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."