Noting the loss of a friend who made me smile, Condoleezza Rice heads to Bako for a fund raiser and Kurt Rivera winds up in Sacramento as an anchor and reporter

 * ... FRIENDSHIP: I lost a good friend the other day, and I am kicking myself for not taking the time to stay closer in touch. His name was Bryan Kelly and many of you may remember him as the cheery, wise cracking host at Trader Joe's who was forever sharing stories and making people laugh. Many more of you may remember him as a regular in the local theater scene, primarily at the

Bakersfield Music Theater where his mile-wide personality felt at home on stage. He would often appear in the same plays as his husband and life partner, Michael Izqierdo. After Bryan left Trader Joe's on disability we stayed in touch, always planning a dinner party that somehow was never scheduled. His rapier-like wit was in evidence when he would fire off a politically incorrect email, and both being cat people, he would faithfully sign off with a reminder like this: "Now go get some fresh tuna for that queen puss and rub her tummy." But I lost touch over the past several months and I was not even aware Bryan was battling liver cancer until two friends - Susan Reep and Jim Baldwin - alerted me to the bad news. He succumbed to it last week. Thanks for the laughs and the smiles, my friend.

 * ... CONDI RICE: I heard the other day that the folks over at the Boys and Girls Club have scored a home run by booking former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to appear at a fund raiser early next year. The club's Ricki Peace confirmed that Rice will appear at the Feb. 22 fund raiser, along with our own House Majority Leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy. Rice will no doubt be a hit and the beneficiary will be the kids at the Boys and Girls Club.

 * ... KURT RIVERA: Remember Kurt Rivera, the KBAK news anchor who lost his job when he was accused of abusing his girlfriend? It looks like Rivera landed on his feet at KXTV in Sacramento, where he is both reporting and anchoring. Rivera, it should be noted, was never formally charged by the District Attorney, but the incident was enough to end his career in Bakersfield.

 * ... SPOTTED ON FACEBOOK: From my friend Joe Drew's Facebook page: "The older you get, the tougher it is to lose weight because by then, your body and your fat have gotten to be really good friends."

 * ... GOOD FORM: I ran into a local banker during last week's rain and he shared this inspiring story with me. "I saw a homeless guy on 17th Street and his pants were totally soaked," he told me. "I always have an extra pair of pants with me and he was about my size, so I gave it to him. I also gave him my Rotary cap. Think about all the old clothes we all have that we give away and there is so much need out there. Please don't use my name." Your request is granted, and thank you for your generosity.

 * ... APPLE CIDER VINEGAR: I never knew of the health benefits of apple cider vinegar until a friend shared his secret to healthy living. "I mix a little unfiltered apple cider vinegar with water every morning and I have not had a cold in five years." That is good enough for me; count me a follower.

 * ... SUBARU: Hats off to Sangera Subaru for donating a Subaru Impreza to the folks over at Convenant Coffee, the non profit dedicated to helping former foster youth gain job skills. The car will be used by Covenant employees to perform service calls. Subaru general manager Damon Culbertson noted he hoped to employ some of the Covenant clients, and added "the coffee is really good" as well.

Keep an eye on those tax raising proposals on the November ballot, Kyle Carter picks up an important endorsement and the Bako Sweet mini seedless watermelon shows up on the streets of New York City

 * ... TAXES: Here's yet another reason to pay attention to what your local government is doing these days: despite the defeat of the proposed library tax in June, more proposes to raise your taxes are headed to the November ballot. Bakersfield College is pushing one measure to improve its facilities, and other groups (public safety unions and Sheriff Donny Youngblood) tried unsuccessfully to increase the sales tax

to fund public safety and transportation projects. For taxpayers, this looks like death from a thousand small cuts as politicians use the ballot box to push vital decisions back to the voters. I found this response from former city councilman Mark Salvaggio noteworthy: "There is an old idiom: You never let a serious crisis go to waste.  In this vein, our county government needs to make some structural budget cuts to remain solvent.  If it is not done now during this budget crisis, it will never happen; it will be government as usual. Now is the time to cut back on dozens of unfilled public safety positions that are still funded but have little hope of being filled in the future.  These funds are used to pay for expensive overtime for the rank and file in these departments, the hiring of temporary employees to complement the current permanent employees, i.e., the Probation Department and who knows what else... The Kern Community College District Board of Trustees just voted to put a $503 million dollar bond on the ballot in November.  If passed, this will add another tax on our property tax bills which already have numerous bond taxes on them.  For example, this college district currently has 3 other outstanding bonds on the property tax rolls along with 1 maybe 2 for the Kern High School District as well as dozens of elementary school district bonds throughout Kern County."

 * ... ENDORSEMENTS: Kyle Carter has picked up an important endorsement in his quest to succeed Harvey Hall as mayor. The country's largest police union, the Kern Law Enforcement Association, said it was supporting Carter because of his commitment to landing new funding for local law enforcement. Meanwhile Carter's opponent, Karen Goh, picked up a less weighty endorsement when she won the support of local attorney Milt Younger, once a kingmaker in local Democratic politics and a longtime voice for liberal causes throughout the region.

 * ... SMALL WORLD: My oldest daughter, a graduate of Garces Memorial High and later UC Berkeley, now lives in Brooklyn but carries a piece of Bakersfield in her heart. So I should not have been surprised when she texted me a picture of a seedless, organic mini watermelon with the brand "Bako Sweet" that she found in a local New York City street market. It turns out the melon she purchased in Brooklyn is from Valpredo Farms here in Kern County, founded by Chester and John Valpredo and carried on by the family to this day. Check out the family's website at www.bakosweet.com.

* ... GOOD FORM: If you already love Trader Joe's, this note from Bonnie Farrer will make you love it even more: "Is Trader Joe's a great store or what? Today I needed a few items there but was not allowed to put my small dog in the grocery cart. I couldn't leave him in the hot car so one of the  clerks stood outside the door with Toby on a leash while I shopped. Bravo to that young man!"

* ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "Stalking is when two people go for a long romantic walk together but only one of them knows about it."

 * ... BAD FORM: Fred Valenzano weighed on our litter habit with this thought: "Your Friday column (7/22) has a slight error in your comments about plastic bags: quite a few smokers STILL throw away cigarette butts like they are nothing! I know and am related to current and ex-smokers who are/were always thoughtful. But I see people everywhere who still treat our world as their personal ashtray. Ugh!"

A new audit slams the University of California system for favoring foreign and out of state students because they pay higher tuitions, Mayor Harvey Hall shows more class and no, Trader Joe's is not shutting down

* ... UC SYSTEM: A new report sharply criticized the University of California system for favoring foreign and out of state students over California residents simply because they pay more in tuition.

This probably shouldn't come as any surprise, but the audit was the harshest criticism yet for the UC system that has long been under attack for admitting more out of state students as a way to balance its budget. It recommended, among other things, a cap on foreign and out of state students as well as stricter entrance requirements. How many outstanding, high achieving California students do you know who have been forced to out out of state simply because the UC System needs more money?

 * ... HARVEY HALL: Among the reasons I will miss Harvey Hall as mayor is the way he welcomes, embraces and appreciates all voices in our community. Among those voices is the local Sikh community, which is significant and growing, and which will hold its annual parade and celebration later this month. Hall is now appearing on public affairs spots on local television promoting the event, and we can only hope his successor is equally as welcoming to all diverse elements who share this place we call home.

 * ... APRIL FOOLS: What was the Yahoo! news site thinking by allowing someone to post an April Fools story saying Trader Joe's was shutting all of its 500 stores across the country? The story, posted Thursday the day before April 1, went viral on social media before it was exposed for just what it was, a premature bad joke.

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "I think the only way I’ll ever be motivated to go to the gym is if I’m in prison."

 * ... OVERHEARD: "The only thing worse than smokers are the smokers who dump their ashtrays into a parking lot."

 * ... SHARP SHOOTER: Frontier High school junior Remington DeWitt has done it again, earning yet another accolade in the sport of skeet shooting. DeWitt, daughter of Stuart and Kourtney DeWitt, has been named to the Zone 7 All Area Ladies team that will compete in the regional shoot next month in Phoenix. Not bad for a 16 year old.

 * ... MEMORIES: John Strand from Lake Isabella says you might a Bakersfield old-timer "if you remember Marge Stiles (Styles?).  She was the weather lady at KERO-TV when studios were in the El Tejon Hotel downtown. Even though her monochrome graphics consisted of a grease marker and some Plexiglas, and there were no weather satellites, her forecasts were surprisingly accurate."

Esther Gamez, whose family founded and owns Mexicali Restaurant, passes away leaving a legacy of grace and kindness, while another young waitress at The Mark shows some real class

* ... ESTHER: Our community lost a terrific person recently with the passing of Esther Gamez, a daughter of the founders of Mexicali restaurant and quite possibly one of the most gracious, and kind, people I have been fortunate to have met. She was 84. Esther was a Bakersfield success story, born during the

Great Depression when women were not expected to run businesses. After her parents founded Mexicali, she and her three sisters worked as waitresses while their mother worked in the kitchen. In her early years she ran her own business on Chester Avenue called the Chili King, but later returned to Mexicali. Later she threw herself into the community, volunteering for too many good causes and non-profits to list here. If a life can be measured by sheer kindness and grace, then Esther's was a life fulfilled.

 * ... SPOTTED: A young woman is in Valley Plaza wearing a T-shirt with this message: "I like long romantic walks to the bank."

 * … GOOD FORM: Isn't it surprising how a simple act of kindness can lead to such positive emotions? I recently lost a pair of my favorite sunglasses and I had no idea where they were. Then, to my surprise, six weeks later, hostess Crystal Garcia at The Mark Restaurant on 19th Street downtown surprised me by saying she had found them on my table and put them away for me for whenever I came back. Now that, friends, is white glove service by a young lady who goes above and beyond.

 * ... FRONT TRUNK: Tom Koski read my posted about the owner of a $300,000 McLaren spotted at Costco loading groceries in his front trunk. "I also owned a car where I loaded groceries camping supplies and other items into what would normally be the engine compartment, but the car did not cost $300,000. I think that I payed a little less than $3,000 for my first new car, a 1973 VW Bug."

* ... DROUGHT: Have you ever been tempted to install artificial grass? Terry Stoler did so about three years ago, using Dan Monji to install fake grass at the family's weekend home in New Cuyama. "And we love it!" she said. "We put native oaks on drip to soften up the landscape and there were tons of rocks on the place to fill in the flower beds. I don’t miss the flowers or shrubs. The Monji firm has great designers that know how to soften the look of artificial turf. Yes they have the more natural artificial turf with some blades of brown. The first shock was the price. Yes it is pricy. However when you think about the maintenance on real grass it turns that around pretty quickly. Add up the mowing, fertilizing, water costs and weeding. There are no weeds or gophers or insects! I think it raises the value and salability of a home... As farmers our water has been cut back to barely maintenance of our crops. Hope people will weigh the options. Our population continues to grow. California will never have enough water for our past lifestyles."

 * ... ACHIEVER: Hats off to Michelle Heredia, a freshman at East Bakersfield High School, who swam on the varsity swimming team. Said proud grandparent Johnnie Adams: "She won three medals and a certificate as most improved athlete. She also plays violin in the orchestra."

Another First Friday weekend in Bakersfield and Barry Goldner is recognized as a 'Super Lawyer'

* ... FIRST FRIDAY: It's time for another First Friday celebration downtown. There are a number of events worth checking out, not to mention just stopping by the new Padre Hotel to check out its $18 million facelift. Here's a sample itinerary: You might want to start at the Surface Gallery at 1703 20th Street to view a remarkable collection of photographs of the Padre Hotel through the years taken by Felix Adamo, local Californian photographer. After that head to Dagny's Coffee Company on 18th Street to see paintings by Cindy Stiles, wife of Dave Stiles of the Chain, Cohn and Stiles law firm. And don't forget to drop by Don Martin's Metro Galleries  at 1604 19th Street for "California Contemporary," a show with a number of artists including Art Sherwyn, Keith Wicks, John Brosio, Tina Bluefield, Lily Stockman and Mary-Austin Klein. Then choose from Uricchio's Trattoria, Mexicali, Mama Roomba, the Padre or La Costa Mariscos for a bite to eat downtown, or drive over to Cafe Med on Stockdale Highway. You can't lose either way. The stunning painting below is by Marty -Austin Klein and will be on display at Metro Galleries. The photo below that is of Vikki Cruz of Surface Galleries, showing large protest signs that once hung in the old Padre Hotel.

 

 

 * ... MCCARTHY GIVES THANKS: I was touring the Padre Hotel Monday night when I spotted Rep. Kevin McCarthy and aide Vince Fong setting up for a reception to recognize the congressman's supporters and friends. McCarthy says he does this simply to "say thanks" to the many local folks who have helped in over the years. Among those at the reception were Ray and Lisa Karpe and Tim Terrio of Terrio Therapy-Fitness, Dan Hay of Jim Burke Ford, Rob and Judi McCarthy of Lightspeed Systems (she's also head of the Kern Community Foundation), retired oil executive Gene Voiland, Greg and Mary Bynum., Memorial Hospital President Jon Van Boening, and city council member and Memorial development director Sue Benham.
 
 * ... GOLDNER NAMED SUPER LAWYER: It was nice to hear that Barry Goldner, a principal in the law firm of Klein, DeNatale, Goldner, Cooper, Rosenlieb and Kimball, was named by Southern California Super Lawyers magazine as one of the top attorneys in Southern California. Goldner was specifically recognized for his work in business litigation. He is married to Theresa Goldner, county counsel, and they have one daughter, Rachel, a high achieving junior at Garces Memorial High School.

* ... BRAIN ARMOR:  Local chiropractor Dr. Courtland Keith is recovering after a nasty crash on his mountain bike last Saturday. An accomplished cyclist, Keith was flying down a hill near Keyesville when he hit a rut and was sent airborne, smack into a pine tree. He spent several days at Mercy Hospital with a broken collar bone, three cracked ribs and a collapsed lung. He is lucky on two counts: his wife Heather is an emergency room nurse and he was wearing a helmet. Helmets save lives. Wear them.


 * ... THE BUZZ: It is time to put to rest the rumors that Trader Joe's is moving out of the Southwest for roomier quarters on Rosedale Highway. Kevin Deighan, who works for Trader Joe's in the corporate office and is in charge of real estate, told me flatly there is no truth to the reports. Not only that, but Deighan also said there are no current plans for a second Trader Joe's in Bakersfield.

The Padre Hotel reopens on an $18 million bet on downtown Bakersfield

 * ... WELCOME BACK PADRE: The historic Padre Hotel reopens today (Monday) after an $18 million bet that downtown Bakersfield can support a first class hotel and restaurant. I had a chance over the weekend to spend a few hours with the two principal owners, Brett Miller and Graham Downes, both entrepreneurs who have put their own capital at risk here. (their photo is below, Miller on the right) Downes is an architect from Durban, South Africa, who made it to the United States via professional rugby. Miller is originally from Visalia, graduated  from San Diego State (Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity) and has a long history in the hotel and restaurant business. Both live in San Diego and collaborated on Tower23, a sleek boutique hotel on Pacific Beach. (view its website here) Miller is also owner of Moondoggies (view its website here) and Gringo's restaurants in San Diego. This is their largest investment together and it has been a huge undertaking, and the results are stunning. I think our community is ready for the Padre, but Miller and Downes must be careful about the tone their multiple bars set and try to avoid the rougher late night crowd that has brought bad publicity to other downtown eateries. A couple of ugly incidents could scare off the demographic they need to succeed and cause irreparable harm. If they can do that - while providing good service and food - they will be a hit.

 * ... ANCHORS AWEIGH: Reader Wayland Louie wrote to correct me in my reference to the Navy fight song  "Anchors Aweigh" at the funeral for Claude Fiddler, the retired Chevron geologist and Navy veteran. "Your updates on Mr. Fiddler's services were helpful. I must mention though ... you said one of his granddaughters sang 'Anchors Away' at his service. I believe you meant to say she sang 'Anchors Aweigh." Naval personnel and boaters 'weigh' anchor... If you look at the song lyrics for each title, you will see that one definitely is not a naval song." I stand corrected.

* ... MAIN DRAIN ROAD: Local farmer Dick Porter sent me a humorous email noting that only in Kern County would we have roads with names like Brown Material Road and Main Drain Road, "and they don't even intersect!"

 * ... PARKING WOES? Reader Janice Holder wrote regarding the rumor that Trader Joe's may be thinking of moving to a larger facility on Rosedale Highway (a report the company says is not true.) Holder said she has "a love/hate relationship with Trader Joe's. Love the store, hate the parking.  The parking spaces must be the absolute minimum size.  Love to park at Sam's Club, Kohls etc. on South Gosford.  Large, roomy parking spaces.  If you haven't been there, you should check it out.  Many vehicles are so large that minimum sized parking spots are no longer practical.  And while we're at it, how hard can it be to take your shopping cart to the designated storage areas?  I've seen perfectly "fit" people just push the cart up in between the cars and drive off leaving it to be some one else's problem.
 "On another note, I often affectionately refer to Bakersfield as "Bakerspatch."  We have Weedpatch and Pumpkin Center.  Why not  Bakerspatch?   Can't be all that bad, I'm a transplant from the mid west and have stayed here for some 55 plus years.  I have many great memories here."  Thanks for the note, Janice.

City manager says get ready for more traffic snarls and yet more feedback on nicknames: Backwardsfield?

 

 * ... TANDY REPORT: City Manager Alan Tandy spoke to the downtown Rotary Club Thursday and passed along some interesting tidbits. First, Tandy said we should all prepare for a flurry of major road work around town as stimulus money is put to work. This is money tied to creating jobs so the city has to spend it promptly. Resurfacing on a number of major arteries will begin after the rains. Tandy also noted that one sure sign of the recession is the marked decrease in the amount of garbage and trash being generated, and the hauls remain lighter than usual, a sure sign the recession is lingering. And lastly, he warned we should all prepare for more DUI checkpoints since that is one area that is still receiving healthy federal funding. He said the city will average about six DUI checkpoints a month.

 * ... FAREWELL CLAUDE: The funeral service for retired petroleum geologist and engineer Claude Fiddler was a fitting tribute to a remarkable man. The service was held at Greenlawn Memorial Chapel and followed by a special "toast" on the Panorama Drive bluffs overlooking the Kern River oil field. In a moving tribute to the Navy veteran,  granddaughter Sarah Ross sang "Anchors Aweigh" to wrap up the service. The Fiddlers (his wife Shirley Ann died just a few  weeks before Claude) were generous benefactors to a number of non-profits including the Golden Empire Gleaners, Southern Sierra Boy Scouts, Bakersfield Museum of Art and Valley Public Radio, to name a few.

* ... BACKWARDSFIELD? OUCH! This from reader Jerry Cox on nicknames for our hometown. (His comments will no doubt get a response.) "No doubt you've heard this one before. My favorite pet name for Bakersfield is Backwardsfield. As I travel around this great state, I'm often asked 'Where are you from?.' I usually reply that I am originally from the Midwest but that I now live in Backwardsfield. That usually results in getting a wink, or a nod, with a knowing smile, as a reaction. Just passing this on. You may not want to share this with your readership. But, as you media people would say, 'Just reporting the news, not making it.'  I can only speculate on why I get this response. Deserved or not. Editorially speaking, after living here eight-plus years, I would say deserved. As TBC would write -- These are his opinions, not necessarily The Californian's."

 * ... BROWN MATERIAL ROAD: And then there is reader Anne Grogan, who said that "no one should be so insecure that they are afraid to inform people they are from Bakersfield. After all, it isn't as bad as telling someone you reside on Brown Material Road!"

 * ... THE BUZZ: There is a lot of talk going around town that Trader Joe's may be leaving the Southwest to relocate to the Northwest Promenade on Rosedale Highway. I'm not sure where this rumor started and the folks over at Trader Joe's say there is no truth to it, but it nonetheless has a lot of people upset. Negotiating Rosedale Highway and dealing with the traffic at the Promenade is no fun, and many loyal Trader Joe's folks want it to stay exactly where it is. We'll keep an eye on this one.