Cyclist run down and killed on South Union; the second Kern County cyclist killed within 72 hours

Received some horrible news this afternoon when I learned that Alton Saceaux, a 55-year-old local cyclist, was run down and killed on South Union Monday night. I didn't know Alton well but did know him from the occasional ride (I am also a cyclist) and last saw him in Starbucks on California Avenue and Stockdale about a month ago. Alton was always - and I mean always - utterly upbeat and effervescent. The guy loved cycling and personal fitness was a his lifelong personal mission. The cops say the guy who ran him down was likely drunk. This is a tragedy of enormous proportions: we lost a friend, a good man, a father of a couple kids, a husband, a good citizen. Kerry Ryan, owner of Action Sports over off Brimhall Road, knew Alton since 1994 and described him as "incredibly upbeat, high energy type of guy, always trying to get people into cycling, kind of a Norm Hoffman kind of guy." Norm of course was the longtime cyclist and Bakersfield College professor who died when his bike was crushed by a driver off Fairfax Road in 2001. (no alcohol involved in that) Added Kerry of Alton:

"He crewed on the 2004 Race Across America (which Action Sports won) and he was just always upbeat and willing to do anything. He'd come into the store and say 'Kerry we need to get so and so on a bike! He wants to get in shape.""



Alton is the second Kern County cyclist to die on a bike in just a few days. The other death happened in Malibu and has yet to be reported by the local press, but it involved a Tehachapi man who was completing a "double century ride" (that's a 200 mile ride) with his 14-year-old son on the back of a tandem. According to a story in the Ventura County Star, Rodrigo "Rod" Armas, 45, died at the scene after his bike was hit about 1:30 a.m. Sunday on Pacific Coast Highway. His 14-year-old son was injured but is expected to recover. You might ask why they were riding in the dark so early in the morning. The reason: these 200-mile rides take all day and last into the night, certainly dangerous in any circumstances. Once again, the cops say the man who hit the cyclists showed signs of being legally drunk. And so it goes. We lose another one. Thoughts for the families. (photo courtesy of The Bakersfield Californian)

McCarthy's week on the hill: all about energy

Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield) shares his thoughts on the week in Washington. In his words:

"I am heading back to the district for a number of exciting district events including the unveiling of the Oil Worker’s Monument in Taft and then traveling to a wind farm in Tehachapi to announce a new piece of legislation that will provide a long-term extension of tax incentives for renewable energy.

"The week started with a hearing in the Financial Services Committee with Treasury Secretary Geithner and Federal Reserve Chairman Bernanke talking about their roles in the AIG bonuses, as well as Treasury’s plan to buy up toxic assets from banks. Tough questions were asked, but I think some remain unanswered, and for that reason, I joined the entire Financial Services Committee in approving a resolution for the whole House to vote on that would require Treasury to provide Congress with information about its actions related to AIG and the bonuses. I appreciate that the Secretary’s new toxic asset plan involves bringing private capital into this market, but am concerned that the specific proposal is not a true public-private, 50-50, partnership, and therefore leaves taxpayers more on the hook.

"As we continue to debate a budget filled with spending and borrowing that nears $4 trillion, one of the most significant concerns is how it addresses our energy needs. This budget pits energy sources against each other instead of harnessing the power of existing supplies, incentivizing the potential of renewables, and maximizing new technologies.

"It is very telling that as I travel throughout the district this Friday, we see an energy corridor that serves as a model for our energy policy. There is no magic answer to our energy challenges, which is why we must be committed to developing all types of energy for our nation. I will be traveling from the oil-rich area of West Kern County to the Tehachapi Mountains where wind energy is abundant. If you continue onward you head toward Mojave, Lancaster, or Ridgecrest, which are abundant in solar and geothermal.

"The legislation that I have introduced extends the production tax credit for renewable energy like wind to 2020. This would provide a decade of stability, so that we can grow the investment, jobs and renewable energy that will power our future."