California floats a plan to offer retirement plans to workers who don't have access to them, and a trip back South reveals a near litter free environment

 * ... CALIFORNIA: California has always been a trend setter for the nation (and you may disagree if this is a good thing in some cases) but I was encouraged to read about a move to provide essentially a 401 (k) retirement plan for private sector workers who otherwise don't have access to them. It

would work like this: workers would be signed up automatically and have 2 percent to 5 percent of their salaries invested in the plan, unless of course the employee decides otherwise. This sounds like a solid plan to provide all Californian workers a vehicle to save for their retirement.

* ... SOUTHBOUND: I spent a week connecting with old friends in Savannah and attending a wedding of a special friend. The city is stunning, the people are friendly and the food and restaurants in the historic district are without peer. But what impressed me most was the cleanliness of the downtown and its focus on remaining litter free. And the interstates? They were equally clean, thanks in part to the state's use of prison labor to police the roadsides.

 * ... BAD FORM: Kly Horsley encountered this bit of bad form while walking with his dog the other day and encountered two angry boxers. "The dogs were leashed but out of control. If the owner would of lost control my dog would probably be dead. As she was pulling her dogs away she said they don't get walked much. As they walk away she says sorry."

 * ... PRIUS: There was this observation from reader Greg Laskowski: "Observed recently while driving on Coffee Road an individual smoking while driving a Prius. What’s wrong with this picture?"

 * ... SPOTTED: Meanwhile Mike Stricker attended the NCAA Wrestling Tournament in New York recently and spotted a familiar face: former KGET weatherman John Elliott holding court on a New York station and "still crazy as ever."

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "Don’t worry about the grass on the other side. It’s not your grass."

 * ... GOOD FORM: And finally, Neil Walker reminded me of the goodness that exists in our community with this post: "Throughout my career, college and military days, I’ve spent considerable time away from my hometown of Bakersfield. I’ve always come home and even coaxed my new bride in 1979 to relocate from her beloved southern California ... couldn’t budge her out of here now! Like many others who have written with similar experiences, I discovered three missing credit cards along with my VA card. I backtracked everywhere I’d been over the prior week (and) no luck. Then I stopped by Costco on Rosedale and inquired with supervisor Tom. He and manager Tim checked the safe room and emerged displaying all four of my missing cards. What a relief not to have to cancel three credit cards and visit the VA for a duplicate card. Again, a wonderful but unidentified Bakersfield resident found my cards and turned them in. Many thanks to Costco and especially to the good citizen ... I hope you’re reading this. "

If you still smoke, you now have a host of other smoke-related illnesses to worry about, and gas prices are back on the rise after a long slump

 * … SMOKING: If you smoke cigarettes, you suddenly have a lot more to worry about than simply dying of smoking related diseases. A major new study has added a host of new ailments liked to smoking: kidney failure, intestinal blood vessel blockage,  hypertensive heart disease, infections and

breast and prostate cancers. Yet, the researchers said that those who do smoke are stubbornly holding onto the habit, no matter how many new illnesses are tied to tobacco use. A report in the New York Times noted there has been "a decided slowdown in smoking cessation rates in recent years, fueling a belief that getting the remaining hard core of smokers to quit will require new strategies."

* … GAS PRICES: I hope you have enjoyed those lower gas prices recently because they are back on the rise. According to the Lundberg survey, the average price of a gallon of gasoline in the United States rose 13 cents in the past two weeks, bringing it up 26 cents since prices bottomed out after a nine-month slide ended in January. And experts say it will only get more expensive, thanks to the introduction of pricier seasonal gas, scheduled maintenance and the fire at a ExxonMobil refinery in Torrance.

* … GOOD FORM: Janeen Pierce contacted me to give a shout out to a stranger who found her driver's license on the bike path Sunday and kindly drove to her house to deliver it. "Thank you!  Thank you!" she said. "I appreciate you taking time out of your Sunday to save me from what could have been some messy consequences of losing my ID."

 * … SPOTTED: On a friend's Twitter feed: "Every time I use a public bathroom, one thought occurs…'Seriously? This many people have Sharpies on them at all times?'"

* … HYUNDAI: Good news for the folks over at Bakersfield Hyundai which has been awarded a 2015 DealerRater Consumer Satisfaction Award, a recognition auto dealerships can earn by delivering outstanding customer service as rated by online consumer reviews. DealerRater, the car dealer review site for consumers, created the Consumer Satisfaction Awards to enable online car shoppers to instantly spot car dealerships that provide high-quality customer service. Consumer Satisfaction Awards will be given annually to the top 10 percent of U.S. new-car dealers based on their PowerScore.

 * … MEMORIES: A recent blog post on some memories from the past drew this note from reader Neil Walker. "How about the kids’ Saturday matinee at the Fox?  For 25 cents you got a double-feature with Roy Rogers, Hopalong Cassidy, Gene Autry, Buck Rogers, and other white-hatted heroes, separated by the requisite Bugs Bunny cartoon. For an additional dime, you could score a box of Black Crows, Jujubees or Dots. The intermission included a ticket drawing by the emcee. Woody’s Toys often provided the prizes. I once won a 25-piece set of green plastic toy soldiers. I was the most popular boy at the Fox that day! Just think … a half-day of babysitting for mom and dad for only 35 cents!"