RIP Nadene Steinert, celebrating the new cul de sacs downtown and when is enough plastic surgery enough?

* … RIP: I was sad to hear of the passing of Adala "Nadene" Steinert, one of the truly gracious members of our community. Nadene was 92 when she died. She is survived by her husband of 71
years, Marvin Steinert, a local businessman who has been so generous to many worthy organizations in town.

* … CUL DE SACS: Not everyone may agree on the widening of 24th Street downtown, but Westchester residents could not be happier with the new cul de sacs being installed on the "tree streets" (Pine, Spruce etc). This weekend, I spotted no fewer than 10 small children playing in the middle of Pine Street near 24th Street now that the street has become a dead-end.

 * … TREES: A reader, who asked not to be named, had a terrific suggestion for the Tree Foundation of Kern to encourage "tree literacy." Said the reader: "I have long thought an interesting series of articles could be written about the trees in Bakersfield. Perhaps a contest of sorts. Each month, you or the Foundation could pick a kind of tree (Redwood, Sycamore, Beech, etc.) and ask people to nominate outstanding examples of that tree. Size, conformity, beauty in location, etc. could be judged and you could do a photo essay, pick outstanding examples, give a plaque to mount by 'the best example,' etc. It would encourage people to plant and admire trees and be a positive story about something nice in Bakersfield."

* … OSCARS: Apropos of nothing, but how surreal did Kim Novak and Goldie Hawn look at the Academy Awards? When is enough plastic surgery enough? (photo by the Associated Press)

* … CEMETERY: Lillie Rose wrote to recall the old Chinese cemetery off Terrace way. "My parent's friends, Bob and Molly Hawthorne, lived in a house that sat rather far back on a lot near where Baldwin Road meets Terrace Way. The Chinese cemetery was almost in their backyard. I was born in Bakersfield in 1943, and as soon as I could walk I was in their yard and fascinated by the cemetery.  It was a lovely place back then. Both the Hawthornes and my parents impressed upon me that it was a place to be treated with the utmost respect. I was sad when the graves were relocated and houses on what had once been holy ground."

 * … TUNNELS: And yet another reader, Kevin Schmidt, suggested making our underground tunnels a tourist attraction. "As an amateur historian, it is with fascination that I read your stories about the underground tunnels in downtown Bakersfield.  It reminded me of my visit to Seattle.  My favorite part of the city was the 'underground city tour' that took you literally underground in old Seattle to visit some of the business and speakeasy's that existed in those times. The city went 'up' while the existing businesses stayed put, with the streets above them. It is one of Seattle's most popular tourist attractions.
Perhaps some enterprising individual can reopen and explore the tunnels under Bakersfield, bring it back to its old mysteries, culture and history to become a unique Bakersfield attraction."

Pots holding shade trees for the downtown arts district are vandalized and The Salvation Army gets a $100,000 grant from The Bakersfield Californian Foundation

* … VANDALISM: It was distressing to awake Saturday and learn that someone took a hammer to one of the beautiful new pots that were installed downtown to beautify the area. The pots, which were

purchased via a grant from The Bakersfield Californian (family) Foundation, were placed throughout the arts district to hold shade trees. The pot that was demolished sat near the Ice Housing framing studio on 19th Street.

 * … GRANTS: And speaking of The Bakersfield Californian (family) Foundation, it awarded a $100,000 grant to the Salvation Army, Tehachapi Service Center to fund the creation of a Community Center that will serve the residents of the Tehachapi area. The Foundation has also offered the Bakersfield Homeless Center Job Development Program a matching grant of $50,00. If the Homeless Center can raise $50,000 within six months, the Foundation will match that amount with its own $50,000.

* … DIAPERS: My earlier blog post on a woman who tossed a dirty diaper into a car via the sun roof after watching a couple leave in on the curb drew applause from more than a dozen readers. This, from Gene Bonas, was typical:  "I just love it when the Esthers of the world seize this type of opportunity and act on it. Great story! If you see Esther in a future meeting, give her a great big hug for me."

* … BAD FORM: Frances Quiroz raises a point about bad form that I just happen to agree with. It happens when parents take their young children into R-rated movies. "There were at least three families with kids that I saw going in to this movie. A movie, that if you looked up it's reviews, has three scenes of nudity, sexual content and sexually suggestive scenes and fondling… Are you kidding me? This is what you want to expose your kids to? As a parent of two minors myself, ages 13 and 16, there are some movies that are PG13 that I won't let my kids watch. Maybe I'm a parent from the dark ages, but I care about what my kids are exposed to. Please tell me that I'm not the only one!"

 * … BAKERSFIELD COLLEGE: Four distinguished alumni of Bakersfield College will be inducted into the alumni association's Hall of Fame this week. On Thursday, the alumni group will hold a dinner to honor Dr. John Alexander, Peter Reyes, Bill Houser and Gerry Collis into the hall of fame. Some tickets are still available by calling (661) 395-4800. Tickets are $35. The event kicks off at 6 p.m. in the Bakersfield College Cafeteria.

  * … GOOD FORM: The folks over at Covenant Coffee on North Chester are sponsoring a Book Drive for Oildale Schools. Said Covenant's Randy Martin: "The goal is for each K-6 grade student from Wingland, Standard, Beardsley and North Beardsley to be given two books each ...we need about 4,000 books! The drive runs through Nov. 17. We are giving a free coffee with the donation of two books!" This is a good cause and, if you haven't been to Covenant's trendy coffee shop on North Chester, here's your chance to check it out.

The downtown arts district gets trees thanks to the generosity of The Bakersfield Californian (family) Foundation and building owner Tim Smale

 * ... IMMIGRATION: It looks like the crisis over Syria may derail the effort to address serious immigration reform before the end of the year. Pro reform activists have been pushing for a vote in the

House of Representatives this year, but the lingering Middle East crisis has diverted attention and could possibly push immigration off until 2014. And with congressional elections set for next year, House Republicans may not want to vote on immigration in an election year, meaning immigration reform may not be dealt with until late next year, if that. Stay tuned.

 * ... TREES: The downtown arts district is getting a new layer of greenery thanks to the generosity of two local business owners. Twelve huge clay pots that will hold magnolias and crepe myrtles have been placed along 19th and Eye streets, providing some welcome shade and further sprucing up the downtown area. This is all the work of Melissa Iger of the Tree Foundation of Kern thanks to a $9,000 grant from The Bakersfield Californian (family) Foundation. Don Martin, owner of The Metro Galleries on 19th Street, has worked with Iger to place and plant the trees. Farther down Eye Street, two mature trees were planted in front of a renovated building next to the Mama Roomba restaurant thanks to building owner Tim Smale, a local oil executive.

 * ... BAD FORM: It seems people will steal about anything. The folks over at Advance Beverage Co. are asking for the public's help in finding a 30-foot-tall inflatable green plastic Dos Equis bottle that was stolen during Village Fest. If you have information, call (661) 833-3783.

 * ... OVERHEARD: A woman is telling a friend about a seat mate on her flight on US Airways from Bakersfield to Phoenix. "So she sits down next to me and immediately takes off her shoes and props her filthy feet up in my space. The flight attendants need cultural instructions along with safety instructions. I took a picture of it but it didn't seem to phase her."

 * ... SPOTTED: Seen on a friend's Facebook post: "Just had to go to the DMV to renew my driver's license... Pull up, line is out the door, thank god that was the non-appointment line. I was in and out in 20 minutes, but I really feel like I need a shower, some hand sanitizer, a round of antibiotics and some brain bleach. OMG!"

 * ... BC BARBECUE: Remember to put the annual Bakersfield College barbecue on your calendar for Thursday, September 19. Sponsored by the Bakersfield College Alumni Association, it will be held at Stramler park from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Mento Buru will be providing the music and proceeds will help the alumni association offer more scholarships to deserving students. Tickets are $25 for adults, $15 for students and $5 for children. Call the BC ticket office at (661) 395-4326 or buy them at the event.