Local baseball standout Jarret Martin to take the mound this week against the Bakersfield Blaze, and embracing the serenity of the Bakersfield National Cemetery

* ... MEMORIAL DAY: Hundreds of people visited the new national cemetery outside of Arvin on this Memorial Day weekend, a beautiful setting that has grown in popularity as more people discover this peaceful final resting place for those who served our nation. If you have not been there, it
is worth spending some time to enjoy the California oaks in the rolling hills. The cemetery is located off Bear Mountain Boulevard.

 * ... MARTIN: Jarret Martin, a Centennial High graduate who was originally drafted by the Baltimore Orioles out of high school, is scheduled to be on the mound with the Cucamonga Quakes (a Los Angeles Dodgers affiliated team) against the Bakersfield Blaze this Thursday. His proud mother, local writer Dana Martin, also reminded me that the coaches have learned that Jarret is a scratch golfer and has been hitting the links with former big leaguers Charlie Hough, Matt Herges and Jose Vizcaino. (photo courtesy of Martin's Facebook page)

* ... AMGEN: Do you remember when the Amgen pro cycling race came to town and the city spruced up the area around Bakersfield College? Judy Henderson does, and she wishes it would return. "I miss the Amgen Race... In short time, tumble weeds were removed and ground up, trash and weeds disappeared. Center dividers were planted and wood chips were spread over dirt areas where many spectators would gather. The areas of Manor Drive, Panorama Drive and Alfred Harrell Highway looked like an All America City. Now, tumble weeds abound, weeds grow in the center divider and the streets. Trash litters roadways and weeds grow among the wood chips.  Even the  Panorama rain drain is clogged.  I miss the Amgen Race."

 * ... DRIVERS: Are Bakersfield drivers any more or less angry and impatient than in other communities? One reader, who asked that I withhold her name, has been verbally abused numerous times after picking up her grandsons from school. "I travel north of Gosford Road and I go through the very busy intersection at Ming Avenue," she said. When she finds herself in the right lane at Ming, intending to go straight, drivers behind her invariably get impatient if she doesn't take a right on red. "I am very aware of the glares and impatience of drivers behind me, who apparently think I don't care that they wish to make a right turn. I have even had people honk at me, but I really don't have a choice... I always pull to the as far to my left as I can, because small cars can move past me and make my turn."

 * ... BAD FORM: And speaking of road rage, shame on the driver of a white oil field utility truck who deliberately side swiped - and could have killed - a cyclist on the Granite-Woody Road Saturday. The cyclist was riding on the far right painted line, but apparently that wasn't good enough for the truck driver who came within a few inches of brushing the cyclist and taking him down.

 * ... BAKERSFIELDISM: From reader Linda Welch: You may be a Bakersfield old timer if you remember the two headed calf in the "old science building at Kern County Union High School. It was enclosed in a glass case."

Father Craig heads for Russia with iPad in hand and what about a "I Love Bakersfield" campaign?

 * ... HIGH ACHIEVER: Reader Georgann Greene wrote to tell me about a remarkable young man who is about to graduate from UCLA. He's Richard Rodriguez, a 2006 Centennial High graduate who was the first in his family to go to college. He is also a hemophiliac and has received treatments at the UCLA Medical Center his whole life. Yet despite this, he is graduating with a major in microbiology, immunology and molecular genetics. Richard spent last summer studying and working in a science lab at Harvard University. His goal is to become a research physician specializing in blood disorders. Now, that's a high achiever.


* ... HAPPY 90TH: An anonymous caller left a happy birthday wish for John Evelyn, a longtime Bakersfield resident who will turn 90 years old this week. Apparently John is a regular hiker of the Panorama Bluffs and has amassed quite a fan club over the years. The caller said he's headed to Morro Bay to celebrate his 90th and wanted to wish him all the best. Happy birthday John.
 

 * ... BAKO LOVE: If New York can have its ubiquitous "I LOVE NEW YORK" slogan plastered on T-shirts and car stickers, how about a "I LOVE BAKERSFIELD" campaign? At least that was the thought of Ray Dezember, the retired banker and Bakersfield booster who took the idea to Sheryl Barbich, head of the local Vision 2020 effort. Ray wrote a check and Sheryl ordered 5,000 "I Love Bakersfield" car stickers. Expect to see them around town. You can pick them up at the downtown Chamber of Commerce or the Bakersfield Convention and Visitors Bureau.

 * ... ROAD RAGE: More feedback from my post on cyclists almost being killed by irate drivers on the road to Woody. This from reader Layne Logan: "As much as I'd like to see the guy who tried run  your fellow cyclists off the road get his just desserts, I'm afraid I have to side with (reader) Marty Richardson on this one. It appears to me that (an earlier reader) didn't quite comprehend what Richardson was saying. She didn't say anything about the cyclists doing anything illegal, only that the road was dangerous. While the rise of riding can never be eliminated, it can be minimized. I ride daily, but on wide roads or roads with marked shoulders or bike lane. Just because you're legal doesn't mean you're safe. Being in the right (legally) will be little consolation to you or your family if you end up badly injured or killed (remember Norm Hoffman). As I told my kids when teaching them to drive defensively - you can be dead right."

 * ... IPAD: Ran into Monsignor Craig Harrison at The Padre Hotel the other afternoon and he was busy showing off his new iPad tablet from Apple. He was clearly impressed with the iPad's impressive array of applications but admitted he was a novice at technology. Father Craig also told me he was preparing for a trip to St. Petersburg, Russia, with 60 other folks from the parish. Cutting edge technology meets old world Mother Russia.

 * ... BAKERSFIELDISM: You know you're a Bakersfield old-timer if "you remember the names of Bakersfield's two first-rate Jewish delis around the corner from each other. (Dave's on Chester and Joe's around the corner on 21st Street.

Check out the Women Art Exhibit at "First Friday" and recognizing four women who enrich our community

 * ... ART SHOW: It's time for another "First Friday" downtown and with this weather we have been having, you don't want to miss it. Downtown will be alive so grab some dinner and then make the rounds of the art galleries and other shops. Make sure you catch the first "Women Art Exhibit" at Metro Galleries on 19th Street, featuring the work of local artist Barbara Reid and several other fine artists, including Betty Hock, Bonnie Hineline-Kempner, Gita Lloyd, Heidi Rufeh and Lily Stockman. Gallery owner Don Martin always puts on a good show this one is worth seeing. Then make sure to support our locally owned restaurants (Uricchio's, Mama Roomba's, La Costa Mariscos, Mexicali, Casa Munoz, Cafe Med among others) or the renaissance of the privately owned Padre Hotel and grab a bite.

  

* ... DENATALE LAW: I received a nice post from Tom DeNatale, one of the partners over at Klein, DeNatale and Goldner. Turns out his two daughters are both following in his footsteps. His oldest girl, Erin, just graduated (Magna Cum Laude) from the Whittier College of Law. She attended high school at Stockdale and earned her undergraduate degree from CSU San Marcos. Meanwhile his younger daughter Shannon, a graduate of Liberty High School and UC Santa Barbara, graduated (Cum Laude) from the law school at Santa Clara University. 

 * ... HEAT WAVE: Are you ready for the heat? After a spring that was richer, fuller and sweeter than usual,  we're looking at temperatures in the 90s this weekend and north of 100 on Monday. The heat has been knocking at our door, so get ready for it.


 * ... SCARY ROAD: Reader Marty Richardson called to warn cyclists about the dangers of riding on the Granite to Glennville road. I had blogged earlier about the driver of a late-model maroon Ford pickup who takes delight in almost hitting cyclists by refusing to pull to the left even when the road is wide open and clear. Marty lives in Bakersfield but has had property in Glennville for years. "You guys just shouldn't be on that road. It has no shoulder and it's just too scary. I don't want to hurt you and I don't want to get hurt." My view: let's all use our heads and share the road so we all can enjoy the beauty of Woody and Glennville.


 * ... FOUR WOMEN: It's always nice to see good things happen to good people, so I was happy to learn that four local women will be honored by Garden Pathways as "Women with a Heart for Bakersfield" They include Kim Albers, Cathy Butler, Susan Hersberger and Dayna Nichols. They'll be honored at a "High Tea" at Seven Oaks Country Club  on Wednesday, June 9. Albers is co-founder and director of Flood Bakersfield Ministries, which helps the homeless, and Cathy Butler is the longtime president of the Downtown Business Association. Susan Hersberger is public affairs director of Aera Energy and also a long-time civic activist, and Dayna Nichols is CEO of Castle Print and Publication which regularly gives back to the community. Proceeds from the event will provide mentoring and educational services for youth and families facing poverty. Interested? Call Karen Goh at 661-633-9133. (Seen below are Nichols, Butler, Albers and Hersberger)

, First

* ... BAKERSFIELDISM: This one from reader Terry Willey: "You know you're from Bakersfield when you remember when summer heaven was a swamp cooler and a popsicle."

Road rage almost takes out a cyclist and local dairymen face tough times in this recession

 * ... ... CASA FRIEND: Lauren Burson could be a poster child for what we all want our children to be. She's only a fifth grader at Our Lady of Perpetual Help, but she has already learned the benefits of generosity and caring. Every year on her birthday, in lieu of birthday presents, she asks friends and family to make a donation to a charity of her choice. This year, on her 11th birthday, she chose CASA of Kern County. "We were touched by her generosity and give kudos to her parents, Les Burson and Susan Walker Burson, for encouraging philanthropy at such an early age," said Teresa Fahsbender, CASA's resource development manager.


 * ... GRANUCCI-LAFOND: Had the opportunity to officiate a wedding for a wonderful young couple on Saturday, Matthew Granucci and Denise LaFond. Picture perfect day and the Metro Galleries looked splendid for the wedding. Matthew and Denise met at Thompson Junior High, lost touch when both went to different high schools but reunited at UC Santa Barbara when Matt randomly moved in across the street. Now that's a love story. Denise is the daughter of Steve and Lisa LaFond and Matt  is the son of Peter and Susan Granucci.


* ... PROUD DAD: Reader Ralph Bartel dropped me a note to update me on all the San Diego State Aztecs in his family. His daughter, Emily Joann Bartel, received her masters in education counseling from San Diego State on May 23, finishing with a 4.0 GPA and graduating summa cum laude. Older brother Benjamin Bartel also graduated from SDSU (class of 2007) and is teaching high school in San Mateo. Both Ralph and his wife Kathryn also graduated from SDSU (class of 1974), making the entire household loyal to
 the Aztecs.

* ... GETTYSBURG GRAD: Good to hear that Centennial High graduate Steven Moxley has graduated from Gettysburg College, magna cum laude. He received a bachelor of arts in computer science with three minors. He is now headed to George Washington University to work on his master's in science and technology policy in the Elliott School of International Affairs. And there's more. His father Larry Moxley told me  that Steven has a paid summer internship with Google. Not a bad gig. His brother, Richard Moxley, will start his sophomore year at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va., in early August. Two high achieving lads.

 * ... ROAD RAGE: Had a scary moment Sunday while cycling with my group on Granite Road headed toward Woody. A late model maroon Ford pickup truck, with a blue disabled sticker on its rear license plate, almost took out a cyclist who was riding straight and as far to the right as possible. The road was clear and this was clearly a case of someone attempting to brush us off the road, or worse. Turns out this same truck is known for terrorizing cyclists and one day, someone is going to get hurt. What makes people so angry? Bet this guy is just a prince at home.

 * ... OVERHEARD: What's going on with the local dairy industry? Heard from a friend at Uricchio's the other day that Central Valley dairymen are suffering. The dairymen are getting less for their product, and they are stuck with high fixed costs (the cows have to eat and you have to milk them.) Wasn't long ago when our local dairy industry was booming and farmers from other parts of the state were moving here. So what's causing the steep drop in prices? Yet another industry suffering in this long recession.

* ... EAST BAKERSFIELDISM: You know you're an East Bakersfield old timer if you remember getting your foot X-rayed every time you went into Ricard's Bootery.