Bakersfield Observed looks at the top stories to follow in 2020, from oil to groundwater to crime and homelessness ... a guide for the top stories to follow

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 community such a special place. The views expressed here are strictly my own and do not reflect the views of any other individual, organization or company.

 As we look toward ushering in 2020, Bakersfield Observed takes a look at the top ten stories we will be tracking this year. It will be an important year, so hold onto your seats.


 10) CITY MANAGER: Bakersfield city manager Alan Tandy retires Jan. 10 after almost three decades as the city's top administrator. To say Tandy's retirement is significant is an understatement, and in fact on a local level, one insider likened it to the rise of a new pope. "In our form of government no one is more powerful than the city manager," said one city employee. "This is a chance to set a new tone." Tandy's list of accomplishments is long, but his personal "take on prisoners" style rankled many and did little to improve relations with the county. When the City Council hires his successor, it will set the mood for possibly the next three decades. Expect that decision in the first quarter of 2020.

 9) LETICIA PEREZ: We will also learn the fate of Supervisor Leticia Perez, who is facing a misdemeanor charge related to charges she did not disclose that her husband (Fernando Jara) was representing cannabis interests while the Board of Supervisors was considering legalizing the retail sale of it. Many had written off Perez, expecting her to fade out of the public limelight, but she has signaled she is back and appears reenergized after her near fall from grace. Perez is the incoming chair of the Board of Supervisors and many are expecting an out of court settlement on the misdemeanor charge, clearing the path for Perez to go forward. Perez is smart, ambitious and not to be underestimated. Among her off-duty goals: grooming young Latino and Latina candidates for office as Kern County grows younger and browner and more diverse.

 8) THE HOMELESS: This will be a critical year in the battle against homelessness. The county's low-barrier navigation shelter will open in early February and the city is moving forward with its own plans to open a similar shelter. County CAO Ryan Alsop and Mayor Karen Goh are at the forefront of the local effort to combat the problem and hundreds of thousands of dollars have been allocated for everything from "poop patrols" to daily cleanup crews to additional prosecutors to handle misdemeanor cases. This will be the year when we determine just how committed we are as a community to reclaim our streets.

 7) FATHER CRAIG: Will 2020 be the year when we learn if Father Craig Harrison will either return to St. Francis Parish or be defrocked from the clerical state? Let's hope so because the uncertainty surrounding his status is a boil on the public consciousness that needs to be lanced. The problem: the final decision will be made by the head of the Diocese of Fresno, Bishop Joseph Brennan, and he is keeping his own counsel for making a decision. Word is that Brennan is waiting for the authorities in Firebaugh to first indicate if they will prosecute Harrison for a decades-old allegation of sexual abuse. But in truth, it will be Brennan's call in the end and Harrison will either find himself "laicized" (it means a person loses the clerical state and no longer has the right to exercise sacred ministry) or he will be returned to St. Francis or possibly moved to another church. If Harrison does not return to St. Francis, as many expect, what will be the second act for this once popular priest who - despite allegations from multiple men of sexual abuse over several decades - remains beloved by so many?

 6) ABUSE ALLEGATIONS: While we wait on word on Father Craig, expect a virtual flood of lawsuits to be filed as victims come forward to tell their stories of sexual abuse dating back decades. Thanks to a new state law that goes into effect Jan. 1, the state has given victims of sexual abuse a new window to file lawsuits against their abusers. Expect dozens of people to come forward across the state, and some of those cases may come locally against priests in the Diocese of Fresno.

 5) KEVIN MCCARTHY: With impeachment haunting President Trump, there are few people in the country with more to win or lose than our own Rep. Kevin McCarthy, who as House Minority Leader has been the tip of the spear defending the president. McCarthy may be criticized by the left for his defense of the president, but McCarthy remains wildly popular in his home district and few work harder on forging local ties than "KMAC" as he is affectionately known. If Trump wins and the Republicans take back control of the House of Representatives, we could be referring to KMAC as "Mr. Speaker."

4) NEW ENERGY, NEW JOBS: Is Bakersfield beginning to shake its image as an "oil and ag" backwater? Some say it is, and they point to the new Amazon distribution center across from the airport and the fact that Bakersfield is outperforming 46 other metro areas in net job and business creation. Helping in that evolution is Bitwise Industries, a Fresno-based tech academy and software startup that hopes to create 1,000 jobs in the city. Bitwise is renovating the building across 18th Street from the old Padre Hotel as part of its Bakersfield investment. With our traditional job centers like oil and agriculture under attack, this is the stuff that could decide our future.

3) CRIME: Every indication is that crime is on the rise, particularly "petty" and "non violent" crime that the state has largely decriminalized. We now live in the state that has decriminalized everything fro possession of heroin to prostitution, and suddenly our communities are full of "petty" criminals stealing indiscriminately, breaking into cars and trucks with impunity and waltzing into grocery stores and Rite-Aids and filling their arms with whatever they desire. Locally, we are thankful for people like District Attorney Cynthia Zimmer who throwing the weight of the DA's office to maintain law and order, but all this will come to a head this year as things will undoubtedly go from bad to worse.

2) WATER: This will be an important year for water in California as local water agencies begin establishing protocols to track water inflow and outflow within their jurisdictions. Huge parts of the Central Valley are literally sinking as local water agencies continue to draw down groundwater supplies, and for the first time the state is trying to get a handle on balancing the needs of agriculture against the reality of groundwater levels and the needs of urban population centers. This could lead to hundreds of thousands of acres of productive farmland being taken out of production.

1) OIL: And finally, 2020 could prove to be a pivotal year in the war against fossil fuels being waged by Gov. Gavin Newsom and the ruling Democratic party in Sacramento. Never before has California had a governor so openly hostile to the oil and natural gas industry as Newsom is, and his actions could directly impact the exploration and production of oil here in Kern County. For oil path communities like Taft and to a lesser extent Bakersfield, Newsom's decisions could have a devastating impact on our tax revenue, our growth, the value of our homes and our future.

Kern crude oil trading higher than the sweet Texas blend, NBC sends a crew to Kern County and paints an unflattering portrait and Bako gets a new burger franchise

Friday, February 2, 2018


Welcome to Bakersfield Observed, now online only. 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 to rsbeene@yahoo.com.

 * ... KERN CRUDE: Back in the day, I believed that the heavy Kern Crude petroleum produced here was worth less than the oil produced in west Texas because it cost more to get it out of the ground. I was wrong, as I learned from Chad Hathaway the other day when he

appeared on my radio show (KERN NewsTalk 96.1 FM). Because most of our oil stays in California (there are no pipelines bringing oil from other states into the state) Hathaway said the two types of petroleum produced here - Midway Sunset and Buena Vista Light - are routinely priced higher than the West Texas Intermediate. For the first time in four years, Hathaway is optimistic that the price of oil seems to be stabilizing around $65 to $70 a barrel. Hathaway in the president of Hathaway Oil.

 * ... THANKS NBC: Did you see the new video about Bakersfield that is floating around the internet? It is produced by a new organization called NBC Left Field, which is an attempt by NBC to attract younger readers via videos on social media. I cannot think of a more unflattering portrayal of Kern County. NBC Left Field uses former talk show host Inga Barks to explain our city (a dubious choice itself) and its bleak, unflattering video of our community makes me wonder if this was simply yet another hit piece from the start. And on its teaser logo: a Latino man holding a gun. Really? But you be the judge.

  * ... BURGER WARS: Bakersfield is getting another burger franchise, this one specializing in mini, slider-type custom burgers and variations of french fries and onion rings. Burgerim, which has dozens of outlets in 15 states, plans to open two locations in the southwest (Gosford and Stockdale Highway) and one in the east (Mt. Vernon.) The company has 20 locations in California.

 * ... BAD FORM: So did you hear about the high school student who showed up at the East High Winter Formal with a six-inch switch blade in his pocket? It was discovered during a routine pat down but what wasn't routine was his response when he was told he and his parents had signed an agreement not to bring guns or knives to the dance. His response: "My father told to bring in." The student in question attends Centennial High and his date East High.

* ... CHARLIE MANSON: By the way, did you catch the KGET TV report on the man who claims to be Charlie Manson's grandson who wants to claim his body? Check out his picture here (courtesy of KGET) that had this caption: "Jason Freeman claims to be Charles Manson’s grandson and is seeking control of Manson’s remains. He says his grandpa was a 'kind and giving person.'" Kind and giving? Tell that to Sharon Tate's family.

  

* ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "My personal trainer at the gym told me I need to start working on my upper body strength. I told him to just open the damn pickles and STFU."

 * ... GOOD FORM: Did you know that a North High graduate named Suzanne Filkins is the associate producer of the critically acclaimed film "Call Me by Your Name"? That's the word from reader Teri Filkins who said her sister in law, Suzanne, was involved in the movie that has been nominated for four Academy Awards, including Best Picture. Susanne is the daughter of Dr. Mylon and Mrs. Pat Filkins.

* ... OLD PHOTO: This photo was found in an old home on 19th Street downtown while a friend was moving out. Do you recognize the people in picture?

 * ... OOPS: And then there was this sign ....

Kevin Burton decides against running for mayor of Bakersfield, an expert predicts the price of oil will double this year and Monsignor Michael Braun begins his farewell tour

 * ... OIL: With the price of oil hovering around $30 a barrel, it's hard to find optimists in the oil patch. But at least one analyst is bucking that trend by predicting the price will double to around $60 a barrel by the end of this year. That's the word from The Wall Street Journal which reported that

energy executive Harold Hamm believes the current glut will ease as U.S. producers "ratchet down production until the market recovers." Hamm, chief executive of the U.S. shale producer Continental Resources,  also described OPEC as "almost a nonentity" that is losing its ability to dictate market prices.

 * ... KEVIN: Kevin Burton has decided against running for mayor this year, citing his responsibilities as president of the San Joaquin Community Hospital foundation. Burton, who will turn 45 next week, called being mayor "a lifelong dream" but told me he was simply not in a position to run for election this year. "I love this city and it's been my goal to be mayor," he said. "But I just can't do it now." It is still not certain if Harvey Hall will run for reelection, and Burton's decision creates an even wider opening for former homebuilder Kyle Carter to seek the office. Carter says he is running whether Hall runs or not.

* ... MONA: An interesting exhibit of neon signs will be on display in Glendale next month when the Museum of Neon Art holds its grand opening. And one of its prized pieces is none other than one of the original neon signs for the now defunct Green Frog market. The sign, if you remember it, has the phrase 'Howdy Folks' under a strutting green frog decked out in a tuxedo and black top hat. By the way, if you are into this kind of stuff, take a leisurely drive through old east Bakersfield some time and take in the treasure trove of neon signs that grace our streets, from Pyrenees Cafe to Luigi's to Woolgrowers to the Arizona Cafe. Or, better yet, head over to the Kern County Museum to check out its impressive display of old neon signs.

 * ... BRAUN: Good luck to Monsignor Michael Braun, one of the smartest - and wittiest - pastors in town who has spent three decades leaving his imprint on Catholic life here. Braun will retire at the end of this month, but not before a 'farewell tour' of sorts that included a tribute dinner at Bakersfield Country Club that drew some 300 people. When Braun steps down, he will be the longest-tenured pastor at Our Lady of Perpetual Help, also surpassing those at other local Catholic parishes.

 * ... SPOTTED ON FACEBOOK: "I'd like to read an obit about someone who did not die surrounded by family. Someone whose niece was on her way but didn't quite make it."

 * ... FUND RAISER: Mark your calendar for the annual reverse raffle and fund raiser for the Our Lady of Guadalupe School, a small non-profit school that serves students through the eighth grade. The dinner is set for Saturday, Feb. 13., at the Our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine at 4600 E. Brundage Lane. Tickets are going for $140 (steak dinner for two and one entry into the reverse raffle) and there will be an $8,000 grand prize. This year's honorees for the Monsignor Craig Harrison award: Rose Alderete, Marylou Burlingame and Woolgrower's Restaurant-Jenny Poncetta and Mayie Matia.

Analysts see no end to the global oil glut and work continues on the Bakersfield Music Hall of Fame

 * ... OIL: The price of oil has dropped by almost 60 percent since its peak, but U.S. and global producers are maintaining production. In an analysis of the global oil glut, the Wall Street Journal noted that the world's biggest suppliers have yet to curtail production, almost guaranteeing the price

will remain in the $40 per barrel range and possibly sink below that. Saudi Arabia, for one, is maintaining its production as a hedge against new Iraqi and Iranian oil expected to hit the market. The Journal called the result a type of "energy industry version of trench warfare, with producers all trying to gain an inch of market share no matter the cost. And it is producing winner and losers around the world, luring American drivers into gas guzzling pickup rucks while sending the Venezuelan economy into chaos."

 * ... CRIME: If you have a "lock" mechanism on your garage door, make sure to use it. Police say thieves are having a field day around town by making their way into garages by forcing the overhead doors open by hand.

 * ... ZIGGY: Hats off to the folks over at Cal State Bakersfield who made the right call in promoting Kenneth Siegfried as the new athletic director. Known as "Ziggy," the personal and quick witted Siegfried has the energy, experience and youth and he has bonded with this imperfect community we all call home.

 * ... 24th STREET CAFE: I rewarded myself after a Sunday morning 10-mile hike with a trip to the 24th Street Cafe, one of our town's iconic homestyle restaurants that is always busy and never seems to disappoint. My recommendation: eggs benedict accompanied by biscuits and gravy and a cold Bloody Mary.

* ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "Knowledge is like underwear. It is useful to have it, but not necessary to show it off."

 * ... HALL OF FAME: Work continues on converting the Bakersfield Sound Studio into the Bakersfield Music Hall of Fame, and this weekend a huge new sign went up at the front entrance. Funded by Kyle Carter and his wife Kim McAbee, herself an accomplished musician, the Hall of Fame will recognize Bakersfield's rich musical heritage. The building is located the corner of Q and 23rd streets.

 * ... CALTRANS: Someone at Caltrans wasn't paying attention when they created, and installed, a sign on Highway 46 near Paso Robles that reads: "Groved Pavement." Thanks to Margaret Scrivano Patteson for passing that along.

Bakersfield lags the state in well being and socio-economics and local oil producers slow down production and begin laying off workers to respond to a global oil glut

 * … RANKINGS: Bakersfield posted some low rankings in a new survey by the Social Science Research Council that measures well-being and access to socio-economic upward mobility based on race, ethnicity, gender and geographic location. Some key findings about Bakersfield: Our index score of 3.69 is 30 percent below the California average and the median

earnings range from $36,031 for whites to $18,865 for Latinos, a spread of over $17,000. And, almost half of all Latino adults in the Bakersfield metro area did not complete high school. "This is more than twice the rate for African Americans in the Bakersfield metro area, and the highest rate of any group in any of the ten biggest metro areas," according to the report.

* … OIL: With the benchmark price of Kern County crude oil now under $60 a barrel, more producers are laying off service workers until the price stabilizes. All this may be good for consumers as the price of gas drops, but lower oil prices will have a devastating impact on county tax revenue, 40 percent of which comes from the energy sector. The price of oil has plummeted more than 40 percent since July, one of the sharpest drops in memory.

* … SCAM: A local restaurant was the target of a familiar scam the other day. A "very professional" man called the manager posing as a collector for the utility PGE, demanding $900 on a cash card or the power would be cut off later that day. The manager "almost fell for it," the owner told me, but at the last minute called the utility and learned it was a hoax.

 * … RAIN: A huge storm is headed to the Bay Area, where meteorologists expect as much as 7.5 inches of rain. That's terrific news for the drought and northern California, and let's hope some of it trickles down to the Central Valley. One thing is for certain: we are a long way from recovering from the drought.

 * … SPOTTED: Posted on Facebook was this: "Fatherhood is accidentally turning your daughter's white blouse pink because you're being 'economical' with the wash, then washing it by itself with bleach to turn it back to white before anyone notices."

 * … BURGLARY: Another house - this one downtown near Jastro Park - was burglarized this week when someone kicked the door open in broad daylight. This is the time of year when these kinds of burglaries and break-ins spike, so watch out for your neighbors.

 * … GOOD FORM: I received a nice hand written note from a friend the other day, thanking me for something I considered almost inconsequential. It serves as a reminder of the power of a personal note, not in text or in email, but offered in a way that speaks to sincerity and thought.

 * … BAD FORM: Miriam Martin called to share a story of someone who broke into her car the other night. "They saw my straw bag and must have thought it was my purse," she said. "It contained my scriptures, my Bible and my hymnal. They weren't homeless because they left two blankets I had in the back seat!"

Debunking some of the hysteria around fracking, praising good service and remembering the founding of the U.S. Marine Corps

 * .... FRACKING: Hats off to the folks out at Taft College for putting on the West Kern Petroleum Summit last week. It was an important event in light the growing political opposition to fracking, which has been happening in the Kern oil fields for years without apparent risks to anyone's safety. If you

didn't read Lois Henry in the Sunday Californian, where she debunked some of the myths surrounding fracking, you should. As Lois said, the environmental hysteria around fracking is dangerous, because "ultimately, fear, not truth, drives policy. Fracking has taken that formula to new heights bordering on hysteria."

 * ... NEW STORE: Bakersfield loves a new store, which explains what greeted me when I stopped by the new Hobby Lobby last Friday. Opened less than a week in the old Mervyn's center, Hobby

Lobby is a paradise for anyone into arts and crafts. When I visited, there were at least 30 customers waiting at each of the four cash registers open.

 * ... GOOD SERVICE: It's always nice to hear that our local merchants are keeping residents happy.  Reader and friend Dr. Bob Smith could hardly contain his enthusiasm about his recent experience with local car dealership Motor City Lexus. He wrote: "From product specialists Justin Hartley and Natalie Hierlmeier to Joey Salcido and Tim Miller in finance to sales manager Cherif Guirguis and general manager John Pitre, I could not have had a more pleasant car-buying experience!"

 * ... GOOD FORM: And there is this cheery note from a reader named Chuck, proving once again how many good people there are in our community. "Recently we were visiting our favorite lunch spot the famous In -N-Out on Stockdale Highway being in the drive-up line we were behind a very nice looking Toyota hybrid. As we came up to pay window we were told our order had been paid for wow what a surprise! We read and hear about this goodwill gesture but wow really happening to us is really a shock. We were not able to thank this person being in this line but did manage to do a thank you wave as he was driving off."

* ... MARINES: My earlier blog about the anniversary of the founding of the U.S. Navy drew this response from reader Don Taylor. "Please don't forget the 238th birthday of our beloved Marine Corps on Nov. 10. The Second Continental Congress authorized a Corps of Marines at Tunn's Tavern (where else?) in Philadelphia on Nov. 10, 1775. Come celebrate our birthday on Friday, Nov. 8, at Kern County Veterans service office at 1120 Golden State Avenue. Chow (breakfast) at 8 a.m. and a ceremony and cake cutting at 10 a.m. . All veterans are invited!  OOOORAH and Semper Fi."

 * ... BAKERSFIELDISM: Tim Hanlin, Foothill High class of 1968, remembers when his family moved here from Akron, Ohio, in 1964 so his father Geary could help open the Goodyear Bakersfield plant for making seat cushions for the brand new Ford Mustangs being assembled in San Jose. "The plant was located on Shepard Street near the White Lane/Stine Road intersection and employed many workers for many years. I was near there the other day and remembered how in 1964 there was absolutely nothing at all around the plant but dirt as far as the eye could see.  What a difference today.

 My dad, a WWII navy veteran, is now 91, and my mom just turned 90 last month.  Both are still doing very well here in Bakersfield, and I'm the first to realize that at 63 I'm a very lucky guy."

Oil production across the country surges to new highs and the country is now producing 83 percent of its energy needs, and former Bako mayor Mary K. Shell throws some love at the downtown Post Office

 * ... OIL: Thanks to fracking and other new methods of extracting oil, our country is now producing more than 7 million barrels of oil a day, the highest since 1993. And, we are growing closer to total oil independence. According to a story distributed by the Bloomberg news service, the United States is now producing 83 percent of its total energy needs. "Production grew by the fastest pace in U.S. history last year and will accelerate in 2013 as horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, unlocks crude trapped in formations such as North Dakota’s Bakken shale," the story said. "The state boosted production 40 percent last year through October, Energy Department data show. Texas was up 23 percent, and Utah rose 11 percent."

* ... DARNELL:  Steve Darnell, vice president and general manager of the Buckley Radio stations in Bakersfield, is leaving to become sales manager of Clear Channel radio in Fresno. Darnell joined Buckely in 2002 and was a member of West Rotary. The Buckley stations include KKBB, KLLY, KSMJ and KNZR.

 * ... LOFT LIVING: The finishing elements are being installed on the 1612 City Loft project in downtown Bakersfield. All nine units have been pre-leased and residents are expected to be moving in within the next month or so. The project, which is in the building formerly known as the Hay building, has been in the construction phase for the past year. Some of the residents include local Realtor Adam Belter, KBAK reporter Tom Murphy and long-time Walker-Lewis employee Stephanie Gonzalez and husband A.J.

 * ... OVERHEARD: At a local Starbucks a customer who had bought a coffee for a young homeless man outside remarks: "Well that was unexpected. He said he really wanted a hot chocolate."

* ... POST OFFICE: Former mayor Mary K. Shell speaks for many when she talks about the outstanding service at the downtown Post Office. "The employees are exceptional! They make it a practice to let you know if you can mail or ship something at a better price and they greet each customer with a smile, especially when the waiting lines are long  In addition, I can’t forget to thank my letter carrier, Ralph, who’s been on the same 93301 route for maybe ten years or more.  He gets mail to me even with a mangled address, in rain, fog or blistering heat!"

 * ... CRABFEST: The hottest ticket is in town next week is for the Crab and Rib Fest to benefit the St. Francis Parish School.  It is already a sellout with some 400 people expected to head to the Kern Country Fairgrounds next Friday for the annual event that raises tens of thousands of dollars for the Parish.