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.

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.

A compassionate and empathetic nation comes together on Easter, a local convenience store to give away gas to doctors and nurses, and Pyrenees Cafe closes to wait out the pandemic

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.

 * ... EASTER AND THE VIRUS: Easter could not have come at a better time, a full month into the nation's lockdown. At a time of sacrifice and illness and death, Easter brings us hope and a sense of context that suffering is universal, just as is hope. One of my favorite essayists, former Reagan speech writer Peggy Noonan, wrote in the Wall Street Journal that this crisis has brought out the best in us, if only we look for it. Wrote Noonan: "As a nation we've learned that as a corporate entity of

330 million diverse souls we could quickly absorb, adapt and adjust to widespread disruption. I'm not sure we knew that. Crazy cowboy nation cooperated with the authorities. America has comported itself as exactly what you thought it was or hoped it was but weren't sure: compassionate, empathetic, committed, hard-working, creative and, as a friend said, funny as hell. Under great and immediate stress there's been broad peacefulness and civility. So far we done ourselves proud."

 * ... GRATEFUL: Rami Batikh is the gregarious, no nonsense owner of the Ramco Express gas station at the corner of 23rd and F streets downtown. He knows most of his regulars by name, is diligent about shooing away the homeless to keep his customers safe, and always greets you with a smile. To show his appreciation for our first responders, Batikh is offering free gas to hospital doctors and nurses two days this week. "I will have someone outside in gloves so they don't have to get out of their cars," he told me. "I am just so grateful for all they do." To qualify just show the attendant a valid ID and enjoy some gas compliments of Rami.

 * .., PYRENEES: Rod and Julie Crawford are owners of the iconic Pyrenees Cafe, and when the virus hit, they pledged to to it the old way: stay open, endure, remain focused on the customer and live up to the proud history of the old saloon and eatery adjacent to the railroad tracks in historic east Kern. For a while it worked. Then the orders came to shut its doors, and that was followed by a brisk take-out service welcomed by its legions of fans. In the end, it was just too much, and Pyrenees will shut down until the pandemic passes. On Facebook, Rod shared this: "Julie and I would like to thank everyone who came to support our family at Pyrenees Cafe, it means the world to us. After crunching the numbers and working with a shoe string staff we have been forced to make a decision that we are not happy with but I hope you will understand. We have decided that we have no choice but to close the doors until this Covid - 19 thing is over. We have had regular customers come every single day and have had the opportunity to meet so many new faces that never even knew Old Town Kern existed until this unfortunate event happened. Since this has happened we have been using the time to remodel and get things done in the restaurant and bar, new seats and booths in the dinning room, fresh paint ... Please accept our deepest apologies for closing the doors, but to reopen, this is something we must do so all our family has a home to come back to and we mean all of you. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU. Sincerely Julie and Rod and the staff."

 * ... AUTHOR AUTHOR! Jeremy Adams, longtime history and political science teacher at Bakersfield High School, has authored a book that has hit the market. Called "Riding the Wave," the book is available on Amazon and offers Adams' views on teaching, relationships and how professional teachers and repurpose their classroom strategies. Said Amazon: "Deftly navigate the constant cycles of change and reform with the support of this actionable resource. Author Jeremy S. Adams identifies five key teacher relationships--the self, students, colleagues, administrators, and the community--and outlines how change impacts each. Discover concrete strategies for not only strengthening these relationships but also rediscovering professional purpose and truly thriving in the classroom."

 * ... LOW ACHIEVERS: Are we really one of the worst counties in the nation when it comes to social distancing? That's what a new website says based on "app partners" that record how well we are doing keeping a safe distance from one another. Our grade? According to UNACAST we have inched up to a "C" grade after previously earning an "F" and then a "D." A week ago, UNACAST rate nine counties in California, Kern being one of them, an "F" grade.

 * ... THE BEST, AND WORST, OF US: The pandemic and accompanying lockdown has brought the best, and worst, out of some people. As evidence check out these photos, the first one shot by Peter Wolleson in Seven Oaksand the second by Lois Henry.

* ... GAS ENVY: Check out this photo of a gas station in New Orleans. No commentary necessary.

 * .... MEMORIES: Courtesy of the Facebook page Kern County History Fans, check out this picture of Union and 21st Street in the 1940s and how it looks today.

CBD oil picks up a fan in Kyle Carter, turmoil over at Clinica Sierra Vista under a new CEO and Father Craig Harrison heads to Italy for a sabbatical

Friday/Memorial Day Weekend May 25, 2018

Welcome to Bakersfield Observed, now online only. Our mission is to celebrate life in Kern County by focusing on newsmakers and events and the local characters who make this such a special place. Email your news and notes to rsbeene@yahoo.com. 

 * ... CBD OIL: You know the world is changing when someone like former home builder Kyle

Carter, a staunch conservative who rarely drinks, comes out in favor of CBD oil, the non-intoxicating marijuana extract that is being credited with helping treat a host of medical problems -- everything from epileptic seizures to anxiety to inflammation to sleeplessness. Carter, who lost to Karen Goh in the last mayoral election, told me a friend turned him onto CBD oil to help him deal with pain and other issues associated with five surgeries for scoliosis. "They put two drops under my tongue" and it helped alleviate his pain, he said. Cannabidiol is extracted from the flowers and buds of marijuana or hemp plants. It does not produce intoxication. Instead, marijuana's "high" is caused by the chemical tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).

 * ... CLINICA: So what is happening over at Clinica Sierra Vista? The once proud health organization, built by now retired CEO Steve Schilling, has been in turmoil since Schilling retired and was replaced by new CEO Brian Harris. I am told Harris came in with a swagger, telling a group of managers a week into the job that there was "a new sheriff in town" and to expect changes, and that a number of key employees have been unceremoniously fired. "He is dismantling everything Steve built" is how one former employee put it. So is this a simple matter of a new CEO mixing things up and facing a "deep state" of employees loyal to the previous boss, or is Harris the proverbial sharp elbowed bull in a china shop eager to put his own stamp on the organization? Stay tuned. (file photo of Brian Harris)

* ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "How many consecutive weeks do you have to miss church to requalify for visitor parking?

 * ... SPOTTED ON FACEBOOK: "It doesn’t matter if the glass is half full or half empty… it’s clearly almost time to order another drink."

* ... FATHER CRAIG: Monsignor Craig Harrison is headed to Italy for his annual trip, but this time it is not for a week or two, but for three months. Harrison told me this three-month trip recognizes a well deserved sabbatical after 30 years in the priesthood. While there, he hopes to meet with Pope Francis, preside over a wedding of a couple from Bakersfield and meet with friends touring Italy.

 * ... CRIME WAVE: If recent events are any indication of things to come, it will be long summer of crime here in Bakersfield. Oleander has been hit with a long string of car break-ins and windows smashed, with one street seeing five cars hit in one night. Meanwhile over in Seven Oaks, a rash of home burglaries near the Ronald Reagan School has homeowners on edge. And if you really want to be frightened, go to Turnto23.com and check out the video of two teenagers trying to kick in the door of a home near Stockdale and Old River Road, in broad daylight.

 * ... TACOS: Check out these tacos offered at the Silver Fox Starlite Lounge on Taco Tuesdays. The iconic lounge, restored and reopened by Pyrenees Cafe owners Rod and Julie Crawford, has been enjoying a gangbusters business since reopening.

 * ... RIDGE ROUTE: Here's a great picture of part of the old Ridge Route on a bad stretch of road call "Deadman's Curve" as seen along the southbound later of I-5 about two miles below Lebec. Photo courtesy of the Bakersfield Memories Facebook page.

 * ... BEST BETS: Check out Los Angeles Americana singer Chelsea Williams Friday night at Temblor Brewing. Showtime is 7 p.m. Then make reservations to hear the Birds of Chicago June 8 at the Bakersfield Museum of Art. Both great shows featuring rising artists.

Emilio Huerta is eyeing a new Latino district on the Board of Supervisors, the battle for the iconic Silver Fox neon sign and a new radio show will honor our local veterans

Friday, March 16, 2018

Welcome to Bakersfield Observed, now online only. Our mission is to celebrate life in Kern County by focusing on newsmakers and events and the local characters who make this such a special place. We value your feedback. Email your news and notes to rsbeene@yahoo.com.

* ... HUERTA: What was really behind the decision by Emlio Huerta to drop out of the race

challenging Rep. David Valadao? Was it really to concentrate on recruiting more Democratic candidates as Huerta told the press? Or simply an acknowledgment by Huerta that he could not unseat the Hanford Republican? Could be, but consider this theory: Huerta realized he could not beat Valadao and his now lining up to run for a seat on the Kern County Board of Supervisors once the district lines are redrawn per a federal court order. This much is certain: there will be a second "safe" district for Latinos once the redistricting is complete, likely in time for the November elections. And once those district lines are clear, expect the son of Dolores Huerta to throw his hat into the ring.

 * ... SILVER FOX: Let's hope Rod and Julie Crawford succeed into their effort to get the old neon Silver Fox sign back on the roof of their bar, the iconic Silver Fox Starlite Lounge across from Mexicali on 18th Street. The sign was donated to the Kern County Museum before the bar was sold to the Crawfords, and now they'd like it back. Said Rod: "Drive down 18th street at night and imagine how that neon sign would look lit," he said. I agree, and with the rapid improvements to what I call the 18th Street Corridor, it would behoove the museum to return the sign to its original place. Think about all the classic neon signs around town, and how they add to the character of our town.

* ... MEDICARE SCAM: If you are on Medicare, you likely have heard that the government will soon issue new Medicare cards with new identification numbers to replace your Social Security number. It's all about privacy and making sure your Social Security number does not fall into the wrong hands. That's all good news, but with every change in Medicare you can depend on the scammers to be one step behind. Here is one scam going around town: someone calls you from "Medicare" and tells you that you need a temporary card for a small fee. They want all your personal information, bank and credit card numbers, so they can process your temporary card. The truth: Medicare would never call you and it does all communications by mail. Do yourself a favor and ignore these scammers.

 * ... SPOTTED ON FACEBOOK: "Don't tell me you miss me. Tell me you are outside with tacos."

 * ... KERN VETS: We live in a community that honors its veterans, and for the first time ever we will now have a radio show devoted to honoring the service of our local vets. Chad Garcia, who spent 13 years in the Army as an airborne infantryman, will host "KERN Vets" starting this Saturday on KERN NewsTalk 96.1 FM. The show will run every Saturday from 4 p.m. until 6 p.m. His first guest will be a veteran of the battle of Iwo Jima in World War II.

* ... MEMORIES: Check out this picture of the old fire station #1 at the southeast corner of 20th and K streets around 1935. The structure was demolished around 1939 when the new fire station #1 was completed at 21st and H streets.

Cafe Smitten and the renovated Silver Fox Starlite Lounge open on 18th Street, Cathy Butler retires from the Downtown Business Association and remembering when Truman's whistle stop tour came to Bakersfield

* ... CAFE SMITTEN: The downtown area is getting an upscale new coffee and pastry house east of Chester on 18th Street. It is called Cafe Smitten and it is run by the daughter of Ward 4 City

Councilman Bob Smith and her husband, Stasie and Shai Bitton. Not coincidentally, Smith is a principal investor in the 17th Place Luxury Townhomes just a couple blocks away. Cafe Smitten opens on Monday. Meanwhile, down the street we are about a month away from the opening of Qwikcafe, the new venture by Sequoia Sandwich Co. that will feature a full array of "to go" sandwiches and salads.

 * ... STARLITE LOUNGE: Meanwhile a bit farther east on 18th Street the Silver Fox Starlite Lounge opens Friday after an extensive remodel and facelift by new owners Rod and Julie Crawford, who also own the popular Pyrenees Cafe in east Bakersfield. Both the Starlite and Cafe Smitten are important chapters in the renaissance of the 18th Street corridor.

 * ... CATHY BUTLER: Congratulations to Cathy Butler who recently retired as president of the Downtown Business Association after more than 40 years. Butler was a tireless advocate for downtown, but the passage of time has rendered the DBA as something of a nostalgic relic of the past. Whatever largely ceremonial work the DBA is now engaged in could likely be performed by a committee at the Greater Bakersfield Chamber of Commerce, at a fraction of the cost.

* ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "Don't be surprised when your tax refund arrives as store credit toward the purchase of Ivanka's Spring line of fashions."

 * ... MEMORIES: How about this memory from east Kern's Bill Deaver? "About your item on president Harry Truman visiting Kern County during his 'whistle-stop' tour in 1948. My brother Mike (later deputy chief of staff under President Ronald Reagan) and I were attending Mojave Elementary School and walked to the Standard Pacific station in Mojave to see Mr. Truman. He walked onto the back platform of the heavily-armored Ferdinand Magellan, the presidential car. About that time one of the new jet fighters from Muroc Army Air Base flew over and Margaret Truman ran onto the platform to see it and almost knocked her dad down, to the great entertainment of the large crowd. Fast-forward to 1984 and guess who was riding in that car as a top aide to President Ronald Reagan during another presidential campaign? That kid from Mojave, Michael K. Deaver! One of those “only in America” moments!"

  * ... MORE TRUMAN: Jim D. Smith also remembers the whistle stop tour of Harry Truman. "As an 11-year-old I was on the Beardsley School playground as the train slowly rolled into Bakersfield, powered by a steam engine and pulling a caboose. Teachers had us all outside, knowing the train was due to pass by. "    

 * .... BAKERSFIELDISM: According to Ronal Reynier, you may be a Bakersfield old-timer if you remember two of Bakersfield's auto thrill rides: "the 'Seven Sisters' outside of Oildale and when the road down the Bluff's was two-lane. I think almost everyone when they got a car had to try the Seven Sisters. There were other places outside the city were you could 'fly' with four wheels up but they were a lot further out then the Sisters. A trip in the spring on Round Mountain Road to South Granite Road can be quite interesting at times. At times you can still see pieces of cars at the bottom of 100 foot gullies who did not make the complete trip. It gets interesting when oil trucks are coming at you 50 mph and you think your 25 mph is too fast."