Experts say we may be flattening the curve on the coronavirus but warn us not to let off the pressure... plus Tim Calahan joins Clinica Sierra Vista, keep an eye on Ishaan Brar and wearing masks as fashion statements

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.

 * ... CORONAVIRUS:  Are we seeing the light at the end of the tunnel in the fight against the coronavirus? Judging by our ability to flatten the curve, it appears we are all making good progress, but experts tell us not to let off the pressure. Dr. Hemmal Kothary told KGET Kern County is not yet

a "hot spot" but it could well become one, if we stop practicing social distancing. Over at Bakersfield Heart Hospital, cardiologist Dr. Brij Bhambi echoed that sentiment: "If we fail to implement an incremental approach and near total compliance we will allow the virus to come back with a vengeance. The light at the end of the tunnel cannot be the train rushing at us."

 * ... BLACK SWAN: If you are like me, you have grown weary of the finger pointing in Washington and the search for someone to blame in this pandemic. Is it Trump's fault? Was the administration prepared? Was it Obama's fault? What about George Bush, was he prepared? For me, the coronavirus is s classic "black swan" event, an unpredictable catastrophe that is beyond what is normally expected and has potentially severe consequences. Black swans are characterized by their extreme rarity, their severe impact, and the widespread insistence they were obvious in hindsight. A little research shows the black swan as "an extremely rare event with severe consequences. It cannot be predicted beforehand, though many claim it should be predictable after the fact. Black swan events can cause catastrophic damage to an economy, and because they cannot be predicted, can only be prepared for by building robust systems." So here is a plea: how about we all pull together and stop politicizing one of the greatest health crises of our generation.

 * ... TIM CALAHAN: Former KERO TV evening anchor Tim Calahan has joined Clinics Sierra Vista as director of public relations and community development. Calahan previously worked KGET TV and the Mission of Kern County and said he is excited to join Sierra "to serve the community and healthcare marketplace in such a critical time. Families up and down the centra valley are concerned about their health during the Covid 19 crisis. I'm excited to serve the public interest, and support our doctors, nurses and critical staff on the front lines of this battle, it is truly an honor. I'll be responsible for providing critical information to the public about Clinica Sierra Vista mitigation efforts, how the public can be tested for Covid 19, and future plans for Clinica. My 13 plus years of experience in Kern County, both in news broadcasting and community non-profits have prepared me for this role, I'm excited to continue to serve the pubic--and look forward to the days ahead, we will be a stronger community because of it--excited to help take Clinica into the next chapter!"

 * ... A STAR IS BORN: Keep an eye on Ishaan Brar, a Stockdale High School junior who continues to excel academically - and astound - us all. Brar, a science whiz and the son of two doctors, is spending his quarantine producing podcasts featuring interviews with local doctors discussing the coronavirus. He is streaming the podcasts called Brarcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. (Brar pictured here during a recent appearance on The Richard Beene Show)

 * ... MASKS: Well we knew this would happen. Ordered to wear masks, some will take that as a fashion challenge while others will simply do their own thing. Can you identify these local celebrities behind the masks?

 * ... RAINBOW: The rains earlier this week brought spectacular rainbows about town. Here are a few.

 * ... MEMORIES: Enjoy these old color pictures of the Lebec Hotel, once a grand and famous landmark on the old Ridge Route before Interstate 5 was constructed. It no longer exists.

The county moves forward with its homeless shelter despite concerns from the High Speed Rail Authority, Tiler Peck shows up in the Ray Donovan series and ABC23's Tim Calahan calls it quits

* ... THREE CHEERS: You just have to love the county's response to the California High-Speed Rail Authority who signaled it has a problem with the county's location for a new low barrier homeless shelter. The Authority warned it may need the land over off Golden State Highway where the shelter is being built. The county's response: we are going forward. Said county communications director Megan Person: “The talk about the high speed rail has been going on for 20 years. So the

county is just saying we are not going to be holding our breath anymore. We have a crisis that we need to address. We understand we’re in the pathway. We’re moving forward... ” This is exactly the kind of response we need, and I for one applaud it. The idea that this state boondoggle called high speed rail could de-rail (pardon the pun) an important project is absurd.

 * ... WAS THAT TILER PECK?: It's not every day when you are watching one of your favorite cable shows and you spot a Bakersfield girl in the cast. But there she was, our own Tiler Peck, a member of the New York City Ballet, appearing on a Showtime episode of Ray Donovan. Peck appeared in the season debut of Ray Donovan's new season called “Faith. Hope. Love. Luck" as the friend (girlfriend?) in a character pursued and beaten by Ray Donovan. Peck is not only a star with the ballet, but she regularly dabbles in TV and movies.

 * ... TIM CALAHAN: Adios to Tim Calahan, ABC23's evening anchor who brought wit, dignity and insight into our homes nightly. Calahan won't say what his next move is, but he appears to be staying in town and looking for a new chapter that does not involve the demanding hours of being a TV anchor. Calahan previously worked for KGET and the Mission of Kern County before joining KERO TV.

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: From Wheel of Fortune host Pat Sajak: "In order to save our planet, I’m asking everyone in America who’s 73-years-old or older to join me in pledging not to have any more children. #SignThePledge."

 * ... BAD FORM: I spotted this post on Facebook regarding some alleged thieves at The Marketplace. It read: "So today at Vons at the Marketplace, I saw management kicking three known shoplifters out. I decided to take a few pictures of their plate as they left. The fat one in the pictures below rolled down the rear window and struck me in the face and chest with an unopened bottle of Gatorade as they fled. Unfortunately, BPD doesn't have the ability to run the numbers on the temp plates the DMV uses now like they can a regular plate. They did take a report for assault with a deadly weapon. If you know where these pieces of trash live, please let me know.
Vons management stated these three have stolen around $12k in liquor from them this year and are known to hit multiple stores in a day."

 * ... FIRE MUSEUM: Have you heard about the proposed new fire museum downtown? It will be located directly behind the Fox Theater and across from the downtown fire station on G Street. Check out the artist rendering.

 * ... BRATCHER: A new home design business has opened on 18th Street next to Sequoia Sandwich Co. downtown. Bratcher design studio was founded by creative director Brooke Bratcher, who has worked in residential interior design for more than eight years. The store is open from 10 am. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, the studio offers "grab and go" items and exclusive furniture lines, as well as a space for planning customized interiors.

* .. MEMORIES: Yet another trip down memory lane looking at 19th Street back in the day.

The drug addicted and homeless take over our parks, In-N-Out faces a boycott after its owners donate to the GOP, and attorneys for Father Craig slap a lawsuit on a critic who follows abuse cases

Friday, August 23, 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.

 * ... VAGRANTS: If you want to know how fed up, sickened and angry the general public is over this addiction and vagrant issue, just spend some time on social media. Check out this post and

accompanying pictures from 23ABC anchor Tim Calahan: "A complete failure. It’s the only way I can describe this. How have we let this become our downtown? Our place where kids play?
Less than two years ago I would take my daughter to this park quite frequently... notice the slide she would go down is now occupied by a tent, and two individuals sleeping. I’ve interviewed Kevin McCarthy here at this park. (I could almost guarantee capitol police would deem the park a security risk.) I’ve shot PSA’s there for 23ABC dozens of times. This park is no longer a park. It’s a visual display of the failures in policy and conscious, both at the state and city level. This is not acceptable. The fact that our police can do nothing about this, I just don’t accept. The fact that our city leaders are waiting for funding to deal with this, I just don’t accept. We can do better Bakersfield. Consider who is leading our city, stop them today, politely and ask if they’ll let this go on for another year or so...'until funding comes through, or until a plan can be approved.'” Meanwhile, there is scarcely a public park in town that has not been seized by the homeless, including Jastro Park downtown, Patriot's park, Qualwood park and the park in Oildale.

 * ... BURGER BOYCOTT: In-N-Out Burger, the Irvine-based burger chain so beloved by Californians, has found itself in hot water with some consumers after it donated $25,000 to the California Republican Party. And yes, you guessed it, it has led some to call for a boycott, even though the chain has donated to Republican causes before. By the way, good luck with that boycott.

 * ... FATHER CRAIG: Did you hear about the lawsuit that attorneys for Father Craig Harrison filed against a Roman Catholic organization that tracks priests accused of sexual wrongdoing? Local plaintiff's attorney Craig Edmonston, part of Father Craig's legal team, filed the lawsuit against Stephen Brady of the Roman Catholic Faithful, an organization that tracks allegations of sexual abuse against Catholic clergy. It's a curious strategy on several levels but it may speak volumes about the effort to clear Harrison's name. First, and I found this puzzling, but the lawsuit came at a time when the case had died down publicly. Its filing only serves to revive the chatter about the abuse allegations by providing lurid details about Harrison's alleged behavior, and I am not sure that serves the embattled priest. Second, there is the merit - or lack of merit - to the lawsuit.  Did Brady actually slander Harrison as the lawsuit alleges? At least to my eyes, Brady simply echoed what was already made public by the Diocese of Fresno, police agencies and numerous news outlets across the state. And the target of the lawsuit - Brady - is not exactly a big fish in this case, but rather a one-man show who likely works out of his basement. So is this simply a way to try to silence and scare off Harrison's critics by forcing them to pony up thousands of dollars to defend themselves? One thing is for sure: I am told dozens of well-heeled Bakersfield Catholics have pledged tens of thousands of dollars for a Harrison defense fund. My question: why don't they file a lawsuit against the Catholic Church, since it was the church that first raised these allegations? Stay tuned.

 * ... MORE FATHER CRAIG: Word on the street is that Harrison has told people he expects to be reinstated to the clergy by the Diocese of Fresno, but without the title of monsignor. I for one hope that is not true. If the Diocese cannot prove the allegations, then it should return Harrison to his old position as a monsignor. Anything less would be grossly unfair to a man who has endured a difficult period of his life. Meanwhile, I am also told that those close to Harrison are advising him to become a private counselor if the Diocese does not reinstate him.

 *... FISH FERTILIZER: Here's a novel way to get rid of the drug addicts and vagrants from your local business: use fish fertilizer around your building so it stinks so much even the homeless will go somewhere else. That was the solution one downtown businessperson came up with, as seen in this post on Facebook: "So far it’s been a quiet August on California and S. Had some junkies shooting up across the street this morning and that’s about it. No homeless sleeping around the funeral home since I sprayed the ally and side with fish based fertilizer.

 * ... MEMORIES: And wow, take a look at these old photos from the Kern County of Old Facebook page.

 * ... MORE MEMORIES: And lastly, check out the old Washington School that I spotted on the Kern County History Fans Facebook page.

Bakersfield family loses a family home in Malibu, thieves make off with two road bikes stolen in broad daylight, and words of wisdom (and warning) from Tim Calahan

Monday, November 12, 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 to live. Send your news tips to rsbeene@yahoo.com.

 * ... MALIBU FIRE: Among the victims of the Malibu fires is a Bakersfield family with deep connections to a neighborhood there that has been devastated by the flames. Jolie Brouttier, a local

elementary school teacher, said her late grandparents owned a home in Malibu and that her mother and father were there when the fires broke out. They evacuated and had no idea if the house had been spared until they watched a Los Angeles news station and - you guessed it - saw the house aflame. "Any memories I have of my grandparents were in this house.," she said. "From watching my grandpa paint in the garage, eating dark chocolates on the lap of my grandma, to both of them waving from the top of the hill as we headed home. Now it’s gone. All a blaze in a matter of seconds. We can rebuild but the heart will take time. My family is devastated." Jolie and her mother, Lois Brouttier, will be on The Richard Beene Show on KERN NewsTalks 96.1 FM tomorrow (Monday) at 2:30 p.m. Tune it to hear their story. (The first photo shows the roof of their family house intact. It later burned to the ground.)

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "Shout out to weathermen telling us the barometric pressure like we know what the hell to do with that information."

 * ... TIM CALAHAN: ABC23 anchor Tim Calahan has covered three mass shootings in the past five years at the station. Appearing on my radio show last week, he wondered about the world we will be leaving our children. "Remember when we used to say that everyone knows somebody who has been touched by cancer? The thought came to me that we are heading to a time where everyone will know someone who has been touched by a mass shooting."

 * ... BIKE THEFT: The recent spike in crime locally has touched two friends, whose only mistake was taking a bike ride. Tom and Christy Morgan, avid cyclists, were out riding Saturday when they decided to stop at the Finish Line bike shop right across Stockdale Highway from Cal State Bakersfield. They parked their bikes at the entrance to the shop and left them unattended for just minutes. Two men, seen here in security footage, tossed the bikes in the back of an older Toyota pickup and took off. If you know these guys, contact Bakersfield police.

UPDATE: The bike thieves have been caught. This from Tom Morgan: " Great news everyone. Thanks to a tip from someone who saw the shared post, we were able to locate the suspect vehicle. Shortly thereafter, BPD arrived and was able to recover both bikes. Both suspect’s were taken into custody and our bike are home safe and sound (minor scratches and missing Garmin’s). BPD Officer Holmes (who took the earlier report) heard the call and did an excellent job recovering the bikes and catching both suspects. BPD Rocks! A great big Thank You to everyone for your support and kind words and especially for sharing the post


 * .... MEMORIES: I spotted this picture of what is now Lake Isabella on the Kern County of Old Facebook page. The caption read: "1927 photo of what is now Lake Isabella. You can see Cooks Peak in the upper center back. Then to the left side just out of the photo would be Kissack Cove. You can see Paradise Cove about 2 inches from the left side. To the right side of the photo would be where the Southfork Boat Ramp is now. 26 years after this photo was taken. (1953) we then had Lake Isabella."

Are we seeing more crime or are we just hearing about it more? And the head of a local non-profit tangles with Californian columnist Lois Henry over fireworks

* ... CRIME: I don't know why I torture myself, but occasionally I check the "Bakersfield Thieves" Facebook page to check on all the crime around our town. Here's a sampling of one day's activity: A car is broken into in front of the Body Xchange in the northeast, two women are robbed near Pin Oak Park in the southwest, and a resident comes home to find a burglar breaking into her garage in the area of Hageman and Old Farm roads. My question: is there more crime these days or are we just hearing about it more?

* ... BARC: A nasty little dispute erupted this week between Jim Baldwin, president of the Bakersfield Association of Retarded Citizens (BARC), and Lois Henry after Baldwin accused the columnist of being a "liar." It all started when Henry asked Baldwin a simple question about how much money BARC makes selling fireworks and what they use it for.  (Baldwin opposes a ban on fireworks while Lois supports it) That seems a straight forward enough question for a high profile non profit that routinely seeks donations and grants from local companies and individuals. But apparently it struck Baldwin the wrong way, and he "went ballistic" while accusing Henry of not supporting his non profit. "Frankly, I was unprepared for the extreme vitriol Baldwin spewed at me," she said. "He flat out called me a liar and untrustworthy... and he was just getting started. He refused to tell me anything about BARC's fireworks sales or how the organization spends that money." Baldwin also told Lois he would no longer take her calls, never a wise move by someone of Baldwin's stature. Note to Jim: no one questions whether BARC serves its clients well, but wouldn't you be better off embracing a little transparency rather than throwing a fit over what seems like a reasonable question? Even Jeff Pickering, the former head of the Kern Community Foundation, threw his support behind Lois with this Twitter feed: "Accountability and transparency on money should be SOP for charities like @BakersfieldARC. Keep asking." Apparently some of BARC's board of directors agree. Nick Azemika, a local attorney who serves on the board, was one of several who called to reassure me that BARC's finances and books are "one hundred percent open" to Lois or anyone who cares to look. "This is a great organization and everything is above board," he told me.

* ... SPOTTED ON FACEBOOK: "If your entire car fits within the width of a crosswalk, you need to re-evaluate some of your life's choices."

 * ... MCKENZIE: Congratulations to KERO TV anchor Tim Calahan and his wife Erika, a delightful couple, who are the proud parents of newborn McKenzie Lynn Calahan. McKenzie was born Monday at Mercy Southwest Hospital and came into the world at 7 pounds 13 ounces.

* ... FOODIE: Stopped by Meir Brown's Cafe Med this weekend and didn't leave without enjoying the longtime Mediterranean restaurant's signature house salad, which takes cabbage to a whole other level. I added some blackened salmon and it main a hard to beat entree.

* ... SOLAR: If you think there has been an uptick in calls by telemarketers, you are in good company. Greg Laskowski is being inundated with calls from folks selling solar energy systems. "I received seven calls the other day.  I finally took one to task, telling him that he was the seventh solar telemarketer, and the fifteenth so far for the week. The gentleman informed me that there are over 6,100 registered solar marketing firms. Looks as if I am at the bottom end of an enormous funnel full of unwanted phone calls. Thanks to governors Schwarzenegger and Brown there will be no end to this kind of harassment because of their support for green energy."

Ryan Beckwith, sacrificed at Bakersfield College, heads to Cal State Bakersfield to work in the athletic department, and more readers lament the trash on our streets

 * ... BECKWITH: It looks like former Bakersfield College Athletic Director Ryan Beckwith has landed on his feet. Beckwith, who was forced out at BC after the football team was stripped of its championship because of program violations, is joining Cal State Bakersfield as a strength and

conditioning trainer in the athletic department. CSUB Athletic Director Jeff Konya said Beckwith will likely start as a part-time employee. Beckwith was only at Bakersfield College for two years, and many thought he was unfairly painted as the fall guy for program violations that had been going on for many years.

 * ... TRASH: Some things are just too hard to believe. Consider this note from Patricia Seymour: she was taking a walk down Panorama Drive near Thorner School when she spotted a white pickup with a black trailer pull into an open field. And sure enough, the occupants dumped a full load of trash right in the open field. She called Bakersfield police and the dispatcher insisted she had to witness the incident, which she had. "I realize there are other emergency calls... so we started walking home and at Fairfax we saw three detective cars driving from the north. We figured they had been out practice shooting at Hart Park or to a meeting.  I don't know if detectives go out on calls but as I am a multi-tasker and I figured they could have dropped by to at least give warning to these dumpers. The area at the end of Panorama Drive is constantly being dumped on. It's a sad sight when one is trying to exercise and enjoy the great outdoors."

 * ... MORE TRASH: And speaking of trash, Ken Barnes has been going to Canada to hunt for more than 25 years. "On our 40-mile drive from the airport in Edmonton to the town of Tofield, it would be unusual to see more than three or four pieces of litter along the highway for the entire trip. And they do not use clean-up crews....the people just do not litter!"

 *... OVERHEARD: On the first day of school, a mother tells her teary-eyed kindergarten daughter that she must go to her class or the school will call the police and her parents will go to prison.

 * ... SPOTTED: Having a bite to eat at The Padre Hotel bar the other day were Supervisor Leticia Perez, fresh off her loss in the 16th state Senate district runoff, and Roy Ashburn, who also is recovering from his loss in a supervisor's race.

 * ... CALAHAN: Former KGET reporter Tim Calahan is back in the business, joining KERO TV as a breaking news reporter in the afternoon and the 11 p.m. co-anchor along with Jackie Parks. Calahan had most recently been with the Kern County Mission.

 * ... MEMORIES: A walk down memory lane with Gene Bonas on the old Andre's Drive-in. "The Andre family ran both Andre's Drive-Ins and the Garces High School cafeteria.  Mary Andre managed the Niles Street Andre's, Joe managed the Brundage Lane Andre's, and John managed the Garces cafeteria and filled in when Mary or Joe needed time off... My memory of Andre's on Brundage had to do with two Garces students who worked at the restaurant.  A close friend of mine ran the grill ensuring all the food was cooked to perfection.  I can still taste the hamburgers and fries that (my friend) made and snuck to me out the back door without anyone's knowledge."