Lexus, Toyota lead 'best of show' in latest Consumer Reports survey and David Valadao breaks ranks with Republicans to support sweeping immigration reform

 * … SAFETY: The latest Consumer Report ratings on auto safety are out, and once again Lexus and Toyota lead the list. But it was not all good news for Toyota. The watchdog agency dropped Toyota's Camry, RAV4 and PriusV from its recommended list because they did not fare so well. The top five models were the Subaru Forester, Toyota Prius, Lexus ES 300h hybrid, Scion xB and Toyota Prius C. The five worst: Ford C-MAS Energi (plug in hybrid), Ford Escape (1.6 liter EcoBoost engine), Mini Countryman, Ford C-MAS hybrid and Nissan Pathfinder.

 * … VALADAO: It was an interesting move by Hanford congressman David Valadao to break ranks with his own party and join the Democrats in supporting immigration reform. He becomes the third House Republican to back a bill calling for a path to citizenship. Another Valley Republican, Jeff Denham of Turlock, made the move earlier. It's hard to argue the logic of Denham and Valadao supporting the bill, given the heavy Hispanic makeup of their districts and the fact that Valley farmers desperately need labor to stay in business. Stay tuned.

 * … TRASH: I heard again from Sal Moretti, superintendent for the City's Solid Waste Division, who has been following this blog when readers complain about trash. He noted that a large amount of trash near Elm Street and Golden State is scheduled for cleanup this week. "That location is one of six locations Tom Burch and his 'Retiree's Group' cleans up on a schedule every Wednesday. The volunteer group cleaning it up, the 'Retirees Group' would love to have the writer's help cleaning these kinds of hot spots up. She can check out the Keep Bakersfield Beautiful website calendar to see where Tom Burch and his retiree group clean up every Wednesday and sign up. Your blog suggests different agencies passed the buck when it comes to cleaning up litter. Picking up litter is everyone's job!" Well said, Sal.

 * … MORE TRASH: Note to Sal: count me as a happy taxpayer today. I called your Solid Waste Division, reported an abandoned red couch in the alley behind my downtown home, and it was picked up within 24 hours. Now that's what I call service.

 * … SPRINTER: Joan Kerr touched base to say her husband Rob and his old track teammates at Rutgers University are being inducted into the Rutgers Hall of Fame this weekend.  "They won a national championship in the Sprint Medley Relay, running against some of the fastest men in the world, including some Olympians. Their record at Rutgers is still standing, and remains the fastest on the school record even when converting feet (which was used at that time) to meters. The other great thing about this story is that Rob and the other three men on the relay team have remained close friends for over 45 years. We are flying to New York on Wednesday to have a reunion with them for this special weekend, and will head down to New Brunswick, NJ on Saturday for the Hall of Fame ceremony and the Rutgers versus Temple football game."

 * … ACHIEVER: I am always happy to shed light on some of the young men and women who hail from Bakersfield and have gone on to achieve great success. This note comes from proud mother Irma Orlanzzini: Kudos to Jovanni Garcia (double major in History and French), who was selected as one of the four new student members to serve on the Academic Council on International Programs (ACIP) for academic year 2013-2014 at CSUB. She had to send in an application and compete with students from the other CSU campuses. Garcia spent the last two years in France. She will join Dr. Cliona Murphy who also serves on the ACIP as our faculty representative.

Bakersfield ranks high on a list of cities with strong job growth, thanks to the boom in the oil and gas fields. And remembering swim teacher Owen Nelson, a role model for so many others

 * ... JOBS: Bakersfield showed up on yet another list of cities that are showing strong job growth, thanks in large part because of the oil and gas boom. According to Forbes, Bakersfield placed No. 5 on the list of medium sized cities showing strong job growth. Said Forbes: "But the real evidence of

energy’s power can be seen in smaller metro areas. Oil-rich Midland, Texas, places first on our list of smaller metro areas (those with less than 150,000 jobs) and also first overall among the country’s 398 metropolitan areas. Nipping at its heels in second place in both categories is Odessa, Texas. On our medium-size cities list, energy towns with strong growth include No. 4 Corpus Christi, Texas; No. 5 Bakersfield, Calif.; and No. 6 Lafayette, La."

 * ... RIP: Donna Cazacus wrote to remember Owen Nelson, a retired Bakersfield City School District teacher and longtime swim coach who passed away recently. When Donna was a teenager, Nelson was the head lifeguard at the Jefferson Park pool. "I have thought of him countless times over the years and have many memories of him, including him buying an early Mustang (red) and him jumping into the pool to help a child in distress. However, the thing that has most stuck with me is the counseling he gave me when 'friends' weren't being so nice to me at the pool.  He told me not to worry about them, that the friends you have in college will be the friends you have for life.  And he was right!  Thank you, Owen."

* ... BAD FORM: Just when you think we are making some progress against litter you witness something like this. From reader Caroline O. Reid: "I was entering the parking lot to the Target off Stockdale Highway on Saturday, July 6.  I met a woman leaving.  She had her child in the front seat open the passenger door and start throwing trash out of the car.  All I could think to do was roll my window down and say, 'Are you cleaning out your car?' Her window was down. She was actually stopped in the row of traffic leaving the store as her daughter threw out bags, cups, etc.  Glancing in my rearview mirror I saw their trash sitting in the left turn, outgoing lane. I mentioned it to a couple of employees inside the store but the trash was still there when I left. I cannot imagine that anyone would think that would be a good place to clean out one’s car. Unbelievable."

 * ... RALPH: Popular local radio talk show host Ralph Bailey may be headed to surgery to correct a heart ailment. Bailey, host of The Ralph Bailey Show on NewsTalk 1180 KERN, told listeners this week that an abnormality was detected during a routine exam and he is now awaiting word if surgery will be necessary. Bailey's highly rated program appears on KERN from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. five days a week. 

 * ... CONCERT: If you are looking for something to do this Saturday, alternative country crooner Grant Langston is playing at The Gardens over off 19th Street. The Gardens is a relatively new meeting and concert venue at the corner of 19th and R streets, a beautiful outdoor setting and that is ideal for weddings or other events. Doors open at 7 p.m. and Langston comes on at 9 p.m. The best part: admission is free.

 * ... MEMORIES: Darlene Stewart asks if anyone remembers Art DiRico's Italian restaurant from the 1950s  and 1960s.  "As I recall it was on the south-east corner of South Chester and Belle Terrace.  It had the old Italian look with red and white checked tablecloths and candles dripping multi-colors onto wine vinegar bottles.  It was fun to watch the chef making the pizza dough by throwing it up in the air.  Great place to go with lots of ambience & the best Italian food - their pizza was at the top of my list!"

Rep. Kevin McCarthy holding "listening sessions" to gauge support in the House for immigration reform, and car thieves love older Honda Accords

 * ... IMMIGRATION: The chances appear about even that we will see real immigration reform this year. The "gang of eight" in the Senate have agreed on reforms, but conservatives in the House are threatening to block any legislation that does not contain real teeth that secures our borders. According to the Wall Street Journal, House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield) is holding "listening sessions" with House members to gauge interest in a reform bill, while Rep. David Valadao is arguing the Central Valley would benefit from immigration reform.

* ... HOT WHEELS: Just because you drive a fancy car doesn't mean it is more likely to be stolen. In fact, according to the insurance giant GEICO, thieves are more likely to go for older, more reliable cars and trucks. The top 10 stolen vehicles, according to GEICO, are the 1994 Nissan Sentra, the 2002 Ford Explorer, the 2004 Dodge Ram pickup, the 1999 Chevy Silverado pickup, the 1994 Acura Integra, the 2002 Dodge Caravan, the 1991 Toyota Camry, the 2006 Ford F-150 pickup, the 1998 Honda Civic, and the most stolen car: a 1994 Honda Accord.

 * ... SPOTTED: From reader Jon Crawford, who spotted this driving near Truxtun lake the other day. "I noticed a large truck in front of me that paper would fly up out of its bed; not too many pieces, maybe 10 or 12 by the time we turned onto Coffee Road. As I passed it, I recognized the seal of our great city best noted as having the most polluted air in the nation. Perhaps the city is doing its best to also be recognized as the city with the most trash pollution in the nation."

 * ... MORE TRASH: But before we single Bakersfield out for being trashier than most, consider this post from reader Susan St. Laurent, in which quoted David Sedaris in a piece on National Public Radio about living in England: "Hugh and I got this house in West Sussex... and it's in an area called the South Downs. And the Downs are these massive, chalk-speckled hills that run for a hundred miles between East and West Sussex, and we're just at the base of one of them, and our house is on a one-lane winding road that's tree-lined, and it's my idea of beauty. There are forests, and it's just what beauty means to me. But English people throw everything out their car window, and the roadsides are carpeted with rubbish, so that's what I do with my life now: I pick up rubbish on the side of the road. I do it on my bike. I do it on foot. The local council has given me an outfit and a grabber."

 * ... JAZZ FESTIVAL: Don't forget to secure your tickets for the upcoming Bakersfield Jazz Festival, one of our community's signature events. It is planned at CSUB for May 10-11 will kick off with  a Friday lineup including Bakersfield bass groove artist Robin Bramlett, the Billy Vera Big Band, and headliner Roy Ayers. Then on Saturday, six groups lead to fireworks followed by the chart-topping saxophonist Euge Groove to close the festival. The central goal of this event continues to be the support of CSUB students with scholarships. Last year over $30,000 in scholarships were allocated to 42 students, 35 in music and 7 from other academic disciplines.

* ... BAKERSFIELDISM: Kenny Barnes says you may be an Oildale old timer if you "remember going to the River Theatre on Friday nights and the Beardsley kids sat on the left side of the theatre and the Standard kids on the right."

Tackling our litter problem, a pure act of kindness and a walk down memory lane with local readers

 * ... LITTER: Is there anything more annoying than how some people use our community as their personal waste basket? How many times have you come across a  local park trashed with yesterday's picnic supplies, or watched as someone casually tosses a soda cup out the car window?. Dianne Hoover, director of city Recreation and Parks, has the unenviable task of trying to get the community to rally around an anti litter campaign called "Litter: It's beneath us." Here's a good way to start: this Saturday is the Great American Cleanup day in Bakersfield when volunteers will help clear our community of litter and graffiti. It's a small step, but an important one. If you want to help, call (661) 326-3539.

 * ... LOCAL KID: Eleven-year-old Buddy Shepherd is into mini sprint car  racing and recently won the  main event at the Plaza Park Raceway in Visalia. Buddy is a pretty good racer, so that was not entirely unexpected, but what happened next was. Turns out a special needs youngster attends almost every race and sits in stands with his father, wildly waving miniature flags mimicking the real flagman. After Buddy was presented his trophy, he walked into the stands and presented it to the young man. "This was a pure act of kindness and class on Buddy's part," said Randy Raymond Sr., owner of Raymond's Trophy and Awards downtown. "The crowd went nuts and gave Buddy a standing ovation." That kind of kindness is not taught in schools, but comes from the heart and his family. Buddy, a fifth grader at Cesar Chavez school, is the son of Kellie and Dick Shepherd Jr., who own HS Body Works and Towing here in Bakersfield.

 * .... MEMORY LANE: Mike Hutson wrote to talk about the miniature golf course located at Goodman and Alta Vista Drive in East Bakersfield, adjacent to Shakey’s Pizza and across from Rosalie Stubbs Dance Studio. "The actual name was Alta Vista Miniature Golf Course and a wonderful gentleman named Lee Sullivan was the owner-operator. Mr. Sullivan was a postal worker who would open each day at 4 p.m. after his normal shift at the Post Office. A number of the 'regulars' was a group of us that hailed from Washington Jr. High and later BHS.  (In the 1960s and 1970s, the La Cresta-Garces area was in the BHS district).  While we enjoyed frequenting 'Sullies' often, it was not so much for the miniature golf, but rather the pinball machines. The games were 5 cents per play or 5 games for a quarter. Certainly the video games of our childhood!  The Lynn Company’s very own 'Hippo' Hanson and Elite Painting's Dave Wilkerson were the resident pinball wizards.  Many a weekday and virtually every weekend was spent fine tuning our pinball talents on games like 'Sweethearts' and the 'River Boat.' When our gaming funds were challenged, Mr. Sullivan would redeem as many empty Coke, 7Up and Dr. Pepper bottles we could get our hands on. While the foundation and structure of the property are long gone, the memories remain."

 * ... MORE MEMORIES: LaVone Walker writes that she loves my  "articles on Bakersfield heritage and history. When I was growing up in Bakersfield in the 1950s my dad would take us roller staking every Friday and Saturday night at the Starlight  Roller Rink on West Kentucky, close to Union Avenue. The rink had a mirrored ball. Jim Huber, the owner, would turn the lights out and turn on the mirrored ball. It was  so romantic to hold your partner's hand and skate to the 1950s music. Later, the Starlight hosted concerts with Fats Domino, Ricky Nelson, the Everly Brother and many other. Jim later opened Stake Land on Ming  Avenue. His daughter was the Women's World Rollerskating Champion."

 * ... CREAMERY: From reader Pat Glenn: "With all the discussion of Wayne's Drive-in, does anyone remember the Peacock Ice Creamery just east of Union, on either 18th or 19th street? It was named for Wayne Peacock, a big dairyman in the area." 

"Litter: It's beneath us" may be the city's new anti-litter campaign

 * ... LITTER CAMPAIGN: It looks like the city may have settled on a new slogan for an aggressive anti-litter campaign for our community. The expected new slogan came from Californian Opinion editor Robert Price, a master wordsmith who came up with a clever double entendre that should play well: "Litter: It's beneath us." Price said he dreamed up the phrase after a blog item I posted referring to a woman who complained when her daughter's class was asked to pick up trash after recess at a local elementary school. The mother apparently told the principal that doing so was "beneath" her child. Dianne Hoover, city parks and recreation director, hopes to engage the media and other civic organizations to send a strong message that folks need to take pride in their community. It's an uphill battle, but it has my support.

 * ... LOCAL BOY: It was nice to learn recently about a local product who has gone on to an amazing career in science and the military. Brandon Arritt, a 1991 Highland High School graduate and United States Air Force Academy appointee, is now working at an Air Force Research Laboratory facility in New Mexico. One of his latest projects: working on a NASA-deployed solar "sail" that uses the velocity of photons to propel or slow objects in space. His mother, Leellen Arritt, works in the county Roads Department. Never one to brag about her son, it fell to another county employee (Allan Krauter) to tell me about Brandon's success.

 * ... RACQUET CLUB: The Bakersfield Racquet Club, the historic tennis and fitness club at the corner of Truxtun Avenue and Pine Street, has finally landed a new restaurant tenant. Moo Creamery has announced it will open a second location at the club and will start serving lunches there on March 1. Luigi's Delicatessen had planned to run the restaurant but later backed out.

 * ... TAFT ROTARY: Sheri Horn Buck lives in Bakersfield but spends a lot of time in Taft, where she is heading up the relatively new Taft College Foundation. And though she's a member of North Rotary, she's spending a lot of time bonding with the good folks at the Taft Rotary Club. Last week was the club's Valentines Day Dinner where Charlie Beard, president of General Production Services, was honored as Citizen of the Year for his work on the Oil Workers monument. The ladies award was given to Tina Leikam, owner of Taft Dominoes Pizza. And for Sheri? She was made a Paul Harris Fellow (Paul Harris is the founder of Rotary), a recognition that Taft has truly become her second home.

 * ... HAWTHORNE SCHOOL: The 1952 earthquake changed the face of Bakersfield forever, destroying so many historic buildings that were replaced by the rather bland architectural styles of the 1950s. One of buildings that is lost forever is the old Hawthorne School that once stood at the corner of 24th and O streets. Reader Tom Mullins said his family ran a small grocery store across the street from the school and "I watched a newly repaired wall section collapse into 24th Street when the August quake hit. Repair workers had just left for the day minutes before and were lucky they weren't on the scaffolding at the time."

 * ... BAKERSFIELDISM: From reader Loretta Pedroza: You know you're from Bakersfield "if you remember the horn honking on the Helm's Bakery truck when it came into your neighborhood and you ran out to buy bread or whatever goodies you talk your mom into."