Layoffs pick up as the national economy stalls, but good news for local horse owners

 * ... ECONOMY: There's more bad news for the economy. The Wall Street Journal reports that the anticipated second half recovery is not happening, and in fact more firms are now laying off records number of workers. Companies as large as Cisco and Lockheed Martin Corp. and as small as Cracker Barrel Country Store have announced more layoffs as firms respond to sagging sales and uncertainty over the debt crisis. "Behind the cuts are jittery employers whose faith in the recovery - and by extension consumers' willingness to spend - has been shaken," it said. "Companies are maintaining profit margins by cutting jobs and costs, and, for the moment at least, are investing in efficiency-enhancing equipment rather than new workers."

 * ... EQUINE VIRUS: Good news for horse owners. It looks like the danger of contagion for the equine herpes virus has passed and it's now safe to transport horses to shows and other competition. That's the word from John Tolley, a veterinarian at Bakersfield Veterinary Hospital. He praised the local horse community for keeping their horses and home and eliminating contact with other equines during the past few months.

 * ... CHARITIES: Teri Goree is one of those people who are growing weary of being constantly hit up for $1 donations at grocery and department stores. "It is especially annoying when the automated machine asks for a donation, I click 'no,' and the clerk asks me again!" she said. "I've been told they are required to ask every customer, but some clerks are just over the top zealous about it and make me feel like the lowest of the low for politely declining to participate." Like others, Teri said she and her husband already have their favorite charitable causes that align to their personal values. "One of these days maybe my response will be, 'Sure, I'll donate a dollar to your charity if you'll donate a dollar to mine!"

 * ... SPOTTED: Ruben Rosales, one of the owner of Happy Jacks, and grandson Kadel Hock from the Napa Valley were seen cleaning the riverbank of trash from Oak Street to the 99 Freeway. Kadel asked his grandfather why anyone would leave so much trash at a public park. Now that's a good question.

 * .... PLASTIC SURGERY: Would it surprise you to know that men comprise one of the fastest grow areas in plastic surgery and cosmetic enhancements? On Friday on Californian radio SmartTalk 1230 I will interview Dr. Milan Shah and Dr. Brett Lehockey from Dr. Shah and Associates to talk about trends and popular procedures in Bakersfield. You might be surprised by what you learn. The show runs from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.

 * ... BLAZE: This Friday night is YMCA night at the Bakersfield Blaze game. Tickets purchased at the Kern County Y are half off and can be purchased at 5880 District Boulevard for $7. "Our cheer leading squad with our theater arts kids will lead the crowd in the YMCA song before the game," said Clete Harper, CEO of the local Y.
 
 * ... DID YOU KNOW?  Did you that graffiti artist “Chaka,” who gained notoriety tagging walls in Los Angeles, is now helping troubled youth in Bakersfield by teaching them to channel their pain and frustration into positive art projects and community involvement? His commissioned murals can be seen in East Bakersfield.

The real face on the recession, getting ready for gridlock and the courage of a rape victim

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 * ... JOBLESS: I received a thoughtful note from a reader challenging my notion that foreclosed homes are the "picture of this recession." The contributor noted that it's not the house itself, but rather the person in the unemployment line that is more representative of these difficult economic times. "It's the face of the person at the unemployment office, trying to figure out the confusing and contradictory paperwork, trying to get a hold of someone to answer simple questions and hoping that a paperwork snafu or single Senator won't result in the loss of benefits or force him out of his home and make him wonder how he will eat." I stand corrected. These are tenuous times for so many of our neighbors. I appreciate this input, which stands  in contrast to others who -  blessed with jobs and homes and security - trivialize the pain of others by waltzing through this recession engaged in idle gossip seemingly oblivious to what is happening around them. And so it goes.

 * ... COLLEGE BOUND: Terri Richmond, social studies chair over at Foothill High School, alerted me to two of her International Baccalaureate students who have been accepted into some impressive colleges. Maria Zepeda will choose from Wellesley, Yale, Stanford, Brown and Columbia, and Omar Gonzales has been accepted at the University of Southern California and Emory University in Atlanta. Going on to any college is something to celebrate, but these two kids have really excelled. Well done.

* ... MORE FOOTHILL: Beyond the kids mentioned above, Foothill High has a lot more to crow about. Joan Herman, lead counselor, told me the school is seeing a "depth and breadth of college acceptances that thrills us: Yale, Columbia, Brown, Wellesley, Wesleyan, Emory, Grinnell, Stanford, USC, Occidental, UCLA (9!), UC Berkeley ... What is especially notable is that these students have done it with none of the advantages that others enjoy: most of our students come from extremely low-income homes, are usually the first in their family to go to college (and sometimes to finish high school) and often come from homes where English is not the first language. Despite those obstacles, they achieve at the highest levels!" Joan gave special thanks to Rebecca Farley, the international baccalaureate coordinator who is tireless in her efforts to prepare these students to excel.

  * ... VICTIM COURAGE: I was moved by the story of rape victim Donna Bulford speaking at Cal State Bakersfield this week.(read the Californian full story here) Bulford was the victim in the "Babies R Us" case in which she was robbed, kidnapped and raped in broad daylight. It took courage for this young woman to face her accuser and then share her story with others. This is a strong young woman who obviously was reared by parents who filled her with confidence and self-esteem. (Californian photo by Michael Fagans)

  * ... GRIDLOCK: Don't say that City Manager Alan Tandy didn't warn us. Now that the rainy season is about over, work is getting underway on road projects across town. And if you think it's bad now, just wait because it's going to get much worse. Consider the already nightmarish intersection of Brimhall and Coffee roads, where they are rerouting a sewer line and planning massive improvements. The morning and afternoon commutes - already hellish - are starting to look like something you expect elsewhere. And don't forget about the year-long project at Coffee Road and Truxtun Extension. Getting through that intersection is going to make a colonoscopy look like a walk in the park.

* ... BAKERSFIELDISM: You know you're from Bakersfield when "you complain that it takes you almost 20 minutes to go from one side of town to the other."

Sarah Palin and Bakersfield a dream team and a business born in the recession booms

 * .. LIKE THROWING RAW MEAT TO WOLVES: You have to hand it to George Martin, the local attorney who is bringing back the once wildly popular Bakersfield Business Conference. Martin scored it big by landing former GOP vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin to be a headliner at the event, which is now scheduled for next October 9. Say what you will about Palin, but she is a red hot commodity right now and bringing her to Bakersfield's conservative audience is like throwing raw meat to a pack of hungry wolves. Meanwhile, no word yet on where the one-day conference will be held, but I hear Martin's first choice is the amphitheater at the Park at River Walk over off Stockdale Highway. The old venue over at Cal State Bakersfield appears to be out, partly because of the construction of the new student recreation center and the new bike path that winds around it.

 * ... A BUSINESS BORN IN THE RECESSION: If you're looking for some good news in the depth of this recession, consider Imbibe Wine and Spirits Merchants over off Truxtun Extension and Empire Drive. The business, owned and run by David and Tami Dobbs, is beautifully done and features a full wine store as well as a tasting area where you can sample wines by the ounce. The couple bought the building in July 2008, gutted and renovated it and opened Imbibe in March in the absolute depths of the recession. How are they doing? Tami tells me they are well ahead of their revenue goals and could not be happier with their growing clientele. The couple (she graduated from Bakersfield High and David from North High) spent 20 years in the wine business in Glendale before moving back in 2006 to be closer to family. This is a true entrepreneurial couple who built a business through sheer sweat equity against all odds in a recession. More power and all success to them.

* ... OFF TO HAITI: I saw Evan Evans, a local Allstate insurance manager, at Starbucks on 24th Street Monday morning where he regularly meets for coffee with his old high school pal Harry Starkey, head of the Berrenda Mesa Water District. Evans told me he was off to Haiti with 20 other members of the Olive Knolls Church of the Nazarene to build and work in a clinic. Apparently this is a 10-day trip and another example how many folks in this community give back in untold number of ways.

 * ... BOBBY'S BRIGADE FUND RAISER: If you're  looking for a good cause to support, drop over to B Ryder's sports grill this Thursday for an event supporting Relay For Life. The event is named for the son of CeCe Cross who lost his battle with leukemia. Tickets are $20 in advance or $25 at the door and includes trip-tip dinner, salad, beans, bread and a drink. B Ryder's is located at 7401 White Lane. Call CeCe Cross for details at 661-703-2050, or Vanessa Cierley at 661-246-8886. The event starts at 6 p.m.

 * ... RIP KURT YAEGER: I heard the other day that Kurt Yaeger, a local attorney who left town in the year 2000, had passed away in Riverside. Kurt and his wife Andrea Yaeger lived in Haggin Oaks and were avid golfers at Seven Oaks Country Club, where they were charter members and Kurt was the first head of the Board of Governors. Kurt was diagnosed with cancer three years ago and died at Loma Linda University Medical Center on November 10. He was 53. Keep Kurt, Andrea and their daughters Jacqueline and Elizabeth in your thoughts.