Steve Schilling given a proper sendoff as he heads to retirement, the Wounded Heroes Fund puts on a comedy jam and Rod and Julie Crawford survive the nuclear scare in Hawaii

Monday, January 15, 2018

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 such a special place. We value your feedback. Email your news and notes (good form, bad form, kids doing well, anniversaries, observations) to rsbeene@yahoo.com.


 * ... OLD GUARD: There was a big send off for Steve Schilling as the outgoing CEO of Clinica Sierra Vista last week, and it many ways it showcased the changing of the guard in Kern County.

Schilling spent more than 40 years building Clinica into one of the largest providers of healthcare in the West, and over that time he moved adroitly on the political right and left to get what he needed to provide basic health care for the underserved. Among those I spotted at a reception at the downtown Women's Club were former Congressman Bill Thomas, former state senator and supervisor Roy Ashburn, Supervisor Mike Maggard, Mayor Karen Goh, Ben Stinson III, cardiologist Dr. Brij Bhambi, attorney Matt Clark and Schilling's replacement, new Clinica CEO Brian Harris. At one time Schilling, Thomas and Ashburn were at the center of political power in Bakersfield, and it was curious to see them back together for perhaps one of the last times.

 * ... TBC TROIKA: And speaking of the old guard, it was also curious to see so many former Bakersfield Californian big wigs at the reception, all of whom have since left TBC to strike out on their own. (Full disclosure: I too am a former TBC employee). The exodus from our local newspaper of top talent in the past year has been stunning, and it was on full display at the Schilling reception. Among those I spotted were former lifestyles editor Jennifer Self, now a director of advocacy for Clinica, former city editor Christine Bedell, now an alumni affairs director at CSUB, and former columnist Lois Henry, TBC's star editor/reporter who abandoned ship to work with a business advocacy group. And taking their picture? None other than John Hart, formerly one of TBC's talented photographers. Between the four of them, they represented more than 80 years of reporting on Kern County.

 * ... SOUND WALLS: It looks like work has started to build sound walls on the north side of 24th Street as the widening project moves into the construction phase. The sound walls (only on the north side, not the south) go in first followed by a total widening, resurfacing and installation of a landscaped median. The entire project, from Highway 99 to C Street, is expected to take two years. As City Manager Alan Tandy told me: "It will be a mess." Ain't that the truth.

 * ... COMEDY HOUR: Hats off to Julio Torres and the folks over at the Wounded Heroes Fund for a raucous, hilarious and successful comedy night to support the service dog program for combat veterans. Held Saturday night at the  Elks Club near the Garces Circle, the event raised money to train service dogs for veterans suffering from post traumatic issues.

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "If I got a nuke alert I wouldn't call my family and say goodbye or anything. I'd be here tweeting top quality content for you all, harvesting retweets until the fireball took me."

 * ... SPOTTED ON FACEBOOK: A tropical outdoor bar is shown in a picture with this written on a chalkboard: "We have beer as cold as your ex's heart."

 * ... HAWAII: Rod and Julie Crawford, owner of Pyrenees Cafe and the Silver Fox Starlite Lounge, had just arrived in Hawaii for a vacation when the alarm sounded that a nuclear strike was imminent. This Facebook post from Julie says it all:  "Just want to say I LOVE YOU to all my friends and family today. I didn’t realize how sweet life is till I thought it was gone. Huddling between the beds holding our six year old baby girl between us kissing each other good bye was the real deal. I’ve never been so scared or more thankful all at the same time. I was not happy to die but glad we were all together as a family. Ok so now back to the vacation in beautiful Hawaii."

A tale of two local businesses: Pappagallo woman's boutique going out of business while the Ice House Framing and Gallery benefits from a move to the Bakersfield arts district

* ... LOCAL BUSINESS: I was sorry to hear that Pappagallo Clothes and Assessories, the woman's boutique that has served the community so well for years, is preparing to shut down. The popular,

locally run store has long been an anchor in the Stockdale Fashion Plaza, right new Cafe Med. Another locally owned company, the Ice House Framing and Gallery, has benefitted from finding a new location downtown on 19th Street. Long time managers Al Mendez and Lance Jones told me the walk-in traffic has skyrocketed since the business moved from the iconic Ice House brick complex off the Garces circle to the arts district, just down the street from the popular new eatery and bar, The Mark.

 * ... ASHBURN: I ran into former state Senator Roy Ashburn the other day. Ashburn's life narrative is a compelling one: great achievement followed by a public humiliation and then a soul searching that has left him trim, focused and happy. Ashburn will join me Tuesday at 9 a.m. on First Look with Scott Cox (KERN NewsTalk 1180 and video streamed live on Bakersfield.com) to talk about local politics and his view on how being openly gay may have contributed to his defeat in the 1st District Kern County Supervisor race.

* ... HELMET CLUB: On the heels of the trouble that beset Bakersfield College and its Helmet Club, Garces Memorial High School launched its own football support group last week. Almost 200 people  paid $250 each to seed the Hail Mary Club and dine on Luigi's best steaks. While the precise mission of the organization is unclear, the spirit, devotion and dedication of the community to Garces football is not. As long as the Hail Mary Club plays by the rules, the football program will benefit from such strong support.

 * ... AIR POLLUTION: Gerhard Schmidt wonders how wise it is to see long lines of cars, idling, while waiting in line at the Costco gas pumps. "Even in nice weather, cars in long lines sit there idling, waiting for a pump. Well yes, there are lots of wimps who can’t stand a few minutes of heat this time of the year. Experts say that turning off the engine while waiting also saves fuel... or are they all trying to help the oil industry? But didn’t they join Costco to save money?"

 * ... GLEANERS: Here's a fund raising event that is worthy of your attention. On Friday, September 13, The Petroleum Club and Imbibe Wine and Spirits will be sponsoring a barbecue to raise money for the Golden Empire Gleaners. For $25 you will be treated to a barbecue dinner and a complimentary glass of beer or wine in the parking lot of the Petroleum Club. It will run from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

 * ... MEMORIES: Another special memory of growing up in the old Oleander area, compliments of Bettina Belter. "I was raised on the corner of Oleander and Buena Vista, attended Roosevelt Elementary, kindergarten through sixth grade. My childhood friends Bettye and Patty Dremel and myself were at Gus's any day of the week that ended in 'y.' We would take our wagon and gather soda pop bottles and make our way to collect our bounty from Gus. We redeemed those bottles and they in turn redeemed us with brown paper bags full of candy... the Chum gum was my favorite, two sticks for a penny. We would then make our way to Beale Park and swim until we were raisins playing mermaids. On your birthday you got to pick any piece of candy you wanted, some of us had two birthdays in a year. Gus and his wife Sally were part of many of our childhoods, and they served us well."

Former Congressman Bill Thomas endorses Roy Ashburn for 1st District, Kern County supervisor

 It was a big day for former state Sen. Roy Ashburn, who is now running to represent the 1st District on the Kern County Board of Supervisors. Ashburn picked up the endorsement of former Congressman Bill Thomas, who split with longtime political consultant Mark Abernathy. Abernathy is running the campaign of Ashburn's opponent, Mick Gleason.
 Former city councilman Mark Salvaggio put it this way in an email blast: "This bipartisan group of endorsements is unprecedented in Kern County politics.  They speak well of Roy Ashburn's experience, abilities, and independent streak.  Ashburn now has a big political leg up in this important race...  He is combing the 1st District with great passion in seeking the support of the good people in Shafter, Delano, Kern River Valley, Oildale, Ridgecrest, Inyokern, and parts of Bakersfield.  His opponent, Mick Gleason, is seen as little more than a clone of Abernathy.

"The message is clear: these endorsements also signify the public being 'fed up' of another Mark Abernathy power grab.  People want their representatives to be accountable to the people instead of being controlled by a slick political operative who has never been elected to office himself.  Abernathy has been the subject of numerous controversies over the past 30 years in Kern County. His campaigns have been often characterized by taking the low road with twisted facts and half truths."

Bako Bits: Ashburn says he will step down from state board if he wins election to county supervisor, and a little history quiz courtesy of Mary Kay Shell

 * ... ASHBURN: Roy Ashburn has had a change of heart about remaining on a state board if he is successful in his race to serve as 1st District county supervisor again. Ashburn told me Tuesday that - if elected - he will step down from the Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board, an appointed position that earns him $129,000 a year. "I want to clear that up," he told me. "There has been some misunderstanding and I want people to know where I stand."

* ... MEXICALI:  Here's a trivia quiz for all your Bakersfield old timers. Before it became known as Mexicali, the downtown restaurant operated under the name Herb King's. Before it was Herb King's, what was it known as? The answer from former mayor Mary Kay Shell: "It was called the Drink-o-Link Drive In before Herb King took it over. Maybe Drinkolink was all one word. I can't remember!" (staff photo of Mary Kay Shell)

 * ... TRAIN: More reader input on the miniature train that used to ferry passengers at Hart Park. Leslie Torrigiana said it was her grandfather, J.M. Van Cleave, who built the train. "I don't know the year. My mother has told us many a fun family story that can't be repeated in the paper about train passengers. My mother and her siblings were at Hart Park the day the train took its first trip around the track.  There were many spectators as the train pulled away that day. The train took riders across a wooden bridge and through a dark tunnel. My grampa went every weekend to service the train and his family rode for free."

 * ... SPOTTED: A woman walking three small girls to Standard School is spotted wearing pajamas, a robe and slippers. Said Linda Welch: "I think some people carry casual Friday just a little too far."

 * ... CALORIES: Some interesting (and alarming) statistics on how Americans consume calories from The New York Times' Jane E. Brody. Brody noted that Americans are consuming billions of calories unwittingly and often between meals. For example, a Double Gulp 64-ounce cup of soda at a 7-Eleven has a full 800 calories, and some bagels now pack up to 600 calories. At one New York restaurant, a personal size pizza contained 2,100 calories, the amount "the average woman needs in a day." Is it any wonder we are a "full size" nation?

 * ... TAFT COLLEGE:  Sheri Horn Bunk, now executive director of the Taft College Foundation, tipped me off to a grand opening reception this Friday of the school's new Campus Art Gallery.  On display will be the works of two established artists, entitled 'Women Working' which will include watercolors by Nancy Dawson and sculpture by Betty Younger. It's open to the public and begins at 5 p.m. Bunk says there will be music and poetry readings and a "special dramatic surprise."

 * ... WHO KNEW?: Courtesy of the Kern Economic Development Corporation: "The statue of Father Garces on the Garces Circle was commissioned in 1939 by the Works Project Administration of the Great Depression. He was sculpted out of limestone by John Palo Kangas, who also did a sculpture of our beloved Colonel Baker."

Boat and RV show is a big hit; a signal of better economic times? And a random act of kindness is offset by bad form

 * ... RV SHOW: Apparently the big boat and RV sportsman show out at the Kern County Fairgrounds this past weekend was a huge hit, drawing near record crowds and giving local businessmen a reason to smile. Is this an indication that things are getting better? Are folks feeling more confident about making big-ticket purchases? Let's hope so.

 * ... KINDNESS: Marian McBride passes along this random act of kindness. "A few days ago I went to der Wienerschnitzel on Ming Avenue. When I reached the drive-up window the owner was waiting with a big smile.  I thought he was happy to see his most vocal fan of Street Dogs (hot dogs wrapped in bacon and including grilled onions).  Instead, he told me that the customer in front of me had paid for my order.  I asked why and he said she just did a kind thing.  She was driving away (white car), which I didn’t recognize. Perhaps she had seen in her mirror that I am an old lady in an old pickup. Perhaps she heard my old-school ways of thanking people for everything. Those two Street Dogs tasted better than any others ever did. Thank you, unknown lady, for a very sweet, very kind act.

 * ... SPOTTED: Meanwhile, not everyone displays such good form in public. Take this example of bad behavior witnessed by Jolie Brouttier: A woman in the Rite Aid parking lot off Gosford Road leans over the driver's seat, opens the passenger door and tosses out a large to-go box, leaving her lit cigarette on top of the trash. "Seeing me catch her in the act and give her a disgusting stare-down, she proceeds to back up and flip ME off, not paying attention to the other cars behind her, nearly causing a collision. From litter bug to unsafe driver, this woman has a lot of class. NOT!"

* ... ASHBURN: I had a chance the other day to catch up with Roy Ashburn, the former supervisor and state senator who had a very public fall from grace two years ago when he was ticketed with a DUI in Sacramento and later revealed he was gay. Ashburn is now running for his old seat as a First District supervisor, along with several other candidates, and no matter what you think of his politics, it was good seeing him emotionally healthy and happy. This is not an endorsement of his candidacy, but rather an endorsement of the concepts of forgiveness and redemption. Ashburn called his arrest and subsequent "coming out" a blessing in that is allowed him to reorder his life. He has been sober for two years.

* ... AUTHOR: Niko and Sally Livingston dropped me a note about their son, who has just penned his first children's book. The new author is 26-year-old Stuart Livingston, a graduate of Bakersfield High, Bakersfield College, and Cal State Northridge. He co-authored, and co-illustrated a book that’s received the Kirkus Star for remarkable merit from Kirkus Reviews. It’s a children’s graphic novel titled Explorer:  The Mystery Boxes and features Stuart’s story 'The Soldier’s Daughter.'  Writing and illustrating are sideline projects to his full-time job creating storyboards for the cartoon 'Futurama.'" Congrats to this young man.

 * ... OUR HISTORY: In 1896 a Los Angeles company placed regular advertisements in The Californian announcing a cure for "Cancer and Tumors.... No knife or pain. No pay till cured!"

Dreaming of water in the Kern River this summer and taking stock of the supervisor races

* ... SUMMER DREAMS: Remember last summer when a good snow pack helped keep the Kern River flowing through town? There were paddle boarders, kayakers and canoeists up and down the river from Beach Park to the Park at RiverWalk. But don't expect the same thing this year, particularly if we don't get more rain and snow in the mountains. One friend in the water business predicted "we'll have periods of water in the river but it won't be deep enough to paddle board." Keep your fingers crossed for some rain and snow.

* ... SUPERVISOR: Leticia Perez, the former staffer for state Sen. Michael Rubio, has just turned in 3,132 signatures to the Kern County Election's office to get on the ballot for the Fifth District Supervisor race. Rubio told me last week Perez is busy walking the district and he predicted she would defeat her primary rival, Supervisor Karen Goh, who is running for a full term. Perez supporter Linda Fiddler said the signatures "were all collected by friends, relatives and neighbors who have turned out every Saturday and some Sundays since the beginning of the year to visit voters at their doors. Those volunteers rock!"

 * .... ASHBURN: Speaking of county supervisors, former supervisor and state senator Roy Ashburn is back running for his old First District seat after a drunk driving incident that could have ruined his career. Ashburn will be my guest Monday on Californian Radio on Kern 1180 from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. Tune it to hear Ashburn lay out his priorities and thoughts, including how forgiving he thinks voters will be after his  DUI arrest and revelation that he is gay.

* ... TRASH: From my inbox comes this story on how one man deals with bags of trash dumped on his property. "A friend that has property in the country has trash left along side his road.. When that happens he looks in the bags and usually finds a discarded envelope with an address on it. He then writes a nice note telling the owner that they must have lost this bag and delivers it to their house along with all the trash.  A good way to get it back to the rightful owners!"

 * ... MORE TRASH: Yet another reader, Gerhard Schmidt, wonders why whoever dumped the mattress simply didn't look in the telephone book for a number to call (661-326-3114) to have large items hauled away free. "Details are  in the green pages of the phone book. Of course the people who do those things might not be able to read your blog or the phone book."

 * ... AIRLINES: The Dutch airline KLM is experimenting with a system that allows passengers to pick their seats by viewing the backgrounds of other passengers using the social networking websites Facebook and LinkedIn. Here's how it works: you can voluntarily link your seat assignment to your Facebook page so other passengers can view your background in case they might want to sit next to you. Sounds a little much to me but let's see if it works.

Roy Ashburn readies for a run at county supervisor, but is Kern County ready for an openly gay elected official?

 * ... ASHBURN: Roy Ashburn, the longtime local political figure whose career seemed dead two years ago when he received a DUI and later revealed he was gay, is back in the limelight running for the First District supervisor's seat. Supporters, including local political consultant Stan Harper, point to Ashburn's long public service, local connections and commitment to our community as reasons why he should be elected. Is Kern County ready for an openly gay elected official? Can we put our prejudices aside and elect the person most capable of doing the best job?

* ... BAD FORM: Just when you think things are getting better comes a note like this from local financial planner Barry Rosenfeld. He was walking to his downtown office recently when "someone disposed of a dirty diaper right in front of the building. On Friday another individual dumped several small bags of trash as well as cigarette butts in front of our community mailbox. While my wife was waiting for me in the car on Saturday she witnessed a man dump trash on the grounds of the business I was in. When I went back to the car she ... told me what he had done. I walked back in the business and told him dumping trash was inappropriate behavior. So what happened next really amazed me; the manager of the business chastised me for causing tension and asked me to leave! I have a memo to those working for world peace: if we as a culture continue to condone irresponsible behavior you have little chance of achieving anything close to world peace!"

 * ... UNWED MOTHERS: Amazing to read in The New York Times this weekend that the number of children born out of wedlock is now the norm in our society. For the first time, The Times said children born to unmarried women "has crossed a threshold: more than half of the births to American women under 30 occur outside marriage." Once largely confined to the poor and minorities, the paper said the fastest growth over the past 20 years for having children out of wedlock has been among white women in their 20s. Overall, fully 73 percent of all black children are born out of wedlock. That compares with 53 percent of Hispanic women and 29 percent of whites.

 * ... CSUB: Kudos to three outstanding citizens who were named to the Cal State Bakersfield Alumni Hall of Fame. One is Nancy Chaffin, my colleague who serves as vice president of Human Resources and Operations here at The Californian. Joining her were retired county counsel Bernard C. Barmann Sr., and Jerry E. Scott. A dinner honoring the trio was held at The Petroleum Club, an event that attracted some 200 guests.

 * ... CARS: The annual vehicle reliability report from J.D. Powers is out and the good news is that cars are more reliable today than they have been for years. Heading the top of the list was Lexus, followed by Porsche, Cadillac, Toyota, Scion, Mercedez-Benz, Lincoln and Ford. At the bottom of the list were Jaguar, Ram, Jeep, Dodge and Chrysler, although the Chrysler products did do better than last year.

 * ... SPOTTED: District Attorney Lisa Green, a fitness buff, is spotted on a treadmill at a local club watching "Law and  Order" on one of the big screen TVs.

 * ... BAKERSFIELDISM: From Ben Ansolabehere: "You may be a Bakersfield original if you remember Blanc’s Garage and mercantile across from the Pyrenees Café or City Mercantile on 19th street. What an adventure for a young boy coming off the ranch on Saturday afternoon. Anything from fence posts to pins and everything in between."

Roy Ashburn talks about coming out as a gay man with Patt Morrison of the Los Angeles Times

 Los Angeles Times reporter and columnist Patt Morrison spoke frankly with state Sen. Roy Ashburn about his decision to come clean on being gay. Ashburn speaks openly and candidly about his secret life and how it affected his life in and out of politics. Listen to the interview here. Click on programs and find Patt Morrison.

Roy Ashburn tells Inga Barks: "I am gay"

 Roy Ashburn, the rock conservative Bakersfield state senator popped for DUI last week, today confirmed the long-held rumors that he is a homosexual. Ashburn told Inga Barks on her KERN Newstalk morning radio show, "I am gay." It was an interesting forum to come out so to speak, given Barks' own extreme right-wing views. But Barks and Ashburn have always had a bond and apparently he felt it was a safe place to come clean. But Barks didn't do Ashburn any favors by bringing on the self righteous local Pastor Chad Vegas after Ashburn left. Vegas condemned homosexuality as "a perversion... a sin"  and did little to acknowledge what must have been a painful period for Ashburn. Read the Californian story on the interview here.

The debate over sexual orientation of a politician and the media's role in questioning it

 If you missed The Californian's coverage of the ongoing drama involving state Sen. Roy Ashburn you can catch up with it here. Desk editor Christine Bedell gave the story a comprehensive look (click here to read it) and columnist Lois Henry added context with a story detailing rumors about the Bakersfield Republican. Ashburn was arrested for a DUI in Sacramento allegedly after leaving a gay night club. Read Lois' piece here.

HuffingtonPost: Anti-Gay Bakersfield legislator got DUI after leaving gay nightclub

HuffingtonPost.com followed the DUI arrest of state Sen. Roy Ashburn by reporting that he had visited a gay nightclub before being pulled over by police. The website referred to Ashburn as "a fierce opponent of gay rights" but noted he had left a gay nightclub and had a male passenger with him at the time of his arrest. Read the full story here. His booking photo is at right.

State Sen. Roy Asburn arrested in Sacramento on suspicion of drunk driving

 Roy Ashburn, the state senator and longtime Bakersfield politician who is terming out of office this year, was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving in Sacramento. Apparently Ashburn was pulled over around 2 a.m. in downtown Sacramento and given a field sobriety test. For the full report in The Californian, click the link here.

Bako bits: a video tribute to a fallen friend, the shame of Roy Ashburn and a holiday weekend

We're heading into a holiday weekend with temperatures (mercifully) down a full 10 degrees to the high 90s. (You know you're from Bako when a weekend high of 98 sounds good). Let's wrap up some news around our town:

* TRIBUTE TO A FRIEND... I'm still mourning the loss of Alton Saceaux, one of the tribe of avid recreational cyclists around town. (see my previous post here) I was moved by what he told Californian reporter Steve Swenson some years ago, that you simply have to "assume you are invisible" to try to stay out of harms way. I do a good bit of riding and can't count the number of times when you hear the truck behind you and wonder if your time is up. You simply can't worry about it and have to concentrate on holding a straight line. There will be a memorial ride Thursday evening starting at the Bike Bakersfield headquarters downtown (everyone is asked to have lights on their bikes) beginning around 6:30 p.m. One of Alton's friends posted this moving video tribute which I'd like to share. Keep his family in your thoughts.




* THE SHAME OF ROY ASHBURN:.. Columnist Sandy Banks of the Los Angeles Times took Bakersfield's Roy Ashburn to task today for being one of two state senators to refuse to join others in agreeing to a voluntary 5 percent pay cut. Ashburn is already in the hot seat for voting with the Democrats to break a budget logjam and I can't imagine this will endear him to his constituents. Roy gave a Times reporter a pitifully lame excuse for failing to do so, saying the money may simply go back to the budget controlled by Senate Democrats. Really Roy? I'm just stunned how these guys just don't seem to get it. Folks are being laid off, struggling, and everyone I know (including employees at The Californian) have suffered pay cuts as well as cuts in the 401(k) match. Roy's earlier move was hailed by some as an act of courage; I see this an act of self serving cowardice. (Photo courtesy of Justin Sullivan/Getty Images North America)



* SKEET CHAMPIONSHIPS ... Can't get enough of explosives this weekend? Head out to the Kern County Gun Club next to Lake Buena Vista Recreation Area for the California State Skeet Shooting Championships. Two hundred of the best skeet shooters in the state will be on hand for three days of busting clays. There's no cost to come watch these incredible shooters. Among the stars will be some junior shooters from Bakersfield who have made names for themselves, including Brian Foley, a recent Ridgeview High grad headed to Lindenwood University in Missouri on a skeet scholarship. Brian is the reigning world champion in the 12 gauge. Also, Bakersfield High sisters Brooke, Emily and Rachel Shuford will be there shooting the lights out of the targets. Shooting runs Friday through Sunday all day.

Salvaggio and Vegas: is mud wrestling next?

Some of the best political theater in town these days involves pastor-high school district board member Chad Vegas (pictured) versus Mark Salvaggio, the longtime city councilman who retired a few years back. It started when they went after each other, via long strings of email, over state Sen. Roy Ashburn's decision to vote with the Democrats to break the logjam and pass the state budget. (for the record Salvaggio found Ashburn's vote courageous while Vegas labeled him something akin to a modern-day Judas. The vitriol was searing, and one email triggered a response and on and on. So now they're at it again, this time with Salvaggio posting a long email (with me copied in) calling out Vegas for not voting to extend Cobra health benefits to four high school teachers. That got the attention of Californian columnist Lois Henry (read her column here. ) Here's an excerpt from Salvaggio's latest salvo:

"I read Lois Henry's recent column. She called you petty, harsh, snake-belly mean, and unable to look upon a personnel matter before the Board on a human level. Henry was right. I would add this: you are a Christian, a Christian pastor at that. Where is the love of Christ in your heart? Saying "That's neither here or there to me" shows a huge lack of compassion, compassion our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ demonstrated and imparted to us as believers. You said, " I'm not going to contribute to over-inflating the size of government." Does that mean you are going to vote against the federal stimulus money the Kern High School District may receive in the near future, or any other federal funding augmentation?"

Stay tuned. You know there's more to come.

Stan Harper: Cal budget nothing more than a valentine to state employee unions

The sound and the fury over the new state budget (see earlier post here)is bringing everyone out, it seems. Conservative political consultant Stan Harper joined the chorus calling for state Sen. Roy Ashburn's head for supporting the budget compromise. Harper responded to an email from Mark Salvaggio, the former city councilman, in which Salvaggio praised Ashburn's "courage" for helping save the state from financial ruin. Harper then chimed in (while copying in dozens of others, including me) saying Salvaggio was simply off base.

"(I) don't understand why any legislator would want to increase any tax ... let's face it Mark, this was simply a SUPPORT THE UNION budget. Why are we rewarding only the union workers while penalizing the rest of the taxpayers? ... we need to support recall campaigns that are going after those GOP legislators that crossed party lines and fiscally bankrupting California."

Release the hounds! They're after Ashburn's head

State Sen. Roy Ashburn, the Bakersfield Republican, cast one of the key deciding votes to pass the state budget today. For a guy who built is career standing against taxes, it was like a slap in the face to his conservative supporters, who are now after his head. Bakersfield's right-wing talk radio - notably Inga Barks of KERN 1180 and Jaz McKay on KNZR 1560 - was abuzz today about Roy's turnabout, which left everyone wondering: "Why did he do it?" Already termed out in the Senate, street speculation is that Roy is positioning himself for a state appointment, but who knows? Meanwhile, former city councilman Mark Salvaggio threw Roy some love. In an email to me and a ton of others, Mark praised Roy's courage.

"Your legislative courage helped save our state from economic collapse," he wrote. "I hope you are now getting some much-needed rest. Don't fret over Inga Barks' intransigence."

Inga takes on Roy: this could get ugly!

State Sen. Roy Ashburn, the Bakersfield Republican who has built a career around his "no more taxes" credentials, finds himself in the middle of the state budget mess as one of the few Republicans who may actually vote for the budget compromise. Lois Henry and The Californian had a good report on it today but she missed the sound and the fury coming from Roy's home town in the form of pitbull local talk show host Inga Barks, a woman not known for her intellectual curiosity or acumen. Via her soapbox on KERN (1180), Inga has spent the past few days lashing out at her buddy Roy for even considering the compromise. This is the same Inga who once said she would never vote for any bond issue (how then are we supposed to build schools?) under any circumstances, and she's clearly infuriated Roy has left the reservation. Make no mistake: Inga does have influence and a following, but it remains to be seen if she can move old Roy back onto the res. That's Inga and Roy in the photo in happier days.