Phil and Daniel Rudnick hope to put Buttonwillow on the map by creating a world class concert and festival center, in praise of the Yeti cooler and correcting the record on the old Padre Hotel

 * ... MUSIC FESTIVAL: Is Kern County ready to host its own Coachella-style music festival? Phil and Daniel Rudnick believe so and are trying to push through a plan to build a world class music festival venue off 7th Standard Road and Interstate 5. The venue would house up to 65,000 concert

goers and provide shuttle buses, RV parking for 700 vehicles, camping areas for another 2,200 people as well as security, stages, toilets, showers and food booths. The best part of it all? It won't cost the taxpayers a penny because all costs are picked up by the Rudnicks. Stay tuned as this is headed for a a Nov. 7 hearing with the county. If you support this idea, and I do, contact your supervisor to let him or her know. For more information go to the projects website CalCentre.com.

 * ... REMEDIAL CLASSES: It looks like the California State University System isn't the only public university system to scrap the concept of remedial classes. Colorado, Indiana, Tennessee, West Virginia and Florida are also rethinking the concept, which has come under attack for being an ineffective way to gauge student preparedness. Consider this from The Wall Street Journal: "For the class of students who started in 2009, the six year graduation rate across the California State University System was 66 percent for students who didn't need any remedial classes. It was 45 percent for those who took remedial classes in both math and English."

 * ... YETI COOLERS: Have you heard of the Yeti cooler? It is a basic plastic cooler but is so popular in some parts of the country that people pay up to $1,300 for the top of the line Yeti Tundra 350. A country song has been written about the Yeti ('Buy Me a Boat' by Chris Janson) and Miranda Lambert swears by hers. Yeti coolers started off as favorites of hunters and anglers, but burst into widespread popularity a few years ago with the introduction a stylish soft cooler that goes for the princely fee of around $300.

* ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "Get a head start on preparing for winter by beginning your seasonal depression on the first day of fall."

 * ... SPOTTED ON FACEBOOK: "I just read that Hugh Hefner passed away, but I only read the obituary for the articles."

 * ... PADRE HOTEL: Memo to 23ABC KERO TV which erred in a story on earthquakes by saying the Padre Hotel was constructed of brick and would be at risk of collapsing during a quake. Said Brett Miller, whose company renovated the Padre and now owns and operates it: "The Padre survived the big one because of the reinforced concrete structure. They have done a disservice to us by not fact checking."

 * ... MEMORIES: Did you know that John Philip Sousa and his "distinguished band" arrived by train and performed at the old Bakersfield Operation House (the old Hill Theater) on Nov. 1, 1909? An advertisement in the Bakersfield Californian announced that "the March King is in excellent health and a thoroughly enjoyable concert is a firm expectation of the local lovers of the best in music." Thanks to the Facebook page Kern County of Old for posting this.

The race for Kern County District Attorney starts to pick up some steam, Grimmway Farms awards 65 college scholarships and Dee Whitley gets a school named in her honor

 * ... DISTRICT ATTORNEY: The election for District Attorney is over a year away but that is not stopping the candidates from organizing early. I dropped by an event for Assistant DA Scott Spielman at the downtown home of deputy DA Gina Pearl, where a nice crowd turned out to meet and greet and support Spielman's candidacy. Among those I spotted were former Bakersfield police chiefs Bill Rector and Greg Williamson, city councilmen Andrae Gonzales, Bob Smith and Chris

Parlier, attorney Tim Osborn, deputy DAs Kim Richardson and Mike Yraceburn, Linda Sullenger, Dave Dmohowski, Ted Pierce, and Dave and Kym Plivelich. The only other announced candidate in the race, supervising deputy DA Cynthia Zimmer, is also off to a fast start and has picked up endorsements from the Kern County Law Enforcement Association and the police officers associations from Bakersfield, Ridgecrest and Delano.

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "I always thought a bachelor's degree was awarded when you could make a five course meal out of only condiments from your fridge."

 * ... GRIMMWAY: Hats off to the folks over at Grimmway Farms who awarded 65 college scholarships at its annual company picnic. President and CEO Jeff Huckaby said the scholarships, awarded since 2005, are based on scholastic achievement and provide support to students attending two- and four-year colleges and universities – and are renewable for four years. This year’s recipients will attend a variety of schools, including UC Berkeley, UC Davis, UCLA, UC Irvine, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and the University of Oregon. The annual picnic is quite a show, feeding more than 10,000 employees and family members at the Kern County Fair Grounds.

 * ... RIP SHAUNA: The wife of longtime KBAK sports anchor Greg Kerr lost her battle with cancer last week. Shauna Clay Kerr was in hospice when she finally passed away after a long struggle with the disease. Kerr delivered a beautiful and heartfelt tribute to his late wife on ESPN Bakersfield 1230 AM/98.1 FM, available and the KERNRADIO.COM website. “There is no playbook for this,” Kerr said. “And, quite frankly, it sucks but I know how much more it would suck if I didn’t have Jesus Christ in my life. That doesn’t mean that I’m not reminded of her hundreds of times a day.” A memorial service in her honor will be held June 10 at New Life Church at White Lane and Stine. Keep Greg and his family in your thoughts.

* ... FOODIE: The Padre Hotel is mixing up its menu again, seemingly always experimenting with what works and what falls flat. Two bar offerings I can highly recommend: the steak and blue salad, light and crisp for a summer day, and the hearty grilled cheese with (optional) bacon and egg.

 * ... RECALL: Michael C. Stock is a Californian fed up with taxes, and he had this rant: "It is time to clean house in Sacramento, beginning with an initiative recalling our illustrious and incompetent governor. His recent approval of gas tax and vehicle registration increases that he boldly declared, were a fee and not a tax... I have word from a competent Sacramento senator that the millions of dollars in gas taxes already collected have been funneled into the general fund rather than used for that which it was intended (road infrastructure improvement)... If it's BROWN, flush it. If it is disguised as our governor, RECALL IT! I am a avid reader and strong advocate of your informative column."

 * ... GOOD FORM: Congratulations to Delores S. Whitley, the longtime educator and principal who attended the ground breaking for a new elementary school named in her honor. The Delores S. Whitley Elementary School will be located at the corner of Wible and McKee roads. I got to know Whitley, a tireless and dedicated educator, when she was principal of Christa McAuliffe Elementary School where my own daughters attended.

Former California House Speaker Willie Brown says Janet Napolitano is eyeing public office, Dr. Raj Patel is voted "Best Doctor" and what kind of bar gets rid of French Fries?

 * ... ACCOLADES: I was glad to see so many of my favorites were voted "Best Of" in the annual BakersfieldLife magazine readers poll (Sequoia Sandwich Co., Mexicali, Wool Grower's, Luigi's, The Padre Hotel, Motor City to name a few) but special kudos go to "Best Doctor" repeat winner Dr. Raj Patel, my own personal physician whose personal touch and attentive staff do not go unnoticed by the public.

* ... PADRE: And speaking of the Padre, there are few bigger fans of the old girl than me (I have spent so much money there they should rename the Oil Baron's Suite after me), but who told these guys to take French fries off the menu at the popular Brimstone bar and replace them with cucumber sized potato wedges?

 * ... HILLARY: Did you catch the obit in the newspaper last week for Patrick (Pat) Lee Jamieson. Even in death, as one reader said, he let his political feelings be known toward the end of the obit: "Mr. Jamieson requested that you NOT vote for Hillary Clinton."

 * ... GOV. NAPOLITANO: I was in San Francisco recently and heard former California House speaker Willie Brown speak. His prediction of who is positioning herself for a run for higher office in California, either governor or the Senate? Janet Napolitano, now head of the University of California system and former head of Homeland Security and former governor of Arizona.

 * ... BAD FORM: How is this for irony: on a bike ride Saturday I passed Mayor Harvey Hall and a group of volunteers sprucing up the bike path area near Manor Drive, and yet 10 minutes later near Ethel's Old Corral Cafe I spotted a half dozen soiled diapers on the side of the road. And so it goes.

 * ... ACHIEVER: You can't blame Joanne Shepard for a little bragging: "My granddaughter Katy Shepard Rios was honored by Bill Jager, principal of Columbia School, as teacher of the year. It was a tremendous honor for Katy to receive this award. In attendance was her dad, Steve Shepard, and brothers, her husband Brad Rios, who is employed as a firefighter with the county, and their children.

 * ... JARED GOFF: Rick Riley is the chief executive officer of Townsend Design and he had good reason to enjoy the large picture of Cal quarterback Jared Goff that ran in the paper after he was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams. Said Riley: "(It) shows this year's No. 1 pick wearing a Townsend Design knee brace, made here in Bakersfield. This is the second time in recent years a quarterback wearing a Townsend brace was drafted  No. 1. Andrew Luck (Stanford, 2012) also excelled during his senior season wearing a Townsend custom fabricated knee brace. Additionally, former NFL Super Bowl champion quarterback John Elway wore a Townsend knee brace throughout his professional career, and was featured in national ads endorsing our braces after his retirement. Three players in this year's Super Bowl were also wearing one of our braces. We've braced thousands of collegiate and professional athletes -- and hundreds of thousands of people throughout the USA and around the world have worn one of our orthopedic devices. I thought your readers would appreciate knowing there is a local company that is helping optimize the performance of elite athletes, and the quality of life for everyday consumers."

 * ... WRESTLING: The folks who support wrestling at CSUB are at it again, holding yet another fund raiser to keep the storied program alive. An Evening for CSUB Wrestling is set for this Thursday, May 5, at Stockade Country Club. Tickets are $75. For information call (661) 302-4455.

House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy raps Obama on the Syrian refugee question, the Padre Hotel menu gets a makeover and remembering the South Chester Drive-In

 * ... SYRIAN REFUGEES: Is there are hotter issue domestically than the question of allowing thousands of Syrian refugees to resettle in the United States? Citing humanitarian concerns, the president wants to allow some 10,000 Syrians into the country, an idea the House of

Representatives shot down Thursday by voting to halt the program. Rep. Kevin McCarthy, House Majority Leader, took the floor to remind the president that "our duty is to protect the American people," adding that is it "against our values to give terrorists the opening they are looking for" to sneak into the country. McCarthy noted the United States spends some $6.5 billion in humanitarian aid alone, and that pausing the resettlement was necessary until all refugees can be property vetted. The House measure also called for the heads of the FBI, Department of Homeland Security and National Intelligence to personally vouch that those admitted aren't a threat.

* ... INDIGNANT: A handful of readers wrote to correct the misspelling of the word "indignant" in a recent post on student protests. It should have read like this: "The activities of students at two universities remind me of Al Capp’s name for similar students of the 1960s and 1970s in his Li’l Abner comic strip – Students Wildly Indignant about Nearly Everything." One reader, Richard Rivera, showing a bit of indignation himself, offered this: "Try wildly indignant if you and your reader wish to mock these students who are raising legitimate concerns."

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "The difference between in-laws and outlaws? Outlaws are wanted."

 * ... FOODIE: The chef at The Padre Hotel and given its bar and restaurant menus a complete makeover, and it's worth checking out. The Brimstone bar now offers a full array of "craft burgers" along with mussels and a variety of flatbreads.

* ... BOOK SIGNING: A Highland High graduate is returning to town this weekend for a book signing for his recently released children's book, 'Baxter Bu's Epic Beach Day.' Shaun Sturz, who went on to graduate from Westmonth College and later became a "manny" for Kenny G's children, will appear at Amy's Hallmark on Oswell this Saturday from noon to 3 p.m. Sturz was noted to be the top “manny’ in Beverly Hills by Los Angeles Magazine and was cast on ABC Family’s reality show "Beverly Hills Nannies,” where he was one of ten high class nannies chosen for the series. Sturz was also approached by Brooke Burke of ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars” to blog for her popular mommy site, modernmom.com, where he gave advice and shared fun stories from his perspective as a male nanny.

 * ... BAKERSFIELD SIGN: Bryan Kelly read the story about the city of Lamont refurbishing its welcome sign and had this to say: re: "What we need to do is resurrect the old BAKERSFIELD-SUN-FUN-STAY-PLAY sign, only this time make it read BAKERSFIELD-SUN-FUN-STAY-PLAY-LITTER... perhaps people traveling through at least might think we do this on purpose and we're not just a bunch of pigs."

 * ... MEMORIES: You may be a Bakersfield old-timer if you remember going to the South Chester Drive-In. Built in 1945 to hold some 600 cars, the drive-in went out of business and was torn down in the early 1980s.

Bako Bits: speculating about the old Padre Hotel and $160,000 raised for the children's wing at Bakersfield Memorial Hospital

 * ... SMALL WORLD: Mary Vanfleet and her husband, owners of Purifying Systems, were on a 12-day trip to China recently when they were reminded just how small the world is. "While cruising down the Yangtze River on a ship that holds only 200 passengers, my husband Rodger and I ran into our old neighbors from Bakersfield, Ed and Chris Biebrich! They moved about 15 years ago and now live in North Carolina. We haven't seen each other since. Ed Biebrich was with American Bank and then with Citizen's Bank and is now retired. So after all these years,  there they were and there we were in a far away land. It was like running into an old friend at Cafe Med!"

* ... HAUNTED PADRE? Who would have guessed the the old Padre Hotel would turn up in a new cable television show featuring an alleged psychic from Long Island? Will Winn said it happened as he was watching a promotion for a new episode of "Long Island Medium." The episode features an email the psychic received from a lady who claimed to have been visited by a child who died in a hotel.  "The picture of the hotel is shown and it is the Padre!" Winn wrote. "Wonder which room she was in?" 

* ... MEMORIAL: Good news from the 10th Annual Larry Carr Memorial Golf Tournament last week: it raised more than $160,000 to go towards the construction of a children's pavilion for emergency care. The event was held at Bakersfield Country Club and was co-chaired by Steve Loyd and Jenny Waguespack. 

 * ... COLLEGE BOUND: Julie Gibson wrote to say that her son, Timothy, is now attending the University of California Irvine and while dropping him off at school, she learned he was in good company.  "Five of his classmates from Golden Valley High School who were also on the 'We the People Constitution' team are also entering freshmen at UCI. They include Arshdeep Gill, Rocio Martinez, Karen Cervantez, Juan Castaneda and Stephanie Padilla.  I attribute that to the influence of their coach, John Hansen." Mike Gibson, Timothy's father, was his son's football and baseball coach at Golden Valley.

* ... ACHIEVERS: The Jim Burke Education Foundation has released its new team of "Dream Builders," a group of high achieving local kids from our local high schools. Among them are Alexander Pearson, Highland; Renae Lewis, West; Connor Brady, Liberty; Emily Norris, BHS; Nolan Cooney, Stockdale; Xitlaly Estrada, Golden Valley; Sean Tieu, Independence; Heather Hansen, Centennial; Joshua Park, Centennial; Alice Verderber, BHS; Connor Fisher, Stockdale; Katie Cornford, Frontier; Joshua Gaddis, Independence; Abby Grisedale, North; Robert Keathley, Bakersfield Christian; Esperanza Gutierrez, South; Corbin Burnes, Centennial; Paige Basconcillo, Liberty; Charles Hale, East; Bailey Wanner, North; Caroline Kim, Frontier; and Hunter Villanueva, West.

 * ... BLESSING: One of my favorite events will be held this Friday at the St. Francis Parish School when it will hold its annual 'Blessing of the Animals.' It will start at 2:30 p.m. at the Palm Street school. The community is invited to bring pets for a blessing, in honor of the feast of Saint Francis of Assisi, patron saint of animals, along with their spare change.  It is always a fun event, with critters large and small, manageable and hard-to-handle.  The school will also finish its annual  Coins for Canines drive to raise money for needy pets and will donate the money raised, in addition to blankets and pet food, to a local animal charity.

State Farm transferring another 175 to Bakersfield and Dave Price is left a quadriplegic after four operations

 * ... STATE FARM: It looks like State Farm Insurance is transferring more employees to Bakersfield as it closes its Fresno and Rohnert Park offices. That's according to Richard Chapman, president of the Kern Economic Development Corporation. I had coffee with Chapman and his vice president, Cheryl Scott, and they told me another 175 State Farm employees are headed to Bakersfield. Of course that's good news for everyone, particularly Realtors, since these folks will be purchasing homes in a buyer's market.

 * ... SICK BAY: David Price, the former country administrator who retired two years ago and moved to Tennessee, is now a quadriplegic after four operations on his neck to relieve pressure on his spinal chord. This is devastating news to his many friends in our community, who remember Dave as a friendly, extremely witty administrator who would always lend a helping hand. In March he was admitted to the University of Virginia hospital to have surgery for a condition called Diffuse Idiopathic Skeletal Hyperostosis. Said his wife, Liz: "It appeared that the surgery was a success as he was feeling good, walking, talking and eating. On the second or third day trouble began with his tongue swelling. To make a long story very short, he has undergone four surgeries on his spinal column. He suffered an infection that setup in his spinal cord due to a hole that occurred in his esophagus during one if his procedures but we don’t know which one.
David is now quadriplegic, has a feeding tube and a tracheotomy. The doctors do not know how much function Dave will be able to regain. We do know that the window of possibility is two years. We would appreciate your prayers, specifically that he will regain his normal voice, that he will regain the ability to eat normal food very soon. We do believe that God can heal and we welcome all prayers for complete healing."

 * ... THE BUZZ: Rumors were swirling this week that the newly renovated Padre Hotel was being sold. But according to owner Brett Miller, it could not be farther from the truth. Miller said some employees got the wrong idea when he told them he was negotiating a "buy out" with a farming organization. In hotel parlance, that means the group wanted to rent the entire hotel for a convention, not actually purchase it. "Some people thought they were buying the hotel," he said. "I have no intention of selling the Padre. It's doing terrific!" 

 * ... STANFORD: Hats off to Raechel Paine, daughter of Maria and Eddie Paine, who just graduated with her masters degree in psychology from Stanford University. This Bakersfield High product landed a recruiting job at Box.net until she pursues her PHd.

 * ... ART AWARD: Ginny Espinoza wrote to mention that her oldest grandson, Andrew Hawley, was awarded the coveted George Award for his photographic entries recently. He was among the CSUB students who participated in a gallery show of local students.

 * ... OLD GLORY: And finally Glen Worrell wrote to thank the good folks over at Goin Postal on Brimhall road for offering up new American flags in exchange for older flags. "It is a great and generous thing for Goin Postal to do," he told me. "There is only one bad part... I fly my beautiful American flag over my house knowing it was made in China. On the other hand, no matter where I bought my flag it would be made in China."

 * ... BAKERSFIELDISM: Retired securities broker Vince Bertolucci says you might be a Bakersfield old timer if you remember the big swing dances at the old La Granada ballroom at the corner of 16th and Eye streets near the railroad tracks.

Padre Hotel fights false rumors it is closing and the Cal State baseball team readies to host Kansas State

 * ... ROAD RUNNERS: If you haven't been to Hardt Field to support the Cal State baseball team, now is your chance  to do so. The red hot Road Runners, in only their third year of existence, will play eight games over 11 days at Hardt Field out at the Southwest campus. This includes two games against Kansas State on Monday and  Tuesday followed by UC Irvine. The team is 24-8 going into the Thursday night game and is playing some of the best Division 1 baseball in the country. These kids certainly deserve our support.

 * ... ON THE MOVE: Former Padre Hotel special events director Liz Netherton has joined Freestyle Entertainment, a locally owned company run by brothers Mark and Jared Perry. Liz will be marketing the company to the Central Coast as it expands its operation. She will be living in Shell Beach.

 * ... PADRE: Speaking of the Padre, it is alive and doing well according to owner Brett Miller. But apparently the hotel has been deluged by calls asking if it is going out of business. The reason? It all started after the The Californian ran a story saying it was closing. The story was actually part of a weekly historical feature called "Kern's Past," dated 1961, when then owner Spartacus Miller did announce he was closing the classic landmark property. But of course that was 50 years ago and today, the newly restored Padre is up and running and doing a brisk business.

 * ... COLLEGE GRADS: Laura Camp grew up in Bakersfield, graduated from Southern Methodist University and now lives in Washington, D.C., but keeps up with her hometown by following my blog online. She wrote to share the good news that her younger brother, Donald 'Max' Camp III, as well as three of her cousins are all graduating from college this May. "My cousin McKenzie Camp will be graduating from Eastman University in Rochester (NY) and heading to San Francisco and cousin Katie Camp will be graduating from San Diego State University and coming back to Bakersfield. My cousin Jack Pandol Jr. will be graduating from Washington and Lee University (VA) and brother Max from Southern Methodist University (TX) and am excited to have them both join me in D.C. after graduation. All my cousins, siblings and self included attended Bakersfield Christian High School."

 * ... NEW EATERY: A new restaurant has opened downtown in a building in the center of the arts district. It is called Chef's Choice Noodle Bar and is owned by the same family that owns the Thai Orchid off Brimhall Road and Dr. Nick Hansa, a local pulmonologist. I had a chance to dine there last week and it was excellent, pulling on the flavors that the Thai-born Dr. Hansa and his wife know so well. Locals are hoping the best for this effort. In the past 10 years there has been a revolving door of restaurants and bars at 19th and Eye streets, including Downtown Joe's, Capistrano's and the Do Wop Diner.

 * ... STREETCARS: From my mailbox: Lillian Rea wrote to tell me that she was "the last passenger to ride all the way to the car barn at midnight, February 28, 1942, on old number 17. The conductor was Mark Wade, and my husband. He called me and asked me to come and ride into the barn on his last run. And so it was, that I became the last person to ride on the last street car to run in Bakersfield. Making me a true Bakersfildian." Indeed, I think that qualifies you.

 * ...WHO KNEW? Bolthouse Farms sells nearly a billion pounds of carrots a year under a number of different brand names and supermarket labels. Only Grimmway Farms, a few minutes down the road in Bakersfield, sells more, and just barely. Together, the two companies control more than 80% of the carrot market in the United States. 

Personal bankrupties shoot up 25 in California and what does your multi-media experience look like?

 * ... BANKRUPTCIES: Should not have been surprised to read that the number of Americans filing personal bankruptcy shot up 9 percent last year. That's according to the Wall Street Journal which cited stubbornly high unemployment and the plunging value of our homes. California had one of the worst rates, up a full 25 percent, while the Southeastern states in the Deep South were faring much better. The rate of bankruptcies in Arizona, another state plagued by foreclosures, rose 24 percent.

 * ... YOUNG GUNS: Interesting to note, also in the Wall Street Journal, that the new Republican leadership in the House of Representatives signals a marked generational shift. For example, incoming Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy, from Bakersfield, is 45 years old while the outgoing whip, James Clyburn, is 70. The new House Republican leader is Rep. Eric Cantor, who is 47. He replaces Democratic leader Steny Hoyer, who is 71. Said the Journal: "The broader question is what substantive impact  this wave of new, young Republicans will have on Congress's work. Mr. Cantor says the generational change will produce more unconventional approaches - and that the newcomers' common denominator is a commitment to attack government spending."

 * ... TABLETS: Spent a full day crossing the country on airplanes the other day and couldn't help but notice the explosion of iPads, Kindles and other tablet-like devices carried by passengers. One middle aged man seated next to me spent the five-hour flight shuffling among his iPad, a Dell laptop, a newspaper, his Blackberry, and a hard-cover book on golf. His travel companion was reading a book on a Kindle and doing the crossword puzzle from The New York Times. Talk about a multi media experience.

* ... LOCAL SYMPHONY: Jerome S. Kleinsasser wrote in to comment on reader Walter Stewart's observation about the Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra, referring to Antonin Dvorak's  Symphony in E-Minor No. 9. "Our community is blessed to have such a dedicated and accomplished ensemble of players with a tradition dating all the way back to 1932 in the depth of the Great Depression. The Symphony continues to regularly provide our community with the finest in orchestral music. The next concert is on February 5. I hope you will join us."


 * ... FLYOVER: Ever seen one of spectacular military flyovers at a college football game?  I witnessed one involving some vintage World War II era fightsers at the Gator Bowl in Jacksonville, Fla., and now I learn one of our local kids was flying a Navy FA/18 E during the flyover at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. Tyler Hurst, a 2000 graduate of Stockdale High School and later the Naval Academy, was piloting one of the four jets that swooped low over the Rose Bowl, according to this parents, Marilyn  and Dave Hurst. They said the jets were part of VFA 147, the Argonauts, stationed at Lemoore Naval Air Station.

 * ... RESOLUTION: How is this for a New Year's resolution: let's all commit ourselves to getting into shape and shaving those excess pounds. Kern County has one of the highest obesity and heart disease rates in the state, and it's time we got off that list.

 * ... BAKERSFIELDISM: From Kurt Seeger: You know you're a Bakersfield old timer if  "you saw Jim Morrison at the Doors perform at the Civic Auditorium in the 1960s."

Good riddance 2010 and hello 2011, and the Padre faces another hurdle

 * ... NEW YEAR: By all accounts 2010 was another tough year in this prolonged Great Recession, so let's all hope the new year ushers in better times. I compiled my own list of hopes for our community for the new year. Here's a sampling:

  1) Let's hope we can go a full year without a single case of child abuse or animal cruelty in our community.
  2) I pray for the recovery of our real estate market and better times for  our hard working local Realtors.
  3) I hope for more of a civil discourse in our nation, and that all sides - liberals and conservatives - learn to work together for the common good.
  4) For all those out of work, here's hoping there are paychecks and health insurance on the horizon.
  5) For all those ailing and battling sickness, both physically and emotionally, here's to a rapid recovery and good health.
 6) If just a few of those come to pass, it will be a good year.

 * ... PADRE: Local risk management consultant John Pryor shared with me a letter, penned on old Padre Hotel stationery, that was written to him when he was just six days old. It was written by R.L. Hendrickson, who was an insurance company "special agent" who worked with Pryor's insurance broker father. "I was six days old when he wrote this letter," Pryor wrote to Brett Miller, the Padre's new owner. "The Padre Hotel was just four years old. Bakersfield's population was about 27,000. Our family's phone number at the time was 89 - without any dial until later. The Padre's phone number wasn't listed on its letterhead. It wasn't needed. Callers simply picked up the phone and asked for the Padre Hotel. The friendly operator complied and made the connection." The original owners were Roy Cummings and Fred Widmer. The letter gave Pryor some advice about obeying his mother and father and ended with the line, "A Merry Christmas to you and the OLD people."

 * ... MORE PADRE: Speaking of the Padre, I'm also hoping the historic hotel emerges from its latest round of worries and successfully renegotiates a $8.4 million loan to keep the old girl open. The Padre's dilemma is a metaphor for the  long-tail effect of this recession: a loan taken out two years ago by a La Jolla bank that no longer exists and now called by a new bank (OneWest) that has no ties to our community. The irony is that the Padre is doing well - sold out rooms for New Year's and cash flow positive. I work and live downtown and spend a lot of time at the Padre and know its owners well, so I am not unbiased here. But these are folks who put their own capital at risk to bring life back into downtown, and it serves absolutely no one to see this venture fail. It's in all of our interests that the Padre stays open and under its current ownership.

 * ... MORE MIGS: Yet another person has come forward to recall, with great fondness, former East High teacher and football coach Migs Apsit. This time it was John Brock who wrote to recall when he joined the group of kids who Migs took across the country every summer. "Others will know more about him than I  but I happened to go with him on one of the trips for high school kids he organized during summer vacations. It was called the USA Tour and it essentially circumvented the U.S. over a period of about six weeks. I recall that there were about 70 kids and we traveled in two buses. We stayed in hotels, motels and camped out occasionally. It was a fantastic experience." And so it sounds.

 * ... DID YOU KNOW? Some of the rumored Chinese tunnels downtown actually do still exist. During the retrofitting and renovations to the basement of the Hay Building (soon to be 1612 City Lofts) workers uncovered and then resealed tunnels leading out under Eye Street and also 19th Street.

  * ... BAKERSFIELDISM: You know you're a Bakersfield old-timer if "you remember when almost every doctor in town had an office in the Haberfelde Building."

Mourning the loss of the disappearing community bank and wondering why sprinklers are running in the middle of a flood

 * ... FLOODING: With half our town flooded, don't you think we should be shutting off the sprinklers? Apparently not, at least over at Sing Lum School in Campus Park. According to reader Kevin Ammann, he was walking his dog near the school, in an area that had been closed due to flooding, and noticed the school sprinklers on full blast. "Heck, the city was still running two pumps trying to lower the sump at the park next to the school. And, I know it isn't just the school that is clueless. I've seen some houses with sprinklers running while it was raining. Heck, during the winter months, once a week can be too much." Well noted, Kevin. (photos by Henry Barrios)

 * ... WONDERFUL LIFE?: This is the time of year to catch up "It's a Wonderful Life," the inspirational Jimmy Stewart classic in which he portrays a small town banker in the fictitious town of Bedford Falls. So it was interesting to read a Reuters story noting that while Stewart's character (George Bailey) "remains emblematic of a benign banking system, most Americans probably don't realize he's the most endangered species in finance." Why? The news service noted that hundreds of community banks, including our own San Joaquin Bank, have failed or sold out in the last few years, "a consequence, unintended or otherwise, of government and regulatory decisions codifying the biggest banks as infallible." Some 300 banks will fail this year, and Reuters said another 860 banks remains on its "troubled bank" list.

* ... GARCES POOL: The new competition swimming pool at Garces Memorial High School has now been filled with water and will officially open on January 7. The new facility has been named the Salvucci Aquatics Center and represents just the latest in a long line of capital improvements at the private Catholic school. Following the ribbon cutting, the pool will host the first swim practice of the year. The school has now set its sights on building eight tennis courts on campus.

 * ... DID YOU KNOW? Jack Kerouac, the Beat Generation writer and poet who influenced a generation with his novel "On the Road," stayed in Bakersfield at the old Padre Hotel several times during his cross country jaunts? Bakersfield is mentioned in "On the Road" and the late Spartacus Miller, the Padre's owner, told folks that Kerouac stayed at the Padre for several days at a time.

 * ... LOCAL LAD: Sometimes you are just born with good genes. And that seems to be the case with Jeffery Mulock, who at 24 seems to be on the verge of becoming the next great male model. A 2004 graduate of Liberty High School, Mulock was enrolled in college in San Diego when he was discovered by a fashion scout drawn to his rugged All American good looks. He has since adorned the cover of the Turkish fashion magazine 'Cosmoman," appeared in a BLK Jeans brochure and modeled in Germany and Greece in addition to Turkey. His parents are Roberta Pearce and Ellery Mulock.

 * ... BAKERSFIELDISM: You know  you're from  Bakersfield when "it's not unusual to see oil derricks adorned with Christmas lights."

The Padre Hotel's grand opening

 Faces in the crowd at the grand opening of the Padre Hotel in downtown Bakersfield, one of the city's iconic buildings. 

The Padre Hotel promises a red carpet grand opening and Mary K. Shell looks back at La Cresta Airfield

*  ... PADRE OPENING: Mark your calendars for Thursday, September 30, when the newly renovated Padre Hotel will celebrate its official grand opening. Owner Brett Miller is promising a red carpet gala that will long be remembered. He's selling 700 tickets at $125 each which gets you into the door and includes all food and drinks as well as a lot of extras like free photographs of yourself in front of iconic Padre images. There will be live entertainment and a "casino" night on the outdoor second floor restaurant lounge. A part of the proceeds from the event will go to benefit the new pediatrics care unit at Bakersfield Memorial Hospital. Call the Padre to reserve your tickets. There also are package deals if you want to make a night of it and stay at the hotel.

 * ... LA CRESTA AIRFIELD: Received a nice note from Mary K. Shell, one of our community's prominent citizens and our city's first woman mayor. She recalled the old La Cresta Airfield (not air park, she corrected me) up on Panorama Drive between Bakersfield College and Greenlawn Mortuary and Cemetery. "Right after World War II I worked at the Kern County Airport and in 1947 moved over to La Cresta Airfield on the bluffs. It was owned by Ralph Smith and partners, but managed by John G. 'Monte' Montijo, a former P-51 pilot who saw combat in the European Theater. Flight training was one of the opportunities under the GI bill so flight schools sprung up all over, including at La Cresta.... Almost all of the pilots for Atwood Crop Dusters, based at La Cresta, were veterans of WWII including Bill Jukes and Steve Straub who had flown for the Royal Canadian Air Force, as well as Jim French, a highly decorated Navy pilot. There was no control tower. You just used your eyes to land and take off when it was safe. One great advantage at La Cresta was when you took off toward the northwest you had an immediate increase in altitude as you flew over the bluffs. I was young and it was fun to work there."

* ... OLD MEMORIES: Does anyone out there remember a little cafe called the Belly Full? According to 85-year-old Betty Isaacs, the cafe was located at the southeast corner of California and Union avenues prior to the construction of the Bakersfield Inn. Betty's family owned a service station and grocery store and there was an apartment over the store where the family lived. There was also a blacksmith shop just east of the store on California where folks would bring their horses to be shod. She wonders if there is anyone left who remembers the place.

 * ... ENGAGEMENT: It was nice to run into old friend Ken Carter the other day, even if it was at the funeral of former Judge Joseph Noriega. Ken shared with me the happy news that he is getting married next month over on the coast. His fiance is Renee Cherie Redmond, who works as a marketing representative for Old Republic Home Warranty. Ken is the owner of Watson Realty Co. and is involved in many community activities, including the downtown Rotary Club. Ken's father, former Bakersfield resident Warren Carter, will officiate at the wedding on September 8.

 * ... LAW SCHOOL: David Partida, son of Armando Partida, just completed his first year at Columbia Law School and is on the staff of the Columbia Law Review. David graduated from Bakersfield Christian High School and then the University of Notre Dame. Thanks to Rick Isle of American National Insurance for alerting me to this high achieving youngster.

* ... WACKY WORLD: One of the nuttier areas of our community has to be downtown in the block between the Greyhound Bus terminal and the old Post Office. You've got the downtown homeless denizens with their mangy dogs on rope leashes, the lost souls who pace along the sidewalks having animated conversations with invisible partners, and the scary looking parolees in white tee shirts who get off the buses and blend into the community. Sometimes entertaining and sometimes alarming, but always there.

 * ... BAKERSFIELDISM: From reader Riley Parker: You know you're a Bakersfield old timer if "you ate apple pie at Tiny's for 35 cents and went to Saturday afternoon movies at the Tejon Theater for a nickel."