More Americans are warming to the idea of taking the Covid vaccine, Bakersfield "patriots" take to the streets to protest the new California curfew and a prominent local doctor says schools should reopen

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 company or publication.

 * ... COVID VACCINE: It looks like more Americans are warning to the idea of taking the coronavirus vaccine once it becomes available. According to a new survey by Gallup some 58 percent of adults said

they would take the vaccine, up from 50 percent just a few months ago. Many Americans have been leery of the vaccine because they feared it was rushed and could cause more harm than good. Among Democrats, 69 percent said they would take the vaccine.

 * ... SCHOOLS AND COVID: Dr. Brij Bhambi of Centric Health is one medical professional who

thinks it's time to get our kids back in schools. When asked if schools should reopen, Bhambi replied with an enthusiastic "yes, yes, yes." Bhambi noted that young children are less likely to become sick and also less likely to infect others, and continuing to keep them our of the classroom raises a host of other problems. Schools that have taken proper precautions, Bhambi said, are well suited to handle the student population.

 * ... CURFEW: Both the Bakersfield Police Department and the Kern County Sheriff's Office have signaled they have no intention of being the enforcement arm of Gov. Gavin Newsom's 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew. Sheriff Donny Youngblood made it clear his deputies would not be responding to calls to break up dinner parties that 20 people are attending, and Bakersfield police had the same response. Said a BPD press release: "We will not be responding to residences to check on the number of people in a home nor will we be conducting traffic stops or stopping community members moving about our city solely due to the hour of the day."

 * ... CURFEW PROTESTS: Meanwhile we should have expected this: but on the first night of the curfew dozens of self described "patriots" got together to flaunt the  curfew by driving through town, gathering at local parking lots, flying American flags and generally defying anyone to stop them. I am not sure what this accomplishes, but if it lifts your boat, go for it.

 * ... 50 YEARS OF BLISS: Congratulations to Gary and Deborah Leary who celebrated 50 years of marriage last week. The couple is known for their commitment to non-profits (St. Vincent du Paul homeless center among others) and are invariably at the heart of so many fund raisers and steak dinners around town. The local couple's love story is classic Bakersfield: they actually met at Pyrenne's Cafe, which at the time was owned by Deborah's family, and the rest, they say, is history.

 * ... GOOD FORM: Hats off to the folks over at Raising Cane's Chicken who catered lunch to the staff at the Golden Empire Gleaners last week. Gleaners director Glenn Ephron said the volunteers were treated to box lunches of the famous chicken fingers and French fries.

 * ... MEMORIES: Check out this picture of the downtown post office back in the 1940s and today. Thanks to the Kern County History Fans Facebook page.

Two local death row inmates die of Covid-19 and District Attorney Cynthia Zimmer celebrates closure for their victims, H.A. Sala to talk about your rights during protests, and all those sports mascots and logos that are on the chopping block during this time of the great cleansing

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.

 * ... PROTESTS: How many times have you watched protesters attacking motorists and wondered: What would I do in that situation? If I hit the pedal and hurt somebody, will I be charged? If I fear my

life is in danger as they pound on my hood and windows, what are my rights? We will cover all of that and more on Tuesday when noted defense attorney H.A. Sala comes on The Richard Beene Show at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday to discuss our rights. Tune in.

 * ... COVID TAKE A KILLER(S): The coronavirus has claimed two lives on California's death row. This take from District Attorney Cynthia Zimmer: "Scott Thomas Erskine raped and murdered a 9 year old boy, a 13 year old boy, and and an adult woman. Manuel Machado Alvarez murdered a man and committed other violent felonies including rape. Hopefully, with the deaths of these sexual predators, the victims’ families can have some closure and peace."

  * ... PURITY POLICE: Now that the nation is in the grips of a feverish movement to destroy anything remotely offensive, let's review some of the sports teams logos that simply have to go in this climate. We can start with our own South High "Rebels," which you can guess, has been deemed out of bounds by the purity police. Then you can move on to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, the University of Illinoi "Fighting Ilini" named after an Indian tribe, the Atlanta Braves, the longtime favorite Washington Redskins and - get this - the Holy Cross Crusaders. Now if a good old fashioned Christian crusade doesn't upset you, then few things will. And don't forget about the "Arabs" of the Coachella High School. If we have to explain it to you, then you just don't get it.

 * ... SPOTTED ON FACEBOOK: "Just overheard a woman talking on her phone to her friend saying that she tested positive for Covid, but she feels fine and she needs to get her shopping done. She did have a mask on but her husband and kids didn't... Just to let folks know some people don't care for anyone's else's safety. We walked away and notified employees but she was on her way out...We just couldn't believe it. MASK Up folks."

 * ... MEMORIES: You must got to love some of these old pictures on the internet. Here, from a local Facebook page devoted to local history, is a picture from 1943 with this caption: "The peak flow of Kern River as measured at First Point near Hart Park the morning of March 10, 1943 was 21,701 cubic feet per second. The Beardsley River Weir is located just east of Gordon's Ferry Bridge. And they say, "In Bakersfield, it only rains at night".