs and tacos along with a few other items. The Fox is owned by Rod and Julie Crawford, owners of the iconic Pyrenees Cafe in east Bakersfield.

 * ... PICKLEBALL: Did you know the fastest growing sport in America - including here in Kern County - is pickle ball? The paddle sport, played on a court about a third the size of a tennis court, has been embraced across town. At the Bakersfield Racquet Club, "pickle ball only" memberships are nearing the 100 mark, and private clubs like Stockdale Country Club and Seven Oaks have also restriped tennis courts to accommodate its popularity. Nick Jacobs, a Garces High graduate who is now the men's tennis coach at Bakersfield College, is preparing to hold his second "Renegade Cup" pickle ball tournament this September. Last year, its inaugural year, he had more than 100 entries.

 * ... NEW YEAR TIPS: If you own an old home like I do, it's good to know folks who can attend to the occasional problems that older homes present. So here are some recommendations for your new year, courtesy of my own experience: family owned Bakersfield Plumbing for those clogged sewer lines and water issues, Rich Johnson Painting and his crew for quick, affordable and thoughtful attention to detail,  Dean Farnsworth for a versatile handyman who can handle just about any job, and General Tree Service for those seasonal trimming jobs.

It's white knuckle time in local elections with one month to go, Cafe Med's new brunch spread gets some love, and it's that time for high school reunions around town

* ... ELECTIONS: I can't imagine anyone being more sick of this election season than the candidates themselves. Who wouldn't grow weary of the constant begging for money, public appearances, candidate forums, interviews and precinct? And with just a month left before we cast

ballots, things are only intensifying. Don Martin, owner of Metro Galleries, held a 'meet and greet' for Ward 2 city council candidate Andrae Gonzales, local supporters of Measure J (improvements in the Kern Community College District) are working hard to make sure the measure doesn't get lost in the landslide of local initiatives (good luck with that) and I haven't seen a Facebook newsfeed in weeks that doesn't feature a smiling Karen Goh or Kyle Carter out glad handing the public.

 * ... FOODIE: Do you ever wonder where local restaurant owners go when they are not dining at their own place? Rod Crawford, who along with wife Julie run the successful Pyrennes Cafe, recently posted on Facebook high praise for the Sunday brunch at Cafe Med on Stockdale Highway. Crawford confirmed the word on the street that Meir Brown has introduced a can't miss brunch at the iconic Mediterranean eatery. "This is our favorite restaurant, and the place we feel like home when we leave ours," he said. "It doesn't happen often but when it does that's where we go."

 * ... SAVE WATER: Meanwhile over at La Costa Mariscos the waiters have new T-shirts with this message: "Save Water. Drink Tequila."

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "Johnny Depp was the ultimate bad boy until he started looking like my great aunt."

 * ... OVERHEARD: A recent retiree is telling a friend about becoming a driver for Uber: "I prefer to drive in the morning. People are showered and nice and headed somewhere. You don't know what you are going to get at night."

 * ... SPOTTED: This is the season for high school reunions, and they were happening all over town this past weekend. There was a big group of Highland High grads who celebrated their 40th anniversary at The Petroleum Club, and there wasn't a better looking group of 40 year olds than the group who descended on The Padre hotel to celebrate the Bakersfield High class of 2006.

* ... DEE: My post about retired educator Dolores "Dee" Whitley struck a never readers who know her and worked alongside her. This from Dr. James L. Sullivan: "Thank you for recognizing one of the true treasures of our community.  I had the pleasure of serving on the Board of Trustees of the Panama-Buena Vista School District from 1980 to 1994, at which time Dee was one of my daughter's teachers both in the second and fourth grades (lucky girl). She served as principal of Van Horn and McAuliffe elementary schools. She later was  an outstanding member of the school board. Her kind leadership and devoted efforts on behalf of the students, staff and parents has made our community a much better place. 'Special' is someoneto be admired, to be considered valuable and someone who cannot be replaced.  'Special' is the word that best describes Dee."

Bakersfield grows west toward a new "epicenter," the owners of Pyrenees Cafe benefit from customer and employee loyalty and a new sports radio program makes its debut

 * … GROWTH: The intersection of Panama Lane and Gosford Road is positioned to be the

"epicenter" of growth in the southwest and could eventually be as large a retail center as the Northwest Promenade. That's according to Vince Roche, a partner in the commercial brokerage firm Cushman and Wakefield, who was my guest on First Look with Scott Cox. Roche said that intersection, which just a few years ago was a sleepy little farming area, will provide the same kind of retail coverage that the Northwest Promenade does off Rosedale Highway. Roche also said that Total Wine, another larger wine retailer, is actively looking for locations in Bakersfield. And finally, Cushman and Wakefield has also branched into agricultural development and has hired Kevin Palla to head that operation.

 * … FOODIE:  If you want an example of the benefits of both customer and employee loyalty, look no further than Rod and Julie Crawford, co-owners of Pyrenees Cafe. Before buying Pyrenees, Julie was the long-timer manager of the popular Narducci's Cafe (right next door) until she was booted out in a dispute with owner Jimmy Narducci. What happened? More than 20 Narducci's employees (many of them with more than eight years at Narducci's) followed Rod and Julie next door to Pyrenees, where business is popping, and the customers followed. "We could not be happier," Julie told me. "When you treat people right, they are loyal."

 * … SPORTS RADIO: Bakersfield's newest all sports radio station, ESPN 1230 AM, has announced the launch of the Greg Kerr Show, weekdays from noon to 1 p.m.. Kerr is the dean of sports anchors in Bakersfield, having been the senior sports anchor for KBAK Channel 29 for over 20 years. The Greg Kerr Show will discuss local and national sports, feature great sports legends from the community, and engage the audience to call and share their opinions. ESPN Bakersfield 1230 AM is also the new home of The Jim Rome Show, weekdays from 9 a.m. to noon.

 * … CAR DEALERS: Not many of us have a memory like Stan Anderson, particularly when it comes to some of our long-gone car dealers. "Like Marilyn Kendig I can’t forget the Leo Meek Automobile jingle that we all heard so many times with the evening news," he wrote. "Another old time car dealer was Motor Center (not to be confused with Motor City).  Motor Center, which was located where the downtown GET terminal is today, sold all GM vehicles under one roof until GM decided to go to separate franchises. When they split Motor Center’s franchise up many of the brands went to managers from Motor Center. Adams took the Pontiac franchise, Gene Winer got Cadillac, and Bill Hawk got the Oldsmobile franchise. I’m not sure if Ed Fant who had the Buick dealership came from the Motor Center breakup. Before Highway 178 joined up with 24th Street, most all these dealers lined 24th Street."

 * … OVERHEARD: A local man is talking about spending the weekend on the Central Coast. "We were coming back on Highway 46 and I swear, as soon as we hit the Kern County line we hit fog. It was a total buzz kill."

 * ..,. MEMORY: J.J. Gianquinto posed this question for all you history buffs out there: (former sheriff "Charlie Dodge often told the story about a relatively prominent man in Bakersfield, initials GCR, who rode his horse into the lobby, and maybe the bar, of the old El Tejon Hotel.  Do you, or does anyone else, know who that person was?"

Former Bakersfield High Driller and Seattle Super Sonic Robert Swift arrested on robbery charges in Seattle, and my pick eatery of the week goes to the newly remodeled Pyrenees Cafe

 * … SWIFT: It's hard to think of things getting worse for former NBA star Robert Swift, but they have. In case you missed it Swift, who graduated from Bakersfield High and went to the NBA straight out of high school, was arrested in Seattle on charges of attempted robbery. In November, was busted on drugs and weapons charges and lost his home to foreclosure. Seattle media reported that Swift, who stands at 7 foot 1 inch, admitted he was a heroin addict. Swift played for the Seattle Super Sonics and the Oklahoma Thunder before his life went into a downward spiral.

 * … PYRENEES: My restaurant of the week goes to the Pyrenees Cafe, which has been smartly remodeled by new owners Julie and Rod Crawford, who also own Narducci's just a block away. The bar has been spruced up without losing its Basque character and the dining room is adorned with some wonderful photos of Bakersfield from the 1890s, including a huge photo of a parade at the intersection of Chester Avenue and 19th Street. The food, classic Basque, is excellent. By the way, I goofed last week in saying that the new eatery Narducci's North Beach downtown was owned by the Crawfords. Different ownership.

 * … SPOTTED:  On Twitter there was this bit of wisdom: "I’m suspicious of people who don’t like dogs, but I trust a dog when it doesn’t like a person."

* … PHOTO: Gene Thome, owner of Bear Mountain Sports, spotted a yard sale sign on a local telephone pole in the Northeast and posted the picture on social media. The sign read: "Going to Jail Yard Sale… Coke 50 cents." Only in Bakersfield.

 * … GOOD FORM: This note came from a woman who only wanted to be identified as "an impressed senior citizen." She said: "Kudos to Serena Perez for her good deed today. The Highland High School freshman walked her bike through University Park after school today until she found the owner of the parked car with its door wide open and lights on. The owner was with her children at the play structure. I'm sure Serena prevented a theft and a dead battery. Good citizenship at work!"

 * … SERVICE: I experienced some top flight customer service this weekend when a technician named Brian from J. Noble Binns Plumbing took care of a cranky tankless hot water heater. He was  efficient and patient enough to give me a clinic in how these things work.

 * … BAKERSFIELDISM: You might be from Bakersfield if you "bought your first car from Wally Tucker Datsun, Bill Wright Toyota or Haberfeld Ford."