Will the District Attorney's race be a litmus test for the power of Western Pacific Research without Mark Abernathy? And Kern County voters will get another change to vote on legal marijuana this November

Friday, May 18, 2018

Welcome to Bakersfield Observed, now online only. 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 place. Email your news and notes to rsbeene@yahoo.com.

 *... ABERNATHY MACHINE: For years Mark Abernathy and his political consulting firm Western Pacific Research have served as kingmakers for Republican party hopefuls. If you wanted to be "in" with the machine, you were an Abernathy client. But Mark Abernathy died recently, and it has left WPR in the hands of his quite capable wife, Cathy Abernathy. Among the WPR clients and

supporters: Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, former Assemblywoman Shannon Grove, Mayor Karen Goh, DA candidate Cynthia Zimmer and judicial candidate Chad Louie. But this year is stacking up to be something different, thanks to the growing influence of Kern County Latino leaders and diverse but potentially powerful movements like the woman's #metoo. So what does this mean for this election cycle? Look no further than the District Attorney's race where Zimmer is taking on assistant district attorney Scott Spielman, in what appears to be a litmus test of the old Abernathy machine's ability to make things happen. McCarthy has put his considerable weight behind Zimmer and is hoping to push her across the finish line ahead of a resurgent Spielman. (Interestingly, McCarthy's mentor former Congressman Bill Thomas is supporting Spielman). There is a lot riding on the DA race for WPR, and if Zimmer loses, so will the WPR and its legacy of winning at all costs.

 * ... POT VOTE: It looks like it will be up to the Kern County voters to decide if we want marijuana sold and grown here legally. That's the word from Ben Ellenberg, a Riverside County attorney who is working on two initiatives that may appear on the November ballot. One would deal with the unincorporated county, and the other with the city of Bakersfield. A simple majority is all that is needed to pass either initiative. According to Ellenberg, some polls show Kern County residents support legalized marijuana by an 80 percent margin.

* ... DOG FIGHTS: Were you aware that there is an epidemic of professional dog fighting and gambling here in Kern County? Count me among those who didn't know the practice was as widespread as it apparently is. At least that is according to several pit bull experts I hosted on my daily radio show focusing on pit bulls. Sundee Martineau, head of the Bakersfield Boxers and Bullies Rescue, said the cruel and inhumane practice is thriving. "Black bags full of dead pits" routinely show up on the side of the road, she said, and gamblers spend thousands betting on the dog fights.

 * ... SPOTTED ON FACEBOOK: "Some people are like clouds. When they disappear, it's a brighter day."

 * ... BAKERSFIELD GOOD FORM: If you have lived here for long, you know Bakersfield's reputation for kindness and hospitality. And Bakersfield native Jarret Martin, a Centential High grad working his way through major league baseball, experienced a bit of that recently in Midland, TX. Listen to what his mother, local author Dana Martin, explain it: "Jarret, playing for Oakland As affiliate RockHounds in Midland, Texas, had just arrived from spring training and settled in for his opening day game, when he was called from the clubhouse to speak to a fan who said they knew him. Jarret, excited to see maybe a family member or friend, emerged to greet a stranger’s face. The stranger said he was from Bakersfield and had seen the roster before traveling to Midland, saw that a player from Bakersfield was on the roster, and thought he would bring Jarret a gift from home he KNEW anybody from Bakersfield would love. He handed  Jarret a two pound box of Dewar’s chews!! What a surprise! Jarret was so touched and yes, it was exactly what the doctor ordered....A taste of home. We would love to thank the fan for his thoughtfulness in knowing that a kid from home would appreciate that small but amazing gesture. We love this town."

 * ... MEMORIES: Check out this old photo I spotted on the Bakersfield Memories Facebook page. The caption reads: "Lester Rose and wife Helen on left. Earl and Viola Pearce on right. Lester and Viola ran the TRAVELER'S INN in Greenfield for many years. Viola is the mother of Milton Huggs (Was owner of MILTS CAFE and the grandmother of Mark Huggs (owner of the 24TH STREET CAFE. A wonderful family.)

 * ... HAY BUILDING: Here is an old photo of the corner of 19th and Eye streets in the 1890s. The corner building on the right, “Dinkelspeils”, became Hay Building in the 1900s.

If you are white and you enjoy yoga are you racist? CSUB focuses on the Dust Bowl and the Bakersfield Sound and remembering Mark Abernathy and his impact on local politics

Wednesday, January 31, 2018

Welcome to Bakersfield Observed, now online only. 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 place. We value your feedback. Email your news and notes to rsbeene@yahoo.com.

 * ... RACIST YOGA: Next time you grab your mat and head downtown for a little yoga, check your racism at the door. That's right, a Michigan State professor says white people who practice the downward facing dog are contributing to a "system of power, privilege and oppression." The

professor, Shreena Gandhi, accused white people of inappropriately appropriating the culture of "recent immigrants, such as Indian women to whom this practice rightfully belongs." If this sounds nutty, well it is. It's yet another example of the tribalism of America where everyone has a beef and the world is divided by race, ethnic background, gender, political affiliation, geography, hair color and now, their exercise routine. In this case, Gandhi coauthored a piece with Lilli Wolff, a "self described anti racist white Jewish organizer, facilitator an d healer" who has called for "decolonizing yoga." Or whatever the hell that means. If this weren't so serious, it would be funny.

 
 * ... ACLU: The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), which this week announced a lawsuit against the Bakersfield Police Department for allegedly jailing an African-American man for refusing to answer an officer's "invasive" questions, is opening its first Central Valley office here in Bakersfield. No word on exactly where the ACLU will be located or what month it will open.

* ... PUBLIC HISTORY INSTITUTE: Did you know that Cal State Bakersfield has a Public History Institute focused on preserving, chronicling and sharing with the public our rich local history? History professor Miriam Vivian told me the institute has reams of digital files on local topics of interest including the Dust Bowl, the Bakersfield Sound, oral histories and the experience of African-Americans in Kern County.

 * ... MARK ABERNATHY: If you doubt the influence of the late Republican political consultant Mark Abernathy, consider this: over his long career he helped manage the campaigns of almost 350 candidates, and he left this world with a 97 percent victory rate. That is astonishing by any standards, and it is why so many Republican candidates in Kern County sought out Abernathy and his firm Western Pacific Research. His surviving wife, Cathy Abernathy, is no slouch herself, having served as chief of staff for former Congressman Bill Thomas for more than 20 years.

* ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "If anyone ever tells you your dreams are silly, remember there’s some millionaire walking around who invented the Pool Noodle."

 * ... BAD FORM: So what is the protocol when it comes to riding a horse on a pedestrian path? Some folks who walk the Panorama Bluffs are asking after encountering horse manure - a lot of it - on Monday morning. And speaking of poo, check out this picture I found on Facebook the other day...

 * ... MEMORIES: Check out this photo I found on Facebook. Its caption: "In the 196's, The Leland Four performed at Arvin High School. My understanding, they performed serval times after that at AHS. This photo is the Leland Four performing at the AHS Christmas Formal the Band Members are Lee, Spud, Rick, and Pineapple."

Influential political consultant Mark Abernathy dies, Santa Carota beef to appear in Eureka burger locations and theft during a yoga class?

Monday, January 29, 2018

Welcome to Bakersfield Observed, now online only. 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 place. We value your feedback. Email your news and notes (good form, bad form, kids doing well, anniversaries, observations) to rsbeene@yahoo.com.

 * ... ABERNATHY: I was sad to learn of the passing of Mark Abernathy, a local Republican

political consultant and strategist who left his mark on Kern County politics. News of his death was posted on Facebook by his daughter Maggie who said only that Abernathy died after a short illness. Abernathy was a sometime polarizing figure in local politics because of the enormous power he held to wage bare knuckled campaigns. Always a determined and fierce competitor, he devoted his life to making sure Kern County stayed true to its conservative roots. His company, Western Pacific Research, helped Karen Goh defeat Kyle Carter in the Bakersfield mayor's race and he also ran Bruce Freeman's successful campaign for the city council. In addition, he ran Supervisor Zack Scrivner's campaign as well as former supervisors Roy Ashburn and Ken Peterson.

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "I want to find someone who looks at me the way my dog looks at cheeseballs."

 * ... SANTA CAROTA BEEF: Good news for the local ranching family that produces the carrot fed Santa Carota beef: the Eureka! burger restaurant chain will start serving a Santa Carota burger at four locations next month. In addition to the Bakersfield location, the locally produced burger will be available in Hawthorne, San Diego and at the new Eureka! location in Las Vegas. Local ranchers Justin and Corinne Pettit said the beef, high in vitamin B12 and leaner than a normal burger, is also being sold at KC Steakhouse, Temblor Brewing Co., Luigi's and Wood-Dale Market.

 * ... HOT YOGA: This may mark a new low when it comes to criminals. Last Sunday at the downtown yoga studio Inner Body Works, someone snuck into the studio while a class was in session and rifled through the purses and jackets stored in the studio cabbie holes. Cash was taken from the register and some wallets and phones were taken.

 * ... GOOD FORM: When you finally give up on your big bank that treats you like a faceless pest, head over to Mission Bank for some old school, friendly customer service. I did, and it was the best move I have made in a long time.

 * ... BAD FORM: Spotted on Facebook: "Another lesson learned in not keeping your garage door opener in your truck. Bastards got into the truck then into the garage, luckily only grabbed a couple things. If anyone sees a Dewalt drill with extra battery, charger and a case of Craftsman tools come up for sale let me know. Happened in San Lauren neighborhood off Hageman and Knudsen."

 * ... HISTORY: Spotted this historic photo on the Kern County of Old Facebook page, with this entry: "The New China Cafe at 18th and Q, as seen in this 1929 shot, was built of specially fired colored bricks in 1928. It was badly damaged in the 52 quake and was reinforced and rebuilt with Flemish Bond bricks. Today it houses the Jasmine Nyree Care Center."

 * ... MORE HISTORY: These two pictures were also posted on the same Facebook page. Enjoy.

More Americans than ever are living well past 100, another case of impaired driving takes the lives of a Taft mother and daughter and Cynthia Zimmer holds a successful fund raiser

 * ... LONGEVITY: Here is some good news: thanks to advances in science and healthcare, the number of folks

living beyond the age of 100 continues to grow. According to a report in The Wall Street Journal, there are now 53,364 centenarians in the United States compared to just 37,306 in 1990. The winners in all this: businesses related to the care and housing of healthy seniors and healthcare providers.

 * ... DRUNK DRIVING: My heart goes out to the family of Raeleen and Raegan Sorensen, a mother and daughter from Taft who are the latest victims of string of drunk driving incidents. The Sorensens were driving on Taft Highway when they were struck by a car driven by 34-year-old Vincent Moroyoqui, who now faces two counts of murder and two counts of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated. And yes, you guessed it, this is not the first time Moroyoqui has driven while impaired. According to reports, he was arrested for DUI three different times in the past 15 years.

* ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "Paid for something at Whole Foods with a card that didn't have a chip in it and a 7-year-old in a Ramones shirt hit me with a sock full of kale."

 * ... SPOTTED ON FACEBOOK: "My wife's signature move is asking me a question then turning on the faucet when I answer."

* ... ZIMMER: A big crowd turned out this past Saturday to raise money for the campaign of Cynthia Zimmer, the longtime prosecutor running to succeed Lisa Green as District Attorney. The event was held at the southwest offices of Bolthouse Properties, where company president Tony Leggio rolled out the red carpet to garner support for Zimmer. Among those attending were Mayor Karen Goh, former Kern County Sheriff Carl Sparks, state Sen. Jean Fuller and Mark Abernathy, her campaign consultant. The only other announced candidate in the race so far is assistant district attorney Scott Spielman.

 * ... DUELING PIANOS: Who says there is nothing to do in Bakersfield? One of the best deals in town is being hosted by The Padre Hotel in the Prospect Lounge every Friday and Saturday night, featuring an energetic version of "dueling pianos" that has no equal in town. The best feature: there is no cover charge but management advises everyone to arrive early to secure seating.

 * ... GOOD FORM: Once again the employees out at Grimmway Farms are showing their commitment to the communities they serve. This past weekend, Grimmway volunteers joined the Lamont business community in distributing backpacks and school supplies to some 500 school-bound children. Its was all part of the Back to School Supply Drive led by the Greater Lamont Chamber of Commerce.

* ... MEMORIES: Gary Fong wrote in with this query: "In grade school we used to get visits from a Sgt. Chitwood (or maybe it was Chickwood) of the Bakersfield Police Department. He would give short talks or demonstrations about safety or good PR with the police. I was just wondering if anyone remembers him." Anyone?

Former Congressman Bill Thomas endorses Roy Ashburn for 1st District, Kern County supervisor

 It was a big day for former state Sen. Roy Ashburn, who is now running to represent the 1st District on the Kern County Board of Supervisors. Ashburn picked up the endorsement of former Congressman Bill Thomas, who split with longtime political consultant Mark Abernathy. Abernathy is running the campaign of Ashburn's opponent, Mick Gleason.
 Former city councilman Mark Salvaggio put it this way in an email blast: "This bipartisan group of endorsements is unprecedented in Kern County politics.  They speak well of Roy Ashburn's experience, abilities, and independent streak.  Ashburn now has a big political leg up in this important race...  He is combing the 1st District with great passion in seeking the support of the good people in Shafter, Delano, Kern River Valley, Oildale, Ridgecrest, Inyokern, and parts of Bakersfield.  His opponent, Mick Gleason, is seen as little more than a clone of Abernathy.

"The message is clear: these endorsements also signify the public being 'fed up' of another Mark Abernathy power grab.  People want their representatives to be accountable to the people instead of being controlled by a slick political operative who has never been elected to office himself.  Abernathy has been the subject of numerous controversies over the past 30 years in Kern County. His campaigns have been often characterized by taking the low road with twisted facts and half truths."