Monday's Bako Bits: Is anyone else sick of the political attack ads that have flooded the airways? And veteran reporter Steve Swenson shares his battle with pancreatic cancer

 * … POLITICS: Is anyone else sick of the political attack ads that have flooded the airways? You'd think there would be weightier issues than how many times Pedro Rios voted while serving on the

Delano city council, or if Andy Vidak had suddenly "sold out" to the Sacramento politicians. But polling shows attack ads work, so get ready for another couple weeks of the incessant negativity.

 * … SEVEN OAKS: Hats off to the Seven Oaks homeowner who took things in his own hands after someone's dog kept leaving unwanted presents behind on his lawn. The homeowner put a small sign in the yard reading: "Is it really that difficult to pick up your dog's poop? Be a good neighbor!!" Ah, first world problems behind the gates.

 * … STEVE: Did you catch the essay by Steve Swenson in Sunday's Californian about his battle with pancreatic cancer? Steve spent 33 years as a reporter so it's no surprise that he writes with such honesty and wit, but this piece was moving in its authenticity and candor. Here's hoping Steve has many years left swinging his golf clubs and making that birdie now and then.

* … ENDEAVOR: It was so nice to see so many organizations reaching out to Endeavor Elementary School after someone burned down its playground equipment. This is one of the many things that gives this community such heart. Said Jay Stodder: "As published in the Californian Thursday,  several groups have stepped up to help pay for Endeavor Elementary  School's playground that was recently destroyed by arsonists. Among them is my place of employment, the Gaslight Melodrama in Rosedale. We're adding a benefit performance of Witches of Westchester to our schedule: Thursday October 24, 7 p.m."

 * … SCAMS: Yet another reader weighed in on this panhandlers who hit us up for money at local gas stations. "Another funny thing happened at that same station about a year ago. I was filling my car with gas when a gentleman with a young girl walked up to me and said that his wife and son were in an automobile accident near Fresno. He and his daughter needed bus fare to go to Fresno to be with them in the hospital. About two weeks later, the same gentleman at the same station approached me and said that his mother was near death at a hospital in Fresno and he needed bus fare hoping to visit her before she died.  I said, 'I'm sorry to hear that so much tragedy has happened to your family recently. Two weeks ago you needed money to go to Fresno to see your wife and son in a hospital in Fresno.'  If looks could kill… He left the station without talking to anyone else."

* … MEMORIES: Ronal Reynier is one reader who enjoys it when we reprint old front pages of The Californian. A recent one from 1911 raised a few questions for him:  "Where have they gone?" he asked, referring to all the small communities in the valley. "In this issue they print about Toltec and the Catholic Colonization in the Rio Bravo district. In this era each oilfield and farming area had their own small village. Most are long gone or swallowed up by other cities such as Bakersfield; but the names live on. The most common live on in our daily lives as areas we know of as Rosedale, Greenacres, Rio Bravo, Smith's Corners, Greenfield, Heck's Corners, or how about Mexican Colony?  Its been in the news a lot lately; how many of you have ever been to Tupman? From a 1916 map of Kern County I counted 47 that are no longer there."

Angelo can see! Doctors say victim of savage attack by his father may be able to see

Here's some terrific news to start your weekend: the young lad who lost one eye when his father savagedly attacked him may not be blind in both eyes after all. The word comes in an exclusive report in The Bakersfield Californian (read full report here) by longtime crime report Steve Swenson. Because little Angelo Mendoza only recently turned 4 years old, the case is shrouded in secrecy, but Swenson learned the boy has regained some sight in his right eye and doctors say that should improve. The left eye is gone. His father literally ate it out in an April 28 attack that cops think was induced by a drug rage. Support from across the world has come to this lad and funds are being established. Meanwhile, there's not much sympathy for the dad, who after attacking his son starting chopping at his own legs and tried to tell cops he was the victim of a gang attack. The dad already was in a wheelchair because of a previous knife attack. And the mother? Well, she's missing and wanted on some drug related charges. What a joy to pick up today's paper and see a screaming black headline: "ANGELO CAN SEE."

Guns and kids and a horrible tragedy in Bakersfield

Was saddened to read Steve Swenson's story in today's Californian about the 2-year-old boy who was shot to death by his 3-year-old sister in Southwest Bakersfield. The girl found the gun, a 45-caliber Glock, stuffed between the mattress and the boxspring of her parent's bed and, in fooling around with it, accidentally shot her brother. There's never a good way to tell this story without being accused of sensationalism. I received one call from a man who was disgusted that we ran a picture of the mother with the girl, and he also accused us of insensitivity with the headline, which read "Girl Shoots Baby Brother," followed by a readout that started with the word "Tragedy." I don't have a problem with either the headline or picture and thought both the reporter (Swenson) and the folks who laid out the page did a fine job. The story took pains to talk about how guns should be safety stored away from children and noted the tragic consequences that follow when that doesn't happen. I also wondered what prompted the family to feel the need to keep a gun at bedside. How bad is crime in their neighborhood? Had they been victims before? It is certainly true that there is a sense of real fear out there amid this lingering recession. Cars are being stolen and homes broken into in the nicest of neighborhoods. Would welcome any comments on this story.

Funeral set Thursday for beloved local attorney Stan Simrin

A funeral service for longtime defense attorney Stan Simrin will be held Thursday at Temple Beth El. Simrin died Tuesday two months after suffering a crippling stroke. The service will begin at 11 a.m. followed by internment at Greenlawn Cemetery around 12:30 p.m, according to Rabbi Cheryl Rosenstein. Simrin was a Bakersfield institution and one of the area's most highly regarded criminal defense attorneys. He will be remembered for his spirited defenses in some of the country's biggest cases, but those who knew him will miss his keen mind and his golden tongue. He was a devoted member of Temple Beth-El where he taught weekly classes in the Torah. He once told Steve Swenson, a reporter at The Californian who knew Stan for years, that he had devoted his life to Judaism. "I want to know more about it, study it, live it," he said. I was fortunate enough to hear Stan speak from time to time. He was an inspiring presence and he will be missed. I'll post more updates as they become available.