A breakthrough in solar technology could spell trouble for fossil fuels, Cafe Med closes abruptly and Mexican drug cartels are now focusing on the latest cash crop: avocados

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 reflect the views of any other individual, organization or company. 


 * ... SOLAR BREAKTHROUGH? A story that didn't get much play this week involved a potentially game changing technology in the fight against global warming. Backed by Microsoft founder Bill Gates, the technology uses concentrated solar energy to exceed temperatures greater than

1,000 degrees Celsius (1,800 degrees Fahrenheit). Said one story: "For perspective, that kind of heat is about one-quarter of the temperatures found on the surface of the sun. At that temperature, the energy company—Heliogen—can replace the use of fossil fuels in critical industrial processes, including the production of cement, steel, and petrochemicals, dramatically reducing greenhouse gas emissions from these activities. This singular scientific achievement was accomplished at Heliogen’s commercial facility in Lancaster, California." Keep an eye on this techonology.

 * ... AVOCADO CARTEL? Are you ready for this? Apparently avocados have become so valuable that Mexican drug cartels are now adding the popular fruit to the list of other products - marijuana, cocaine and other drugs - that they want to control. According to a piece in The Los Angeles Times, Mexican cartels have beens seizing hundreds of thousands of acres of land to plant avocados in Michoacan state, already a region notorious for cartel activity. Said The Times: "Mexico's multi billion dollar avocado industry, headquartered in Michoacan state, has become a prime target for cartels, which have been seizing farms and cleaning protected woodlands to plant their own groves of what locals call 'green gold.'" (LA Times photo)

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER :Saw a rival dad unloading a turkey fryer so I brought him a fire extinguisher.

 * ... ADIOS CAFE MED: Cafe Med, the iconic Mediterranean eatery on Stockdale Highway, is closing after three decades in business. Owner Meir Brown said business had grown soft in recent years and factors out of his control - increases in the minimum wage, skyrocketing utility costs to name two - had made going forward untenable. The closing triggered a tsunami of criticism on social media over customers who held Cafe Med gift cards, some purchased recently, that are now virtually worthless. Brown first announced he was closing this Wednesday but the doors were shut for good on Friday, leaving fans torn between sadness and anger over being stifled with gift certificates. The closing of Cafe Med is just the latest in a long string of local businesses to shut their doors. Others include Joseph's Italian Restaurant, Red Door Interiors and Beverly's Craft store.

 * ... GOOD FORM: Hats off to Gary and Deborah Leary, who celebrated their 49th wedding anniversary this weekend. If you have attended a fund raiser where steaks are involved, chances are you spotted Gary and his son Anthony tending to the grill, while Deborah worked the room making sure the trains ran on time. Whether it is CSUB or the St. Francis du Paul homeless shelter, the Learys are among those who have contributed to its success.

 * ... MEMORIES: Here are a few pictures worthy of a walk down memory lane, thanks to the Facebook pages Kern County of Old and Kern County History Fans.

San Luis Obispo is crowned the best college town in America, avocado prices spike because of a bad harvest and Steve Schilling prepares to retire from Clinic Sierra Vista

 * ... COLLEGE TOWNS: So where is the best college town in America? Would it surprise you if I told you it was just up the road in San Luis Obispo, home of Cal Poly? That's what the website

College Rank found in its research, crowning SLO as the "best college town" in the country. Rounding out the top ten were Cambridge, Mass. (Harvard); Gainesville, Fla. (University of Florida);  Amherst, Mass. (Amherst College); Boulder, Colo. (University of Colorado); Burlington, Vt. (University of Vermont); Charlottesville, Va. (University of Virginia); Ann Arbor, Mich.  (University of Michigan);  Santa Cruz, Calif. (UC Santa Cruz) and Athens, Ga. (University of Georgia).

 * ... AVOCADO: If you've noticed a sharp spike in the price of avocados, it should come as no surprise. The average retail price for avocados rose 35 percent in the first half of this year to $1.21 per avocado, according to the Hass Avocado Board. The reason: smaller than average harvests in California, which produces more avocados than any other U.S. state.

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "Just drove my mechanic's vehicle and his check engine light was on."

 * ... SPOTTED ON FACEBOOK: "You're never too old to be nice to people."

 * ... GOOD FORM: Hats off to new Californian columnist Justin Salters who broke ranks from the divisive and self pitying nature of other voices and called for more "Jefferson Dinners," venues for people of all backgrounds and political philosophies to come together for constructive conversations. It's an idea whose time has come, and I salute Salters for suggesting something that I for one plan to adopt.

 * ... SCHILLING: Steve Schilling, who built Clinica Sierra Vista into one of the largest and most important health organizations serving the needy in Central California, is looking to retire. That's the word from Jennifer Self, Clinica's communications and advocacy director, who said a search is under way to replace Schilling as the organization's chief executive officer. "He will stay until his successor is on board," Self said, adding that might be accomplished by the end of the year. Schilling almost single handedly built Clinica into a powerhouse in providing basic and preventative health care to thousands of Californians via a vast network of public and private partnerships.

 * ... SHOUT OUT: City Councilman Andrae Gonzales was making the rounds in Ward 2 the other day when he gave a shout-out to an important local organization that works quietly and doesn't get a lot of press: The Assistance League of Bakersfield. Said Gonzales: "The Assistance League is an all-volunteer non-profit organization, serving the community through ongoing philanthropic programs. One program, Operation School Bell, provides new school clothing to children in need. In 2017, the group helped over 3,600 children with back-to-school clothing! The organization's thrift store, the Bargain Box Thrift Store, is the group's biggest fund-raiser. The store is located at 1924 Q Street and is open Monday though Saturday, 11a.m. To 3 p.m. Stop by and visit!"

* ... MEMORIES: So who remembers Beryl's Cafe, a small country style cafe located at the corner of South Union and Bear Mountain Boulevard? According to Fatima Al-Bugharin, writing on the Kern County of Old Facebook page, it was originally a gas station owned by Vern Sweitzer (Sweitzer's Corner) from 1917 to 1961. "In 1961 Mrs. Beryl Mitchell purchased the property from Mr. Sweitzer and turned it into Beryl's Cafe. The cafe was successful and became a home away from home for many visitors, farmers, and truckers. Beryl's cafe closed in 2006 and in 2009 Mrs. Beryl Mitchell passed away. Unfortunately, the old place fell apart through the years and was demolished as a result."