A local men's clothing store is the latest to suffer from our explosion of drug addiction and vagrants, David Valadao jumps in the race to reclaim his congressional seat and some fun facts on Labor Day

Monday, September 2, 2019

 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. Send news items to rsbeene@yahoo.com.

 * ... LABOR DAY: Happy Labor Day, and here are some fun facts you may not know: The first Labor Day was celebrated on Tuesday, September 5, 1882 ,in New York City, planned by the Central

Labor Union. Labor Day is also considered the ‘unofficial NFL season kickoff.’ And, the first Waffle House opened on Labor Day. In 1955, in Avondale Estates, GA, the very first Waffle House opened its doors to the public.

 * ... DOWNTOWN CRIME: The sheer amount of petty crime - larceny, burglary, theft, vandalism, public urination and intoxication - can seem overwhelming at times. There is hardly a day that goes by when someone in town - a business person or an individual - is not victimized by the tsunami of drug addiction, homelessness and general craziness that thrive on our streets. This weekend it was the turn for H. Walker's, our premier downtown clothing store, to have its windows smashed out. Owner Tracy Walker Kiser had the glass replaced and installed in hours, but the damage - and expense - was done.

 * ... HOMELESS: Here's a distressing image of something we have grown accustomed to: a homeless man with a stolen blue waste can sorting through trash next to the DMV on F Street. The caption on the Facebook post read: "Anyone missing their blue recycle can? This guy is sitting there picking through everything! This is on F Street across from DMV."

 * ... VALADAO: After losing reelection by the slimmest of margins, former Congressman David Valadao has signaled he will run again for the 21st Congressional District seat now held  by Democrat T.J. Cox. The 21st is an overwhelmingly Democratic district, one of the poorest in California, and Valadao served as a moderate, advocating immigration reform and often taking sides against his own Republican Party. Nevertheless he lost during the "blue wave" in the 2018 mid-term elections. (file photos of Cox, Valadao)

 * ... MEMORIES: Feast your eyes on these classic old pictures of our town back in the day.

Fentanyl, a drug 100 times more potent than morphine, is spreading across the country largely under the radar and the local SPCA says all donations stay here in Kern Country

 * ... FENTANYL: If you are the parent of a teenager or young adult, listen up. A dangerous drug is making the rounds with young people that is 100 times more potent than morphine and some 50 times more potent than heroin. It's name is fentanyl and it is classified as a synthetic opioid analgesic that is commonly prescribed as a pain suppressor in cancer patients. There are now synthesized versions on

the market, one version a white powder called "China White" and another in lollipop form called a "percopop." I first heard about fentanyl on National Public Radio where experts said it is killing more young people today than heroin or other substances, yet it is largely unknown by many people. Experts told NPR that fentanyl often kills on the first dose and is making the rounds in communities and college campuses.

* ... SHOP LOCAL: If you need another reason to support local non profits, consider this from Chuck Nordstrom over at the local Bakersfield SPCA. "I enjoyed reading your blog today as I always do and noticed the article about buying local. When the article mentioned the ASPCA and Humane

Society of the United States as wasteful, I just want to make it clear to the readers that the Bakersfield SPCA is a separate stand alone shelter and does not receive money from the ASPCA when people make contributions. One hundred percent of the money donated to the local Bakersfield SPCA remains in Bakersfield and helps take care of the local animals care, spay/neutering and boarding until they find there new adopted home. Many people don’t understand the difference between the American Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) and the Bakersfield SPCA."

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "My Dating Profile... Pros: Good as hell tweets, eyebrows. Cons: Anxiety disorder, married, four kids."

* ... DROUGHT: How many times do you drive through town during a rainstorm and see sprinklers on? For Betsy Gosling, it is far too often. "It amazes me still to see people watering their lawns, not only every day, or even on the opposite days they are suppose to, but two days after we get almost 1 inch of rain. What are these people thinking?  Where are  their heads?  Certainly not thinking about anyone else but themselves. I heard Jim Scott on Channel 17, announce one time to the viewers to turn off their sprinklers after one of our recent rains.  You would think the city of Bakersfield would have asked all the TV stations to make those announcements."

 * ... QUILTS: If you appreciate the beauty and workmanship of a handmade quilt (or better yet purchase one as a gift) head out to the 35th Biannual Cotton Patch Quilt Show the weekend of Feb. 13-14 at the Kern County Fairgrounds (Exhibit Hall 3). There will be 200 quilts on display (most are for display only and not for sale) as well as vendors offering quilting materials, jewelry, clothing and gift items. The price for this two-day event is $10 for adults, along with free parking.

 * ... KUDOS: Congratulations to A-C Electric Company’s Solar Division which was recently recognized as the top solar company in Fresno by the Fresno Business Journal’s annual Book of Lists.  In addition, out of the top 500 solar contractors in North America, A-C Electric Company earned the eighth ranking on the Solar Power World 2015 list of Top Commercial Solar Contractors.  Said company executive David Morton: "We feel this is quite an achievement.  Being able to draw on the resources and experience of a 70-year old electrical construction company has allowed us to scale up to meet the market demands of our commercial, agricultural and non-profit customers while maintaining the quality and service they expect from a local company."