Restaurants open up for Memorial Day weekend, Supervisor Mike Maggard on fighting the coronavirus and City Councilman Willie Rivera decides enough is enough

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.

 * ... MEMORIAL DAY IN PICTURES: It was the perfect holiday weekend, mild temperatures that will give way to valley heat this week, but a memorable one nonetheless. My thanks to all the

photographers who shot these scenes of life in Kern County.

 * ... RIVERA IS OUT: Ward 1 City Councilman Willie Rivera, who was just 22 when he was elected, is stepping down as he accepts a new job with AERA Energy. You can bet that they are already lining up potential candidates to replace Rivera, whose term in office was not supposed to expire until 2022. Rivera issued this statement: “It is my hope that notifying you of my intentions now will allow the city to take action to schedule an election for my replacement to coincide with the city council elections already scheduled for November 3, 2020. Doing so would avoid any additional special election costs and allow the residents of Southeast Bakersfield to choose their next representative."

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "Thanks to the magic of Twitter, you’re no longer restricted to fighting with family, friends and neighbors; you can now trade insults with total strangers. And you don’t even have to face them! Invigorating, isn’t it?":

 * ... BIKE SHOPS: The pandemic has led to a rush on bike shops, and local shops say they are selling everything they can get their hands on and are swamped with repairs. Over at Action Sports, which prides itself in customer service, owner Kerry Ryan noted there has been a crush of tuneups and repairs now that people are dusting off their bicycles and taking them out for family time during the lock down. If you need proof, hang around the bike path at the Park at RiverWalk to enjoy hundreds of families out on their bikes enjoying the mornings. Said Ryan: "We doubled our staff to meet the demand at the door," he said. "Our safety measures have pleased all but a few. The lockdown has made people appreciate getting out of the house and bicycles are the exciting way most people can do that.:

 * ... MOVING FORWARD: Supervisor Mike Maggard borrowed an analogy from his son when he talked about life during a pandemic. His son, active military, said during a firefight the only option was "to keep moving forward. Doing nothing is death." Maggard said the same was true during the pandemic where "standing still is not an option. We have to move forward." Maggard appeared with county CAO Ryan Alsop on KGET's Saturday afternoon show "Kern County In Depth" with host Jim Scott.


 * ... MEMORIES: Check out the old Vaughn Taxi from around 1910, thanks to our friends at the Kern County History Fans Facebook page.

 * ... MORE MEMORIES: This picture dates from 1903 at Daytona Beach, Florida. It's not local but it's a wonderful picture anyway.

Bernie Sanders takes on fracking in California, ties it to groundwater contamination, prompting backlash from the energy sector

 * ... FRACKING: Bernie Sanders is seriously obsessed with fossil fuels and hydraulic fracturing, and while campaigning in Delano he again linked fracking to water contamination, a charge that has been debunked at both the state and federal level. All this triggered this response from retired oil executive Lynn Blystone: "I doubt that neither Bernie

Sanders nor his audience listening to Mr. Sanders criticize fracking were aware that the largest single stage frack west of the Rockies was performed without incident in 2005 beside where they were standing at the 'Forty Acres' in Delano on the Sunrise-Mayel gas well (1.3 million pounds of sand) and the deepest frack west of the Rockies (18,500 feet) was performed in 2005 without incident on the Ekho No. 1 oil well without incident just a few miles west." Thanks Lynn, but remember this is the political season and politicos feel they have a license to ignore the facts.

 * ... CSUB GRADUATION: Good news out at Cal State Bakersfield, where the university will hand diplomas to the largest graduation class in history, some 2,500 undergraduate and graduate students.

 * ... CALIFORNIA PRIMARY: A local voter is commenting on all the robo calls and political advertising before next week's California primary: "I voted absentee two weeks ago as did most of my friends. All this last minute advertising is just wasted money."

 * ... GUN CONTROL: The California legislature is rushing through a new series of gun control laws, believing that new restrictions on law abiding citizens will somehow have a beneficial effect. One of the best challenges to this came in an opinion piece in the East Bay Times, which read in part: "Changing a culture of violence does not begin with weapons and it certainly does not begin with wholesale suppression of civil rights. It begins with understanding the source of violence and treating the disease, not the symptoms -- were guns a source of violence, then nobody would walk out of a gun show alive. Instead, violence is seeded within subcultures. In America, it is uniquely tied to inner-city cultures that support and even praise violence as a means to petty ends. Changing violent cultures has to be an evolution and no legislation will cause this to happen."

* ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "I’m beginning to believe that successful relationships come down to Netflix compatibility."

 * ... MORE TWITTER: "Don’t refer to them as voices in your head. Do as the professionals and call them your ‘team of writers.’"

* ... LORRIE MURPHY shared this warm experience when she and a friend walked their dogs to the Park and RiverWalk for the lowering of the flags on Memorial Day weekend. "It was a beautiful ceremony with the circle of flags reflected in the lake as the sun went down and a light breeze was blowing to keep the flags standing out straigh.  But what impressed us the most was the families that were out with their children. Not a cell phone or electronic device is sight! Children laughing, riding their bikes, skate boards and roller skates  Little children laughing at the joy of kisses from dogs.  Families taking pictures with the flags in the background.  People looking you straight in the eye when stopped and talked to you. Made you proud to be an Americian and especially from Bakersfield. You just knew that no matter what the news said everything was going to be OK."

 * ... ANIMAL SHELTER: And finally there was this from Annette Lindquist: "I thought you might like to hear a feel good Memorial Day story. The Kern County Animal Shelter and Bakersfield Republican Women teamed up for Animals for Armed Services and Pets for Vets. Within three hours eight dogs and one cat went to a loving vet's home with a new bed, dish, food, toy, treats, collar, leash and an application from The Bakersfield Pet Food Pantry to receive complimentary food each month.  Several times we were brought to tears as we watched an abandoned dog select its new owner with a "paw hug" around the neck and wet kisses on the face. It was a win-win situation, for sure. We were honored to be a part of such an incredible event for our military and stray animal population."

College students demand a "safe" environment from anything that "triggers" negativity, but isn't that all part of freedom of speech on this Memorial Day weekend?

 * ... FREEDOM: Memorial Day is a time to reflect and appreciate those who gave their lives for our freedoms. But with those freedoms comes responsibility, as Peggy Noonan cited in her Saturday column in the Wall Street Journal. Noonan was writing about the use of "micro aggressions" and "triggering" on college campuses, in which some students demand a "safe" environment from

anything that might "trigger" negative feelings. Said Noonan: "Life gives you potentials for freedom, creativity, achievement, love, all sorts of beautiful things, but none of us are 'safe.' And you are especially not safe in an atmosphere of true freedom. People will say and do things that are wrong, stupid, unkind, meant to injure. They’ll bring up subjects you find upsetting. It’s uncomfortable. But isn’t that the price we pay for freedom of speech? You can ask for courtesy, sensitivity and dignity. You can show others those things, too, as a way of encouraging them. But if you constantly feel anxious and frightened by what you encounter in life, are we sure that means the world must reorder itself? Might it mean you need a lot of therapy?"

  * ...  OVERHEARD: John R. Tubbesing was helping plant a field of American flags at the Parks and River Walk when someone asked if there were truly more than 1,000 flags. "Yes," someone answered, "there's over a thousand flags. We made sure because we don't want Lois Henry counting them all."

* … MUDDING: I managed to get in a long hike in the hills above Hart Park after the rain Friday, and besides the testosterone fueled Jeeps and pickups doing doughnuts in the mud (parents of boys tell me that's called 'mudding'), I had the place all to myself. But it left me sad that this wonderful property, until recently designed to become a "Great Park" for the public, will one day be developed.

  * … SOUTHERN CHARM: An elegant and classy local woman formerly from Virginia, asked how she is doing, replies with this bit of Southern charm: "I am up and taking nourishment."

 * … TERMS OF ENDEARMENT: Alvin Gregorio read my recent post on being in love ('I've never been in love, but I imagine it is similar to the feeling you get when you see your food coming in a restaurant') with this memory: "I had a longtime (adult) girlfriend who would sort of bounce in her booth-seat as the waiter approached with her food. It was the cutest and most endearing thing ever."

 * ... OVERHEARD: At the new TJ Maxx on Stockade Highway, a woman tells a cashier: "I live in the northeast and waited until everyone was out of town for Memorial Day to come here. I feel I have the whole town to myself."

 * ... MEMORIES: Jack Rademacher dropped me a note asking if I could stomach yet another memory of the old movie theaters in town. Why yes, Jack, I can. So here he goes: "My uncle Charlie was a projectionist at the California Theater. As Kern County Union High School students, my brother and I visited him, high up in the projection booth... The booth was an unbearable hot box and a potential fire trap. An escape hatch was provided at the north wall with a flex ladder dropped down to the alley, in the event of an internal fire."

Overrun with panhandlers, Bakersfield residents start to express charity fatigue, and more bad form as stoners litter the streets

 * … PANHANDLERS: Remember the woman who noted that vans pull up each morning at the shopping center at California Avenue and Stockdale Highway and drop off panhandlers? Well here is an update. Said Kathy Scott:  "When I went to my weekly meeting, a few days after you published my letter, I was told that the whole shopping center was talking about my letter and

appreciative of letting others know about the big van that drops the panhandlers off in the mornings and picks them up late that day. But they said it seems that they must not read the paper since the day after it printed they dropped them off in a big brand new Lexus or BMW! Shameful that when we as a nation of giving to those in need, those that obviously are NOT in need, found a way to deceive and take advantage of us. I believe if we truly want to help those in need we need to stop giving money to anyone panhandling and instead give money to charities or a food bank or a homeless shelter ... Just my opinion."

* … MEMORIAL DAY: Did you catch the planting of 1,000 flags at The Park at River Walk this weekend? It was a beautiful scene, but some folks questioned the timing of it. Said Mary Webb: "With all due respect to military servicemen and women's organizations, it was a well-intentioned, but ill-conceived idea. On a popular three-day holiday weekend, when parks see maximum usage, the flags disallowed usage of much of this park to families. The flags were erected in an area where permanent grills are installed for picnicking, and where children are usually running about playing tag and other games, and families have blankets spread out for relaxing. Next year, why not use the very large lot across from the park that has been vacant for at least 20 years? Bring in a watering truck two days beforehand, and have volunteers erect the flags. There's ample space available for concessionaires, canopies for promotional activities, etc. The patriotic display would be just as showy, and ....it would leave our parks for their original intention: family recreation." (Photo by Karen Goh)

* …. MAD AS HELL: Doug Winston says perhaps he was inspired by Tara the super cat, but over Memorial Day he took matters into his own hands. It began on Friday at the Ride Aid at Brimhall and Calloway when he spotted a couple tossing candy wrappers out of their car window. "I'm not sure if I should be proud of what happened next," he told me. "I picked up all of the wrappers and threw them back in their car right in front of my wife and told them not to litter and don't be a**holes. This is when I noticed that they were stoned out of their minds. Staring back at me were watery, red eyes in disbelief. This only made me more angry so I left. Maybe I should've called the police or something. I figured I'd done enough for one day. But wait there's more. This Memorial day morning two German shepherd mix dogs were roaming around our front yard. No collar, no tags and no microchip for identification. We found out there was no microchip from the Easton Drive emergency veterinarian hospital. We also found out that these were the sweetest dogs we ever met riding in the car to the hospital and back. Of course everybody is closed on Memorial Day so we had to call the non-emergency Bakersfield police dispatch to get the animal control vehicle to come pick up the dogs and take them to the city shelter.  The driver was a bright spot in the day, an awesome guy and clearly asset to the BPD. Somebody who really seemed to care for these dogs." To end the day, Doug spotted a couple walking their Husky on the hot bike path while it was 95 degrees. He let them know this was not wise. He continued: "Apparently I need anger management but I feel much better now that I've written this, thanks for being my outlet." You are welcome Doug!

  * … HONOR: Hats off to Ogden Kiesel, a dedicated teacher for the Kern Superintendent of Schools – he is a science teacher at CLC Tech Community School --who has named 2014 Teacher of the Year by the Juvenile Court, Community, and Alternative School Administrators of California.

 * … MEMORIES: Joe Scott was born in Bakersfield in 1945 and has a fond memory of a man standing on the corner of 19th and Chester selling newspapers. "He wasn't operating a newspaper stand. He just stood there with a canvas bag filled with folded newspapers over his shoulder. And he would sing out in a rather beseeching manner, 'Get your Bakersfeeel Califorrrnyun.'  I remember the paper being sold in downtown Bakersfield in that fashion into the 1950s.  Even though the man is gone, it's comforting to know the 'Bakersfeeel Califorrrnyun' is still here." Thanks Joe, I second that notion!

Saluting all those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice on this Memorial Day weekend and looking back at the war in Vietnam

 * … MEMORIAL DAY: On this Memorial Day, we honor all of those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice in service of their country. In my family, I salute my late mother's brother, Harold Swysgood, an Army medic, who died in the Battle of Anzio in February of 1944. He was just 22 years old.

 * … VIETNAM: Some interesting statistics on the Vietnam War: 2,709,918 Americans served in uniform in Vietnam; Vietnam veterans represented 9.7% of their generation; 240 men were awarded the Medal of Honor during the Vietnam War; 58,148 were killed in Vietnam, 75,000 were severely disabled, 23,214 were 100% disabled, 5,283 lost limbs, 1,081 sustained multiple amputations;  of those killed, 61% were younger than 21, 11,465 of those killed were younger than 20 years old, of those killed, 17,539 were married, average age of men killed was 23.1 years, five men killed in Vietnam were only 16 years old, and the oldest man killed was 62 years old.

 * … GREENLAWN: A special Memorial Day observance will be held today at Greenlawn Funeral Home on Panama Lane. It starts at 11 a.m. and will feature a patriotic motorcycle even, a military vehicle display and a cookout following a tribute to veterans. At the River Boulevard location, there will be a 2 p.m. event featuring American Legion Post 26 and special music.

* … SPOTTED: Best T-shirt spotted on Memorial Day has this inscription on the back: "If you can read this, thank a teacher. If you can read this in English, thank a veteran."

* … ACCIDENT: Manuel D. Fuderanan is a city traffic engineer who was conducting a traffic study at the intersection of 23 and L streets on Tuesday when a "traffic accident happened right before our very eyes. A pick-up truck with a trailer sideswiped a man on a wheel chair at the southeast corner. Both had the green light ---the northbound vehicle on L Street to make a right turn to eastbound 23rd and the man on the wheelchair to go northbound on the crosswalk across 23rd. We are quick to vilify police personnel and accuse them of alleged 'abuses' in the performance of their jobs, but this time around I was much impressed by the quick response of a couple of Police Technicians. They were the first to arrive and secure the scene in less than two minutes. I have to doff my hat in admiration to these Police Technicians and the fire truck paramedics and ambulance personnel who arrived later. Their swift, competent and efficient response is reassuring."

 * … PANHANDLERS: More testimony from local folks on the explosion of panhandling in Bakersfield: From Mary Louise Durham: "Richard, I went to a very popular fast food place on Stockdale Highway Tuesday and as I entered a man ask me if I could help him out. He needed more money to buy food and he showed me he only had two ones and some change. I said I would give him 35 cents and he could buy himself a cheese burger and he told me he wanted more than that. I smiled and moved on. When I left the same thing happened outside on the patio. This was an older man and I did give him my French fries. What would this type of panhandling be called?"

Another truck in Stockdale Estates is found on blocks, its wheels and tires missing, and is it legal to rip up a city sidewalk and replace it with grass, forcing strollers into the streets?

 * … THEFT: Well it has happened again. Yet another homeowner has awakened to find his truck on blocks, the wheels and tires stolen during the night. This time it happened to Stockdale Estates resident Jason Cohen, but in this case there was a silver lining. Said Jason: "After filing a police report and calling my insurance company I texted Mike from Three-Way Chervolet. His words were, 'we will get you taken care of.' They came over, put tires on the car and took it to the shop as

well as dropped off a Tahoe for me to drive in the meantime. What could have been a horrible day turned into the Saturday it was supposed to be. I owe a huge thank you to Mike and all the guys at Three-Way. I honestly believe that was Bakersfield at its finest. This town always takes care of itself. Certainly noteworthy."

 * … BAD FORM: In a downtown historic district with wide leafy streets, a homeowner digs up the city sidewalk, plants sod and installs a row of hedges to keep people off her lawn, forcing strollers and walkers into the street. (Good luck if you are in a wheelchair) Someone missed the memo about the benefits of walkable communities and safety.

 * … ACHIEVER: Hats off to Chelsea Fraley, a 2010 graduate of Bakersfield High School, who graduated Magna Cum Laude from Gonzaga University with a double major in political science and criminal justice. She will be spending the summer as an intern at Klein, DeNatale, Goldner and in August will enter the Duke School of Law. Chelsea's proud parents are Sean Fraley, a battalion chief with the Kern County Fire Department and Christy Fraley, the head guidance counselor at Independance High School.

 * … FLAGS: There will be a spectacular display of flags at the Park at Riverwalk over Memorial Day weekend. Sponsored by Breakfast Rotary, the event will feature more than 1,000 flags in honor of the many people who have served, or continue to serve, our nation and community. The cost to sponsor a flag is $50 and can be ordered at www.thousandflags.org. The flags will be flying from 11:30 a.m. Saturday, May 24, through Monday.

 * … PANHANDLERS: Robert Yoo lived for a short time in the northern Kentucky town of Alexandria, just a short distance from Cincinnati which had a strict panhandling ordinance. "One day while walking along the Cincinnati waterfront, I saw a disheveled homeless person with a hand printed sign saying, 'homeless, need money,' begging for money from the tourists along the waterfront. About an hour later, I walked by the same spot and the man and his belongings were gone, however his sign was propped up against the wall where he had been previously sitting.  Neatly printed on the sign were the words, 'This site closed courtesy of the Cincinnati Police Department.' Stapled to the sign was an officer’s business card. Now that’s an anti-panhandling enforcement ordinance with some teeth in it!  I wished we had that here in Bakersfield!"

 * … MEMORIES: Another reader remembers Casper's Men's Store downtown. Listen to Brenda Bosley: "The two recent entries from Greg Cowan and Kelly Casper Donovan about Casper's Men's stores really caught my attention. I remember my mom taking me shopping with her to Casper's at a very young age and as I grew up Casper's was always THE men's store our family patronized. But, to show the strong thread that connects the people of Bakersfield, many years later both Greg and Kelly were a very near and dear part of my adult life…. my mom was Greg's great aunt and Kelly's grandmother, Mrs. Casper, often brought Kelly in shopping at our store, Lou Ella's Children's Shop on Baker Street. We were so lucky to know Mrs. Casper and Kelly for many years, and Greg was and still is a very special part of our family. It is so good to know that as Bakersfield continues to grow younger people still have fond memories of our town's past. Thanks Greg and Kelly for bringing back my fond memories of two special kids!"

Remembering those who sacrificed on this Memorial Day, marking the passing of Janice Redmond and the time when the crazy commute stops to allow geese to cross the road

 * ... RIP JANICE: Our community lost a great citizen last week with the passing of Janice Marie Redmond. Originally from New York, Janice and her husband Stan moved to Bakersfield in 1972
where they raised their nine children. She was active in local Catholic churches and was a beloved figure among her friends. Keep Stan and his family in your thoughts. She was 74.

 * ... GEESE: Linda Nipper is a human resource specialist who was driving east on Truxtun Extension when traffic ground to a halt at Empire Boulevard. What happened next brought a smile to her face. "Wondering what was holding up our lane, I looked far to the right of the front car in our lane and saw what I thought was a very large bird. Then it became clear ... that a family geese was heading north, crossing Truxtun on a red light.  Yup, two very large grown geese and about five waddling

goslings in tow had stopped all four lanes of traffic, in both directions, during the busy morning commute. I think we all enjoyed our commute a little more and appreciated the unexpected sight of a family of geese,  who appeared not at all flustered by the activity of the cars, as they greeted the day crossing safely to the north side of Truxtun, heading to the river bed I expect."

 * ... ACHIEVER: Former Stockdale High grad Phil McGill has now graduated in the top 5 percent of his law school class at the University of San Diego. He is now studying for the bar and will start at Price Waterhouse in San Francisco in October. Said his father Kerry McGill: "That in itself is commendable in that there are so few law jobs available. If you recall, he went to USD on a full scholarship. Another Bako boy makes good!" So true.

* ... CHIPMAN: Best of luck to the kids over at Chipman Jr. High who are heading to Maryland for the national History Day finals. These high achievers have been trying to raise money to help offset the expenses, but they have a ways to go. Their teacher, Mike Hutson, says any kind of financial support is appreciated. Reach him at (661) 631-5210 if you would like to help. The team includes Sadie Armijo, Stevie McNabb, Dylan Pearson, Jake Beardsley and Miguel Vargas

* ... BASEBALL: Dave Packer wrote to tell me about the new Bakersfield Sound collegiate summer baseball team that will kick off its season in June.  "The games will be held at Bakersfield Christian High School and will provide fun and inexpensive family entertainment with extremely high quality wooden bat baseball played by some of the top collegiate players from throughout the United States .  The team is made up of both local and out of area collegiate players and provides the local players an opportunity to return home during the summer to reconnect with their family and friends, My son, Matt, Stockdale High grad, is one of such players as he is coming home from Miami of Ohio and bringing one of his baseball teammates to live with our family during the summer and experience our great town and California."

 * ... MEMORIAL DAY: And finally this thought submitted by a regular correspondent: "Thanksgiving is the day we pause to give thanks for the things we have. Memorial Day is the day we pause to give thanks to those who fought for the things we have."

McCarthy: Memorial Day is a solemn time to remember those Americans who sacrificed so much for our freedom

Rep. Kevin McCarthy, House Majority Whip and a Bakersfield Republican, gives us his weekly view from Capitol Hill. In his words:

 "This week, even as the dark skies have cleared above the American heartland, my heart is heavy for Oklahoma.  As photos and videos are shown of the devastation, it is clear that no community can ever mentally prepare for these devastating tragedies when they arrive at your doorstep. Please consider

supporting the Red Cross and the Salvation Army as they provide assistance to those in need, and please continue to keep those affected in our thoughts and prayers.

 "We also cannot forget that this weekend is Memorial Day weekend. A year ago this month, I watched 101-year-old veteran Louis Kerker lay a wreath at the California pillar of the World War II Memorial, in tribute to those who did not return home, on the very first Kern County Honor Flight over Memorial Day weekend. While three more Honor Flights trips have been made since then and more are being planned, sadly we have lost several of those brave local veterans in our community, including Louis. Seeing these men and women on the floor of the House of Representatives - where President Franklin Roosevelt spoke of the “day that will live in infamy” in 1941 – and watching tourists and onlookers erupt into a thunderous applause for them in the Capitol continues to remind me that Americans will never forget the sacrifices of brave generations past and present that guard our nation’s freedoms.

 "These experiences are both joyful and solemn as these landmarks serve not only as a sign of respect and gratitude to veterans, but also as a sobering reminder of their fellow patriots who did not live to see these monuments erected in their honor. Whether the Revolutionary War or the current War in Afghanistan, today we remember the heroic Americans who, in the face of danger, selflessly came forward, risked, and made the ultimate sacrifice to defend and protect our freedom. These men and women represent the very best of our nation. These men and women are the reason America remains a beacon of freedom and democracy to the world today.

 "On Memorial Day, as we ought to every day, we remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice to preserve our liberty, and honor their memory by showing our gratitude to the veterans who fought alongside them. Thank those who are serving today and take some time to help the families in our communities with loved ones serving in harm’s way. I encourage everyone this Memorial Day to pay respect to our fallen heroes who lay at rest at the Bakersfield National Cemetery and at our local cemeteries throughout our community. These individuals served and sacrificed for our great nation, and they will never be forgotten.

 "I will continue to fight in Congress to ensure that our veterans have access to the care and benefits they deserve in a timely manner. In addition to requesting the Government Accountability Office conduct audits on unacceptable backlogs and wait times at Department of Veterans’ Affairs (VA) medical facilities in California and across the country, I remain committed to holding VA officials accountable for fixing the culture of dysfunction that is failing our veterans.  That is why I recently authored legislation designed to enact GAO’s recommendations to correct the disability claims backlog problem – no excuses. I will not stop fighting until our veterans see real results from the VA.

 "It is said that one of the reasons Memorial Day falls on the last Monday in May is because this time of year, the flowers are in full bloom.  Those flowers signify the continued life and growth of the American spirit, and we must always remember what has allowed that spirit to endure for generations upon generations, protecting the longest surviving Constitution in the world today.  It is the American people.  It is the American serviceman and servicewoman.  Even as the strength of our nation is tested, their unbreakable spirit and fortitude even in the toughest battles remains proof that the guardians of our freedoms and liberties, since the first day of our nation’s founding to today, are the courageous citizen-soldiers that answer the call of their nation. Let us always remember the sacrifices that our countrymen have made to keep us free, strong and united.

Race for the open 16th District state Senate District heats up with heated barbs between frontrunners Leticia Perez and Andy Vidak, and a reunion is set for the old Kern County Union High School

 * ... PEREZ: With just a week to go the campaign for the 16th District state Senate race is growing predictably nasty. Frontrunners Leticia Perez and Andy Vidak have taken the gloves off, both airing scathing TV ads attacking the other. And now comes word that Perez had to apologize for using the image of the Virgin of Guadalupe in a campaign flier distributed in Fresno. Perez called it an "image of inspiration" but apologized after a complaint was filed with the Fresno Archdiocese. Perez also was not amused by a popular video produced by the Kern Citizens for Sustainable Government promoting more fiscally sound policies. And finally, Perez abruptly canceled a scheduled appearance on KERN's First Look with Scott Cox video simulcast after The Californian endorsed Vidak. If Perez and Vidak end up in a runoff, as is widely expected, we'll all have two more months of this to entertain us. (file photos of Perez, Vidak)

* ... GRANTS: The Bakersfeld Californian (family) Foundation has awarded $225,413 in grants to Kern County nonprofits involved in community enrichment projects throughout Kern County, including beautification efforts, small scope historical preservation projects and general community improvement. Among the recipients were The Bakersfield Museum of Art, Golden Empire Gleaners, Saint Vincent de Paul Center, Fox Theater Foundation, Covenant Community Service, the Gay and Lesbian Center of Bakersfield, The Cross Family Center and the Kern River Parkway Foundation, among others.

 * ... REUNION: There is a very special reunion planned this Saturday: the 75th anniversary of the 1938 class of Kern County Union High School. At this point, organizer Ada Davis says 38 classmates have been located and about half of them will be attending with friends and family. The first reunion of the class was held back in 1958 when 376 members of the graduating class of 630 attended. Many of these folks are among the "who's who" of Bakersfield, and it will surely be a memorable event. The event is planned for 11 a.m. at Marie Callender's.

 * ... TENNIS: If you are out and about this (Wednesday) evening, you might want to run over to Seven Oaks Country Club for a special (and free) tennis exhibition. It's being sponsored by a local company that provides fracking monitoring services for safe and effective oil field development and is called "Hit the Target," as in in both fracking and tennis. Ellen Bartling, a former standout tennis player at Stockdale High School and now a graduate of UC Santa Barbara working in the oil industry, is helping in promoting the event. The matches start from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

 * ... MEMORIAL DAY: Greenlawn Funeral Home is holding a special Memorial Day celebration at its Southwest location on Panama Lane. It will include an honor guard, Tehachapi police pipes and drums, the Blue Star Moms, speakers and even a Marine vocalist. There will be food and activities for children following the 11 a.m. event. A more traditional service will be held at the River Boulevard location in the Northeast.

 * ... CORRECTION: Dominic's Dugout, one of the Relay for Life teams, raised $45,000 for cancer research over a three year period and not all in the recently completed Relay event.

Short takes around our town on a Memorial Day weekend

It would be hard to imagine any better weather served up for the Memorial Day weekend. It was splendid all weekend capped by a relatively mild Monday kicked off with a cool morning. There were ceremonies across town, at Hillcrest, Union Cemetery, Greelawn and even at Cal State Bakersfield to pay honor to those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our country.
Thought the best pictures from the web came from Supervisor Michael Rubio, who attended the events at both Union and Hillcrest. Here are two photos he posted on Facebook of him and Iliana, his adorable daughter, at one of the events. Let the pictures tell the story.






Elsewhere this weekend....
* ... BAD BEHAVIOR: Along with the good always comes a little bad, and it wouldn't be a holiday weekend in Bakersfield without some examples of really bad behavior. Like the fellow who was killed when a wild fight broke out at a bar on Wible Road when - get this - police said 200 people left a biker's bar in the wee hours. Let's think about that: two hundred people piling out of a biker bar after midnight. All the ingredients were there for bad things to happen.
* ... CRIME ALL AROUND: Tuned into KGET and KBAK on Monday and listening to their newscasts, you'd think all we did in B-town was knife and shoot each other. There was a stabbing at a bar in Shafter, another shooting death in Lamont ... and the list goes on.
* ... ULTIMATE PRICE: Was sad to hear about a solider from Tehachapi, Jason George, who died in Iraq. A stark reminder of what Memorial Day is all about. Jason was 38 and had already lived a life full of accomplishments: he went to CSUB, then West Point and lived in Chicago. Our hearts go out to his family.