Who remembers Migs Apsit? And a newcomer gives his approval of Bakersfield

 * ... GOOD IMPRESSION: Always encouraging to hear how much newcomers enjoy our community, which is why I enjoyed the email from Jeff Pickering, the new head of the Kern Community Foundation. Jeff, his wife Stephanie and their two children moved to Haggin Oaks from Florida earlier this year.  This was their first year stopping by Dustin's  Diner, the Haggin Oaks hot cocoa stand that yearly raises more than $10,000 for the Bakersfield Homeless Shelter. "As newcomers, this tradition is one of the many reasons we have come to love our new hometown of Bakersfield," he said. "Thanks to your efforts to shine a light on some of the 'bright spots' in our community." Their children are Colin, 6, and  Olivia, 5.

 * ... NEW GIG: For you fans of Rachel Legan and her brother Dustin, longtime morning anchors on 101.5 KGFM, they have now moved over to Hot Hits 93.1, a sister station of American General Media. The "Rachel and Dustin in the Morning" show has become a community staple, featuring such hilarious takes as "Missed Connections," a laugh-out-loud gig where the hosts pull the most outlandish romantic missed connections off Craigslist and read them on the air. AGM says Tony Manes will take over mornings on KGFM.

 * ... WHERE'S MIGS? Reader Joe Boone dropped me a note wondering if anyone remembered a former East High teacher named Migs Apsit. "He would take a bus load of students, on summer vacation, around the U.S. The Californian would print photos of the group at well know sites, such as on the Capitol steps, Yellowstone etc. Perhaps there might be a reader who was lucky enough to participate? I almost made the trip in 1959 but at the last minute a family health issue made me and a buddy back out."

 * ... MERCY GRANTS: The Friends of Mercy Foundation has given out $20,000 to local charities, another boost in the arm to so many deserving non-profits during this economic downturn. The grants came from the endowment in honor of Sister Phyllis Hughes, who was hospital president from 1982 to 1987. Among those receiving grants were BARC, Community Action Partnership of Kern, food bank; Kern Comprehensive Cancer Awareness Partnership, the Special Olympics and St. John's Missionary Baptist Church.

 * ... MORE GRANTS: Speaking of grants, the Catholic Healthcare West Community Grants Program also announced a total of $217,767 in awards. This money comes from both Memorial and Mercy hospitals. Among those non profits who were awarded grants were Alliance Against Family Violence, Alzheimer's Disease Association of Kern County, Bakersfield Police Activities League, California Veterans Assistance Foundation, CASA of Kern County, Golden Empire Gleaners, Henrietta Weill Child Guidance Clinic, MARE, the MS Society and the West Side Community Resource Center.

 * ... BAKERSFIELDISM: Reader Dennis Horack says you know you're a Bakersfield old-timer if "you remember the big slide at Valley Plaza, owned by my good friend Don Carter, a former Bakersfield Californian newspaper distributor. Also, if you remember the Dove Restaurant in east Bakersfield and the House of Don restaurant on Union Avenue. Thanks for the good old days."

The generosity of Dean and Adah Gay, Crabfest 2010 and funeral services set for Dr. John Lang and Claude Fiddler

* ... A LOCAL FAMILY'S GENEROSITY: Bakersfield College will be dedicating its newly renovated and expanded sports complex on Thursday, February 4. This is a striking new facility, for both baseball and softball, and the opening will feature a Lady Gades softball game. But what is really important is the couple who made all this happen, Dean and Adah Gay. It was their generosity that allowed the school to expand, yet another example of how local folks open their wallets to help our local institutions. The actual dedication of the new "Dean and Adah Gay Sports Complex" will be held at 5:30 p.m. at the corner of University Avenue and Haley Street in the Northeast. Bakersfield College is just one of a long list of local institutions and non-profits that the Gay family has supported.

 * ... CRABFEST 2010: I attended the annual "Crabfest" fund raiser Friday night to benefit St. Francis School. It was a huge event, coordinated and run by a tight-knit group of St. Francis supporters and Junior Leaguers and held at Harvest Hall at the Kern County Fairgrounds. It was amazing to watch this group open their wallets during the silent auction, egged on course by the charismatic Monsignor Craig Harrison. Last year I'm told they raised some $160,000 and I'd be surprised if they didn't top it this year. Lots of folks were there, including Diane Lake, Lee and  Kryssy Jamieson, Kelli Gruszka, Rep. Kevin McCarthy and wife Judy, John Sacco and Dr. Rob Waguespack, David Morton, Steve Houston, Lydia and Jon Rowles (pictured below) and many others.

 * ... BAKERSPATCH? I got a nice email the other day from local resident Mike Schield, who describes himself as a Bay Area transplant who has lived here for 13 years and (thank you Mike) a regular reader of BakersfieldObserved and The Californian. In his words:

 "It's been most interesting to read all the kibitzing re Bako, B-town etc. Loretta (his wife) has been encouraging me to put in my two bits worth, so here goes. Frequently in discussion with my buddies for lo these many years, I refer to our community as Bakerspatch. I know it's a little corny but Loretta and I both think that one of the beauties of our country is that it's okay to be a little corny! Helps grease the slides! Also when I'm addressing local mail, I use Bfld. Try pronouncing that one! Keep up the great work, Richard."

* ... CHURCH RETURNS: Among those who have moved away from Bakersfield only to return is Jack Church, back as the meteorologist at KERO TV 23, replacing the retiring Rusty Shoop. KERO anchor Jackie Parks told me she started working at 23 with Church in January of 1999 but he left in 2001 to be the meteorologist of a Time Warner 24-hour channel in Syracuse, N.Y. I gave Church a call and he told me leaving was a mistake and he is thrilled to be back in Bakersfield. He's originally from Tennessee (as am I) which makes him a life-long Volunteer fan, even if he did graduate from Mississippi State University. Jack and his wife Pam have two children, including a son Eric who goes to school at Florida State University in Tallahassee, and daughter Hannah, an eighth grader. Welcome back, Jack.

 * ... FUNERAL SERVICES: Local Westchester doyen Bettina Belter called to let me know that a funeral service for Dr. John Lang will be held this Thursday at 2 p.m. at St. Francis Church. Lang, 64, died of a massive heart attack on Jan. 18 in Hawaii, where he had attended his niece's wedding. He was a longtime plastic surgeon with a wide circle of friends and an avid Pittsburgh Steelers fan. His office was on 21st Street in Westchester. Also on Thursday at 2 p.m., services will be held at Greenlawn Cemetery for Claude Fiddler, the retired Chevron engineer who died just a couple weeks after his wife Shirley Ann passed away. Keep both of these families in your thoughts.