Kern County's CAO warns the Newsom administration its energy policies could devastate our economy, the strange case of Michael Bowers and we lose two civil voices in town: KERO's Elaina Rusk and The Californian's Herb Benham

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. 

 * ... ALARM BELL: Kern County's chief administrative officer has fired a warning shot across the bow of the Newsom administration, charging that its "Regions Rising Together" economic plan will "devastate" our economy by destroying thousands of high paying jobs in the energy sector. Alsop's warning came in an Op-Ed piece for The Californian where he denounced as "insufficient" a one-time $15 million fund to train displaced oil workers. "With 1 in 7 workers in Kern employed by or associated with the petroleum industry, the state's efforts to shut down energy production translates into layoffs, business closures, human suffering and greatly impacts the county's ability to provide necessary services including health care, police and fire, education and social service," he wrote. Alsop went on to argue that the state had "no realistic plan" for Kern County. "There is no ability to retain high quality jobs, no obvious industry waiting in the wings and no existing plan to expand a fraying safety net," Alsop said. Will Newsom listen? What do you think?

 * ... THE HOMELESS ISSUE: It's a new year but don't expect 2022 to be much different than the past couple years when it comes to the homeless. Let's just be honest here: a lot has been accomplished over the past couple years as the city and county have thrown millions into the fight against homelessness. Dozens of once homeless are now in their own apartments and more have been counseled out. Hundreds are being exposed to mental health and substance abuse counselors at the new homeless navigation

centers. All that is terrific, but this is also true: the homeless still rule our streets and alleyways, and no amount of cheerleading can change that. Our city is an awful mess. The Kern River Parkway bike path, once the crown jewel of Bakersfield, has been rendered a dangerous, filthy place. I ride that path almost every day and between the drug addicts and mentally ill, it is not a safe place to be alone cycling, walking or running. And yet, our city accepts it as our fate. When was the last time you heard our mayor or anyone on the city council lament what our city has become? Well, I haven't heard it either. And finally there is this: one day (and I take no joy in predicting this) there will be a horrific crime involving a vagrant. Someone will die, or be seriously injured. There will be the predictable press conferences and hand wringing, but by then it will be too late. And all the warning signs were there.

 * ... THEY DID WHAT? I don't know the full story behind the attempt by City Councilman Eric Arias to push Michael Bowers off the Planning Commission, but it doesn't sound right. In fact, it stinks. Bowers, a rising star and next generation leader in town who just happens to have worked for Republican politicians, said he is considering moving and that would render him ineligible to continue to serve on the Planning Committee. So far, so good. But along comes Arias, seemingly hellbent on putting a target on Bowers' back, leading a charge to get Bowers off the city panel before he has moved. At least that's the way Bowers put it and it took a groundswell of support for Bowers in the black community to retain his seat, even if it is only for a few weeks or months. I understand politics and Arias' desire to appoint his own people, but Bowers is a smart, articulate guy and Arias committed a huge blunder trying to speed the process. It made him look small, petty and undignified. Bowers dismissed it as all politics, which seems gracious in this case. 

 * ... ADIOS AND FAREWELL: Bakersfield lost two of its strongest voices and personalities this week, both due to retirements of sorts. First, longtime Californian columnist Herb Benham announced his retirement, ending a few decades of column writing that paid a tribute to family, neighbors, the weather and whatever issues Herb was tackling at the time. He will now write once a week, on Sunday, in a special contract arrangement with The Californian. Also leaving is Elaina Rusk, the KERO-TV meteorologist whose professionalism, wit and grace was on display for more than 13 years. For Rusk it was a family decision. Both Rusk and Benham will be remaining in Kern County but their contributions to civility and our community will be missed.

 * ... MEMORIES: Compliments of the Kern County of Old Facebook page, take a look at the old Kern County Courthouse and other shots of old downtown.

Does cannabis help protect you from contracting the coronavirus? And are just weeks away from running out of hospital beds? Plus Grimmway Farms hands out its scholarships

 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.

 * ... COVID AND RENT: Did you know that 31 percent of the people who either rent or own a

home missed their payment in May? That's the word from CSUB economics professor Richard Gearhart who said the longtime economic slowdown is starting to affect our ability to meet basic housing obligations. In June, Gearhart said that number stayed the same - right at 30 percent - and that many of those renters and homeowners are living in fear of being evicted.

 * ... CANNABIS AND COVID: In a world of turmoil and bad news, here is an interesting tidbit that should brighten your day. Cannabis - marijuana, pot, weed, ganga whatever you care to call it - may help prevent or treat the coronavirus infection. Thats according to researchers from the University of Lethbridge who said a study in April showed at least 13 cannabis plants were high in CBD that appeared to affect the ACE2 pathways that the bug uses to access the body. The results, printed in online journal Preprints, indicated hemp extracts high in CBD may help block proteins that provide a “gateway” for COVID-19 to enter host cells.While they stressed that more research was needed, the study gave hope that the cannabis, if proven to modulate the enzyme, “may prove a plausible strategy for decreasing disease susceptibility” as well as “become a useful and safe addition to the treatment of COVID-19 as an adjunct therapy.”

 * ... COVID SURGE: it was distressing to read in The Californian and Dignity's Mercy Southwest Hospital had to turn away Covid-19 patients this past weekend because of staffing shortages. Reporter John Cox said so many hospital employees (nurses, doctors and support staff) have been sickened by the virus that they are having trouble keeping the vital positions filled. According to Cox, at the current rate we should run out of hospital beds sometime in the next three weeks.

 * .... SICK BAY: And finally on the Cover-19 front, Michael Bowers is the latest of our citizens to be stricken with the coronavirus. A former aide to state Sen. Andy Vidak and Congressman David Valadao, Bowers is now vice president of marketing with Centric Health. While he recovers at home, keep him and the other Covid victims in your thoughts.

 * ... GRIMMWAY: Grimmway Farms has awarded another 64 college scholarships to students who have a parent or guardian employed by the Bakersfield-based company. The scholarships were given as part of the annual Rod and Bob Grimm Memorial Scholarship Program, Grimmway's founders.
This year's scholarship recipients will attend a range of top-ranked schools, including Cal Poly Pomona, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Colgate University, Fresno State, UC Davis and UC Santa Barbara. The scholarships, which are renewable for four years, are based on academic achievement and provide financial support for students attending two- and four-year colleges and universities. Applicants who exceed a grade point average of 3.5 receive a MacBook Pro laptop in addition to renewable scholarship funds.

 * ... MEMORIES: Nothing like a trip down memory lane to get a view of old Bakersfield and Highway 99 back in the day.

A medical expert warns we are "inviting disaster" by failing to practice social distancing, 24Fitness closes abruptly, LAX allow marijuana at the airport and a discussion on race at a local church

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.

 * ... COVID WARNING: Coronavirus cases are on the rise and if we don't continue to practice social distancing we are "inviting disaster." That's the word from Dr. Brij Bhambi of Centric Health, who said wearing a mask in public should be seen as a "charitable act" that puts the health of others

before your own. For Kern County, Bhambi said a big problem is that a large percentage of our younger people have underlying health issues brought on by obesity, Diabetes and unhealthy lifestyles. That means the virus will spread more quickly in a population that should otherwise be healthy.

 * ... 24 HOUR FITNESS: If you are a member of 24 Hour Fitness, you need to look for another gym. The popular fitness club, long a fixture in Bakersfield, abruptly closed two Bakersfield locations after firing employees and contractors on an automated telephone call. That's right, employees were told to call into a meeting where an automated message informed them they were all laid off. (photo by Jolie Brouttier)

 * ... UNITY MEETING: Hats off to the coordinators of the Unity in the Community meeting at St. Peter's Church Thursday evening, an excellent start on the conversation about race in Kern County. Michael Bowers, vice president of Centric Health, helped coordinate the community meeting along with NaTesha Johnson, Kelly Gafford Gibbons and Traco Matthews. These are difficult conversations, but open meetings like this, where everyone has a seat at the table, are important to get the conversation going.

 
 * ... LET'S TALK RACE: Next week, on Tuesday, I will host another conversation about race and "white privilege" when Michael Burroughs and Keith Wolaridge join me on KERN NewsTalk 96.1 FM for an open ended discussion. Burroughs is the director of the Kegley Institute of Ethics at CSUB and Wolaridge is a trustee with the Panama Buena Vista School District. The conversation starts at 1:30 p.m. next Tuesday, June 16.

* ... POT AT LAX: Are you ready to travel with your medicinal marijuana? Up until now, it has been strictly forbidden to carry marijuana into a U.S. airport, or to store in in your luggage. But now Los Angeles International Airport, better known as LAX, has announced that it will permit travelers to bring small amounts of legal marijuana through security in their carry-on bags. LAX is honoring the 2016 law that allows people to possess small amounts of pot, and is allowing travelers over the age of 21 to enter the airport and pass through security with the permitted amounts of marijuana. "The Los Angeles Airport Police Department will allow passengers to travel through LAX with up to 28.5 grams of marijuana and 8 grams of concentrated marijuana," reads a statement on LAX's official website, which was posted in September 2018.

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: Masks hanging from the rearview mirror are the new fuzzy dice."

 * ... GOOD ADVICE: I spotted this bit of good advice on Facebook from my friend Louis Gill, head of the Bakersfield Homeless Center: "What was... is done.  Change is here. Lean into it and help make something better."

 * ... MEMORIES: Enjoy these classic pictures of Bakersfield courtesy of the Bakersfield of Old Facebook page.

Ward 1 attracts another potential candidate, a local protester dies and police speculate there is a police coverup, and Michael Burroughs examines the concept of 'white privilege'

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.

 * ... WARD ONE: There's a lot of posturing and positioning for the soon-to-open Ward 1 council seat being vacated by the retiring Willie Rivera. Arlena Fink Waller, a developer with deep roots in the ward, is the latest to express an interest in the seat. She joined Michael Bowers, a vice president of marketing with Centric Health, to flirt with the idea of running. Both Waller and Bowers are African-American, but Ward 1 is increasingly becoming an Hispanic dominated ward and it remains to be seen who might else enter the race. Waller threw out the possibility of a run on her Facebook page and

even included a call for a show of hands of who might write checks to support her candidacy. Bowers has already picked up a lot of support, thanks to his background in politics, first as an aide to Congressman David Valadao and then to former state Sen. Andy Vidak. The City Council must first decide whether to appoint an interim council person or wait until November or hold a special election.

 * ... PROTESTER DIES: The protester who was hit and killed by a car last week has been identified as 55-year-old Robert Forbes. It was late at night, around 10:30 p.m., when police said a car came upon protesters marching in the street near the intersection of Oak and California, hitting Forbes who later died. The incident has blown up on social media, with some saying the driver deliberately hit Forbes with his lights off, and others describing him as a white supremacist. Police dispute that, saying his lights were on and that the driver did hot appear to be speeding Nonetheless, some want to make this a racial issue, saying the driver (who is white) may get off hitting and killing a black man because of his privilege and race. The driver has yet to be identified.

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "I’m not shy, I’m just really good at figuring out who’s worth talking to."

* ... WHITE PRIVILEGE: Michael Burroughs, head of the Kegley Institute of Ethics at CSUB, penned an opinion piece for The Californian Sunday addressing the concept of white privilege. It's a worthwhile read on a subject that needs to be mastered. Said Burroughs: "I am a white man, and, thus, in this society, I am a privileged man. On a daily basis I take for granted privileges of personal safety, of respect, of not needing to justify the value of my life to others. There are very few, if any, harmful stereotypes that lead to my being pre-judged in social interactions or encounters with authority figures. I have never been in fear for my life due to the color of my skin and others’ reactions based on my race. I have the privilege to ignore my skin color, to forget my race. If I choose, I can remain unaware of racism as a pressing problem because it does not come for me each day; it does not seek me out, daily, in my life, work and relationships."

 * ... 7 TEACUPS: I had not heard of the "7 teacups" on the Kern River until I spotted this remarkable picture on Facebook. Apparently this is actually Dry Meadow creek where it empties into the Kern River a few miles from the Johnsondale bridge.

 * ... MEMORIES: My thanks to fellow history buff John Kelley for posting these old pictures of the 76 station on the Grapevine as well as a coffee shop. Enjoy.

Another successful Warren Cup at Bakersfield High School, the Hispanic Chamber honors local business people and Centric Health donates to help teachers affected by California fires

Friday, January 18, 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.


 * ... WARREN CUP: Congratulations to Nick Oosthuizen, a Bakersfield High senior who just became a citizen five months ago but still managed to win the Warren Cup competition based on a

deep knowledge of U.S. history. Nick outlasted 31 other BHS students to win the competition before a packed house of students and parents at the Harvey Auditorium on a rainy Wednesday evening. The event is the brainchild of BHS history teacher Jeremy Adams, who stages a history and constitutional knowledge quiz worthy of the Oscars. Among those personalities who submitted video taped questions for the contestants: President Donald Trump, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, conservative commentator Ben Shapiro, entrepreneur Elon Musk and Fox news host Dana Perino, The event is named in honor of Earl Warren, the Bakersfield native who rose to become a justice on the Supreme Court. (photos courtesy of Mayor Karen Goh).

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "Funny how women claim to care about the environment and water conservation but when I offer to share a shower with them, they refuse."

 * ... SPOTTED ON FACEBOOK: "Betty White is still working at age 97 and I had to have a lie down after putting my socks on this morning."

 * ... CENTRIC HEALTH: Here is a shout to Centric Health of Bakersfield that donated $5,000 to help teachers in Butte County affected by November's Camp Fire that destroyed the town of Paradise. Said Dr. Brij Bhambi, Centric's chairman:  “Education is foundational – it makes us. And teachers are the reasons we succeed in our lives. The fire destroyed or damaged all nine schools in the Paradise Unified School District.

 * ... CHAMBER HONORS: More kudos to some local folks who will be honored by the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Raji Brar will be honored as Business Woman of the Year, Cornelio "Corny" Rodriguez won Business Man of the Year, Michael Bowers was honored with the Community Service Award, Chevron was Corporation of the Year, Varner Bros. was Large Business of the year, Centro 18 Latin Steakhouse was Small Business of the Year and the Bakersfield Police Activities League was Non-Profit of the Year.

 * ... COUNTRYSIDE CORPORATION: And speaking of Raji Brar, she appeared on my radio show (KERN NewsTalk 96.1 FM) and explained the origins of Countryside Corporation, which now employs more than 400 people and includes a number of Countryside markets, Taco Bells, Subway shops and a construction business. Raji said her father immigrated from India and even though he was an electrical engineer, started off in the fields picking crops in Fresno County. He later moved the family to Bakersfield, worked for the Post Office, earned a real estate license and bought his first small convenience store in Oildale. And that, as they say, is where this remarkable story begins.

* ... MEMORIES: Check out this cool photo courtesy of the Facebook page "Kern County History Fans."

Rep. Kevin McCarthy secures funding to widen Highway 46, winners and losers in the city sales tax and Michael Bowers lands a job at Centric Health

Friday, December 7, 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 to live. Send your news tips to rsbeene@yahoo.com.

 * ... HIGHWAY 46: Rep. Kevin McCarthy had some good news this week, announcing that he had

secured $17.5 million from the Department of Transportation for the widening of Highway 46 to four lanes in Lost Hills. This comes on top of the $50 million that McCarthy helped secure for the Centennial Corridor, and it will go a long way in making "blood alley" a much safer commute to the coast.

 * ... BUSH FUNERAL: McCarthy went on to say he was moved by the funeral for President George H.W. Bush, adding he hoped it would lead to a "resetting" of the national debate that has turned so ugly. The funeral allowed "America to take a deep breath," he said, and hopefully that will lead to a more civil dialogue.

 * ... JUDY MCCARTHY: And speaking of the House majority leader, here's a big happy birthday to his wife, Judy Wages McCarthy, a true class act.

 * ... SALES TAX: The big winners in the narrow passage of the city sales tax: Bakersfield police chief Lyle Martin who will get another 100 sworn officers on the street, City Manager Alan Tandy who will be able to make the city's pension obligations, and possibly homeless center executive Louis Gill who may benefit from a city contribution to his organization. The big loser? That would be Sheriff Donny Youngblood who may lose dozes of sworn deputies to BPD as they seek higher salaries.

 * ... MICHAEL BOWERS: Congratulations to Michael Bowers who is leaving the political world to become head of public affairs for Centric Health. Bowers worked for state Sen. Andy Vidak until Vidak's defeat in the mid-term elections.

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "The worst thing about seeing my parent's sex tape was remembering the day I filmed it."

* ... SPOTTED ON FACEBOOK: "When a man loves cats, I am his friend and comrade, without further introduction." - Mark Twain

* ... MEMORIES: Check out this series of photos from a Kern County historical Facebook page. It appeared with this caption: "DARE DEVIL DERKUM

Paul J. C. Derkham

2 Jul 1881 to 17 Apr 1958 (aged 76)

Burial : Union Cemetery

Bakersfield, Kern County, California

--Pro bicycle racer 1898-1902

--Pro Motorcycle racer -California, US and World Champion 

--Manager: Kern County Fair 1913-1924

--Owner of 1st "Drive-in" Service Station in Bakersfield 

--Owner of 3 Tire Businesses

--Operator of Stage Line: Kern Co. to Santa Maria 

--Beverage Industry Distributor 

--1939 Manager of "Cotton is King Festival"

One of the greatest motorcycle riders of his time, if not all-time, Paul "Dare Devil" Derkum dies at 78. He was owner of Derkum Service located at 2200 Chester Avenue at 22nd in Bakersfield, California with a 2nd location on Center Street in Taft, California.

Born on July 2, 1881, he had the need for speed even as a youngster. By the time he reached his teens, he had already been racing bicycles nationally for two years. Motorcycles were just a natural progression.

Indian was the bike of choice for many of the early racers, but Paul J.C. Derkum literally made his name on a 1908 Indian twin. On February 22, 1908, Derkum broke ten speed records at a one-mile dirt track in Los Angeles—clicking off the fastest time ever for a flying mile, two miles, three miles and so on up to ten miles!

His achievements were chronicled in the California newspapers, with one Los Angeles reporter dubbing him “Dare Devil Derkum,” a name that stuck throughout his racing career.

The following excerpt is from the Los Angeles Herald, July 27, 1909.....

On July 20, 1909, at 11:15 a.m. Paul “Daredevil” Derkum checked in at Temecula during a timed 320 mile roundtrip race between Los Angeles and San Diego. He was determined to lower J. Howard Shafer’s June 30, 1909 record of 16 hours and 50 minutes. In a cloud of dust, Derkum raced his Indian north out of town and into the record books. His finishing time was 10 hours, 59 minutes, and 30 seconds.

Everyone wondered if J. Howard Shafer could break Derkum’s record and reclaim the title. On July 26, 1909, at 5:00a.m. Shafer revved up his two-cylinder Thor motorcycle at the Los Angeles Herald office on First and Broadway. Shafer was confident that he could make the run in ten hours flat. However, at 12:20 p.m., he returned to the newspaper office failing to set a new record.

“Shafer, who went as far as Santa Ana, was met by a large brown hen at that city and in the mix-up which followed, Shafer, the hen and the motorcycle precipitated into a nearby ditch with the result that Derkum's record is still unsullied and that Shafer returned with a badly battered up machine and a whole handful of chicken chicken feathers as the result of his effort.” Source: Today in Motorcycle History, April 17, 1958

Andy Vidak's defeat is a stunner from election night, someone needs to snatch up Michael Bowers, voters choose experience over tribalism in electing David Couch and a mother-daughter team starts a new business

Friday, November 9, 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 to live. Send your news tips to rsbeene@yahoo.com.

 * ... ELECTIONS: The biggest surprise (for me at least) on election night was the defeat of state

Sen. Andy Vidak. Vidak lost to a Democrat from Sanger named Melissa Hurtado, who to my knowledge never campaigned in Kern County. Vidak's defeat will also mean his Kern County aide, Michael Bowers, will be out of a job. Bowers is one of the most personally dynamic people I have met in a long time, and I suspect it won't take long for him to find a new gig.

 * ... DAVID COUCH: I was also heartened to see that Supervisor David Couch won reelection to his newly redrawn 4th District, where Hispanics comprise almost 68 percent of the population. Few public servants work harder than Couch, and I was glad to see that experience trumped tribalism in the 4th District. Running second was Delano Mayor Grace Vallejo, also a solid public servant but a candidate who was simply outworked in this race.

 * ... MARIJUANA: Now that Kern County voters have rejected three measures to regulate the sale of medical marijuana, it looks like the 20-something dispensaries that remain open will be closing before the end of the year. That's bad news for folks who rely on medicinal cannabis to treat anxiety, pain or sleep disorders, who will soon be driving to Arvin where its sale and distribution has been approved. No word on when the first dispensaries in Arvin will open.

 * ... LOVE AND CHEESE: I was at the Crash Lounge the other day when I ran into a mother-daughter couple who have started an impressive new business. It's called Love & Cheese and it features custom made cheese and veggie trays that are nothing short of amazing. Lisa Miller, the mother, is in business with her two daughters, Heather Ahlf and Victoria Stockman. Check the photos of their products and if interested, give them a call at (661) 444-1506.

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "How many different animals did we have to jump on the backs of before we discovered horses were cool with it?"

 * ... SPOTTED ON FACEBOOK: "Someone is sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree years ago."

 * ... LEAVING CALIFORNIA: This popped up on the internet the other day. Ain't it the truth.

 * ... MEMORIES: I found this picture on the Kern County Historical Society Facebook page with this caption: "In 1918, a photograph was taken on the steps of the Kern County Court House in Bakersfield. On the front steps stand the men that had returned home from 'over there.' Behind these servicemen stand the veterans of the American Civil War. No further proof required -- Kern County supports its veterans."