Bakersfield residents prepare for flooding when the snowpack melts, get ready to pay more for utilities in California and the daily struggle against crime and vagrancy for the owners of Pyrenees Cafe

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 BIG MELT: All eyes are on the snow capped Sierra Nevada, which holds enough water to easily flood parts of Bakersfield and Kern County depending on how hot it gets. Uncertain homeowners are rushing to buy flood insurance policies (they seem to range anywhere from $800 to $1,500 annually) as experts warn the rush of water could flood parts of Highway 178 in the canyon and other parts of

Bakersfield not protected by berms. How bad is it? The re-emerged Tulare Lake already covers from 100 to 140 square miles with an average depth of 3.5 feet of water. It all depends - say the experts - on if the weather warms too quickly, unleashing a torrent of water that the dams and riverbanks just can't handle. Some experts say it will be mid June when the heaviest surges strike. Stay tuned.

 * ... UTILITY BILLS: If you think your utility bills are high now, just wait. If California utility companies get their way, a new pricing structure will be implanted in which your rate depends on your income. In other words, if you are successful and own a business, you will pay substantially more than the working poor under this so-called "flat rate" plan. According to CalMatters three companies — Pacific Gas & Electric, Southern California Edison and San Diego Gas & Electric — submitted a proposal to the California Public Utilities Commission that includes an income-based pricing system for these fixed charges. According to KTLA 5, the monthly charge would vary between the companies, and range from:

 - Households with annual income from $28,000 – $69,000 would pay $20 a month in Edison territory, $34 a month in SDG&E territory and $30 a month in PG&E territory.

 - Households earning from $69,000 – $180,000 would pay $51 a month in Edison and PG&E territories and $73 a month in SDG&E territory.

 - Those with incomes above $180,000 would pay $85 a month in Edison territory, $128 a month in SDG&E territory and $92 a month in PG&E territory.

 

* ... PYRENEES: By any measure, Rod and Julie Crawford should be living the American dream. They have worked, saved, invested their money and played by the rules. And for a time, the co-owners of the iconic Pyrenees Cafe and Silver Fox Starlite Lounge seemed to be enjoying the ride. Their 2013 purchase, remodel and reopening of Pyrenees was a huge success and the Silver Fox has never been as busy as it is today. But all that was before the homeless crisis hit Bakersfield, and now the Crawfords feel alone and abandoned by City Hall. For the past five years, the Crawfords have been involved in almost a nightly battle with vandalism and break-ins that plague east Bakersfield and Old Town Kern. Consider the damage just recently: a secure door is ripped off its hinges and the cash register is stolen and ends up in a dumpster, the iconic Pyrenees neon sign is vandalized to the tune of $14,000 to repair and even the folks who come in overnight to clean the restaurant cannot do so without their own cars being vandalized. And it all happens every morning, almost like clockwork, between 3 a.m. and 4 a.m.  "If we only had a little (police) presence in the neighborhood," he said. "These animals have no fear of law since there isn’t any here. In the last three months they shot out my sign, shot through windows to destroy TVs, broke three windows, need a new door a new ceiling fan. Over $20,000 in damages." When asked if he had talked to his councilman, Andre Gonzales, Crawford replied with an emoji throwing up his hands in frustration.

 * ... OLD TOWN: The real question for the Crawfords and other Old Town businesses is this: is the city serious about combatting crime and creating a relatively safe place to do business, or is it a lost cause? Andrae Gonazles is the city councilman for Old Town Kern and despite his cheerleading - this is the guy who wants to spend millions on the pipe dream of restoring the old train depot, an admirable if fool hardy idea -  crime, vagrancy and homelessness remain out of control. And it leaves landlords like the Crawfords, and other owners of the iconic east Bakersfield businesses, wondering just who is serious about crime and who is more interested in press conferences and promises?

* ... MORE CRIME: And just to show you that crime does not discriminate, 1st District county Supervisor Phillip Peters has become a victim himself, posting this on Facebook: "Nothing like waking up in the morning to find your truck broken into and all of your tools gone. Too bad there wasn’t an extra conscience or work ethic in there so they could put them to good use…"

 * ... AND ON THE COAST: Bakersfield isn't the only place where we are all growing weary of homelessness and crime. Check out this sign that was temporarily placed on the northbound exit to Santa Barbara from Highway 101.

 * ... LIFE AS IT SHOULD BE: Take a drive through downtown Bakersfield on a Sunday morning and you will be treated to the true state of the homeless crisis. As the recent point in time count reminded us, the number of people on the streets has skyrocketed some 20 percent, and the amount of trash, debris and litter they leave on our streets seems without parallel.

 * ... BED BATH AND BEYOND: You can call it a day for Bed Bath and Beyond, the once wildly popular retailer that supplied everything from pots and pans to sheets and flatware for decades,. The company declared bankruptcy on Sunday and signaled it is closing all 360 locations, including its Stockdale Highway location.

 * ... MEMORIES: I just love these old pictures of the famous Blackboard Cafe. Here is a good one thanks to the Kern County History Fans.

 * ... MODERN ART: Some of the most striking citizen photography can be accessed via the "My Home is California" page on Facebook. Check out this shot from Sacramento posted by Rubī Nevarez.

A crazy week brings snow to the Valley floor, conspiracy theorists turn out to oppose the use of Dominion Voting Systems and a shootout in a quiet neighborhood shakes the confidence of downtown homeowners

 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.

 * ... DOMINION VOTE: The Board of Supervisors meeting turned into a donnybrook this week when the board approved a new three-year deal with Dominion Voting Systems on a 3-2 split vote. With Phil Peters and David Couch dissenting, Supervisors Jeff Flores, Leticia Perez and Zack Scrivner voted to

continue using Dominion systems to count the votes. Despite there being not an inkling of evidence that Dominion Systems have been compromised (they contain no modems or internet access to allow them to be compromised electronically) speaker after speaker appeared before the board to oppose Dominion, some refusing the leave the speaker dais and engaging in shouting matches. This is what happens when the business of running a county runs smack into wild conspiracy theories not connected to reality. Kudos for Scrivner, Flores and Perez for doing the right thing. (photo by The Bakersfield Californian)

 * ... DOWNTOWN CRIME: Poor Ward 2 doesn't seem to get any respect. The downtown district is already home to the lion's share of homeless and vagrants, city parks have become safe zones to inject drugs, the shadows of burned vacant buildings are now commonplace and crime runs rampant. But a gun battle in front of a downtown residence? Is that what it has come to? And yet that is exactly what happened around 7:30 p.m. last Thursday (Feb. 23) at a residence on the south side of Pine Street at 23rd Street. According to police, the homeowner (armed with a CCW and sidearm) pulled into this driveway to find three men breaking into his home. A shootout followed (that's right, bullets were flying) and one of the suspects was shot and the homeowner was apparently grazed by a bullet. (Two of the suspects are in custody, one at Kern Medical Center) If this is a random act of violence in a normally sleepy neighborhood, then we have a real crime problem that threatens the entire city. The real threat here, it seems to me, is the lack of political will to deal with a very tricky problem that requires more than press conferences and self congratulatory selfies. Where are the BPD foot patrols to protect businesses? Who is reaching out to the owners of vacant buildings? Where are the new city lights promised so long ago? The reaction among some downtown residents? Groups of women are arming themselves and taking gun safety classes to be prepared. And who blames them?

 *... SNOW STORM: Here are a few more random pictures of our recent snowstorm including a flooded Highway 99 near Pixley and some shots from Posey and Tehachapi,.Thanks to Peter Hunt for the shot of traffic backed up on Highway 58, Julie Malcomson Theriault and Michele Brown-Magyar for the use of their photos. The shot of the Hollywood sign was produced by an unknown photographer but the first shot, apparently taken by drone by local photographer Richard Joseph Forrester, is spectacular.

 * ... FRUGATTIS: The new location for Frugattis, that popular Italian restaurant that is now moving to new digs after a few decades at Coffee and Truxtun, gets a frosting of snow during the recent storm. The new location is located at Gosford Road and the Westside Parkway.

 * ... BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB: Congratulations to Ken Carter and Janice Meek for being recognized by the Boys and Girls Club of Kern County for their roles on the board of directors. The two were feted at the organization's “Open Doors & Open Hearts” event last weekend. Congratulations also to Robert Branton, who won the “Youth of the Year” award. Carter is the long time head of Watson Realty fFile photo of Ken Carter along with friends)

* ... CHRIS WILSON: Congratulations to Chris Wilson who was recently honored as Humanitarian of the Year 2022 by the Plank Foundation. Wilson is chairman of the Tigerfight Foundation, which raises money for a crippling childhood disease.

 * ... PYRENEES: The couple that owns Pyrenees Cafe are pushing what they believe is the cafe's secret: breakfast. Long known for its stiff drinks and Basque food, Pyrenees has a large and diverse breakfast menu that the Crawfords are promoting via this billboard near Costco. And the best news? Breakfast is served all day. Breakfast for dinner anyone?

* ... MEMORIES: Take a look down Chester Avenue in the old days and you can see that iconic Coca-Cola sign atop the Sill Building. This picture comes courtesy of the Kern County History Fans Facebook page. And lastly, the History Fans page did not disappoint again with this shot of an advertisement for beautiful new and old homes in Bakersfield.

The daily struggle of some businesses against crime and vagrancy, Pyrenees Cafe promotes its breakfast fare and catch up with the Greens and a place called Yoga Culture

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 WOES OF WARD 2: If you think it's tough running a business these days, try doing it downtown where homelessness, vagrancy, crime, graffiti and trash are among the costs of doing business. Is it better since the city has thrown millions into building homeless centers and and hiring contractors to pick up

trash and patrol the streets? Yes, but the sad truth is it is still a mess and no amount of lipstick can make it look better. Just ask the owners of Blue Oak Coffee Roasting downtown who have been broken into twice this week - back to back days. Or ask the residents downtown who call 911 when vagrants are pounding on doors at 3 a.m. only to be told no officer is available. Or try keeping up with the number of vacant buildings that have burned to the ground because of vagrants? The twin issues of crime and homelessness seem to be beyond our control, and yet Ward 2 City Councilman Andrae Gonzales continues to push the idea of pumping millions into the old Southern Pacific Depot on Baker Street, which unfortunately is near the Ground Zero of lost causes in Bakersfield. So is Andrae a visionary or just loose with someone else's money? Time will tell, and if a private investor wants to plow the money into the Depot, have at it. But let's stabilize life in Ward 2 before we dump tax dollars into a potential bad investment. Just take a look at the old Noriega's storefront to see how time can be cruel for businesses near Baker Street.

 * ... BREAKFAST IN BAKO: So where is the best breakfast in Bakersfield? The 24th Street Cafe? Arizona Cafe? Both terrific iconic businesses, but what about the Pyrenees Cafe, a place more well known for its stiff drinks, live music and classic Basque lunch and dinner entrees? Pyrenees owners Rod and Julie Crawford are rightfully proud of their breakfast menu and have taken to advertising it on billboards around town.

 * ... STRAY DOGS: This Facebook post from the Bakersfield SPCA says it all about this adorable pup seen here: "When will it ever end?? A Good Samaritan just brought in this little abandoned puppy they found out all alone. This is happening way too much all around town. The little girl is only about 4 weeks old. We have her now safely tucked away in her bed in the nursery where she will be taken care of for about another month before she is old enough to be put up for adoption. I know the City and County shelters see this daily as well. STOP the breeding, Spay/Neuter your pets!"

 * ... YOGA CULTURE: Some people are just born entrepreneurs, blessed with a vision of their community and surroundings that sees only possibilities. Two such creatures are Ryan and Natalie Green, publishers of a downtown magazine called Stroll, an affirmational look our town and the world that focuses on what is right in the world, not wrong. And now the Greens have announced they are working on their own yoga study on 18th Street called Yoga Culture. Stay tuned for the opening and what the Greens have in store next.

 * ... MEMORIES: And while we are speaking of the old depot, I turned to the Facebook group Kern County History Fans to find a marvelous old photo or two of the depot back in its heyday.

Bakersfield welcomes home the college kids who flock to Basque eateries, the pet explosion has forced the county to begin euthanizing puppies and a local cardiologist shares some sentiments for the holiday

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.

 

 * ... A NOTE FROM BRIJ: Dr. Brij Bhambi is many things: a world class cardiologist, owner of

Bakersfield Heart Hospital, runner, philanthropist and not to be forgotten, a grateful immigrant. From his vantage point as a successful immigrant and community pillar, his thoughts on our world and the politics of the day have always intrigued me. And his annual Thanksgiving message did not disappoint, reminding us all that Thanksgiving is "a 'carve out' when we take time away from complaints and live in the moment. It is a privileged day ... Let this day remind us that we can live the moment now, the moment next, and build a chain of moments that becomes a life of happiness. We can triumph over challenges and yet be happy." A chain of moments that becomes a life of happiness. Works for me.

 * ... HAPPY THANKSGIVING: If it's the Thanksgiving weekend in Bakersfield you can bet the restaurants, bars and pubs will be jammed with many of our grown children who return home for the holidays. It's one of the joys of the season, running into kids who now attend Cal Poly or Arizona or Texas Christian or UCLA. You can find them at their favorite haunts, places like Luigi's, Woolgrower's, Uricchio's, Pyrenees Cafe, Narducci's,  Dewar's or any other place that gives them a taste of home. 

 * ... BEST AIRPORTS: Now that we are in the holiday travel season it's time to look at newly released on-time ratings for airports. Given San Francisco's dismal reputation, it might surprise you that its airport ranked the best among larger airports and nearby Sacramento headed the list off midsize airports. According to the Wall Street Journal, the worst performing large airport was in Newark, N.J., and La Guardia in New York. San Francisco and Minneapolis have the highest domestic ticket rices in the country. Airports in Florida, which fared poorly in the survey because of congested airspace, had the best prices.

 * ... ELECTIONS: With almost all the votes counted we have some winners in some tight races. At the top of the ticket, Congressman David Valadao survived a challenge from Democrat Rudy Salas, holding onto his seat for another term. Valadao becomes the only member of Congress to vote for Trump's impeachment to return to office, and it was one of the most expensive congressional races in the nation. Some other notable races:

 a) Measure K, the sales tax increase on the county ballot, survived thanks to a well orchestrated and effective campaign by chief administrative officer Ryan Alsop, District Attorney Cynthia Zimmer and Sheriff Donny Youngblood. The fact that the tax passed is remarkable, given how conservative our county is, and it was pushed over the top by the traveling road show of Alsop/Zimmer and Youngblood, perhaps three of the most trusted public officials in the county.

 b) Jeff Flores will succeed Mike Maggard as 3rd District Supervisor, narrowly defeating retired highway patrolman Brian Smith. Interestingly, Smith admitted late in the race he was an election denier and one has to wonder, given how close the race was, if just enough voters were repelled by this that it tipped the race in Flores favor. Some believe Smith shot himself in the foot when running against a fellow conservative who did not fall in line with Trump's list.

c) Taft Dr. Jasmeet Bains had little trouble turning back Supervisor Leticia Perez for a seat in the State Assembly.

 * ... EUTHANIZING PETS: We have some terrible news to report concerning a recent spike in the number of dogs and cats - and puppies as well - that are being euthanized in Kern County because of the explosion of pets. During the pandemic, with people stuck at home, there was a rush on pet adoptions and Kern County came close to becoming a "no kill" shelter. But that was then, and today so many dogs and cats are being returned or simply let loose, that county animal control officials say they must resort to euthanizing puppies to keep up.

 * ... MORE CRIME: Narducci's has become the latest business to suffer from a wave of crime across the city. Over the weekend someone broke into the famous Basque bar and stole cash register machines and other items.

 * ... SOUND WALLS: Downtown residents who live south of 24th Street are getting sound walls at the end of their cue-de-sacs. The long promised walls, which will block some sound of rushing traffic while providing a better view, started going up this week and the work should be completed in a few weeks.

 * ... MEMORIES: Take a look at this picture, at the intersection of North Chester and Washington Avenue, back in the day. This photo is courtesy of the Kern County of Old Facebook page. The second photo comes from the same group and may be one of the best pictures of the old clock tower and the nearby Haberfelde Building.

We open the airways to talk about race in America, Jacquie Sullivan decides not to seek another term on the City Council, and Uricchio's Trattoria and Pyrenees Cafe get ready to reopen for table service

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.

 * ... RACE AND KERN COUNTY:  Michael Bowers remembers being questioned by police as a young man. Keith Wolaridge is seized by utter fear when he spots he is being followed by a police

car. Leticia Perez looks at birth rates, demographics and civic engagement and reminds us that Kern County's future will look far different than its past. And Sheriff Donny Youngblood pulls no punches in condemning the officers involved in the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. These are just a smattering of the comments made over two days when I hosted these four people for a conversation on race on The Richard Beene Show (KERN NewsTalk 96.1 FM). Check out these links to my conversations with Bowers and Wolaridge, and with Perez and Youngblood.

 * ... JACQUIE SULLIVAN: Jacquie Sullivan will not be seeking reelection, ending a long 25 career on the Bakersfield City Council. She becomes the second council person to say they won't seek a new term, joining Ward 1's Willie Rivera who made a similar announcement last week. It's been a while since two open seats appeared on the ballot, and it could dramatically alter the coalitions on the council. Meanwhile, fellow Councilman Bruce Freeman said he would seek another term.

 * ... STEVE TEGLIA: Breaking news here from Lois Henry, chief executive officer of SJVWATER.ORG, a non profit devoting to covering California Water issues: Steve Teglia, a long time Assistant City Manager of the City of Bakersfield, has formally taken over the reins of the Kern Delta Water District. He was appointed to the position to replace retiring Mark Mulkay on May 16 and officially took over on Monday, June 1. “This is a great move for Kern Delta and we expect Mr. Teglia to lead this district into the future,” Mulkay wrote in an email Tuesday. “I hope that the water community will accept Mr. Teglia and treat him with the patience and professionalism in which I have been for the past 27 years.” Mulkay will continue working for Kern Delta as its Water Resources Manager, according to the email.

 * ... PYRENEES: The iconic Pyrenees Cafe in old town Kern will be reopening this weekend, and you can bet its legions of fans will make it a "standing room only" event. Pyrenees owners Rod and Julie Crawford said they spent the past month doing improvements and making sure the restaurant meets health and safety guidelines.

 * ... URICCHIO'S TRATTORIA: Meanwhile, Uricchio's Trattoria will return to in-house dining next Tuesday, according to owner Claire Porter. Claire told me the dining room will hold a "soft opening" this weekend  to see how it goes in dining rooms with fewer tables and no seats at the bar. The new hours will have Uricchio's closed Sunday and Monday.

 * ... PROTESTS IN PICTURES: With my compliments to all the folks around town who captured these images, a sampling of the protests around town this past weekend.

 * ... MEMORIES: Pictures of wrecks on the old Grapevine connecting Bakersfield with Los Angeles in the years before Interstate 5 was built.