A swarm of earthquakes hit Ridgecrest and the high desert, Casa Munoz heads to Las Vegas, Rep. Kevin McCarthy makes some predictions and what is with all the nude homeless people around town?

Friday, July 5, 2019

 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. Send news items to rsbeene@yahoo.com.

 * ... JULY FOURTH: The downtown July Fourth parade, now 31 years old, keeps growing in size

and popularity. Mayor Karen Goh kicked off the festivities at the corner of Elm and 22nd Street as several hundred people walked the streets of old downtown to celebrate the birth of our nation. Enjoy these random shots.

* ... EARTHQUAKE: So where were you when the 6.4 magnitude earthquake struck on July Fourth? I was at the Bakersfield Racquet Club, taking a rest between pickle ball games, and sat in awe as i watched the huge light poles sway back and forth like a palm tree. Seismologists say we should expect more aftershocks of equal or even greater strength. take a look at this map of the known faults in our area.

 * ... TERM LIMITS: Remember David Abassi, the marijuana proponent who has tangled with both the city and the Board of Supervisors?  He says he is out of the cannabis business now, but he is not done with politics. His next goal is to gather enough signatures to put a initiative on the local ballot to establish term limits for the Board of Supervisors. "This could wipe out the entire board," he told me. "Wipe the slate clean."

* ... KEVIN MCCARTHY: Who does House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy think may win the Democratic presidential nomination? When we spoke earlier this week on The Richard Beene Show, McCarthy said Bernie Sanders was the best positioned to use his vast organization and fund raising ability to win the nomination. Joe Biden will fade, he said, and at this point in time, he said Sanders seems most likely to win the nomination.

 * ... CASA MUNOZ: One of our city's most iconic Mexican restaurants is moving to Nevada, and you can blame the high cost of doing business in California. Pep Munoz, part of the family that ran not only Casa Munoz but also Mexicali and Sinaloa, told me it was the rising cost of doing business here that led to the decision to leave California. Munoz blamed new fees and taxes and a rising minimum wage for his reason to live. If the minimum wage rises to $15 an hour, Munoz predicted there would be a mass exodus of full service restaurants. Munoz' father, Joe, will likely stay in town and possibly operate a much smaller restaurant, possibly in Shafter. The new eatery will be located in Henderson outside of Las Vegas and may be named either Sinaloa or Casa Munoz.

 * ... MORE PEP: And where does Pep Munoz go when he is not eating at his own restaurant? I posed that question to him and here is his list: Pyrenees Cafe, Uricchio's Trattoria, Sorella's, K.C. Steakhouse and Happy Jack's.

* ... HOMELESS: Here's a post on Facebook that speaks to our homeless crisis. No comments are necessary.

 * ... MEMORIES: Some old pictures of a Bakersfield in another time. First we see a scene from the old Golden Crust  Bread facility and then a shot of the stately old Southern Hotel, 19th Street and  Chester, circa 1898-1905. Enjoy.

Isn't it time to ban fireworks considering our bad air and lack of water? And we know you love your dog, but better hope it doesn't make the list of most expensive to own

 * ... FIREWORKS: The Fourth is behind us but the heated passions over fireworks live on. Consider this note from R. Craig Lincoln: "I can’t tell you how disappointed I am of the city and county to allow fireworks. What’s wrong with our council and supervisors? Not only because of the

drought but Bakersfield and Kern County have the worst air quality and can’t even meet the EPA or CARB air quality requirements. Bakersfield is rated No. 1 in the nation for highest  levels of air pollution with asthma prominent throughout the region, and the bad air can also raise levels of respiratory and cardiovascular disease.  Fireworks just makes it worse. Bakersfield and Kern County with the highest level of year-round pollution and some of the highest incidences of heart and lung issues as well, according to the American Lung Association's annual report. Now the drought we don’t have the water available to fight fires caused by fireworks. This just doesn’t make sense!"

* ... DOGS: Owning a pet can be expensive, as we all know. But a recent study identified the 10 most expensive dog breeds, based on their propensity for developing bone conditions and other ailments. The top ten are the English Bulldog, the German Shepherd, the French Bulldog, the Chow Chow, the Tibetan Mastiff, the Irish Wolfhound, the Great Dane, the Rottweiler, the Bernise Mountain Dog and the Basset Hound.

* ... SPOTTED: On Facebook was this post: "If opposites truly attract, the correct life strategy is to be a complete loser."

 * ... DROUGHT: Ellyce Baldwin weighed in on our drought with this: "Today you passed along an indignity by Nancy Bryant over someone violating water restrictions, implying that pressure washing your structure is a violation. Since we will be pressure washing the eaves and fascia boards of our house soon in conjunction with painting them for house upkeep, and since a pressure washer has a nozzle that is controlled, it is not a violation to do this. I just called California Water Service Company and talked to a supervisor for the answer. A pressure washer uses less water than a hose. A garden hose uses about 8 gallons per minute, while a pressure washer uses five gallons or less per minute. So, while I’m not advocating washing ones house just to get cobwebs off, for maintenance painting prep, it’s not a violation. I do wish we had put the painting off for a year, but we signed a contract several months ago. We will be monitoring the pressure washing to ensure it is done with minimal water."

 * ... NELSON: Caroline O. Reid was in Los Angeles last week when she stopped at In-N-Out for a quick burger. Suddenly, she found herself surrounded by men and women in uniform. It was then she noticed they were from the Bakersfield Police Department, Kern County Sheriff's department and Porterville and Wasco, all in town to attend the funeral of David Nelson, the BPD officer who died in the line of duty. "They were such clean cut, strong, solid looking men and women. Their expressions were stoic. It struck me that in spite of the dreadful sadness we are experiencing, life must go on. We must eat. We must go back to our jobs and our families. I am sure that Bakersfield will never forget our highly respected Officer Nelson or the work he did and obviously, from what I’ve read, the work that he could have done had he been allowed the opportunity. Sometimes life is almost too sad but we must keep on keeping on."

On this Fourth of July weekend, give thanks to the greatness of our country, and some really good form around our community

 * ... FOURTH: This weekend we celebrate the birth of our nation, and though there are plenty of issues that divide us (immigration, abortion, gay marriage, Obamacare, social policy etc) I hope we all take a moment to appreciate that we live in a country that allows us the freedom to disagree. Are

we perfect? Certainly not. But look around the world and the problems faced by so many countries - Greece, Iraq, Syria, Libya, Egypt, Afghanistan, Ukraine and closer to home, even Mexico with its drug cartels - and things don't look so bad. So fly that flag this weekend and toast to what we have.

* ... GOOD FORM: Bob Ritchey had an encounter the other day that is worth sharing. In his words: "I saw an older man dumpster diving for recyclables and I went up to talk to him.  One of the questions I asked him was how much does he make a day and he said '$10 on a good day.' I told him I admired him because he was out trying to earn money, instead of begging. I reached in my wallet and I knew I didn’t have much cash at the time. I had three bills and I thought they were all $1 and I apologized for not having more to give him. He said thanks and left the property. A few minutes later I saw him coming back toward the property and I ran over to my son and asked him to give me a $5 bill. The man came up to me told me that he wanted to let me know that one of the bills I had given him was actually a $10 bill. Needless to say I was shocked with his honesty and I rewarded him with another $5."

 * ... THREE STRIKES: The long criminal record of the man arrested in connection with the death of Bakersfield police officer David Nelson sparked a lot of comments. Typical of the reaction was this from Ken Barnes: "When did the 'Three Strikes' law that the people of California voted in become
four, five, or six? And then you finally get jailed for life after causing someone's death? Maybe we should take the high speed rail money and build more prisons and courthouses so these offenders could be put away and not beat the court system with pleas for a lesser charge. Really disgusting."

* ... SPOTTED: "It’s not really drinking alone if the dog’s home."

 * ... OVERHEARD: A young woman is telling a friend: "I don't drink high priced wine. The cheaper stuff doesn't give you a hangover."

 * ... GOOD FORM: Here is some good form that will make your day, compliments of Patricia Basset: "I live in Lake Isabella and travel the canyon frequently. Quite often the canyon is closed due to an accident, someone over the cliff, rocks in the road, etc. Last Friday there was a large rock slide about half way up the canyon and the line of cars waiting to get through was massive. It was hot, hot, hot and we were told it could be up to 10 hours to get the road cleared. While I was driving up 178, I was behind a young man in a truck, pulling a backhoe. He was waiting along with all of us until a young woman walked back down the road, after going to the slide area. When that girl told the guy in front of me about the slide, he didn't even think twice. He pulled the chains off his backhoe, unloaded it (no simple task) and took off up the hill. Within minutes, he cleared one side of the road of several huge rocks which allowed the traffic to move slowly, but steadily along. I am pretty confident that nobody thanked him, but I want that man to know my husband and I, along with all those waiting, really appreciated his being willing to go out of his way to help us get through the canyon. We do have good people here in Bakersfield."

 * ... LOCAL BOY: The new principal of Malibu High School, Dr. Brandon Gallagher, has a Bakersfield connection. A graduate of Cal State Bakersfield, Gallagher began his teaching career in the Bakersfield City School District where he taught from 2001 to 2003. He later taught in Santa Paula and most recently served as principal of an elementary school in Hawaii.

House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy on what July Fourth means to all Americans, a time of gratitude and grace

 Rep. Kevin McCarthy, a Bakersfield Republican and House Majority Leader, gives us his weekly report from Capitol Hill:

 "The Fourth of July is an American holiday, but it is recognized around the world as a turning point in history where the dominance of the few gave way to the rights of the many. It is the point at which the people rejected distant powers and centralized governments in favor of government elected by the people, for the people, and accountable to the people.

 "Centuries after the birth of our nation, we still celebrate our Declaration of Independence because the principles it was founded on—government by the people, the innate dignity of human beings, and liberty and equal justice for all—are universal. They do not change and they can never be forgotten.

 "On this day, we celebrate the fact that, in America, we are not united by bloodlines or even shared opinion. Rather, we are united by the bold belief that every person is guaranteed rights that their government must respect. We are united by the rooted knowledge that government by the few for the interest of the few will necessarily devolve into tyranny. And we are united by the hope that our ideals will be ever more perfectly realized as we continue living this great American experiment.

  "This time of year, we also remember those who gave the ultimate sacrifice so that we might enjoy these liberties and this hope. We extend our prayers and our gratitude to the courageous men and women currently serving in the armed forces and their families. There is no doubt that we live in the land of the free because of the brave.

  "As we enjoy this holiday, watch some fireworks, and spend time with family and friends, we know that celebrating Independence Day is much more than remembering the greatness of our past. It is a call to make a brighter future—to build upon the foundations that make America not just a country, but an idea.

McCarthy: On this Fourth of July, celebrating the wisdom of our Founding Fathers and the strength and courage that make our country great

 Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Bakersfield and House Majority Whip, gives us his weekly view on this Independence Day week.

 "When President Reagan began his Fourth of July remarks from aboard the U.S.S. John F. Kennedy in 1986, he knew his speech was the only thing standing between a patriotic crowd and a huge fireworks

display over New York Harbor. He recalled a saying from his days back in Hollywood about never doing a scene with kids or animals, because they would always steal the scene. “Rest assured,” he said, “I wouldn't even think about trying to compete with a fireworks display, especially on the Fourth of July.”

"As members of our communities in California and Americans across the country look forward to celebrating with family and friends today, I will take a page from President Reagan’s script. But if one thing ought to be remembered, it is that all of today’s celebrations – from the Central Valley to the Antelope Valley to the Indian Wells Valley and all the way to the East Coast – are connected by the history of this day, July 4.  Summoned by Liberty Bell’s ring in 1776, Philadelphians gathered in front of Independence Hall to hear the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence. Afterwards, shouting, muskets firing in the air, and bells chiming could be heard throughout the city. And as copies of the Declaration spread, the celebration rippled through the nation.

  "But the days and months leading up to Independence Day were dark ones. It was a time filled with uncertainty and danger. The Founding Fathers risked their lives when they signed the Declaration because they knew, as Thomas Jefferson said, that the principle of freedom itself was not enough - it had to be inherently inscribed within a foundational document. They were brave, and their courage not only inspired the fight for freedom but led our nation through the Revolutionary War. Their courage created the first nation founded on the principle that all people are born with the right to be free.

 “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.” The guiding principles of our democratic republic, these words also represent hope to billions around the world. From the local veterans I have the honor of meeting on Kern County Honor Flight trips to the young students in our communities who choose to attend U.S. Service Academies, it is thanks to all of the heroic women and men who selflessly fight to defend and protect our freedom that America continues to be a beacon of democracy and symbol of hope to the world.

 "There will always be obstacles that test our strength and unity as a nation, and foreign enemies who do not ascribe to our beliefs. It is easy to focus on what makes us different from each other. But the history of this day reminds us that America was not founded on an ethnicity or a religion, but a creed. We believe that every man, woman and child has an equal and God-given right to liberty, to a fair chance at happiness and success.  It is our duty to ensure that freedom is protected and preserved for generations to come.

  "In a letter to his wife, Abigail, from July 3, 1776, John Adams told her that Independence Day ought to be “celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival […] with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires, and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more.” So while we remember the history and honor the sacrifice made for our nation’s independence today, Presidents Adams and Reagan were making an important point: today it is also a day to have fun and celebrate.
 "Let Freedom Ring."

Former Congressman Bill Thomas rips into the Leticia Perez campaign, saying it is built on lies and distortions. Will going negative backfire on the Perez camp?

 * ... PEREZ: Former House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Bill Thomas pulled no punches recently in giving his view of Leticia Perez, who is locked in a pitched battle for the 16th Senate District race against  Hanford cherry farmer Andy Vidak. Thomas characterized the Perez campaign as a shameful attempt to smear Vidak through half truths and distortions, and he called the July 23 16th Senate runoff one of the most important of the year. It may have been wishful thinking, but Thomas speculated that Perez's focus on character assassination could backfire because the relentless negative campaigning is turning off some Democrats and more middle of the road voters. Thomas made his remarks on First Look with Scott Cox. Perez campaign manager Trent Hager responded by saying "the thirsty Los Angeles-based real estate special interests are the ones who started the runoff with nasty, negative and personal campaign attacks against Leticia. The only reason these special interest players would be spending upwards of $1 million in a negative campaign trying to tear Leticia down is because they are after one thing, the Valley's water. And they know, based on Andy's prior track record of never voting to deliver water to the Valley, he is just their guy." The gloves are clearly off in this campaign.

 * ... IMMIGRATION: And speaking of former congressman Thomas, he was complimentary of the comprehensive immigration reform passed in the Senate, noting that four of the five Central Valley congressmen (Reps. Jeff Denham, Jim Costa, David Valadao and Devin Nunes) have spoken in favor of reform. The one who is coldest to the Senate plan seems to be Rep. Kevin McCarthy, the House Majority Whip. Instead, McCarthy has been adhering to the Republican line that the House will come up with its own package. As Thomas said: the best way to kill legislation is to say the Senate reform bill simply isn't good enough.

 * ... HEAT: If you think it is hot here when the temperature hits 109, remember that it was 127 in Death Valley and 113 in Las Vegas this week.

 * ... FREEDOM: Thanks to my regular contributor Gene Bonas for this thought in honor of July Fourth: "Depending on which source is used, World War II veterans are dying at a rate of a thousand to fifteen hundred each day.... (including)  submarine veterans, who gave everything for the freedoms we enjoy today. The month of June during Word War II was a bad month for sub losses. Seven submarines and 402 men were lost. The month of July was not as bad: Three submarines and 204 men were lost. It's interesting to note that from 1900 to the present day, a total of 65 United States Navy submarines have been lost.  Of those 65, 52 subs and a total of 3,889 men were lost during World War II. "

 * ... ACHIEVER: Kudos to Julianne Toler-Schmidt, a local girl who is headed to the University of Georgia as an assistant professor. Julianne went to Bakersfield Christian High and later to Point Loma University. After that she earned her master's and doctorate from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Said her proud father, retired Bakersfield city battalion chief Larry Toler,  "She's going from being a 'Tar Heel' to being a "Bulldog" or in my mind a Georgia Peach." Her mother, Marilyn, is a retired reading specialist with the Norris School District.