Rotary Club of Bakersfield sends team to Nicaragua to in honor of the late Wendy Wayne, and more dirty diapers on our streets

 * … ROTARY: Kudos to the twelve people representing the Rotary Club of Bakersfield who just returned from a week in Camoapa (central), Nicaragua, to work on a water project in honor of Wendy Wayne.  Nine Rotarians, two spouses and Cindy Chernow, Wendy's sister, worked community to build a "lavender," a wash and bathing station next to a newly installed well. This project will have a tremendous impact on the village of Las Pencas, which previously obtained water and washed its clothes in the same river – a river that would often run dry during Nicaragua's long dry season. The group included Cindy Chernow, Sue Benham, Bob and Patti Burdette, Jim Cordle, Jeff Green, Jeff Johnson, Justin Leland, Dave Plivelich, Steve and DeAnne Sanders and Ray W. Watson.  This is just one more example of the impact the Rotary Club of Bakersfield has in our community and abroad.

* … ONCE A DRILLER: Tom Schroeter sent me a gentle reminder about being a Driller. Said Schroeter: "As the proud father of Ali Schroeter, I want to thank the paper for the article in Thursday's edition recognizing her for breaking a school volleyball record at Rutgers University (Former Driller Sets Record).  However, I would be remiss (and would suffer the slings of all Drillers) if I didn't point out one error in the article. There are no 'former' Drillers. As you have no doubt heard, 'once a Driller, always. . . .'   And so next time there is an article about a 'former' Driller, you might consider something like '2012 Driller Sets Record.'" I stand corrected!

 * … DIAPERS: Can you stand one more story about people tossing dirty diapers on our streets? This from Carole Casteen: "Bakersfield is a great place to live, but some of our residents need basic instruction on civil behavior.  One Saturday morning I went to the Costco on Panama Lane, and arrived early enough to get a parking spot extremely close to the front door.  As I was loading my groceries into my vehicle, I noticed a white bundle smack in the middle of the parking space right next to my car.  I watched as a huge truck roared through the parking lot and chose to drive into the parking space next to my car. Yes, he drove his big truck right over the white diaper bundle, squishing it completely and then drove off.  Fortunately none of the stuff that squirted out of the rolled-up diaper sprayed onto my car, and fortunately I was far enough away and had already loaded my groceries. Note: the rolled-up diaper next to my car could not have been more than 25 steps to a large trash can near the Costco entrance. The Costco manager said that it happens there ALL THE TIME!"

 * … MORE TRASH: And there is this from reader Denney Evans: "I read that a special task force is being assembled to  monitor vehicles heading toward our city dumps. A suggestion. Use this group to monitor high schools. We could balance the budget on the citations. My findings in  Riverlakes confirm that the student favorites are  Bud Light, Camels, McDonalds and Starbucks."

 * … COFFEE SHOP: For all your old timers out there, who remembers Cy's Coffee Shop? This from reader Donna Semar: "You might know a resource where I could find more information about Cy's Coffee Shop that was located on the northwest corner of 18th and Eye Streets.  I'm very interested in images from the interior. My husband referred to it as Robin Hood's and doesn't know why. Perhaps there was a mural of Sherwood Forrest on the walls?  He would visit Cy's with his father in the early 1960s. I do know that there were 3 Cy's - 18th and Eye, 18th and Union (then it was 99), and 24th Street (currently 24th Street Cafe). Any information will certainly enhance our Thanksgiving conversations."

Pots holding shade trees for the downtown arts district are vandalized and The Salvation Army gets a $100,000 grant from The Bakersfield Californian Foundation

* … VANDALISM: It was distressing to awake Saturday and learn that someone took a hammer to one of the beautiful new pots that were installed downtown to beautify the area. The pots, which were

purchased via a grant from The Bakersfield Californian (family) Foundation, were placed throughout the arts district to hold shade trees. The pot that was demolished sat near the Ice Housing framing studio on 19th Street.

 * … GRANTS: And speaking of The Bakersfield Californian (family) Foundation, it awarded a $100,000 grant to the Salvation Army, Tehachapi Service Center to fund the creation of a Community Center that will serve the residents of the Tehachapi area. The Foundation has also offered the Bakersfield Homeless Center Job Development Program a matching grant of $50,00. If the Homeless Center can raise $50,000 within six months, the Foundation will match that amount with its own $50,000.

* … DIAPERS: My earlier blog post on a woman who tossed a dirty diaper into a car via the sun roof after watching a couple leave in on the curb drew applause from more than a dozen readers. This, from Gene Bonas, was typical:  "I just love it when the Esthers of the world seize this type of opportunity and act on it. Great story! If you see Esther in a future meeting, give her a great big hug for me."

* … BAD FORM: Frances Quiroz raises a point about bad form that I just happen to agree with. It happens when parents take their young children into R-rated movies. "There were at least three families with kids that I saw going in to this movie. A movie, that if you looked up it's reviews, has three scenes of nudity, sexual content and sexually suggestive scenes and fondling… Are you kidding me? This is what you want to expose your kids to? As a parent of two minors myself, ages 13 and 16, there are some movies that are PG13 that I won't let my kids watch. Maybe I'm a parent from the dark ages, but I care about what my kids are exposed to. Please tell me that I'm not the only one!"

 * … BAKERSFIELD COLLEGE: Four distinguished alumni of Bakersfield College will be inducted into the alumni association's Hall of Fame this week. On Thursday, the alumni group will hold a dinner to honor Dr. John Alexander, Peter Reyes, Bill Houser and Gerry Collis into the hall of fame. Some tickets are still available by calling (661) 395-4800. Tickets are $35. The event kicks off at 6 p.m. in the Bakersfield College Cafeteria.

  * … GOOD FORM: The folks over at Covenant Coffee on North Chester are sponsoring a Book Drive for Oildale Schools. Said Covenant's Randy Martin: "The goal is for each K-6 grade student from Wingland, Standard, Beardsley and North Beardsley to be given two books each ...we need about 4,000 books! The drive runs through Nov. 17. We are giving a free coffee with the donation of two books!" This is a good cause and, if you haven't been to Covenant's trendy coffee shop on North Chester, here's your chance to check it out.

Time to bust out those New Year's resolutions and Michael Rubio makes the right call

* ... NEW YEAR'S: It's time to consider those New Year's resolutions, but instead of the usual suspects (I will exercise more, eat healthier and write thank you notes ) how about if each of us adopted a charity and contributed a little something every month? Can you imagine the impact  if we all dug a little deeper and gave to the charity of our choice?

 * ... RUBIO: My heart goes out to state Sen. Michael Rubio, who dropped out of a race for Congress to put his family first. This came after his second daughter was born with Down syndrome. The local Democrat was an early favorite to win this race, and it's refreshing to see politicians look into their hearts and do the right thing.

 * ... DIAPERS: It has been a while since I mentioned the nasty habit of people casually discarding their diapers just about anywhere (including - yuck - a new shoe box at Target). But Scott A. McMillan, who owns several Sonic Drive Thru restaurants in the South Valley, reminded me the habit is alive and well. He discovered this Christmas Eve morning when he helped open his Sonic in Hanford. He cleaned the outside area and as he was  leaving - after only one customer had come through - he glanced back and found a used diaper sitting under the drive thru window. "My first thought was 'Are you kidding me?' We've only had one guest! But right then a picture of you from the Californian flashed into my head and I started laughing out loud. After a few minutes of hearty laughter I removed the unwanted item and went on my way."

* ... SMOKE POLICE: Molly Mac has only lived here a few years but opted to weigh in on our area's air pollution rules. Recently she found herself driving behind three school  buses. "Whew,  the exhaust fumes were overwhelming. I read that at least 60 percent pollution is due to vehicle emissions. It would seem to me that it would benefit the air if these vehicles were converted to natural gas as are the GET buses....and no I don't want to hear about the cost. Where are our vaunted representatives on this issue? Perhaps we could utilize the farm subsidies to syndicated farms and business (which are no more than corporate welfare).....and no, I don't own natural gas stock or know T. Boone Pickens."

 * ... SPOTTED: A woman driving on Ming Avenue in the afternoon rush hour trying to merge into the left lane with her right  blinker on while talking on her cell phone with her left hand and  smoking a cigarette with her right hand. As reader Marlene Morales said:  "This is an accident waiting to happen. And by the appearance of her vehicle, I'm sure she didn't have insurance."


 * ... CONVENANT: Vince Romero wrote to recommend buying coffee from Convenant Community Services, the local non-profit that does so much to help foster youth. "Our company uses Convenant coffee for all of our coffee and coffee accessories and condiments.  Spread the word about this great service." Covenant is located in an old bank building at 1700 North Chester Avenue.

Bako Bits: CSUB gets ready to honor five alumni and a diaper story you're not going to believe

 * ... CSUB HONORS: Hats off to four well deserving local folks who have been chosen to enter the Cal State Bakersfield Alumni Hall of Fame. It's remarkable how many community leaders have come out of CSUB and this is a stellar group. It includes Ben Stinson ('79), owner of Stinson's Stationers; Jon Van Boening ('92), president of Bakersfield Memorial Hospital; John Hefner ('85), retired from the Fruitvale School District; and Christine Frazier ('84), Kern County Superintendent of Schools. A dinner will take place at the Petroleum Club of Bakersfield Saturday, February 19. Call (661) 654-3211 for tickets.


  * ... FRENCH VISITOR: Ever consider hosting a foreign student in your home? If so here's your chance. Susan Peninger is local coordinator for Horizon's du Monde, a French company that brings French students to the United States for home stays. She's looking for a family willing to house a 16 or 17 year old for 10 days between February 15-25.  The student needs a place to sleep or can share a room with a like gender. The students want to experience life with an American family and are expected to follow your house rules. If interested call Susan at (661) 332-7147.

 * ... IVY LEAGUE: Always happy to pass along some good news about our high achieving local youngsters. Alicia Mathur, a senior at Stockdale High School, has been accepted to the University of Pennsylvania school of engineering and will be starting her studies in the fall. Her brother, Neil, is a senior at Princeton University. Two local kids in the Ivy League making us all proud.

 * ... DID YOU KNOW? Did you know that the pair of huge lion statues that once graced the steps of the old Kern County Jail were sold to a fraternity at the University of Nevada in the early 1960s when the building was torn down?

  * ... DIAPERS: Sick of hearing me rant about those in our community who so casually discard their diapers in our parks and on our streets? Well this story will really make you sick. Kyle Estle, a partner in Dallis Higdon and Associates, told me about finding literally dozens of used diapers on the roof of a rental on 33rd Street. "I don't really enjoy the diaper entries but I'm glad you are raising awareness so maybe some will change their behavior. Anyway, one of our appraisers was doing an apartment inspection in Bakersfield and took the attached picture. (go to www.bakersfieldobserved.com to see the picture) Apparently the former tenants were too lazy and disgusting to throw their used diapers in the trash and instead used their neighbor’s roof." The picture is almost too graphic for a family newspaper, but it shows what must be three or four dozen diapers, piled up, on a flat roof. Apparently the tenants next door just tossed their used diapers out the window onto the roof next door.

 * ... BAKERSFIELDISM: You know you're from Bakersfield when you have to explain Tule fog to others.

A garage ripoff in the middle of a house renovation and Halloween revelers leave diapers littering our streets

* ... BURGLARIES: The rash of break-ins and burglaries across our community continues unabated, but I've heard of few problems like the one encountered by a friend of mine who lives in the Bakersfield Country Club area. This friend (he asked to remain anonymous) and his wife were doing a major remodel on a home in the area - new floors and windows, new appliances, paint - and had stored the appliances in the attached garage. One morning, while workers were in the house, the garage door was left open and "a neighbor observed two men who appeared to be scouting the area and paid particular attention to the house with the open garage door. The strangers then apparently planned and prepared for a return visit. Later that night or early the next morning the thieves returned. They compromised the electric garage door, loaded up and made off with everything in the garage, including a new refrigerator, six new ceiling fans, a washer and dryer, tools and six large boxes containing non-replaceable and priceless personal property." His advice: "Should anyone find themselves in a like situation: store your property elsewhere. The thieves will not bother with an empty garage. If possible activate the alarm system. Alert your neighbors of your situation, and finally, close the damn garage door. If I were a burglary detective I would extend a great effort to identify these unconscionable animals."

 * ... SECOND MARRIAGE: One of most insightful political pundits on the national scene is the New York Times' David Brooks, one of the more conservative voices on its opinion pages. His take on the expected GOP sweep in the mid-term elections? "Overall, if it is won, a Republican House majority will be like a second marriage. Less ecstasy, more realism. The party could have used a few more years to develop plans about the big things, like tax and entitlement reform. But if a party is going to do well in an election, it should at least be a party that has developed a sense of modesty."

* ... TOLAND KUDOS: A few weeks ago I wrote about the athletic accomplishments of Mike Toland, a long-time Bakersfield resident who works as a geologist for the state Department of Conservation. Scott Sindelar, who works for Occidental Petroleum, wanted us to know more about Toland. "Bakersfield has the fortune of having such a great man like Mr. Toland as a resident. He is one of the most humble, gracious and engaging conservationists I have ever been around. Many of us have been destroyed by him in athletic events around town, but to talk to Mr. Toland you would think we were the stars. I've never heard him boast or brag about himself. He brushes off his accomplishments like it was a trip to grocery store. He sets an example as a human being for all of us to follow."

 * ... BAD FORM: There are few things sweeter than the youngsters who come to your door on Halloween, all gussied up in their costumes as their parents wait on the sidewalk with their infant siblings. But do the parents have to leave diapers in the street along with the candy wrappers? As reader Stephen Montgomery noted: "Why can't they be taught to put them back in their own goody bag for disposal when they go through the loot when they get home? I picked up a bag from the nearby Taco Bell and ... you guessed it. A used diaper! This was about 15 feet from a brown toter someone had left on the street. Sheesh!"

  * ... OVERHEARD: A resident of Seven Oaks the day after Halloween: "I gave out over 400 pieces of candy and what do I get? Someone left a diaper in the gutter in front of my house."

 * ... BAKERSFIELDISM: From local Realtor Patsy Sadler: You know you're from Bakersfield "if you remember when El Sombrero was on the Circle and the lunch special was a taco, enchilada, rice and beans and iced tea for $1.25. That was around 1969. Those were the days!"

Busy weekend in old B-town with the Business Conference and other activities

* ... WEEKEND: Could not have asked for better weather for the return of the Bakersfield Business Conference, held under the big white tent out at Cal State Bakersfield. By all measures it was a huge success and no matter your politics, you have to tip your hat to local attorney George Martin, his son Brandon and all the others who worked hard to bring such big name news makers to town. Thanks to the Business Conference, the downtown Padre Hotel enjoyed its first fully booked weekend since its reopening, and restaurants across town were all doing a brisk business. The Padre also benefited from hosting the 20th reunion of the class of 1990 of Garces Memorial High School. At Uricchio's Trattoria downtown, the wait was a full hour and a half on Saturday night.

 * ... FORECLOSURES: The housing market, still sputtering as it works through a virtual tsunami of foreclosures, may be in for yet more trouble with Bank of America's decision to freeze evictions and some foreclosures because of questions over mistakes in handling the paperwork. As one local Realtor told me: "Foreclosed homes make up almost half my sales, and if you take that away, what will be left?" The hard truth is the market will never fully recover until we work through the thousands of foreclosures working their way through the system. Stay tuned for more developments on this story as the politicians weigh in to micro manage the process.

 * ... SPOTTED: This from a friend who was driving down Highway 178 last week: "I was in the left lane and I saw what appeared to be a woman on her knees in the back of a rather large SUV in the center lane just ahead of me. All of a sudden the back window rolls down and out the window at a pretty incredible speed a dirty diaper flung out... catching and sticking to the windshield of another SUV that was following the culprit, obviously following a little too closely. Ewww. Gag. This is an anonymous report. Could be my windshield next time!"

 * ... BIRTHDAY RIDE: Hank Pfister, the long-time tennis pro at Stockdale Country Club, celebrated his 57th birthday with a hundred-mile bike ride to Panorama Heights. Pfister and 19 other locals climbed more than 10,000 feet in the ride that took six and a half hours. During a long pro tennis career, Pfister was once ranked as high as 19th in the world on the ATP Tour.

 * ... OPEN HOUSE: Gordon Westhoff, a fellow gym rat who also happens to be director of admissions at Garces Memorial High School, reminded me that the annual Garces Open House for prospective students will be held Saturday, October 17 from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m.Garces has a long tradition of serving our community and has always provided a quality education.

* ... CSUB: The CSUB Alumni Association will hold its fall mixer at The Padre Hotel on October 21 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the Prospect Lounge. The new "Runnertini" martini - it is made with blueberry and lemondrop to signify school colors - will be unveiled. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at csub.edu/alumni.

 * ... PROUD DAD: This from reader Gregg Hazle on his daughter, West High graduate Stacy Jo Craig. "She has been in the Air Force for 23 years and received her promotion to Lieutenant Colonel on Oct. 4 in Huntsville, Alabama. She has served in Desert Storm and in England, Turkey, Spain, Baghdad and many other postings. We are proud of our gal."

 * ... HAPPY JACKS: Reader Betty Hylton wrote in response to my earlier post on Happy Jack's Pie 'n Burger restaurant. "The original owner who founded Happy Jack's was Jack Boltz and it opened in the early 1960s. I don't remember the exact year. He was the purchasing agent at Union Oil Co. on F Street and left to start his own business. He must have sold the business to the Rosales family. So Happy Jack's has been at the location at least 45 years or more. I enjoy your Bakersfield Observed column." Thanks for the kind words, and the correction, Betty.

 * ... BAKERSFIELDISM:  You know you're a Bakersfield old-timer if you remember what KERO-TV was before it was channel 23. (Channel 10)