Anti fracking measures in Colorado fail to make the fall ballot, a candid conversation with Bako's mayoral candidates and a local woman's reaction to the Colin Kaepernick controversy

 * ... FRACKING NOTES: There is good news for the oil and gas industry out of Colorado. According to The Wall Street Journal, two measures to allow communities in Colorado to bad

hydraulic fracturing have failed to make the fall ballot. The Journal says this is "the most high profile defeat to date for groups aiming to curtail the drilling practice." Despite this, the anti fracking groups are not going away, and we can expect more such measures on future ballots.

* ... ELECTION: Did you realize the November general election is just two months away? Forget Trump and Clinton for a minute and focus locally, where there are plenty of lively races (and tax hiking propositions) on the ballot. I am intrigued by the contest to replace Harvey Hall as mayor, a largely ceremonial job that has come down to a runoff between two strong candidates: former home builder Kyle Carter and non-profit CEO Karen Goh. Yet, even at this late date, the personal stories of Goh and Carter remain somewhat a mystery. So this Friday I will be chatting with both of them when I fill in as host of the Ralph Bailey show on KERN NewsTalk 96.1 FM. Goh will come on at 4 p.m. and Carter at 5 p.m. Tune in, and call in with your questions.

 * ... KAEPERNICK: What did you think of the decision by San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick not to stand during the playing of the national anthem as a way to protest racism? Judging by the reactions on social media, Kaepernick's stunt backfired turned into a black eye for the franchise, which enjoys a large and loyal following in Kern County. I had to chuckle when one of my friends, Pam Gleim Binns, took to Facebook to post a video of her burning Kaepernick's No. 7 jersey in the backyard of her Bakersfield home.

* ... SEQUOIA: The downtown location of Sequoia Sandwich Co. is about to undergo a major expansion. That's the word from Jeff Simpson, one of the owners who told me the popular deli has taken over the space to the east (once home to Moseley Design) where a new central kitchen will be housed along with a whole new series of "to go" items, including salads, sandwiches and desserts. Simpson hopes the new "to go" counter relieves some of the stress from the restaurant next door, which enjoys a huge weekday crowd thanks to jurors and bailiffs from the nearby courthouse.

 * ... MEMORIES: From Karene Williams comes this memory of an old market in east Bakersfield. "Way back in the 1950s and 1960s there was a little local market owned by the Fraley family. I believe it was actually named Fraley’s Market. I do not recall the exact location but his home was on Monterey just east of Baker."

  * ... MORE MEMORIES: And finally, Becky Whitehead wrote to answer another reader's question about the whistle at the old Santa Fe rail yard. "The whistle in the Santa Fe yard blew at noon for the workers to go to 'beans' and at 12:20 p.m. to return to work. It blew again at 3 p.m. to signal end of shift.  I grew up on California Avenue across from the railroad."

Fracking - hydraulic fracturing - now accounts for 67 percent of the natural gas produced in the United States, and John Nilon's appointment a potential benefit to CSUB

 * ... FRACKING: Some important news on the fracking front. It turns out that more natural gas is being generated by hydraulically fractured wells today than even before, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Fully 67 percent of the natural gas in the united States came from fractured wells in 2015, compared to just 7 percent in the year 2000. "The boom led to the U.S. becoming the world's largest producer of oil and flooded the market with natural gas, driving down prices," said a story by Climate Central. "That encouraged utilities to build more electric power plants that run on natural gas instead of coal."

 * ... NILON: Lost in the shuffle of activity at Cal State Bakersfield was the recent announcement that alumnus John Nilon has been selected to serve on the California State University Board of Trustees. This is an important move for our local campus since Nilon becomes the first trustee ever from Bakersfield and the first from the Central Valley in more than two decades. His two-year appointment as Alumni Trustee begins in July. Nilon currently serves as County Administrative Officer and was admitted into the CSUB Alumni Hall of Fame in 2014.

 * ... SNAKES: If you are a gardener, hiker or someone who just enjoys being outdoors this time of year, be aware that we are entering prime snake season. Bikers are spotting them on the bike path and dirt roads, and several have been spotted in Hart Park during the past week alone.

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "I’m not saying I’m psychic, but I’m positive I will have no interest in what you’re about to say."

 * ... MORE TWITTER: "The best thing about Monday is it only comes once a week."

 * ... VALLEY FEVER: Debra Lattimore shared this story on how valley fever affected her life. "Years ago my husband was working at Elk Hills and came home one day and said, 'you just wait, I will get valley fever.' Just months later we had him tested. He got it. They are tearing up the road now I wonder has many souls driving through the construction and boys working the site will develop symptoms. Just a thought."

 * ... GOOD FORM: And there was this from Patty Orsburn: "Thought I'd send this note about getting blessed on Mother's Day. My daughter, Amber Webster, a single mom, went to our Starbucks in Tehachapi to get us a Mother's Day treat. When she got to the window to pay the barista told her that a few customers up gave them a hundred dollar bill and to pay for all following cars until it's gone. It completely made my Mother's Day as it was very kind but more so because it blessed my daughter so much! Thank you very much whoever you are!"

Colorado Supreme Court strikes down local laws banning fracking, Stanford rejects a plan to divest in fossil fuels and are experiencing another housing bubble?

 * ... FRACKING: The folks trying to outlaw and demonize fossil fuels were dealt a setback this week when the Colorado Supreme Court struck down local government prohibitions on hydraulic fracturing. The court ruled that a moratorium in Fort Collins, as well as an outright ban in Longmont, were invalid because state law pre-empted them. At least two other cities in Colorado, and Boulder County, have anti-fracking regulations that could be affected by the rulings. Meanwhile, the Stanford University board of trustees has rejected the idea of divesting in fossil fuels, despite pressure from students and anti fossil fuel types. In a rare example of common sense on a university campus, the board noted it believes in reducing fossil fuel consumption, and developing alternative energy sources, (but) “at the present moment oil and gas remain integral components of the global economy, essential to the daily lives of billions of people in both developed and emerging economies. [G]iven how integral oil and gas are to the global economy, the trustees do not believe that a credible case can be made for divesting from the fossil fuel industry until there are competitive and readily available alternatives.”

 * .... HOME PRICES: Am I the only one who suspects we may be experiencing a mini bubble in the housing market, or does hope spring eternal when you are selling a home? Look around in virtually any neighborhood and you will find a lot of inventory on the market, and many of these homes seem aggressively overpriced. Yes, mortgage rates are still attractive but when prices of $200 per square foot become the new average in this town, if you have to wonder how long this will last.

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "Statistics show the number one cause of failed relationships is opening your mouth and letting words come out."

 * ... SPOTTED ON FACEBOOK: "The best part about being an adult is never having to do math ever again."

 * ... BAD FORM: I received this note from Paul Forster: "I applaud your on-going attempts to highlight bad driving behavior, so I thought I might help. Driving west on Olive, approaching Jewetta today, around 2 p.m. I noticed a black Subaru,  weaving in the right-hand lane, with a dog's head out of the driver's side window, on his lap! If that was not scary enough, when I passed him, he was talking on his mobile 'phone, stuck to his ear... need I say more?" That about covers it, Paul.

 * ... ROTARY: I neglected to mention that the volunteers I spotted cleaning up the rest stop next to Manor Street were members of the Bakersfield Breakfast Rotary Club. Thanks to Craig Holland for reminding me.

When Mark Ruffalo and Leonardo DiCaprio aren't making millions acting, they are lobbying to shut down all oil and gas exploration in California, and access is being curtailed to the local Jar Trail

 * ... HOLLYWOOD: As if the oil and gas industry didn't have enough to worry about, now comes a group of Hollywood celebrities who are pushing to end all oil production in California by the year 2030. That's right, actor Mark Ruffalo is leading the push, engaging other celebs like Leonardo DiCaprio, Norman Lear, Rashida Jones and Diane Kruger to pressure the governor. According to a story in the magazine Good by writer Tina Daunt, Ruffalo said: “If Governor Brown is going to walk around saying that he is a climate-change hero, then by God, we are going to hold him to his word,” says Ruffalo, who has formed a group called Hollywood United for a Healthy California with “a goal of freeing California from oil and gas extraction.” Once again hydraulic fracturing, which state regulators and even the EPA has declared as safe as practiced in California, is the convenient boogyman for the anti fossil fuel crowd. (Photo courtesy of Good magazine)

* ... JAR TRAIL: If you are thinking of climbing the Jar Trail at the mouth of the Kern River canyon, beware that you might be trespassing on private property. According to James Nickel, whose family owns extensive acreage on both sides of road, hikers have been destroying fences, littering and even painting graffiti on rocks so he and other property owners are going to close off access to the Jar Trail. It's near impossible to access the trail without trespassing, so this decision may bring an end to the popular hike. Nickel called it "regrettable" but in the end said the property owners "had no choice."

 * ... GOOD ADVICE: I was struck by this quote attributed to Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg in talking about her late friend Justice Anthony Scalia: "He told me he attacks ideas, not people." Seems like good advice this election year.

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "Some people are like Slinkys … not really good for anything, but you can’t help smiling when you see one tumble down the stairs.'

 * ... KERO TV: More management upheaval in the local television market: Pete Noll is out at as vice president and general manager of the Scripps-owned KERO (23) TV station. Scripps ousted Noll along with a human resources director and the head of promotions. No word on who will succeed Noll. Loll lasted at KERO TV less than a year.

 * ... GOOD FORM: Christine Christensen was with four "senior ladies" enjoying a lunch at the Hidden Cafe downtown when a stranger picked up the tab for their meals. "He held the door open for us, we thanked him and told him he was a gentleman and to thank his mother ... When we thanked our server and asked for our bill she told us the gentleman had paid for all five. To our Knight in Shining Armor, a big thank you."

California universities admitting record number of foreign students, two new studies say fracking has no ill effect on groundwater and more on those Mizzou protests

 * ... COLLEGES: As our public colleges and universities struggle with tight budgets, they are admitting record high numbers of foreign students simply because they pay three times as much

tuition as California residents. According to The Wall Street Journal, a record 975,000 international students were enrolled at two and four year U.S. schools this year, representing a 10 percent jump over a year earlier. And now, predictably, some California families are pushing back, saying their own children are being pushed aside simply because foreigners pay a higher tuition. Here is how bad it is for California students: the UC system accepted 62 percent of in-state student applicants in 2014, compared to 84 percent just four years earlier.

 * ... FRACKING: Two more major studies have been released that conclude that hydraulic fracturing does not pollute groundwater supplies. The latest studies, by Yale University and the other by Colorado State, dealt with fracking operations and groundwater in northeastern Pennsylvania and northeastern Colorado. According to the Denver Post, "The Yale-led study — the largest of its kind, according to a university press release — found "no evidence that trace contamination of organic compounds in drinking water wells near the Marcellus Shale" resulted from underground migration of the chemicals. The Colorado State study reached a similar conclusion. Of course, for many the debate over fracking is not based on science, but rather on emotion and the dream of a world without fossil fuels, so no doubt these latest studies will have little effect on the civic dialogue.

* ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "Always borrow money from a pessimist. He won’t expect it back."

 * ... MIZZOU: Jon Crawford weighed in on the student protect activity at the University of Missouri and Yale with this missive: "The activities of students at two universities remind me of Al Capp’s name for similar students of the 1960s and 1970s in his Li’l Abner comic strip – Students Wildly Indignant about Nearly Everything."

* ... ALIENS: Have you seen the Facebook thread about aliens falling from the sky? That's right, someone posted a picture of what looks like an animal fetus and claimed that it was an alien that had fallen from the sky in the San Jose area. Hundreds chimed in buying into the theory that the government was covering up an alien invasion. Said one post: "We see what it looks like, we know there are other life forms being generated... (but) our government works for the devil and is able to create life forms of whatever. .. God sees all and when he wants his children to know the truth it will all be revealed." Okey doke.

 * .... LOCAL HERO: Hats off to 19-year-old Abby Harwell who was shopping at Walmart near East Hills Mall when she performed CPR on a woman who had collapsed. Said her aunt Linda Daniels: "Our niece Abby Harwell works two part time jobs and takes classes at BC in the medical field... She jumped into action and performed CPR until paramedics arrived. The lady was breathing when they arrived. I think she needs a shout out for stepping in while others stood by. We are very proud of her."

Texas regulators look into a possible link between fracking and increased seismic activity and the issue of state public pensions gets readers riled up

* ... FRACKING: Keep an eye on Texas where regulators are investigating a potential link between hydraulic fracturing (fracking) and earthquakes. At issue is whether the use of injection wells to dispose of fracking wastewater is linked to increased seismic activity. According to The Wall Street Journal, experts are divided on the issue but one executive, ConocoPhillips CEO Ryan Lance, conceded there may be a link. Of concern are a series of mild earthquakes in and around Dallas and Fort Worth, an area that until recently rarely experienced quakes. Texas state regulators have already altered regulations so they can modify or end disposal wells if data links them to seismic activity.

* ... PENSIONS: My comments about the need for pension reform triggered a couple of responses, including this one from from Jean Hughes Gutierrez: "Welfare recipients also reduce funding for police, fire, schools, and road repairs. Many have more spending money than most taxpayers and government drones who serve them: free food, medical care, housing, cell phones, child care, training, and transportation. It is beyond ridiculous. ... While pension reform may be a valid endeavor, not all are free to workers, and I suggest equal concern for stopping fat cat government workers with free cars, gas, meals, Las Vegas trips, hookers, and line dance lessons.  And we have that right now with county higher ups and SEIU higher ups." Thank you Jean, that about covers it.

 * ... DROUGHT: It was Terrie Stoler's question that sparked the dialogue about the the lack of an incentive to install artificial turf: "I think the reply from California Water Service Co. answer in 'Ask TBC' today was ridiculous! We’ve NEVER hosed down our artificial turf! The question of hosing it down to cool it off is ridiculous. How long would that work at 105 degrees? Play on the turf when it is cooler, early morning or late evening. Water is used to make a lot of things. What a cop out from Yvonne Kingman and California Water!"

 * ... SPOTTED: I saw this on Twitter: "A woman saying 'I’m not mad at you' is like a dentist saying 'You won’t feel a thing.'”

 * ... FOODIE: One of my favorite appetizers in town is offered by Uricchio's Trattoria, the popular downtown Italian eatery over off 18th and K streets. It is a miniature meatball pizza that is outstanding. Between that and its other popular appetizer - a small plate of fried clams - it's hard to go anywhere else.

 * ... OVERHEARD: A high executive of a local technology company is telling a friend: "I am almost embarrassed by it but I love 'Game of Thrones.' Sex, torture, dragons... I can't believe I am watching it."

 * ... DEVIL PUPS: I recently wrote about the young men and women who volunteer to become
"Devil Pups," a rigorous team-building exercise that tests their physical limits. Dick Taylor is one of the volunteers who works with these kids, and he noted that the program ends with a 10-day encampment at Camp Pendleton. "It's interesting to note that this is not a recruiting tool for the Marine Corps, and about 23 percent of our teens eventually join the military (not just the Marine Corps), another 18 percent end up in a first responder career like law enforcement or fire, and about 70 percent are high school athletes. Kids completing camp tell us it is the hardest thing they have ever done, and also the coolest thing they have ever done."

The Washington Post debunks more scare tactics trying to link hyrdraulic fracturing with California's drought, and get readty for the second annual Macaroni and Cheese Festival this Saturday at Cal State Bakersfield

 * … FRACKING: The latest attempt to mislead the public on hydraulic fracturing is tied to the California drought. The idea - that banning fracking would help deal with the drought - is a spurious notion at best, according to a report in The Washington Post. Said the Post: "Whatever you might think about fracking — and there is ample room for disagreement on this complex issue — it is pretty hard to argue that the amount of

water that the oil and gas technology uses in California reaches a scale sufficient to count as a major drought contributor. Rather, in the grand context of California’s water woes, the numbers appear small indeed." Apparently fracking in California consumes 70 millin gallons of water a year, a mere drop in the bucket when NASA estimates it would take 11 trillion gallons to end the drought. "Fracking accounts for 0.00062 percent (or 0.0000062) of the state’s annual freshwater withdrawals," the Post said. "A lot of water? Not in my book. In fact, I thought there was an error – that the figure should have been 70M gallons per day." But the group called Californians Against Fracking has never let the facts get in the way of a good narrative.

 * … MAC N CHEESE: Tickets are still available for the second annual Macaroni and Cheese festival coming up this Saturday. Organizers are promising more food, a greater wine and beer selection, shorter lines and more shade. The event runs from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Cal State Bakersfield amphitheater. There will be 12 wineries represented, craft beer and plenty of restaurants showing off their versions of macaroni and cheese. Tickets are $45 and can be purchased in advance at www.themacandcheesefest.com.

 * … MOTHS: Is anyone else facing an explosion of moths in their homes? I can't remember a year when the moth infestation has been as bad as this year.

* … HOT TUBS: Fred Valenzano read about the folks who dump old hot tubs off Round Mountain Road and had this helpful tip. "I posted mine as FREE on Craigslist and had a line of people clamoring to take it away. Talked to a man who said he rehabs and resells them, somewhere in the Taft area. He agreed to come over that afternoon and pick it up. A group of three guys with a small old pickup truck and a handful of 2-inch PVC pipes went into my backyard. They worked like ancient Egyptians to tilt it and roll it across the yard, then tip it up onto the bed of the truck. In 30 minutes I was taking a picture of it sailing down my street. Much easier than dumping it anywhere."

 * … NORTH-SOUTH: And lastly, Gilber Alemao offered this answer to the point at which our city is divided. "To answer your poll, the dividing line is the Stockdale Hwy/Brundage Lane alignment. It is at this location the mailing addresses are at their lowest point increasing northward as well as southward but as South. Such as: Chester Avenue/South Chester Avenue, Union Avenue/South Union Avenue, Real Road/South Real Road, etc."

 * … SCAMS: A new day and a new scam. This from William Black: "Just wanted to let you know that there is a new scam hitting our area. Caller states they are from the Department of Legal Affairs and gave an 949 area code as a call back number.  I was 'informed' that unless I call back (and I should hire an attorney) that legal action would be taken."

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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On the importance of Netanyahu and the Jewish state, Kevin McCarthy, hysteria over fracking, disinformation and TurboTax scams… all that and a little more

 * … ISRAEL: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu' delivered a blunt, 40-minute speech to Congress laying out the risks that Iran poses to the very existence to Israel. Was it political theater or an honest attempt to warn the world of the threat of a nuclear Iran? Count Rep.

Kevin McCarthy among those who welcomed hearing from Netanyahu, and McCarthy was also among dozens of congressmen and senators who showed up at the annual American-Israeli Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) meeting in Washington, D.C. earlier in the week. In a time of increasing tension between Israel and the Obama administration, the annual convention of this powerful lobbying group is a must-visit venue for politicians who support the Jewish state. In world affairs, there are few more pressing issues that the role of a secure Israel in the Middle East. Also attending the conference and watching the action close up were retired Bakersfield endodontist Dr. Bob Smith and his wife Marcy.

  * … FRACKING: Keeping up with the half truths and outright distortions over hyrdaulic fracturing can be a full time job, and now a new group called Environment California has just added to the problem. The group produced a cartoon video that should win an Oscar for its distortions, including calling fracking a "dangerous and new" drilling technique (it has been around since the 1940s) and claiming fracking injects toxic chemicals into the underground water supply. As I have said, we should all welcome an honest debate on the use of fossil fuels, but spreading distortions like these does little to promote a healthy and sober debate.

* … SPOTTED: On Twitter was this post: "I always say 'morning' instead of 'good morning.'  If it were a good morning I’d still be in bed instead of talking to people."

 * … COMPLAINTS: And I spotted this sign in a local antique shop: "The deadline for complaints was yesterday."

 * … ONLY IN BAKO: How excited do we get about a new restaurant in town? Consider this: families were posing to have their pictures taken outside the new Johnny Garlic's at The Marketplace this weekend.

 * … SCAMS: Cybercriminals have hacked into TurboTax to file fraudulent tax returns in Utah and other states, and now it looks like it has come home here to California. A local executive told me her TurboTax return was compromised when someone filed a tax return using her personal data, but the invasion was caught before she was out any money. "It's a nightmare," she told me. "The worst is dealing with the IRS and working with that bureaucracy to make it right." At least 19 states have suffered from similar fake tax filings.

 * … BAKERSFIELDISM: From Ronal Reynier: "You are a Bakersfield old timer if you remember Freddie's Cafe; all three of them. There was Freddie's on the Circle where you could watch and laugh at out of towners going around and around the circle. We once watched a car make the trip five times. I think that was the record. Then there was Freddie's on 24th Street and he ended with Freddie's Top of The Hill. My step-mother Zola was his cook for many, many years….Many Hollywood people would stop at the circle for breakfast when in town. The most famous was Ward Bond, not for his acting but for his breakfast order. Try eating this: four eggs over easy, six bacon strips, six link sausages, double hash-browns, one breakfast steak medium rare, three slices of toast, coffee and orange juice. My step-mother said that sometimes he would sub two pancakes for the toast."

Obama's veto of the Keystone XL pipeline means more oil will be shipped by rail through some of our most densely populated cities, and hats offs to the donors for the new children's emergency room pavilion at Memorial Hospital

 * … OIL BY RAIL: Environmentalists applauded when President Obama vetoed the Keystone XL pipeline, but what did it accomplish? Not much, according to experts, who point out the oil extracted from our resurgent fields will simply find its way to market via rail cars, often through our most densely populated cities. "Opposing Keystone, it goes without saying," said Wall Street Journal columnist

Holman Jenkins Jr., "will not make the slightest difference to things opponents claim to care about. It will not alter by an infinitesimal fraction of a degree mankind's reliance on fossil fuels or the continued development of hydrocarbon resources. It will, however, give fresh impetus to American's oil by rail boom…. What seems absent from (Obama's) calculations are any practical considerations outside the political bubble, such as the millions of barrels of flammable liquid that will be rumbling through America's residential neighborhoods aboard mile-long oil trains." And we wonder why the American public is so jaded about our political leaders.

 * … CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL: The dream of a comprehensive local children's hospital for the south Valley took a step closer to reality this week with the ground breaking for the Robert A. Grimm Children's Pavilion for Emergency Care over at Memorial Hospital. The entire $4.5 million price tag was donated in advance, and the folks at S.C. Anderson construction say it should be completed in about 14 months. Some of the donors who made this happen were Kari Anderson (Robert Grimm Family Foundation), Stan and Bonnie Ellis, S.C. Anderson Family Foundation, Pinnacle Emergency Physicians, The Pankey Family, BMH Auxiliary, Children’s Miracle Network, West and Arkelian Foundations, the Giannini Family, Dan and Sally Panero, Madoram Foundation  and the Larry Carr Memorial Golf Tournament. (photo of Kari Anderson)

 * … FOODIE BEST BET: The next time you are at Cafe Med over on Stockdale Highway, check out the braised lamb pasta and rosemary chicken ravioli. You will not be disappointed.

 * … SPOTTED: I spotted this missive on a social media website: "I know right from wrong. Wrong is the fun one."

* … SERVICE: Former city councilwoman Sue Benham (now a vice president at Memorial Hospital) shared this bit of good service about town. "Andy at Auto Sounds on Brundage helped me retrieve a CD from my CD player… it had been stuck for months and I kept procrastinating because I thought it would be a major repair. Andy spent a few minutes, dislodged the CD (The Band's Last Waltz) and I'm back in business. No charge."

* … MEMORIES: Some wonderful old memories from Neil Walker: "The golf driving range on 34th Street about where Memorial Hospital now sits. Pockets Liquor on 34th to where we Longfellow students would sneak off at lunch to buy a snack. Wimpey’s Liquor store on Chester across from the infamous Ice House with all those colorful fishing supply displays. Chasing and returning foul balls at Sam Lynn during the Bakersfield Bears games with help from the announcer saying 'Ball over left!  Ball over right! or Ball over (center)!'  Chasing after the Wayne’s Dairy milk truck for a free hand-full of refreshing ice from the kind-hearted milk man. Playing outside (Kick the Can, Three Flies Up, Hide and Seek (Olly Olly Oxen Free) in the neighborhood until dark and time to go home for supper."

US Geological Survey debunks attacks on hydraulic fracturing, Sprouts Farmers Market gets ready to open and what's with this idea of 'free range' parenting anyway?

 * … FRACKING: The anti-fossil fuel movement has largely succeeded in depicting hyrdraulic fracturing as a dangerous new drilling technique that poisons the underground water table. But the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has once again debunked that, noting in a new report that some form of

fracking has been used in this country for the past 70 years, largely without problems. That's been the case in Kern County for decades, but don't expect facts to get in the way of a good narrative. Reducing our dependence on fossil fuels is a legitimate debate, but it should be one based on facts, not hyperbole.

* … PARENTING: Have you heard of the concept of "free range" parenting? It's a movement to (gasp!) actually allow your children to walk to school alone, go to parks alone and otherwise spend their childhood much as most of us did. It is the philosophical opposite of 'helicopter' parenting, and it has come under attack by some folks who feel this endangers children. Is this what we have come to?

  * … SPOTTED: This from Jerry Pearson: "Passed a young (maybe 30s) panhandler yesterday at the corner of Oak Street and California. He was standing, holding his sign asking for money, right in front of a fast food restaurant with a 'now hiring' sign in the window. Makes you wonder, doesn't it?"

 * … RETAIL: If the past is any indicaiton of the future, expect huge crowds at the opening of the new Sprouts Farmers Market and BevMo! at the Shops at RiverWalk. This is a town that loves new restaurants and retail, and both BevMo! and Sprouts are tops in their class. One offers a dizzying array of wine and spirits and the other an impressive variety of fresh food. BevMo! opens on a week from Friday and Sprouts a few days earlier on Feb. 25.

* … OOPS: To err is human, but some miscues are bigger than others. One that got my attention recently was made by the folks over at The Greater Bakersfield Chamber of Commerce, which prides itself as a partner of local businesses. Turns out the Chamber misidentified the ownership of the largest employer in Kern County, Grimmway Farms. Grimmway is the world's largest carrot producer and is proudly family owned by Barbara Grimm-Marshall and Kari Grimm Anderson, both not exactly strangers in the business or philanthropic communities. In its annual busines directory, the Chamber said Grimmway was owned by Roll Global. That's Roll Global as in Paramount Farms, another big player in Kern County but certainly not Grimmway. Ouch. The Chamber issued an email retraction, saying in part: "Grimmway Farms is a family-owned company with strong ties to the community, and serves not only as the county's largest vegetable producer, but the largest agricultural employer as well as largest private employer in Kern County. Again, the Chamber would like to extend our sincerest apologies to Grimmway Farms for this error."

 * … BAKERSFIELDISM: Ronal Reynier says you may be a Bakersfield old timer if you remember George Diaz. "George was a local celebrity, spokesman, and newsman on TV years ago. He might be remembered mostly as the spokesman for Woodys Toy Store. Still can't place him? Maybe you remember him as George Day. In those days the last name of Diaz would not get you in front of the camera. I've been told that in the last days of his life he signed everything; George Diaz. I hope that is true.

Interior Secretary Sally Jewell questions the wisdom of local communities banning tracking, and Guy Fieri heads to Bakersfield to feature Pyrenne's Cafe on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives

* … FRACKING: In the disinformation war on hydraulic fracturing, I was interested to read that President Obama's chief custodian of federal lands thinks that regional bans on fracking are misguided and not supported by science. KernTax passed along a new story by KQED quoting Interior Secretary Sally

Jewell as saying: “There is a lot of misinformation about fracking. I think that localized efforts or statewide efforts in many cases don’t understand the science behind it and I think there needs to be more science.” The story continued: "The recent move by New York to extend a statewide ban does not sit especially well with Jewell, who, as a former petroleum engineer, has hands-on experience with fracking."

 * … DINERS: One of our storied Basque restaurants, the Pyrennes Cafe, will be featured on the popular Food Network program Diners, Drive Ins and Dives. A film crew from the program was there testing lighting over the weekend. The program host, Guy Fieri, has announced that he is opening an outlet of his own restaurant, Johnny Garlics, at The Marketplace this year.

 * … EATERY: And speaking of eateries, =nother new restaurant is opening downtown, this one specializing in sushi. Jin Sushi will be located on the northwest corner of 19th and Eye streets next to The Metro Galleries and across the street from Chef's Choice Noodle bar. No word on the exact opening date.

 * … GOOD FORM: Bobby Blackmon shared this uplifting story that I feel compelled to pass along. In his words: "I am writing to tell you about some great form from a group of coaches, student athletes and parents at Stockdale High School. My wife was diagnosed with (AML) leukemia last year and spent many months in the hospital. She recently relapsed, along with valley fever causing pneumonia which sent her back to USC Norris Cancer center for six weeks. We have two boys attending Stockdale, and a daughter that graduated in 2013. All three run cross country and play soccer. As a show of support and ultimate kindness, coaches, student athletes, and the parents of those young men and women gathered dozens and dozens of gas, food and gift cards and put them in a gift bag and sent them home with my sons for our family! I was speechless when they showed me (I’m never speechless). Please send our thanks and gratitude and LOVE to all the people who helped out with this amazing show of support for our family! We would also like to thank the MOPS moms from Valley Baptist Church for all the meals and amazing show of support over this past 18 months. We want everyone that’s helped to know how much it means to us!"

 * … MEMORIES: Ronal Reynier wrote taht the new AAA Westways magazine featured a story on the state's citrus crop. Said Reynier: "Do you remember the orange stand on 'old' Highway 99  in Greenfield? They not only served orange drinks but also the greatest cheese burgers in the country. Their sauce was so secret that when they closed, they would not say how they made their sauce to anyone.

 * … BAKERSFIELDISM: You may be a Bakersfield old timer if "you got your television tubes tested at the Thrifty's in Hillcrest."

Instead of caving to the North Korean cyber bullies, let's show The Interview at Rabobank Arena and see if we can fill the house, and New York moves to ban hydraulic fracturing

 * … THE INTERVIEW: The idea that threats from a rogue North Korean state could force Sony Pictures to cancel the release of the Seth Rogan comedy The Interview should concern us all. Who

cares about the quality of the movie - early reviews have not been kind - but Americans hate the idea of caving to any dictator, much less the erratic Kim Jong Un. Here's an idea: screen the movie locally at Rabobank Arena, charge $5 a ticket and give the proceeds to local charities. Trust me, we could pack the house.

 * … FRACKING: The state of New York is on the verge of banning hydraulic fracturing, making Gov. Andrew Cuomo one of the first major politicians to come down on the side of environmentalist on the issue. All this comes as yet another federal study found fracking relatively safe. Still, those opposed to the process continue to argue that the process is dangerous and should be banned or highly regulated.

* … BREAK-INS: Over the course of a recent lunch I learned of: United Parcel Service packages being stolen in Seven Oaks, two smashed windows of cars in Rivera Westchester (in one case someone smoked a cigarette in the car after breaking its window), a home burglary in the Northwest near Riverlakes and a ransacked car in the Northeast near Lowe's. It's that time of year.

 * … GOOD FORM: Edith Lyon called and left a message for me commending two women who rescued an elderly dog out of a busy road recently. The dog, who turned out to be 15 years old, was eventually reunited with its owner despite the fact it had no collar and was not micro chipped. "She was only wearing a bandana and was very sweet," she said. "This should be a lesson that we all need to micro-chip our pets."

 * … SPOTTED: Hats off to the middle aged woman who regularly walks the bluffs off Panorama Drive picking up the discarded fast food wrappers that so many people carelessly leave behind.

 * … OVERHEARD: In a local restaurant a young mother is talking to a friend about Christmas: "She wants an iTouch for Christmas. That's $200! She is 7 years old! What happened to Barbies?"

 * … BAD FORM: My life flashed before my eyes in a split second this week when a late model black sedan came within a few feet of broadsiding my Subaru at the intersection of 19th Street and Chester Avenue. The driver was not speeding but apparently was distracted  (talking on the cell phone? texting?) as he/she blew through the stop light. It's time we all put the cell phones down and pay attention.

 * … BRITISH: Did you know that there was an organization in town called the Sir Edward Elgar Chapter of the Daughters of the British Empire? I am told the ladies held their final meeting on December 17. Said Constance Corbell: "The Bakersfield chapter was started in 1965 with approximately 100 members.  At the closing meeting we had eight members left, oldest being 97 and youngest 78. The Daughters of the British Empire, a philanthropic organization, was founded in 1909 for women of British or British Commonwealth birth. Over the years the local chapter has donated funds to the British Retirement Home in Sierra Madre near Los Angeles and also to local charities."