Rep. Kevin McCarthy's weekly update from Capitol Hill: praising Valley Children's Healthcare and its CEO Todd Suntrapak

 House Minority Leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy gives us his weekly update from Capitol Hill. In his words:

 "Last week, I was fortunate to meet with several important organizations from California to discuss both emergency service efforts during a crisis and the need to protect our children’s health.

"California has faced many natural disasters over the past several years. From drought to flooding to fires, Californians have had to persevere through some of the deadliest and destructive disasters in our state’s history. Through each experience, I have worked directly with federal, state, and local officials to ensure that immediate and long-term federal response and support is on hand to help Californians. That coordination is vital to saving lives, rebuilding our communities, and returning to a semblance of normal life following a disaster. One official who consistently answers the call to serve is Director of the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (CalOES), Mark Ghilarducci. Mark is an old friend who I have known for many years and I am appreciative of his steadfast commitment to protecting Californians through robust preparedness strategies and disaster mitigation.

 "Just a few years ago, the Erskine Fire ravaged Lake Isabella, and CalOES was there each step of the way providing every resource imaginable. Without CalOES’s immediate action, this fire would have been even more devastating. The Erskine Fire left a painful memory in our community - 309 buildings were destroyed and two lives were sadly lost -  Byron and Gladys McKaig. We must honor their memory by always being prepared for the possibility of unexpected threats, so that future lives can be saved.

 "Last week, I also met with Valley Children’s Healthcare President and CEO Todd Suntrapak; he is paving the way for children’s health in the Central Valley.

 "Valley Children’s is one of the largest pediatric healthcare networks in the country. Through the help of programs like the Children’s Hospital Graduate Medical Education (CHGME), Valley Children’s is able to receive funding to support the training of new pediatric physicians and specialists at their facilities.

 "Their team has directly seen enormous benefits from CHGME, a program helping to train the next generation of pediatricians who will administer world-class services to families in need. Additionally, the Advancing Care for Exceptional (ACE) Kids Act, which recently passed both the House and Senate, will help ensure that children with the rarest medical conditions receive quality and coordinated care under Medicaid. I am proud that Congress was able to act swiftly to ensure that our youngest patients are never forgotten.

Bakersfield turns out for the July Fourth parades, the Lie-N-Den celebrates an anniversary with a burger special and the CEO of Valley Children's Hospital takes a swipe and those trying to derail Obamacare

 * ... TRASH: Hats off to former Mayor Harvey Hall, who may have left office but remains deeply involved in the community. Thanks partially to Harvey's efforts and funding, the Downtown Street

Ambassador program is continuing, giving day jobs to the homeless to keep our streets clean. Each month, the Bakersfield Homeless Center says hundreds of bags of trash are collected from our streets. That's a good start, but it is just a beginning. Meanwhile Ward 2 City Councilman Andres Gonzales said work is continuing on the idea of creating a self-taxing downtown business district to provide money for security, lighting, trash pickup and marketing.

 * ... HAPPY FOURTH: Bakersfield is at its best during the July Fourth holiday, and this week was no exception. Virtually every neighborhood in town has some form of a Independence Day parade featuring smiling children with wagon adorned red-white-and-blue bunting, a welcome respite from the vitriol in Washington. I attended the downtown Westchester parade where I spotted too many friends to count, but among them were Mayor Karen Goh, Louis Amestoy and daughter Alyson, Ward 2 Councilman Andres Gonzales, Carla Pearson, Lisa Boydstrun, Linda Sullenger, Rick and Lorie Kreiser, Jesse and Jeanine Kraybill, Don Martin, John and Katy Glentzer, Dustin Glentzer, Nate Hayden, Kyle and Kim Carter, Adam Belter, Meir Brown, Scott Spielman, Amy and Zane Smith, Jason Cater, Robert Austin Smith, Pat and Robin Paggi, Jenny and Joseph Andreotti, John and Ginette Brock, Tim and Erika Calahan and sisters Lillie and Ellie Martin.

 * ... LA CRESTA: Meanwhile up in La Cresta, local residents renewed a July Fourth tradition by going house to house to swim in all 27 private pools in the area.

 * ... VALLEY CHILDREN'S: The chief executive officer of Valley Children's Hospital, Todd Sundrapak, has little use for the Senate version of the bill to replace Obamacare. In an opinion piece submitted to the Sacramento Bee, Sundrapak said the House and Senate versions of a new healthcare bill would be a "disaster for America's children... Children account for the largest share of the Medicaid program - also half of enrollees. Yet they are the least expensive to cover, accounting for less than 20 percent of total costs. Moreover, research is clear that children who are covered by Medicaid have better health outcomes and miss school less than other children who have no access to health care. Slashing federal Medicaid support for children is short sighted." Suntrapak will be my guest on the Wednesday edition of The Richard Beene Show on KERN NewsTalk 96.1 FM.

* ... SPOTTED:A real Bakersfield moment happened recently when Derek Carr appeared at the old Montgomery Ward building on Golden State (now owned by Canyon Hills Assembly of God) to share the gospel, while across the street legions of Oakland Raider fans camped out at a tailgate party to show their appreciation.

* .. LIE-N-DEN: The Lie-N-Den, home to what many consider the best burger in town, is celebrating its 12th year of ownership to a local couple. To celebrate the anniversary they are offering a half chili size for $1 between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. on July 11. One per person and no take out.

 * ... CLINICA: Clinica Sierra Vista has appointed Jennifer Self as its new director of communications. Self spent more than 25 years at The Bakersfield Californian as editor of its feature Eye Street pages but left recently. Clinica started out in 1970 as a small, rural health program and has since grown to be one of the largest, comprehensive migrant health center systems in the state, offering medical, dental and behavioral health care in Kern, Fresno and Inyo counties.