A former cop outlines a culture of corruption, silence and doing "whatever it takes" to get a conviction in the Bakersfield Police Department, Gov. Newsom calls Bako the murder capital" of California and Traco Matthews gets his own church

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.

 * ... POLICE CORRUPTION? A disgraced ex cop has leveled a series of accusations against the Bakersfield Police Department, claiming a culture of corruption in the early 2000s led officers and officers to lie, cover up and "do anything" to make a case stick. The charges came from Demacio Diaz in a

remarkable interview with KGET this week, and even if you consider that Diaz's own credibility has been called into question, his charges about a culture of corruption at BPD are troubling. Diaz was convicted and sentenced for his role in stealing drugs from the police evidence room, and has been linked to a 2013 shooting in which a police informant was killed in the Four Points Sheraton parking lot. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Diaz told KGET the culture at the department was to "get the  case closed by ant means possible." What that meant, he warned, was "your own business." Now retired Greg Williamson was chief at the time and did not comment for the KGET story.

 * ... BLAME GAME: Here's a question for those of you who live in Bakersfield and Kern County: do you feel as if you are living in the murder capital of California? That's exactly how Gov. Gavin Newsom refers to Kern County as he trades political barbs with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and his 23rd Congressional District. Newsom was asked if he had spoken to McCarthy since the mass shootings in Monterey Park and Half Moon Bay, and he dismissed that notion and added this: “Of course, he represents the murder capital of California,” Newsom said of McCarthy.

 * ... HAGGIN OAKS: When crime spikes in times like these, there are few neighborhoods that are immune from its poison. So it wasn't really a surprise when we learned that an elderly woman in Haggin Oaks suffered a home invasion robbery recently. But in Haggin Oaks? Police said several young men ransacked her home and made off with money and jewelry, temporarily turned the quiet neighborhood into a crime scene. When it happens in Haggin Oaks, you know it is happening just about everywhere.

* ... TRACO MATTHEWS: Congratulations to Traco Matthews who has just been installed as the new pastor of the Church of God Bakersfield. Matthews, a CSUB graduate and among a group of young leaders emerging in Kern County, will preside over the church along with First Lady Jessica Mathews, his equally accomplished wife. Previously Matthews worked for Area Energy, the Kern Superintendent of Schools, Community Action Partnership and State Farm. He currently serves as chief health equity officer at Kern Health.

 * ... WHAT A VIEW:  Check out this lovely drone photo of the hills of Kern County taken by German Cervera. And we wonder why cyclists love to traverse this county on two wheels.

 * ... MEMORIES: Two more great historical photos of some familiar streets posted by the folks over at Kern County History Fans Facebook page.

Kevin McCarthy fights for political survival of his dream to be Speaker, a bomb cyclone of rain and wind ravages California and the abortion pill will soon be available in pharmacies

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.

 * ... KEVIN MCCARTHY: The political fate of Kevin McCarthy hangs in the balance as this week's Bakersfield Observed goes to press and it's hard to find anyone who doesn't have a take on his dilemma. Make no mistake: in Bakersfield McCarthy remains hugely popular, and in this fight he has won the

overwhelming and enthusiastic backing of radio and TV hosts who have rallied behind the local BHS driller and former owner of Kevin O's Deli. Others rally behind McCarthy out of the sense that we get no respect here, part of that deep seated insecurity that screams Bakersfield is happy to be out of step with more liberal parts of the state. Interestingly, locally McCarthy's most vocal critics come from the extreme right wing of his own party, the pro-MAGA crowd, the very same people who have been preventing him from being elected speaker of the House- at least so far. 

* ... CALIFORNIA WOES: One of the more thoughtful, and experienced, commentators on life in California is Dan Walters, the dean of the Sacramento press corps who now works for the Golden State non-profit Cal-Matters. This week Walters laid out California's greatest challenges: the multi-year drought, public 

schools struggling with post Covid issue, our deteriorating electrical grid and a shortage of housing for the homeless. And Walters, whose columns run in The Californian but whose writings can be accessed online, said this: "California used to be the place where people went to make better lives for themselves, but now we've become one of those places that people leave because we make it too difficult for them to prosper. Newsom often disparages states such as Texas as Florida, but they are gaining population while California is losing it."

 * ... BOMB CYCLONE: Thanks to a fast moving atmospheric river, California is being lashed by heavy winds and rains that have caused havoc and even death in northern California. Atmospheric rivers are common in California and hugely influential in terms of the drought and the damage they can cause because of too much moisture. So what exactly is an atmospheric river? This answer comes from The New York Times: "These storms get their names from their long, narrow shape and the prodigious amount of water they carry. They form when winds over the Pacific draw a filament of moisture from the warm, moist air over the tropics and channel it toward the west coast. When this ribbon of moisture hits the Sierra Nevada and other mountains, it is forced upward, cooling it and turning its water into immense quantities of rain and snow."

 * ... ISABELLA DAM: And how does all this rain affect Lake Isabella, which has been flirting with dangerously low levels? One who had the answer was Steven Mayer, the gifted Bakersfield Californian feature writer and one of the more thoughtful analysts around town, who posted this on Facebook: "Isabella Lake’s water level grew by more than 1,000 acre feet in a 24-hour period. On the afternoon of Wednesday, Jan. 4, the lake held 55,670 AF (acres feet) of water. Twenty-four hours later, it was measured at 56,697 AF, a difference of 1,027 acre feet. Great progress, but we must keep it in perspective, as 56,697 AF is only about 10 percent of the lake’s capacity, and only 39 percent of the average lake level for this time of year. Still, more is pouring in (much more than is being released downstream), and lots more precipitation is forecast. " (photo courtesy of Mayer's Facebook account)

* ... ABORTION PILLS: Here is an interesting development in the blowback against the Supreme Court overturning Roe vs. Wade: It looks like pharmacies will soon be carrying abortion pills thanks to new changes made by the Food and Drug Administration. This is a big change that will likely - by design - give more women access to the abortion pills on demand. Up until now, the pill was only dispensed by a few mail order pharmacies or by certain doctors and clinics. Abortion pills are already used in roughly half of the cases where pregnancies are ended. (In California, the pills will be available without prescription)

 * ... TRACO MATTHEWS: It was good to see Traco Matthews being recognized as the local NAACP's "Man of the Year" as part of the celebration of Black History Month. Matthews is among a local group of young, motivated and talented "next generation" leaders that will help define and mold what life in Bakersfield and Kern County will look and feel like in the next in the next several decades. The event will be held Saturday, Feb. 4, at Bakersfield Country Club.

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 * ... MEMORIES: So who knew we used to have salt baths down near Mill Creek Park? I didn't until I spotted this on the Kern County History Fans collection of remarkable photos on the group's Facebook page.

A medical expert warns we are "inviting disaster" by failing to practice social distancing, 24Fitness closes abruptly, LAX allow marijuana at the airport and a discussion on race at a local church

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.

 * ... COVID WARNING: Coronavirus cases are on the rise and if we don't continue to practice social distancing we are "inviting disaster." That's the word from Dr. Brij Bhambi of Centric Health, who said wearing a mask in public should be seen as a "charitable act" that puts the health of others

before your own. For Kern County, Bhambi said a big problem is that a large percentage of our younger people have underlying health issues brought on by obesity, Diabetes and unhealthy lifestyles. That means the virus will spread more quickly in a population that should otherwise be healthy.

 * ... 24 HOUR FITNESS: If you are a member of 24 Hour Fitness, you need to look for another gym. The popular fitness club, long a fixture in Bakersfield, abruptly closed two Bakersfield locations after firing employees and contractors on an automated telephone call. That's right, employees were told to call into a meeting where an automated message informed them they were all laid off. (photo by Jolie Brouttier)

 * ... UNITY MEETING: Hats off to the coordinators of the Unity in the Community meeting at St. Peter's Church Thursday evening, an excellent start on the conversation about race in Kern County. Michael Bowers, vice president of Centric Health, helped coordinate the community meeting along with NaTesha Johnson, Kelly Gafford Gibbons and Traco Matthews. These are difficult conversations, but open meetings like this, where everyone has a seat at the table, are important to get the conversation going.

 
 * ... LET'S TALK RACE: Next week, on Tuesday, I will host another conversation about race and "white privilege" when Michael Burroughs and Keith Wolaridge join me on KERN NewsTalk 96.1 FM for an open ended discussion. Burroughs is the director of the Kegley Institute of Ethics at CSUB and Wolaridge is a trustee with the Panama Buena Vista School District. The conversation starts at 1:30 p.m. next Tuesday, June 16.

* ... POT AT LAX: Are you ready to travel with your medicinal marijuana? Up until now, it has been strictly forbidden to carry marijuana into a U.S. airport, or to store in in your luggage. But now Los Angeles International Airport, better known as LAX, has announced that it will permit travelers to bring small amounts of legal marijuana through security in their carry-on bags. LAX is honoring the 2016 law that allows people to possess small amounts of pot, and is allowing travelers over the age of 21 to enter the airport and pass through security with the permitted amounts of marijuana. "The Los Angeles Airport Police Department will allow passengers to travel through LAX with up to 28.5 grams of marijuana and 8 grams of concentrated marijuana," reads a statement on LAX's official website, which was posted in September 2018.

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: Masks hanging from the rearview mirror are the new fuzzy dice."

 * ... GOOD ADVICE: I spotted this bit of good advice on Facebook from my friend Louis Gill, head of the Bakersfield Homeless Center: "What was... is done.  Change is here. Lean into it and help make something better."

 * ... MEMORIES: Enjoy these classic pictures of Bakersfield courtesy of the Bakersfield of Old Facebook page.

Is Centric Health's Michael Bowers lining up to replace Willie Rivera in Ward !? Dr. Ravi Patel will receive the John Brock Award and Dr. Jeanine Kraybill is promoted to become an associate professor

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.

 * ... WILLIE RIVERA: Ward 1 City Councilman is leaving his position to take a new job with Area Energy, and he is urging an open, transparent discussion about the benefits of going to a full-time council position. The idea of getting rid of the city manager and going with a full time council is not new, but so far it has failed to muster enough support on the council to demand a full hearing.

Rivera said serving on the Bakersfield council is a "bigger job" now that the city is the ninth largest in California. Rivera wants a special election to succeed him in November, but that too will take a vote by the council. Otherwise, the council will make an interim appointment until and election can be held.

 * ... BOWERS FOR COUNCIL: The most prominent person named as a replacement for Rivera is Michael Bowers, the marketing vice president for Centric Health who has important political experience working for both former state Sen. Andy Vidak and Congressman David Valadao. Bowers told me he grew up in Ward 1, is open to serving or running but would need the permission of his boss, Dr. Brij Bhambi, one of the founders of Centric Health. Bhambi, appearing on my radio show, said he was not personally political and preferred to leave questions of political activity to the others. Does that sound like Bowers has permission to serve? It does to me.

* ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: A stylist posted this and aint it the truth? "That earthquake you felt was every hairdresser putting their head in their hands as they try to fit 500 clients into 2 hours, under a ton of regulations and rules."

 * ... NEW PROFESSORS: A big congratulations to Dr. Jeanine Kraybill who has been elevated to the position of Associate Professor at CSUB. Kraybill specializes in both political science and religious studies and - personal plug here - has been a weekly guest on The Richard Beene Show since January 2017. This is a big win for CSUB, our community and of course Kraybill and her husband Jesse, who now call Bakersfield home. And, the same was true for Michael Burroughs, another CSUB faculty member who was elevated to a tenured Associate Professor position. Burroughs heads the Kegley Institute of Ethics over at the campus.

 * ... RAVI PATEL: Dr. Ravi Patel, founder of the Comprehensive Blood and Cancer Center (CBCC), has been chosen to receive the John Brock Community Service Award. The award is given out every year to a community leader "who has demonstrated a lifetime of exceptional service" in Kern County. Patel moved to Bakersfield in 1985 and later helped guide the growth of CBCC into a 75,000-square-foot campus employing more than 250 people. The award will be given out in September.

 * ... PYRENNES: Check out these then and now pictures of Pyrenees Bakery, formerly located on East 21st Street.

 * ... MEMORIES: I spotted this picture on a local website devoted to Kern County history, a beauty from back in the day. Its caption reads: "Busy day on the Grapevine, circa 1940. Likely taken during wildflower season. Newspapers and radio programs such as the Richfield Reporter would report on the bloom, resulting in huge increases in traffic. Some rare cars pictured: A 1933-34 Willys sedan to the right, with the three people standing in front of it; and merging from the left foreground into traffic a 1939 Willys Californian, a flashy trim option only made at the Maywood, California Willys plant."

A vintage car show downtown clogs the streets and drives customers away, Traco Matthews leaves Aera Energy for another job and knowing when the small things can have a big impact

Monday, March 19, 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. 

 * ... CAR SHOW: I'm not a fan of car shows, but I understand those who get into these kind of things. But the days of staging these shows in the downtown area - particularly a work day - should be long gone considering the problems they create. On this past rainy Friday, it was near impossible to navigate downtown as the Cruzin Bakersfield vintage car show wound through the downtown streets. The irony here is that shows like this actually hurt downtown businesses, not help them.

When you rope off streets you are pushing people out of downtown, not inviting them in, and the local shops and restaurants suffer. What should have been a busy night at the local eateries was turned into a retail nightmare, and one restaurant owner told me it took her a full hour to get into work. The Cruizin Bakersfield car show does a lot to help local charities, but next time they should consider Stramler Park or the Kern County Fairgrounds. Benefiting charities at the expense of local restaurants and retail shops is a bad deal.

  * ...  BOULEVARD: More big news in local food and entertainment: The Boulevard, a 45,000 square foot project over off Buck Owens Boulevard, will open next month featuring gastropub style cuisine, an outdoor beer garden, state of the art bowling, laser tag, bocce ball and a ropes course. This is yet another project by the Bynum family, this time David Bynum and Trifecta Management. His brother, Don Bynum, is part of a group that runs Temblor Brewing Co.. The BLVD, as it will be known, sits in the same spot that once housed the old Home Base. It will open April 19.

 * ... TRACO MOVES ON: A big congratulations to Traco Matthews who is leaving Area Energy to become one of the Human Resource directors for the Kern County Superintendent of Schools. Matthews announced the move on Facebook and we will no doubt hear from from this man who has thrown himself into our community. (picture of Traco with Aera's Cindy Pollard)

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "Showing your love used to be buying them flowers or writing a poem. Now it’s just looking at them for 5 minutes without checking your phone."

 * ... EAST SIDE: Sometimes it's the little things that make a difference, and Ward 2 City Councilman Andrae Gonzales is the master of knowing that small things can make a big impact. Since unseating Terry Maxwell on the council, Gonzales has made his "neighborhood clean up" Saturday a fixture of his office, and he was out again this weekend with Ward 2 residents cleaning the streets. This week his monthly "Keep East Bakersfield Beautiful" cleanup covered the alley between Monterey and Lake Street from Williams to Beale.

 * ... SHAME ON THE PADRE: Meanwhile shame on the Padre Hotel and managers in its Brimstone lounge for putting this grand hotel in a bad light. I was dining with a friend when he submitted a $40 Padre gift certificate to pay for drinks. Our waiter told him that "management" said the $40 could only be used for food. Say what? Perhaps not coincidentally, former Valentien manager Jeramy Brown is one of the managers at the Padre now, and he was known for rejecting gift certificates when he worked at The Mark across the street. If a gift certificate is for "solid food only," perhaps it should stipulate that.

 * ... MEMORIES: This old picture of 19th and Chester looking west down 19th Street is compliments of the Kern County of Old Facebook page.