Restaurants open up for Memorial Day weekend, Supervisor Mike Maggard on fighting the coronavirus and City Councilman Willie Rivera decides enough is enough

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.

 * ... MEMORIAL DAY IN PICTURES: It was the perfect holiday weekend, mild temperatures that will give way to valley heat this week, but a memorable one nonetheless. My thanks to all the

photographers who shot these scenes of life in Kern County.

 * ... RIVERA IS OUT: Ward 1 City Councilman Willie Rivera, who was just 22 when he was elected, is stepping down as he accepts a new job with AERA Energy. You can bet that they are already lining up potential candidates to replace Rivera, whose term in office was not supposed to expire until 2022. Rivera issued this statement: “It is my hope that notifying you of my intentions now will allow the city to take action to schedule an election for my replacement to coincide with the city council elections already scheduled for November 3, 2020. Doing so would avoid any additional special election costs and allow the residents of Southeast Bakersfield to choose their next representative."

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "Thanks to the magic of Twitter, you’re no longer restricted to fighting with family, friends and neighbors; you can now trade insults with total strangers. And you don’t even have to face them! Invigorating, isn’t it?":

 * ... BIKE SHOPS: The pandemic has led to a rush on bike shops, and local shops say they are selling everything they can get their hands on and are swamped with repairs. Over at Action Sports, which prides itself in customer service, owner Kerry Ryan noted there has been a crush of tuneups and repairs now that people are dusting off their bicycles and taking them out for family time during the lock down. If you need proof, hang around the bike path at the Park at RiverWalk to enjoy hundreds of families out on their bikes enjoying the mornings. Said Ryan: "We doubled our staff to meet the demand at the door," he said. "Our safety measures have pleased all but a few. The lockdown has made people appreciate getting out of the house and bicycles are the exciting way most people can do that.:

 * ... MOVING FORWARD: Supervisor Mike Maggard borrowed an analogy from his son when he talked about life during a pandemic. His son, active military, said during a firefight the only option was "to keep moving forward. Doing nothing is death." Maggard said the same was true during the pandemic where "standing still is not an option. We have to move forward." Maggard appeared with county CAO Ryan Alsop on KGET's Saturday afternoon show "Kern County In Depth" with host Jim Scott.


 * ... MEMORIES: Check out the old Vaughn Taxi from around 1910, thanks to our friends at the Kern County History Fans Facebook page.

 * ... MORE MEMORIES: This picture dates from 1903 at Daytona Beach, Florida. It's not local but it's a wonderful picture anyway.

It's Girl Scout cookie season again, RIP to Edward Lee of Action Sports, Providence Consulting opens a second office in Fresno a picture of the homeless that live among us

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.

 * ... PROVIDENCE OPENS IN FRESNO: Big news for Providence Strategic Consulting, Inc., a local governmental affairs firm that has now opened a second office in Fresno. Under president and

CEO Tracy Leach, Providence has grown into one of the most influential local PR firms particularly in the area of energy and fossil fuels. The opening of the office drew attention from the Fresno Business Journal, which noted that Providence has run PR on eight successful ballot initiatives.
Providence has hired Hanford-born and longtime Fresno resident, Monica Sozinho, as government and public affairs manager for the new office.

 * ... GIRL SCOUTS: It's that season again, the annual Girl Scout cookie sale that sends tens of thousands of young girls across the country raising money for their local troops. Ever wonder what the favorite cookie is in your state? Perhaps no surprise, but the Thin Mint is the favorite in California as well as multiple other states including Alaska, Arkansas, Arizona, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia and West Virginia.

 * ... RIP EDWARD LEE: Not everyone can live the life of a celebrity, or TV personality or political figure. Most of us just try to work and do the right thing, plodding along quietly while playing by the rules and leading good, productive lives. And that would describe Ed Lee, who touched thousands of lives with his quiet, unassuming manner and quick wit. Unless you were into exercise and fitness, or hung out at Kerry Ryan's Action Sports, you may not have known Edward Lee, an expert bike mechanic with a wicked sense of humor, warm smile and a master's mechanical touch. (He also worked at TA Cycles before Action Sports) Lee was just 53 but he died this week after suffering two strokes. Ed was beloved not only by his coworkers at Action Sports, but also the legions of cyclists, runners and snow borders who got to know him while hanging around Action Sports. He passed away quietly at Adventist Health Hospital. RIP, Ed.

* ... LOCAL CRIME: I spotted this post on the Bakersfield Thieves Facebook page. Be careful out there: "SCAM ALERT!! Last Friday 1/31 on Union and California there where people collecting money for a 6 year old girl named Dalia. Posters they had said she had Lymphoma. Jars they were carrying looked like 1 gallon water jugs covered in red duct tape. Today Tues 2/4 they have moved down to Union and Brudage and 'Dalia' is now a 9 year old and 'Suffers from Cerebral Palsy.' Same people, same collection jugs, different story. Sorry no pictures, I was driving."

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "My 2 year old daughter watched the Super Bowl halftime show. She's now a stripper and selling pictures of her feet online. She's supporting the entire family and we've never been more proud."

 * ... MORE TWITTER: "I just dislocated my knee trying to imitate Shakira's hip pop."

 * ... STREET LIFE: A couple of random shots of people living on the street, the first one compliments of Nick Ellis and the second by a friend. Both pictures were taken downtown this week.

 * ... MEMORIES: Check out this old picture of the corner of Chester and 18th Street, now home to The 18 Hundred restaurant. The first is a colorized version of the original.

Hold on Californians because the state is about to add another 50 cents per gallon to the price of gas, thousands flocks to see the wildflowers and Kerry Ryan gets some love

* ... NEW TAXES: Are you ready for a new round of gas taxes? That appears where we are headed if Gov. Jerry Brown and the Democratic majority in Sacramento pass a legislation that will

result in a sharp spike in the gasoline tax. The Democratic infrastructure bill alone would add another 12 cents to the price per gallon, and according tho Assemblyman Vince Fong, the state's cap and trade program could potentially add another 40 to 50 cents per gallon. So could 60 cents in new state taxes be tacked on to the price of a gallon of gas? Fong says it is a possibility. "This is the wrong approach that hurts ordinary Californians. I cannot say this enough," he said about Brown's infrastructure bill. The Bakersfield Republican has his on infrastructure bill pending that calls for no new taxes, but it remains to be seen if he can attract enough moderate Democrats to make it a reality. Whatever happens, it looks like state tax on gasoline is going up, so be prepared.

 * ... WILDFLOWERS: The explosion of wildflowers across California is drawing record crowds almost every weekend. I was told that more than 100,000 people visited the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve near Lancaster last weekend, and closer to home the Wild Wolves Preserve is also experiencing record crowds as folks flock there to enjoy poppies, lupine and fiddle necks. With the weather warming, now is the time to take in the wildflowers.

* ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "I hate when I catch a bouquet at a wedding and everyone judges me for lighting it on fire."

 * ... SPOTTED ON FACEBOOK: "Whenever someone asks me to sign their cast, I always write: ‘Last warning, you have a week to get the money together.’"

* ... GOOD FORM: Steven A. Barnes wrote to give a shout out to Kerry Ryan over at Action Sports for his generosity in supplying top quality volleyball nets to the sand cours off Truxtun. "Kerry has been donating these nets for well over a 15 years, and thousands of players and families have enjoyed countless hours of play over that time. I’d also like to thank Tim Barnes, Applied Technology Group and Roeling Bryant, Dependable Pool Service, for helping me over the years with the two hours per net process (six hours total) of cutting, crimping, chaining, etc. it takes to deter theft and keep the nets tight with very little sagging (yes, this is very important to volleyball players.)"

 * ... DISNEY RIDE: And finally, I got a chuckle from this note from Stephen A. Montgomery: "Those detour ramps connecting Highway 99 northbound to Highway 58 eastbound and 58 eastbound to H Street/Chester Avenue so remind me of the old 1950s era Autorama ride at Disneyland! That ride actually allowed the rider to control their car, a glorified go-cart, between two high curbs. That was a favorite ride of mine in Tomorrowland at a time when Tomorrowland actually focused on the promise of future technology rather than fantasy as it is today."

A day trek to Wind Wolves Preserve off Highway 166, remembering some good men who died too early and who remembers full service gas stations?

 * ... WIND WOLVES: How is it possible that I have lived here for more than 20 years and never set foot in the Wind Wolves Preserve off Highway 166? At the invitation of my friend Bob Smith (not the city councilman or the builder but the retired endodontist) we drove out to this 93,000 acre piece

of heaven owned by the Wildlands Conservancy. We hiked 10 miles and enjoyed some incredible vistas on a day that was as clear as it will ever be here in the southern San Joaquin Valley. You don't have to hike, or mountain bike, but simply drive out and enjoy the day. With permission you can also camp, picnic or attend nature hikes. If you haven't checked it out, you need to do so.

 * ... GOOD MEN: I spotted a remarkable old picture on Facebook the other day, snapped while Action Sports owner Kerry Ryan and others were competing in the 1995 Race Across America bicycle epic. The picture showed two good men alongside a race van: the late Norm Hoffman and the late Alton Saceaux. Ironically, both were killed while riding their bikes. Hoffman was killed by a distracted young driver in 2000 and Saceaux died in 2009 when he was hit by a driver who had been drinking. Good memories of two good men who were taken too young.

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "My workout plan really only consists of me wandering around in parking lots because I forgot where I parked."

 * ... FULL SERVICE: Bow Porter wrote in response to Gene Bonas, a Navy veteran, about the days when gas stations offered full service. "And yes, I remember this, and miss it. I am  a San Diego old timer, who remembers sailors in bell bottom trousers, with 13 buttons, pea coats, blouses with big square collars in the back and a dixie cup on the head. Bet Gene remembers those days... Not a Navy veteran, but worked for the Navy at San Diego and Third Fleet Headquarters at Pearl Harbor."

* ... MAIL SERVICE: Joe Moesta wrote about something that has puzzled me for a long time. Consider this: "Has anyone ever ordered something on line and wondered why it took two weeks to receive it? Out of curiosity I followed a package in the FedEx tracking system. Our order was made to a company in Virginia on Dec. 7. It went from Martinsville, VA, to Concord, NC, to Hayti, MO, to Grover City, Ohio,  back to Joplin, M0., then to San Jon, NM,  to Lake Havisu, AZ, to Chino, CA, finally arriving in Bakersfield and delivered on Dec. 21. Another good reason to buy locally if you can find the product you want."

Home ownership rates slide in the United States post recession, and Elon Musk kicks off the CSUB speaker series in grand style

 * … REAL ESTATE: An interesting statistic came out this week noting that home ownership in the United States is at its lowest level in more than 20 years. The home ownership rate is now sitting at

65.1 percent, down from almost 70 percent in 2004. Experts say this points to the activity of investors buying up property when the market tanked, but apparently investor activity is now leveling off as prices rise. The cash offers from investors also squeeze first time buyers out of the market, and make it more difficult for those who are underwater on their mortgages to refinance.

 * … MUSK: Cal State Bakersfield could not have found a better speaker to kick off its Distinguished Speaker Series than Elon Musk, the South African-born entrepreneur and founder of PayPal who spoke at the Dore Theater Wednesday evening.  Musk, who also founded SpaceX and Tesla Motors electric car company, challenged the audience to think more broadly and was refreshingly honest in his opinions on things like High Speed Rail. (He called it an embarrassment based on 40-year-old technology.) Hats off to CSUB President Horace Mitchell for kicking off an important speaker series that will certainly enrich our community.

* … FOUNDRY: I was sad to learn that one of our downtown art galleries is shutting its doors. Opened in 2010, The Foundry Art Gallery has been a staple of the downtown scene, particularly on First Fridays. Christina and Ty Sweet, the owners, struggled to keep the gallery afloat but eventually were forced to close it. Christina Sweet told me she will go back to painting and will work with Don Martin, who owns The Metro Galleries next door, on an annual Foundry exhibit. (file photo of Christina Sweet)

 * ... DIAPERS: This comes from my friend Esther, a resident of La Cresta. She was walking her dog on the Panorama Bluffs last week when a car pulled up and five young people piled out. "There were two women and one had a baby in a stroller. They put the baby in the stroller and walked off. When I went to cross Panorama, I saw they left a fresh diaper right there on the curb. I was so mad. Then I saw they left their sun roof open so I tossed the diaper inside."

 * … HIGHWAY: Reader Sam Rodriguez poses this question: "I would like to know who is the brains behind eliminating the left turn lane heading east on Highway 178 to turn on to Masterson. Now you have to literally come to a stop on 178 to turn left onto Masterson. Needless to say this is very unsafe.  My daughter takes my grandson to school at St. Francis every morning and she says after dropping him off and coming home she has almost been rear ended twice. Just a very unsafe thing having to stop on a busy highway to make a left turn in front of westbound travelers on 178.

* … GOOD FORM: Hats off to Kerry Ryan and the crew at Action Sports for taking the time to conduct a bike maintenance class to Boy Scout Troop 147. Said Tom Saba, father of one of the Scouts: "This is the second time this past year that he has volunteered his time and resources in this manner. This helps the boys complete their cycling merit badge course."

Richard Ryan dies at 85, Cambi Brown leaves KBAK to return to Sacramento and keeping an eye on the public pension time bomb

 * ... RIP: I was saddened to learn of the death of Richard Ryan, a longtime Bakersfield resident and patriarch of the extended Ryan clan. His family includes son Kerry Ryan, owner of Action Sports, and his brother Michael Ryan, a former Realtor who works for Team Beachbody fitness.  Like everyone in his family Richard Ryan was a fitness nut, and until recently I used to spot him pedaling his bike on his daily workout. He was a proud Marine, serving in both World War II and the Korean War, and was so committed to his personal fitness that he rode 120 miles a week on his bike until the cancer treatments because too debilitating. He is survived by his wife Rosemary and children Pat, Tim, Kerry, Mary, Jenny and Mike. Keep his family in your thoughts. He was 85.

 * ... ADIOS CAMBI: KBAK Eyewitness News morning reporter Cambi Brown is leaving the station at the end of the week. Brown is headed home to Sacramento to her dream job at KMAX-TV's Good Day Sacramento. Cambi is the third member of the morning team on Channel 29 to leave in the past two months. Former anchor John Dabkovich is now at FOX 5 in Las Vegas and anchor Leyla Santiago is now with WRAL-TV 5 in Raleigh, N.C.

* ... PENSIONS: The growing backlash over the cost of public pensions is rooted in the simple fact that they rarely exist in the private sector. According to a story in The Orange County Register, "Although public pension coverage has also declined, it has remained more than twice as prevalent as in the private workplace. Current coverage rates in California: 69.4 percent for local, 66.3 percent for state and 76.4 percent for federal government employees." All this is aggravated by the fact that many public pensions are woefully underfunded, meaning at some point they will have to bailed out by the taxpayer. Said Esmael Adibi, a Chapman University economics professor:  "This is where the disparity begins. Many defined benefit programs are under-funded, and governments are not taking appropriate action to solve the problem, and many believe ultimately taxpayers will end up paying for the unfunded liability in order for retirees to receive their guaranteed payment. But those covered under defined contribution programs in the private sectors don’t have the luxury of guaranteed retirement payments and feel that public sector should not benefit from the generosity of taxpayers.”

 * ... KINDNESS: A homeless man pushing a shopping cart is hailed by an elderly couple in front of a local Vons and given a small bag of food.

 * ... CLEANUP: Christopher Lowe works at Tri Counties Bank and he also serves as president of Oildale Foundation, which is organizing its quarterly clean up of North Chester Avenue on Saturday, Dec. 8. It all starts at 8:45 a.m. in the parking lot of Trout's. Bags, gloves and vests will be provided. If you want to join the effort or if you have questions, call Pat Frase at (661) 444-7100.

 * ... DID YOU KNOW? Did you know that the number of patients seen by Clinica Sierra Vista has growing from just 2,000 in 1971 to almost 145,000 last year?

Olympian Jimmy Watkins is treated to a homecoming bash at Action Sports and signs that the anemic housing market is starting to find some traction

* ... HOT MARKET: More stories from our local housing market. The number of homes on the market is near an all-time low, prices are inching up and properties at the lower end of the price range are attracting multiple offers. One friend has been shopping for a home for his son for several months. "One came on the market in the area we wanted, it needed a lot of work but it sold in one day," he told me. "A cash deal from an investor in Los Angeles." At the upper end, homes are taking longer to sell but at they are starting to move. A colleague sold her house in the $440,000 range in less than a week. So if you are thinking of listing your home, you may want to consider doing it sooner rather than later.

* ... OVERHEARD: A local business executive passed along this conversation that happened during a recent job interview. "Your application indicates that you haven’t worked in about two years. What is that all about?" The applicant responds: "Well, I was on unemployment all that time and making a lot, but now my unemployment is running out so I have to look for a job.”

 * ... OBSERVED: This observation comes from reader Walter E. Stewart: "I wonder how many people observe waitress and waiters wipe off the seat where you sit after using the same towel to wipe off the table where your food is served. The same contaminated towel is repeatedly used from seat to seat and table to table."

 * ... OLYMPIAN: Hats off to Kerry Ryan over at Action Sports for giving Olympian Jimmy Watkins a heck of a welcome home party. A big crowd of more than 150 people packed Action Sports Sunday afternoon to welcome Watkins home and celebrate his 30th birthday. Watkins was moved by the adulation but told me that London was his first and last Olympics. A Kern County fire fighter, Watkins finished sixth in the track cycling competition.

 * ... GOOD DEED: The newest Rotary Club in Bakersfield, Twilight Rotary, recently completed a successful project providing 126 backpacks and supplies to the entire third grade class at Mount Vernon Elementary School. The club is barely three years old and has stepped up in a big way since its inception in community service projects through the direction of immediate past president Gary Fachin and now under the leadership of Robin Paggi. Several Rotarians, including Breakfast Rotary past presidents Cecil Martin and Jim Bell as well as West Rotary past president Brad Henderson, helped charter the club three years ago.

 * ... DID YOU KNOW? Did you know that there are some 650,000 registered motorcycles on the road in California, and more than nine million nationally? High gas prices have led to a surge in motorcycle sales as more folks use the bikes for commuting. Not surprisingly, the highest death rate for motorcycle crashes involve so-called "supersport" bikes that accelerate rapidly and can reach speeds of 160 miles per hour.

Harley Pinson throws his hat into the ring for the Fourth District supervisor race and another successful Bakersfield Triathlon

 * ...HARLEY'S RUN: Longtime community leader and petroleum attorney Harley Pinson has entered the race for the Fourth District seat on the Kern County Board of Supervisors. I've known Harley for years and we are fortunate to attract quality people like him who are willing to serve. He's a graduate of UC Santa Barbara and the McGeorge School of law and a longtime volunteer in many community causes. Harley told me he already has picked up the support of some impressive local folks, including Ray Dezember, former Aera CEO Gene Voiland, former Mayor Mary Kay Shell, insurance consultant John Pryor, Bryan Batey and Taft Mayor Randy Miller. His wife, Cindy, is also a graduate of UC Santa Barbara. They've lived here for more than 30 years and have two grown children. The post opened after the retirement of Supervisor Ray Watson.

 * ... CAL RADIO: I'll be chatting with supervisor candidate Harley Pinson Monday on Californian Radio SmartTalk 1230 at 10 a.m. He'll be laying out his goals and expectations as he joins the race to succeed Supervisor Ray Watson. Later in the hour, I'll talk to local writer Lisa Kimble Edmonston about bad manners and what we can all do about it.

 * ... TRIATHLON: Hats off to Kerry Ryan and the folks over at Action Sports for putting on another successful Bakersfield Triathlon. I headed out to Lake Ming Sunday morning to watch the runners and cyclists come in, and was pleased to see a huge turnout of families and spectators. And of course, it's always nice to see large crowds of peole who take their health and wellness seriously. Ryan said he had about 200 entrants.

 * ... REPORT CARD: Bakersfield received the grade of a D minus in report listing the most, and least, educated cities in America. We ranked 81st on the list, which was assembled by Men's Health magazine. The magazine used graduation rates, school enrollment and education levels for adults over the age of 25 in compiling the list. The most educated city in the country? Madison, Wisconson, followed by Plano, Texas, and Raleigh, N.C. Houston was right behind Bakersfield at No. 82.

 * ... REUNION: Marlene Morales, marketing chief over at the Chain Cohn Stiles law firm, reminded me of the recent reunion of the 1981 Bakersfield College football team that beat Taft College in the Shrine Potato Bowl before 19,000 fans in Memorial Stadium. Teammates flew in from Hawaii, Texas, and Utah,  while most still live here. "These football players have become productive and successful business men that demonstrate great character and integrity. Too name of few alumni that were in attendance that evening... Mike Cody, Kevin Legg, Phil Anderson, Jim Starkey, Willy Reyneveld, Rick Van Horne, Dave Thorpe, Jim Maples, Mike Jelletich, Vyn Goodmon, Wayde Kirschenman, Mike Ramey, Jerry Montgomery, Wyatt Ross, Paul Putnam, Andre Smith, Paul Damron, Dean Manning, Gene Coughlin, Randy Ariey, Mike Ming, Clint Hunt, Curtis Allen, Brian Silvius, Richard Jones, Mike Renzi, Danny Wilson, Phil Turner, Todd Jackson, Mark Bebout, Rob Hallum, Eric Roth, Coach Gerry Collis, Coach Paul Damron, Coach Harvel Pollard, Forgive me if I forgot anyone (It's been 30 years)...Marlene Morales, 1981 Cheerleader. Go-Gades-Go!"

 * ... BAKO TO BALBOA: This note from Pat Toon Harrison popped up in my mailbox: "What a pleasant surprise when I received your article, written by Linda Smith, about my father's music store. I am the 80 year old daughter of Jack Toon. He was in the music business fron 1934 until he sold sometime in the early 1950s.My good friends, Larry and Glenda Verdin, sent the article to me. Our family moved to Balboa (Newport Beach) in 1952, but I have stayed in touch with several Bakersfied High friends from the 1948 class. Bakersfied is truly a town of special people!

 * ... BAKERSFIELDISM: Harvey Brockmeyer, a retired Bakersfield High agriculture teacher, says you may really be an old timer if you remember the school farm out on old Stine road. The area is now a gated community but Brockmeyer says residents still use the bridge on Stine Road as its entrance. "The slightly undulating farm land farther west was an ideal spot for BHS's agriculture class to use for its unit on survey and leveling. Still further to the west is now West High School; f ew know that this fine school rose out of the ashes of Bakersfield High's old school farm's  trash heap!"

It's the summer of burglaries and break ins and more stink over those sweet public pensions

 * ... GO IRISH: Heard from the "Notre Club" of Bakersfield that six local kids are heading to the University of Notre Dame in South Bend this fall. They will join a freshman class of only 2,035 students selected from more than 14,500 applicants. Two graduated from Wasco Union High School-Moises Martinez and Daniel Sanchez. Others include Nicole Madrilejo, Daniel Yi, Eric Andrew Whittington and Brandon West from Garces Memorial High. Thanks to Dean Bears for bringing this to my attention.

* ... CRIME WATCH: The summer of burglaries and break-ins continues. In the past week I've heard of a burglary on 20th Street in Westchester (committed mid morning), two in La Cresta (one of them another mid morning break-in) and two cars broken into, one near Bakersfield Country Club and the other at Beach Park. Be careful and keep those alarms on.
 
* ... PUBLIC PENSIONS: Few topics have aroused such a spirited response as the debate over public pensions, highlighted by City Fire Chief Ron Fraze's pending retirement. Most of the responses have been highly critical of these sweet public pensions, but not all. Reader Irene Edmonds gives her own spin. "I speak with some knowledge on this issue. My husband was in law enforcement for 37 1/2 years, my oldest son was in law enforcement for 15 years and now owns Interquest Canines of LA and my youngest son was a firefighter in the Air Force before becoming a firefighter with LA County. Twenty five years working for the police department or the fire department in reality is like working double years.. How many years would it add to your job to go to autopsies and watch a body being dissected up so that you could testify in court?  How many years would it add to your job to have to handle a really bloody murder scene, one where the sons killed their parents? ... Each and every firefighter or police officer has lived through experiences that you would not understand. I am the wife and mother of police and firefighters and I know

it angers me to hear these things said."

 * ... ACTION SPORTS: Reader Kim Wiens weighed in on my earlier post (read the full post here) regarding the remarkable number of kids who have worked for Kerry Ryan at Action Sports and gone on to successful professional careers. "Both of my sons, David and Robert Wiens, were lucky enough to work at Action Sports back when it was located in the Town and Country Center. I can't thank Mr. Ryan enough for all that he taught them about hard work, customer service and running a business. That real work experience has served them so well in every job they have had since. David is currently enrolled in the Full Employed MBA program and UCLA and working as an engineer for a steel company. Rob is a bartender at RJs." 

 * ... CSUB GRADS: Nice to hear that two graduates of CSUB's nursing program have been accepted to the University of San Francisco Doctor of Nursing Practice program. They are Cynthia Jane Anderson and Ashley Lorenzo. According to the students, only 10 applicants were accepted into the cohort, with two of them from CSUB nursing.

  * ... EAST BAKO: From reader Larry Miller, recalling old Bakersfield. "Interesting note about Fred Schaffer's Stamp and Coin Shop in east Bakersfield.  He was originally in a tiny store front shop on 20 Street between Chester Avenue and K Streeet across the street and around the corner from 'Painless Parker's' (he wasn't)  second story dental office above a Thrifty Drug Store. Fred also sold model airplane kits that I loved to build. I was in junior high school and  liked to stop in Fred's shop to see what new model kits were available. This was after making deliveries of false teeth and dentures after school on my bicycle to various dentists around town. These dentures were made by S. R. Creasy in the same building as 'ol Painless.'  I earned $5 a week if I got there every day, and half a day on Saturday if I got there on time; but if I was late, then the old tightwad would dock me a dollar. 

 * ... BAKERSFIELDISM: You know you're from Bakersfield when "the stranger who stops you for directions is looking for a prison."

Saving sports at Cal State Bakersfield, hostile emails and Make a Wish Foundation sends a girl to LA

 * ... SAVING CAL STATE SPORTS: The effort to save wrestling, tennis and golf at Cal State Bakersfield is moving along and - according to supporters - gaining some momentum. One of those involved is local business owner Molly Busacca, who is leading the bid to save the women's tennis program. She told me that a huge fund raiser is planned for May 15 at the Jam Center to support all four of the endangered sports (men and women's golf, women's tennis and wrestling). These four sports are victims of the extreme budget crunch but folks from all walks of life have emerged to save them. Call Tonya Eagle for tickets and details at 661-302-4455. On that same Sunday, the CSUB Division One women 's tennis team will host a pasta feed and exhibition match against local players at Stockdale Country Club. Call Molly Busacca for details and tickets at 661-588-9644.

* ... MAKE A WISH: Was nice to hear that a local 10-year-old girl had a chance to meet pop singer Miley Cyrus as part of the "Make a Wish Foundation," which assists young people suffering from various illnesses. Jenna Richmond, a fourth grader at Olive Drive Elementary, met Cyrus on Wednesday in Los Angeles along with 29 other "Make a Wish" kids. Catherine Anspach is the local director of the Kern  County chapter of "Make a Wish" and said Jenna's wish was granted to "highlight the hope, strength and joy that Make a Wish Foundation brings children with life-threatening medical conditions every day." Jenna, daughter of Michael and  Kellie Richmond, is suffering from a brain tumor.

 * ...  INCOHERENT RANT: You just can't please everybody. At least that's what my mother always told me. So it really came as no surprise when I received a hostile email from perennial letter-to-the-editor writer Panfilo Fuentes taking me to task for highlighting a local bike shop owner (Kerry Ryan of Action Sports) for giving dozens of local kids jobs over the years. Helping kids find their way in the business world wasn't good enough for Panfilo, who apparently smelled racism in my post because - in his words - "this is a great guy whose work undoubtedly is important to keeping the status quo of Bakersfield life and maintaining a dominant presence in a shrinking white population."  Huh? Never mind that Kerry has employed plenty of kids from all backgrounds, as so many will attest, but never let the facts get in the way of a good rant.

 * .. OVERHEARD: Overhead on a beach in south Georgia, one man to another: "Don't be walking behind me, I a spittin'."

 * ... BAKERSFILEDISM: You know you're from Bakersfield when "you remember the missile on top of the Padre Hotel and know why it was there."

One person's ability to influence a life and another Houchin-Giumarra wedding in the works

* ... ACTION SPORTS: If you ever question your ability to influence the direction of a young person, consider the case of Kerry Ryan, owner of Action Sports. Kerry has employed dozens of young people over the years and so many have gone on to successful careers, thanks to getting a real life grounding in business and customer service at Action Sports. This idea came up while I was chatting recently with Buttonwillow farmer and businessman Donald Houchin, who mentioned that his sons Morgan and Clayton had both worked as teenagers at the store, now located at the corner of Brimhall and Calloway roads. Houchin raved about how much his boys had learned under Kerry, and how many opportunities Kerry had given young people over  the years. So I jotted down on a napkin some of the local kids who have worked at Action Sports and gone on to successful careers. Among them are Amanda Wolff and Oscar Baltazar, both now working at CB Richard Ellis, Scott Reynolds at RE/MAX, Melissa Reynolds now at First American Title, Jen Stanhope owns her own painting business, Jordan Lewis works at an investment firm, Lynn Tran is working in inside sales at Roxy, David Wiens is working at an engineering firm and Chad Carpenter at Bright House. This is an abbreviated list and just a few of the kids who have gone on to successful careers after starting at Action Sports.

 * ... HOUCHIN-GIUMARRA: And speaking of the Houchins, I learned the other day that Morgan Houchin and Jillian Giumarra have become engaged. The Houchins and Giumarras are two of the more prominent names in our local farming and agriculture industry, but this union brings an added twist. Morgan's older brother, Clayton, is married to Jillian's sister, Juliana. Clayton and Juliana have twins and chose their siblings to be the god parents. Apparently sparks flew between Morgan and Jillian at St. Francis Church and the rest is history, as they say. Now that's keeping it all in the family. Morgan graduated from Colgate University and Jillian from the University of Arizona. Clayton is a graduate of Colby College (and later USC graduate school) and Juliana from the University of Arizona. Both Houchin boys left Bakersfield to work but returned to their roots. Clayton is sales manager for the family's Buttonwillow Warehouse Co. and Morgan is a director of agriculture real estate development and sales for AgTech Financial. Morgan's parents are Donald and Patti Houchin of Bakersfield.

 * ... ANIMAL CRUELTY: Sometimes you read a story and it just breaks your heart, and you wonder what drives people to such cruelty. That's how I felt when reading The Californian story about the man arrested on suspicion of animal cruelty related to a hog-tied pitbull found near Adobe and Sandrini roads. The picture of the dog was just heart breaking. Arrested was 52-year-old James Worley. How does one explain this? The dog was taken to a  rescue center.

 * ... ART SHERWYN: If you have Thursday evening open, consider heading down to Metro Galleries on 19th Street for "An evening with Art Sherwyn." Sherwyn is the local artist, high school art teacher and former tennis coach who has an engaging personality and the ability to hold an audience. He'll be talking about the process and his perspectives on the creative process. Some of his varied works will be on display. The cost is $30 a person. It runs from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

  * ... BAKERSFIELDISM: You know you're from Bakersfield when "you know the order of the set up at Woolgrower's."

Cyclist run down and killed on South Union; the second Kern County cyclist killed within 72 hours

Received some horrible news this afternoon when I learned that Alton Saceaux, a 55-year-old local cyclist, was run down and killed on South Union Monday night. I didn't know Alton well but did know him from the occasional ride (I am also a cyclist) and last saw him in Starbucks on California Avenue and Stockdale about a month ago. Alton was always - and I mean always - utterly upbeat and effervescent. The guy loved cycling and personal fitness was a his lifelong personal mission. The cops say the guy who ran him down was likely drunk. This is a tragedy of enormous proportions: we lost a friend, a good man, a father of a couple kids, a husband, a good citizen. Kerry Ryan, owner of Action Sports over off Brimhall Road, knew Alton since 1994 and described him as "incredibly upbeat, high energy type of guy, always trying to get people into cycling, kind of a Norm Hoffman kind of guy." Norm of course was the longtime cyclist and Bakersfield College professor who died when his bike was crushed by a driver off Fairfax Road in 2001. (no alcohol involved in that) Added Kerry of Alton:

"He crewed on the 2004 Race Across America (which Action Sports won) and he was just always upbeat and willing to do anything. He'd come into the store and say 'Kerry we need to get so and so on a bike! He wants to get in shape.""



Alton is the second Kern County cyclist to die on a bike in just a few days. The other death happened in Malibu and has yet to be reported by the local press, but it involved a Tehachapi man who was completing a "double century ride" (that's a 200 mile ride) with his 14-year-old son on the back of a tandem. According to a story in the Ventura County Star, Rodrigo "Rod" Armas, 45, died at the scene after his bike was hit about 1:30 a.m. Sunday on Pacific Coast Highway. His 14-year-old son was injured but is expected to recover. You might ask why they were riding in the dark so early in the morning. The reason: these 200-mile rides take all day and last into the night, certainly dangerous in any circumstances. Once again, the cops say the man who hit the cyclists showed signs of being legally drunk. And so it goes. We lose another one. Thoughts for the families. (photo courtesy of The Bakersfield Californian)