California Gov. Jerry Brown defends hydraulic fracking on Meet the Press, checking up on the Meals on Wheels program and another successful Cioppino Feed by West Rotary

 * … FRACKING: Gov. Jerry Brown launched a no nonsense defense of hydraulic fracturing on Meet the Press Sunday, dismissing host Chuck Todd's concerns that the practice uses too much water and could be dangerous. Brown noted California oil companies have been fracking for decades, safely, and that the practice does not use excessive amounts of water. He also reminded Todd that California
imports 70 percent of its annual oil consumption, and banning fracking would hardly make a dent in consumption but force the state to import yet more oil on rail cars.

* … MEALS ON WHEELS: I stopped by the Rasmussen Senior Center last week to check on the remarkable Meals on Wheels program run by the North of the River Parks and Recreation District. Five days a week the program feeds 255 homebound seniors and another 150 show up daily for lunch. The program is so popular that there is a waiting list. It's hard to overstate how important this program is for so many seniors who live alone and don't have the means to provide for themselves. Hats off to some of the NOR executives involved in the program, including Lisa Plank, Diane Hooper and Mishelle Ulrich.

 * … CIOPPINO: I would not have wanted to be anywhere else this past Saturday evening than at Monsignor Leddy Hall in La Cresta, where I joined a few hundred other folks at the annual Cioppino Feed. West Rotary has cracked the code on a successful fund raiser: feed the crowd with steamed clams, salad and cioppino (a fish stew), keep it simple with wine and a silent and live auction and send everyone home happy and smiling. A special thanks to our server Alyson Amestoy and her group of Centennial High School volunteers who worked the room to keep everyone fed. The club expects to make some $80,000 which it will dole out to deserving charities.

 * … BAD FORM: Shame on whoever decided to dump an old jacuzzi off Round Mountain Road at the foot of someone's driveway. Think about it: it likely took three or four strong young men to lift the 500-plus pound piece of plumbing into the back of a pickup, but instead of taking it to the dump, they unceremoniously left it on the side of the road.

* … DOWNTOWN: The deadline is fast approaching for grant applications focused on improving downtown Bakersfield. The Bakersfield Californian (family) Foundation will accept applications up until April 3 for projects devoted to beautifying, or improving, the downtown area. Go to www.bakersfieldcalifornianfoundation.org for details.

* … KINDNESS: Teri Snow Gamblin was riding on the back of a motorcycle near Sierra Summit recently when she was thrown from the bike onto the highway. Her companion was not injured but she suffered some serious cuts and found herself bleeding in an area with no cell phone service. The 61-year-old woman shared what happened next. "A young boy maybe 10 cautiously approached, and I asked  him for help. He said they had heard the crash, his mom was coming and that she was a nurse.  I was taken into their cabin where she cleaned the wounds and bandaged my hand until I could get a ride to the hospital. Mom said they came to the cabin for the weekend, so she could help her son with his homework. She kept me warm and even cut one of her t shirts to bandage my hand with. Her son and his dog went down to the highway and flagged down the car that was taking me to the  hospital… As mom helped me into the vehicle she took my head into her hands and kissed my forehead and wished me well. In the shock of it all I didn’t get her name,  however she is a Kaiser nurse working behind San Joaquin hospital. Richard it would be greatly appreciated if you could share this story and hopefully someone that knows this beautiful, kind person can let her know how much I truly appreciated the kindness she and her son bestowed on a total stranger."

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The nation marks the birthday of Cesar Chavez, but years after his death the United Farm Workers has become an insulated, irrelevant force, say critics

* … CHAVEZ: The legacy of Cesar Chavez has been in the spotlight this week - a new biopic movie on his life opened along with National Cesar Chavez Day - but is the union he founded still 

relevant? Some critics say no, and they say his foundation now exists to run radio stations, attract grants and employ a few people. Miriam Powell, who wrote an unflinching portrait of Chavez and the United Farm Workers in the book 'The Union of Their Dreams: Power, Hope, and Struggle in Cesar Chavez’s Farm Worker Movement,' said this in an opinion piece for Fox Latino News:  "The man born 87 years ago today worked with a single-minded intensity few could ever match. For a time, that zeal produced unprecedented gains for California farmworkers. But the union he founded failed to thrive and has become irrelevant; farmworkers today know Cesar Chavez only as the name of a famous Mexican boxer. In the end, Chavez’s legacy is far from the fields, in cities across the country where his name evokes pride and his life serves as an example of what community organizing can accomplish."

 * … HEART HEALTH: Margaret Scrivano Patteson is the seeming picture of perfect health: an avid runner and cyclist, she rarely goes a day without a vigorous workout and watches what she eats. Yet while cycling recently the 51-year-old pharmaceutical sales rep suffered a heart attack, and her story is a cautionary tale for all of us who think we are doing the right thing but are unaware of the silent killers within us. Patteson appeared with me on First Look with Scott Cox to talk about her family history of heart disease and to thank her cardiologist, Dr. Brijesh Bambi, the folks at Bakersfield Heart Hospital and her personal physician, Dr. Raj Patel. Go to bakersfield.com to view the entire interview.

 * … GOOD FORM: Julie Calvin submitted this bit of news to make your day. Last Sunday she went to PetStyling Co. on Coffee Road to pick up her dogs after being groomed. "As I hurried to get them safely into my vehicle, I apparently dropped my wallet in the parking lot. Not realizing that I had dropped it, I continued home.  About five minutes later I received a call from the manager at PetStyling and they had found my wallet (I didn’t even realize yet that I had dropped it!).  I went back to retrieve my wallet and everything was still in it. It’s nice to know that there are still honest people in the world!

* … CIOPPINO: Congratulations to Bakersfield West Rotary for another spectacular Cioppino Feed over at Monsignor Leddy Hall this past weekend. The proceeds from the event - it raised some $100,000 -  will help fund the club's foundation as well as Memorial Hospital's pediatric unit.

  * … WRESTLING: I ran into Vernon Varner at the Cioppino Feed and he reminded me of another upcoming fund raiser to support the storied CSUB wrestling program. The event, planned for Tuesday, May 6, will feature former world wrestling champion and ex New England Patriots player Stephen Neal. Tickets are $75 each. Call Janis Varner at (661) 587-8157. CSUB wrestling could not exist with the help from the Varners and the Coyote Club, and it's worth your consideration to support this effort.

A happy ending for Blackie, an American Staffordshire Terrier who was left in Bakersfield after his owner was injured in a truck crash. He is now back home in Texas

 * ... BLACKIE: Patricia Boles is active in the local animal rescue community and shared with me the story of Blackie, a sweet American Staffordshire Terrier who was separated from his owner after a truck accident here. For three months Blackie was cared for by the folks at the Kern County Animal Shelter while his owner was convalescing in Texas. Boles meanwhile raised enough money to fly Blackie back to Texas in a private plane, but only after a commercial carrier at LAX refused because it thought Blackie was a dangerous pitbull. Said Boles: "Cherie Charlton spent hours on and off work exercising this dog... The dog was returned home by Bonny Schumaker (an amazing woman and president of a group called 'On Wings of Care') and of course all of this was overseen by the new (animal control) director Jan Woodward. Just think everyone should see that all the workers at KCAC have big hearts and though they have a distressing job to face daily they truly love animals." (photo of Bonny Schumaker and Blackie)

 * ... WELCOME HOME: This is the time of year when the sons and daughters of Bakersfield who are living away or at college come home to rekindle friendships and enjoy a home cooked meal. One of those in town is Sarah Audelo, daughter of Joe and Mimi Audelo, who now holds a Master of Public Policy from The George Washington University in Washington D.C. Sarah graduated from Ridgeview High School and received her undergraduate degree from Georgetown University.

 * ... MUSEUM: Bernie Herman, the retiring executive director of the Bakersfield Museum of Art, sent out a seasonal letter asking folks to donate to the museum. Herman will retire early next year (a search committee is interviewing finalists for his job now) and we should all take a moment to thank Bernie for guiding the museum these past eight years. When Herman became director, the museum had more than $1 million in debt. Today it is debt free and thriving, offering summer camps for children and sponsoring such popular events as Via Arte.

 * ... HOLIDAY THEFT: Eileen Sanchez awoke the other day to find that thieves made off with her son's basketball hoop. "I know this might seem trivial considering what has been happening in the world these days, but I wanted to share my disappointment at a time of year that should be full of giving and good tidings. My son's basketball hoop was stolen by a thief in the night. Actually, more like probably four thieves as this basketball hoop had a 54 inch glass backboard, water in the base, and weighed at least 300 pounds, no easy task. We purchased the hoop for his birthday this past June and he has shot baskets almost everyday since. My son and his dad spent ten hours putting that thing together and rolling it outside making sure it was just the right height.  He taped off the free throw line and knew just where the three point shots were.  It's sad to discover how quickly someone can take the joy out of a young boy's heart. Again, I know having a basketball hoop stolen is nothing compared to many things that are happening, but it's just one more sad example of a culture where people are so willing to take from others without hesitation, and from a child no less."

* ... GOOD WORK: The folks over at West Rotary are up to more seasonal good needs.  The group volunteered to sponsor 30 needy children at the KCMH-Children's Services this Christmas. Said county worker Vija A. Turjanis: "Last week I needed a trailer to pick up all the gifts that Rotary West  donated in response to the letter our kids wrote.  The  generosity of this organization is truly amazing as they made the magic of the holiday season came alive. Our neediest kids are going to have the most awesome Christmas and they will believe that our community and Santa does care for them and most importantly they will know that they are not forgotten during the holidays."

Dealing with Cal State's image problems and another successful Cioppino Night with West Rotary

 * ... MORE CAL STATE: There has been a lot of feedback on Cal State Bakersfield's decision not to provide a senior discount for Roadrunner baseball games. And the fact that I raised the issue at all has led some to believe I am attacking the university. So let's be clear: I am a big fan of CSUB and believe it is an integral part of our community. The "senior discount" issue for Roadrunner baseball is albeit a small one, but indicative, some believe, of an insular view of the world held by certain administrators. Certainly these strained town-gown relationships are not uncommon in college towns across the country, but they can cause substantial damage among potential donors and supporters. This has never been more true than today, when CSUB and other universities are increasingly dependent on the generosity of alumni and local donors to make up for severe state budget cuts. And if perception is reality, CSUB does have an image problem. As retired educator and CSUB alum Craig Holland wrote me: "It is great that someone is finally stating what those of us who have been in town for 30 plus years have known."

 * ... CSUB: Along those lines, reader and CSUB volunteer Adele Davis wrote to point out that ticket prices at CSUB events are determined by each department. The Music Department, for example, has always offered a senior discount while students with ID are allowed in free. "There is a general admission price, a senior/faculty/alumni price (usually the same but not always) as well as a student price which includes any students over 12 from any school. Since we stopped charging CSUB students, our CSUB student attendance was increase greatly," even if they are not attending to complete course requirements.

 * ... CIOPPINO:  West Rotary held its hugely successful "Cioppino Night" Saturday  at Monsignor Leddy Hall at Garces Memorial High School. If you don't attend any other fund raiser, this is one that is well worth the $75 ticket price. Fresh clams, salad, cioppino, wine and dessert and all for a good cause. The profits went to the Pediatric Care Unit at Memorial Hospital, the Ronald McDonald House and the West Rotary Foundation. Among those West Rotarians I spotted were President Jim Darling, president-elect Rikki Foster, past presidents John Wells and Mike Rubiy, Bruce Jay, David Gay, Rick Kreiser, Kevin Burton.

 * ... MOVERS: Ed Taylor, community banking president for Wells Fargo Bank, is leaving town to take another position with Wells in the Washington, D.C. area. Ed has been a friend of the non profits and will be missed. Over at KGET, morning co-anchor Katie Harlan has left the set to join the communications staff at Pacific Gas and Electric. Lastly, Bryan Burrow has left his vice president job at Bank of America to join IES Engineering.

* ... CSUB TENNIS: Here's a cause worth supporting: a golf tournament to raise money to help maintain the women's tennis program at Cal State Bakersfield will be held Monday, April 4, at Seven Oaks Country Club. The cost is $125 a golfer and tee sponsorships are available for $100. There will be auction items from some of the top tennis players in the world, including Rafal Nadal, Roger Federer, Andy Roddick and Kim Clijsters. Call Regina Kuger at (661) 706-8858.

* ... MUSEUM: Good news from the Bakersfield Museum of Art where three events drew record crowds. Museum marketing director Beth Brookhart Pandol said the Western Day event drew 1,400 folks last summer, Dia de los Muertos packed in 1,600 this fall and the recent Freedom Day attracted 750. "Thanks to the many partnerships, including those with the Bakersfield Californian, KERO, Buckley Radio and Bright House Networks, plus many, many others, we were able to branch out to new audiences to provide them with a cultural experience and entertainment," she said.

 
 * ... BAKERSFIELDISM: Jemina Rowe shared this gem from her youth when she worked at the old Wayne's Drive-In located on North Chester by the river. She worked there during her college years, 1940-1944, and remembers when an Army unit leaving Northern California would call in an order. "They wanted 200 hamburgers, 200 cheeseburgers, 400 fries and 400 milkshakes. They said they would pick them up by 5 p.m. as they were going to camp across the street. We would put the order together, freeze the milk shakes and put the burgers in the warmer. Sure enough, between 4:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. three or four Jeeps would arrive to deliver them across the street. I've often wondered if anyone got what they ordered."