Drought, falling oil prices hit hard in Kern County, and remembering the day the Hell's Angels roared into Bakersfield and visited the Blackboard Cafe

 * … DOUBLE WHAMMY: If you aren't following the twin threats of the ongoing drought coupled with falling oil prices, you should. Michael Turnipseed, head of the Kern County Taxpayer's

Association, said Kern County is at the epicenter of a fiscal "double whammy" as oil prices fall and the drought drags on. "People are looking at this and saying, 'You know, these clouds are pretty dark," he said. "The worst-case scenario is that Kern County is in a very deep hole, especially if the drought continues." The Board of Supervisors has already declared a fiscal emergency on the heels of news that the drop in oil prices will translate into a $61 million loss in property tax revenue. That led to Standard and poor's rating Services to revised the outlopok for Kern County to negative, never a good thing.

 * … HELL'S ANGELS: Reader Gene Linkhorn shared with me some historic and classic photos taken when the San Bernardino chapter of the Hell's Angels visited Bakersfield back in 1965. The photos, taken by Billy Ray on assignment for Life Magazine, showed the Angels in Hart Park, at The Blackboard on Chester and roaring through town as wary Kern County Sheriff's deputies looked on. For some reason, Life Magazine never printed the photos.

 * … WENDY: The late Wendy Wayne would have turned 67 this week, and her contributions were acknowledged when a charter school in Modesto christened two Wendy's Words Little Libraries. The Aspire Summit Charter Academy will soon officially open the "libraries" on its campus, encouraging children to read during recess. The neighborhood "libraries" started in Bakersfield as a way of honoring  Wendy's commitment to education, reading and community invovlement.

 * … ART: There is an interesting new collection of Southern California desert wild animals on display at The Metro Galleries on 19th Street. Metro owner Don Martin told me the artist is Karene Swenson, whose last show two years ago was one of the best selling shows ever. The exhibit opens Friday at 5 p.m. and will run until 9 a.m.

 * … BAD FORM: A reader, who did not want to be identified, wrote to complain about the trash along Rudd Road between Highway 58 and Palm, a short six to eight blocks. "I walk this area regularly about once or twice a month and I take a few plastic shopping bags with me to collect all the junk and debris discarded by those travelling this short section of street. No one maintains
the trash pickup. Today, again, I walked the street and picked up trash.  Included in the items collected
were a toilet seat, heavy duty home door mat, glass and plastic bottles, liquor bottles of multiple brands and  types, used condoms, 52 cigarettes, a pair of women’s socks, a pair of men’s underwear, one tennis shoe, a water pump for a car, 12 assorted plastic bags (I didn’t need to bring any from home), chewing tobacco pouches, multiple soft drink containers both paper, plastic and Styrofoam. I was so loaded down that I gave up prior to finishing the job of walking the center turn area of the street where there is substantial  debris. And, so it goes, again and again and again. I’m happy to do it to keep my part of town from  degradation. No need to adopt a street, just use of common sense. The truth be told, who raised these folks that trash our streets? The problem as I see it is lack of respectful upbringing."

 * … MEMORIES: "One more offering regarding local miniature golf courses," wrote Mike Huston. "Let's not forget the Alta Vista Miniature Golf Course located next to the Shakey's Pizza and the Green Frog Market. Lee Sullivan was the owner, opened the business in the afternoons and evenings as he was a postman by day. Regulars David Wilkerson and Greg Hanson mastered the five cent pinball machines, i.e. River Boat and Sweethearts, all while sipping on Dr Peppers and AW Root Beer. My, how times have changed!"

Air Pollution Control District takes more heat and BC looks for an athletic director

 * ... AIR DISTRICT: More criticism for the Valley Air Pollution Control District. This time it comes from Stephen Montgomery, a retired railroad employee and former union legislative representative who worked to improve working conditions. He called the air board's move to shut down the Thanksgiving Day Pie Run bonfire "an overreaction to small potatoes. It's apparent they enforce the things that are easiest to enforce and in at least one case avoid messing with the ones that may be more difficult." He cited, in his capacity with the union, numerous letters he wrote - including one to the air district - to complain about hazardous dust at the Traver truck stop 30 miles south of Fresno. He said trucks are routinely driven off the road to an unpaved portion of railroad right of way "raising dust in the dry seasons. In wet conditions water runoff from the fuel dock aprons puddles up in this area and along with all the runoff containing fuel and brake dust soaks into the water table." In short, it's a mess and certainly creates more pollution, day in and day out, than a simple once-a-year bonfire at a public park. And what happened? According to Montgomery, absolutely nothing. (photo courtesy of Stephen Montgomery)

* ... THE BUZZ: The announcement that Jan Stuebbe will be stepping down as athletic director at Bakersfield College has some folks speculating that BC may look to Cal State Bakersfield for a successor. CSUB of course just named its new athletic director, Jeff Konya, and in so doing  passed over Roger Fessler, who was outgoing AD Rudy Carvajal's No. 2 person in the department. In fact, not only was Fessler passed over but he also wasn't given the courtesy to interview for the job, a slight that did not go unnoticed both inside and outside the campus. All this is speculation of course, but BC could do a lot worse than Fessler, who has deep roots in the community and who also spent time as athletic director at St. Francis University in Pennsylvania.


* ... MINIATURE GOLF: Reader Pam Mahan wrote to say she "had to laugh when I read Jimmie D. Hill's comment about the miniature golf course just north of Green Frog Market. I remember when I was playing there with a group of friends who included Arnold Kirschenmann. Arnold, who even at that time was a really good golfer, had a terrible round at the miniature course and proceeded to terrorize his golf club by bending it over his knee and throwing it into outer space. I don't know how Arnold's knee turned out, but it was a rough day for the golf club."

 * ... MARATHON: Heard from reader Pat Chaffin who wanted to share the news that her sons, their wives and two grand daughters walked and ran 13 miles in the Zappo's Rock and Roll Las Vegas Marathon. "What a spectacle," she said. "Thirty two thousand competed and 18,000 were first timers. Many dressed in costumes and there must have been 50 Elvis impersonators... What's amazing is the majority of them are just ordinary working stiffs squeezing  in the time from their jobs and families to train for this race. Next year maybe they'll do the 26 miler!" The group includes Steve and Sara Chaffin, Doug and Connie Chaffin and Jenni Chaffin.

 * ... RETIREMENT: Hats of to one of our city's most valuable and beloved employees who recently retired. That would be Louie Peralez, who retired after 42 years, serving most recently as the street superintendent. Mark Salvaggio, former city councilman, described Louie as "a city of Bakersfield institution. His service is second longest in the history of the city... He is the finest public servant one can find anywhere. His shoes will never be filed." Good luck, Louie.

  * ... OVERHEARD: "A local electronics story now sells a key chain breathalyzer ... the perfect gift for that 'special' relative."

* ... BAKERSFIELDISM: You know you're a Bakersfield old-timer if "you remember the long lines outside of Fontana's Pie Shop on Niles Street the day before Thanksgiving with people wanting fresh pumpkin or pecan pies." Thanks to Ken Barnes for this one.