Remembering the kindness and friendship of the late postal carrier John Howlett, and some good and bad form around town

 * ... TRIBUTE: Many of us didn't know the late postal carrier John Howlett, but he left a legacy of kindness as he went about his life and job. Jane Cothern wrote that Howlett was her postman in Quailwood for more than 20 years, and she left this tribute to his life. "He wasn't a politician or a

business owner but a great community member a truly great man. He was a retired Marine staff sergeant, a retired U.S. mail postman, a wonderful husband, father, friend, neighbor and community member. He knew no strangers. All who came into contact with him thought of him as a friend... He never had anything bad to say about anyone. He always lived his life by setting examples for others, even though he didn't know he was doing so... All of these traits he has instilled in his kids. Each of his children were very fortunate to have such a wonderful parent."

* ... BAD FORM: A caller to the newsroom left this message about some really bad form at Wendy's on Rosedale Highway. Turned out a huge line had formed because two men, a woman and two young children were harassing the Wendy's employees, demanding free food on the premise that their orders had been messed up on previous visits. Again and again these customers demanded more free food, at one point insisting on speaking to the manager, who was off work that day. "They just kept giving them food," the woman caller said. Later, after gathering up the food, the group went into the parking lot and dumped the trash (possibly also some of the food) onto the ground and drove off, forcing an employee to come out and pick it all up."

 * ... GOOD FORM: Local banker Chris Lowe wrote to praise local businessman Steve Cozzetto of Century Rubber. "Century Rubber started in the LA area and relocated to Bakersfield a while back.  What impressed me most was how Steve spoke of his employees, never once calling them employees but calling them his coworkers. He also praised each and every one, individually, for their contributions to the success of the business.  It seems rare when you meet a business owner who values his employees so much and appreciates their dedication."


 * ... BOCK: Matthew Bock, a graduate of Garces Memorial High and UC Davis, is in his last year of residency at Mt. Sinai Hospital in New York City. He has now accepted a position as a heart transplant fellow at the Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital in Chicago.    


 * ... MARE: MARE Riding Center (Mastering Abilities Riding Equines) is having its "Under the Harvest Moon" fund raiser on Saturday, October 19, out at its facilities at 18200 Johnson Road. Gates open at 5:30 p.m. and dinner, catered by Hodel's, is at 6:30 p.m. There will be dancing, music and activities for kids. There also will be a drawing for a $5,000 cash prize. Tickets for dinner are $25 and $100 for dinner and the drawing.  Call Diane Hopkins at (661) 589-1877 or email diane@mareridingcenter.com.

Big banks impose fees for ATMs, more reports of credit card fraud and get ready for another First Friday in downtown Bakersfield

 * ... BANKS: Are you getting the feeling that our nation's major banks just want us to go away? Bank of America's decision to charge $5 a month to use our ATM cards has ignited a storm of controversy, as it should. Wasn't it a short time ago when they encouraged us to use the ATM machines so we wouldn't bother the tellers in the lobby? Now comes this: Golden 1 Credit Union says it does not charge a
fee for using debit cards - and has no plans to - and it also has a free checking account with no minimum balance requirement. Expect more counter marketing from more credit unions and smaller banks. Seems worth checking out.

 * ... FIRST FRIDAY: It's time for another First Friday downtown and the weather promises to be spectacular. I am always surprised by how many of my Northwest or Southwest friends have yet to attend a First Friday, because they are missing something special. Our downtown arts district sparkles, and it's always a good opportunity to dine at one of our many locally owned eateries. And don't miss the new show at The Metro Galleries on 19th Street, where owner Don Martin always puts on a "must attend" event.

 * ... FRAUD: Donna Nulton is among the growing list of local folks who have seen their credit cards hacked. In her case, it was an $800 charge (plus a $28 processing fee) from a place called Poncho Villa in Marseille, France. Said Donna: "Lucky for me my bank figured out I was not in Marseille." Reader Don Bender was another victim, telling me that his life was "turned upside down in April of this year. I have a huge file at my side including police reports, credit card and bank communications, etc. Our incidents occurred at Targets in the San Fernando Valley and further south. In one incident, the Target cashier allowed the customer to try six to eight different credit cards before using ours. The first ones failed. The financial crimes detail (unit) at Bakersfield Police Department was very helpful."

 * ... SPOTTED: Two cases of bad behavior during the walk for Breast Cancer Awareness in downtown Bakersfield on Monday. First, police were allowing the crowd of about 100 people to cross Truxtun at L Street when an impatient driver stuck his head out the window of his pickup and yelled, "my light is green!" Earlier, when the crowd was near the Kern Superintendent of Schools building, a homeless man appeared with his hands raised and screamed "hurray for boobies!"

 * ... MARE: One non-profit that does so much good to help people with disabilities is MARE (Mastering Abilities Riding Equines). The organization is holding a fund raiser on Saturday, October 22, at the MARE facility out on Johnson Road. It costs $50 for adults and $15 for children under the age of 12. There will be a special equestrian performance featuring a Spanish horse, catered dinner and silent auction. For tickets call (661) 589-1877.

 * ... MEMORIAL: Good to hear that this year's Larry Carr Memorial Golf Tournament raised $127,000 for the Children's Medical Center at Memorial. Steve Loyd chaired the event along with a stellar team from fellow members of the Foundation Board of Trustees: Tara Jamieson, Jenny Waguespack, Brooke Antonioni, Ernie Schroeder, Sherrie McMurtrey and Tracy Kiser.

 * ... OVERHEARD: This note appeared in my mailbox. In the waiting room at the Truxtun Surgery Center, an extremely obese woman is seen loudly berating a a prominent local surgeon because he would not provide the results of her consultation in the waiting room. She had two grand children in tow and refused - when offered - to bring the kids into the physician's private office. "Everyone in the waiting room was so stunned by her actions," a witness wrote. "Doctors deserve the utmost respect and this woman was beyond rude."

Cutting back in the face of a tough recession and saying good night to Ellie, a special horse at MARE

 * ... RECESSION: Now that we're in the fifth year of this long recession it's not surprising that most of us have been forced to get our financial houses in order. A recent story in USA Today detailed just how far we have come. Consider: The national savings rate is up to 5 percent, nearly four times what it was in 2005. Homeowners are shortening the terms of their mortgages by refinancing,  they are holding onto their cars and trucks longer, and a record number of people are paying off their credit cards at the end of each month. And with the recession showing no signs of going away, we can expect more of this in the future.

 * ... GOODNIGHT IRENE:  Local attorney Barry Goldner and his wife, county counsel Teri Goldner, spent a memorable evening in New York City the day hurricane Irene passed through. They were there getting daughter Rachel settled into Fordham University when Irene paid a visit, turning the normally busting city into a ghost town. With public transportation shut down, Barry said the city was eerily quiet. "The vehicle traffic was minimal and mostly cabs," he said. "The people on the streets wanted to walk and had not real destination since everything was closed. So cabs would glide by looking for fares." No doubt this will be a day that Rachel and her parents will long remember.

 * ... OVERHEARD: A young boy is seen in Albertson's with his mother. He picks up a carrot and asks, "What's this?" His mother responds, "Put it down, you wouldn't like it anyway."

* ... ANNIVERSARY: Among the long-standing retail instituions in our town is Bobbi's Hallmark, the popular card and gift shop located at the corner of Gosford and Stockdale in the Southwest. I've spent countless hours poring over its extensive card list, and now I hear the shop is celebrating 25 years in business in September. It's not easy operating a business in this economic climate, so hats off to these folks at Bobbi's.

 * .... GOOD SERVICE: And speaking of local retailers, I've been overwhelmed with reader suggestions of where to find good service in our town. Among those submitted: Saba's, Lassen's health foods, H. Walker's Men's Clothing, Jim Burke Ford, Walgreen's, WinCo, Pensinger's, Smart and Final and Caspers.

 * ... RIP ELLIE: I've always admired the work the folks out at MARE (Mastering Abilities Riding Equines) do for kids with special challenges. It turns out one of MARE's longtime workers, 26-year-old Elvira the horse, passed away two weeks ago. Ellie as she was known was owned by Deborah Durkan and was a staple at the equestrian center. Said MARE'S founder Diane Hopkins, "Ellie was a MARE horse for 20 years serving our riders with love and willingness. She will be missed by all our staff, volunteers and riders who loved her very much. Miss you Ellie!" (file photo is not Ellie but another horse)

\ * ... BAKERSFIELDISM: From reader Linda Welch: You might be an Oildale old timer if you "remember the Safeway market where the Wells Fargo Bank is now on North Chester. Next door was a five and dime store featuring a pair of men's work boots that must have been 25 inches long!"