The inspirational climb of El Capitan's Dawn Wall, the dynamic growth of the Southwest and Northwest in Bakersfield, and a moving story about a family in need, and those who came to their aid

 * … DAWN WALL: The 19-day ascent of El Capitan up the Dawn Wall certainly captured our 

attention, but I was more impressed with how climber Kevin Jorgeson described it in an interview with Matt Lauer on the Today Show. “Tommy (Caldwell) and I have been thinking a lot about what is it about this climb that is capturing everyone’s attention. I think the opportunity is for everyone to find their own Dawn Wall, if you will. We had our project that we saw through to the end. What’s yours?” (photo courtesy of Time Magazine)

* … GROWTH: Bakersfield is a city of quadrants: most of us identify ourselves as living in the Northwest, Southwest, Northeast, Southeast or downtown. For the most part we spend our non working hours shopping, playing and driving in areas close to where we live. I was a Southwest resident for years and for the last five have lived downtown. Which is why I was stunned (that is not an exaggeration) when I spent some time in the Northwest earlier this week, amazed at the growth, the number of new businesses and restaurants and yes, traffic. Likewise, I returned from the coast the other day and entered the intersection of Gosford Road at Panama Lane precisely at rush hour. And once again, the sheer volume of new businesses, housing, schools (and yes, traffic) was amazing. We may feel like a small town, but that's now a nostalgic memory from the past.

* … KINDNESS: This note from reader Jacqui Sickles will be a tad long but it moved me in a powerful way. I will let her speak: "This past Monday afternoon I was coming home from town and turned off at Goodmanville Road and there was a young couple with a flat tire along side the road.  I saw the young mommy with child in her arms trying to get cell reception. I stopped to ask if she was successful and if someone would be a long soon. She and her husband said they had left messages and hoped for the best. The young father had recently changed the tire and had no spare or anything to jack up the car with. I told them I would go get my husband and some tools. It was beginning to get cold outside, but they also had an infant in the car and wanted to stay with the vehicle. We were able to jack up the car and decided instead of waiting to see if anyone would show up to help we made the decision to drive to the tire store and buy a tire. Having nine grandchildren ourselves it was hard to see those babies out in the cold. My Husband said we might be closer to Oildale, but I said let's go to Clerou’s.  We left the family about 3 p.m. We arrived at Clerou’s and Louie came out to meet us. My husband informed him that we were helping some kids out off Alfred Harrell Highway and they were waiting on us with babies too. Louie came out within minutes and said I found a tire for you.  My husband went to pay for the tire and Louie said, no if you are doing a good deed for someone, then I can do it too! Moments later a young man at the tire shop brings out the newly mounted tire and off we went to deliver to the kids. I looked over and my husband had been crying. I'ts amazing how many wonderful people we have right here in our community. Thank you Clerou Tire Company. We will send all our business your way. The young family could hardly believe it either! They were all smiles as they drove away. Not too bad at all."

 * … RETIREMENT: Hats off to Donna Hollingsworth, who is retiring after 23 years with the AltaOne Federal Credit Union. Donna has been active in a number of local organizations, including the Kern County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the American Lung Association. She is being replaced by two people, Christopher Lowe and Jessica Davidson at the Ming Avenue and Riverwalk locations.

 * … CAR DEALERS: Geraldine Sproul wrote to add some names to the list of long gone car dealers. "If you really are an old timer you would think ofAdams Motor Co. (Pontiac) on 24th Street, S. A. Camp Motor (Dodge and Plymouth) on G Street, Kitchen-Boyd (Lincoln and Mercury) on Chester, Morris Motor Co. (Studebaker) on 24th, Motor Center (Chevy. Buick and Cadillac( on Chester, Thrasher Motors (DeSoto) on Chester. The Nash dealer was Kitchen and something on H Street."

 * … BAKERSFIELDISM: You may be a Bakersfield old-timer if you"picked out your first Schwinn bicycle in the basement at Vincent's."

The brouhaha over Moo Creamery allegedly signing an anti-fracking petition gets more feedback and Dr. Ravi Patel holds a fund raiser to help needy families battling cancer

 * … MOO CREAMERY: The stink over whether one of the owners of Moo Creamery signed a

petition opposing hydraulic fracking continues to resonate. The question: did owner Jessica Pounds sign an online petition opposing fracking, an unpopular position in an oil town where fracking has been practiced for decades without negative consequences? She claims she didn't and in fact had no idea what tracking even was, and even my colleague Herb Benham devoted his last column to a spirited defense of the restaurant. But that triggered this response from an incredulous reader:  "How does anyone with a cursory knowledge of current affairs claim to not no what fracking is? Maybe five years ago you could claim that but not now." If Pounds signed the petition, the writer said, "she should own it."

 * … PATEL: I stopped by a Mardi Gras fund raiser at the lovely Seven Oaks home of Dr. Ravi Patel this weekend. The hosts were gracious, the Steak and Grape-catered food was sumptuous and it all went to raise money for a foundation that helps needy families battling cancer. Patel is a founder and partner in the Comprehensive Blood and Cancer Center, which does so much good for our community.

 * … INTERNMENT CAMPS: Hugh Murray read with the interest a story in The Californian about the internment of Japanese-Americans at a camp in Topaz, Utah, during World War II. Said Murray: "When i was about 10  years old my brother and I were going to a depression in the canal to swim. There were two Japanese men approaching at the same time and scared the daylights out of us due to the war. We lived in Abraham, Utah, when this  occurred. The summer of 1942. This small town is about 40 miles west Fillmore. The mention of Topaz brought back happy memories for me and bad ones for Mr. Nishiyama. I am 82 and thanks for the memory."

* … KINDNESS: Gary Christiansen over at the Bakersfield Adult School tipped me off to another example of the base goodness of people. "A recent phone call to my room at the Bakersfield Adult School was from a GET bus company employee. When I answered in the affirmative that Maria Garcia (a fictitious name) was one of my students, the woman said someone had turned in Maria’s wallet, which had been left on one of their  busses. Not only was the wallet intact, but it also contained several hundred dollars in cash. A special 'thank you' and congratulations to the honest bus rider or employee who turned in the wallet. My student was very happy to get it back."

 * … SALAD BOWL: To the reader who asked about the old Salad Bowl restaurants, Patt Mossman had the answer. "All the other Salad Bowl restaurants were owned by my father-in-law, Clarence Mossman. I don't remember the exact address, but it was on the northeast corner of Chester Avenue and l8th Street. The building is still there, but sadly, the Salad Bowls are gone  My son, Rick Mossman, still carries on his grandfather's tradition of good food at reasonable prices at Mossman's Coffee Shop at the bowling alley in Westchester (1819 30th Street) and at Mossman's Coffee Shop and Mossman's Catering Company at the Southwest Lanes Bowling Alley (3610 Wible Road)."

Merry Christmas Bakersfield … a time to reflect and to show some grace … happy holidays to all

* … MERRY CHRISTMAS: My best to everyone this year and let's not forget the true meaning of the holidays. Whether Christian or Jewish or non-secular, this is the time for grace and appreciation and

finding that inner peace that often eludes all of us. And how nice is it that when the rest of the country is battling floods and snow, we are enjoying sunny days, mild temperatures and clear skies?

* … AIR TRAVEL: If you think air travel is bad now, it's about to get much worse. The major air carriers, eager to find more ways to make more money, are squeezing more seats into the planes, making lighter seats with less cushion and in many cases restricting the ability of a seat to recline. According to The New York Times, some airlines are reducing the space between seats from the old standard of 34 inches to 30 or even 28 inches. That, and the fact that the average American is getting bigger, not smaller, adds up to the sardine-like environment we all experience in coach.

 * … THEFTS: This is the time of year with burglaries and petty thefts spike. Across our community there have been reports of packages being stolen off porches, of car break-ins and of burglaries. One neighbor of mine had her laundry stolen off the porch in the morning and her Christmas reef in the afternoon. Many of these thefts happen during the day and police say they have increased as more prisoners are paroled because of prison crowding. Beware.

 * … GOOD DEED: This is always a difficult time of year for Margaret Lee, who lost her husband almost exactly two years ago, which is why she was so touched by a recent random act of kindness. She was at the Subway on North Chester and learned that her sandwich had been paid for by a young man in front of her. "I was overwhelmed. I was able to thank him but he will never know just what he did for me. How can you feel down when you find wonderful people like him.  It really changed the way I felt.  I will always remember this act of kindness and will do my best to forward it to others."

* … SPOTTED: Here's something you don't want to think about. Joe Moesta said he spotted "a young man in a local restaurant stuck his knife into a catsup bottle in order to make the catsup flow from the bottle more freely.  When he removed the  knife he licked it with his tongue and reinserted it into the bottle a couple more times. When he had finished his meal and left the restaurant, I mentioned my observation to the waitress who promptly threw the bottle of catsup into the trash. But it makes you wonder how many times this sort of thing happens that is not reported  and the bottle of catsup with someone's saliva is passed on to the next customer. Enjoy your meal."

Bako Bits: The kindness of strangers, good form and Kathie Lee Gifford weighs in to congratulate the Drillers on their state championship

* … KINDNESS: In the spirit of Christmas, Norene Tidd shared this random act of kindness. "I was so flustered last week. A pretty young woman who was in front of me at Von's on Stockdale paid

for my basket of groceries. Nothing in my 78 years has anyone ever been so kind. And I didn't even get her name.  I was in a mental fog and I can only hope that I thanked her. It was a kindness that won't be forgotten. Hope an  opportunity comes my way so that I can do the same."

 * … DRILLERS: Congratulations to the Bakersfield Drillers who brought home another state championship in high school football. Even Kathie Lee Gifford noticed, sending out this Tweet after the Driller victory: "Hey Drillers! Frank Gifford, an old Driller, congratulates the young Drillers! You made him proud!!!

 * … GOOD CHEER: Michele Corson, public affairs director at Kaiser Permanente, is delighted with the Costco employee who checks receipts. "It was a special treat to be sung a holiday song by the Costco serenader as I recently exited Costco on Rosdale Highway. I don't know his name, but he always sings to me as he reads my receipt to ensure I am 'good to go' with my shopping basket. Thank you to this fine gentleman for making my holiday shopping trip brighter!"

 * … YOUNG REPUBLICANS: After reading about some good deeds the Young Democrats have done locally, it didn't take long for the Young Republicans of Kern County to weigh in. This from Matthew Braman, chairman of the KCYR: "Over the past month we have donated a Wii-U gaming system to Redwood High School for at risk youth for the Kern Crossroads Juvenile Treatment Facility, we have an ongoing blood drive at Houchin Blood Bank, we have an ongoing donation of can tabs to the Ronald McDonald house, and we’ve donated $500 to the American Red Cross for relief in the Philippines. Now there is an energetic group of young adults who want to give back to the community."

* … BAD FORM: This thoughtful note came from a parent who weighed in on how adults behave at youth baseball games. "As a parent of a child who is involved in sports it is sometimes challenging to block out negative remarks made by families of the opponent… Everyone has the right to cheer or root for their child, niece, nephew or grandchild but when remarks are made about your own child while they are up to bat and grown adults are shouting 'strike him out'…  These negative remarks have an impact on these children at this age level. We are not sitting at Dodger Stadium watching over paid Major League baseball players. We are watching nine to twelve year olds playing their heart and soul out hoping to win and not be a disappointment to their families or to themselves. Maybe my response was a little harsh but the most upsetting part in all of this is that this Bakersfield grandmother didn’t see anything wrong with what was said, 'its just baseball.' As a Taft baseball mom and a proud parent of a son who pitches, I have never once shouted, 'strike out that kid' while my son has pitched in a game. It saddens me to think that there are parents/grandparents out there that don’t think about the feelings and the negative impact it has on our children. I would have enjoyed this game and our win more without having to endure rude comments about our team’s talent."

Lots of shout outs: to good customer service, the folks who work to make this a better place, and embracing the good that is called home

 * ... HOME: I spent a few days with my younger daughter in Chicago, her adopted hometown now that she is working and out of college. Chicago is one of the world's great cities, and her downtown Lakeview area is an eclectic mix of bars and boutique restaurants brimming with young people setting out on their own. It's easy to become infatuated with what you don't have, but even with all our quirks and challenges, Bakersfield is a good place to call home. To that I will add this: You know you're from Bakersfield when you pick out friends' homes in La Cresta when the commuter jet flies over the Panorama Bluffs before landing.

 * ... GOOD FORM: Here's a hats off to some folks working to make our city a better place. The potted trees that were planted downtown have really spruced the place up. It was the work of Melissa Iger of The Tree Foundation of Kern, paid for by a grant from The Bakersfield Californian (family) Foundation. Don Martin, owner of The Metro Galleries and long a driving force in the downtown renaissance, helped plant the trees and then decorated them with beautiful fall flowers. And kudos to the city of Bakersfield which has been diligently going about the thankless job of picking up tons of trash and old clothes left on the bike path between Beach Park and Manor Street. That corridor is a favorite haunt for runners, walkers and cyclists but it is shared with the homeless who often discard their belongings near the path.

 * ... CUSTOMER SERVICE: And speaking of good form, is there any better customer service in town that what you witness at the downtown Cruz Thru car wash? Whoever owns this franchise either has a terrific training program or is an ace at finding the right employees.

 * ... MUSEUM: Matt Munoz has joined the Bakersfield Museum of Art to head up its marketing department. Matt is a member of the popular local band Mento Buru and most recently was an entertainment reporter at The Bakersfield Californian.

 * ... KINDNESS:  This random act of kindness comes courtesy of reader Denise Pennell:  "My husband and I were enjoying an ice cream outing with friends at Dewar’s on Rosedale Highway when a family in an adjacent booth finished their Dewar’s adventure and left the store. Another young family with three children came in just behind them and sat in the same booth next to ours that was just vacated. The oldest daughter – of around eight years old – discovered a wallet in the booth which obviously belonged to the gentleman who had just left. Her parents pointed him out in the parking lot and the young girl ran to deliver the wallet before he could leave. We didn’t witness the exchange but I can only imagine how grateful he was to have his wallet returned with everything still intact. As we were leaving, I asked the parents if I could pass along a Kindness Coin to this young lady after witnessing her selfless act of kindness. Her face lit up when she received the coin and listened to the Random Acts of Kindness story, and I knew that it would make a difference in her life as she promised to 'pay it forward.'  Dr. Chuck Wall’s movement still thrives today as displayed by the prompt action of this young girl and her parents who obviously teach their children well the value of honesty, integrity and kindness. And I still believe there is goodness in just about everyone. We need to continue to pay it forward."

Former city fire chief Ron Fraze being courted to run for Ward 2 City Council seat, and CSUB wrestling fights to survive

  * ... THE BUZZ: The talk downtown is that former city Fire Chief Ron Fraze may run for the Ward 2 City Council seat being vacated by Sue Benham. Benham, now vice president of development at Memorial Hospital, has said she won't run for another term in the ward, which covers much of the downtown area. Fraze lives downtown and supporters feel his inside knowledge of how the city works would serve the area well.  I talked to Fraze Saturday and he told me he is considering a run and is honored that some folks are urging him to enter the race. Stay tuned.

  * ... WRESTLING: Had coffee the other day with Craig Tobin, a local businessman who is among a growing group of people trying save the wrestling program out at CSUB. Wrestling is one of those sports that is basically fending for itself in an era of extreme budget cuts and Tobin and others have been committed to finding ways to keep it alive. There have been fund raisers and some guerrilla marketing, and last week they put more than 1,000 people in the stands at the Icardo Center to watch CSUB take on Arizona State. Craig will be my guest today (Monday) on Californian Radio KERN 1180 beginning at 9 a.m. Stay tuned because you will hear from from these folks.


 * ... KINDNESS: Christine Lollar dropped me a note to send her good wishes to Wendy Wayne, who is dealing with a recurrence of cancer and was recently honored with a random act of kindness. "Thank you, Richard, for listing the 'kindness' and mentioning Wendy’s 'battling' non-Hodgkin’s. What a perfect adjective. I found it ironic that the organization is called 'Soldier’s Smile' because that is exactly what Wendy Wayne wears on her face every day, a 'soldier’s smile.' She’s long been my mentor. If I could have her grace and humbleness in my pinky finger I will have lived a successful life. When you think of her life from the Peace Corps to First Five, immunization volunteer, and ever the civic servant whenever called upon. Wendy is an amazing, all around, individual, and she has truly fought her own fight (her physical battles) and the fight of thousands, maybe millions, who could not fight for themselves."

 * ... OVERHEARD: This little gem comes from reader Walter Stewart. "I am amazed and amused in a Bakersfield restaurant yesterday. The man sitting in the booth in front of me was wearing a cap. I was amazed when a man walking by paused and said, 'Cultured people remove their hats in restaurants.' I was amused when the man dryly responded, 'Cultured people mind their own business.' I am still chuckling."


* ... SPOTTED: Jessica Massey submits this bit of bad form, spotted in the parking lot of Albertson's on Gosford and White Lane. "The woman in the truck in front of me completely stopped the flow of traffic in the parking lot by coming to a full stop to open her driver's side door and toss a soda cup on the ground! I honked at her and gave her the 'are you serious?' signal and she just gave me a dirty look and drove off. So rude to the poor Albertson's employee that probably had to pick it up and to me for getting that dirty look!"

 * ... BAKERSFIELDISM: You know you're from Bakersfield when keeping up with the Jones means serving Smith's cookies. Thanks to J.R. Lewis of Keller Williams for that little ditty.