Another local business, Gregg's Pharmacy, sells out to Rite Aid, researching those old District Attorneys and remembering the Golden Crust Bakery

* … LOCAL HISTORY: The District Attorney's office is reaching out to the public for help in finding photos and information on some of the district attorneys who served Kern County since 1866.

The DA's office needs photos of A.C. Lawrence (1872-74), James W. Freeman (1874-79, 1883-88), Alvin Fay (1889-92, 1895-98), J.W. Ahern (1893-94, 1899-1903), and Barclay McCowan (1915-18). If you have information on these men, contact Christy King in the District Attorney's office at (661) 868-2716.

* … FAMILY BUSINESS: Every time a locally owned family business closes or sells out, we lose a little piece of the character of our community. And now I learned that Gregg's Pharmacy (owned by Gregg and Fran Gunner) has sold to Rite Aid, bringing an end to the Gunner family's long footprint in our community. Gregg Gunner (the only way to describe him is witty and joyful) bought the family pharmacy from his father Don in 1976. Prior to that Don Gunner owned and operated Gunner, Medical and San Dimas pharmacies. Gregg's father's sister's family also owned Yant's pharmacies locally during that time.

* … SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "The most important part of being on a gluten free diet is telling everyone about it."

 * … JACK: My pal Jack McGee over at Bakersfield Optical spoke for many of us when he left me this message: "It's terrible that we have two candidates running for mayor in Bako (Kyle Carter and Karen Goh) that have more character and integrity than the candidates running for president."

* … MEMORIES: Ann Cierly wrote to answer a reader's question about the old Golden Crust Bakery: "My 19 year-old father, W. R. Cierley, brought his new bride to Bakersfield in 1930 to go to work for his cousin, H.L.( Hub) Cierley, one of the owners of the bakery, which was on the north side of the railroad tracks on M Street. He worked there until his untimely death in 1946. I visited the bakery many times and remember fondly the great Labor Day employee picnics at what is now Hart Park, and the several Christmas programs in which he volunteered his very young daughter to recite The Night Before Christmas, ha! I know I'm among many old-timers who went to Emerson Jr. High when it was located on Truxtun across the street from the Baptist church. Many late Spring afternoons sitting upstairs in math class, with the windows wide open (no air conditioning then), we would sigh with pleasure as the smell of fresh baking bread wafted through the room."

 * … MORE MEMORIES: And Robert Ricou added this: "The Sanitary Golden Crust Bakery (full name) was located on the north side of the railroad tracks on M Street. My father drove the transport that delivered bread and Fontana Pies to Tehachapi, Mojave, Ridgecrest/China Lake until their closing in the late 1960s. While in high school and attending BC, my summer job was loading the China Lake and the Fresno transport which both left at midnight. Also, I unloaded sacks of flour from railroad boxcars on the tracks adjacent to the bakery. "

 * … FIREWORKS: And finally, former city councilman Mark Salvaggio reacted to my lament about fireworks this way: "Perhaps these dog owners who lose their pets on Independence Day ought to show some self-responsibility and keep their dogs inside on this night.  Better yet, they should keep their dogs inside every night during triple digit temperature days. Maybe you and Lois Henry ought to live back east where there are plenty of Big Brother liberals who also spout taking the joy out of this American pastime. You could do an exhaustive study on which are more noisy:  illegal fireworks or safe and sane legal fireworks."

Northwest Baseball 10 year olds win the Cal Ripken World Series and DA Lisa Green coming on Californian Radio to discuss local crime

* ... CHAMPS: Congratulations to the team of Northwest Baseball 10-year-olds who won the Cal Ripken World Series in Bentonville, Arkansas. The team made it to the finals after sweeping teams in California and traveling to Arkansas for the tournament. It may not be an Olympic gold medal, but don't tell that to these local boys of summer.

* ... LISA GREEN: District Attorney Lisa Green will be my guest Monday on Californian Radio KERN 1180. We will be chatting about local crime, the ongoing prison realignment and its role in the sharp spike in thefts and burglaries. Call us with your questions beginning at 9 a.m. at (661) 842-5376.

 * ... ASHBURN: Linda Fiddler, who helped manage Democrat Leticia Perez's successful campaign to join the Kern County Board of Supervisors, is now working for Roy Ashburn in his bid to return to the board. (file photo of Roy Ashburn)

* ... SPOTTED: Retired Kern County Schools Superintendent Larry Reider and Vince Rojas, who retired as head of the Kern Schools Federal Credit Union, having lunch together at Luigi's. Other familiar faces seen during the busy lunch hour were Monsignor Craig Harrison of St. Francis and local plastic surgeon Dr. Darshan Shah.

 * ... GOOD DEED: A transient couple with a black dog are resting in the shade near the 24th Street Cafe when another couple leaves the restaurant and offers them food and cold drinks.

 * ... KASH: Remember Kash, the reader with the poison pen who had a gripe or two about our town and this column, including my picture? Linda Burton wrote to say that Kash should "change his name to Crass or Crass minus the 'cr,' either would apply." Another reader, Stephen Montgomery, said Kash  "should be ashamed making all those silly snarky remarks. That kind of thing looks at best juvenile and shows a lack of self discipline.  If writers can't put their name on it most likely they shouldn't write it. Maybe he and some others should find something else to read. Me? Agree or not this is my favorite column." Nice to have Linda and Stephen watching my back.

 * ... BC RENEGADE: Too often people go about their business quietly and rarely get the recognition they deserve. Randy Ariey called my attention to Judy Romanini, a counseling department assistant at Bakersfield College for more than 20 years. "When students have been issued an incorrect grade, or received a notice in the mail saying they have been suspended from BC, it is Judy who they seek out and sometimes blame. However,  Judy handles  all these types of situations with a  aring heart, and a true concern for each individual; furthermore, it is truly remarkable that she has done this job for 21 years. She is the face of Bakersfield College for all of our young people, and I feel that is a great thing."