Rep. Kevin McCarthy, House Majority Leader, gives us his weekly view from Capitol Hill:
" Big effort by our Runners. We went dancing.
"This afternoon I had the joy the attend the CSUB vs. Oklahoma first round NCAA Men’s basketball tournament game. Ever since that thrilling buzzer-beater to win the WAC championship, our community was brimming with excitement and pride. And when the brackets were posted and family pools printed, you couldn’t help but think, are we this year’s Cinderella?
"There have only been a handful of 15 seeds that have beaten a 2 seed. But why not us?!
"On paper this prospect likely seemed as too great a mismatch. But if your from our community you know there is always more than meets the eye – primarily, our heart.
"That heart full of resilience was on display in Oklahoma City this afternoon. After the hot start, Oklahoma showed why they are a top seed. But each time CSUB was on the ropes, they fought back and put the game in striking distance. No matter how hard the Sooners tried, they just couldn’t shake our Roadrunners.
"As I watched from the stands during the final seconds I was overcome with pride. I was proud to be one of the many blue-shirted CSUB fans in the arena. I was proud to be a CSUB alumni. And I was proud of our team and our coaches for the poise they showed in front of the entire country.
"March madness is one of the biggest sporting events of the year. While the team that cuts down the nets will likely be a national college basketball powerhouse, the tournament exposes smaller schools to millions of fans. And today, millions of fans saw a CSUB program on the rise. And like countless examples in our community, they did it with heart.
"That is more than enough reason to celebrate.
Showing posts with label NCAA Basketball Tournament. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NCAA Basketball Tournament. Show all posts
Sunday, March 20, 2016
Thursday, March 17, 2016
CSU Bakersfield seeks to emulate the success of Gonzaga, Butler and others, Griffith Field gets a renovation and looking for wildflowers in Kern County
* ... BIG DANCE: CSU Bakersfield's appearance in the NCAA Tournament will give the university some priceless national exposure, and there are plenty of examples of the tournament putting smaller schools on the map.Gonzaga, a small Jesuit school in Spokane, Wash., is primarily known for its "giant killer" status in college basketball, as is Butler University, another small school in Indianapolis that has created a national brand via the Big Dance. Like CSUB, these are regional schools that have gained national prominence via excelling in one sport: basketball. And with that exposure comes recruits, alumni pride that evolves into alumni giving, and out of area students seeking to live on a campus with a rich winning tradition.
* ... WILDFLOWERS: There are pockets of Kern County where the wild flowers are spectacular this year. Consider this note from Jon Crawford: "Highway 58 up the grade from McKittrick to Carrisa Plains is at its peak of Gold Fields, Fiddlenecks, Lupines, etc. – just beautiful and then to top it all off, are the multitude of solar farms. The contrast of God’s beautiful creations to man’s eyesores are too apparent to avoid."
* ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "You can’t buy happiness, but you can buy a huge house and cry in any room you like."
* ... GRIFFITH FIELD: It's bitter sweet to watch the demotion and renovation of Griffith Field, Bakersfield High School's legendary venue for decades of Driller football. The main grandstand will remain, but pretty much everything else of the stadium is being leveled to make way for a new track and artificial turf.
* ... RAY DEZEMBER: A memorial service the Ray December will be held on Monday at 10 a.m. at St. John's Lutheran Church off Buena Vista. This will no doubt be a standing room only affair for a man who meant so much to this community and exemplified the concept of "servant leadership." If you expect to get a seat, I would advise arriving early.
* ... FOODIE: My recommendation of the week goes to Match Point Grill, the aptly named sandwich shop that operates at The Bakersfield Racquet Club. I stopped by the Pine Street diner to catch some of the incredible tennis being played at The Bakersfield Open, and wandered into the sandwich shop for a tuna sandwich and iced tea. It's a homestyle diner with a limited menu surrounded by tennis action. BRC, meanwhile, is looking as good as it ever has. If you haven't been in a while, check it out.
Tuesday, March 15, 2016
CSU Bakersfield, a blue collar team with its eye on the prize, heads to the NCAA tournament and Bakersfield loses a local titan with the passing of Ray Dezember
* ... CSU BAKERSFIELD: I had the chance to sit down with Coach Rod Barnes to chat about the Roadrunners heading to Oklahoma City to play in the NCAA Tournament. After beating New Mexico State to win the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) tournament, Bakersfield goes into the game again the University of Oklahoma a 14.5 point underdog. The key to Bakersfield's success: Barnes
looks for hungry, blue collar players with something to prove, players who never give up and players believe in themselves and their teammates. Fifteen years ago Barnes took Ole Miss to the Sweet Sixteen, but it is this Bakersfield team that has won his heart. "We (his family) made a commitment to come here, to live and to build this program," he said. "We (the team) never talk about losing. We don't do that." One thing for sure: at 1 p.m. Friday everyone in town will be glued to the TV or radio when Bakersfield squares off against Oklahoma.
* ... RIP RAY: It's almost a cliche to refer to someone as "Mr. Bakersfield," but it was never an exaggeration when the term applied to Ray Dezember, the former banker and philanthropist who died Monday evening. I met Ray when I moved here in 1994 and he was on the Board of Directors of The Bakersfield Californian. He was unfailingly supportive and wise, and I was smart enough to take him up on his offer to have a weekly breakfast where he shared with me his knowledge of business and his love for this community. The philanthropy of Ray and wife Joan was impressive and widespread, but their giving was always done quietly and without fanfare. Deeply religious, Ray epitomized a life of servant leadership.
* ... BOWLING ALLEY: No fewer than two dozen readers weighed in a reader's question about the name of the old bowling alley that once existed on the east side. And clearly there is still come confusion between two old businesses; the Bakersfield Bowling Academy and the San Joaquin Bowling Alley. Said Richard Cardiel: "I believe the bowling alley was the Bakersfield Bowling Academy. It was located next to 7-Up Bottling, which was at the corner of 18th and Sonora Street kitty corner from the old Bakersfield Sandstone store yard. Also located in the same area was a pedestrian underpass under (Highway 99) now Union Avenue. The underpass was either on the south side of 18th or 17th street. It was used by kids who lived on the west side of Highway 99 to get to Fremont School."
* ... MORE BOWLING: Others, including Frank Alvarez, remembered the venue as being the San Joaquin Bowling Alley "and the proprietor was Joe Karam. I can remember that this is where the professional bowler Don Glover used to bowl." And Dave "Doc" Rangel, retired athletic trainer at Stockade High School, agreed: "The bowling alley that Mary Durham was thinking of was San Joaquin Bowl. It was a Brunswick bowling alley. The other bowling alley on 18th, across from the Rice Bowl, was called, The Bakersfield Bowling Academy."
* ... MORE BOWLING: Lastly, there was this memory from Barbara Kilbreth Pederson: "The bowling alley mentioned in your column today, I believe to be San Joaquin Bowling Alley. My brother (Bill Kilbreth) was the manager there for a while. As an old timer, I have seen many changes in Bakersfield. Been here over 70 years, so lot of water under the bridge. I have always said that Bakersfield has the worst weather ( hot or foggy) but the greatest people in the world live here. Go East High Blades!"
* ... RIP RAY: It's almost a cliche to refer to someone as "Mr. Bakersfield," but it was never an exaggeration when the term applied to Ray Dezember, the former banker and philanthropist who died Monday evening. I met Ray when I moved here in 1994 and he was on the Board of Directors of The Bakersfield Californian. He was unfailingly supportive and wise, and I was smart enough to take him up on his offer to have a weekly breakfast where he shared with me his knowledge of business and his love for this community. The philanthropy of Ray and wife Joan was impressive and widespread, but their giving was always done quietly and without fanfare. Deeply religious, Ray epitomized a life of servant leadership.
* ... BOWLING ALLEY: No fewer than two dozen readers weighed in a reader's question about the name of the old bowling alley that once existed on the east side. And clearly there is still come confusion between two old businesses; the Bakersfield Bowling Academy and the San Joaquin Bowling Alley. Said Richard Cardiel: "I believe the bowling alley was the Bakersfield Bowling Academy. It was located next to 7-Up Bottling, which was at the corner of 18th and Sonora Street kitty corner from the old Bakersfield Sandstone store yard. Also located in the same area was a pedestrian underpass under (Highway 99) now Union Avenue. The underpass was either on the south side of 18th or 17th street. It was used by kids who lived on the west side of Highway 99 to get to Fremont School."
* ... MORE BOWLING: Others, including Frank Alvarez, remembered the venue as being the San Joaquin Bowling Alley "and the proprietor was Joe Karam. I can remember that this is where the professional bowler Don Glover used to bowl." And Dave "Doc" Rangel, retired athletic trainer at Stockade High School, agreed: "The bowling alley that Mary Durham was thinking of was San Joaquin Bowl. It was a Brunswick bowling alley. The other bowling alley on 18th, across from the Rice Bowl, was called, The Bakersfield Bowling Academy."
* ... MORE BOWLING: Lastly, there was this memory from Barbara Kilbreth Pederson: "The bowling alley mentioned in your column today, I believe to be San Joaquin Bowling Alley. My brother (Bill Kilbreth) was the manager there for a while. As an old timer, I have seen many changes in Bakersfield. Been here over 70 years, so lot of water under the bridge. I have always said that Bakersfield has the worst weather ( hot or foggy) but the greatest people in the world live here. Go East High Blades!"
Sunday, March 13, 2016
Cal State Bakersfield heads to the NCAA Big Dance and Bill Walton to appear in Bakersfield to promote Bike Bakersfield
* ... RUNNERS: Congrats to Coach Rod Barnes and his CSUB Roadrunners who are headed for an historic first appearance in the NCAA Tournament. But remember: all of this could not have happened without
the vision of President Horace Mitchell and many alumni and local business people who raised the money to get CSUB elevated to Division 1 status six years ago. It was not wildly popular at the time, but the idea was always simple: put CSUB on the national radar and add value to that Bakersfield diploma, thereby attracting more out of area students and athletes.
* ... CIOPPINO: This is a community that boasts a wealth of terrific fund raisers but few are as fun, and unique, as the annual Cioppino Feed. Golf tournaments are a dime a dozen in this town, but the annual West Rotary Cioppinio Feed is truly a one of a kind event. Featured is a tasty cioppino (fish and shrimp stew) along with salad, bread, wine and all the steamed clams you can eat. This year's event is Saturday, March 19, at Monsignor Leddy Hall at Garces Memorial High School. The cost is $100 a ticket and proceeds - usually around $100,000 - go to local charities.
* ... SMOKERS: Paul Forster agrees that smokers should stop throwing cigarette butts out their car windows, but he offered this interesting twist: "For many years, if I am not mistaken, no one has been able to buy a new vehicle that has an ashtray in it, (nor a cigarette lighter). Just saying."
* ... GRATITUDE: Martha Ingle found something good in a terrible incident involving her daughter in law: "Our family is very grateful for the quick work of city employees and several BPD officers. Our daughter-in-law was attacked yesterday afternoon. Jorge and his co-worker of truck 4233 stopped the attack, called police and ambulance and stayed with her until the responders arrived. Quick work by the police officers resulted in the arrest of the attacker. We wanted to publicly thank all involved for their bravery and kindness during a very frightening situation."
* ... WALTON: And speaking of sports, and legends, I have purchased my ticket to see Bill Walton when he comes to town April 21 to support Bike Bakersfield. The famous UCLA center and pro basketball player credits cycling with returning him to fitness after years of surgeries and physical ailments. "My bike is my gym, and my church and my wheelchair," he said. Walton will appear at the Gardens at Mill Creek at 6 p.m. For tickets and sponsorship information call (661) 321-9247.
* ... MEMORIES: So who out there can help Mary Durham answer this question: "Richard, our birthday buddies gathered at Casa Munoz for Taco Tuesday and the discussion came up that the restaurant at one time was Sambo's and the 7-UP Bottling Company was down the street on 18th but none of us could remember the name of the bowling alley next to it. Could you help us?"
* ... CIOPPINO: This is a community that boasts a wealth of terrific fund raisers but few are as fun, and unique, as the annual Cioppino Feed. Golf tournaments are a dime a dozen in this town, but the annual West Rotary Cioppinio Feed is truly a one of a kind event. Featured is a tasty cioppino (fish and shrimp stew) along with salad, bread, wine and all the steamed clams you can eat. This year's event is Saturday, March 19, at Monsignor Leddy Hall at Garces Memorial High School. The cost is $100 a ticket and proceeds - usually around $100,000 - go to local charities.
* ... SMOKERS: Paul Forster agrees that smokers should stop throwing cigarette butts out their car windows, but he offered this interesting twist: "For many years, if I am not mistaken, no one has been able to buy a new vehicle that has an ashtray in it, (nor a cigarette lighter). Just saying."
* ... GRATITUDE: Martha Ingle found something good in a terrible incident involving her daughter in law: "Our family is very grateful for the quick work of city employees and several BPD officers. Our daughter-in-law was attacked yesterday afternoon. Jorge and his co-worker of truck 4233 stopped the attack, called police and ambulance and stayed with her until the responders arrived. Quick work by the police officers resulted in the arrest of the attacker. We wanted to publicly thank all involved for their bravery and kindness during a very frightening situation."
* ... WALTON: And speaking of sports, and legends, I have purchased my ticket to see Bill Walton when he comes to town April 21 to support Bike Bakersfield. The famous UCLA center and pro basketball player credits cycling with returning him to fitness after years of surgeries and physical ailments. "My bike is my gym, and my church and my wheelchair," he said. Walton will appear at the Gardens at Mill Creek at 6 p.m. For tickets and sponsorship information call (661) 321-9247.
* ... MEMORIES: So who out there can help Mary Durham answer this question: "Richard, our birthday buddies gathered at Casa Munoz for Taco Tuesday and the discussion came up that the restaurant at one time was Sambo's and the 7-UP Bottling Company was down the street on 18th but none of us could remember the name of the bowling alley next to it. Could you help us?"
Tuesday, March 8, 2016
City Councilman Terry Maxwell gets some love, and what exactly did House Speaker Paul Ryan order for breakfast at Milt's Coffee Shop?
* ... MAXWELL: When City Councilman Bob Smith endorsed Andrae Gonzales in his race to topple incumbent Terry Maxwell in Ward 2, it drew this response from reader Sue Castro: "Well, I
had to choke back some phlegm when I read that Bob Smith, as well as Alan Tandy, find Councilman Terry Maxwell not to their liking. Since Bakersfield's puffed up city manager likes to have his way, I can understand why a decidedly un-yes man like Terry Maxwell would be a thorn in his side. I guess Andrae Gonzales says 'si' with more ease!"
* ... HOUSE SPEAKER: I was happy to field questions from readers and friends about my breakfast with House Speaker Paul Ryan and Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy at Milt's Coffee Shop the other day. But I was surprised at the most common question: what exactly did they eat? So here it is: Ryan, a fitness freak, enjoyed a Milt's omelette topped with avocado and hot sauce with hash browns and a coffee. McCarthy eschews coffee and opted for a glass of water, two eggs overlight (no sides) and a small bowl of fresh strawberries.
* ... BAD FORM: In the privately owned hills above Hart Park a man has towed a backhoe and is churning up the hills to create motorcycle jumps, all illegal of course, but there you go.
* ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "What if dogs bring the ball back because they think you enjoy throwing it?"
* ... ROADRUNNERS: Congratulations to CSUB basketball coach Rod Barnes for being named coach of the year in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC). And how great would it be for Barnes, his team and the city of Bakersfield if the Roadrunners make it to the NCAA tournament and compete in March Madness? Follow the team as it heads to Las Vegas for the WAC tournament.
* ... LIBRARY TAX: It looks like an uphill fight to pass a local tax to fund our library system, which distresses folks like my friend Ken Barnes. Said Barnes: "A note to the naysayers against the one-eighth cent sales tax... Surely we can all afford an extra 'one cent' for every
eight dollars we spend to help out our local library department. This is really just a common sense tax. Too bad more people don't use common sense much any more."
* ... SMOKERS: Stephen A. Montgomery wrote noting a pet peeve of mine: "Noting the observation by guest columnist Paul Netter referencing the risks to wild condors caused by micro-trash over time I note smokers I’m stuck behind in traffic who, after finishing their smoke, drop the butt out their car window. I’ve never seen a smoker in traffic when finishing their smoke ever keep the butt inside their car but in every case drop it in the street. This sense of entitlement and lack of civic responsibility by smokers who, in their denial of the facts of the outcome of the accumulated distribution of such trash, is frustrating. They all deserve a 'dope slap' for their arrogance and stupidity."
* ... HOUSE SPEAKER: I was happy to field questions from readers and friends about my breakfast with House Speaker Paul Ryan and Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy at Milt's Coffee Shop the other day. But I was surprised at the most common question: what exactly did they eat? So here it is: Ryan, a fitness freak, enjoyed a Milt's omelette topped with avocado and hot sauce with hash browns and a coffee. McCarthy eschews coffee and opted for a glass of water, two eggs overlight (no sides) and a small bowl of fresh strawberries.
* ... BAD FORM: In the privately owned hills above Hart Park a man has towed a backhoe and is churning up the hills to create motorcycle jumps, all illegal of course, but there you go.
* ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "What if dogs bring the ball back because they think you enjoy throwing it?"
* ... ROADRUNNERS: Congratulations to CSUB basketball coach Rod Barnes for being named coach of the year in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC). And how great would it be for Barnes, his team and the city of Bakersfield if the Roadrunners make it to the NCAA tournament and compete in March Madness? Follow the team as it heads to Las Vegas for the WAC tournament.
* ... LIBRARY TAX: It looks like an uphill fight to pass a local tax to fund our library system, which distresses folks like my friend Ken Barnes. Said Barnes: "A note to the naysayers against the one-eighth cent sales tax... Surely we can all afford an extra 'one cent' for every
eight dollars we spend to help out our local library department. This is really just a common sense tax. Too bad more people don't use common sense much any more."
* ... SMOKERS: Stephen A. Montgomery wrote noting a pet peeve of mine: "Noting the observation by guest columnist Paul Netter referencing the risks to wild condors caused by micro-trash over time I note smokers I’m stuck behind in traffic who, after finishing their smoke, drop the butt out their car window. I’ve never seen a smoker in traffic when finishing their smoke ever keep the butt inside their car but in every case drop it in the street. This sense of entitlement and lack of civic responsibility by smokers who, in their denial of the facts of the outcome of the accumulated distribution of such trash, is frustrating. They all deserve a 'dope slap' for their arrogance and stupidity."
Thursday, March 19, 2015
Along with basketball, March Madness brings a spike in vasectomies and TV upgrades and three big local events in May will compete for our wallets
* … MARCH MADNESS: It turns out that our obsession with the NCAA Basketball Tournament has to do with a lot more than simply college basketball. According to researchers, doctors report up to
* … MORE MADNESS: And speaking of March Madness, few households are more excited about the tournament than the home of Grimmay Farms counsel Jeff Green and his wife, District Attorney Lisa Green. Consider this: their son Matthew Green graduated from UC Irvine, brother Andrew graduated from UCLA and sister Rebecca from Indiana University. Jeff, meanwhile, is an alum of San Diego State. All four schools -San Diego State, UC Irvine, Indiana and UCLA - are represented in the tournament. Only Fresno State, Lisa's alma mater, failed to make the Big Dance.
* … EVENTS: Three big events are on a collision course for competing for our attention (and dollars) in late May. It is all starting on Saturday, May 23, when George Martin's huge rock and country show will feature over 30 acts at the Kern County Museum, all for a price tag of $130 a ticket. On the same day, the Bakersfield Craft Beer Festival will be at the CSUB Amphitheater, hosted by Imbibe Wine and Moo Creamery. And then, just a few days later, the Eagles will be appearing at Rabobank Arena, and you can bet tickets won't be cheap for that. Those are three popular events that will make a serious dent in your wallet, and how effectively they cannabalize each other will determine how successful they are.
* … SPOTTED: A young mother holding the hands of her two very young daughters jaywalking across a busy south Chester, forcing two cars to veer into oncoming traffic to avoid running over them.
* … STARBUCKS: So what do you think of the Starbucks campaign to spark a conversation about race by writing provocotive messages on our coffee cups? As a frend told me: "Can I just have a cup of coffee please? I don't need a morning conversation on race with my local barista."
* … GOOD FORM: Don't you love it when people surprise and delight you? From Sheila Blackburn: "I read your column regularly and know that you often pass on a thank you to good samaritans in our community. I would like to publicly thank the kind gentleman who came to my elderly mother's aid following a mishap on Manor Street on Saturday morning, making sure she was okay, getting her car to the side of the road, and delivering her safely to my home We didn't get his name, but we wanted to publicly thank him for his kindness. My mother couldn't stop talking about that 'nice man.' We are very grateful to him. The world needs more people like this thoughtful, caring gentleman."
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