Bakersfield welcomes home the college kids who flock to Basque eateries, the pet explosion has forced the county to begin euthanizing puppies and a local cardiologist shares some sentiments for the holiday

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 company or publication.

 

 * ... A NOTE FROM BRIJ: Dr. Brij Bhambi is many things: a world class cardiologist, owner of

Bakersfield Heart Hospital, runner, philanthropist and not to be forgotten, a grateful immigrant. From his vantage point as a successful immigrant and community pillar, his thoughts on our world and the politics of the day have always intrigued me. And his annual Thanksgiving message did not disappoint, reminding us all that Thanksgiving is "a 'carve out' when we take time away from complaints and live in the moment. It is a privileged day ... Let this day remind us that we can live the moment now, the moment next, and build a chain of moments that becomes a life of happiness. We can triumph over challenges and yet be happy." A chain of moments that becomes a life of happiness. Works for me.

 * ... HAPPY THANKSGIVING: If it's the Thanksgiving weekend in Bakersfield you can bet the restaurants, bars and pubs will be jammed with many of our grown children who return home for the holidays. It's one of the joys of the season, running into kids who now attend Cal Poly or Arizona or Texas Christian or UCLA. You can find them at their favorite haunts, places like Luigi's, Woolgrower's, Uricchio's, Pyrenees Cafe, Narducci's,  Dewar's or any other place that gives them a taste of home. 

 * ... BEST AIRPORTS: Now that we are in the holiday travel season it's time to look at newly released on-time ratings for airports. Given San Francisco's dismal reputation, it might surprise you that its airport ranked the best among larger airports and nearby Sacramento headed the list off midsize airports. According to the Wall Street Journal, the worst performing large airport was in Newark, N.J., and La Guardia in New York. San Francisco and Minneapolis have the highest domestic ticket rices in the country. Airports in Florida, which fared poorly in the survey because of congested airspace, had the best prices.

 * ... ELECTIONS: With almost all the votes counted we have some winners in some tight races. At the top of the ticket, Congressman David Valadao survived a challenge from Democrat Rudy Salas, holding onto his seat for another term. Valadao becomes the only member of Congress to vote for Trump's impeachment to return to office, and it was one of the most expensive congressional races in the nation. Some other notable races:

 a) Measure K, the sales tax increase on the county ballot, survived thanks to a well orchestrated and effective campaign by chief administrative officer Ryan Alsop, District Attorney Cynthia Zimmer and Sheriff Donny Youngblood. The fact that the tax passed is remarkable, given how conservative our county is, and it was pushed over the top by the traveling road show of Alsop/Zimmer and Youngblood, perhaps three of the most trusted public officials in the county.

 b) Jeff Flores will succeed Mike Maggard as 3rd District Supervisor, narrowly defeating retired highway patrolman Brian Smith. Interestingly, Smith admitted late in the race he was an election denier and one has to wonder, given how close the race was, if just enough voters were repelled by this that it tipped the race in Flores favor. Some believe Smith shot himself in the foot when running against a fellow conservative who did not fall in line with Trump's list.

c) Taft Dr. Jasmeet Bains had little trouble turning back Supervisor Leticia Perez for a seat in the State Assembly.

 * ... EUTHANIZING PETS: We have some terrible news to report concerning a recent spike in the number of dogs and cats - and puppies as well - that are being euthanized in Kern County because of the explosion of pets. During the pandemic, with people stuck at home, there was a rush on pet adoptions and Kern County came close to becoming a "no kill" shelter. But that was then, and today so many dogs and cats are being returned or simply let loose, that county animal control officials say they must resort to euthanizing puppies to keep up.

 * ... MORE CRIME: Narducci's has become the latest business to suffer from a wave of crime across the city. Over the weekend someone broke into the famous Basque bar and stole cash register machines and other items.

 * ... SOUND WALLS: Downtown residents who live south of 24th Street are getting sound walls at the end of their cue-de-sacs. The long promised walls, which will block some sound of rushing traffic while providing a better view, started going up this week and the work should be completed in a few weeks.

 * ... MEMORIES: Take a look at this picture, at the intersection of North Chester and Washington Avenue, back in the day. This photo is courtesy of the Kern County of Old Facebook page. The second photo comes from the same group and may be one of the best pictures of the old clock tower and the nearby Haberfelde Building.

Local protesters call for the complete dismantling of the Bakersfield Police Department, more illegal dumping around down and calls to destroy all images of "white Jesus"

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.

 * ... PROTEST GOALS: So what exactly is it that some of the local protesters want from our City Council in the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement? Well according to two members of the

People's Budget Bako movement, they want nothing short of the complete dismantling of the police department. That's the word from Faheemah Salahud-Din Floyd and Dalton Jones who appeared on The Richard Beene Show to explain their goals. According to Floyd, the Bakersfield Police Department is so riddled with bias and racism that it cannot be saved, and must be abolished. And what would take its place? Jones suggested "community policing" by block activists who could keep the peace. In the absence of police, our country already has a version of that in our gangs, who impose their own will and law in the absence of authority. (Facebook photo of Floyd)

 * ... ILLEGAL DUMPING: The sheer amount of illegal dumping about down is disgraceful, and virtually no part of our community is immune from someone treating our roadsides like their own personal toilet. Camino Grande off Alfred Harrell Highway and Fairfax is a favorite dumping spot, and the other day I spotted a dead pit bull by the side of the road, left unceremoniously to rot in the summer sun.

 * ... GREAT CLEANSING: First came the statues of the Confederate dead, then anyone whose family owned a slave, then the Spanish missionaries and then our founding fathers. So we shouldn't be surprised when the new purity police took aim at symbols of Jesus no less to erase from society, particularly images that appear to make Jesus light skinned. A white skinned Jesus, the thinking goes, must be a product of white privilege. When Jesus goes, can Santa be far behind?

 * ... BIKE FRIENDLY: There is a new list out recognizing the most bike friendly cities in the nation, and Bakersfield is no where to be found.  To be sure, Bakersfield is certainly not near the top of the list, but it should rank somewhat higher given our cross-city bike trail and the ability to get out and ride off the road. According to Places for Bikes, a non profit, the top give cities friendly to bike commuters include San Luis Obispo, Madison, WI., Santa Barbara, Washington, D.C., and Missoula, MT.

* ... RIP TORI HOFFMANN: I was saddened to learn of the death of Tori Hoffman, the 29-year-old daughter of Tom and Beth Hoffman who passed away last week. No cause of death was given and a memorial service is planned fo rValley Baptist Church (Fruitvale campus) today (Thursday) at 11 a.m. Tori was the daughter of Tom and Beth Hoffmann, founders of the successful Hoffmann Hospice operation here in Bakersfield. She graduated from Bakersfield Christian High School and later received a degree from CSUB. Keep the Hoffmann family in your thoughts.

 * ... COVID CLOSURES: More restaurants are being forced to close temporarily after employees test positive for Covid-19. The latests forced to shutter are Woolgrowers and Dewar's, perhaps two of the most iconic restaurants in town. Also closed was the In-N-Out location on Panama Lane. Their closing comes as Luigi's Old World Delicatessen reopens after a short closure due to an employee testing positive.

 * ... MEMORIES: Here's a wonderful old photo, compliments of John Kelley, of the historic Fox Theater under construction.

Mamma Mia opens downtown, the Israeli lobby hits up Congressman David Valadao, an abused pit bull finds a home and home invasion robberies hit the Southwest....

Friday, August 24, 2018

 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 such a special to live. Send your news tips to rsbeene@yahoo.com.

 * ... MAMMA MIA: I stopped by the new downtown eatery Mamma Mia this week, and if it reminds you of Luigi's, well there is a reason. The owner and chef of Mamma Mia worked at Luigi's for more than 25 years, and while some dishes are similar, I think there is room for both of them in

town. First, Mamma Mia's has taken over a space that has housed a lot of restaurants over the past 20 years - 18th and Chester beside the renovated old bank building - but it is much more than that. I had the minestrone soup - tasty - and our group shared a fried calamari, presented in a different manner but delicious nonetheless. There was a sparse crowd when we were there, most likely because they are in their "soft opening" phase. My recommendation: Check them out. It could be a great addition to downtown dining.

 * ... VALADAO: Congressman David Valadao was in Bakersfield this week to spend an evening discussing threats to the state of Israel. For the second straight year, Valadao met at a private residence with local voters and representatives of AIPAC, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, an influencial national organization that lobbies on behalf of Israel. Among the topics: the going clashes on the Israeli border with Gaza, the growing threat of Hamas and Iran and congressional support for Israel. Valadao, a Hanford Republican, faces Democrat TJ Cox in the November general election.

* ... MONSIGNOR CRAIG HARRISON: Monsignor Craig Harrison is back from a three-month visit to Assisi, returning to yet another scandal involving priests in Philadelphia molesting thousands of men and women and a growing homelessness problem here at home. "It just seemed to have doubled in the time I was gone," Harrison told me on KERN NewsTalk 96.1 FM, referring to the homeless issue. The Philadelphia story, he said, led to him rethinking his commitment to the priesthood for the first time in 35 years, a spiritual cleansing of sorts that led to his renewed commitment to the church.

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "I tried on an outfit and asked husband if he liked that one or the next one best... then went into the closet and came out with the exact same outfit on and he looked at me and dead ass said, 'Definitely the first one.'”

 * ... LOCAL CRIME: How bad is local crime? How about a home invasion in The Oaks right across Ming Avenue from the Marketplace, not exactly known as a high crime area? Bakersfield police are looking for an Hispanic woman and two men who burst through the door and held residents at gunpoint as they ransacked the house.

 * ... DOG RESCUE: Here is a reason to be generous in your giving to local dog and cat rescues. It works. This is a picture of Shadow, a grey pit bull who lived the first five years of his life tethered by a large chain in the hot sun. He was rescued and thanks to generous donations, now lives a full life of love in Alaska with a former Bakersfield resident named Donna Carpenter.

 * ... DECK OF CARDS: A local company is marketing a deck of cards with the faces of local celebrities and elected officials. Take a look at who will show up in the deck:

* ... MEMORIES: Wood and steel standard oil derricks dot a potato field near Edison in the late 1940s. 

The coming spectacular solar eclipse, discovering a killer superfood salad and celebrating the perfect down-home simplicity of the 24th Street Cafe

 * ... SOLAR ECLIPSE: Where will you be for the solar eclipse on Monday? This rare event will happen at 10:15 a.m. Pacific time and will end at 2:50 p.m. Easter time. We won't get a total blackout in this part of California, but it will be spectacular nonetheless. (If you want to get the full 100

percent blackout, fly to Salem, Oregon on the west coast or Charleston, S.C. on the east.) Folks are already stocking up on "eclipse glasses" or building their own pinhole projectors. Binoculars can be used but only if you have slide-on filters to protect your eyes.

 * ... SPOTTED ON FACEBOOK: "Amazing things will happen today if you choose not to be a miserable cow."

* ... STEAK: The most popular local image on Facebook last week was a 33-ounce tomahawk ribeye steak being served at Luigi's Delicatessen. Enough to feed four or more people, the tomahawk is a stunning  culinary masterpiece that that costs the princely sum of $75. When Luigi's served it Friday, Facebook exploded with posts showing folks consuming this meat lover's special. KC Steakhouse also serves the tomahawk and given its popularity, expect to see it served elsewhere.

 * ... GOOD EATS: And speaking of our iconic local eateries, I dropped into the 24th Street Cafe on Saturday for a post exercise caloric experience. There are few more entertaining places in town to eat than at the cafe's friendly counter enjoying a deep menu and crisp service while watching the world go by.

 * ... MORE EATS: As long as I am talking about food, I would be remiss if I didn't mention  an impressive "superfood" salad available at BJ's Restaurant off Stockdale Highway in the Southwest. Perhaps one of the best and healthiest salads I have had in a long time, it features baby kale, Romaine lettuce, Peruvian quinoa, sliced apples, fresh blueberries, diced cucumbers and tomatoes, jicama, sweet corn and asparagus.

* ... GOOD FORM: Congratulations to Dr. Tom Gordon and Bakersfield West Rotary for sponsoring 30 needy children for a 'back to school' shopping spree. Vija Turjanis of Kern Behavioral Health and Recovery Services said Rotary West has been doing this since 2005. The kids were given $100 each to shop at Kohl's.

 * ... GRAPEVINE: John Kelley added this note to my recent piece about how the Grapevine was named:  "Richard to add to your blog on the community of Grapevine, as you printed Grapevine Canyon was named by Don Pedro Fages, ( La Canada de Las Uvas ) which translates to 'The Canyon of the Grapes.' The grapes are Cimarron Grapes, they grew so profusely the soldiers under Fages had to hack their way through them. Don Pedro Fages was chasing army deserters. Also Don Pedro named Buena Lake, and the area he viewed was a labyrinth of lakes and tulares. Many people believe that Father Francisco Garces was the first white man to enter the San Joaquin Valley; not so Don Pedro Fages was there four years ahead of Garces."

                         

The high cost of running for office in Bakersfield, Luigi's gets an honor, Wood-Dale Market to open a second location near Seven Oaks and check out some authentic Mexican food at Iguanas off White Lane

 * ... POLITICS: Would you be surprised if I told you it takes $500,000 to run for mayor of Bakersfield? That's what I heard from Kyle Carter, the former home builder who ran a close second to Karen Goh in the recent mayoral election. And it doesn't get much better running for one of our city
council wards; city councilman-elect Bruce Freeman told me it took a cool $150,000 and change to mount his successful campaign for the Ward 5 seat.

 * ... SCAMS: An old scam is making a comeback and it can happen to you if you pay for your gas at the pump using a credit or debit card. Consider this note from my friend Pam Binns, who was a victim recently at a local Fastrip. "They got my debit numbers and pin, transferred money from savings to checking at an ATM then went to two different post offices in LA and used the card- they made- for money orders. Bank won't refund my money for a week. I know it was Fastrip because that was the only place I had to use my pin. And, there was a guy in his tan truck in front of me just sitting there and not pumping gas. He would not move. I had to back out to leave. I'm sure he was waiting to get the skimmer from my machine. That Fastrip has no cameras outside, apparently, so if you see me on a stakeout there, you'll know why."

 * ... TIP GABRIELA: I was saddened to learn of the death of Gabriela Soto, a popular Wasco teacher who was killed in a car crash earlier this week in Shafter. Soto, 40, was seven months pregnant when she died at Kern Medical. Her unborn baby girl also died. Soto was a teacher at Independence High School in Wasco.

 * ... LUIGIS: Hats off to our very own Luigi's Restaurant Delicatessen which was recognized as the California Small Business of the year in 2017. The extended Valpredo and Lemucchi family spent a day in Sacramento to celebrate with state Sen. Andy Vidak, who recognized Luigi's as his Senate District 14's small business of the year.

 * ... WOOD-DALE: It looks like the venerable Wood-Dale Market, by my standards the best butcher shop in town, is in the final phase of negotiating a deal to open a second location in the Grand Island Shopping Center at Ming Avenue and Buena Vista. This is a smart move by the family owned Wood-Dale, and it secures a second location in the Bolthouse Properties' shopping center that also features some of the hottest businesses in town, including Sully's, Wiki's Wine Dive and Grill, Sol y Luna and In-Shape Health Club.

 * ... SPOTTED ON FACEBOOK: Just tried to kill a roach with Axe Body Spray but now his name is Brett and he won't shut up about cross fit."

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "The only real mistake is the one from which we learn nothing."

 * ... FOODIE: A friend treated me to dinner recently at Iguanas, a Mexican restaurant that breaks out of the predictable mold and leaves you both surprised, and delighted. Owned by Sergio Olivares, Iguanas is located on White Lane near Ashe Road and is a showcase for authentic, creative dishes. Try the gorditas as an appetizer.

 * ... ACHIEVER: I chatted with my friend Dave Ewert recently and he brought me up to date on his oldest daughter, Carolyn. A graduate of Centennial High School and later the Naval Academy at Annapolis, she was recently promoted to the rank of lieutenant and is working as a navigator and legal officer on the LCS Independence based in San Diego.

Bakersfield Racquet Club hosts a pro tournament, The Californian brings in a new executive editor and I give him some tips on where to wine and dine

 * ... TENNIS: If you do nothing else this week stop by the Bakersfield Racquet Club (BRC) to check out its annual pro tennis tournament featuring some of the hardest serving young kids in the

country. The weather is picture perfect, BRC is spruced up and looking its finest, and it won't cost you a penny. Just find a parking space, grab a chair and soak up some sun as you watch these amazing players from around the world.

* ... NEW EDTIOR: Let's all take a minute to welcome Jim Lawitz to Bakersfield. Lawitz is the new executive editor and vice president of The Bakersfield Californian, and I hope we give this veteran newsman the same kind of warm welcome that I was afforded some two decades ago. Here are my dining tips for Lawitz as he settles in to our community: 24th Street Cafe and Cafe Smitten for breakfast, Luigi's and Uricchio's Trattoria for lunch, Wiki's Wine Dive and Grill and The Padre Hotel for Happy Hour, Noriega Hotel, Woolgrower's, Muertos and Mexicali for dinner, and Pyrenees Cafe and Luigi's (yes, again) for a lazy Saturday brunch.

 * ... QWIKCAFE: And hey Jim, don't forgot the locally owned Sequoia Sandwich Co. downtown on 18th Street and its new sister business, QuickCafe, next door that will feature "to go" salads and specialty sandwiches. You will learn that here, the locally owned restaurants are the ones to favor.

 * ... LIVE MUSIC: Don't forget there a couple of live music shows that you don't want to miss this Thursday. First, Nora Jane Struthers and Joe Overton bring their blend of Americana to Temblor Brewing Co. at 6:30 p.m. and around the same time the California Guitar Trio will be playing at the Bakersfield Music Hall of Fame.

* ... GOOD FORM: Some years ago I worked at The Los Angeles Times with a sports writer named Barbara Ludovise, who has now moved on to other pursuits. Turns out she was in town recently for  Rolling for Reading assemblies at Del Rio and Rosedale North elementary schools. Listen to her reaction of her time here: "I've been doing school assemblies since 2004 and I've never had a better experience than I did this week at Del Rio and Rosedale North. The teachers and students at both schools showed so much heart and passion.Very impressive! I am not looking for publicity (I've had more than my share) but do want to commend those schools for a job well done."

 * ... TRUMP OR TRIUMPH: And finally, Linda Banducci shared this note about mistaken identity: "This morning, my husband and I stopped at a popular, local restaurant before running errands. As my husband is an avid motorcycle enthusiast, he happened to be wearing a Triumph Motorcycle shirt.  When our waitress (one of our regulars, who happens to be Hispanic), came to the table, she took one look at my husband's shirt and immediately went into an anti-Trump tirade. She then left the table. Once I realized what had set her off, I summoned her back to the table, pointed out that the shirt said Triumph, not Trump, and told her that that is the name of a motorcycle. We all had a good laugh. From the restaurant, we went to a nearby big box hardware store. We were still laughing about the restaurant incident when the greeter at the big box store pointed to the shirt and went into a similar tirade! It became not so amusing as the day progressed and my husband received numerous episodes of the 'stank eye.' C'mon people, lighten up! TRIUMPH! It's a motorcycle for Pete's sake!"

 * ... MEMORIES: The 1952 earthquakes changed the face of Bakersfield forever, leveling beautiful Victorian buildings and hotels that were replaced by the uninspired architecture of the 1950s. Other old buildings were lost to fire, common in those days, and one of them was the A.C. Maude building that once graced 18th Street. It burned on July 7, 1889. For a trip down memory lane, check out the Kern County of Old Facebook page.