City of Bakersfield moves forward to buy Calcot for a homeless shelter, Catholic priest Eric Swearingen dies and local leaders seek common ground with Gov. Gavin Newsom

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 represent any other person or organization.

 * ... HOMELESS SHELTER: The city of Bakersfield has opted to to move forward with

purchasing property on East Brundage Lane to create a low-barrier homeless shelter. The decision came after a long (and often emotional) meeting where the council had to decide between purchasing East Brundage (the old Calcot facility) or partnering with the county on its homeless shelter being build off Golden State. The vote was 4-3 (voting for East Brundage were Andrae Gonzales, Bob Smith, Bruce Freeman and Ken Weir and opposed were Willie Rivera, Chris Parlier and Jacquie Sullivan). Remember these voting coalitions. Is this what we can expect in the post Alan Tandy world?

 * ... MORE HOMELESS: Louis Gill, executive director of the Bakersfield Homeless Shelter, was encouraged by the vote: "Congratulations to the City. Last night they voted and took action. Proponents faced a huge headwind that had been building for months from those opposed but they prevailed. First they voted to purchase the property on Brundage and to open it as a Low Barrier Shelter. We absolutely need more beds AND the professionals that can help people transition as quickly as possible to a permanent home. It was bold and impressive. Second, they voted to financially support the County Low Barrier Shelter. That was a good first step in collaboration on homelessness. Third, they voted to make curb and gutter, lighting improvements around both facilities. We will all need to support this new project for it to be successful. Those of us that will be involved in supporting the work now have an obligation to address the concerns raised by the neighbors of the site and to everything possible to partner / collaborate. The additional emergency beds are just the first step. We have much to do to but after last night... I am optimistic."

 * ... GOV. GAVIN NEWSOM: Look, it's no secret that Gov. Gavin Newsom is no friend of Kern County. He is waging an unapologetic war on fossil fuels, and his water policy is widely seen as hostile to local farmers. But Newsom isn't going anywhere, and I applaud efforts by a handful of influential local leaders who are building relationships with the governor in a bid to find some kind of common ground to help Kern County. This week, Greater Bakersfield Chamber Nick Ortiz and Kern Community Foundation executive Kristen Watson drove to Sacramento to spend time with Newsom to promote Kern County, and last week the Board of Supervisors hosted members of Newsom's team to hear our side of the oil industry. Supervisor Leticia Perez (a Democrat) has been particularly active in providing a bridge between politically conservative Kern County and the governor's office, an acknowledgment that finding common ground may be the only leverage we have in protecting our interests.

 * ... SPOTTED ON FACEBOOK: "Count the rainbows in your life, not the storms."

 * ...  BAD NEWS: Now here is a list that Bakersfield didn't need to make. That's right, but researchers at Brandeis University ranked Bakersfield as the hardest place to grow up in America. Using factors like poverty rate and green space to assist and "opportunity score" to growing up in various locales, the university said Bakersfield was the worst, citing among other things that half of all residents under the age of 18 live in low opportunity neighborhoods. Other cities on the "worst" list included Fresno, McAllen, Texas, Stockton and Riverside. The best city to grow up in? Madison, state capital of Wisconsin and home of the University of Wisconsin.

 * ... FATHER CRAIG: Nine months after he was suspended from the priesthood because of allegations of sexual abuse, Father Craig Harrison presided over the burial service for longtime RV king Mike Stier at the veteran's cemetery in Arvin. Harrison performed the ceremony without his clerical collar and presumably as a private citizen, but one has to wonder how this will be received by the Diocese of Fresno which is weighing his future as a priest. Is it a sign Harrison knows he won't be returned to the priesthood? Could the Diocese possibly be happy about this? Or is this Harrison's way of establishing his next chapter outside the church? Stay tuned as we wait the final word from the Diocese on Harrison's future.

 * ... ERIC SWEARINGEN: And speaking of priests who have faced charges of abuse, Eric Swearingen has died after a lengthy illness. Swearingen, who was based at a church in Visalia, was the target of a high profile lawsuit involving former altar boy Juan Rocha, who accused Swearingen of sexually abusing him from 1989 to 1993 during the priest’s first assignment at Our Lady of Guadalupe in Bakersfield. According to reports, the jury found Swearingen guilty of child sexual abuse in a 9-3 vote "but fell short of the nine votes required to find the Diocese of Fresno guilty of wrongdoing resulting in a mistrial. Instead of a retrial, Fr. Swearingen and Rocha entered a binding arbitration to settle the lawsuit, the terms of which remain undisclosed." Like Harrison, Swearingen was a popular priest who maintained a level of support even after being accused of abuse, yet another sign that some local Catholics are content to elevate the popularity of the individual over the pain of his potential victims.

 * ... SENOR PEPES: So did you hear about the scumbag who stole a tip jar at Señor Pepe's Mexican restaurant off Rosedale Highway? It was all captured on video surveillance and as it turns out, the tip jar was raising money for a longtime employee was it battling cancer. Once the story went viral, Bakersfield stepped up and dozens of people dropped off donations to make up for the lost money. That's Bakersfield for you.

 * ... SPOTTED ON FACEBOOK: I saw this on Facebook. You be the judge: "Bakersfield Water Resources does riverbed maintenance this time of year, in order to fulfill their obligation to keep the river flowing. They often bulldoze the grooves in the riverbed to smooth it and help water flow. This before/after shows the view from the green bike path bridge at Riverwalk looking west toward Stockdale Bridge. Was this hideous scraping really necessary? Surely this could have been done in a less brutal manner. That was one of the prettiest views in town. Can't we ever have nice things here?"

 * ... MEMORIES: Check out this wonderful old photo of the original Noriega Hotel on Sumner Street.

Could Leticia Perez be the ally the oil industry is looking for to deal with Gov. Gavin Newsom? Plus supporters of Father Craig Harrison launch a petition drive to bring him back, the Wolf Moon is upon us and remembering the mighty dust storm that hit Kern County

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.

 * ... LETICIA PEREZ: The new chair of the Kern County Board of Supervisors, Leticia Perez, may find herself in a unique position to help the oil and gas industry, which has been put on the defensive by Gov. Gavin Newsom and the state legislature. If this sounds a bit odd, it should. First, Perez is a loyal Democrat serving in a non-partisan post, but her politics are clearly to the left of

those who traditional support fossil fuels, particularly in this state. Second, Perez is still facing a misdemeanor charge for failing to disclose that her husband was involved in the cannabis industry while she was voting on marijuana related issues before the Board. Yet, in some odd way Perez could be the best ally the oil and gas industry has as it fends off assaults from Sacramento. Appearing on The Richard Beene Show, Perez told me she is urging Gov. Newsom to approach this issue cautiously, arguing that the oil industry should "be a partner, not the enemy" in helping the state reach its energy goals. The oil industry has some of the brightest minds and engineers in the world, she argued, so why not allow those people to help us find a way to ween ourselves off fossil fuels in a responsible way. "We have it all here, Richard," she told me, explaining that Kern County also leads the state in renewable energy. In this time of chaos, our oil industry should look to people like Perez as allies who may be able to talk some sense into the environmentalists and Sacramento Democrats.

 * ... FATHER CRAIG: A petition is being circulated among local Catholics to demand that Father Craig Harrison be returned to the pulpit at St. Francis Church. While this might be nothing more than a long shot to restore Harrison to St. Francis, it speaks to the loyalty that some parishioners have toward their embattled priest. It has been nine months since Harrison was suspended by the Diocese of Fresno after allegations arose from multiple men that Harrison had touched them inappropriately, and there are few signs that he will return anytime soon. At least one police department continues to investigate allegations of sexual impropriety involving Harrison and young men, and some Harrison followers have resigned themselves that he may never preside over another mass. In fact, insiders tell me that those around Harrison are talking openly about what the next chapter is for Harrison, outside the Catholic church. And there is this: I am also told that an out of town attorney may be considering legal action against Harrison on behalf of several young men, bringing with it yet more potentially salacious details that his supporters and defense team will be forced to refute. Stay tuned. Things are about to heat up.

 * ... NUDE FOOD: The country of New Zealand has taken the war on single use plastic a step further by getting rid of the plastic bags used for fresh vegetables and fruits. That's what one New Zealand grocery store company did, calling it "food in the nude." Said one story: "The initiative is part of the war against plastic. In New Zealand the days of single-use plastic shopping bags are numbered – most supermarkets are no longer providing them at the check-out – while the government late last year agreed to regulations for a mandatory phase-out across all retailers from July 1.

 * ... WOLF MOON:  Are you read for the first full moon of the year? It's right upon us, debuting Friday, January 10 and they say it will be spectacular. It's call the full "wolf moon" and it will rise from the horizon at sunset.

 * ... POOP PATROL: This City Council has voted to renew the contract for the "poop patrol," a program that sends workers out into the city to clean up feces left by the homeless. Yes, that is what it has come to, using our tax dollars to pick up the pool left by legions of homeless. The program will be extended an additional three months and the hours per week will increase from 20 to 26. The city also moved to enter into a contract with the The action also included a deal with the Bakersfield Homeless Center to perform general clean-up services in those areas as well.

* ... JEOPARDY: You know you have made it in this world when your name becomes an answer in Jeopardy!

 * ... MEMORIES: Who remembers the 1977 historic dust storm in Kern County. I was not living here, and these pictures make be grateful I was not.

Federal government drastically cuts its estimates of recoverable oil in the Monterey Shale, and the inspiring story of a kind hearted mailman who rescued the dog that bit him

* … SHALE: The government's stunning announcement dramatically cutting the amount of oil believed to be in the Monterey Shale could have widespread consequences for Kern County. Oil

industry experts were shocked when the Energy Information Administration estimated that there are only 600 million barrels of extractable oil in the shale, a drastic cut from the 13.7 billion barrels that were originally thought to be there. The reaction here? Local drillers shrugged it off, saying if the oil is there, the industry will find a way to extract it. I'm betting with the oil industry on this one.

* … GOOD FORM: This note from Joan Muller made my day. "I recently had to deal with finding kittens in the wall of my house. Mama kitty had gotten into the attic (which will be fixed) and had her litter of three babies. The kittens fell in a hollow spot which was about a 10 foot drop from the attic into the wall. Not having the means to extract the little ones from the wall I called my cousin Brook Muller for help. He was at church choir practice when I called but stated he would be over as soon as he finished. He showed up as promised at 9 p.m. with his saw and had to cut out three small portions of the garage wall before we finally found two little kittens which were starving and scared  While I put them in a pet carrier and gave them food and water Brook put the cut panels back in place, swept the floor and put all the boxes back where I had them. I found the third one the next day.  I just wanted to give a HUGE shout out to my wonderful cousin who gave of his time and talent to help God's defenseless creatures! He is a blessing to his family and this community!"

 * … THEFT: Add downtown to the growing list of neighborhoods where a resident has awakened to find his struck on blocks, the wheels and tires stolen in the night. This time it happened to a late model Toyota truck. Trucks in Stockdale Estates and La Cresta have suffered similar fates.

 * … CHUTZPAH: My use of the word "chutzpah" recently drew this response from reader Terry Beals: "While the mayor of Porterville is surely outspoken and ill informed, his unfortunate comments don't rise to a level of chutzpah. As a youngster I was told that a definition of chutzpah is difficult to create; but that the following description could suffice. A man convicted of killing both of his parents pleads for mercy from the judge, ... because he is an orphan. That is CHUTZPAH."

 * … SNUFFY: Dan Cooper wrote with this inspirational tale of Snuffy, a small white dog rescued from death row. "Our family moved from Reno to Bakersfiield in 1937, and we brought Snuffy with us, a small white dog with a mean streak. We lived on Orange Street. Snuffy bit the mailman and was picked up by the authorities to be held for 10 days, and if not adopted, put down. We did not want him back. The mailman asked us about the dog… On the last day, we later found out the mailman adopted the dog. The dog that bit him. We drove by his house, and there was Snuffy on a chain. Lucky dog, kind hearted mailman."