Give Big Kern raises close to $1 million for local charities, Nordstrom and Whole Foods flee San Francisco and remembering the late Merle Haggard and Bonnie Owens

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 company or publication.

* ... GIVE BIG KERN: The countywide drive to support non-profits called Give Big Kern is over and it raised more than $919,000 for some outstanding organizations and programs. Topping the leaderboard as the top fund raiser was the Dolores Huerta Foundation, which raised an impressive $226,487 from 345

donors. Independence Through Grace ran second with $126,593 and Bakersfield Pregnancy Center was third with $57,312. My favorite was SJVWater.Org, the non profit run by former Californian investigator editor Lois Henry, which pulled in $7,345 for its work covering the politics of water in California. (Full disclosure: I serve on SJV's board of directors) Interesting, some groups did poorly, reflecting a  disorganized fund drive or a disengaged board of directors. For example the HUB of Bakersfield, which bills itself as a group that hopes to redefine and revitalize downtown Bakersfield (Ward 2 Councilman Andre Gonzales is a big supporter) raised a meager $50 from two donors, meaning some of the HUB's 16 board of directors likely failed to rally to the call to donate. The same was true with American Cancer Society which didn't raise a single dollar. Despite the spotty results, Give Big Kern has evolved in a major positive force in our community and non-profits who choose to participate should take this opportunity seriously.

* ... WHOLE FOODS LEAVES SAN FRANCISCO: Do you remember when Whole Foods made a big gamble on San Francisco, opening a huge new store in a blighted area? Well it is now closed after just a year, and critics are having a field day saying 'I told you so.'" The market has been the scene of just about everything: a machete wielding customer threatening others, vagrants defecating in the aisles, people overdosing on fentanyl in its bath rooms and the mentally ill harassing others. And then there is this: Nordstrom, or what is left of the once influential department store, is also leaving San Francisco. Is anybody surprised by this?

 * ... RIP SEAN MCKEOWN: A popular longtime high school teacher and coach, Sean McKeown, has lost his battle with pancreatic cancer and has passed away. The notice of his death was made by Kati McKeown, Sean's wife who works for House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in the district home office. McKeown worked as a teacher and coach at Bakersfield High, Independence and Stockdale high schools, earning legions of admirers along the way. He was diagnosed with cancer just a few months ago and fought bravely to the end. Services are are set for Saturday, May 28, at St. John's Lutheran Church. (file photo from 2016 courtesy of Kati McKeown)

 * ... PADRE HOTEL: There is nothing quite like opening The Wall Street Journal and bumping into a feature story on the iconic Padre Hotel, the grand dame of downtown Bakersfield. Built in 1928, just two years after the nearby Bakersfield Californian building, the eight-story building was the largest in town at the time and withstood multiple earthquakes over the years. The review mentions the Prairie Fire Grill and the poke nachos, but it recommends the classic Padre burger for the road weary.

 * ... REMEMBERING MERLE: Country singer David Frizzell penned a lovely short tribute to the late Merle Haggard and his wife Bonnie, leaving this entry on Facebook: "Remembering Bonnie Owens today. We were just talking about Bonnie and Merle on the way home from Illinois... I was sitting with Merle one day and he was telling me he went and seen Bonnie at the care facility where she was living at the time (due to Alzheimers)... he was having a great visit with her when she asked 'Do you want to see my room'? Merle of course said yes and they got to the room and walked in and Bonnie pointed up to a poster of Merle hanging on her wall and said, 'You see that guy right there? That is my favorite singer! '

Miss them both!" (photo courtesy of the Kern County of Old Facebook page)

 * ... WEIGHT LOSS SURGERY: How fat are our children today? Well check this out: The Wall Street Journal reports that the number of children undergoing bariatric weight surgery has skyrocketed, multiplying five fold to total more than 500 surgeries. a year Before the pandemic, some 20 percent of all American children were deemed obese, and that number is expected to rise.

 * ... OUR WILDFLOWERS: I just can't resist sharing the incredibly stunning wildflower pictures from my friend Pam Taylor, whose travels have taken her to some of the most spectacular blooms. Check out these two Pam Taylor shots.

 * ... MORE WILDFLOWERS: And one of my favorite local photographers, JoJo Paredes Butingan, submitted this incredible shot of a field of red flowers.

* ... MEMORIES: Do you remember this scene with Jack Nicholson in the movie Five Easy Pieces (1970, dir. Bob Rafelson)? It was shot on Highway 99 at the 53 off ramp to Shafter and Wasco.  Thanks to the Kern County History Fans for this timely nugget.

Wildfires turn the sun a blood orange and air is thick with crud, the Parks-Karli family come back for a visit and we finally get a (small) break in the heat wave

Monday, August 6, 2018

 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 place. Email your news and notes to rsbeene@yahoo.com.

 * ... NUCLEAR WINTER? Bakersfield is never at its best in the summer, but the impact of the smoke from the wild fires, including a new one off Breckenridge Road, has made this a particularly

ugly period. On Saturday, the sun was blood red, the air thick with the acrid stench of smoke, and when you add in the legions of homeless wandering our streets like dazed zombies, it was not exactly a Chamber of Commerce weekend for our community. And speaking of the homeless, have you noticed they seem to be everywhere? Downtown has always had its issues with the homeless, but a casual drive around town you will find them deep in the Southwest and Northwest, all along Ming Avenue and yes, even out at the Shops at the Riverwalk on Stockdale Highway.

* ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "If a man said he’ll fix it, he will. There is no need to remind him every six months about it."

 * ... SPOTTED ON FACEBOOK: The Bakersfield Californian's Steven Mayer posted this on Facebook: "As the air slowly kills you, remember to enjoy the toxic sunsets as you sink into oblivion."

* ... MERLE'S HOUSE: Only in Bakersfield do you open the newspaper to find a house for sale that was once owned by the late country music legend Merle Haggard. The house, located in the Bakersfield Country Club area, is priced at $359,000. The headline above the picture read: "Merle and Bonnie Haggard's History."

 * ... REUNION: Former KERO TV anchors Jackie Parks and husband Todd Karli were back in Bakersfield this past week. The couple, who left town to join a TV station in Maryland, made the rounds catching up with old friends and co-workers. Parks and Karli were always a class act, and much like Jim Scott and Robin Mangarin Scott, made Bakersfield their home for many years before finally moving on.

 * ... GOOD FORM: Hats off to the off duty police officer who confronted a homeless man digging through a trash can and tossing the content across the sidewalk at 19th and Eye streets on Saturday. The homeless man became belligerent until the officer quietly showed him his badge and told him that "some of us want our city to look better. Put the trash back in the can."

 * ... MEMORIES: Check out the old Bank of America building at the corner of Chester and 20th Street, now the home of Stars Theatre.

Maze Cup, Plein Air Festival and Haggard home all happening this weekend, some good form about town and a shout out to the Cynthia Lake Charitable Trust

 * ... WEEKEND: Here are three things to consider this weekend, each unique and affordable: this is the weekend of the Plein Air Festival and on Friday a dozen artists will be painting downtown with their works on display at the Metro Galleries on 19th Street for First Friday. On Saturday, other

paintings by these artists will go on sale at The Bakersfield Museum of Art from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. If that doesn't suit your tastes, head over to Stockdale Country Club where the Maze Cup features some of the best 16 and 18 year old tennis players in the nation, and admission is free. Finally, on Sunday you can drop by Kern Pioneer Village to check out the public debut of Merle Haggard's family home, appropriately opening on the year anniversary of his death.

 * ... CYNTHIA LAKE: And by the way, here's a big shout out to the Cynthia Lake Charitable Trust that funded the restoration of Merle Haggard's childhood home, an expensive undertaking that will serve generations of Kern County residents.

* ... RAIDERS: The move of the Oakland Raiders to Las Vegas triggered this note from Alan Hine: "Good news for Bakersfield Raider's fans. Google says it is only two minutes longer to drive to Las Vegas than it is to drive to Oakland, and there is a lot more to do in Vegas than there is in Oakland and the food and lodging is also better."
                         '
* ... TRASH: My earlier post about the people who use Fairfax as their personal dumping group drew this response from Sam Colt: "Thanks for the article on trash along Fairfax. I too have seen alot of it along Comanche Road on the way to the dump. It might be a good idea to refresh memories the city will pick up large items (matresses, etc) from your house just call them at (661) 326-3114 to make an appointment."

* ... SPOTTED: In the Kern River near Beach Park a man is being baptized on the shoreline. Nice to see a little rain bring out the religion in us.

* ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "When going on a roller coaster bring nuts and bolts, lean to the person in front and say… 'Woah dude, these came out of your seat!'"

 * ... GOOD FORM: Here's a note from Larry Jenks that should brighten your day: "I would like to share with you a recent event my wife and I were party to. We were having dinner at Chili's Monday night. After ordering and receiving our meal the server approached and handed us our bill, saying a couple had paid for our meal. Written in the bill was the following: 'We wanted to treat you to dinner! This is our second anniversary, we pray to be as in love and as cute as the two of you are as we grow older together. Have a super blessed night. Love, the Swatzells.' My bride and I are going to celebrate our 65th wedding anniversary June 28. We are blessed!"

 * ... MORE GOOD FORM: And there was this from reader Don Luvisi: "Purchased some items at Floyd's this week and when checking out the cashier asked if I wanted to round up my three cents to an even five e cents with the two cents going to a charity. A great idea. If more stores followed suit less pennies to deal with and local charities would benefit."

A local attorney rides 224 miles over a 24-hour period just because he could, yet another memory of Merle Haggard and white glove service at the Craft Tap House

 * ... THOMAS MORGAN: Do you ever wonder what drives people to excel, or achieve feats of physical pain and endurance that would make most of us shrink from the challenge? I posed that

question to my friend Thomas Morgan, who just punched his bucket list on a quest to climb on his bike the equivalent of climbing Mt. Everest, some 29,000 feet. Morgan, deputy county counsel with a fascinating personal story (years ago as a young deputy sheriff he was shot in the neck at point blank range and left for dead) took his bike to the base of Round Mountain and put in 224 miles over a 24-hour period, climbing 29,137 feet in some nasty and wet conditions. Why? Morgan told me it would be easy to answer "because it is there," but more deeply said he was moved at what it brought out in his friends who rallied to help by bringing food, shoveling mud off the road and riding alongside to help him stay awake. "Why indeed?" he told me. "At first it was the idea that I could, even at an age far beyond most great athletes, do something extraordinary. I wouldn't need any support or fanfare or a pile of money. All I would need is a mountain and a bike and a little free time. However, in the end what was really extraordinary was all of the people that came out to support me... At times it seemed they willed me back up that climb when all I wanted to do was go home and sleep."

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "When life throws me a curveball, I try to duck so it hits someone else."

 * ... BILL MURRAY: And there was this quote floating around social media attributed to comedian Bill Murray: "I don't trust people who don't like dogs, but I trust dogs who don't like people."

 * ... FOODIE: After hearing friends rave about its bar food, I finally stopped by the Craft Tap House on Truxtun the other day and settled into one of their custom hamburgers. The bacon burger was outstanding, but more impressive was the white glove service provided by on site manager Robert Reyna.

 * ... MERLE: Reader A.S. McClaren has this memory of Merle Haggard when McClaren was a young deputy sheriff back in 1972: "I was working as a reserve deputy sheriff in 1972 when we got a call to meet the man at the Hart Park offices regarding a possible assault with a deadly weapon. Upon arriving we found a very wet Merle Haggard. He had been across the river at Shell Beach with a female friend when her significant other showed up. According to Merle, he had a very large gun and told Merle he could save his skin if he swam the Kern River, which he did. A few years later I was working in Los Angeles when I heard a new song by Merle Haggard entitled 'I'll Never Swim Kern River Again.' I just about fell out of my truck. I don't know how many know the story behind songs but this is one that only a true song writer could write because he had been there. And I was a witness. Sad to have lost him."

 * ... CALM: The California Living Museum (CALM) is putting on a fancy dinner and musical evening on Saturday, May 7, to expose more folks to the only wildlife rehabilitation facility in the southern San Joaquin Valley. It's called the Beastly Ball and it will feature a gourmet dinner, music, and auction and an opportunity to walk the grounds around the CALM zoo. Tickets are $125 or $900 a table.

Monday Bako bits: Fifty years ago Merle Haggard kept a promise, some random acts of kindness and more on former weather caster Marge Stiles

 * ... MERLE: We have read a lot of tributes to the late Merle Haggard recently, but I couldn't resist sharing this one from reader Pete Parson: "It was spring break of my first year at Cal Poly just over 50 years ago when I went to one of the local honky tonks that didn't check many IDs, especially if

one was over 6 foot tall and was wearing a cowboy hat, boots and a white T shirt. I sat down at the bar next to Merle and asked if he'd heard of the band that had played at the Western dance at Cal Poly a few weeks back. He affirmed that he had and said they had one really good picker. At length I asked if he'd be interested in playing for the next dance a year hence. He said they'd probably need about $200 more than I was authorized since they would have to rent some rooms in San Luis Obispo for the night. I assured him I could swing it and we shook hands. Within the next six months some of his records (many of which had been out for a while) were at the top of the country charts and after an appearance at the Grand Ole Opry he and the band were on network TV.  By the time the date came around a lot of my fellow students were expressing doubt that he would show up but they were there as promised and played from 7 p.m. until past midnight.  The old Crandall Gym floor and bleachers were filled to capacity. It was a blast! The club treasurer expressed his relief and admitted his previous doubt when we didn't even have a written contract.  Merle simply said, 'I gave him my hand on it, that's contract enough for me' and stuffed the $500 check into his pocket."

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "You know what I like about people? Their dogs."

 * ... MAILBAG: This handwritten note from Lela and Rodney Nahama showed up at my office, and it speaks for itself: "Kudos, accolades and many thanks to the emergency room staff at Mercy Southwest Hospital. We are grateful for their attention, kindness and knowledge that was given to us on April 2-3, 2016."

 * ... GOOD FORM: And Vicki Utt added this: "My husband and I were having lunch at downtown Mexicali this week, and he was wearing a Vietnam combat veterans cap. Two gentlemen at a nearby table stopped as they were leaving to shake his hand and thank him for his service. This is not an uncommon, but always appreciated gesture since 9-11. But we were taken completely by surprise when we were informed they had paid our lunch tab. We would like to publicly thank them and let them know just how much we appreciate it. Bakersfield is truly filled with good people."

 * ... ST. FRANCIS: Mark your calendar for Thursday, April 28, when the St. Francis Parish will holds its 14th annual barbecue in the church parking lot. The menu features a New York steak, green beans, salad and all for $30, with proceeds going to the 63 parish ministries.

 * ... MEMORIES: Retired social studies teacher Harry Love shared a few memories about former KERO TV weather caster Marge Stiles and others: "I came to Bakersfield in 1967 to teach at Foothill High School. I was born in Los Angeles and went to college there. Of course , TV station personalities were rarely seen. Well I had to go to the KHSD office, then on 24th Street, to the audio-visual department, to get a 16mm film (pre DVD times) to use in class. There was Marge Stiles. She was the head of the department. Her day job. This meant that a TV personality was waiting on me! Maybe that is why I stayed here for the remainder of my teaching career."

Noting the passing of Merle Haggard and his theme of "rebellion and escape," recognizing the rise of young musicians from North High School and Bakersfield Track Club plans an event this Saturday

 * ... MERLE: The coverage of Merle Haggard's death by my colleagues here at The Californian was without peer, but I am always interested in how others viewed the passings of local legends

. These phrases from The New York Times pretty much tell the story: "a supple baritone suffused with dignity and regret; the pliancy of his singing voice, a deeply expressive instrument that lent itself to a variety of tempos, arrangements and emotions; an architect of the Bakersfield sound, a guitar driven blend of blues, jazz, pop and honky tonk that traced its roots to Bakersfield, Calif."  And finally: "Rebellion and escape, themes steeped more in rock 'n' roll than in country music."

 * ... FOODIE: My recommendation for a refreshing (and super healthy) summer salad is the chilled seaweed salad from Jin Sushi on 19th Street downtown.

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "The best way to get a man to do something is to suggest he’s too old for it."

 * ... NORTH HIGH: I was leaving a downtown restaurant the other night when the melodic sounds of jazz caught my ear, a siren's call that enjoined me to follow the source of the music. I ended up at the beautiful outdoor seating area at The Mark restaurant where the 30-piece North High School Jazz Ensemble (led by band director Mike Wawrzynski) was performing before a group of parents, boosters and strangers like me who happened to be in the area. I know little to nothing about jazz, but I am a sucker for the soft wail of horns while watching youngsters embrace a musical education, and these kids were simply amazing. It was all part of Bakersfield Jazz Workshop that performs every Tuesday at The Mark, sometimes featuring acts like the kids from North High and other times impromptu jazz sessions from folks in attendance.

 * ... THE JUICE:  Tony Malon has been following the recent docudrama and coverage of the O.J. Simpson trial and had this comment: "I have watched everything published, TV, magazines, books etc. since the original O.J. trial. Do you know they still continually get the verdict wrong?"

 * ... RIVER RUN: If you are into fitness check this out: This Saturday is the Kern River Trail Run out at Hart Park, starting at 7:30 a.m. The Bakersfield Track Club is putting on the event to raise money for scholarships, and it will feature runs of 5K, 10K and a killer 10-mile run. (Please, no strollers or dogs). The cost is $50 for the 10K and 10-miler and $40 for the 5K.

 * ... MEMORIES: Can you stand one more memory about former KERO TV weathercaster Marge Stiles? This comes from former station employee Vinny Calaustro: "I worked at KERO-TV (then channel 10) as a props-assistant back in the summers of 1969 and 1970. At that time, Marge had her own separate studio which was permanently set-up. She used 'mirrors' to recreate that unique effect of writing backwards while delivering the weather forecast. I remember that the lighting and the angle of the mirrors was very critical. Very cool then and is still very cool. I also worked on the Don Rodewald Show, Meet Mitchell Show, and Uncle Woody Show. I was blessed to have known and worked along side these people."

Merle Haggard plays at the Fox Theater, a professional tennis tournament takes over the Bakersfield Racquet Club, and was I guilty of bullying in remarking on Kim Novak's appearance?

* … TENNIS: I stopped by the Bakersfield Racquet Club on Saturday to watch the qualifying round for a big USTA tournament there. The club has never looked better, the players were phenomenal and I was pleased to see that Randy Martin and his crew from Covenant Coffee had taken over the snack

shop and were doing a brisk business. The tournament runs this entire week, and there is no cost to come watch tennis on a professional level. Drop by this week to catch the action.

 * … MERLE: Merle Haggard performed before a sold out crowd at the Fox Theater Saturday, and longtime Californian photographer John Harte (now retired) shot the concert. "My favorite Merle Haggard song is and always has been 'Silver Wings, ever since the day my longtime friend Bill Wheeler introduced me to his music, driving around Taft in the 1970s in his Datsun pickup. 'Mama Tried' is my second favorite. When I got the assignment to photograph Merle for The Californian, it came with an odd request: He was asking that we shoot songs 4, 5 and 6. I've been covering concerts for 35 years, probably hundreds of them, and this is the first time anyone has ever made 4 through 6 the songs we can shoot. It has always been the first two or three. Anyway, I waited out the first three songs, and song four started. Guess what? Yep, 'Silver Wings.' Then '[I Think I'll Just Stay Here and Drink,' and then, yep, 'Mama Tried.' This, my friends, is the first version of a story I will tell forever, the story of the night Merle Haggard gave me my own personal concert!"

* … BULLYING: After one reader accused me of "bullying" by questioning the appearance of Kim Novak at the Oscars, John Sarad wrote in with his take. "I usually smile when I read your blog. I did not when I read today that you are officially a bully. It’s about time we decide what bullying really is.  If you say something that is not threatening or coercive, but with which someone with thin skin takes offense or merely disagrees, is it really an act of bullying?  Is calling someone a bully under those circumstances actually bullying as well under that definition. I recall when the neighborhood bully beat up on the nerds and was an actual threat. My mom always told me to defend myself and remember what is now so out of favor…'Sticks and stone will break my bones, but words will never hurt me!'  What an age we live in."

 * … MORE BULLYING: And there was this from Phillip Anderson commenting on Kim Novak: "I agree with you. Way too much work. I am their age and look at me! Wait… forget that. But I do think you can comment on their looks as they are celebrities and they're the ones showing poor taste in their appearance."

 * … BAD FORM: Kathryn Guerra was driving to Tehachapi on Highway 58 when she witnessed some appalling behavior. A truck driver was passing another truck, and correctly signaled his intentions as he passed and then pulled back into the slow lane. But apparently he didn't do it fast enough for a car of young people that was behind him. "The 20 somethings paced themselves next to the truck, rolled down all four windows in the vehicle and proceeded to direct a one fingered wave at the truck driver for almost two miles," she said. "Do these young people not have any patience? Do they not realize that trucks deliver many of the things they use daily? ...Why must people be so rude? The truck signaled in plenty of time and did what was necessary."

 * … VILLAGE GRILL:  We all make our own traditions, and one that has been going on for over 10 years happens the first Monday of every month at the Village Grill. It's a reunion of a group of retired Bakersfield High School teachers, many of whom retired in June, 2004. Among them are Marjorie Bell, Jim Cowles, Maria Polite, Vicki Bousquet and Donna Long. "Darn good food and service," Bell told me.  "And our waitresses have always been great about writing separate checks. And don't forget to mention their special coffees.

Drama at a dinner for Valley Fever Symposium speakers when Dr. Royce Johnson performs an emergency tracheotomy on former county supervisor Pauline Larwood after she chokes on food

 * ... PENSIONS: Keep your eye on the city of San Jose where a court battle is under way over reducing public pensions. The problem: San Jose now spends a fifth of its $1.1 billion general fund on pensions and retire health care. According to the New York Times, a plan drafted by the Democratic

mayor and approved by 70 percent of the voters would reduce benefits for new hires and make current retirees pay more for their health care. Not surprisingly the public employee unions have challenged this in court. Said the Times: "The outcome of the case is expected to have a major impact on municipal budgets around the state, and perhaps the country. If a state court rules later this year or early next year that the referendum allows San Jose to alter pension plans for existing workers, and it survives appeals, similar measures are expected to pop up elsewhere."

 * ... LARWOOD: There was a scary scene at a special dinner for community leaders and speakers at this week's Valley Fever Symposium. Among those attending the dinner at The Mark restaurant downtown Monday night were local civic leaders Tom and Pauline Larwood. Pauline, a former county supervisor who has been involved in the fight to find a cure for valley fever, apparently choked on a piece of meat and was struggling to breathe. Luckily, she was surrounded by some of the biggest names in medicine and Dr. Royce Johnson, an infectious disease specialist at Kern Medical Center and a UCLA professor, performed an emergency tracheotomy with a pocket knife and a pen. One witness told me Pauline regained consciousness by the time paramedics arrived and is expected to fully recover. "But there is no doubt that Royce Johnson saved her life," the witness told me. The dinner was sponsored by Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Bakersfield, and featured the directors of the Centers for Disease Control and the National Institutes of Health. (file photo of Pauline Larwood)

* ... BAD FORM: It looks like the kiosks on the bike trail near Chester Avenue have been vandalized. Bob Moses wrote that the kiosks, part of the Uplands of the Kern project, had holes kicked into the floors and broke signs explaining the local wildlife. "Sad part for me is that I'm surprised they lasted this long," Moses said.

 * ... SPOTTED: Susan Hill spotted this on Monday: "I saw a woman holding hands with a small child, walking across Truxtun Avenue against the light. Both were wearing white 'Choose Life T-shirts. Teaching your child to cross a street in the cross walk with the walk sign glowing, might help promote the cause."

 * ... MARY: It was nice to hear that Mary Trichell, owner of W.A. Thompson, was honored by the Kern County Fair Board as "Woman of the Year."  Several hundred friends attended a dinner to congratulate and acknowledge her achievements and generosity.

 * ... MERLE: George Shire remembers when he was managing the Jack C. Arbuckle Co., located at 500 East 19th Street, back around 1960 when there was a place called Smoky's Tavern next door. George recalled that Merle Haggard was a regular in the place.

 * ... BAKERSFIELDISM: Linda Welch wrote to ask if anyone remembers the Highway 99 bill board that the city of Fresno installed. It said: "Help keep Fresno clean. Send your trash to Bakersfield." Ouch.

Local cycling phenom Tyler Williams is named to a major racing team, looking for sad Christmas songs and remembering Officer Val at Bakersfield High School

 * ... OFFICER VAL: My story on the late Bakersfield police officer Val Torres last week brought another memory from former Bakersfield High student Riley Parker. "Like David Gay, I also had a flood of memories when I saw Val Torres’ (obituary) photo last week. Probably the best was the day that he stopped four of us returning to school from an off campus trip to a local pool hall. Val’s solution was to escort us to the old BPD building that sat on the north side of Truxtun Avenue between ‘H’ and Eye Streets. Val marched us in and sat us all down in the ‘squad room’ where he instructed us to read various sections of the Penal Code addressing our absence from classes and the possible ramifications of our conduct. After a brief education in the law, Val sent us back to BHS to meet with Mr. Martin. That experience ended our short lived career in the fine art of cutting classes."

 * ... CYCLIST: Congratulations to Tyler Williams, an 18-year-old former Centennial High School student who will be joining the BMC professional cycling team. Only four of the 14 riders on the elite BMC development team are Americans. The team will give these incredible young athletes a chance to race at a higher level in Europe and the United States. Tyler only started riding bikes a few years ago and has risen quickly to the highest levels of the sport. Last year he spent time in Europe riding for the U.S. Junior cycling team.

 * ... CRIME: The amount of petty thefts across town this Christmas season is truly astounding. Bikes are stolen out of garages and even Christmas decorations are disappearing from yards. This past weekend, a young woman was locked out of a house and was sleeping in her car in La Cresta (waiting for others to return) when she was awakened by a man who used a rock to smash the window to steal her purse.

* ... LOST CAT: The folks over at the SPCA on Gibson Street provide an important service in scanning stray cats to determine if they are "chipped" so they can be returned to their owner. I took a stray over there the other day and sure enough she was chipped and registered to a Karen Smith of Ridgecrest. The phone number was disconnected and the address was no longer relevant, but if you are reading this, Karen, contact me to be reunited with your pet.

 * ... COVENANT: Covenant Community Services, the group devoted to helping current and former foster children get on their feet, is hosting a unique fund raiser beginning this Thursday. It's called "The Party No One Came To" and is a way to bid on auction items online. There are tickets to San Francisco 49er games, a NASCAR racing experience and much more. Simply go to www.thepartynoonecameto.com to register and bid.

 * ... BUCK: Longtime music critic and writer Randy Lewis of the Los Angeles Times has released a list of "some of the saddest yuletide songs ever recorded." Among those making the list were "It's Christmas Time for Everyone but Me" by Buck Owens and "If We Make it Through December" by Merle Haggard.

Do we really need fine dining in movie theaters? And a proposal is floated to rename Airport Drive after Bonnie Campbell, ex wife to both Merle Haggard and Buck Owens

 * ... WINE AND DINE: I read a story in The Los Angeles Times the other day about the AMC movie chain introducing "fine dining" in some of its theaters. That's right, a full dinner with beer and wine along with the move. But do we really need more noise and smells in the theater than we already have? Can you imagine sitting in front of someone dining on prime rib and a crunchy salad? (photo courtesy of The Los Angeles Times)

* ... BONNIE OWENS DRIVE?: I had lunch the other day with Jim Carlton, an old colleague from the Los Angeles Times who was in town doing a story on the local economy for The Wall Street Journal. Jim spent the day interviewing many of our community's most prominent leaders, and brought me this tidbit for this blog: "I heard someone say they were starting a campaign to rename Airport Drive 'Bonnie Owens Drive' because it connects Buck Owens Boulevard and Merle Haggard Drive," he told me. Bonnie, of course, was married to both Buck and Merle.

* ... MEMORIAL: Congratulations to Sherrie McMurtrey who was named Bakersfield Memorial Hospital's volunteer of the year. The announcement was made at the annual diner for Memorial's Foundation Board of Trustees, held at Luigi's Delicatessan. The hospital is coming off a successful golf tournament that raised several hundred thousand dollars for the Children's Medical Center.

* ... THE MARK: The folks over at The Mark, the new restaurant downtown that has proved wildly popular, are planning to open a catering and banquet facility next door. The Mark is located in the old Goose Loonies location at 19th and F streets and the owners will use the vacant facility next door as a banquet rental.

 * ... BAD FORM: Shame on the middle aged man driving down 21st Street who ignored the city fire truck and Hall's Ambulance that tried to pass him with their emergency lights on. The driver was so absorbed on his cell phone that he apparently didn't hear the sirens.

* ... FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS: There's a big game up at Garces Memorial High tonight (Friday) when the Rams take on Sanger for the Division II Valley Championship. Garces is expecting a full house and is also alerting neighbors that there will be fireworks after the game. So be prepared.

* ... MEA CULPA: Beverly Stone dropped me a note to correct some bad grammar in this blog. "Lesson in fractured English: 'Peddling' is commonly construed as an effort to sell something. 'Pedaling'” meaning applying foot pressure to the pedals of a conveyance, is what I think you meant. You need a good, or at least better, proofreader." You're hired, Beverly.

Bakersfield Sound exhibit opens in Nashville at the Country Music Hal of Fame

 This billboard greeted Gene Thome, owner of Bear Mountain Sports, at the Nashville Airport. The exhibit on the Bakersfield Sound, featuring Buck Owens and Merle Haggard and other local greats, is running at the Country Music Hall of fame.

Nashville's Country Music Hall of Fame to honor the "Bakersfield Sound" and more bad news for the local jobless rate

* ... BUCK: The Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville is opening a new exhibit dedicated to the late Buck Owens, Merle Haggard and others who helped create the 'Bakersfield Sound.' The exhibit opens March 24 and will run for two years. Said CMT: "Narrated by Dwight Yoakam, the exhibit will explore the roots, heyday and impact of the Bakersfield Sound, the loud, stripped-down and radio-ready music most closely identified with the careers of Country Music Hall of Fame members Buck Owens and Merle Haggard."

* ... WORST CITIES: In a reflection of just how bad the housing collapse hit California's Central Valley, a new list of the 10 worst cities for finding a job includes six from our valley. USNews compiled the list and noted that "the list of cities where housing prices remain depressed has striking similarities to a list of the cities with the worst employment problems." The top five were Merced, Fresno, Modesto, Stockton and Visalia-Porterville. Rounding out the list were Atlantic City, N.J., Bakersfield, Hickory-Lenoir, N.C., Riverside and Brownsville, Texas.
* ... TOO RISKY? Maybe it's just a sign of the economic times, but since when did U.S. Savings Bonds become "too risky" to cash? That's what an employee of the Bank of America told Anthony Finochhiaro the other day when he went to the Oswell branch by Country Club Liquors to cash six bonds. First he was told they would only cash 10 or fewer for non-account holders but later - even though he only had six - "the woman told me they were too risky and they wouldn't cash them. What is this, Greece?"

* ... SPOTTED: A couple runs out of gas and is struggling to push their 1980s-era Chevrolet Blazer into the gas station at Mount Vernon and Columbus while a dozen people non chalantly look on. A U.S. Army soldier in fatigues then pulls up, spots the couple and hops out to help push the Blazer into the gas station.

* ... CONVENANT: Covenant Community Services, the group that does so much to help put foster youth back on their feet, needs just $33,000 more to complete the remodel of its new headquarters and coffee bar at 1700 North Chester Avenue. The non-profit has managed to raise $50,000 so far, transforming the former bank building into an impressive center to help foster youth. Drop by sometime to buy some of Covenant's outstanding coffee and support this worthwhile project.

* ... OBESITY: Obesity and the factors that lead to it - poor diets, lack of exercise etc - are some of the biggest challenges we face not only here in Bakersfield but also in the country as well. So I suppose it's good news that the latest research shows obesity rates have stalled, but they remain extremely high. Overall, almost 36 percent of the adult population and 17 percent of children are obese. In Kern County, the rates are much higher, with as many as half of all adults overweight. With statistics like this, it's little wonder the number of people coming down with diabetes remains stubbornly high.

Readers weigh in with a walk down memory lane. And a history lesson on the old Nile Theater

 * ...  MIGS: I've heard from a lot of folks who remember Migs Apsit, the former East High football coach who made a positive imprint on thousands of kids' lives. Here's one response from reader Don Black: " I was one of the fortunate kids that got to go on one of Migs Apsit's (we called him, Coach) tours around the U.S.  It was in 1967 (I think) and there were three of us from Taft on that trip. Myself, my cousin Mike, and Roger Miller joined the rest of the kids from Bakersfield. Looking back, I can't believe Coach and his wife, Tiny, took a bus load of kids on such a long tour.  It was just the two of them and a bus driver to keep track of us all.  We took sleeping bags and slept on the ground about every other night.  The other nights we had motel rooms... We hit all the important spots along the Southern Coast, up the East Coast, and back through the Midwest. We got a great overview of the U.S. and Tiny would give us a history lesson on every stop. We swam at Miami Beach, had 'shoo fly pie' in Amish country, saw a show at the 'Copa' in New York, visited Williamsburg, saw Niagara Falls.... Along the way, we saw and did tons more (and a few things we weren't supposed to!).  It was a great experience.
 
 * ... HUNGER: Make sure you remember to "vote" for Bakersfield in the Wal-Mart Foundation's Fighting Hunger contest. All you have to do is visit Facebook and "like" Bakersfield to cast your vote. The website is www.facebook.com/Walmart. Bakersfield is currently in ninth place and must finish sixth or higher to win $100,000 to fight hunger. Fresno is ranked No. 1 and the voting ends Dec. 31.

* ... FONTANA'S PIE: Gene Bonas wrote to sound off on an earlier post about the long lines outside of Fontana's Pie Shop on Niles Street. Turns out Gene graduated from Garces Memorial High School with Dorothy Fontana, daughter of the owner. "Dorothy was one of the most popular and generous kids at St. Joseph's, not only because she supplied our classes with every kind of pie Fontana's  made but because she was an excellent student and friend. It was always a treat to hang out with Chuck Dawson, who lived next door to Dorothy... There was always a gang of kids at either Dorothy's or Chuck's house... Dorothy, Chuck and I, along with other St. Joseph's and Garces alumni, keep in touch because of Mass, reunions, Garces activities and running into one another while shopping. It never fails to amaze me how small Bakersfield has remained in spite of its growth."

 * ... DUSTIN'S DINER: The totals are in and this year, the Haggin Oaks hot cocoa stand named Dustin's Diner raised $12,609 for the Bakersfield Homeless Center. The diner was started more than a decade ago by Dustin Kilpatrick and his parents as a way to raise a few bucks for the needy. It's now become a staple of the Haggin Oaks holiday light show, staffed by dozens of neighborhood kids who keep the tradition alive. Dustin, meanwhile, graduated with an engineering degree from USC and is back in Bakersfield working. 

* ... KAIBAB: Regular contributor Al Guitierrez dropped me a note about the pronunciation of Kaibab Avenue in northeast Bakersfield. "I liken the pronunciation of Kaibab to mai tai, jai alai, lanai etc. Everyone I know, including the Kaibab mailman, pronounces its 'kaybab' not 'ky-bab' like mai tai, jai alai etc."

 * ... DID YOU KNOW? Did you know that the Nile Theater was once the Bakersfield Opera House? It's the same structure but has been radically altered over the years. It was built at the turn of the century.

 * ... BAKERSFIELDISM: From Robbie Horton: You know you're a Bakersfield old timer "if you remember going to a Merle Haggard concert for free! It was outside of Young's grocery story on south Chester. The stage was built with wide boards. This was around the early 1960s."