"Sheer, naked chutzpah:" The same unions that helped pass the $15 an hour minimum wage law in Los Angeles are now asking to be exempt so union shops can pay lower salaries

 * ... UNIONS: In what one commentator called "sheer, naked chutzpah," the same unions that helped pass a $15 an hour minimum wage law in Los Angeles are now asking to be exempt from the law. That's right, the county Federation of Labor is saying collective bargaining agreements should trump

the local minimum wage law. As reported in the Los Angeles Times: "Rusty Hicks, who heads the county Federation of Labor and helps lead the Raise the Wage coalition, said Tuesday night that companies with workers represented by unions should have leeway to negotiate a wage below that mandated by the law." And they wonder why the public has grown so cynical.

 * ... LOFTS: What is it they say about one man's trash is another man's treasure? That seems to be the issue surrounding a proposed loft project on 18th Street, which some see as urban in-fill at its

finest and others see as, well, something less than that. I wrote about this earlier this week, pointing out that local businessman John Sarad was a part of the opposition. That, of course, prompted a call from Sarad to clarify his stand, and he wondered aloud why I would single him out as a vocal opponent. (Memo to John: You have seven rental houses, an apartment building, the Haberfelde Building and you have restored close to 20 homes. Your presence downtown is well known and you always make sure your voice is heard). Sarad told me he is not opposed to the project itself but wants changes that would reduce its size and possibly change its design. "It's too overpowering," he said, "and would be more appropriate somewhere else." The lofts are the idea of local Realtor Eydie Gibson and a group of investors who want to build 28 units with 31 on-site parking spaces. Sarad argued the contemporary design "clashes" with the more historic nature of the neighborhood. He also took issue with the my suggestion there could be a conflict by the fact that Ward 2 city councilman Terry Maxwell, whose district covers downtown, is his tenant at the Sarad-owned Haberfelde Building. "Terry is a tenant, that's all," he said. Opponents have given Gibson a long list of changes that may make the project more compatible. Is there room for compromise?

 * ... BAD FORM: A regular reader sent me this note and asked to remain unidentified: "You recently mentioned in your column the 'decorum factor' exhibited or non-existent during graduation ceremonies. We are in close proximity to the convention center where many of these ceremonies take place. I have observed, on more than a dozen occasions, folks arriving for these ceremonies and not wanting to pay parking fees, park along the side streets near the convention center. Many of these people run through the nearby fast food restaurants for food, and then for some reason, feel privileged to bestow their garbage at the doors of the business offices near the arena. Obviously, the exhibition of disrespect is not just saved for the ceremony."

 * ... OVERHEARD: A young woman is telling a friend: "I feel terrible about what's happening in Burundi and all. Where is it anyway?"

 * ... SPOTTED: I spotted this on Twitter: "Life is too short for fake butter, cheese or people.

* ... HONOR FLIGHT: Honor Flight has won a special place in our hearts for flying World War II veterans to Washington, D.C., to visit the war memorials. Now, it is taking the next step by flying Vietnam veterans there for the same purpose. Said Honor Flight volunteer Lili Crommett-Marsh:
"Honor Flight is 'breaking ranks' this Friday (today) by flying over 100 Vietnam vets to THEIR memorial in D.C. We encourage the community to fill the Icardo Center at Cal State on Sunday at 10 p.m., to give these heroes the welcome home they have never received 40 years ago."

 * ... MEMORIES: LaVonne Templeton loves all the stories about the old theaters that are now long gone. "I love all these stories of the various thearters in town.  I was in high school in the 1950s and remember very well wearing high heel shoes for the very first time and trying to climb the very steep stairs in the balcony at the California theater."

Keep an eye on Idaho as unions clash with the state over reforms and Cal Radio welcomes Gene Tackett on Monday at 9 a.m.

 * ... UNIONS: Keep your eye on Idaho, the latest battleground where teacher unions are fighting an effort to limit their collective bargaining rights. Faced with dismal education ratings, state school superintendent Tom Luna launched a "Students First" initiative that, among other things, would restrict collective bargaining to salary and benefits. This rankles the unions, of course, who want to hold onto to archaic ideas like tenure that protects bad teachers from being fired. This is all reminiscent of the battle in Wisconsin, where the unions were dealt a setback when they unsuccessfully tried to recall Gov. Scott Walker.

 * ... CAL RADIO: It's been a big week in politics - Obamacare upheld, the simmering immigration debate, the House holding Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt - and Monday I'll address those issues with my guest, political consultant Gene Tackett. We'll also talk about the upcoming "celebration of life" for Wendy Wayne, Gene's late wife who died two weeks ago. Join us at 9 a.m. on Californian Radio KERN 1180. Phone (661) 842-5376 with your questions. (file photo of Wendy Wayne and Gene Tackett)

 * ... HITCHING POST: I wandered over to Luigi's Restaurant and Delicatessen for lunch Friday (spinach salad with tuna, thank you) and owner Tonya Valpredo walked me outside to see the old hitching post buried in the concrete near the front entrance. The post disappeared a few years back when the city widened the street, but thanks to Tonya's efforts they located it in a scrap heap and re-cemented it in place. I'm only aware of a few of these hitching posts left in the city. Let me know if you know of others around town.

 * ... THREE GENERATIONS: If you've spent any time in our community you may know the Rous clan, beginning with family patriarch John Rous, father of the Thanksgiving Day "Pie Run" at Hart Park and a longtime cyclist and runner. Last week the family spent some time in Cayucos and three generations of the Rous family found themselves riding bikes together. "Son David, my grandson Parker, who will be 13 on August 21, and myself rode the tough, steep Old Creek Road. Of course David led Parker on the ride, and I finally made it to the top. Did not stop." David is vice president of Glinn and Giordano physical therapy and is an accomplished athlete and competitive cyclist. (file photos of John, David Rous)

 * ... OVERHEARD: Greg Gallion, CEO of Houchin Blood Bank, is heard telling a friend about being ticketed for a "California roll" in his Old Stockdale neighborhood. "It was the California Highway Patrol on Fairway Drive!"


* ... POKER: My earlier post about a couple of local card sharks headed to the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas triggered this response from reader Mike Hutson. He noted the tournament's "Main Event" begins July 7 with a grand prize in the $8 million range. "Well, at least three Bakersfield residents have qualified for the Main Event, having won local tournaments to get there. Ryan Huston and Larry Hieb each won a seat by capturing the two top spots in a recent satellite tournament at Golden West Casino.  Both were given an additional $2,000 to help with the travel expenses.  The third player is local teacher and Centennial High baseball coach, Justin Roberts.  Certainly, congratulations are in order for these three with the hope that Lady Luck sits a little closer to Ryan!"

Westchester rattled by a second shooting at Jastro Park and more weigh in on union protesters

 * ... JASTRO SHOOTING: The second shooting in a year at Jastro Park has rattled residents of the downtown and Westchester neighborhoods. Blessed with wide streets, century-old homes, a canopy of trees and the charm of Rockwellian America, Westchester has always enjoyed a special allure but also bears the brunt of the occasional opportunistic crime. In the latest case, two known gang members were arrested for opening fire at two other men with whom they had an altercation. As one resident said: "My family has lived here for 60 years and we've never had two shootings in a row like this. There's one home that seems to be at the center of this activity and we're going to do something about it."

* ... PICKET LINE: Stephen J. Haupt, a senior vice president at Colliers International, responded to my post about union picket lines with a view shared by many in the business community. "Personally I do not have a problem with people exercising their First Amendment rights. However, it would be more meaningful if the union members were actually on the picket line rather than the temp workers who probably do not know all of the issues. I wonder if the union is paying these protesters union wages?"

* ... SPOTTED: From a reader: Seen at California Avenue and Oak Street an older, mid-sized truck
with two bumper stickers on the back window. "One shows a cell phone with a red slash through it and the words 'Hang up and drive.' The other says 'Keep honking — I'm reloading.' Is it just me, or would shoving ammunition into a firearm while driving represent a bigger potential traffic hazard than talking on a cell phone?"

 * ... MEMORY: Roger Abonnel asks if anyone else remembers the Kern River flood of 1950. "You are an old timer if you stood on the bluffs, as I did, on Sunday, November 19, 1950, and watched the flood take out Gordon's Ferry,  Rancheria and the Kernville bridges.


* ... FISK HARLOW: Regular contributor John Pryor wrote with some background on Fisk Harlow, who owned the old Bakersfield Hardware store. He said Fisk lived "in a charming home on the southeast corner of Alta Vista and Bernard, directly across the street  from a current news story - the Green Frog Market - whose owner Charles Everett lived across the street from the Harlow's (and my family) in the opposite direction. We witnessed Everett walking back and forth from his home to the Green Frog with a huge bag of money in his grip. It was so heavy he 'listed' to one side as he walked the almost two block distance." Pryor said Harlow also owned the first golf cart used at Stockdale Country Club.


* ... CPA: Longtime Bakersfield resident and CPA Lynn Starr Del Mundo has joined the accounting firm of Daniells Phillips Vaughan and Bock as a partner. Prior to this Lynn had been part of a successful accounting practice with her late father, Martin A. Starr.



* .... BROCK'S MEMORY: Marvin Schmidt weighed in from New Mexico with a memory of his mother, Irene Schmidt, who worked at Brock's until she was into her 80s in the drapery department. "Standing 4 feet 11 inches and weighing a little over 100 pounds, she always wore high heeled shoes and the best dresses. When management changed, they were told not to look at her age but at her abilities," he said. "For years before moving to Bakersfield she rode the bus from Shafter to come to work."