The city of Arvin gets ready to approve the indoor cultivation of cannabis for the wholesale market, a pitfall is thrown out of a red truck and more generosity about town

 * ... ARVIN MAYOR: Keep an eye on Jose Gurrola, the young mayor of Arvin who has had the political courage to help broker a deal that will allow the legal cultivation of cannabis for the wholesale  

market. Gurrola is just 24, elected mayor last November after serving one term on the city council. While the city of Bakersfield and county have decided to turn their backs on any opportunities to regulate, and benefit, from legal cannabis, Arvin has chosen its own path. The city will outlaw the store-front sale of marijuana, but will allow indoor cultivation for the wholesale market. It's a shrewd compromise that could greatly benefit the taxpayers of Arvin, while giving the city more direct control over how the industry involves.

* ... BAD FORM: A frustrated and angry Nancy Vide shared this: "Driving up Auburn Street on the way home, about 8 p.m, I came upon what looked like an accident in the road. I parked my car at home and ran across the street. There were four young adults and three of my neighbors and in the traffic lane was a beautiful brown pit/lab mix. He was about one to two years old and severely injured and in shock. Everyone was trying to keep him calm. Long story short......an EVIL, VICIOUS, HEARTLESS person threw this beautiful dog out their red car/truck and then he was ran over by a white car. While I am not trying to blame the people in the white car, I wish they would please come forward to help find these criminals. And to anyone that has a neighbor with a red vehicle that does not now have a (barking) dog...... please say something! I want to thank my neighbors Kathleen Snow and Daniel for taking this poor creature to the emergency vet on Easton Drive. And the young adults that stayed to help comfort the dog. I only hope karma jumps in big time for the evil doer."

 * ... PHILANTHROPY: Bakersfield is known for its generosity, in both big and small deeds, but the Virginia and Alfred Harrell Foundation (previously known at The Bakersfield Californian Foundation) has few peers. The foundation recently announced the winners of its fall grant cycle and they included $100,000 grants to both the Tree Foundation of Kern and the Mercy Foundation-Bakersfield. The two $50,000 grant winners were Garden Pathways and Recyling Lives. There were three $25,000 winners: Downtown Bakersfield Development Corporation (reducing trash), Rebuilding Together Kern County (the Carnation neighborhood projects) and United Way of Kern County.

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "I have an awful lot of responsibilities for a guy who also has a sign on his door reminding him to zip his pants before he leaves."

 * ... SPOTTED ON FACEBOOK: "If everyone you admire keeps disappointing you with awful sex scandals, try admiring more women."

 * ... AMES WOODWORKS: The next time you are in Sequoia Sandwich Shop downtown, check out the new indoor seating area featuring some handsome wood benches. It turns out the benches were built by Sam Ames, a local wood craftsman who specializes in tables and chairs made from reclaimed vineyard stakes. Ames provided four benches for Sequoia, made of a more traditional hardwood than the reclaimed vineyard stakes he normally uses. Check out his website at www.ameswoodworks.com.

 * ... ROTARY: And finally, Bernie Barman wrote to recognize a group of 60 Rotary and Interact Club members who spent a recent Saturday cleaning up the San Miguel Grove area where the bike path meets Manor. "In addition to picking up trash they also planted 10 oak trees donated by the Rotary clubs (to supplement the 100 trees the Breakfast Rotary planted several years ago) and cleared lots of weeds. Breakfast Rotary organized the event and was joined by members of other Rotary clubs, including Twilight Rotary and West Rotary, as well as 37 high school students from the Interact clubs at Liberty, Stockdale, Centennial, Golden Valley and Foothill High Schools. City staff also participated by bringing in the trees and hauling away the weeds. The teamwork really paid off."

California cities prepare local rules for legal marijuana, texting contributes to more traffic fatalities and First Friday kicks off a perfect October weekend

 *... TRAFFIC FATALITIES: This may not surprise you but traffic fatalities are surging, thanks in part - experts say - to our love affair with the dangerous habit of texting while driving. The Wall

Street Jounral said traffic deaths rose more than 10 percent in the first half of this year. Said the Journal: "While drunken driving is historically a big culprit for fatalities, motorists are also inundated with more technology in the car cabin, and the use of smartphones by drivings remains a concern for regulators."

 * ... MARIJUANA: Interesting to read that the city of Arvin is looking into ways to regulate the indoor growth of marijuana. It's yet another sign that experts expect an easy passage for Proposition 64, the measure which will largely legalize marijuana in California and put into place a system to tax and regulate it. Expect more cities to follow Arvin's lead and start preparing for the inevitable.

 * ... FIRST FRIDAY: A big first Fall First Friday is on tap in the Arts District of downtown Bakersfield. A new exhibit by former Bakersfield resident Robin Noble is at Metro Galleries. Noble married and moved to the central coast a few years ago and once settled discovered a huge talent and passion for painting. Her show' "Language of Light" kicks of the evening at 5 pm. Also on display at Metro is "Breath of Fresh Air." A series of paintings by local artists and BHS art students that will be used in a clean air, healthy lungs public art campaign sponsored by Dignity Health. A number of the pieces will be installed in the Arts District in February."

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "I am in my truest form when the food comes at a restaurant and I side-eye plates, suspicious that everyone got more fries than I did."

 * ... FOODIE: And speaking of food, when was the last time you were at an event catered by Moo Creamery? Lamb tacos, bacon wrapped meat with blue cheese, chicken pot stickers, mini tortas and dessert trays that will make you blush.

  * ... INFANTRY: Fred Drew is a proud Vietnam veteran, and he recently returned from Fort Lewis, WA., for a special ceremony. "There was a ‘change of command’ parade on the Division parade field where I was inducted as the Honorary Regimental Commander of the 23rd Infantry Regiment. This is one of the oldest Infantry Regiments in the US Army, and has fought in every war from the Civil War to the global war on terrorism. I commanded a company in the regiment in Vietnam from August 1969 to March 1970 as a 22-year-old captain. This was a great honor for me and my family. It was awesome to see and meet so many great young Americans who have sworn to protect and defend the United States of America."

 * ... MEMORIES: How many of you have lived here long enough to remember when the "southwest" part of town ended short of West High School? Loren Stroppe does, and she shared this memory: "I worked for the Ewings at the Tam O' Shanter in the early 1960s and in 1964 they decided to open the Stockdale Inn and wanted me to be the assistant manager, so I worked there from the ground up literally. We were the real pioneers all out there by ourselves. Some of my good memories were that the southwest was just starting to develop and some of the people I got to meet.  Occidential Petroluem had just been formed, they were located about where the In 'n Out Burger is now. Armand Hammer and Gene Reid would would bring their entire staff 30-40 people over for drinks after work whenever they hit a big well. Other people of note that also dined there was Del Webb as he was just starting Kern City and Park Stockdale. Also the Valley Plaza was just being built by by Farber and Gladstone whom also dined there."