H. Walker's Clothing store gets a facelift, some bad form from a panhandler and a car wash does its part to combat California's long drought

 * … BAD FORM: Linda Welch shared a story about a young panhandler who was standing in front of the McDonald's on North Chester along with his dog. She happened to have a can of dog food in her

car, and handed to the man. "He looked at the can and said, 'but lady this is dog food.' And I said 'yeah, and you have a dog.' By the way, not one time did he say thanks," she said. "So much for being taken in." (file photo)

 * … H. WALKER'S: H. Walker's Men Clothing has closed its downtown location for a complete remodel. Owner Tracy Walker-Kiser said the store, now in its 43rd year of business including 16 at its K street location, is getting new furniture and carpeting and will reopen in early August. Plans call for an expanded shoe section surrounded by a new sitting area, as well as an expanded line of fragrances for both men and women. The store will reopen on August 12.

 * … SMOOT: Lauren Smoot, a fixture over at the Greater Bakersfield Chamber of Commerce, has landed a new job as director of policy and community affairs at the Kern Citizens for Sustainable Government. Smoot earned her bachelor's degree from Fresno State and is working on her master's degree in community development from Kansas State University. At the Chamber Smoot served as communications manager.

  * … DROUGHT: Kudos to the folks over at Sparkling Image Carwash on 24th Street where they are taking the drought seriously. Said reader Sue Lueth: "You know your column may have rubbed off on some of the other Kern County folks too, because I went to the Sparkling Image Carwash on 24th St. this Saturday. Of all of the restaurants, businesses, and even stylists shops I see over the course of a year, this is the first place in Kern County I have run across that has the water taps adjusted in the restrooms to 5 to 10 second bursts of water to wash. And what a great place to implement water conversation,  just quick pulse of water and the job is done. Kudos to them and maybe others will follow."

* … BUFFET: Steve Ramsey had the pleasure of meeting Jimmy Buffet recently during a concert in Boston. "When speaking with him, I told him I was from Bakersfield and that he was the most requested act to come and perform at the Rabobank Arena. I asked him if he thought that this would ever be possible.  He said he would mention our conversation to his business manager and see what happens. At least I put the bug in his ear. To all the Parrotheads in Bakersfield, let's keep our fingers crossed

 * … WATER MEMORIES: This nugget from the past comes compliments of Ronal Reynier. "If you remember this you are as old as me: the artesian water wells along a narrow county road named Stockdale Highway that ran to a golf course way out in the country. The wells fed ice cold water into six foot wide cement ditches that you could float in on a hot summers day for at least a mile; more if you liked to walk. If it was a lucky day someones dad would be waiting at the end to take you back to your bicycles. Do you remember the creek that ran where Stockdale and Monitor are now? You youngsters out there have memories of the South Union Avenue Plunge, its ice-cold artesian well; as well as its 20 foot (I dare you) platform. Water, water everywhere and in some years a foot or so in the Westchester area."

Implementation of the Affordable Care Act is pushing many people unwilling into the exchanges and the Kern Citizens for Sustainable Government reveals highest paid county employees are KMC doctors

 * … OBAMACARE: The controversy over the implementation of the Affordable Care Act is revealing the dark underside of dealing with the insurance carriers. As my friend former Congressman Bill Thomas reminds me, no one wants to see how sausage is made but that is where the details are. Insurance companies are now hitting companies and individuals with hefty annual increases to comply with the ACA, or canceling their policies outright, forcing many people unwillingly into the exchanges. That is certainly not what the president once promised when he said "if you like the insurance plan you have now" you will be able to keep it. This story is just getting started and chances are we are all in for more surprises.

 * … WATCHDOG: And speaking of sausage making, the Kern Citizens for Sustainable Government was formed a bit over a year ago to keep tabs on local government. Jenifer Pitcher, the community liaison for the group, told me on First Look with Scott Cox that the focus remains on public pensions, effective education and efficient government. She also told me that when she pulled the top 30 highest paid county employees, 29 of them were doctors on contract with Kern Medical Center.

 * … SPOTTED: On a friend's Facebook page was this: "Overheard in the kitchen when teen daughter was asked if she saw something on Facebook: 'Oh, No, Facebook has been taken over by Moms!'"

* ... STREET SWEEPERS: Reader Jim VanderZwan submitted this lament about city street sweepers. "Recently our neighborhood streets were resealed and the city or whatever contractor completed the work did a great job. The streets were clean and a pristine black, that is, until the street sweepers came through.  Not only were tax payer dollars wasted 'cleaning' a just resurfaced neighborhood, but they left a large ugly brown streak where they 'cleaned' all throughout the neighborhood, leaving me and the neighbors just shaking our heads."

  * ... ACHIEVERS: I misspelled a name of a local achiever in an earlier blog, so I want to get it right today. Here is the full item: I got a call from proud grand mother Christine Nichols who updated me on her two grandsons. Josh Medrano, a 2006 Centennial High graduate, just graduated from the Navy's Nuclear Power Program in Goose Creek, S.C., while his brother, Frontier graduate Matthew Medrano, is studying agronomy at the University of Kentucky.

 * … EVENTS: Two events to keep on your calendar. This Saturday out at Minter Field in Shafter is the annual "fly in" featuring some really interesting aircraft. Gates open at 7 a.m. and it is all free. Then next Saturday, Nov. 9, make sure you remember the drive to collect blankets, pet treats, leashes and collars for stray, sick and abused dogs and cats. It's called Operation Blankets of Love and it will take place at Petco on Gosford Road from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

State Senate candidate Leticia Perez denies commenting on a video by the Kern Citizens for Sustainable Government, but a digital footprint indicates otherwise

 * ... PEREZ: Leticia Perez, the county supervisor who is in a heated District 16 state Senate race, took me to task for saying she was"not amused"by a locally produced video promoting fiscally sound government. The video was produced by the Kern Citizens for Sustainable Government and is titled "If I Wanted Kern County to Fail." It talks about balanced budgets, pension and education reform,

personal responsibility and leadership. Perez sent me an email denying she had ever commented on the video and demanding that I "clarify" it in this blog. So here is the clarification: I have a copy of the email Perez sent to Jenifer Pitcher, the community liaison at KCRG, in which Perez says this about the video: "What a joke." That's not an official Perez statement, but I think it fairly captures how she feels about KCRG and its video. I asked Perez to respond, and if she believed her email had been hacked, and she responded that she would "look into it." So there you have it. Perez is among five candidates running in the May 21 election. She is generally expected to end up in a runoff with cherry farmer Andy Vidak, a Republican.

 * ... SILVA: The confiscation of two cell phones from witnesses who said they videotaped the beating death of David Sal Silva at the hands of Kern County Sheriff's deputies may have a chilling effect on future witnesses. As one caller to The Ralph Bailey Show remarked: why would anyone tell the police they have video of a crime scene if they know a deputy will show up at their door and demand that the phone be surrendered? In the future, it's more likely folks will share the video with news organizations or friends before telling police they have evidence. Sheriff Donny Youngblood said his deputies were simply securing the crime scene and gathering evidence, but showing up at witness doors and demanding their mobile phones doesn't exactly engender trust. Meanwhile, this story has been covered by CNN, The New York Times, the Los Angeles Times and other national news outlets, not exactly the kind of image we would like to project.

* ... BAD FORM: Mary Williams spotted this bit of really bad form in the parking lot of the Vons grocery store at the corner of Stockdale and California. "I was livid ... to find a small black and white dog inside of a White Toyota Camry. The temperature outside was 93. It must have been well over 100 inside of the car. No water for the dog, a crack of the window on each side, the dog obviously was suffering in the heat.  Fifteen minutes passed and still no owner of the car (I had to call animal control because I couldn’t leave with a clear conscience).   I wonder….  Could the owner have sat inside the car under the same circumstances and be comfortable? At least they would have the option to exit the pressure cooker."

 * ... PIT BULLS: And speaking of dogs, retired city clerk Pamela McCarthy had a nasty run-in with a stray pit bull while she was taking her Schnauzer Buddy for a walk in Westchester the other day. "A few blocks from home a stray pit bull came out of nowhere and attacked us," she said. "I have never been more afraid. Fortunately for me I was carrying pepper spray and some homeowners and a gentleman driving down Elm stopped and came to my assistance. I wound up with a few bites and Buddy was badly bruised and shaken and we made a quick trip to the doctor and vet. We were very lucky and I truly want to thank those who came to our aide. Animal control was able to locate the stray and will quarantine it for 10 days. This is the second time a loose dog as come after us. Please remind dog owners that dogs do not stay in their yards when they see another dog. So please, keep them fenced or on a leash."

 * ... PARKING: Earlier this month reader Stephen A. Montgomery parked at City Hall to participate in Mayor Harvel Hall's annual litter survey. His reward? A parking ticket for $25. "It never occurred to me permits would be needed for that parking lot considering the lack of any other interests anywhere nearby that might want parking but now I know better," he said. No good deed goes unpunished.

Race for the open 16th District state Senate District heats up with heated barbs between frontrunners Leticia Perez and Andy Vidak, and a reunion is set for the old Kern County Union High School

 * ... PEREZ: With just a week to go the campaign for the 16th District state Senate race is growing predictably nasty. Frontrunners Leticia Perez and Andy Vidak have taken the gloves off, both airing scathing TV ads attacking the other. And now comes word that Perez had to apologize for using the image of the Virgin of Guadalupe in a campaign flier distributed in Fresno. Perez called it an "image of inspiration" but apologized after a complaint was filed with the Fresno Archdiocese. Perez also was not amused by a popular video produced by the Kern Citizens for Sustainable Government promoting more fiscally sound policies. And finally, Perez abruptly canceled a scheduled appearance on KERN's First Look with Scott Cox video simulcast after The Californian endorsed Vidak. If Perez and Vidak end up in a runoff, as is widely expected, we'll all have two more months of this to entertain us. (file photos of Perez, Vidak)

* ... GRANTS: The Bakersfeld Californian (family) Foundation has awarded $225,413 in grants to Kern County nonprofits involved in community enrichment projects throughout Kern County, including beautification efforts, small scope historical preservation projects and general community improvement. Among the recipients were The Bakersfield Museum of Art, Golden Empire Gleaners, Saint Vincent de Paul Center, Fox Theater Foundation, Covenant Community Service, the Gay and Lesbian Center of Bakersfield, The Cross Family Center and the Kern River Parkway Foundation, among others.

 * ... REUNION: There is a very special reunion planned this Saturday: the 75th anniversary of the 1938 class of Kern County Union High School. At this point, organizer Ada Davis says 38 classmates have been located and about half of them will be attending with friends and family. The first reunion of the class was held back in 1958 when 376 members of the graduating class of 630 attended. Many of these folks are among the "who's who" of Bakersfield, and it will surely be a memorable event. The event is planned for 11 a.m. at Marie Callender's.

 * ... TENNIS: If you are out and about this (Wednesday) evening, you might want to run over to Seven Oaks Country Club for a special (and free) tennis exhibition. It's being sponsored by a local company that provides fracking monitoring services for safe and effective oil field development and is called "Hit the Target," as in in both fracking and tennis. Ellen Bartling, a former standout tennis player at Stockdale High School and now a graduate of UC Santa Barbara working in the oil industry, is helping in promoting the event. The matches start from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

 * ... MEMORIAL DAY: Greenlawn Funeral Home is holding a special Memorial Day celebration at its Southwest location on Panama Lane. It will include an honor guard, Tehachapi police pipes and drums, the Blue Star Moms, speakers and even a Marine vocalist. There will be food and activities for children following the 11 a.m. event. A more traditional service will be held at the River Boulevard location in the Northeast.

 * ... CORRECTION: Dominic's Dugout, one of the Relay for Life teams, raised $45,000 for cancer research over a three year period and not all in the recently completed Relay event.

Powerful video from the Kern Citizens for Sustainable Government...

Gov. Jerry Brown caves on meaningful pension reform, but will it hurt the chances of the tax-the-rich Proposition 30 in the November election?

* ... PENSIONS: Keep your eye on Proposition 30 now that Gov. Jerry Brown has failed on his promise of passing meaningful state pension reform this year. Prop 30 imposes a temporary sales and income tax hike to raise money for education, but it was put on the ballot with the implied promise from Brown that it would be accompanied by real pension reform. That didn't happen, thanks in no small part to the powerful state employee unions.  Instead, the "reform" package put forth fails to address escalating medical care costs (thousands of state workers have free medical care for life) and also fails to implement a more hybrid retirement plan including a reduced pension and a 401(k) type savings plan. So will voters approve additional taxes without meaningful pension reform and while the state barrels ahead with an unfunded high speed rail project? Assemblywoman Shannon Grove was among those who attacked the governor's plan, calling it a "watered down" version of his original, 12-point pension reform proposal. "The fact that it took two years for this meaningless ‘pension reform’ to be addressed gives further proof to my goal of changing this place to a part-time legislature, because absolutely nothing of real is accomplished by our current batch of ‘professional, full time’ politicians.  They will adjourn Friday night and go home for two months to campaign, telling the taxpayers to vote for their Prop 30 to raise taxes and give the Legislature even more money to spend!” (photo courtesy of the Los Angeles Times)

 * ... MAYA: Meanwhile, I was at the Maya Cinemas the other day and noticed the Kern Citizens for Sustainable Government has extended its pension awareness campaign to the theater screen. The organization is sponsoring an effective ad that poses the question: is it right to cut the number of days our children are in school to pay for unsustainable teacher pensions?

 * ... COVENANT: An event to raise money for Covenant Community Services, the non profit that helps foster kids get on their feed, will be held at Imbibe Wine and Spirits on Thursday, October 18. I mistakenly reported it would be held at Covenant's North Chester office but instead will be held at Imbibe from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. The cost is $25. Hats off to Imbibe owners David and Tami Dobbs who do so much for many needy organizations in town.

 * ... IRISH: The college football season kicks off this weekend and the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame and their fans will be flying to Dublin, Ireland, to face Navy. And among the estimated 30,000 fans heading to Ireland are two local kids, both of them graduates of Garces Memorial High School. Brandon West is a junior at the university and Julia Berchtold is a senior. Brandon is a stunter on the Notre Dame cheer squad (he is one of the kids who hurls cheerleaders into the air) and Julia is with the band. I am always impressed with the number of local kids who head off to Notre Dame and yes, there is even a Bakersfield Notre Dame Club to cheer them on.

* ... BAD FORM: Over in Laurelglen, Lynne Budy has some advice for those who walk their dogs in the quiet neighborhood: please keep your dogs off the lawn.  "I have spotted and caught one of the dog walkers in my neighborhood allowing his two female standard boxers defecate  in my newly landscaped front yard. This has been going on since earlier this year.  As I ran out of the opened front door and down the front walk, the man looked up, grinned at me, and responded, 'You have nice new grass.'  I was so stunned, that I said nothing, but I did walk to the area next to the sidewalk to verify what I witnessed."

Kern Citizens for Sustainable Government push for pension reform; hear its founders on Californian Radio KERN 1180

 * ... CAL RADIO: Kern Citizens for a Sustainable Government is a newly formed organization devoted to supporting policies that balance the need for growth with responsible spending. Since forming a few months ago, this group has proved to be a steady voice in holding our local and state officials accountable for their votes and actions. On Monday, I will be chatting with two of the founding members, J.P. Lake and Patrick Wade, on Californian Radio KERN 1180 at 9 a.m. Tune for to hear their priorities and concerns going into this election year. Here is Lake on the group's mission: "Unless all of us get involved in changing our government, politicians will continue to enact poor policy and regulations. Maybe you know the saying: 'Nothing changes, if nothing changes.' For us, change means working to raise public awareness, education and participation in the creation of laws and regulations and the election of public servants."


 * ... SNAIL MAIL: A reader submitted this example of service from our Post Office: "I just received a thank you note that was postmarked Dec. 30! Two and a half months later it arrives across town!"

 * ... SAM THE HIPPO: Clarine Seymour is a local resident who passed along her knowledge of Sam, the hippopotamus who once lived at Larson's Dairy. Turns out Claire published a children's book called "Sam, The Hippo No One Wanted."It tells the story of how Sam came from the Jungle Compound in Thousand Oaks and was virtually homeless until the late John Barber, owner of Barber Pontiac, heard about Sam, purchased him and gave him to the Bakersfield Zoo. He stayed there for a while and eventually was moved to Larson's Dairy where there was a cement pond filled with water. When plans for a bigger zoo never materialized, Sam was sold to an animal trainer and once appeared on a television commercial for Cal Worthington Ford.

 * ... SPOTTED: A posting on Twitter: "Spotted: Little Caesar's car in Taco Bell drive-thru. Must have had enough of pizza pizza."

 * ... WINE TASTING: If it's March you know we're in the middle of the prime season for fund raising. And on Saturday, March 24, one of my favorite events will be held at Motor City Lexus from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. It's the 4th Annual Wine Tasting with all proceeds benefiting the American Cancer Society. More than 20 California wineries are featured along with live music and culinary from many of Bakersfield's finer restaurants. Only 550 tickets will be available and the cost is $40 in advance or $50 at the door, and can be purchased at Imbibe Wines and all Coldwell Banker locations. Thanks to Coldwell's John Mackessy for sharing this.

 * ... TOP GUNS: Some of the top competition shotgun shooters in the country will converge on Kern County later this month for the 31st annual Ken Barnes Open Skeet Championships. The tournament will be held at the Kern County Gun Club March 30-April 1. The event is named after local Realtor Kenny Barnes, one of the all-time great skeet shooters and a member of the Skeet Shooting Hall of Fame.

 * ... BAKERSFIELDISM: Bill Black of Taft says you might be a Bakersfield old timer if "you remember that the Mexicali on 18th Street was Herb Kings before it became the Mexicali... (and)
the Imperial Hotel on 21st Street later became Maison Jaussaud's at their new location on Union Avenue."

The oil patch is booming and a group of 30-somethings create a shadow group to promote good government

 * ... ENERGY: There is a lot of good news on the local energy front. Oil and gas production is booming, good jobs are being created and now I read that U.S. petroleum imports are down to just 46 percent of total consumption, compared to 60 percent just a few years ago. That's according to the Wall Street Journal which says U.S. crude oil production has risen by 18 percent since 2008. "The reason is the appearance of a new source," the paper said, "'tight oil' which is extracted from dense rocks. In 2000 it was only about 200,000 barrels per day, 3 percent of total output. Today is is about a million barrels per day." All good news for our local companies and suppliers.

 * ... GOOD GOVERNMENT: Keep your eye on a new organization in town that is supporting responsible and sustainable government. It was created by three 30-something local businessmen - John Paul Lake, Patrick Wade and Chad Hathaway - and it promises to be an important new group to hold our local politicians accountable. It's called "Kern Citizens for Sustainable Government" and no doubt you will be hearing more from these guys in the days and weeks to come. They've got the smarts, the money and the connections to make things happen. Lake works at his family's business Rain for Rent, Wade owns Precision Pharmacy and is a member of the city Planning Commission and Hathaway is in the oil business.


 * ... OVERHEARD: A young woman at a Starbucks orders two iced green teas, one with three packets of sugar and the other with 20. That's right, 20 packets of sugar.


* ... ONCE A DRILLER: Jean Park wrote to congratulate Bakersfield High School on its undefeated season and Valley Championship. "My husband, Carl Park, played on the 1951 Valley Championship team. That game was 60 years ago almost to the day. Game was in Fresno, not sure if same school, but same town. It was a good game for Carl and good day for me. First time we met and still going strong 56 years later!" (Driller photo by Henry Barrios)

 * ... LIGHTS ON: I stopped by a neighborhood gathering in La Cresta recently to watch the lighting of a huge Christmas tree outside and join in the revelry. For the past 20 years, folks in La Cresta gather along a stretch of Hermosa Drive to light the tree and enjoy the Christmas spirit. Cindy Anspach and Kathy McDermott organized the event with That's Amore Pizza supplying dinner via a portable pizza oven mounted on a trailer. Neighbors brought appetizers and desserts and it was a remarkable way to usher in the season. Other neighbors involved included Jane and Bruce Haupt, Frankie Villani, Greg McDermott, and Reed Adamson.

 * ... SPOTTED: From reader Harry Love: "At the corner of Merle Haggard Drive and Highway 65 next to the Choco Taco stand at the Shell station. Two signs: 'Now Open Unit 7 PM,' with one underneath 'Obama Bin Lyin.' Apparently tacos are political or not liked by Democrats."