Andy Vidak's defeat is a stunner from election night, someone needs to snatch up Michael Bowers, voters choose experience over tribalism in electing David Couch and a mother-daughter team starts a new business

Friday, November 9, 2018

 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 such a special place to live. Send your news tips to rsbeene@yahoo.com.

 * ... ELECTIONS: The biggest surprise (for me at least) on election night was the defeat of state

Sen. Andy Vidak. Vidak lost to a Democrat from Sanger named Melissa Hurtado, who to my knowledge never campaigned in Kern County. Vidak's defeat will also mean his Kern County aide, Michael Bowers, will be out of a job. Bowers is one of the most personally dynamic people I have met in a long time, and I suspect it won't take long for him to find a new gig.

 * ... DAVID COUCH: I was also heartened to see that Supervisor David Couch won reelection to his newly redrawn 4th District, where Hispanics comprise almost 68 percent of the population. Few public servants work harder than Couch, and I was glad to see that experience trumped tribalism in the 4th District. Running second was Delano Mayor Grace Vallejo, also a solid public servant but a candidate who was simply outworked in this race.

 * ... MARIJUANA: Now that Kern County voters have rejected three measures to regulate the sale of medical marijuana, it looks like the 20-something dispensaries that remain open will be closing before the end of the year. That's bad news for folks who rely on medicinal cannabis to treat anxiety, pain or sleep disorders, who will soon be driving to Arvin where its sale and distribution has been approved. No word on when the first dispensaries in Arvin will open.

 * ... LOVE AND CHEESE: I was at the Crash Lounge the other day when I ran into a mother-daughter couple who have started an impressive new business. It's called Love & Cheese and it features custom made cheese and veggie trays that are nothing short of amazing. Lisa Miller, the mother, is in business with her two daughters, Heather Ahlf and Victoria Stockman. Check the photos of their products and if interested, give them a call at (661) 444-1506.

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "How many different animals did we have to jump on the backs of before we discovered horses were cool with it?"

 * ... SPOTTED ON FACEBOOK: "Someone is sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree years ago."

 * ... LEAVING CALIFORNIA: This popped up on the internet the other day. Ain't it the truth.

 * ... MEMORIES: I found this picture on the Kern County Historical Society Facebook page with this caption: "In 1918, a photograph was taken on the steps of the Kern County Court House in Bakersfield. On the front steps stand the men that had returned home from 'over there.' Behind these servicemen stand the veterans of the American Civil War. No further proof required -- Kern County supports its veterans."

Copper thieves strip the AC units at the Gleaners, Sheriff Donny Youngblood wants new tax to hire more deputies and the new CSUB presidents makes the rounds about town

Friday, July 6, 2018

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 such a special place. Email your news and notes to rsbeene@yahoo.com. 

 * ... COPPER THEFT: There has been a rash of copper wire thefts around town, and the favorite target for thieves are air conditioning units. Across town, business people are showing up for work

only to find their AC units disassembled and stripped of all copper wire. It happened this week at the Golden Empire Gleaners, an organization dedicated to providing food for the most needy among us. The Gleaners posted this on their Facebook page: "Sometime during the Independence Day holiday, unknown person(s) entered the Gleaners property through a hole in the chain link fence. They then scaled an eight foot wall at the rear (north) of the building and stripped our seven ton commercial HVAC unit of its copper. It is a total loss and can not be repaired."

 * ... NEW TAXES: Kern County Sheriff Donny Youngblood is going to ask the Board of Supervisors to place a sales tax increase on the November ballot to fund public safety. The city of Bakersfield already has a similar proposal that would raise $50 million for public safety initiatives. Youngblood argues, convincingly, that his deputies already make less money that their counterparts in Bakersfield and Shafter and that any new positions in Bakersfield would likely be filled by deputies eager to earn more money.

 * ... CSUB PRESIDENT: This is the first week of work for new CSUB President Lynnette Zelezny, and she spent the time introducing herself to students, faculty and newsmakers about town. She appeared on virtually every local television station, on KERN NewsTalk as my guest and she also appeared in the pages of The Bakersfield Californian. I spotted Zelezny having dinner at Uricchio's Trattoria with Mayor Karen Goh and CSUB marketing specialist Michael Lukens.

 * ... OPIODS: There is a growing body of evidence that medicinal marijuana can help those suffering from opiod addictions. One study found that in states that allow the sale of medicinal marijuana, opiod addiction dropped an average of 24 percent as addicts turned from harder drugs to medicinal pot for relief.

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "I’ll call it a “smart phone” the day I yell, “Where’s my phone?!” and it answers."

 * ... MORE TWITTER: :"I’m at that stage in life where my bladder is at its weakest and my phobia of public toilets is at its strongest."

 * ... RIP THE DOME: So did you hear The Dome, that iconic east Bakersfield building that once hosted wrestling and boxing matches, has been sold and will likely be torn down? That's the word from reports that say the building, dating from the 1940s, has been sold to a private company that has an immigration detention center next door. The list price of The Dome was $2.2 million but no official word yet on the exact sales price.

 * ... MEMORIES: Check out this photo of the Haberfelde Building under construction in 1913.

Rep. Kevin McCarthy walks a political tightrope by aligning himself with the president, and follow the money, and connections, in the 3rd District supervisor's race

Wednesday, January 17, 2018


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 such a special place. We value your feedback. Email your news and notes (good form, bad form, kids doing well, anniversaries, observations) to rsbeene@yahoo.com.

 * ... KMAC: Here's a question worth pondering: how much damage is Kevin McCarthy doing to himself because of his close relationship with Donald Trump? It's topic No. 1 at lunch across town when when it comes to our favorite locally grown House Majority Leader, and increasingly folks are

going public with what they think. While a recent Washington Post story credited McCarthy for his ability to establish a relationship of trust with the president, here are home some people are thinking he has sold his soul for political expedience. It's a growing chorus of criticism that is growing bolder by the day, and you have to wonder what McCarthy is thinking as he shares the spotlight with a president who has become so divisive. Two vocal critics of McCarthy (albeit both are Democrats so some of this is expected) are criminal lawyer David Torres and plaintiffs attorney Matt Clark, both of whom use social media to take on McCarthy. Consider this recent post by Torres: "Why does our Representative Kevin McCarthy continue to defend the actions of President Trump? Why does 'Trump’s Kevin' believe it is ok to turn his head and ignore the hatred, racism and ugliness that spews out of Trump’s mouth and policies? Is it too difficult for McCarthy to shed the cloak of cowardice and exhibit fortitude, not like a man, but like a caring human being, and tell his constituents, better yet, American’s, that he condemns the President’s ill choice of words and lack of diplomacy against impoverished countries? That he does not believe those countries Trump impugned are inferior to the USA and that McCarthy acknowledges the scores of Americans from Haiti, Jamaica, Africa and Latin American countries who have contributed greatly to our society." (photo of David A. Torres)

 * ... MAGGARD VS HEINLE: Just how ugly will the race for 3rd District county supervisor get in the months ahead? If the last week is any indication, it will be plenty ugly. Supervisor Mike Maggard has come out swinging, accusing his challenger - city firefighter Jeff Heinle - of being backrolled by pro marijuana interests. But here's a hint: follow the money and
pay attention to who is supporting both Maggard and Heinle. There is no direct evidence that Heinle is backed by pro marijuana interests, and even if he were, it's totally legal as cannabis enters the mainstream of California politics. And here's something interesting: political strategist Kim Schaefer is now running Maggard's campaign. But it doesn't stop there. Schaefer is also working for a group called Kern Citizens for Patient's Rights that has a medical marijuana initiative on the city ballot. While it wouldn't affect the unincorporated county, the irony here is rich that Maggard's campaign is being run by an operative who is helping run a pro medicinal marijuana initiative that Maggard voted against when it came before the Board of Supervisors. What is it they say about politics making strange bedfellows? Anyway, would that qualify as a conflict for Maggard? Schaefer, by the way, formerly worked for Congressman Jim Costa and briefly was chief of staff for Supervisor Leticia Perez, who Maggard has accused by plotting against him along with her political consultant husband, Fernando Jara. As I said, pay attention to these connections and their own interests. Isn't politics grand? (photo courtesy of The Bakersfield Californian; Kim Schaefer photo from Facebook)

* ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "When people with multiple personality disorders are about to die, whose life flashes before their eyes?"

* ... SANTA CAROTA BEEF: Good news for the local ranching family that produces the grass and carrot fed Santa Carota beef: Eureka Burger will be featuring the beef this month. The burger, produced right here in Kern County, will be available at the Eureka Burger locations in Bakersfield, Hawthorne, San Diego and Las Vegas.

 * ... AMC THEATER: Have you been to the remodeled AMC Theater off California Avenue near Coconut Joe's? The theater features six small viewing rooms, each with about 20 seats with fully reclining, comfortable chairs. What's best: you can buy your tickets online and reserve your seating. The chain also has full beer and wine service and an extensive menu. The bad: a lot of ambient noise from the lobby and I had to use Fandango because the AMC website was not working. Still, worth your try.

 * ... EAST HIGH: East High School will be inducting 10 more people into its alumni hall of fame. The Feb. 10 banquet, held at the Marriott Hotel, will honor Ruben Elias, Rudy Gonzalez, Milt Henderson, Michael Mangrum, Julio Mercado, Dr. Jim Nuanaz, Ron Ray, Dr. Caleb Thompson, Mary Gordon and Judy Marsha Baer Yeager.

Two initiatives may go on the November ballot in Colorado to curtail fracking, and The New York Times accepts its first advertising for medical marijuana

 * … FRACKING: Keep an eye on a movement in Colorado to restrict hydraulic

fracturing, the oil and gas extraction method that has led to a boom in production across the country, including here in Kern County. There may be two initiatives on the November ballot there, one requiring all new oil and gas wells to be set back 2,000 feet from a school or home, and the other giving cities more control over drilling. Like here in Kern County, fracking has helped create thousands of jobs and doubled the number of active wells in the last decade and any local or statewide restrictions could have a serious negative impact on the local economy.

 * … MARIJUANA: A sure sign of the times appeared in the Sunday edition of The New York Times, when the paper ran its first advertising ever for medicinal marijuana. This comes after the state legalized marijuana to be prescribed for medical conditions. The ad was for a mobile app called Leafly, which bills itself as the “Yelp for marijuana” and allows users to browse a catalog of cannabis products and find and review medical marijuana dispensaries in their area. The newspaper made headlines earlier when it ran a series of editorials calling on the federal government to repeal its ban on cannabis.

 * … BRICKS: Smart move by the city of Bakersfield to reverse itself and say the donated bricks at Centennial Plaza will not be dug up and trashed. The reasoning for removing the bricks - that they might pose a hazard to walkers because they had worn unevenly - was always curious to me. If that were the case, where is the rush to replace or repair all the sidewalks around town that are in such disrepair?

* … SPOTTED: I loved this Facebook post from Californian writer Steven Mayer: "If Bakersfield were my wife, I would divorce her annually between June and September and run off with my mistresses, Avila, Pismo and Shelly."

 * … LA COSTA: One of my favorite restaurants in town, La Costa Mariscos on 21st Street, is moving to the iconic Ice House. Owner Maria Coward told me customers can expect the same intimate experience and quality food that the restaurant has been serving since 1992. The grand opening will happen at the end of this month.

* …. KUDOS: Jannie Helton wrote to commend Orchard Supply and Hardware (OSH) on their outstanding customer service. "It is very frustrating shopping at our local stores and not finding anyone on the floor to help in locating items. I recently shopped at OSH and was hit with a WELCOME to OSH just as I walked in the store, not to mention several employees on the floor asking if I needed help without my asking. The smiles and knowledge of their employees was outstanding. Good customer service is really rare. This store was outstanding. Thank you OSH for making my shopping experience a very pleasant one. You have a customer for life and I will certainly recommend you."

  * … SABRINA: Odd story out of Sacramento where a former KBAK (29) TV anchor has been arrested on shoplifting charges. Sabrina Rodriguez, who spent two years at KBAK and is now an anchor with Fox 40, was charged with helping shoplift more than $2,500 worth of purses from a Coach outlet. Her fiancé, Nicholas Gray was also arrested on more serious arson and drug charges.

New restaurants choose downtown Bakersfield as their venue, and Californian Radio examines medical marijuana and a proposed voter initiative

 * ... EATERIES: Opening a bar or restaurant is always a risky venture, and it's sad to see some of them struggle and close. Among those that have closed recently are the Thai Orchid and the Hourglass, both located off Brimhall Road. While they closed, others are opening, and many of them are choosing the downtown arts district. Chef's Choice Noodle Bar (19th and Eye streets) has been a huge success, and it will soon be joined by a steak house called The Mark also on 19th Street, and Muerto's Kitchen near the Alley Cat bar in the Wall Street Alley. Another restaurant is apparently going into the building that Fishlips occupied.

* ... MEMORIES: Received a wonderful hand written letter from Linda Polston talking about Bakersfield back when it was a smaller, much simpler town. She shared the story of going to Bill Lee's Bamboo Chopsticks every Friday night in the 1950s and being greeted by Bill Lee himself, smoking a cigar and making small talk with all the diners at their tables. "His wife didn't speak much English and she'd always say to me, "want a sucka?' and hand me a sucker she kept at the checkout counter.... We joined the big celebration after  Bill Lee's was remodeled .... They reopened with a dancing dragon and fireworks and other entertainment. We still use the commemorative chopsticks they gave out that night."

* ... MARIJUANA: The battle over medicinal marijuana, derided by law enforcement but praised by those who use it to treat illnesses, is heading to a decisive period this election year. One of the latest developments is a proposed voter initiative that would "provide that neither the state nor any local government may prohibit operation of a medical marijuana patient association, including a storefront, unless a court finds it is an actual nuisance." Local attorney Phil Ganong is behind the initiative and will be my guest on Californian Radio KERN 1180 Monday at 9 a.m. Tune in to hear Ganong bring us up to date on this controversial local issue.

* ... COMMUNITY: Dan Raytis passed along this story, yet another testament of the goodwill that lives within all of us. "About six weeks ago my wife’s family experienced an unimaginable tragedy of unexpectedly losing a 13-month-old baby. In the week that followed, there was much to do planning for the funeral.  Our good friend (and local photographer) Torrie Nicholas agreed to help by putting together a video for the funeral, which included the task of transferring home movies to DVDs. As time was running out, she took the home movies to Henley’s to see if they could transfer them to DVDs.  Jimmy (an employee at Henley’s) and his friend Michael had a difficult time, but spent an entire day on the project and ultimately got the videos onto DVDs.  If that wasn’t enough, then they stayed late after closing to explain how the DVDs worked.  And they did it all FREE OF CHARGE. This is exactly the great, local service that makes Bakersfield such a wonderful community.  Please pass along a tremendous thank you both to Torrie Nicholas Photography and to Henley’s for going way above and beyond."

 * ... PAJAMAS: Is it bad taste to walk your children to school wearing pajamas and a robe? Pam Cheatwood doesn't think so, and she offers this reasoning. "I just want to say how disappointed I was to read that a lady walking her children to Standard School in her pajamas was newsworthy. You see, I work at Standard School District and we are thrilled anytime a child gets to school and has the opportunity to learn. I say kudos to the mom, who possibly was ill, who made sure her children were at school regardless of her situation.  Personally, I think you should have a permanent section in your blog for the positives that are happening at all school districts throughout Kern County. If you want to stop by Standard School District, I would be happy to tell you about all of the wonderful things going on for the students there."