California may have the fifth largest economy in the world, but we also lead the nation in poverty and homelessness. Plus more on that boneheaded call to close down streets in the arts district and the Padre Hotel shows some real class

Monday, May 7, 2018

Welcome to Bakersfield Observed, now online only. Our mission is to celebrate life in Kern County by focusing on newsmakers and events and the local characters who make this such a special place. We value your feedback. Email your news and notes to rsbeene@yahoo.com.

* ... CALIFORNIA POVERTY: Here's something that probably won't surprise you: While California has the fifth largest economy in the world, we also lead the nation in poverty and homelessness. Think about that for a second, because it hasn't always been this way. But after decades of nanny-state government, homelessness (and hopelessness) have exploded and the streets of our major cities like San Francisco and Los Angeles look like Third World countries.
Consider this from the Orange County Register: "One in five Californians live in poverty, 20.4 percent to be exact, compared to a national average of 14.7 percent, the highest rate of poverty in the nation. By extension, California also has the distinction of having the highest child poverty rate in the nation, with an average of 22.8 percent of California's children living in poverty in 2013-15, including 5.1 percent living in 'deep poverty.'"

 * ... DOWNTOWN BAD FORM: Remember my earlier rant about the decision to close off the heart of the downtown arts district (the intersection of 19th and Eye streets) for the National Day of Prayer so a small church could have a ceremony? It was a stupid decision and it forced restaurants and businesses to close. Well now I learn that the streets were closed from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., virtually shutting down one of the busiest commercial areas in town for an entire day. Who made this decision and where is the Downtown Business Assn. which claims to represent the interests of local businesses. Are you listening Councilman Andrae Gonzales?

* ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "When I'm gone, my legacy will be, 'I don't know, man, she was just tired a lot.'"

 * ... GOOD FORM: Hats off to the Padre Hotel for showing some really good form in hosting the annual Tigerfight fund raiser to fight childhood leukemia. Chris Wilson, who founded Tigerfight after his 18-month-old son came down with blood cancer, said the Padre regularly donates multiple rooms so parents whose children are sick can have a night off and attend the festivities. This year's Tigerfight will be held Saturday, June 9.

 * ... OVERHEARD: A woman is telling a friend about visiting the new branch of La Costa Mariscos in the old Elephant Bar building at the Shops at Riverwalk: "It was over an hour wait, a typical Bakersfield response to a new restaurant! We'll go back in a month when things die down."

 * ... MAYA DELANO: Workers are putting the finishing touches on the new 12-screen Maya Cinemas in Delano, giving residents there a reason to stay closer to home to view a movie. The new Maya will be equipped with the bigger, leather lounge type seating that has become so popular. No exact word on when Maya Delano will open.

 * ... TREES: It was nice to see the new trees that were planted on 18th Street near Cafe Smitten, yet more improvements to the growing area known as "EastChester."

A vintage car show downtown clogs the streets and drives customers away, Traco Matthews leaves Aera Energy for another job and knowing when the small things can have a big impact

Monday, March 19, 2018

Welcome to Bakersfield Observed, now online only. Our mission is to celebrate life in Kern County by focusing on newsmakers and events and the local characters who make this such a special place. We value your feedback. Email your news and notes to rsbeene@yahoo.com. 

 * ... CAR SHOW: I'm not a fan of car shows, but I understand those who get into these kind of things. But the days of staging these shows in the downtown area - particularly a work day - should be long gone considering the problems they create. On this past rainy Friday, it was near impossible to navigate downtown as the Cruzin Bakersfield vintage car show wound through the downtown streets. The irony here is that shows like this actually hurt downtown businesses, not help them.

When you rope off streets you are pushing people out of downtown, not inviting them in, and the local shops and restaurants suffer. What should have been a busy night at the local eateries was turned into a retail nightmare, and one restaurant owner told me it took her a full hour to get into work. The Cruizin Bakersfield car show does a lot to help local charities, but next time they should consider Stramler Park or the Kern County Fairgrounds. Benefiting charities at the expense of local restaurants and retail shops is a bad deal.

  * ...  BOULEVARD: More big news in local food and entertainment: The Boulevard, a 45,000 square foot project over off Buck Owens Boulevard, will open next month featuring gastropub style cuisine, an outdoor beer garden, state of the art bowling, laser tag, bocce ball and a ropes course. This is yet another project by the Bynum family, this time David Bynum and Trifecta Management. His brother, Don Bynum, is part of a group that runs Temblor Brewing Co.. The BLVD, as it will be known, sits in the same spot that once housed the old Home Base. It will open April 19.

 * ... TRACO MOVES ON: A big congratulations to Traco Matthews who is leaving Area Energy to become one of the Human Resource directors for the Kern County Superintendent of Schools. Matthews announced the move on Facebook and we will no doubt hear from from this man who has thrown himself into our community. (picture of Traco with Aera's Cindy Pollard)

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "Showing your love used to be buying them flowers or writing a poem. Now it’s just looking at them for 5 minutes without checking your phone."

 * ... EAST SIDE: Sometimes it's the little things that make a difference, and Ward 2 City Councilman Andrae Gonzales is the master of knowing that small things can make a big impact. Since unseating Terry Maxwell on the council, Gonzales has made his "neighborhood clean up" Saturday a fixture of his office, and he was out again this weekend with Ward 2 residents cleaning the streets. This week his monthly "Keep East Bakersfield Beautiful" cleanup covered the alley between Monterey and Lake Street from Williams to Beale.

 * ... SHAME ON THE PADRE: Meanwhile shame on the Padre Hotel and managers in its Brimstone lounge for putting this grand hotel in a bad light. I was dining with a friend when he submitted a $40 Padre gift certificate to pay for drinks. Our waiter told him that "management" said the $40 could only be used for food. Say what? Perhaps not coincidentally, former Valentien manager Jeramy Brown is one of the managers at the Padre now, and he was known for rejecting gift certificates when he worked at The Mark across the street. If a gift certificate is for "solid food only," perhaps it should stipulate that.

 * ... MEMORIES: This old picture of 19th and Chester looking west down 19th Street is compliments of the Kern County of Old Facebook page.

More Americans than ever are living well past 100, another case of impaired driving takes the lives of a Taft mother and daughter and Cynthia Zimmer holds a successful fund raiser

 * ... LONGEVITY: Here is some good news: thanks to advances in science and healthcare, the number of folks

living beyond the age of 100 continues to grow. According to a report in The Wall Street Journal, there are now 53,364 centenarians in the United States compared to just 37,306 in 1990. The winners in all this: businesses related to the care and housing of healthy seniors and healthcare providers.

 * ... DRUNK DRIVING: My heart goes out to the family of Raeleen and Raegan Sorensen, a mother and daughter from Taft who are the latest victims of string of drunk driving incidents. The Sorensens were driving on Taft Highway when they were struck by a car driven by 34-year-old Vincent Moroyoqui, who now faces two counts of murder and two counts of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated. And yes, you guessed it, this is not the first time Moroyoqui has driven while impaired. According to reports, he was arrested for DUI three different times in the past 15 years.

* ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "Paid for something at Whole Foods with a card that didn't have a chip in it and a 7-year-old in a Ramones shirt hit me with a sock full of kale."

 * ... SPOTTED ON FACEBOOK: "My wife's signature move is asking me a question then turning on the faucet when I answer."

* ... ZIMMER: A big crowd turned out this past Saturday to raise money for the campaign of Cynthia Zimmer, the longtime prosecutor running to succeed Lisa Green as District Attorney. The event was held at the southwest offices of Bolthouse Properties, where company president Tony Leggio rolled out the red carpet to garner support for Zimmer. Among those attending were Mayor Karen Goh, former Kern County Sheriff Carl Sparks, state Sen. Jean Fuller and Mark Abernathy, her campaign consultant. The only other announced candidate in the race so far is assistant district attorney Scott Spielman.

 * ... DUELING PIANOS: Who says there is nothing to do in Bakersfield? One of the best deals in town is being hosted by The Padre Hotel in the Prospect Lounge every Friday and Saturday night, featuring an energetic version of "dueling pianos" that has no equal in town. The best feature: there is no cover charge but management advises everyone to arrive early to secure seating.

 * ... GOOD FORM: Once again the employees out at Grimmway Farms are showing their commitment to the communities they serve. This past weekend, Grimmway volunteers joined the Lamont business community in distributing backpacks and school supplies to some 500 school-bound children. Its was all part of the Back to School Supply Drive led by the Greater Lamont Chamber of Commerce.

* ... MEMORIES: Gary Fong wrote in with this query: "In grade school we used to get visits from a Sgt. Chitwood (or maybe it was Chickwood) of the Bakersfield Police Department. He would give short talks or demonstrations about safety or good PR with the police. I was just wondering if anyone remembers him." Anyone?

Some wise thoughts as our nation struggles to understand the election, the Padre Hotel rolls out an extended Happy Hour and here come the kids home for Thanksgiving

* ... ELECTION: There have been some terrific essays about the election of Donald Trump and the vitriol and reactions that have swept the nation since. One of the best, in my view, was penned by Charles Einstein, who summed it up this way: "We are entering a time of great uncertainty.

Institutions so enduring as to seem identical to reality itself may lose their legitimacy and dissolve. It may seem that the world is falling apart... For many, that process started on election night, when Trump’s victory provoked incredulity, shock, even vertigo. 'I can’t believe this is happening!' At such moments, it is a normal response to find someone to blame, as if identifying fault could restore the lost normality, and to lash out in anger. Hate and blame are convenient ways of making meaning out of a bewildering situation. Anyone who disputes the blame narrative may receive more hostility than the opponents themselves, as in wartime when pacifists are more reviled than the enemy." It is well worth your read. Google his name and enjoy.

* ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "Call your dad now and ask him what the wifi password is so he has time to find the little paper it's written on before Thanksgiving."

 * ... HAPPY HOUR: The Padre Hotel downtown has extended its happy hour and is now offering half price deals on wine and other specials on beer and mixed drinks. The happy hour now runs from 2 p..m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday.

 * ... THANKSGIVING: This is my favorite time of year, and one reason is the flood of young people who will come home to reconnect with family and friends over Thanksgiving. Expect to see these college kids (or recent graduates) at all their familiar haunts: Luigi's, Pyrenees, Woolgrower's, Noriega Hotel, Uricchio's Trattoria and Cafe Med, just to name a few.

 * ... GOOD FORM: Here's a tidbit that will make you feel good about our local Boy Scouts, compliments of Ron Lommen: "A follow up on the veteran’s day parade. For the last three years, the Boy Scout Troop 188 out of east Bakersfield meets at the American Legion at 6 am on veteran’s day to help serve breakfast to the veterans.  We than stay until the parade is complete, and sweep the trash from the sidewalks and business fronts along the entire route, we are the unsung final group to walk
the parade route.  The Boy Scouts spend their entire day off from school donating their time to the veterans and the city. Just letting folks know that a there are good kids out there trying to help
keep the city clean and support our veterans without any fanfare."

 * ... TRASH: And speaking of trash, Bob Moses passed this along: "I was at Riverwalk last Sunday and the park was spotless even though the Brews and Bacon event took place the day before. I complimented the park worker about the cleanliness and he said BARC had cleaned it. Let's have them out after all the parades, it will be good for everyone."

* ... MEA CULPA: Ellen Cypher was among a dozen folks who wrote (some more politely than others) about an error I made in explaining the "safety pin" campaign. In her words: "I feel compelled to correct your misconception that wearing a safety pin is 'a show of solidarity against our president elect.'  In fact, it is an anti-hate message. It lets others know you are a safe person to talk to or sit next to--that you won't attack them or discriminate against them. Even Trump supporters can wear a safety pin if they do not subscribe to the rhetoric of xenophobia."

Teenage hip hop artist calls for an end to the use of fossil fuels, and the candidates for Ward 2 City Council will square off Wednesday on the Ralph Bailey Show

 * ... FOSSIL FUELS: Idealism is a terrific concept, except when it runs headlong into reality. So consider for a moment Xiuhtezcatl Martinez, a 16-year-old Colorado hip hop and "global warming" activist who is leading a nationwide effort to ban the use of all fossil fuels by the year 2026. The problem with snappy sloganeering is that it often ignores the harsh light of reality. As noted the Heritage Foundaiton's DailySignal: "It’s fairly common knowledge that Americans use coal and natural gas to power homes,  vehicles, businesses, schools, and hospitals. In fact, the United States gets 81 percent of all its energy from oil, coal, and natural gas. What’s less known is that conventional fuels go beyond providing energy for Americans. Petroleum and natural gas are used to make thousands of everyday items—aspirin, toothpaste, sunglasses, shoes, tires, shag rugs, and tennis balls, to name a few... Americans not only would face significant lifestyle changes, many would lose their entire livelihoods. It’s not just the American way of life that would be lost, either—fossil fuels have raised people around the world out of poverty and into healthier, richer lives."

 * ... HOME: What do you do when you have family in town for a long, hot, Bakersfield weekend? First I nestled them into our iconic old Padre Hotel, the restored grand dame of downtown Bakersfield where the service is crisp and food is excellent. Then dinner at Uricchio's Trattoria, where it seems literally everyone knows your name, a long relaxed Saturday lunch at Luigi's Delicatessen, where the hustle of the staff turns chaos into order, a quick run by the Bakersfield Racquet Club to show off that even humble towns have world-class sports facilities, and a finally a casual Sunday breakfast at 24th Street Cafe. That is a lineup that not even 110 degrees can put a damper on.

 * ... CAFE MED: And speaking of local eateries, my friend Juan tells me I simply must try Cafe Med's house hamburger served on a pita roll at lunch. In deference to Juan, it's on my bucket list.

 * ... MAYA: Word on the street is the construction in the parking lot of the Maya Theaters will house a food court, including a China Bistro, a yogurt shop and other eateries yet to be named.

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "The breast exam was going well until I realized I was there for a job interview."

 * ... RADIO: There are few more important local races this election year than the fight for the Ward 2 City Council seat, where incumbent Terry Maxwell faces a stiff challengs from Andrae Gonzales. This is sure to be one of the hottest races in town, and on Wednesday I will talk to both candidates when I fill in as host on the Ralph Bailey Show on KERN NewsTalk 96.1 FM. Maxwell will come on at 3 p.m. and Gonzales at 4 p.m. I will also be chatting with Monsignor Craig Harrison to get his take on the virulent state of the American political conversation, and also with assistant CSUB professor Jeanine DiCesaris Kraybill to get her take on the presidential sweepstakes. The show runs from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.

 

 * ... GOOD FORM: Lowana Towes submitted this simple act of kindness. "While listening to the Fruitvale Junior High kids singing Christmas carols at Glenwood Gardens an elderly resident began crying. One of the students left the group and walked to the back of the room and gave the lady a big hug. The lady stopped crying and said 'I really needed that.' The girl walked back to the group and continued singing. What a wonderful thing for her to do."

Bass Pro Shops in negotiations for a new store at the Hosking Road interchange, two local guys stage another local mountain bike race and when did sagging skin become "gravitational descent?"

 * ... RETAIL: There is a lot of movement in the retail sector as new businesses head to town. Bass Pro Shops, which wanted to open years ago before the economy tanked, is negotiating to purchase a parcel of land on the northeast corner of the new Hoskings Road interchange, which is almost

complete. I also heard the other day that Walmart has purchased property for a neighborhood market at the corner of Brimhall and Allen roads. And lastly, I learned that they will start moving earth for a new hotel and some small retail shops at that huge 15-acre parcel at the corner of Stockdale Highway and Coffee Road across from the Trader Joe's shopping center.

 * ... KUDOS: Unless you are into competitive cycling, you may never have heard of Sam Ames or Keith Barnden, but these two guys are putting Bakersfield on the map in a big way. Ames and Barnden (SamBarn productions) are staging some of the most popular mountain, cross and road bike races in the west, including the Foothill Classic mountain bike competition this Sunday out at Hart Park. A few weeks ago, they put on the Rock Cobbler, an incredibly tough 100 mile race that put even the best endurance athletes to the test. The number of out of town cyclists and their families that descend on Bakersfield for these events is impressive.

* ... SPOTTED: In a doctor's office in the Southwest is a sign promoting cosmetic surgery for "gravitational descent." I believe we used to call that "sagging skin."

 * … SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "The best part of a best friend's job should be clearing your computer history if you die."

 * … PADRE:  The Padre Hotel is known for frequently changing its menus and offering new treats, and a menu is about to roll out. I am told it will feature bringing back some of the all-time favorites, like the Padre's signature nachos that were dropped from the menu some months ago, but let's hope they keep one of my favorites: a healthy choice kale salad (with eggs, onions and tomatoes) that is not to be missed.

 * ... FOODIE: It looks like Victor's Mexican Grill will be one of the tenants in a new building going up at F and 20th streets. Signage went up this weekend and the building looks close to completion. And if you are looking for a deal, make sure you clip the coupon in Sunday's Californian for a "but one lunch or dinner" at KC Steakhouse and get meal one free.

 * ... PAY IT FORWARD: Sandy Dralle shared these thoughts on the "pay it forward" theme in a local drive through. Said Dralle: "Recently I paid the guy behind me for letting me in the line first at a drive through. He was alone so I figured he was buying a quick drive through lunch just like me. When I handed my credit card to the employee, she said: 'He is paying for a bucket meal for four. Do you still want to pay for him?' I was a bit surprised but decided that if you are going to do 'a random act of kindness' you can't put a price tag on it. Besides the bucket meal was on sale, which turned out to be a good deal for both of us!"

Bakersfield College President Sonya Christian receives a warm welcome, Pyrenees Cafe and Saloon keeps knocking it out of the park and Patrick Duffy shows up at The Padre Hotel

* ... SONYA: Bakersfield College President Sonya Christian may be locked in a dispute over extending her contract, but you wouldn't know that when she appeared Thursday at the downtown

Rotary Club. Christian received a standing ovation when she was introduced as the speaker, and her appearance drew an overflow crowd at the Bakersfield Museum of Art. Her popularity among BC faculty and students and in the business community is impressive, and no doubt this does not go unnoticed by the Kern Community College District's board of trustees and Chancellor Sandra Serrano. Among the non club members who showed up for lunch were former Congressman (and former Bakersfield College professor) Bill Thomas (a big Christian supporter), Supervisor Leticia Perez and Michael Turnipseed, head of the watchdog group Kern Tax.

* ... PYRENEES: One of our community's amazing success stories is happening over at The Pyrenees Cafe and Saloon, where co-owners Rod and Julie Crawford took a dated brand, gave it a smart makeover that retained the building's historic character, and created one of the hottest Basque restaurant venues in town. Pyrenees was one of the eateries featured on Guy Fieri's Diners, Drive-ins and Dives and Rod told me his appearance on the Food Network program is still driving business. "I had people in from Long Beach who had seen it on the show and were checking it out," he told me the other day. Business, meanwhile, is booming and the Crawfords have plans for even more improvements.

* ... SPOTTED: I ran into the actor Patrick Duffy at The Padre Hotel the other day. He is in town working on a movie that will also star actress Ann Archer. Duffy is best known for his role as Bobby Ewing in the 1980s CBS soap opera hit "Dallas." When I spotted him, he was sitting in the Padre bar calmly working on a newspaper puzzle.

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "To whoever finds the $20 I dropped: spend it on alcohol. It’s what I would have wanted."

* ... IMMIGRATION: With all the talk about immigration reform, reader Sam Rodriquez offered these thoughts: "My wife and I were traveling to Arroyo Grande this last Friday.  I observed on Highway 166 close to Cuyama all of the Mexican field workers either hunched over or on their hands and knees working their tails to provide us with whatever they were picking. Then from Arroyo Grande we took Highway 1 to Pismo Beach and there again there they were Mexicans working their behinds off.  I realize that we need to something about illegal immigration but when you hear the likes of Donald Trump and all of the closet racists coming out of the wood work it makes me very sad. My parents (legal Americans of Mexican decent) came out of the fields.
You can go into any ghetto in Bakersfield and its surrounding communities any day of the week or any time of day and all ethnicities are represented... What is the answer I don’t know? But when you see a family of Mexicans at Wal-Mart, Sears, or the grocery store on any given Sunday be humble and maybe even say thank you."

 * ... HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL: Are you ready for some high school football? If so, did you know that The Bakersfield Californian will livestream high school football games for a third consecutive year? And this year it is partnering with ESPN Bakersfield 1230 AM to bring a game of the week to digital and radio audiences. The BVarsity Live Game Night and Game of the Week debuts Friday at 7 p.m. on bakersfield.com and on ESPN Bakersfield 1230 AM. Longtime local sports personality Vance Palm will host a live pregame show from The Bakersfield Californian's studios and Zach Ewing, sports editor of The Californian, and Justin Roberts will call the action from a game each week. Palm will also provide updates throughout the night from many BVarsity correspondents covering games around Kern County.

The secret to Donald Trump's popularity? Could it be our contempt for Congress and the presidency? And Alex Trebek to appear at the fall Taft energy summit and the Padre Hotel gets some love

  * ... TRUMP: Here's some more wisdom from Wall Street Journal columnist Peggy Noonan on the popularity of Donald Trump, and by extension the left leaning Democrat Bernie Sanders. "His rise is not due to his supporters' anger at government," she wrote. "It is a gesture of contempt for government, for the men and women in Congress, the White House, the agencies. It is precisely because people have lost their awe for the presidency that they imagine Mr. Trump as a viable candidate.... They're not nihilists, they're patriots, and don't experience themselves as off on a toot but pragmatic in a way the establishment is not."

 * ... BETTY: The funeral service for Betty Leonor, the 44-year-old artist who died of liver cancer last week, was held in Florida this weekend and I tuned in via the internet to watch the tribute. Leonor was not a product of Bakersfield, but she did her best work here and it was in places like The Metro Galleries downtown where the genius of her work was first shared with the general public. Her paintings, many self portraits, reflected a searing honesty not unlike the lyrics of the late jazz signer Amy Winehouse. Both were masters of their crafts, and both are gone well before their time. (Leonor's self portrait 'She waits' shown below)

 * ... TREBEK: Alex Trebek, the iconic host of the long-running hit TV game show Jeopardy!, will be the emcee of the West Kern Petroleum Summit set for this October at Taft College. This is a smart and witty move by organizers that will certainly add some flair to the petroleum summit, which was a huge hit when in its inaugural session last year. The event is set for Friday, October 16, at the college. Texas oilman T. Boone Pickens and House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy will also appear at the summit.

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "Nothing good has ever come from answering a call from a blocked phone number."

 * ... PADRE: The Padre Hotel earned some nice recognition when it received the esteemed Four­Diamond award from AAA for the first time since its opening in 2010. This prestigious rating reflects a combination of overall quality, range of facilities and level of service. It is awarded to just 5 percent of the 28,000 hotels ranked annually. Four Diamond hotels are recognized as having luxurious accommodations, full­ service amenities and the highest level of hospitality.

 * ... BEST BET: And speaking of eating, the Union Station Deli on 18th Street downtown has changed hands and the new owners are rolling out a lot of delectable menu items. My favorite: a Mediterranean salad featuring black olives, red onion, salami, artichokes, yellow bell peppers and three different types of beans.

If it's true that 'demographics is destiny,' then the Deep South (and California and the west as well) will look entirely different over the next decade or two

* ... DEMOGRAPHICS: Howell Raines, the Alabama-born former editor of The New York Times, penned an opinion piece for the Times this Sunday in which he succinctly summed up the challenge facing entrenched Southern Republicans (and there are lessons for California and the rest

of the nation as well). "Demography is destiny," said Raines, referring to a book by William H. Fry titled 'Diversity Explosion: How New Racial Demographics Are Remaking America.' Quoting Fry: "The big change coming up in the South, to me, is that in the next couple of decades there will be a new generation coming of age and taking charge, and the region will be more moderate for that reason alone."

 * ... FEEDBACK: I received this feedback from Gerhard Schmidt: "All the ranting we can do about trash, it is discouraging that it nothing gets into the mind of the offenders, their conscience is just lacking. Now with respect to lawns, especially with the drought, gardeners don't seem to get what the experts recommend. Letting grass grow taller shades the ground, cutting down evaporation. However, the grass cutters know only one setting, too low. Here knowledge is lacking. As to comments about Cubans being upset about throwing out the sanctions, in my opinion the Castros would have been long gone if the sanctions had bee lifted long ago. The Cuban people would not have tolerated the situation, with free interchange of seeing what the rest of the world was really like."

 * ... SPOTTED: On Twitter: "The only government agency that listens to you is the NSA."

* ... GOOD FORM: Tim Strem gave this shoutout to the city and country: "I recently reported to the county road department a couple of hazardous potholes in the bike lane at the western end of Panorama Drive. Their quick reply was that the area falls under the jurisdiction of the city and my report would be forwarded to the city road department. Sure enough, I went by the pothole site a week later and it had already been nicely repaired. This is a great example of interagency synergy and execution."

 * ... MORE GOOD FORM: As long as we are honoring good form, let's not stop there. Consider what Alicia De Laurie witnessed last Friday when she spotted a small truck stalled at the corner of 24th and F streets. "Stopped at a red light, I saw a man and a woman trying to push the truck into the McDonald’s parking lot. They were not succeeding. I thought I would make a U-turn and give them some help. My family would not like it, but they would never know. Watching through my mirror, I saw a very young male join the effort, then a female jumped out of a car and joined. Before the light changed there were 7 or 8 people pushing the truck and this great-grandmother didn’t have to push. This so Bakersfield!"

 * ... PADRE: What is it they say about good things coming out of adversity? That happened to me the other night when I found myself checking into The Padre Hotel after I lost water at my house because of a major replumbing upgrade. Want to pamper yourself? Save your pennies and spend a relaxing evening at this iconic Bakersfield landmark, take in a meal and then have a nightcap on the second floor Prairie Fire outside bar. It's worth the trip.

 * ... FLAG: More feedback on the fracas over flying the Confederate flag. Said Tony Malon: "Taking the stars and bars down from the capital of South Carolina, and most of the stores not selling them anymore is not enough. I have been watching the series Matlock for years including reruns. If you watch closely in the court room, Old Glory is on the left of the judge's bench slightly higher than the stars and bars on the right, not in all episodes... I guess we'll have to cancel all the Matlock episodes with that flag showing."    

                                         

Remembering the old west heritage of Bako when folks would ride horses into local bars on a bet, and more crime hits local neighborhoods

 * … CRIME: Jack and Jane Skaggs have lived in the Olive Drive area for years, enjoying their quiet street and a seven-foot tall, globed light fixture in their front yard that they would routinely

decorate for Christmas and Halloween. The other day it disappeared, unbolted and hauled off by thieves in the darkness of the night. "That thing must have weighed more ethan 300 pounds," said Skaggs, a retired California Highway Patrol officer. "It was seven feet tall. Where did they put it when they drove away? People will steal anything."

 * … HORSES: In an earlier blog post I wrote about a man riding his horse into the bar at the old El Tejon Hotel on a bet. Well, it looks like there was a similar event around 1932 during the Frontier Days celebration. Reader Mimi Hull said her brother, Milton Rudnick who was then just 4 years old, was on the back of a horse ridden by George Hoskings when they rode into The Padre Hotel. The horse's name was "Cacahuate" (Spanish for peanut). "George picked him up at our home on Oleander and they proceeded to ride downtown to join the celebration. George was doing his best to celebrate the occasion  and was 'feeling no pain.' He decided it would be a good idea to rid  into Sholar's  Market, which was across the street  from the Padre. Since they wouldn't let them ride into the market, he decided to just go across the street into the Padre Hotel. They made it into the hotel, but a crowd gathered when George tried to ride up the elevator…. By this time, Milton, who had ridden on the back of George's horse many times, was crying and begging, 'Please don't put my friend in jail.' In the midst of all this, one of our dad's friends, Art Alexander, came forward and announced that he knew the boy was one of Oscar Rudnick's children and that he would see that he was returned to his home."

 *… MORE HORSES: And there was this note from J.J. Gianquinto: "Thank you for the mention of the individual who rode his horse into the El Tejon, and for printing the response this morning.  Given the nature of the society in Bakersfield during the 1930s, there could have been more than one cowboy riding into the lobby. Charlie Dodge had presented a pair of chaps to me. Very old, obviously antiques. He stated the significance of them was that they were worn by an individual who was
wearing them when he rode into the lobby. I recall he mentioned the first name 'Gordon,' which made sense because the initials on the chaps were GSR. Charlie and I spent many hours chatting while on horseback, and at various functions. How I now wish I had taken the time and opportunity to have memorialized those chats in writing, or on tape. Charlie and Mary, together, had a great treasure of knowledge about Bakersfield and the people who lived here. No wonder, since they were both in police work here for so many, many years."

 * … CAR DEALERS: Lots of feedback on our old car dealers, including this from reader Karen Boehning: "There was a question about the owner of Columbus Motors. His name was Bob Gomez. The original business was built for Leo Meek VW, then reopened as Gardner Porsche-Audi. Next was Cantrell Porsche-Audi. Bob Gomez then purchased and became Columbus Motors. My husband, Chuck, worked for all the these dealers before leaving and opening his own shop, Stockdale Automotive. Also, it was not where Lowe’s is located. That was College Shopping Center.  Columbus Motors was located on the next corner just east, which is now an equipment rental business."

 * … MEMORIES: And finally, Geraldine Sproul added yet more: "Before Bill Hawk sold Oldsmobiles the dealer was Schweitzer Motors. He was on Chester but, not near the other dealers. The Chrysler dealer was Hubbard Motors. Rolfe Lowden sold Hudson cars. (Bet most people do not even remember this car.) The Packard dealer was Hackett Motors."

Local radio group adds an FM simulcast for First Look with Scott Cox and The Ralph Bailey show, heating up the local radio wars …

 * … RADIO WARS: The local radio wars heated up this week when American General Media

accounced it had added a new FM station to its broadcast of News-Talk 1180 KERN. The station will simulcast KERN-AM on 96.1 FM, giving local hosts Scott Cox and Ralph Bailey new reach on the FM dial. AGM president Rogers Brandon said the simulcast will "allow KERN-AM and the excellent talent that we have on the station to be discovered by the vastly larger FM audience."

* … BIRTH: Did you hear about the woman who gave birth on a Southwest Airlines flight from San Francisco to Phoenix? Lind Brammer wondered: "Who issues the birth certificate? Which county?  I think it would be an interesting item for that baby to put on his/her resume, that he/she was born inflight, somewhere over the San Joaquin Valley."

* … PANDHANLDERS: Sandra Hurtado witnessed something the other day that is worth sharing. In her words: "We were exiting freeway at White Lane and a young girl in her 20s was standing at the median with her cardboard sign asking for money. My daughter made a comment that it was so sad because she is so young. We all felt bad for her. I proceeded to my destination at Urner's to pick up my order. I'm standing in the back and I see the young lady walking through the parking lot and get in a car. She sat in the car for awhile … counting her money. She left in a shiny red SUV, a really nice car.  It's so hard to judge now when giving money."

 * … RIP NANCY: Nancy Sherman spent 30 years working as a nurse at Kern Medical Center, and over that time became almost legendary in her commitment to her patients. This note from my friend Gordon Westhoff speaks volumes: "I just read the obituary today for Nancy Sherman and wanted to say a few words regarding her. I had the privilege as a sales rep in healthcare to call on Nancy for over twenty years at KMC. She was the best and most dedicated clinical nurse I ever knew - her patients were all that mattered to her. Doctors and sales reps both feared and respected her  As a rep you better NEVER try and sell her a product that was not the best for her patients  I was terrified of her when I first met her becasue she let me know in VERY clear terms to not ever waste her time with salesman bull! Her nurses all respected her and her patient's families loved her. She was a true legend at KMC."

 * … FOODIE: If you are a fan of anchovies, make sure to order the Ceasar salad at The Padre Hotel which comes with lightly and delicately fried anchovies. Highly recommended.

 * … SPOTTED: A man waiting in line at the downtown Sequoia Sandwich Shop is wearing a T-shirt that reads: "Bakersfield. It's really not that bad."

 * … GOOD FORM: Hats off to Shirley Cody who recently completed 1,000 miles of water walking at the McMurtry Aquatic Center. Not a bad feat for an 80-year-old woman who devoted five years of her life to achieving this goal.

 * … BAD FORM: Kern County sheriff's deputies have arrested two teenage boys for allegedly feeding a cat to two large dogs and vide taping the grusome act. According to KGET, the video surfaced on social media and the teenagers were tracked down and arrested for animal cruelty. This kind of behavior defies all logic. In the video, the teenagers could be heard encouraging the dogs to attack the cat. No word on if the cat survived.

A scuffle at The Padre Hotel lounge leaves some patrons worried about their safety, and volunteers gather to clean up Oildale one block at a time

 * … PADRE: An ugly incident Saturday night at The Padre Hotel triggered two letters to the editor from women worrying about their safety at the bar. This is the kind of press that people like Padre

owner Brett Miller hates, and he told me Tuesday that he was getting to the bottom of it. "Someone stabbed someone with a pen," he told me. "It was a puncture wound…. Usually we have a good crowd I am surprised we had an issue." Miller said he was meeting with his staff to make sure the popular downtown bar and eatery was attracting the "right crowd" in its after hours lounge.

 * … OILDALE: Volunteers will be fanning out across Oildale this Saturday for a huge clean up day. Cher Pannell, president of the Oildale Leadership Alliance, told me some 200 people are expected to participate. It will start at 8 a.m. with Supervisor Mike Maggard serving as the honorary chairperson. Kern Country Animal Services will be there, holding a dog and can clinic offering free micochipping and spay-neutering at low prices. Want to participate? Show up at Standard Park for the fun.

 * … SIGN OF THE TIMES: This note from reader Pete Parson speaks for itself: "I live around the corner from the homeowner on Los Flores who fired warning shots when burglars were 'operating' on a neighbor’s house.  I am currently in the process of remodeling my bathroom and in so doing removed the old bathtub and placed it in my yard just off the front steps. Over a couple of weeks I made calls to numerous charities to effect a removal of said tub with no takers coming forward. As a last resort, utilizing a ploy my father once used with an worthless old freezer, I affixed a 'for sale $50' sign to it and to my great relief the tub was stolen within 24 hours."

 * … PANHANDLING: Robert Clements has an easy answer to panhandling: punish those who give money. "People who give cash perpetuate the problem. Pass an ordinance that  makes it an infraction to give cash to panhandlers. The ordinance  could also require any group or individual who wish to solicit for  donations in public to get a permit to do so or be cited (including  panhandlers). Once a few people are cited and the word spreads the  source of funds would dry up. This would create a reason for the givers to think twice, since they are the real problem.

 * … HIGHWAY 58: And finally there was this from Bill Deaver about those trucks on Highway 58. "I've been driving 58 (and 466 before it) since it was built, and have great respect for truckers. But there are two kinds who create problems: those who do what your letter-writer reported (slow passing) and those who, on the downgrades on both ends, go like a bat out of hell. The solution is a climbing lane out of Bakersfield from General Beale Road to Tehachapi. It will cost a fortune and won't be built for years, but it has to be one of this county's major highway priorities given its role as a major goods movement corridor, which you can confirm with KernCOG."

 * … MEMORIES: A reader submitted this about the location of the old French Village restaurant. "My grandparents lived in the house on the south side of the French Village. It was located at what is now Life House Parkville Healthcare Center at 329 No. Real Road, which is just south of Palm St. My family lived with my grandparents for a short time in 1944. My brother and I used to play with the owners children as they lived in a house on the property of the French Village."