Bakersfield Observed: Rep. Kevin McCarthy

Showing posts with label Rep. Kevin McCarthy. Show all posts

Thursday, October 27, 2022

Kevin McCarthy squares off with Marissa Wood in a debate, Church Militant raps Brian Smith for being endorsed by the accused "homo predator" priest Craig Harrison and local business icon Dave Urner passes away

* ... MCCARTHY DEBATE: Did you catch the televised debate between Rep. Kevin McCarthy and Democratic challenger Marissa Wood? It was a doozy with Wood laying into McCarthy for his embrace of Donald Trump and McCarthy deftly deflecting the criticism. The debate won't change the outcome of the

election - smart money is on KMAC - but the point is it was held, both candidates showed up and viewers were entertained with a lively exchange of barbs. Say what you will about McCarthy but he did show up, took the insults and honored his commitment to the voters. And don't forget the folks at KGET and anchors Jim Scott and Alexan Balkian of Fresno who provided a public service by sponsoring the debate and asking the tough questions.

* ... CRAIG HARRISON: A national organization devoted to tracking and exposing priests accused of sexually molesting young men has criticized 3rd District supervisor candidate Brian Smith for his association with former monsignor Craig Harrison. In a video produced by the organization Church Militant, anchor Christine Niles leads the broadcast saying "a politician is happy to be endorsed by accused homo-predator priest" Craig Harrison. Smith, Niles said, had benefited from an event "hosted by notorious ex monsignor Craig Harrison" at Harrison's downtown Bakersfield home. Harrison left the church after it found he had been "credibly" accused by seven young male men. No charges have been filed because the statute of limitations has expired, and Harrison has been busy trying to rebuild his life as a spiritual guide of sorts. The video from Church Militant, which Harrison unsuccessfully sued for defamation, is a reminder that this case is not over and Harrison's critics in the abuse community are not likely to be silenced. Harrison faces multiple civil lawsuits from alleged victims which are all headed to trial.

* ... THE EXPERIMENT IS OVER: Remember when the city installed new diagonal parking on 18th Street and added the confusing requirement that people back into the spaces because it was apparently safer? While the city thought it was a swell idea, nobody else did. So now the city has left the diagonal parking in place but removed the objectionable requirement that people back into the space. Chalk this one up as yet another nutty idea sponsored by people who would be better served figuring out how to crack down on crime and vagrants.

* ... ARVIN BULLYING: The family of a special needs boy who was bullied at Arvin High School, videotaped as a group of boys cut his hair, has hired one of Bakersfield's premier plaintiff's lawyers to take his case. Daniel Rodriguez of Rodriguez and Associates said he is planning a lawsuit to hold responsible those who failed to protect the boy. "The bullying happened right under the nose, right in front of the security guard," Rodriguez said. "What excuse do they have?"

* ... RIP DAVE URNER: A man whose name is synonymous with Bakersfield business - Dave Urner - has passed away at the age of 92. It was Urner who helped position Urner's as the premier appliance store in town, a place where service came with a golden glove and the selection of washers, dryers, dish washers and refrigerators seemed endless. At one time, Urners held a chokehold on the local market and if you were in the market for an appliance, you inevitably ended up at Urner's. Urner was a 1948 graduate of Bakersfield High School and he worked for Urner’s for 70 years, serving as its president from 1980 to 2019. Services are set for 10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 12 at Hillcrest Memorial Cemetery.

* ... MEMORIES: A couple of old pictures, compliments of the Kern County History Fans, that speak to our collective past.

Tuesday, April 26, 2022

Critics attack Rep. Kevin McCarthy as a "liar" and a "traitor" for lying to protect former President Trump, researchers work to bring the Monarch butterfly back to Kern County and CSUB loses two ranking executives to other schools

* ... ON TRUTH, LIES AND AMERICAN POLITICS: So what is your take on Kevin McCarthy after he was caught lying about whether Donald Trump should resign after the Jan. 6 riots at the nation's

Capitol? Do you care? Does it mean anything in the grand scheme of things? Or perhaps are you one of those who believe "they all lie" so what's the big deal? Or, are you among those Americans who believe McCarthy has entered some type of Faustian pact with the devil to achieve power at any cost, proving himself a "liar" and a 'traitor" and so much worse. Dan Balz of The Washington Post believes the worse, and he penned a damning essay saying McCarthy had "demonstrated weakness, hypocrisy and a willingness to lie to save his skin," and that was one of the kinder things written about the Minority Leader from Bakersfield. McCarthy initially denounced reports that he considered asking Trump to resign as so much political noise from Democrats, but that was before two Post reporters produced audio tapes catching McCarthy in a brazen lie. "I think this (impeachment) will pass and it would be my recommendation you should resign," McCarthy is quoted as saying. So what does all this mean about the man known affectionately locally as KMAC? The criticism goes like this: McCarthy recognized Trump's role in the Jan. 6 riot and was ready to call for him to resign, but he quickly changed his story to appease Trump and Trump's supporters whose support he needs to be elected speaker of the House. And yet here's the hard truth in all this: in his quest to become Speaker, McCarthy has managed to alienate damn near everyone. While McCarthy remains popular with many rank and file Kern County Republicans, the Trump wing of the party is openly hostile to McCarthy, viewing him as an opportunistic player who can't be trusted. And no where is that truer than in his own district, where the Trump GOP base has been suspicious of McCarthy for years and doesn't hesitate to attack him on local talk radio or in letters to the editor. He's not conservative enough, they say. He's an opportunist who will say and do anything for power, they whisper, a RINO (Republican in name only) who proved he is no friend of Trump. And among more moderate Republican voters, many are openly disgusted with they way McCarthy has chosen to sell his soul just to become speaker. If you can't speak the truth about a riot at the Capitol, the ask, what does that reveal about your true character? But remember, this is politics and it is the year 2022 and we are midway through President Biden's term, so does a lie to protect Trump really matter with so much at stake? One thing remains true: there is no doubt McCarthy will be reelected and he will win many Republican votes even if they remain suspicious of him. As tarnished as he is, McCarthy will always be seen as the better alternative than a Democrat in Kern County. But let's not forget this: reputations take decades to build through trust, hard work and honesty, but they can be lost in an instant. The world of politics and entertainment are strewn with the fallen reputations of people who once could do no wrong. McCarthy will likely become the next Speaker of the House, but in doing so he just may lose part of who we thought he was.

* ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "Good morning to everyone—and especially to the person who recorded Kevin McCarthy!"

* ... MORE MCCARTHY ON TWITTER: "Missing: one moral compass containing truth, transparency and the ability to put your country before personal ambition. If found return to Kevin McCarthy at the House Minority Leader's office."

* ... MONARCH BUTTERFLY: One of nature's grand spectacles every year is the annual migration of the Monarch butterfly. No long ago the Monarchs would descend on Bakersfield by the thousands, but today researchers are worried all that may be coming to an end. Californian writer Steven Mayer took the subject on the other day and noted that the monarch population fell to some 2,000 in the year 2020, a drastic 99.9 percent decline from the 1980s. But today Mayer explains a ground of volunteers has been working the Panorama Vista Preserve and seven other riparian locations to try to save the monarch. Will it work? It's too early to tell. Why is the monarch population down? Mayer cited experts as saying it is due to loss of overwintering, breeding and migratory habitat, climate change, disease and insecticides.

* ... CSUB EXODUS: Cal State Bakersfield lost two important executives recently to other universities when chief fund raiser Victor Martin and Athletic Director Kenneth Siegfried announced they were leaving. Siegfried, who had spent the last decade at CSUB, is becoming Athletic Director of the University of Evansville, a small Division 1 private school in Indiana. Martin, vice president or development, leaves for a similar position at the University of the Puget Sound. Martin set fund raising records while at CSUB, raising some $60 million in support of students. “We’ve celebrated our largest fundraising totals as an institution in the last few years, and community and alumni engagement are at an all-time high,” Martin noted. “Above all, I’m most proud of the team that has been built in University Advancement and the strong engagement with the Foundation Board of Directors.”

* ... JEFF FLORES: The campaign to elect Jeff Flores to the District 3 seat on the Board of Supervisors got a boost last with a fund raiser at the home of local criminal defense attorney David Torres and his wife Angie. Flores is running against retired CHP officer Brian Parks and former homeless executive Louis Gill. Among those present were Jimmy Tamsi of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Michael Bowers of Centric Health, heart Dr. Jeet Singh, para-legal Sylvia Mendez, Dee Slade, Mayor Karen Goh, water attorney Alex Dominguez and others. The winner of the contest will succeed Mike Maggard, who is retiring.

* ... MEMORIES: From the Kern County of Old Facebook comes this nugget of the old Clerou Tire Company, location possibly 21st and Kern street in 1963.

* ... MORE MEMORIES: This photo of a bar in Caliente, California, was posted on the American Saloons, Bars and Restaurants Facebook page. The caption: "A Sad Day Indeed When The Saloon in Caliente, California Wad Destroyed By Fire In 1910 "

Wednesday, October 20, 2021

Former homeless shelter director Louis Gill challenges Rep. Kevin McCarthy, Democrat Rudy Salas takes aim at Rep. David Valadao, a big gift for the CSUB wrestling program and CBD retail pioneer Ted Sisco dies

* ... RIP COLIN POWELL: We lost Gen. Colin Powell this week, but he leaves behind a legacy of leadership and wisdom. Powell had been suffering from cancer and Parkinson's when he contracted

COVID-19 (he was vaccinated but remained in a high risk group) and died. He was 84. Powell left the nation a lot in his writings, and one of his most powerful were his 13 lessons of leadership. Here they are:

* ... LOUIS GILL: Former non-profit leader Louis Gill is challenging Rep. Kevin McCarthy in the 23rd Congressional District, but are voters ready to send McCarthy packing just as he may be ready to become House Speaker, assuming the Republicans win the House back? Gill spent 21 years with Bethany Services, serving as head of the homeless shelter and the Alliance Against Family Violence. In announcing he faulted McCarthy for focusing on his own political ambition at the expense of the district. Gill will run as a Democrat and will join two others - actor Bruno Amato and teacher Marisa Wood - in the campaign. While anyone challenging McCarthy may seem like a long shot, Democrats believe this time is different. Here is why this is important: McCarthy has enjoyed overwhelming support for reelection over the years, but he did so while positioning himself as something of a moderate in the mold of his mentor and predecessor, Bill Thomas. But the Trump presidency, and specifically McCarthy's loyalty to Trump, as well as McCarthy's wishy-washy response to the Jan. 6 Capitol riots, has cost McCarthy support among moderate Republican business owners and voters. And McCarthy also is widely distrusted by the conservative fringe of his own party, where he is viewed as a Trump conservative out of convenience, not conviction. Has McCarthy lost enough local support to allow someone like Louis Gill to slip through? It's doubtful, but only time will tell. Gill will also have to go up against McCarthy's ability to build a sizable war chest, not insurmountable but tricky to say the least. It's game on. Stay tuned.

* ... RUDY SALAS: Meanwhile the Democrats also took aim at the 21st Congressional District where Rep. David Valadao is seen as vulnerable. Assemblyman Rudy Salas has announced he is running against the Republican Valadao, and he made the announcement surrounded by some Kern County Democratic power brokers, including Supervisor Leticia Perez and civil rights advocates ate Dolores Huerta. Already announced as a candidate on the Democratic side was former Assembly person Nicole Parra, a once formidable leader and opponent who appears to be getting marginalized by her own fellow Democrats. (file photos of Valadao, Parra and Salas)

* ... TED SISCO: It was distressing to learn of the passing of Ted Sisco, one of the retailing pioneers of the CBD industry in Kern County. Sisco died under unknown circumstances and services are pending. He was just 52 years old. This note was posted by employers of his CBD Shoppe on F Street: "It is with great sadness that we have to inform you all of the loss of our owner, Ted Sisco. He was not just our boss. He was a mentor, a leader, and most of all our friend. He cared for all of us employees like family and he truly cared for the well-being of our customers. We thank you all for the shares, phone calls, and prayers. We also ask to please respect his family's privacy during this difficult time. We will continue to stay open for the time being and will give updates on any changes."

* ... CSUB WRESTING: The CSUB wrestling program may have an enviable record in competition, but the program has struggled to survive through the years thanks to the efforts of volunteers and the Coyote Club. And now one of wrestling's biggest supporters has stepped forward with a big gift to keep the program going. The Tobin family (Craig Tobin represented CSUB on the team when it won a national title) is donating $125,000 to establish the Tobin Wrestling Scholarship at CSUB. It will be paid out over five years. Craig Tobin, a 1979 alumnus, said the focus of the new scholarship is to bring more students into CSUB’s wrestling program and support them in their academic and athletic pursuits. There are currently 30 student-athletes in the program, according to the university. “We want to give back a little bit,” he said. “This is a strong program that CSUB has. There’s a lot of good, hard-working kids out there. All they need is a chance.” (historic picture of CSUB wrestlers provided by CSUB)

* ... MEMORIES: Every wonder where the lines for the old trolleys ran in East Bakersfield? Well this old map from the Kern County of Old website answers some of those queries.

Sunday, January 31, 2021

A new Lincoln Project ad labels Rep. Kevin McCarthy a "traitor," freshman Georgia Rep. Majorie Taylor Greene gives the GOP more reasons to worry and the recall petition against Gov. Gavin Newsom picks up steam

* ...KEVIN MCCARTHY: It's hard to imagine things getting much worse for Rep. Kevin McCarthy. A new Lincoln Project advertisement brands McCarthy a "traitor," he has been criticized and denounced by The Washington Post and The New York Times and now he finds himself defending the indefensible: a member of his own caucus, Georgia Rep. Majorie Taylor Greene, who is so extreme in her conspiracy theories that members of her own party have turned on her. McCarthy is under immense pressure to

denounce Greene, but so far he has yet to do so and in fact appointed the freshman lawmaker to an important committee. (Among other wacky theories, Greene has claimed the shooting at Parkland High School in Florida was a plot by liberals to rally support for gun control).To many, Greene is to the right what Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is to the left: an extreme voice that does great harm the message of their own party. The latest Lincoln Project ad puts McCarthy squarely in the crosshairs, labeling him an unrepentant traitor who has put him own ambition and loyalty to Donald Trump over what is best for his country. All this must be odd for McCarthy, who since his first election to Congress in 2006 has enjoyed tremendous support both at home and in the halls of Congress. But his relationship with Trump and his refusal to deal harshly with Greene has led to nightly criticism on CNN, MSNBS and even CBS and put McCarthy in the unsettling position of being viewed as a right-wing seditionist who will stop at nothing to gain power.

* ... KMAC BACK HOME: Meanwhile back home McCarthy remains popular in his 23rd Congressional District, but even in conservative Kern County there are signs his lock on the district may be eroding. Message boards routinely take him to task and denounce his relationship with Trump and speculation is rife with reports that a well heeled Democratic challenger could emerge to give McCarthy a serious run for his money. The latest name being promoted by local Democrats: well connected criminal defense lawyer David Torres who checks all the boxes: Army veteran, active in Democratic circles, Hispanic and a respected well known name that would be capable of raising money for a challenge. Torres told me he has been approached before to run against McCarthy and has not yet decided what to do.

* ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "I’m depressed, but not 'finding out that five attorneys on my impeachment defense team have quit on me' depressed."

* ... RECALL NEWSOM: Another California politicians in the crosshairs is Gov. Gavin Newsom, who is facing a recall petition that has picked up steam with voters unhappy with the way he is handling the coronavirus. The recall effort has already collected a million signatures and has two months more to get 500,000 more to qualify of the ballot. "Things are going to hell here," said one Bakersfield attorney. "The

EDD audit, taxes and the way he has handled the coronavirus is a mess." Newsom's approval rating remains at a healthy 58 percent, according to the Public Policy Institute of California, so it's an open question whether there's enough mainstream support to kick out the governor.

* ... MEMORIES: You just have to love this picture of the east side of Chester Avenue north of 23rd Street around 1920. Courtesy of Richard Young and the source is the BAKERSFIELD and KERN PICTURE ALBUM by Don Pipkin and Chris Brewer.

Thursday, December 10, 2020

New survey shows 58 percent of Californians approve of Gov. Newsom but 26 percent are thinking of leaving the state, Rep. Kevin McCarthy celebrates GOP gains in the House and some really bad form about town

* ... GAVIN NEWSOM: Despite being wildly unpopular in some parts of the state, Gov. Gavin Newsom still enjoys a 58 percent approval rating from Californians when asked how he is handling the crisis. That is according to a new survey from the Public Policy Institute of California that showed Newsom's

approval rating holding steady. With that said, the non-profit investigatory organization CalMatters said the governor is approaching an inflection point, "and how he handles it will determine a lot about his political future." Next month Newsom will near the mid-way point in his first time and he is already facing an expected challenger for reelection in outgoing San Diego Mayor Kevin Falconer, a Republican. The PPC survey also revealed that:

* 26 percent of Californians are thinking of moving out of the state

* 26 percent worry about the high cost of housing here

* 45 percent don't think the American dream holds true anymore

* And 63 percent think their children will be worse off financially than their parents

* ... OUCH! Rep. Kevin McCarthy had a little fun on social media this week when he posted a few pictures from Congress, specifically showing a group of Democrats who lost their House seats and another one showing the group of Republicans (there were none of them) who lost their House seats in the last election. Said McCarthy: "The first photo is of Leader Hoyer with all the Democrats who lost their re-election. The second is a group photo of me with all the House Republicans who lost this year."

* ... SPOTTED ON FACEBOOK: Some morning humor from my friend Dick Taylor: "The next time your wife gets angry, drape a towel over her shoulders, (like a cape) and say, 'now you’re Super Angry!'

Maybe she’ll laugh. Or maybe you’ll die."

* ... FATHER CRAIG: The legal fight between the Diocese of Fresno and Monsignor Craig Harrison has entered a dangerous new phase. Harrison's legal team held a press conference this week in which they rejected calls by the Diocese for Harrison to drop his lawsuit against the church. Harrison sued the Diocese claiming it had defamed him, and the church responded by demanding that Harrison drop the suit or it would resort to disciplinary action. Kyle Humphrey, one of Harrison's attorneys, said he expected the Diocese to retaliate but added Harrison would not drop the suit. Humphrey conceded Harrison would likely never return to St. Francis of Assisi Church and accused the Diocese of mistreating the monsignor and denying him his right to due process in court. Among other things, the Diocese had demanded that Harrison stop engaging in any behavior that could confuse people into thinking he was an active priest with the Catholic Church.

* ... BAD FORM: Here is a familiar sight: someone using our community as their private dumping ground. Jeff Flores spotted this and had this to say: "Some class act thinks that it’s acceptable to dump a queen mattress across from Williams Elementary on the median at Niles. Reporting this to City of Bakersfield roads department right now."

* ... MORE BAD FORM: And then there was this scene at Truxtun and Oak this week, caught by retired energy executive Viet Truong.

* ... MEMORIES: This is a wonderful old picture of the Bank of Italy building that stood on H Street next to the Padre Hotel. My thanks to the Facebook page Kern County History Fans for sharing this.

Sunday, August 2, 2020

Bakersfield real estate market is on fire, reflecting a national trend, Stephon Carter returns home to coach the Centennial High men's squad and another local favorite son - Thomas Benham - also returns home.

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.

* ... REAL ESTATE: There is no doubt that our local real estate market is healthy. So healthy, in fact, that sellers are receiving multiple offers and many times well over the asking price. Apparently, according to The New York Times, that is part of a national trend that is seeing sales of homes in the suburbs and mid-size cities taking off. The Times said real home prices, adjusted for inflation, rose 45 percent from February 2010 through May 2020, but experts are warning nothing lasts forever. "It

would be easy to assume that the boom times for housing will go on forever, but that would require ignoring the disaster that led to the most recent great financial crisis, a little more than a decade ago," the paper said. Locally, people like Ronda Newport (president of the Bakersfield Association of Realtors) notes that mortgage rates remain near all-time lows and that Bakersfield is starting to see folks from other areas move here to work remotely while getting more house for their buck.

* ... THOMAS BENHAM: And speaking of those who see the bargain that Bakersfield is, it was heartening to read Herb Benham's column in the Sunday Californian indicating that his youngest son - Thomas - and his fiancé were moving back to Bakersfield. A world-class chef who attended Cal-Berkeley, Thomas is bringing Alicia, his east-coast born fiancé, with him and they are negotiating to buy a home downtown. Now tell me where two young kids could afford to buy a home other than here? This is the kind of happy ending story we all need for a Sunday.

* ... STEPHON CARTER: Stephon Carter, the former Garces and CSUB basketball player who wooed crowds with this athleticism, has been named the head coach of the Centennial High School men's squad. Carter led Garces to three consecutive CIF Central Section titles (2007-2009) before continuing at CSUB where he ended his collegiate career as the program's all-time leading scorer. He played semi-professional basketball in Spain, Mexico and Canada for six years.

* ... MORE STEPHON: If you want to hear Stephon Carter's story, tune into KERN NewsTalk 96.1 FM Tuesday at 2:30 p.m. when I will interview him on The Richard Beene Show.

* ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "My son is wearing a MAGA cap and a Vote Trump 2020 button. He’s been spat on, punched and verbally abused. I hate to think what will happen when he leaves the house."

* ... HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Happy birthday to Megan McCarthy, daughter of Judy McCarthy and Congressman Kevin McCarthy. The young lady, who grew up a political child with rare access to national politics, turned 24 years old.

* ... MEMORIES: Take a look of this old building on 34th Street that I spotted on the Kern County History Fans Facebook page.

Sunday, August 11, 2019

Marie Callender's closes, Fatburger comes to town, more frustration over our homeless crisis and Rep. Kevin McCarthy takes a trip to Israel to boost ties

Monday August 12, 2019

Welcome to Bakersfield Observed. Our mission is to celebrate life in Kern County by focusing on newsmakers and events and the local characters who make this community such a special place. Send news items to rsbeene@yahoo.com.

* ... RIP MARIE CALLENDERS: The local Marie Callender's on California Avenue is closing, the latest in a string of "legacy" eateries that has gone out of business. The company is in bankruptcy and we

learned last week that Marie Callender's, known for its holiday pies, would not make it. Meanwhile next door the old Mimi's Cafe has been demolished to make room for a Raising Cane's fried chicken franchise. And so it goes.

* ... FATBURGER: Meanwhile Los Angeles-based Fatburger will open its first Bakersfield location on Sept. 4 at the corner of Oswell and Bernard. The chain announced last year that it was coming north and its legions of fans have been eagerly awaiting its opening.

* ... HOMELESS: More rantings on Facebook about our vagrant problem: "Today I experienced an incident downtown that left me sad, disappointed and dismayed. Not as scary as Kyle’s but still a citizen in need. We were working an estate sale at 18th and Myrtle and about 2:30 p.m. I noticed a nicely dressed young woman that appeared to be passed out on the grass right at the NE corner of Jastro Park bear the curb. It didn’t look right so my co-worker and I went to assist. She was unresponsive to verbal communication and shaking her arm. She did have a pulse so I called 911 as my partner kept working with her. I thought Fire Department or Hall’s would be there any minute to check her vitals and make sure she okay. Not the case. Twenty minutes later nothing and I ended up flagging down a BPD cruiser for help. My gut feeling is that 911 blew it off and didn’t send it out to our emergency responders. Luckily she woke up/came to and we were able to talk with her. It appeared to us she may have suffered some heat stress and passed out. Our society has become so numb to people sleeping all over that we have forgotten how to care for those truly in need. It ended for us giving her water and money for a bus ride home. That lack of response by those who are supposed to be helping us blew my mind and put me in a funk for the rest of the day."

* ... MORE HOMELESS: And then there was this, accompanied by a short video: "This is slightly graphic. When I pulled up this lady was masturbating nude in a ride’um cowboy pose and urinating at the same time while screaming rape in a bloodcurdling scream behind the Rite-Aid next to the GET bus station. Then she continued to punch herself in the face. After she was done she walked over to the bus station and proceeded to smoke crack. If I could post the graphic videos that I’ve taken downtown on the streets, I would be kicked off of Facebook. This is not homelessness out of need, this is craziness because of drugs."

* ... ISRAEL: House minority leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy is in Israel for a fact finding tour, an important statement as some freshmen Democrats express concern about the long friendly relations between the United States and Israel. Enjoy these pictures from his trip.

* ... MEMORIES: And how about this picture of Memorial Hospital in its early days, compliments of Art Moore and the Kern County History Fans Facebook page: