Friday's Bakersfield Observed: Bakersfield rallies behind Monsignor Craig Harrison after allegations are leveled against him, Blaine Hodge is recognized by Rep. Kevin McCarthy and more random crime throughout town

Friday, April 26, 2019

 Welcome to Bakersfield Observed. 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 to live. Send your tips to rsbeene@yahoo.com.

 * ... FATHER CRAIG: The news that Monsignor Craig Harrison has been accused of sexually assaulting a young man several decades ago rocked our town in ways that simply cannot be

measured. Harrison is universally beloved, and I count him among my friends and mentors. Rarely has one man had such a positive effect on an entire community, no matter your religion or personal beliefs. Harrison has denied the claim and pledged to defend himself. My take: we live in a time of recrimination and character assassination, so let's not judge this man too quickly. Let's allow this case to play out and let the authorities do their investigation. Did it really happen? Is this a shakedown of the Catholic Church fabricated for profit? (remember Jussie Smollett?) If it did happen, was it an isolated incident or will more come forward? Father Craig is a beloved an iconic figure, and I will stand by his side.

 * ... AFFORDABILITY: Here's some good news locally, though it is a bit of a mixed bag. A new study says Bakersfield is one of the most affordable places to live in the country, although that comes with high poverty and high unemployment. We have always known that Bakersfield is one of the most affordable places to live in California, as are Fresno, Visalia and other Central Valley towns. But all this is all relative given that this is California and we lead the nation in high gas prices and utility rates.


 * ... SPOTTED ON FACEBOOK: "Remember when people would flash their headlights to give people a heads up there’s a cop down the road? I liked it when we were all a team.'

 * ... CRIME: Just when you think criminals cannot stoop lower, I spotted this on Facebook: "Saturday evening I had the entire front end of my 2006 GMC Sierra 2500 HD stolen off my truck in the parking garage at the San Joaquin Hospital on Chester Ave. Anyone knows the whereabouts of where I can recover these items please let me know!"

 * ... BLAINE HODGE: It was nice to see our local hero Blaine Hodge be recognized by House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy the other day. Hodge, if you remember, was the young man who intervened at the local Starbucks on Stockdale Highway when a woman was being attacked by a man with a machete. McCarthy presented Hodge with the 2019 Citizens Honors Award from the Congressional Medal of Honor Society. “Fight or flight, we all question what we would do in a frightening situation, but we all wouldn’t wonder what Blaine would do,” McCarthy said in a news release. “He acted swiftly and bravely, two qualities that no doubt helped to save the survivor and all those in the immediate area that day.”

* ... MEMORIES: How about this old picture of Bakersfield City Hall back in the day?

The battle over a proposed lofts project downtown reveals the connections and potential conflicts in our town, and who takes their $300,000 McLaren to Costco?

* ... LOFTS: This is a town of connections and you don't have to look far before you run into potential conflicts. Consider for example the attempt by local Realtor Edith Gibson and a group of investors to build lofts on 18th Street downtown. The project will provide much needed "in fill" housing in a dense downtown area already populated with commercial businesses and multi-family apartment buildings.

Sounds reasonable right? Well, leading the opposition is John Sarad, owner of the Haberfelde Building as well as a slew of rentals downtown that would compete with the lofts for tenants. Sarad says the project is out of character with downtown and will take up  valuable street parking, even though plans include 31 on-site parking spaces for 28 tenants. Both sides are appealing to Terry Maxwell, the Ward 2 city councilman whose district includes that area of 18th Street. So far, so good. But it turns out Maxwell's downtown eatery, TL Maxwell's Restaurant and Bar, is located on the ground floor of the Haberfelde building, which of course is owned by Sarad. Is this a conflict or just another coincidence of living in a small town? Stay tuned.

 * ... MUSIC FESTIVAL: Here's some good feedback on George Martin's first Rock and Country Music Festival out at the Kern County Museum. Said Kevin Cornelius: "Just wanted to say thank you to George Martin and company for a first class music festival... The weather was great, entertainment exceptional, food good and all the volunteers were as friendly and helpful as they come. My wife commented on how the restrooms were kept clean through the entire day. This made her a happy camper. Hope to see it come back next year!"

* ... THEFTS: What started as the occasional theft has evolved into a full scale epidemic. I am talking about the thieves who follow U.S. Postal Service and UPS delivery trucks throughout the city and steal packages off front porches. In the last week I have been told of thefts in the Southwest, downtown and the Northwest.

* … SPOTTED: On Twitter was this bit of advice: "The lottery gives you a 1 in 200 million chance you won't go to work tomorrow. Alcohol gives you 1 in 5."

 * … BAD FORM: David Salas commutes to Santa Clarita and regularly spots trucks from local businesses traveling south and north. One, bearing a logo saying "safety is no accident," whizzed past him going 85 miles per hour. "That is an accident waiting to happen," he noted.

 * ... MCLAREN: Susan Peninger was leaving Costco and headed to her car when she noticed an odd looking car loading groceries into his hood. "The gentleman unloaded the goods from the car into the 'trunk'-  which just happened to be exactly where the engine in my Honda Civic is located, in the front. I wasn’t the only one taking pictures as it was a sight. When I got home I did some online research and came to the conclusion that someone who owns a $300,000 plus McLaren  has to make a Costco run now and then!"

 * ... DROUGHT: More than a few of us have already grown weary of the finger pointing during this long drought. Said Linda Dietzel: "Discussing and sharing information with our neighbors can hardly be compared to being a 'rat fink.' The water belongs to all of us. The responsibility to conserve water belongs to all of us. Let's stand united, work as a team and come through this together."

Thieves find a new way to break into garages, it's rattlesnake season around town and a huge weekend with Easter, Cirque du Soleil and Fleetwood Mac

 * … THEFTS: Here's a new technique that thieves use to break into our garages, and pay special attention if you own bicycles or motorcycles. A friend who lives on Country Club Drive in the

northeast awoke to find his two very high end mountain bikes (worth some $18,000) gone from his garage. The thieves, it turned out, punched a hole into the garage door and used coat hangers to release the emergency manual pull for the garage door. The whole process likely took just a few minutes. The quick fix: use a zip tie to anchor the emergency pull. Meanwhile, there has been a rash of home burglaries in the downtown area, including several where thieves entered through windows that were cracked open to enjoy the cooler weather.

 * … RATTLESNAKES: The warming weather ushers in snake season, and already they are out on our hiking and riding trails. Pat Bentley was walking her Airedale on the dirt path west of Coffee Road when she came upon two rattlesnakes. "Usually I let her off the leash when we're away from the path. For whatever reason, I didn't this time. Thank God! I was about 10 yards away when I saw them. They didn't move until I bent to get a stick. The scary part was how FAST they moved then. Like lightening. I knew there was a reason that I'm totally snake-phobic! Needless to say, she won't be off leash at all from now on."

 * … SPOTTED: A colleague posted this on Twitter: "Discovering mid-bite that the Jelly Belly is cinnamon rather than the Very Cherry you expected — life is made of these disappointments."

 * … WEEKEND: This is a huge weekend for our local restaurants, so if you are planning to be out and about, make your reservations now, particularly if you plan on being downtown. Besides being Easter weekend, Cirque du Soleil is in town at the Rabobank Arena and Fleetwood Mac will perform there for a sell out crowd on Monday.

 * … WINGS: Wings of Rescue is a terrific organization that flies stray dogs and cats to loving new homes. This note came from organizer Kristi Townsend: "I would like to thank the people of Kern County for their recent flood of donations to Wings of Rescue. They will be doing another massive airlift in April. In addition to spay and neuter, Wings of Rescue has been a very cost effective way to save countless dogs and cats and send them to their forever homes in other states. Please, can we keep a good thing going?"

* … ACHIEVER: Hats off to Kylee Koland Hoelscher who will graduate from Cal State Long Beach in May with an MFA in creative writing. The daughter of Pamela Koland, she is 1997 graduate of Bakersfield West High School and a 2001 graduate of University of California, Santa Barbara, with a BA in English.

 * … MEMORIES: Here is a blast from the past complim's ents of retired teacher Gail Oblinger: "How many people remember when the bookmobile used to be a regular feature at the Hillcrest Shopping Center? That was maybe in the 1970s. It came once a week in the late afternoon. If for some reason you missed getting there, it would be on Mt. Vernon Street in the Freddie’s Top o’ the Hill parking lot on a different day. Lots of the same adults and children showed up each week, and pretty soon everyone knew each other and it was a social time as well as book check out.  In summertime, folding chairs were set out and  children’s movies were shown in the parking lot at dusk.  Sometimes little craft programs were included.  I made a cornhusk doll there. "

Local oil producer Chad Hathaway to appear as my guest on First Look with Scott Cox this Tuesday, and a couple of former NFL stars are spotted downtown dining on Chinese Food

 * … OIL INDUSTRY: After years of soaring energy prices and new drilling, the oil and gas industry has found itself in an unfamiliar position: the price of oil has dropped to a five-year low and environmentalists continue their attacks on hydraulic fracturing. We will talk about these issues when Chad Hathaway comes into the First Look studios to discuss the challenges facing the energy sector. Hathaway is a fourth generation oil producer who founded a company bearing his name in 2001. He also has been active in the Kern Citizens for Sustainable Government, an organization that has quickly evolved into an influential player on public policy. He will appear on the show at 9 a.m. Tuesday, broadcast live on KERN NewsTalk 1180 and videostreamed live on bakersfield.com.

  * … SPOTTED: Bakersfield has a long and storied history of producing great athletes in virtually every sport, and I spotted a few of them the other night while dining at Bill Lee's downtown. While chatting with local caterer Mike Ariey (former offensive tackle with the Green Bay Packers and New York Giants) he pointed out Rodney Leisle in the bar. Leisle graduated from Ridgeview High School and UCLA before spending five years with the New Orleans Saints. And yes, he was sporting a rock of a Super Bowl ring bearing the Saints emblem. Leisle is now an energy consultant with Vivint Solar.

* … THEFTS: Here is a cautionary tale: A homeowner downtown woke to find her car burglarized. Apparently the thieves used her garage door opener in the car to open her garage and make off with bicycles and other items.

* … SCAM: Yet another telephone scam, this one compliments of Patricia Kelley: "They just keep coming. This morning I received a call, 'Congrats your application for a PayPal loan has been reevaluated and you have been approved for a $1,300 loan. Call this number (631) 406-4695, Smithtown N.Y. within 24 hours for your acceptance and funds will be transferred to your bank account.' Watch out people, you are instructed to push #1 for a live operator, which I did not do. If you call the number, which I verified on my phone, it is disconnected. Nothing is free! I am now going to check my credit reports to see if there is any mischief there.

 * … MEMORIES: Some random memories from reader Ronal Reynier: "I graduated from East Bakersfield High School in 1954 and at that time an arts teacher by the name of Lois Smith could tell you the history of each painting in the school library. They said in the 'Kern's Past' article that the paintings in 2004 were worth $250,000. A William Wendt painting now would be worth almost that much. My question is were are they now? Some years ago a lady bequeathed her art collection to the County of Kern that had an estimated value at the time of one $1 million to $5 million dollars.
They were housed in the vault of the late Great Western Savings and Loan while the county checked if it was legal for them to except the collection. I have the same question, where are they now? Will these enter into the other great mysteries of the county as to where and what happened to the lion statues of the old jail building; and the neon 'Weather-Bird' sign above the Sill Building? At the time it was the largest neon sign west of the Rockies." Royal: I believe the lion statues were moved to a fraternity house at the University of Nevada at Reno.

Federal government drastically cuts its estimates of recoverable oil in the Monterey Shale, and the inspiring story of a kind hearted mailman who rescued the dog that bit him

* … SHALE: The government's stunning announcement dramatically cutting the amount of oil believed to be in the Monterey Shale could have widespread consequences for Kern County. Oil

industry experts were shocked when the Energy Information Administration estimated that there are only 600 million barrels of extractable oil in the shale, a drastic cut from the 13.7 billion barrels that were originally thought to be there. The reaction here? Local drillers shrugged it off, saying if the oil is there, the industry will find a way to extract it. I'm betting with the oil industry on this one.

* … GOOD FORM: This note from Joan Muller made my day. "I recently had to deal with finding kittens in the wall of my house. Mama kitty had gotten into the attic (which will be fixed) and had her litter of three babies. The kittens fell in a hollow spot which was about a 10 foot drop from the attic into the wall. Not having the means to extract the little ones from the wall I called my cousin Brook Muller for help. He was at church choir practice when I called but stated he would be over as soon as he finished. He showed up as promised at 9 p.m. with his saw and had to cut out three small portions of the garage wall before we finally found two little kittens which were starving and scared  While I put them in a pet carrier and gave them food and water Brook put the cut panels back in place, swept the floor and put all the boxes back where I had them. I found the third one the next day.  I just wanted to give a HUGE shout out to my wonderful cousin who gave of his time and talent to help God's defenseless creatures! He is a blessing to his family and this community!"

 * … THEFT: Add downtown to the growing list of neighborhoods where a resident has awakened to find his struck on blocks, the wheels and tires stolen in the night. This time it happened to a late model Toyota truck. Trucks in Stockdale Estates and La Cresta have suffered similar fates.

 * … CHUTZPAH: My use of the word "chutzpah" recently drew this response from reader Terry Beals: "While the mayor of Porterville is surely outspoken and ill informed, his unfortunate comments don't rise to a level of chutzpah. As a youngster I was told that a definition of chutzpah is difficult to create; but that the following description could suffice. A man convicted of killing both of his parents pleads for mercy from the judge, ... because he is an orphan. That is CHUTZPAH."

 * … SNUFFY: Dan Cooper wrote with this inspirational tale of Snuffy, a small white dog rescued from death row. "Our family moved from Reno to Bakersfiield in 1937, and we brought Snuffy with us, a small white dog with a mean streak. We lived on Orange Street. Snuffy bit the mailman and was picked up by the authorities to be held for 10 days, and if not adopted, put down. We did not want him back. The mailman asked us about the dog… On the last day, we later found out the mailman adopted the dog. The dog that bit him. We drove by his house, and there was Snuffy on a chain. Lucky dog, kind hearted mailman."

Another truck in Stockdale Estates is found on blocks, its wheels and tires missing, and is it legal to rip up a city sidewalk and replace it with grass, forcing strollers into the streets?

 * … THEFT: Well it has happened again. Yet another homeowner has awakened to find his truck on blocks, the wheels and tires stolen during the night. This time it happened to Stockdale Estates resident Jason Cohen, but in this case there was a silver lining. Said Jason: "After filing a police report and calling my insurance company I texted Mike from Three-Way Chervolet. His words were, 'we will get you taken care of.' They came over, put tires on the car and took it to the shop as

well as dropped off a Tahoe for me to drive in the meantime. What could have been a horrible day turned into the Saturday it was supposed to be. I owe a huge thank you to Mike and all the guys at Three-Way. I honestly believe that was Bakersfield at its finest. This town always takes care of itself. Certainly noteworthy."

 * … BAD FORM: In a downtown historic district with wide leafy streets, a homeowner digs up the city sidewalk, plants sod and installs a row of hedges to keep people off her lawn, forcing strollers and walkers into the street. (Good luck if you are in a wheelchair) Someone missed the memo about the benefits of walkable communities and safety.

 * … ACHIEVER: Hats off to Chelsea Fraley, a 2010 graduate of Bakersfield High School, who graduated Magna Cum Laude from Gonzaga University with a double major in political science and criminal justice. She will be spending the summer as an intern at Klein, DeNatale, Goldner and in August will enter the Duke School of Law. Chelsea's proud parents are Sean Fraley, a battalion chief with the Kern County Fire Department and Christy Fraley, the head guidance counselor at Independance High School.

 * … FLAGS: There will be a spectacular display of flags at the Park at Riverwalk over Memorial Day weekend. Sponsored by Breakfast Rotary, the event will feature more than 1,000 flags in honor of the many people who have served, or continue to serve, our nation and community. The cost to sponsor a flag is $50 and can be ordered at www.thousandflags.org. The flags will be flying from 11:30 a.m. Saturday, May 24, through Monday.

 * … PANHANDLERS: Robert Yoo lived for a short time in the northern Kentucky town of Alexandria, just a short distance from Cincinnati which had a strict panhandling ordinance. "One day while walking along the Cincinnati waterfront, I saw a disheveled homeless person with a hand printed sign saying, 'homeless, need money,' begging for money from the tourists along the waterfront. About an hour later, I walked by the same spot and the man and his belongings were gone, however his sign was propped up against the wall where he had been previously sitting.  Neatly printed on the sign were the words, 'This site closed courtesy of the Cincinnati Police Department.' Stapled to the sign was an officer’s business card. Now that’s an anti-panhandling enforcement ordinance with some teeth in it!  I wished we had that here in Bakersfield!"

 * … MEMORIES: Another reader remembers Casper's Men's Store downtown. Listen to Brenda Bosley: "The two recent entries from Greg Cowan and Kelly Casper Donovan about Casper's Men's stores really caught my attention. I remember my mom taking me shopping with her to Casper's at a very young age and as I grew up Casper's was always THE men's store our family patronized. But, to show the strong thread that connects the people of Bakersfield, many years later both Greg and Kelly were a very near and dear part of my adult life…. my mom was Greg's great aunt and Kelly's grandmother, Mrs. Casper, often brought Kelly in shopping at our store, Lou Ella's Children's Shop on Baker Street. We were so lucky to know Mrs. Casper and Kelly for many years, and Greg was and still is a very special part of our family. It is so good to know that as Bakersfield continues to grow younger people still have fond memories of our town's past. Thanks Greg and Kelly for bringing back my fond memories of two special kids!"

Happy Mother's Day: a local mom awakes to find one of her family's car stolen and the other ransacked, and remembering Casper's Men's Store downtown

* … BAD FORM: A friend of mine who lives in The Oaks had a rude awakening on Mother's Day when she awoke to find one of the family cars stolen and the other ransacked. Her husband, as it turned out, had left her Mother's Day gift in his car and went outside to find it gone. "He also left his wallet in the car and we are terrified of identify theft," she told me. The thieves tried unsuccessfully to hot-wire the second car, popped open the trunk and left a duffle bag of a girl's personal items. The lesson: never leave anything of value in your car, no matter where you live.

 * … CASPER'S: Kelly Casper Donovan is the grand daughter of the founder of the old Casper's Men's Store downtown. She was surprised when a reader wrote to me with his fond memories of the place. "Thanks to reader Greg Cowan and his memory of downtown and Casper's Men's Store. The day the article was printed was my birthday, and what a wonderful birthday present that my grandfather's store was mentioned. I worked at the store from childhood through the time I went away to college, working at the front desk and wrapping gifts for our customers. I watched as men from all over town came in to be fitted for suits and clothing, and watched my grandfather and his staff provide a place where the customer knew he would find a quality product with superior customer service. Casper's was truly a Bakersfield institution, and I am so proud to have been a part of my grandfathers dream.

 * … DREAMMAKER: Good news for the folks over at DreamMaker Bath and Kitchen of Bakersfield. First, they were recognized as "Best Home Improvement Building Contractor" in the annual Best off Kern County readers' poll, and now they have been recognized on a national level with the BIG50 title, published in Remodeling Magazine. Fifty contractors are chosen each year to join an elite group of professionals from all over the country that have performed exemplary business practices, management skills, community service, design, and craftsmanship.

 * … ACHIEVER: And kudos to Nicole Bonna, a student at Tevis Junior high who will perform at Carnegie Hall next month with the Honors Junior Band as a trombonist. This is all part of the Middle School Honors Performance Series that highlight some of the most promising young musicians in the country. Nicole currently is a member of the Tevis Symphonic Band and Jazz Band under the direction of Kelly K. Willey.

 * … KERNVILLE: Bob Hyde from Kernville weighed in on the panhandling issue: "We live in Kernville and 'go to town' (Bako) with our lists every three weeks or so and the panhandlers are everywhere. We usually have breakfast at the IHOP off Buck Owens and about 9 a.m. and we always see a group of young men with their signs and pets pass through the parking lot on the way to the Rosedale/Buck Owens intersection. It is almost like they are unionized-they meet and then disperse to their assigned corners. We also encounter panhandlers in the parking lots at Costco, Wal-Mart, Smart and Final and Trader Joe's, and even at the Fast Trip gas stations. Encountering or trying to avoid them is very stressful, but we have little compassion for "'the regulars.'  And, yes, we do have our share in the Kern River Valley. The Valley Plaza in Lake Isabella is a panhandlers haven but Ms. Hotchkiss should not include our 'tamale lady.'  She and her family make the tamales at home and sell them in various locations around the valley. She is nice, never pushy, and her tamales are excellent. I am guessing she drives up from Bakersfield and I cannot imagine she takes much back at the end of the day, but she is producing not begging and for that she deserves credit and our respect."

 * … MORE PANHANDLERS: And finally, Riley Parker of Santa Maria noted "we have a couple that have set up a permanent post near a driveway into the Costco/Trader Joe’s parking lot. They rotate on the hour, sharing the well done, easily read sign asserting that he/she is unable to work since their 'accident.'  They are both clean and well dressed. Her long, nicely coiffed blond hair appears to be professionally highlighted, etc.  They arrive daily at about 10 a.m. driving their late model, clean and well maintained Toyota pickup. It appears that they are operating a lucrative, all cash business preying on the kindness of others. I particularly like the fleece lined jacket and high quality western hat that he wears on cool days. Nice touch with his well-trimmed grey mustache. Some days they bring the dog along…must appeal to the animal lover in all of us. After so many months, now days they just wave like old friends when I pass them by."

Burglars hit homes for sale in the La Cresta area, life imitates art at a local theater and an honest panhandler on our streets

 * … THEFTS: The La Cresta area has been hit with rash of thefts in homes that are up for sale. According to a neighborhood watch email alert, three homes were broken into within a week. These are homes listed for sale but vacant, and speculation is the thieves may be viewing the homes as prospective buyers, checking out the appliances and then returning at night to steal the stoves, range tops and refrigerators.

 * … BAD FORM? I not sure if this is bad form, bad luck or stupidity. But here goes, compliments of my friend Peter Wonderly: "A work colleague was among a small audience at the Maya Theater last night seeing The Other Woman. At some point, a woman walked in, looked up to search for someone, found the desired someone, and shouted, 'You come HERE!' The lad indicated sheepishly complied, leaving the 'other woman' he had sneaked-off with - unsuccessfully, as it turned out. Talk about life imitating art."

 * … PANHANDLERS: Bryan Kelly provided my laugh of the day with this message: "My favorite panhandler is back… eastbound off ramp at Mount Vernon and Highwaty 178. The sign reads 'WHY LIE?  I NEED SOME MONEY FOR BEER.'  I was the third car in line. The first car gave him some cash. The car in front of me was full of young people, probably headed to BC and they gave him a rather odd looking cigarette, twisted at both ends and no filter. Then they gave him a book of matches. And the truth shall set you free!"

* … PANHANDLING: Speaking of panhandling Gail Villallovos moved to Wichita, Kansas, two years ago and still owns a home in East Bakersfield, where she returns often. Her observations: "Each time I return, I notice how bad the panhandling is at the places mentioned by Jayne Hotchkiss. It is particularly unnerving when you’re approached in a drive-thru line, and can’t escape. Although she questioned what is going on in other parts of the state of California, I can tell you I’ve only seen one panhandler since I’ve been here, standing next to an off ramp on the freeway, and that was months ago. I’ve never been approached by a panhandler here, in other parts of Kansas, or in Kansas City, Missouri, where I have to admit to being an active shopper. I really miss my home and family in Bakersfield, and plan to return after retirement.  However, I have not missed dodging the panhandlers."

 * … FRANKLIN: Franklin School is turning 100 years old this year and is looking for old photos and memorabilia to celebrate the occasion. If you have anything to share, drop them off at the school (all items will be returned). The event will be Friday, May 16, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the school.

 * … OLPH: The numbers are in from the Our Lady of Perpetual Help Spring BBQ, and they are impressive. The always organized and effervescent Deborah Leary told me they served more than 1,000 people (the menu featured Gary Icardo grilled steaks and chicken) and netted some $40,000. Not bad for a simple barbecue.

 * … MEMORIES: Hall of Fame skeet shooter Ken Barnes sent this note about where he was during the 1952 earthquake "You have posted a lot of interesting information about the intersection of 18th and Chester Avenue lately, and I have a very distinct memory of that area of downtown Bakersfield.  I was 13 years old on the afternoon of the August, 1952, earthquake that struck the city. I was sitting on the aisle of the California theatre just off the northeast corner of the intersection. A friend from Oklahoma was with me at the time and when the shaking started I knew exactly what was happening after experiencing the Tehachapi quake a few weeks earlier. I grabbed my friend's hand and screamed and ran. We tore up the aisle and right out into the center of Chester Avenue  All around us the old fronts of brick buildings were falling into the street and dust was  thick as fog. I believe a woman was killed just to the north in Lerner's Dress Shop when the roof collapsed. It was early evening before we were able to catch a bus back to Oildale and were greeted by my parents who were sure we had been buried under the rubble downtown. Scariest day of my life…. bar none."

Bako Bits: car thefts in broad daylight, the explosion of panhandling and Covenant Coffee plans to open a kiosk in Bakersfield Memorial Hospital

 * … THEFT: Yet another theft and another sign of the times. Chris Lowe is a banker who works off California Avenue and recently he discovered that the the catalytic converter and the co2 sensors were stolen off his car  in broad daylight.  "I looked into why someone would steal this and there’s two

reasons:  they can resell them for a decent price and the catalytic converter contains platinum, which can be torn out and sold to a recycler. Also the time it takes to remove it is about two minutes. When I reported it to the police and my insurance they said it’s a common occurrence for the catalytic converter to be stolen from SUVs and Hondas. To protect it from being stolen again, I’ve ordered a device called a 'Cat Clamp' which goes over the catalytic converter and makes it harder to steal quickly.  Hope it works!"

 * … COVENANT: More good news for the folks over at Covenant Community Services, a non profit dedicated to helping foster youth get back on their feet. The organization is opening a Covenant Coffee kiosk at Bakersfield Memorial Hospital, open from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Saturday.  In addition, chief Covenant cheer leader Randy Martin tells me that Bakersfield North Rotary gave $5,000 for the Hope fund, which helps distribute books to students in Oildale elementary schools.

* … PANHANDLING: No matter how you feel about the homeless and panhandlers, it is clear this situation is way out of control. Consider this note from Mindy Wright, a church-going woman who helps numerous charities and who is on disability income. She was at the Starbucks on Mount Vernon when, while waiting in the drive-through lane, was approached by not one but two panhandlers. "The staff came out and chased him off. I gave my order and another young man came up to the driver window side of waiting cars knocking on windows. I just turned my head. When I finally got to the window as I was waiting I bowed my head and said a prayer for those men. The barista asked if I was all right and I said yes. It just upsets me when I can't even leave when being approached by these men... Then I go to Costco to pick up some pictures and an elderly man with a cane comes up and says he needed money to get to someplace and asked for money. I just kept walking! It is getting to the point that where a normal person likes me avoids places due to the possibility of being alone and being accosted!"

* … COUNTY ROADS: Carmen Needham Tyack wrote to give thanks to the foreman of the Pumpkin Center yard of the Kern County Roads Department for hearing out her concerns about a small quarter mile section of country road. "It gets chewed up by tractors and people in the community use it as a shortcut if its nice and smooth. He has always obliged until last week when he told me they had to do something. I forgot to tell him that I had survey marks in the road for when I paid to have it surveyed due to a property split. So I panicked a little bit when they were covered with blacktop of some sort.
Joe, the foreman came out with a metal detector and kindly marked and dug up my survey marks. I was so appreciative to what he was doing for me I went out to thank him and see if he had luck locating the nails. So for this I thank him… I want to also acknowledge the fact that county workers get paid by us, the tax ayer, and they should never forget that. We are all public servants if we are getting paid with taxpayer dollars. I recall in my younger days as a first grade teacher a principal me aware of that 'we are just a public servant.' That was about 30 years ago,everyone should be reminded."

 * … BAKERSFIELDISM: Paul Summers says you know you’re a Bakersfield old timer if you remember Don Hart talking about the “Fly Catching” (not baseball) contest in East Bakersfield .The one who caught the most flies was the winner and received a new bicycle donated by Roux and Kuentzel Sporting Goods.

Bako Bits: La Cresta family returns from a weekend to find their truck up on blocks, good deeds from a FedEx driver and remembering a time when wool suits cost $7

 * … THEFTS: There is not a neighborhood in town that hasn't been hit with petty thefts and burglaries. Up in La Cresta a couple was out of town for Easter and when they returned they found all four tires of their truck stolen, their late model truck sitting on cinder blocks. Apparently this is going on throughout town, including a few instances in Stockdale Estates. (file photo)

 * … SELFIES: I agree with a recent story regarding some annoying habits that I hope soon fade away: talking on cellphones in restaurants and our narcissistic obsession with taking and publicly sharing "selfies" photos on our smart phones.

 * … GOOD DEED: Carol Camp wrote to give a shootout to a FedEx driver named Vanessa who helped rescue her husband who had fallen from a carport attic ladder. "Vanessa happened to be delivering a package to our home and found him on the ground… she yelled (and) I went running and of course there was blood everywhere. I got a roll of paper towels and the phone, she applied pressure to his head wound while I called 911. She stayed with me until they arrived. He had 10 staples in his head.  I also want you to know she stopped by the next day to see how he was doing. What a great gal.  Thank YOU Vanessa."

* … GOOD FORM: We all have a tendency to overuse the word "hero," but I have to nominate our teachers as being "everyday heroes." Consider this inspiring note from a local kindergarten teacher known as Miss B. "Got me a new sweet bee today right on our way out to lunch. Her mom, pregnant with her seventh child, dropped her off and the young girl with a missing bottom right tooth and sporting nothing but a tank and torn overalls, extended her hands caked with filth and fingernails bedded with dirt, for a buzz-worthy welcome hug. With five weeks left of school, I looked down at her sad eyes and whispered, 'These are going to be the 25 best days of your life.' She smiled and off to lunch we went!"

 * … OLD TIMES: Gary Corbell is a volunteer with the 60-plus club at CSUB and recently discovered a 1935 copy of the Los Angeles Times. Among the advertising: wool suits priced between $6.96 and $17.75, and beach halters for women from 95 cents to $2.75. In The Southland section: "Forty-four more seized by police in San Diego clean-up. Charges against two San Gabriel women accused of annoying neighbors with noise at religious services, dropped in court." And finally actress Jacqueline Logan, stage and screen actress, who had filed for bankruptcy in December was discharged from bankruptcy.  She had listed liabilites of $14,461 and the IRS was seeking to collect $3,765 in income, interest. Said Gary:  "All the above only goes to show… nothing much has changed in America since 1935 EXCEPT for the cost of living.

 * … MEMORIES: Here's a little history lesson on our town for you newcomers. This memory is courtesy of reader Bob Harding: "Hello! Your column Friday referenced a Sambo's on Union and I agree with that reader. There was also a Sambo's at Oak and Palm where La Mina is now. The architecture still looks like those restaurants did. I enjoy your interest in our town's history! I am born and raised here, BHS 1966. I have lots of memories like leaving for UCSB in the fall of 1966 and California Avenue ending at the Chevron station at the north end of Real Road. Nothing but tin cans and jackrabbits from there to Stockdale, long before 'old' Stockdale needed to exist as a distinguishing adjective. It was a big clump of trees by itself out in the distance. New Stine dead ended at Stockdale and went South to Del Webb's Kern City, and the only building at the intersection was Ewing's restaurant on the southeast corner. I could go on! Keep it up!" Thank you Bob.

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."

A fifth grader gets a lesson in the lack of civility by a BMW-driving mom and the Fox Theater prepares for a big anniversary

* ... BAD FORM: Robert Dobrzanski spent a recent afternoon watching his fifth grade daughter compete in a basketball game at a local Christian school. His daughter's team was beaten badly, but he was impressed with the sportsmanship displayed on the court and by most of the parents of both teams. That is, until he got into his car outside the school and a black BMW sedan pulled up next to them with the windows down. "I noticed the little girl from the opposing team in the car," he said. "I said, 'you are a very good player and congratulations on the win.' The little girl shyly thanked me. The conversation should have ended then but the mom said, 'Yes, it is especially fun when you win' and they drove off. We all know it is fun to win but does a Christian adult have to rub it in to a little 10 year old's face? Parents and adults need to lead by example and this lady needs to grow up. Just because you have a nice car and nice Gucci glasses and purse doesn't mean you can act like a jackass. Plus you have your kids at a Christian school. Baffling."

 * ... FOX TALES: The Fox Theater Foundation is planning a big celebration of downtown's majestic old dame, and it is looking for stories of folks who either worked there or visited over the years. Foundation member Phyllis Adams is looking for "Fox Tales," memories and incidents from the time the Fox opened on Christmas in 1930 and on through the years. If you have something you'd like to contribute, send it to the Fox Theater Foundation, 2001 H Street, 93301. The Foundation is also planning a Friends of the Fox Membership Drive starting this month and ending on June 14.

 * ... GOH: Another fund raiser, this one for 5th District Supervisor candidate Karen Goh, is planned for March 22 at The Metro Galleries downtown. The event is hosted by galleries owner Don Martin and Dr. Nick Hansa, owner of Chef's Choice Noodle Bar. Call (661) 322-2225 with questions.

 * ... SPOTTED: From a writer who identified himself only as Baseball Aficionado: "For consideration in your 'Spotted' section of Bakersfield Observed. Opening Day Ceremonies for Southwest Little League. 10,000 kids and parents eagerly awaiting the start of the season. Picture perfect day, not so picture perfect interruption as an impatient middle aged woman walks onto the field and interrupts the program multiple times as the emcee is speaking with some unfortuante exchange urging someone to move their parked car. Clearly she could have waited or handled this more discretely without having to put a damper on this beautiful morning.  What happened to patience as a virtue?"


 * ... THEFTS: Petty thefts are nothing new, particularly in this economy, but it doesn't take the sting out of it when it happens. A frustrated Ann Olcott wrote to tell me about her 20-year-old grand daughter, Jami, whose car was broken into at West High while teaching a Color Guard class. "Her new laptop and new GPS were stolen along with all her text books," she said. "Her friend, who was with her and also teaches Color Guard, had his new laptop stolen along with his wallet. Jami works for Kern High District and Standard School District teaching Color Guard to help pay her way through college. These are two hard working Bakersfield College kids, who teach high school and junior high Color Guard to pay for their college and living expenses. Insurance will not cover these item because Jami only has liability on her car. This is a huge loss for them. When will this stop?"

 * ... AGING AMERICA: According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the state with the youngest median age - 29.5 - is Utah. The state with the oldest median age? Maine at 42.7.

The Christmas spirit alive and well in Bakersfield, but what happened by my old black Crocs?

 * ... CHRISTMAS SPIRIT: If you are not in the Christmas spirit, you will be after reading this note from reader Janet Fishburn.  "I just learned that people in California and Michigan have started going into K-Mart stores to act as 'Layaway Angels'.....which means someone would pay off a stranger's layaway bill so that the children in that family would be sure to have the Christmas gifts their family intended for them. We went to the Wilson Road K-Mart yesterday and were able to pay off a bill for a single mother with three children. (the gifts were still in the shopping cart so we could see them, but were ready to go back onto the shelves, because she had missed some payments).  The store manager, Patrick, was most helpful in getting this set up, and it only took us 10 minutes in the store to take care of this and write her a quick Merry Christmas note. And then Patrick called her to inform her that a 'Layaway Angel' had taken care of her bill. Hopefully, she was very happy about this.....it certainly made us feel good!

 * ... THEFT: It's easy to get jaded about petty theft, but sometimes (like when a pair of old black Crocs was snatched off my porch) it just makes you shake your head and wonder. For Olivia Garcia, editor of BakersfieldLife magazine, her surprise came when her double jogging stroller disappeared from her front porch in a desirable northeast neighborhood. "It's a sad state when you have to worry about leaving a stroller out by your front door and risk it being stolen," she said. "Really. Who steals a stroller?" Well, someone does and it may just show up at some yard sale next to my tattered old black Crocs. And now that we're on it, this is a good reminder to be vigilant about UPS or FedEx deliveries. The thieves are out there in force.

 * ... KAPPA SIGMA: An earlier blog post mentioning the Kappa Sigma fraternity drew this response from Joseph Gianquinto: "Brother Beene, fortuitous as it may seem, when I provided the information regarding the return of my sons to Bakersfield to make their lives, I did not mention their fraternal memberships, nor mine for that matter.  I became acquainted with the Five Friends and Brothers .... in 1960 at the then Missouri School of Mines and Metallurgy, Beta Chi Chapter.  My older son took the walk at Northern Arizona University, and my younger at Colorado University.  We are all three proud Kappa Sigma brothers, and now we know you as a brother as well."

 * ... SPOTTED: A young mother with three very small children is spotted jaywalking amid afternoon rush hour traffic on Ming Avenue near Toys 'r Us.

 * ... DUSTIN'S DINER: If you are out seeing the Christmas lights of Bakersfield make sure you swing by Haggin Oaks to visit Dustin's Diner, the hot cocoa and cookie stand that has raised thousands of dollars for the homeless over the past decade. The original Dustin - Dustin Kilpatrick - is now long gone, having graduated from USC in engineering, but his cocoa stand remains staffed by energetic neighborhood kids. It will be open until Friday, December 23.


* ... BAKERSFIELDISM: You might be a Bakersfield old timer if you remember the "Chubby Steak at Tiny's on the Northeast corner of 18th and Chester, the 25-cent burgers at Burger Haven at 34th and Union, and Axelrod the Basset hound mascot of the old Flying A gas station on the same corner!" Thanks to Craig Holland for submitting this memory.

Will this recession serve as a "great awakening?" Why business may never be the same again

Wow, what happened to those cool mornings of June? Just when we thought it would last, summer and temps well north of 100 have become the norm. Lots going on, so here are some short shots around our community:

THE GREAT AWAKENING... As I make my rounds in the community I'm beginning to hear two familiar refrains from local business owners: first, it's all about cash management right now and second, the enduring lesson from this recession is that businesses may never return to their former size. The cash part is easy: with sales down 30 to 50 percent in some cases, your focus has to be on preserving and managing cash until things get better. To avoid nonpayament, one local business is making customers pay half upfront. Others have simply turned the screws hard down on expenses and are delaying any capital expenses like new computers, cars and equipment. The second part is more worrisome for the long term: businesses that have downsized their staffs have realized that while folks are working harder, things are going just fine. In other words they're thinking: were we too big earlier? And going forward: we're going to stay lean.

As one owner of a prominent business in town told me recently: "think of the money that would have dropped to the bottom line if we hadn't gotten so big."

This tells me that the recovery - at least in terms of employment - may lag far beyond metrics like sales and topline revenue growth. Faced with higher taxes from both the state and federal side and stung from the last recession, there will be a tendency to stay small, and that means fewer jobs in a community that already is job starved. Folks are skittish, and if you can get by without authorizing another hire, you'll do just that.



PETTY THEFT OR SIGNS OF MORE TROUBLE? ... I'm amazing at the sheer number of stories I hear about petty thefts, robberies and overall criminal activity of late. A friend had to call the cops because some weirdo was peering into his window one night, and a few days later his office was broken into. Another friend was in Los Angeles and had her car window smashed and personal items stolen. Recently, my neighborhood has been the victim of a string of thefts. Weird stuff like pool floats, a poolside refrigerator (along with two bottles of champagne) furniture cushions, outdoor lamps even a couple of front door welcome mats. Have things gotten so bad that people are driving through neighborhoods stealing welcome mats? In the grand scheme of things this is all small stuff, but the thought of some nut wandering around your back yard, or crawling over your gate hauling away your personal stuff while you're inside asleep is maddening, not to mention a bit frightening.