Flores and Smith appear headed for a runoff in the Third Supervisor District, Rudy Salas aims to oust Congressman David Valadao and is it the end of the Parra name in local politics?

 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.

 * ... JUNE PRIMARY: The primary is over and now we head to the November general election, where it seems with near certainty that Rep. Kevin McCarthy will be elected the next Speaker of the House. McCarthy held a strong lead on his opponent and heads to a runoff in his 20th Congressional District, but that was predicted and is expected to be easily reelected in the fall. Some thoughts on this weeks primary, which had its surprises:

 - One of the most interesting developments was in the race to succeed Mike Maggard in the Third

Supervisor District. As expected, Maggard aide Jeff Flores ran first and he was followed by former CHP officer Brian Smith. Flores and Smith appear headed for a runoff. Running a disappointing and lackluster third, and out of the race, was former homeless shelter executive Louis Gil.

 - Assemblyman Rudy Salas was the top vote getter in the 22nd Congressional District now held by Republican David Valadao. Salas and Valadao will head to a runoff but given the Democratic lead in voter registration, Salas could be headed for an upset. Valadao has had to face not only Democrats like Salas but Republicans in his own party who are upset because he voted to impeach then President Trump.

 - In the newly drawn 16th State Senate district a relative unknown, David Shepard, was the top vote getter, easily outdistancing incumbent Sen. Melissa Hurtado and spelling the end of the attempted political comeback of former Assemblywoman Nicole Parra. Shephard and Hurtado could meet in the November runoff. The Parra name has long held a coveted position in local politics, but this could spell the end of that local dynasty.

 - Supervisor Leticia Perez had little trouble in the 35th Assembly District, easily beating Taft Dr. Jasmeet Bain but the two will still have to square off in November.

 - Voters in San Francisco signaled they had enough of uber liberal District Attorney Chesa Boudin by recalling him from office. Boudin, 41, is a new breed of prosecutors who fundamentally do not believe in incarceration. Like other California cities, San Francisco has been overrun with crime, homelessness and drugs.

 - Laura Avila easily held back Todd Reeves to become the top vote getter in the assessor/recorder race.

 - In the race for county auditor/controller, the candidate who alluded to the possibility of voter fraud, Mark McKenzie, lost badly to Aimee Espinoza. She was leading with 61 percent of the vote, well enough to avoid a November runoff.

 * ... HOMELESS CAMPSITES: I read with interest, and some mild surprise, a recent story in The Californian about a plan to build campsites for homeless people who remain wary of checking into one of the city or county homeless navigation centers. At first glance it looks like yet another attempt to appease the homeless, but the effort is a sound one and deserves our support. The idea is simple: create a safe camping area for people who still refuse to access the shelters and their services. The idea came from the Community Action Partnership folks who run the existing M Street shelter. This is a simple but promising experiment because it does one simple thing: it gets homeless off the streets (at least at night) and keeps them from building makeshift camps in public parks or right of ways. It's not the perfect solution, but anything that keeps the homeless out of the parks is a step in the right direction. In New York City for example, more than 50,000 men and women take advantage of city shelters nightly, keeping them off the streets and out of the cardboard communities where others life. In New York, city run shelters house 80-90 percent of all homeless. Granted this will all cost money, but taxpayers should be happy to pay a little to keep these people off the streets and with access to mental health and drug counseling.

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "Do you believe in conspiracy theories or are you fine not knowing why the shampoo always runs out before the conditioner?"

 * ... GAS PRICES: If you don't think $10 a gallon gas is close, think again. A small gas station in Mendocino is charging just under that $10 benchmark, and you can bet more will follow.

 * ... MEMORIES: There is a Facebook page devoted to Kern County history - it's called Kern County History Fans - and it regularly posts terrific historic shots of our town. Check out this building - then and now - on Baker Street. What is it they say about they don't make them like they used to?

 * ... MORE MEMORIES: And check out this picture of the old Kern County Courthouse that was partially destroyed in the 1952 earthquake. It was later razed completely.

The Post Office takes out drop boxes citing theft and problems with the homeless, dog and cat food is in short supply at grocery stores around town and remembering the time that Babe Ruth made a stop in Bakersfield, or did he?

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. 

 * ... THE INDIGNITY: Nobody in Kern County needs to be reminded of how out of control homelessness is here, or how our City Council and others have simply failed to make a measurable dent in the problem despite millions of dollars spent. While some in the homeless effort applaud a handful of once

homeless now residing in apartments, the drumbeat of crime, trash, harassment and inconvenience is piled at the doorstep of our citizens. Businesses are trashed, neighborhoods are invaded by swarms of drug addicts and the mentally challenged, and little changes. Want more proof? Citing theft and safety, the U.S. Post Office has now taken out postal drop boxes at the downtown postal facility and other facilities, the latest indignity caused by rampant crime and homelessness that we have allowed to grow worse daily. (photo behind the downtown Post Office where drop boxes once stood)

 * ... EMPTY SHELVES: The ongoing supply chain issues coupled with grocery stores struggling to retain employees has led to the empty shelves around town. The shortages seem to affect almost all items, including chicken and meat and in many places, pet food. Both dog and cat food are in short supply across the nation and when you can find it, the prices have skyrocketed. Said Fox Business: "The continuing shortage of aluminum and shipping issues have led to shortages in dog and cat food across the country, with several local papers reporting bare shelves at the pet stores. According to Fox Business, even big retailers like Target and Amazon are facing shortages of pet food, leaving many pet owners scrambling for their furry friends’ staple food and treats."

 * ... CUTTING THE  CABLE: Paying for cable television is going the way of the typewriter as thousands of Americans turn in their cable boxes for app-based streaming services. As recently as a decade ago, fully 85 percent of all U.S. households subscribed to cable whereas now the percentage is closing in on 50 percent.

 * ... SUPERVISOR RACE: One of election campaigns to follow this year will be the race to succeed Mike Maggard in District 3 on the Board of Supervisors. Jeff Flores, Maggard's longtime aide and a trustee on the Kern High School District, announced his bid this week, following former CHP officer Brian Smith and former homeless center director Louis Gill. The office is bipartisan in name only, and it will be interesting to see how the election breaks down between the Republican Flores and the Democrat Gill, both of whom enjoy widespread name recognition. Smith, for his part, wanted to run for sheriff but opted for District 3 when Donny Youngblood announced he was running for reelection. Gill also wanted to run for another office - the congressional seat held by Rep. Kevin McCarthy - but opted to enter the supervisor's race at the last minute. For his part, if it is worth anything at all, Jeff Flores is the only candidate who has been consistent about what role he wants: District 3 supervisor. (photo of Flores)

 * ... KEVIN HART: Comedian Kevin Hart has apparently grown found of Bakersfield, or at least the historic Fox Theater downtown. After holding two sold out concerts last week, the comedian has announced he he returning to the Fox on February 4, apparently using the Fox to rehearse a new act. 

 * ... BABE RUTH: Did you know Babe Ruth came to Bakersfield in 1919 to play an exhibition game? At least that appears to have happened according to an old newspaper clipping that heralded the Boston slugger's trip out west. The Los Angeles Evening Herald reported on its front page that Ruth was visiting Los Angeles but also planned to make side trips to San Diego, Santa Barbara and Bakersfield. Did the Babe ever make it to Bako?

 * ... MEMORIES: More memories of the old Hotel Lebec from the Kern County History Fans Facebook page.

 * ... MORE MEMORIES: And for our friends over at KBAK, how about this trip down memory lane?

Leticia Perez jumps into the race for the state Assembly, supervisor Brian Smith is questioned about his non political columns in the local paper and who would stead life sized statues depicting the war on cancer?

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. 

 * ... LOCAL POLITICS ROUNDUP: This year will be an important election year as redistricting and retirements have introduced both confusion and opportunity in local political circles. First, Supervisor Leticia Perez make it official this week she is running for the 35th Assembly District, which has also

drawn interest from Taft Dr. Jasmeet Bains. Rep. David Valadao will be running in the 22nd Congressional District instead of the 21st, where Assemblyman Rudy Salas is running. And on the Board of Supervisors, Mike Maggard's retirement has opened the door to a hot race featuring Maggard aide Jeff Flores, former Homeless Center director Louis Gill and retired CHP officer Brian Smith. In the 16th state Senate District, former Assemblywoman Nicole Parra is running after briefly flirting with a bid to unseat Rep David Valadao. Stay tuned because things are just heating up.

 * ... CAMPAIGN SHENANIGANS? Brian Smith is a retired CHP officer who has been talking about running for Kern County Sheriff for at least two or three years. So far, so good. Knowing that he intended to run for office, Smith teamed with our local newspaper, The Bakersfield Californian, to begin running a weekly series of seemingly non-political stores focused on life as a law enforcement officer. So far, so good, but just to be clear, let's assume Smith knew he was a virtual unknown who needed name recognition to run for a countywide office, and what better way than a weekly column in your local paper? But now some are questioning if Smith didn't skirt the law when the paper kept running his column (it has since killed it) while he was openly running for the District 3 seat on the Board of Supervisors. (Smith made it clear he would not run against Sheriff Donny Youngblood, and when Youngblood said he would run again, Smith turns his eye on the supervisor seat held by retiring Mike Maggard.) Former city councilman Mark Salvaggio was among those questioning his intent and he sent Smith this email: "Brian, Who is guiding, advising your campaign for District 3 Supervisor? Has Brandon Martin moved on? Your last "Cop Tales" column was published in The Bakersfield Californian on December 12, after the Oildale Christmas Parade, where you campaigned with a banner proclaiming "Brian Smith for Supervisor." You have been campaigning for several months. This is true. You filed your Campaign Form 410 with the Secretary of State to officially run for Supervisor on October 21; 6 "Cop Tales" were published subsequently (October 31-December 12). You did an endorsement interview with the Kern County Prosecutors Association on September 10. You also interviewed with the Kern County Firefighters Union on October 4 for its support. What tangled webs we weave when we first practice to deceive," to borrow an applicable line from Sir Walter Scott." Now here is the ironic part: Smith had his hands full already in the District 3 race where incumbent Mike Maggard's chief aide, Jeff Flores, is expected to run. Flores enjoys wide name recognition, has served on the Kern High School District and is deeply involved in Republican circles. Flores was trouble enough for Smith and it just got worse when Louis Gill, former head of the Bakersfield Homeless Center, just entered the race, another formidable opponent.

 * ... DECISION 2022: Local elections and how Kern's demographics are changing will be the topic of this week's Bakersfield Observed podcast, which will be released Thursday. Joining me to review the political landscape will be Russell Johnson, a former Bakersfield city councilman and now head of Common Sense Consulting. Tap into your account on Spotify or Google, or wherever you access your podcasts, to Russell and I chop it up about local politics.

 * ... SMELLY HOMES: For the past two years the pandemic has forced most of us to spend more time at home. Home gyms and offices have proliferated, more of us are working from home, some of us have acquired more pets and some of us are home schooling our children. In short, home is where the heart is and in that case, it means our homes can get stinky with so much activity. So said the Wall Street Journal: "Housebound Americans are buying more air fresheners, scented candles and pungent cleaners to overcome one of humanity's deep social fears - that visitors will think their abodes stink to high heaven." 

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "Remember the old days before free social media when we had to buy newspaper ads to publicly announce our courage, thoughtfulness, virtue and nobility? It’s so much easier now!"

 * ... CANCER STATUE DISAPPEARS: Just when you think people can't stoop any lower, sure enough they do something that simply astonishes you. This time it appears a group of people took the time to plan and execute the theft of a series of life-size bronze statues that once stood in Beach Park as a testament to those who fought cancer. That's right, the statues of men, women and children gleefully emerging from a maze to celebrate beating cancer have disappeared, and no one seems to know what happened. One of the first to notice was local clinical  psychologist Cory Gonzales who posted this on Facebook: "I remember the grand opening of this inspirational tribute to cancer survivors. I also remember making a speech (here) on how important this was for us survivors & the culture of our community. I just heard that all of these statues were stolen, absolutely heartbroken! Is there anything sacred? Are there no more ethics in our society? Where is our collective conscience? A sad day indeed."

 * ... MEMORIES: Now take a look at these historic pictures from the Kern County History Fanssite. Just look at that armory at Gordon's Ferry back in the day.

Mike Maggard announces his retirement, Tesla has sold almost 1 million cars in the United States and the median price of a home in California reaches almost $800,000

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. 

 * ... MAGGARD RETIRES:  Kern County Supervisor Mike Maggard is retiring after a long career on both the City Council and Board of Supervisors, opening the door for a June election when his his chief aide Jeff Flores will attempt to fill the seat. Up until today, Flores likely thought his opponent would be

retired CHP officer Brian Smith, who has no elective experience. But all that changed when Louis Gill, the former head of the Bakersfield Homeless Center said he was joining the District 3 race instead of challenging Rep. Kevin McCarthy in the 23rd Congressional District. Kudos to Gill who should have seen his challenge of McCarthy has nothing more than a costly political suicide mission. Joining the District 3 race at least gives him a shot, while rendering Smith a curious afterthought. Maggard's retirement was expected - he cited spending time with his family as one of the reasons to let go - and it sets up free for all with Flores, Gill and Smith. By all accounts, Flores should be considered the odds-on favorite: he is a politically savvy known commodity, has served on the Kern High School District for years and he has carefully nurtured political allies over the years. And, let's be clear here, Flores is a Republican  and Gill a liberal in a conservative part of the state. Smith, by contrast, is not that well known outside of the regular readers of the local newspaper where he ran a "Cop Tales" weekly column. But given the realities of the newspaper business the number of readers has shrunk so considerably, that what once seemed like a grand idea to capture eyeballs likely provided a lot less than he expected. Others could enter this race, so stay tuned.

* ... TESLA: If you live in California, then you know just how popular the new lineup of all electric Tesla sedans are, and now the company says it delivered 87 percent more cars in 2021 than it did the previous year. The now Texas based company said it delivered more than 308,000 vehicles in the fourth quarter alone, a 71 percent increase from the same time a year earlier. In all, Tesla said it had delivered 936,000 cars in the United States. The overwhelming majority of Teslas sold in the United States are purchased right here in California.

 * ... KERN RIVER: Have you noticed there is some water in the Kern River, particularly west of Beach Park as the river winds through the southwest? Recent rains have no doubt contributed to this, but it is a constant reminder of the efforts under way to have water in the river year around. But there is one problem: the sheer number of homeless encampments in the river bed, along with mountains of trash, pose a problem and safety hazard to water entering the riverbed. Despite the city's best efforts, and this should not be minimized even though it has been an abject failure, the homeless live where they want, use the riverbed as their personal toilet and soil the place with mounds of trash without any repercussions. (photo by The Bakersfield Californian)

 * ... CALIFORNIA HOUSING: Last year was a difficult year on many levels but the price of housing in California continued its almost ridiculous rise. The median sales price of a single-family home in California has now reached $798.440, up 12.3 percent from a year earlier. Suburbs like in Sacramento and Riverside showed the highest increases while population centers like San Francisco posted more modest gain. According to Zillow, the typical home in San Francisco is now selling or $1.53 million.

 * ... MEMORIES: Who remembers Lake Isabella when it was just a sleepy outpost back in the day. Enjoy these old postcards.

 * ... MORE MEMORIES: And from the Kern County of Old Facebook page comes this note about the old Pennys building on Chester Avenue: "Exterior and interior photographs of the J.C. Penny's store at 2018 Chester Ave. 1930 and 1927, respectively."

The firefighter's union and its supporters go after three county supervisors, Michael Turnipseed and the Kern Taxpayers Association attack reckless city spending, and the list of businesses closed due tot he coronavirus grows and grows

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.

 * ... CROSS HAIRS: Was it courageous, or politically stupid, when three county supervisors voted to impose a new contract on county firefighters, reigning in overtime rates that has enriched firefighters while blowing a hole in the county's budget? From a purely financial management

standpoint, the move was overdue and necessary, particularly considering the firefighters union had two years to negotiate a settlement but instead stood firm. And now that Supervisors Leticia Perez, Mike Maggard and Mick Gleason crossed them, you can bet the union will target them for retaliation. And it has already started on Facebook and other social media where people are bemoaning that our "hero" firefighters had to take a pay cut, a convenient rallying cry that happens to ignore the financial realities facing the county. This is not going away, so keep an eye on this one.

 * ... THE KNIVES ARE OUT: Meanwhile over at the city things are also in turmoil as the City Council comes under intense criticism for its spending. It all started when Michael Turnipseed, director of the Kern Taxpayers Association, rapped the Council for failing to live up to its promises to spend revenue raised by the Measure N sales tax measure on public safety (officers on the street) and quality of life issues. Turnipseed cited a $260,000 budget proposal to remodel a kitchen and bathroom at a fire station as an example of irresponsible spending. KTA, Turnipseed said, supported Measure N because the city "was running on fumes" and flirting with bankruptcy. But now Turnipseed says he feels betrayed by the council (he did single out Council Bruce Freeman as one who "gets it") and said if the city did not get its house in order, it would face "consequences," which could include a ballot measure to rescind Measure N. Stay tuned.

 * ... CORONAVIRUS: The list of businesses forced to close temporarily because of the coronavirus continues to grow, and with infections spiking, you can bet there will be more. Among those forced to close after an employee became infected are Luigi's Delicatessen, Sandrini's, The GET bus offices, Woolgrowers, Dewar's, Temblor, Mexicali, the Boys and Girls Club and the DMV office on F Street.

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "You know you picked out the best fireworks when the guy running the stand gives you a high four on the way out.

 * .... HOMELESS CAMPS: The intersection of Real Road and California has become the latest flashpoint in homeless encampments. Conveniently located near a high-traffic intersection (suitable for begging for money) and the freeway underpasses, the intersection has become a favorite for local homeless.

  * ... MEMORIES: Another terrific shot of old downtown Bakersfield back in the 1950s. Check out those classic cars.

 * ... GORMAN: And here is an old one of Gorman in the 1930s.

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.