Bakersfield Observed's 2019 Winners and Losers: the high, lows, challenges, setbacks and victories in a wild year in Kern County

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 reflect the views of any other individual, organization or company. 


 WINNERS AND LOSERS: It was a year to remember in Kern County. A longtime District Attorney retires, a federal court orders the supervisors to rewrite their district boundaries, homelessness surges, the locally owned newspaper is sold, the question of legal cannabis roils the community, some iconic local restaurants close and a beloved local priest is accused of sexual impropriety. So today we look back on 2019 and present some of the winners and losers for the year. Enjoy.

 2019 WINNERS

 10)  ... CYNTHIA ZIMMER: After a divisive election which pitted her against another member of the District Attorney's office, Cynthia Zimmer became the new DA and immediately set a law and order tone in sync with a community dealing with a sharp spike in crime, gang activity and homelessness. Zimmer is on my "watch list" of those public officials whose prominence will only grow in stature.

 9) ... EAST CHESTER: It's hard to find a better example of resilience, challenge and grit than the emergence of the "east Chester" business district (east of Chester on 18th Street). Young people with vision, drive and working capital moved into this previously sleepy part of downtown and created something new and magical. First there were the 17th Street Townhomes, a project by City Councilman Bob Smith and investors, followed by Cafe Smitten, Dot & Ott, The Angry Barnyard BBQ, the new Metro Galleries and others. The aptly named East Chester is fast becoming one of  "the" places to shop and be seen.

 8)  ... ROB AND JUDI MCCARTHY: Former Bakersfield residents Rob and Judi McCarthy,  owners of Lightspeed Systems who took the company to Austin where it was sold, never forgot their hometown and generously donated $2.5 million to the Kern Community Foundation and the Women's and Girl's Fund. That's called walking the walk.

7)  ... KERN COUNTY: Props to the county of Kern that proved itself more nimble, aware and aggressive in dealing with our homeless crisis. While city officials fretted and flirted with paralysis, the county charged forward and is on the verge of opening its 150-bed low barrier homeless shelter off Golden State Avenue. This is a testament to the entire Board of Supervisors for getting it right.

 6)  ... TBC STAFF: With the newspaper industry in turmoil, some of the most talented of The Bakersfield Californian's staff have fled to jobs outside the industry, and many of them are already making their mark on the community. Among them: ranking editors Jennifer Self and Christine Bedell to CSUB, Trevor Horn to Garces Memorial High School, Jason Kotowski to KGET, James Burger to CAPK, Harold Pierce to Adventist Health Tehachapi and Lois Henry to the non-profit SJVWater.Org, devoted to the politics of water in the Central Valley.

 5)  ... CSUB: CSUB lost president Horace Mitchell to retirement, but the school didn't miss a beat when Lynnette Zelezny came from Fresno State to replace Mitchell as the school's new president. The campus is booming, entering into a partnership with Bakersfield College, expanding its academic offerings and continuing on its quest to evolve from a sleepy commuter school to a true major university. Zelezny may turn out to be the idea choice for CSUB at just the right time.

 4) ... VINCE FONG: It must be hard to be a Republican legislator serving with the Democratic majority in Sacramento. But Assemblyman Vince Fong does it with ntelligence, focus and grace, a tireless advocate of the lifestyle, priorities and morality of the Central Valley in an increasingly hostile setting. Never an ideologue or bomb thrower, Fong works with both sides of the aisle to get things done.

 3)  ... DAVID COUCH: Supervisor David Couch drew the short straw in the battle over drawing new districts at the Board of Supervisors. His district was gutted and he lost relationships with voters and communities that took years to establish. And, he was forced into running for re-election prematurely in a predominantly Hispanic district. Yet Couch defeated Grace Vallejo handily and proved once again that focus and commitment will always trump skin color at the ballot box.

 2) ... THE 18HUNDRED: Hard to find a better example of urban renewal, vision and infill that the opening of The 18Hundred restaurant at the corner of 18th and Chester downtown. This elegant old bank building, once covered up by an ugly facade, has been completely restored and his now one of the hottest eateries in town.

 1) ... RYAN ALSOP: And the biggest winner of the year: Kern County chief administrative officer Ryan Alsop, who has made a name for himself as a person who gets things done with razor-like focus. He brings to the CAO's role the same discipline and determination that he brings to his personal workout schedule, which in itself is impressive. Alsop was the tip of the spear in the county's aggressive efforts dealing with our homeless crisis, the rebuilding of Hart Park and putting the county back on sound financial footing.

 2019 THE LOSERS:

 10)  ... DAVID ABASSI: Local businessman David Abassi went from vocal marijuana advocate to erratic (and some say potentially dangerous) gadfly over the course of the year. Once merely a cannabis advocate, his behavior is increasingly under question as he levels charges of fraud and conspiracy against countless people. And among other things, Abassi was cited for drawing a gun in public and he once went before the supervisors with a bizarre rant taken from straight from the soundtrack of the move "Pulp Fiction."

 9)  ... CAFE MED: Meir Brown's Cafe Med went out of the business this year, in itself no sin given the brutal competitive nature of the restaurant business, but when it went belly-up it left dozens holding useless Cafe Med gift certificates, some sold to support local schools.

 8)  .... TATYANA HARGROVE: Add this Millinneal to the list thanks to her arrest for tampering with food where she worked at the McDonald's on Stockdale Highway. Hargrove sued the Bakersfield Police for false arrest (she lost that case) and later retaliated by spitting on an officer's to-go order, only to be discovered by her boss who turned her into police. Real class that girl.

 7) ... DOWNTOWN BUSINESS ASSOCIATION: The DBA earned its reputation as a do-nothing local organization by hosting a series of expensive luncheons where it featured city officials, proving once again the DBA's main mission seems more about paying its own salaries rather than serving its business members.

 6) ... ELAINA SOSA: Add the name Elaina Sosa to our list after being charged with animal cruelty for dragging her dog behind her while she used a scooter to drive down 20th Street downtown. The dog's paws were swollen and bleeding after Sosa was caught on video dragging the poor thing down the street while on a leash.

 5)  ... KERN COUNTY FAIR BOARD: Yet another fall from grace was the Kern County Fair Board, which was cited in a state audit for gross mismanagement of funds. Led by Fair director Mike Olcott and board chair Blodgie Rodriguez, the fair board was cited for spending lavishly on expensive meals and booze on out of town junkets.

  4)  ... WE, THE PEOPLE: This list would not be complete without including us - yes, you and me - on the list of losers. Thanks to liberal policies that decriminalized everything from heroin possession to prostitution, crime is exploding in California and yes, we are the true victims. Petty crime, car theft and vandalism, retail theft, public urination and drug use are all on the rise in California.

 3) ... BOARD OF SUPERVISORS: In the list of "winners," we rightfully recognized the county of Kern for its singular focus on getting its financial house in order and addressing the homeless issue. But the Board of Supervisors also earned a "loser" nod for two boneheaded decisions: they showed short sightedness in failing to approve a concert venue off Interstate 5 (choosing instead to cow-two to a handful of influential farmers) and failing to approve the retail sale and delivery of cannabis products, a decision that has benefited other communities by the millions.

2) ... OIL INDUSTRY: It's now official: the state of California has declared war on the oil industry and seems more determined than ever to shut down the exploration and production of fossil fuels in the state. Gov. Gavin Newsom has made it clear that the future of California - if he gets his way - will be oil free, and the Democratic legislature agrees. The next few years will be crucial as we see just how fast this movement will surge, and what it will mean for oil patch communities like Bakersfield.

 1)  ... FATHER CRAIG HARRISON: It's hard to find a bigger loser this year than Monsignor Craig Harrison, who was suspended from St. Francis Parish in April after a handful of men accused him of sexual abuse when he served in Firebaugh, Merced County and here in Bakersfield. Although his fate remains uncertain and Harrison has retained the support of a core group of local Catholics, including some of the richest and most prominent people in town, Harrison is on the verge of losing everything if he is not re-instated. Whatever Bishop Joseph Brennan decides, the damage to Harrison's once unblemished reputation has been done, a dramatic fall from grace that has no peer locally. Today Harrison is a man without a portfolio, a man of the cloth at heart who can no longer practice in the Catholic church as he awaits his fate. If Harrison is cleared and returned to the pulpit, no doubt he will head next year's list of "biggest winners," but the odds are clearly against him.

A breakthrough in solar technology could spell trouble for fossil fuels, Cafe Med closes abruptly and Mexican drug cartels are now focusing on the latest cash crop: avocados

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 reflect the views of any other individual, organization or company. 


 * ... SOLAR BREAKTHROUGH? A story that didn't get much play this week involved a potentially game changing technology in the fight against global warming. Backed by Microsoft founder Bill Gates, the technology uses concentrated solar energy to exceed temperatures greater than

1,000 degrees Celsius (1,800 degrees Fahrenheit). Said one story: "For perspective, that kind of heat is about one-quarter of the temperatures found on the surface of the sun. At that temperature, the energy company—Heliogen—can replace the use of fossil fuels in critical industrial processes, including the production of cement, steel, and petrochemicals, dramatically reducing greenhouse gas emissions from these activities. This singular scientific achievement was accomplished at Heliogen’s commercial facility in Lancaster, California." Keep an eye on this techonology.

 * ... AVOCADO CARTEL? Are you ready for this? Apparently avocados have become so valuable that Mexican drug cartels are now adding the popular fruit to the list of other products - marijuana, cocaine and other drugs - that they want to control. According to a piece in The Los Angeles Times, Mexican cartels have beens seizing hundreds of thousands of acres of land to plant avocados in Michoacan state, already a region notorious for cartel activity. Said The Times: "Mexico's multi billion dollar avocado industry, headquartered in Michoacan state, has become a prime target for cartels, which have been seizing farms and cleaning protected woodlands to plant their own groves of what locals call 'green gold.'" (LA Times photo)

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER :Saw a rival dad unloading a turkey fryer so I brought him a fire extinguisher.

 * ... ADIOS CAFE MED: Cafe Med, the iconic Mediterranean eatery on Stockdale Highway, is closing after three decades in business. Owner Meir Brown said business had grown soft in recent years and factors out of his control - increases in the minimum wage, skyrocketing utility costs to name two - had made going forward untenable. The closing triggered a tsunami of criticism on social media over customers who held Cafe Med gift cards, some purchased recently, that are now virtually worthless. Brown first announced he was closing this Wednesday but the doors were shut for good on Friday, leaving fans torn between sadness and anger over being stifled with gift certificates. The closing of Cafe Med is just the latest in a long string of local businesses to shut their doors. Others include Joseph's Italian Restaurant, Red Door Interiors and Beverly's Craft store.

 * ... GOOD FORM: Hats off to Gary and Deborah Leary, who celebrated their 49th wedding anniversary this weekend. If you have attended a fund raiser where steaks are involved, chances are you spotted Gary and his son Anthony tending to the grill, while Deborah worked the room making sure the trains ran on time. Whether it is CSUB or the St. Francis du Paul homeless shelter, the Learys are among those who have contributed to its success.

 * ... MEMORIES: Here are a few pictures worthy of a walk down memory lane, thanks to the Facebook pages Kern County of Old and Kern County History Fans.

Bluegrass comes to town, the scourge of homelessness presents health problems, BHS rated one of the top football high schools in America and a vegan eatery proves to be a big hit

Monday, January 14, 2019

 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 tips to rsbeene@yahoo.com.

 * ... FOODIE SHORTS: The Hens Roost, a relatively new vegan restaurant downtown near the

Post Office, is enjoying a business boom that seems to know no end. I dropped by the Roost on Saturday, eager to sit down to the Impossible burger after a long workout, and the place was wall to wall with customers. The whole plant based diet is not for everyone, but it is good to see there is enough of a base in town to support this kind of healthier eating. Meanwhile, we have also learned that Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers will open on February 12 over off Downing Avenue.

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "Do what you love” is shitty career advice because mostly what I love is spending time alone and eating breakfast food."

 * ... THE GREAT 48: If you happened to stop by the Marriott downtown this weekend, chances are you happened into some bluegrass. For the third consecutive year, the California Bluegrass Association brought its annual convention, called The Great 48 to signify 48 hours of picking and grinning, to the Marriott. (The event has been in Bakersfield for at least a decade but at other venues) Why Bakersfield? Organizers said we are ideally situated to attract bluegrass enthusiasts from both Northern and Southern California. The lobby was full of musicians jamming, and the ninth floor of the hotel was a virtual sea of fiddles, banjos, guitars, stand up basses and dobros.

 * ... BHS DRILLERS: The website StadiumTalk released its list of the top 20 high schools in America that produce the most professional football players. And yes, Bakersfield High made the list, ranking as the 14th best high school in the country. Said StadiumTalk:  "California is well represented on this list with 13 schools, but Bakersfield High is the only one of those that is not in Greater Los Angeles. That has not hurt the school’s success on the field as it has more wins than any other high school football team in the state. The crown jewel of its football program was Frank Gifford, who later won an NFL MVP and was inducted into the Hall of Fame. Just as Gifford eventually made his way into cinema, so would his alma mater. The feud between Bakersfield High and rival Taft High served as the backdrop for the 1986 comedy 'The Best of Times' starring Robin Williams and Kurt Russell."

 * ... CAFE MED: Cafe Med, one of our town's longest running successful restaurants, has opened a second located at Rio Bravo Country Club. It's a unique marriage: Rio Bravo is trying to rebrand itself and gets Meir Brown and his culinary expertise to help jump start the kitchen, and Brown gets a new outlet for his Mediterranean cuisine. The restaurant is open to the public.

 * ... HOMELESS: If you don't think our homeless problem is a public health issue, think again. Or just look at this picture of feces and urine found at the Assistance League offices on Q Street downtown. The problem is getting worse, friends.

 * ... MEMORIES: Who remembers the haunted house on Dracena Street? Photo courtesy of the Kern County of Old Facebook page.

One woman's story of struggle, loss, drugs, homelessness, jail and redemption and Clinics Sierra Vista joins the campaign to keep the Kern River safe

 * ... REDEMPTION: Do you believe in second chances, fate and redemption? Do you believe there is hope for someone who went to jail 10 times for everything from drug use to grand theft and spent

years living on the street? Those are long odds for sure, but 35-year-old Tara Hunt is an example of why we should never give up. Hunt has lived a life not for the faint of heart: her mother was murdered, her father died of AIDS and she fell into a life of crime, drugs, deceit and denial. But she refused to quit and today, drug free, sober and determined, is working for county Supervisor Leticia Perez as she climbs the ladder of redemption. I will be chatting with Hunt today (Wednesday) on KERN NewsTalk 96.1 FM as she shares her story of failure, despair and later - success.

 * ... KERN RIVER: Hats off to Clinica Sierra Vista which has stepped forward to take an aggressive approach to warning people about the dangers of swimming in the Kern River. Clinica, a non-profit that serves 150,000 people in Kern, Fresno and Inyo counties, has launched a multimedia campaign to keep people out of the river, whose raging waters have claimed at least a dozen lives this summer alone. The health-care organization has embarked on a blitz of radio PSAs, print ads, social media posts and perhaps the most high-profile outreach of all: five billboards – three in English, two in Spanish – that remind valley residents that there’s only one sane way to approach the Kern River: by appreciating its beauty from the riverbank. The campaign isn’t cheap; Clinica is spending $23,000 to get the word out. But the only cost Clinica CEO Steve Schilling is worried about is the human one. “Keeping our patients and our fellow neighbors healthy and safe is a public health obligation we take very seriously. This is just another way we can help make that happen."

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "Sorry I used a 3D printer to make an exact replica of your mom and we're dating now."

 * ... THE MARK: The popular downtown restaurant The Mark, known for its live music and Tuesday night jazz sessions, has parted ways with manager Jeramy Brown. Meanwhile Meir Brown, owner of Cafe Med, has been brought in as interim general manager to build a new management team.

 * ... OVERHEARD: A local hair stylist is telling a customer about why she left her old salon: "I found out the owner put up cameras inside the building, with audio, so she could listen in on all of our private conversations."

 * ... TRASH: A big "thank you" to the woman who was spotted picking up trash on the Panorama Bluffs at 6:30 a.m. this week.

 * ... GREEN ENERGY: Chris Padham contributed this to our morning: "An interesting read yesterday about energy costs during the summer months. Just paid my PGE bill. I used .06 kilo watt more than last years period. It cost an additional  $35 for this year. I now understand why it's called green energy. The whole point is to take as much green from your wallet as they can."

 * ... MEMORIES: The old American Jewelry Co. used to be located at the corner of 20th and Eye streets downtown, and outside was an elegant street clock. According to the Facebook page Kern County of Old (an endless source of fascinating historical footnotes) that clock is now in Illinois. One reader noted: "The American Jewelry Co., Bakersfield  purchased a Joseph Mayer street clock in 1922. It remained in Bakersfield until Jasper San Filippo purchased it. It is now restored as part of the San Filippo collection in East Barrington, IL at 'Place de la Musique.'"

Another Bakersfield Pie Run is in the books, a local bicycle rider takes a nasty spill and Cafe Med serves up some delicious morsels while catering

* ... PIE RUN: Here's to John Rous and his team of volunteers for another successful Thanksgiving Pie Run at Hart Park. It looked like a record crowd in the 400 to 500 range who gathered at sunrise to get in a brisk and chilly morning hike or run to start the holiday. There was plenty of food, and each

year Sid Fulce and his wife Karen take the leftover pies (up to 70 at a time) to the Bakersfield Homeless Shelter. Soundman Pete Wonderly, wearing a Cossack fur cap to ward off the chill, served as emcee while Fluce tended to a roaring fire that welcomed the runners back to the starting line. Among those I spotted were Marcia Giumarra (one of the organizers), Mark and Betsy Ramsey and son Miles, Rob and Sally Baker and their three daughters (Katie, Sarah and Maggie), Hillary Haenes and Patrick Wells, Pam Binns, (Bakersfield Track Club president) Margaret Scrivano Patteson, Jim and Kelly Damien, Pete Elieff, Andrea Ames, Sam and Lauren Benham and daughter Nora, Mike Toland, David Rous, Bill Elrich, Rogers and Esther Brandon and Herb and Sue Benham along with grandson Andrew.

* ... THANKSGIVING: I spotted this on my friend David Jenson's Facebook page: "A lady was picking through the frozen turkeys at the grocery store but she couldn't find one big enough for her family. She asked a stock boy, 'Do these turkeys get any bigger?' The stock boy replied, 'No ma'am, they're dead.'

 * ... SICK BAY: Wishing a speedy recovery to my friend Jason Barnes who was involved in a nasty bicycle accident the other day. Barnes was doing a mid-day ride with a small group when he accidentally overlapped another rider's wheel, forcing him to the pavement. He broke five ribs and has a fractured clavicle but is expected to fully recover.

* ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "The sole purpose of a child’s middle name, is so he can tell when he’s really in trouble."

 * ... SPOTTED DOWNTOWN: A new business downtown is called "Herban Legend." Think about that one for a moment.

* ... GOLDEN SPIKE: 'Bunny" Giraud Haaberfelde, Bakersfield High class of 1945, wrote to say she remembers the old Golden Spike Cafe located at 1510 F Street. Said Haberfelde: "Hi Richard, in reference to the cafe, if I remember correctly it was next to the railroad track and had pretty good food. We’re talking around 1949. Many Thanks for your column that continually contains many wonderful old and happy memories of my beloved hometown." Thank you Bunny!

 * ... CAFE MED: Hats off to Meir Brown and his crew over at Cafe Med who knocked it out of the park while catering a recent fund raiser to support CSUB wrestling. Brown's spread included an assortment of fresh pizzas, pastas and seafood that were so good I had to take some home in a plastic to-go box.

 * ... HOLIDAY HOME TOUR: It's that time of year again for the popular 27th Annual Chez Noel Holiday Home Tour. This annual event, a major fund raiser for the Assistance League of Bakersfield, is set for Friday and Saturday December 2 and 3. Tickets are $40 and can be purchased from the Bargain Box Thrift Store at 1924 Q Street, Christine’s in the Stockdale Fashion Plaza, Kern Travel at 3501 Mall View Road,  Sugar Daddy at Stockdale Village and Victoria’s at the The Marketplace.

It's white knuckle time in local elections with one month to go, Cafe Med's new brunch spread gets some love, and it's that time for high school reunions around town

* ... ELECTIONS: I can't imagine anyone being more sick of this election season than the candidates themselves. Who wouldn't grow weary of the constant begging for money, public appearances, candidate forums, interviews and precinct? And with just a month left before we cast

ballots, things are only intensifying. Don Martin, owner of Metro Galleries, held a 'meet and greet' for Ward 2 city council candidate Andrae Gonzales, local supporters of Measure J (improvements in the Kern Community College District) are working hard to make sure the measure doesn't get lost in the landslide of local initiatives (good luck with that) and I haven't seen a Facebook newsfeed in weeks that doesn't feature a smiling Karen Goh or Kyle Carter out glad handing the public.

 * ... FOODIE: Do you ever wonder where local restaurant owners go when they are not dining at their own place? Rod Crawford, who along with wife Julie run the successful Pyrennes Cafe, recently posted on Facebook high praise for the Sunday brunch at Cafe Med on Stockdale Highway. Crawford confirmed the word on the street that Meir Brown has introduced a can't miss brunch at the iconic Mediterranean eatery. "This is our favorite restaurant, and the place we feel like home when we leave ours," he said. "It doesn't happen often but when it does that's where we go."

 * ... SAVE WATER: Meanwhile over at La Costa Mariscos the waiters have new T-shirts with this message: "Save Water. Drink Tequila."

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "Johnny Depp was the ultimate bad boy until he started looking like my great aunt."

 * ... OVERHEARD: A recent retiree is telling a friend about becoming a driver for Uber: "I prefer to drive in the morning. People are showered and nice and headed somewhere. You don't know what you are going to get at night."

 * ... SPOTTED: This is the season for high school reunions, and they were happening all over town this past weekend. There was a big group of Highland High grads who celebrated their 40th anniversary at The Petroleum Club, and there wasn't a better looking group of 40 year olds than the group who descended on The Padre hotel to celebrate the Bakersfield High class of 2006.

* ... DEE: My post about retired educator Dolores "Dee" Whitley struck a never readers who know her and worked alongside her. This from Dr. James L. Sullivan: "Thank you for recognizing one of the true treasures of our community.  I had the pleasure of serving on the Board of Trustees of the Panama-Buena Vista School District from 1980 to 1994, at which time Dee was one of my daughter's teachers both in the second and fourth grades (lucky girl). She served as principal of Van Horn and McAuliffe elementary schools. She later was  an outstanding member of the school board. Her kind leadership and devoted efforts on behalf of the students, staff and parents has made our community a much better place. 'Special' is someoneto be admired, to be considered valuable and someone who cannot be replaced.  'Special' is the word that best describes Dee."

Are we seeing more crime or are we just hearing about it more? And the head of a local non-profit tangles with Californian columnist Lois Henry over fireworks

* ... CRIME: I don't know why I torture myself, but occasionally I check the "Bakersfield Thieves" Facebook page to check on all the crime around our town. Here's a sampling of one day's activity: A car is broken into in front of the Body Xchange in the northeast, two women are robbed near Pin Oak Park in the southwest, and a resident comes home to find a burglar breaking into her garage in the area of Hageman and Old Farm roads. My question: is there more crime these days or are we just hearing about it more?

* ... BARC: A nasty little dispute erupted this week between Jim Baldwin, president of the Bakersfield Association of Retarded Citizens (BARC), and Lois Henry after Baldwin accused the columnist of being a "liar." It all started when Henry asked Baldwin a simple question about how much money BARC makes selling fireworks and what they use it for.  (Baldwin opposes a ban on fireworks while Lois supports it) That seems a straight forward enough question for a high profile non profit that routinely seeks donations and grants from local companies and individuals. But apparently it struck Baldwin the wrong way, and he "went ballistic" while accusing Henry of not supporting his non profit. "Frankly, I was unprepared for the extreme vitriol Baldwin spewed at me," she said. "He flat out called me a liar and untrustworthy... and he was just getting started. He refused to tell me anything about BARC's fireworks sales or how the organization spends that money." Baldwin also told Lois he would no longer take her calls, never a wise move by someone of Baldwin's stature. Note to Jim: no one questions whether BARC serves its clients well, but wouldn't you be better off embracing a little transparency rather than throwing a fit over what seems like a reasonable question? Even Jeff Pickering, the former head of the Kern Community Foundation, threw his support behind Lois with this Twitter feed: "Accountability and transparency on money should be SOP for charities like @BakersfieldARC. Keep asking." Apparently some of BARC's board of directors agree. Nick Azemika, a local attorney who serves on the board, was one of several who called to reassure me that BARC's finances and books are "one hundred percent open" to Lois or anyone who cares to look. "This is a great organization and everything is above board," he told me.

* ... SPOTTED ON FACEBOOK: "If your entire car fits within the width of a crosswalk, you need to re-evaluate some of your life's choices."

 * ... MCKENZIE: Congratulations to KERO TV anchor Tim Calahan and his wife Erika, a delightful couple, who are the proud parents of newborn McKenzie Lynn Calahan. McKenzie was born Monday at Mercy Southwest Hospital and came into the world at 7 pounds 13 ounces.

* ... FOODIE: Stopped by Meir Brown's Cafe Med this weekend and didn't leave without enjoying the longtime Mediterranean restaurant's signature house salad, which takes cabbage to a whole other level. I added some blackened salmon and it main a hard to beat entree.

* ... SOLAR: If you think there has been an uptick in calls by telemarketers, you are in good company. Greg Laskowski is being inundated with calls from folks selling solar energy systems. "I received seven calls the other day.  I finally took one to task, telling him that he was the seventh solar telemarketer, and the fifteenth so far for the week. The gentleman informed me that there are over 6,100 registered solar marketing firms. Looks as if I am at the bottom end of an enormous funnel full of unwanted phone calls. Thanks to governors Schwarzenegger and Brown there will be no end to this kind of harassment because of their support for green energy."

Meir Brown on the Stockdale Highway traffic mess and is "Bako" a derogatory term?

* ... WHEN GOVERNMENT RESPONDS: Meir Brown, owner of the Cafe Med restaurant on Stockdale Highway, was one of the retailers who saw his business plummet when the city decided to take Stockdale down to two lanes during the lengthy widening project. Business owners like Meir were "appalled" that the city chose the peak of the holiday season to force drivers to run the gauntlet, scaring away virtually everyone save a precious loyal few, but a little pressure can sometimes do wonders. In Meir's words:


 "I have to say that at the end of the process, as I look at six lanes flowing on Stockdale Highway a full  three weeks ahead of schedule, some level of confidence in one's ability to affect change in the working of local government has been restored in me. The City Councilmen we approached - Dave Couch, Harold Hanson and Sue Benham, as well County Supervisor Mike Maggard - responded swiftly and positively. Although significant damage was inflicted on all the merchants in the Stockdale corridor, it could have been considerably worse. The process was encouraging and educational for me, as I said I did not believe we could make a difference. Also, I hope the process was educational for city officials as well and that unnecessary hardships could be minimized in the future for other businesses like ours."

 
 

* ... PACIFIC GRAD COMES HOME: I've been getting a lot of input recently from local kids who went to University of Pacific and came home. The latest is Dr. Dana L. Yeoman who graduated from West High in 1993 and went on to earned her bachelor’s degree in 1997. She was accepted to Loma Linda University School of Dentistry and received her DDS in 2003. Dr. Dana, as her patients call her, returned to Bakersfield and worked with her dad, Dr. Leland R. Yeoman, for a year before deciding to stay in Bakersfield and have her own practice as Second Smile Denture Care.

* ... ANOTHER DENTIST: The parents of Joshua Divelbiss, a Centennial High grad who went on to Brigham Young University,  proudly added Joshua to the list. He went to the University of Southern California Dental School before returning to set up his dental practice here in Bakersfield and  is now associated with Adept Dental Group. As his father Bruce Divelbiss said: "A big shout out to all our young people who bring their training and expertise back home to enrich our community. "

* ... BAKO OR BAKERSFIELD?: I enjoyed some friendly email banter with Sharon Milton who took me to task for frequently referring to Bakersfield as "Bako." I use the term loosely and as a term of endearment, but Sharon sees it as an insult and wonders about its origin. "Why shorten it?" she asked "Are you embarrassed to call our town by it's full name? This is what is disrespectful. Who wants to visit a great town called "Bako?" What is your take? Let me hear from you.