Bakersfield listed among the top unhappy cities in America, but here's a dissenting view

* ... SAY WHAT? Men's Health, the magazine that loves to compile "best" and "worst" lists, is at it again. This time it rates the top 20 "Frown Towns" across the country, places where folks are just plain unhappy about everything from unemployment to foreclosures. And sure enough, Bakersfield made the list along with Sacramento.  Florida cities led the list (no doubt because of the housing crisis) with St. Petersburg, Tampa, Miami, Jacksonville and Orlando near the top. Pardon me, but my view is Bakersfield has shown real resilience in this long recession. Memo to Men's Health: personal happiness is not determined by one's Zip Code.

 * ... OUR TOWN: To that point, here's a valentine to our fair city. Twilla Klassen wrote that she was in a grocery store when she and another shopper allowed a man with one item to cut in line. "He paid and left but when we checked out he had purchased a holly plant for each of us. What a great way to start the Christmas season. Blessings on him and his family."


 * ... TV ANTENNA: Bill Deaver wrote with this nugget about the old television antennas. "The item about the woman turning the TV antenna reminded me of a time back on the 1960s when my wife and I moved to a home on Mojave's west side. By the time we were moved in it was raining cats and coyotes (desert weather!). So I hooked the TV lead to a pair of metal pants-stretchers (remember them?), and we got a great signal until I could get up on the roof and install an antenna. It helped that the LA TV antennas were on top of Mt. Wilson which was visible from Mojave!"

 * ... SPOTTED: Woman driving a black Mercedes SUV pulls through a Starbucks drive through lane with coffee in hand, but offers her dog the first sip before moving on.

 * ... AIDS QUILT: Eight panels of the national AIDS quilt will be on display Tuesday at The Metro Galleries on 19th Street. The public is invited to view the exhibit from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. At 6 p.m. there will be a fund raising reception - hors d'oeuvres, no host bar and live music - to benefit Bakersfield's AIDS Project and Ricky's Retreat. The cost is $20 a person.

 * ... BOYS AND GIRLS: Another worthy fund raiser will be held Tuesday, December 5, at the Stockdale Boys and Girls Club behind Sam's Club on Gosford Road. It's the club's Bunco Night to benefit children living in homeless shelters. The cost is $35 per ticket and the fun gets under way at 6 p.m. For more information call Carole Cohen at (661) 496-4882.

 * ... WHO KNEW?: Did you know that the Fox Theater opened downtown on Christmas day in 1930, when movies were still called “talkies?” Other cities with Fox Theaters include Atlanta, Brooklyn and Detroit.

McCarthy: battling for water rights and measures to create jobs

 

Bakersfield Rep. Kevin McCarthy, House Majority Whip, gives us his weekly view from Capitol Hill.

 

 "I want to congratulate Bakersfield High School senior Amelia Egland for winning the 2011 Earl Warren Cup competition Wednesday night. 32 students competed in the 6th annual competition, and I want to say a job well done to all the participants and also to Principal David Reese, whose impressive entrance from the ceiling kicked things off. This is exactly the kind of competition that can get students excited about government, politics and civic responsibility, and I want to thank Jeremy Adams, Pam and Kevin Reynier and Craig Holliday for making it such a successful competition. When I reached out to First Lady Laura Bush, Diane Sawyer, Speaker Boehner and others to ask them to record a question for the competition, they were all happy to participate. Knowing our community is full of so many bright, passionate and driven young people makes me confident that America’s best days are still ahead.

 

"But we must do our part to ensure that the America our children inherit is still a strong one. There are more than 20 bipartisan jobs bills passed by the House lingering in the Senate waiting to be voted on, and we added three more this week. The Workforce Democracy & Fairness Act (H.R. 3094) protects employers and employees from partisan overreach by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), the Regulatory Flexibility Improvements Act of 2011 (H.R. 527) modernizes regulations that haven’t been changed in fifteen years and the Regulatory Accountability Act (H.R. 3010) establishes a rational system of cost-benefit analysis and increases the transparency of rulemaking and public hearings of proposed rules. These common-sense bills could help increase the confidence of our job creators to grow jobs at a time when millions of Americans are seeking work, and I will continue to push Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to bring them to the Senate floor.

 

Increasing certainty about our water supply is also vital, especially here in the Central Valley. Next week, I will be sending a letter to Interior Department Secretary Ken Salazar demanding that his Department use the best available science when they begin work on the new Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta delta smelt biological opinion. Recently, a Federal court struck down the existing opinion, which is cutting off vital water supplies to California’s Central Valley, as unlawful and not based on the best science. The court ordered it to be redone. The court also discredited some of the scientists who wrote the existing opinion, but unfortunately the Interior Department continues to stand behind them. In order to ensure the best available science is used, the letter also calls on the Secretary to replace the discredited scientists.

 

"Water is the lifeblood of our community and economy. When a Federal court throws out a Federal agency biological opinion because of shoddy science, it is incumbent upon that agency to improve the science behind it – both for its own credibility and for the millions of Californians who depend on water coming through the delta.

Rumors of Billy Cowan's death are premature and remembering the Blackboard and other local icons

 * ... ALIVE AND HEALTHY: Billy Cowan, one of Bakersfield's premier athletes who went from Bakersfield College to the Chicago Cubs, is alive and well, thank you. Apparently there is a well traveled rumor that Cowan had died, but Californian sports reporter Jeff Evans says it couldn't be further from the truth. Apparently the rumor is so strong that Cowan's family has been inundated with calls offering their sympathies. Now 73, Cowan graduated from East High and played baseball and basketball at Bakersfield College before going to Utah on a basketball scholarship. He went on to become the starting center fielder for the Cubs in 1964 when he hit 19 home runs and was ranked ninth in the National League with 12 stolen bases. He played in the majors from 1963-72 and was once traded by the Braves back to the Cubs in 1966 for a utility infielder named Bobby Cox (the same Bobby Cox of the Atlanta Braves who will be a Hall of Fame manager one day). He will be inducted into the East High Hall of Fame in February.

.... THE BLOG: Risa Bletcher to wrote to say she enjoys this blog but thinks it has become too "clubby," mentioning places like Luigi's where some folks have not visited. She'd like to hear more about these places: the old Blackboard, Maison Jaussauds, the Coachlight Inn, Andre's, Stan's, the Tam O'Shanter, East Bakersfield High, Jefferson and Beale parks and "my all time favorite and neglected, Hart Park. Let's hear about all those wonderful places!"

* ... WHO KNEW? Did you know that in the 1980s Valley Plaza had a Hickory Farms store approximately where ladies' undergarments are now sold at Victoria's Secret?

 * ... MEMORY: Linda Welch wrote to remember "those wonderful rooftop antennas. You had to go outside and rotate them and you might have to put a clothes pen on them" to clear the signal. "Thank God these are not the good old days!"

 * ... SPOTTED: Woman driving a new, white Lexus 570 SUV blows through a red light at Oak and 24th streets, one of our city's most dangerous intersections. Memo to the driver: let's hope it's not your son or daughter driving the car you plow into.

 * ... CHEZ NOEL: Don't forget the 21st annual Chez Noel Home Tour sponsored by the Assistance League of Bakersfield. It will run Friday and Saturday between 10 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. with tickets going for just $35. This is a great chance to see some of our community's lovely homes, so make sure you check this out. Call the Assistance League at (661) 861-9223 for more information on tickets.

 * ... BAKERSFIELDISM: Donna James says you may really be a Bakersfield old timer if you remember when "the location of St. Francis School was the pasture for Dr. Christopher Stockton's milk cow!"

Two local athletes shine at the district cyclocross championships and prepare for another First Friday

 * ... FOG SEASON: I am a sun rat who actually enjoys our Bakersfield summers, but fog season also has a special allure for me. This is the time of year when we break out our sweaters, boots, overcoats and scarves. The fog hangs low and at night our community wears a magical glow. Which is why I am looking forward to First Friday this week when all the downtown shops, boutiques, galleries and restaurants will be open to usher in a chilly December evening. The arts district will be alive with horse drawn carriages and carolers, so make sure you bundle up and join us downtown to support our local businesses.

 * ... METRO: Bakersfield native son Keith Wicks returns for another exhibit at The Metro Galleries on 19th Street, opening this Friday. Wicks, who is Congressman Kevin McCarthy's cousin, taught at the Academy of Art in San Francisco and now lives in Sonoma. His work is simply stunning. Also being displayed at Metro Galleries are works by former CBS news correspondent Bill Lagattuta, whose art includes abstract portraits and recycled metal. Gallery owner Don Martin is also featuring works by local artists, all priced below $400.  (works below by Wicks and Lagattuta)

* ... CHAMPS: Kudos to a pair of local uber athletes who brought home a couple of district state championships in cyclo cross racing. Sam Ames, the manager of Action Sports off Brimhall Road, won first in the master's division ages 40 to 44 and Chevron employee Gareth Feldstein took top honors in the Category 3 division. The race was held at Verdugo Park in Glendale. The state cyclocross championships are set for January 22 here at Hart Park in Bakersfield.

 * ... SIMON WIBLE: This tidbit comes courtesy of longtime Bakersfield oilman F. Lynn Blystone, who just returned from the meeting of the Alaska Miners Association in Anchorage. He learned that Simon Wible, for whom Wible Road is named, was inducted into the Alaska Mining Hall of Fame in 2003. "In the late 19th century he mined gold and built canals and water systems in California," Blystone said. "He built the Kern Valley Water Company canals, founded the Bank of Bakersfield and was considered one of our leading citizens." Wible later went to Alaska in 1898 at the age of 67 and mined for 13 years before his death in 1911." His mine at Girdwood, about 45 miles from Anchorage, still produces today."

 * ... RABBI CHERYL: Hats off to Rabbi Cheryl Rosenstein who will celebrate her "chai anniversary" at Temple Beth El this Saturday. I am told that "chai" means "life" and is a symbol that captures an important aspect of Judaism. The event starts at the Temple at 4 p.m. with a program at 5:30 p.m.

 * ... WHO KNEW? Did you know that the logo graphic used by Pyrenees French Bakery is actually a copy of a photograph taken by the famous French photographer Elliott Erwitt in 1955?

Bako Bits: giving thanks and remembering days gone by

 * ... GIVING THANKS: While you are giving thanks this week, keep in mind all those who are struggling with illness and other challenges. My thoughts go to Wendy Wayne, one of our community's great leaders who is down at City of Hope Hospital in Los Angeles undergoing chemotherapy for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. 


* ... BAD FORM: Harry Love wrote to lament some of the bad driving habits seen around our town. "It is time to remind Bakersfield drivers about California law that requires driving to have headlights on even during the day. Today while driving on Rosedale Highway only one out of ten cars had the headlights on. Please spread the word." Will do, Harry, and I'll also issue a polite remind that using turn signals is also a good idea.

 * ... SPOTTED: And speaking of suspect driving, a pit pull is spotted hanging by its leash off the side of a yellow pickup truck getting on east-bound Highway 178 at Fairfax Road, its feet scrambling on the pavement to keep up with the accelerating vehicle. Alerted by the honking of others, the driver pulled to the side of the on-ramp and put the dog back in the bed of the truck.

 * ... PIES: This seasonal tidbit from reader Ken Barnes: "Never a better time to remember my long-gone friend and hunting partner Leroy Fontana. He and his whole family would produce hundreds of pumpkin and pecan pies Thanksgiving week at their shop on Niles Street. And, not just to sell but to give to local shelters around town. Best piece ever made in the city, bar none!"

 * ... IRONMAN: Hats off to John Zaninovich, who at 41 completed his first Ironman triathlon. Proud mother Priscilla Kelly said family and friends where there in Tempe, Arizona, when John competed with 2,600 other triathletes in the grueling event. "We are all proud of him and feel he sets a great example for all of us when we have to talk ourselves into our daily exercise regime!"

 * ... MORE THANKS: Gordon Wickersham wrote to thank the folks over at The Rehabilitation Center of Bakersfield for their kindness in helping his wife Betty, who is suffering from Parkinson's disease. He said the center sponsored a day trip to Eagle Mountain Casino for more than  30 patients "and it was precision at its finest. The smiles will last forever."

 * ... FLOUROSCOPE: Remember the old Flouroscope machines that X-rayed your feet at local shoe stores? Shirley Essman believes the first in town was at Leed's Shoes at 19th Street and Chester Avenue.

Heading into a day of giving thanks and reeling from the idea that Bakersfield is a top "sex happy" city

 * ... THANKS: Thanksgiving is a time to acknowledge the blessings in our lives, so here's my list of some of the things for which I am thankful.

 - I am thankful for a job that keeps me motivated and feeling appreciated.
  - I am thankful for my family and all the women in my life, including two wonderful daughters and a gray tabby named Latte who welcomes me home each and every night.
  - I am thankful for my health and for Dr. Raj Patel and all the good folks over at Preferred Family Physicians who take a genuine interest in my well being.
  -  I am thankful to live in a vibrant and free nation that, despite our challenges, remains the most dynamic country in the world.
 - I am blessed to have a cadre of wonderful friends who never cease to amaze me with their kindness and understanding.
 - And finally, I am lucky to live in a community like Bakersfield that - while quirky at times - is a wonderful place to call home.

 * ... FIRST FRIDAY: I'm looking forward to next week's First Friday when our downtown arts district will once again come alive. I'm particularly keen to see the new Keith Wicks exhibit at The Metro Galleries on 19th Street. Wicks is one of my favorite artists  (I own two of his paintings) and he's worth checking out if you are not familiar with his work. Wicks lives in Sonoma but has strong local ties, including many cousins who live in Bakersfield.

 * ... FOUNDATION: Yet another wonderful thing about our community is its generosity, in ways small and large. I am fortunate to work for a family that believes in giving back, which it did last week via the family's Bakersfield Californian Foundation. The Foundation gave away $111,748.22 in its fall grant cycle, which concentrated on beautifying downtown. Among the recipients were the Arts Council of Kern, the Bakersfield Museum of Art, the Tree Foundation of Kern County, the Fox Theater Foundation, the Spotlight Theater, the Boy Scouts of Kern County, the Boys and Girls Club and the Kern County Museum Foundation.

 * ... SEX HAPPY: Bakersfield made the top ten among American cities deemed to be the most "sex happy." That's right, at least according to Men's Health magazine which based the survey on condom sales, birth rates and STD rates. The top five? Austin, Dallas, Columbus, Ohio, Durham, N.C., and Denver.

 * ... PIE RUN: Remember the annual Pie Run at Hart Park Thanksgiving morning. The fun starts at sun up when more than a 100 runners and walkers head into the hills for a chilly start to the day. Follow the cars to the bonfire and make sure you bring a pie or something to share.

 * ... BAKERSFIELDISM: You know you're from Bakersfield when the two most common bumper stickers deal with Jesus Christ or the Oakland Raiders.

If it's Thanksgiving week, it's time for the annual Pie Run and to welcome the returning college kids

 * ... JOE GOTTLIEB: Long-time Bakersfield businessman and pilot Joe Gottlieb passed away recently, prompting this note from reader Kathy Scott. "Not only did he own 'Gottlieb's Seat Cover City' for many years b ut he was once thought to be dead after not being seen for several days (or perhaps it was weeks, I am not sure) and then he remarkably showed up in Mexico after surviving an accident that put him, his airplane and a friend underwater. Then there is the fact that he had his own private airstrip in his back yard in northwest Bakersfield." 

* ... PIE RUN: One of Bakersfield's great traditions will happen at the crack of dawn on Thanksgiving out at Hart Park. It's the annual "Pie Run" where a hundred or so runners and walkers brave the early morning chill and run through the hills and return to a fire and freshly cooked trip-tip and plenty of pies, cookies and breads. It's the brain child of John Rous and has grown into one of our community's signature events, a can't miss way to start the holiday. It starts at dawn and make sure you bring warm gloves, the pie of your choice and your favorite dog.

 * ... COLLEGE KIDS: If it's Thanksgiving week then prepare for the annual influx of college kids home for the holiday. You'll spot them at Luigi's, Uricchio's, Woolgrowers and all the other favorite haunts that serve up Bakersfield home cooking. 

 * ... SPOTTED: Thirty-something mother screaming at her young daughter in the shoe department at a local Target, loudly berating her in front of others. Said one reader: "I could hear this mother clear across the store. She's screaming at this poor little girl,  'You're rude and an embarrassing child!'"

 * ... FEDWAY: Reader Patti Imes remembers her first real job as a Santa's helper at the old Fedway where she helped with the photos. "This was long before digital cameras and I had to remove the exposed film from the camera box under a zipped black bag with arm holes for your hands to go through. Then the film was placed in a mail bag, all while still not looking at what you are doing so you did not get light on the exposed film. Then the package was mailed every night and the families would get the pictures of their kids with Santa in the mail a week later. And who cannot forget the red pixie elf jacket I had to wear every night."

* ... BROCK'S: Kym Vliem wrote to recall the Campus Debs at Brock's Department Store. "In the mid 1960s I participated in Operation Quick Stitch: Brock's 7th Annual Spring Fashion show with Anne Meyers as the Campus Deb director. We were required to sew our own outfits (mine was a mini dress with matching shorts) and write a little bit of dialogue to be read as we did our runway walk."

 * ... LOIS HENRY: Californian columnist Lois Henry will join me Monday at 9 a.m. on Californian Radio (KERN 1180) to talk about investigative journalism and what drives her. Have something you want her to look into? Call the show. We'll be on until 10 a.m.

House moved into digital era allowing constituents to follow activities in real time

Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Bakersfield and House Majority Whip, gives us his weekly view from Capitol Hill.

 

 "This week, the House was launched into a new era of transparency with a ground-breaking government application called WhipCast. With this first-of-its-kind government app that you can download on your iPhone, iPad, Blackberry or Android mobile device, you can receive updates on legislation, what the House is considering on the Floor, press releases and more, as it happens. This is a truly revolutionary app – a one-stop-shop to get all the information on what’s going on in Washington.

"For example, this week in Washington was a busy one, the House passed bipartisan legislation to repeal a cumbersome tax withholding requirement to help create jobs and increase certainty for businesses and also ensure our veterans have the resources they need to find employment in this difficult economy. This bill is now on its way to the President’s desk to be signed into law. In addition, we took up a Balanced Budget Amendment to our Constitution to finally force the government to live within its means.

"If you are one of the over 25,000 people who have already downloaded WhipCast, you probably already knew about the action we took this week. If you haven’t downloaded WhipCast yet, I hope you do. Downloading is fast, easy and free. All you have to do is go to the app store on your iPhone, iPad, Blackberry or Android mobile device and type in ‘WhipCast.’ Or, just click on one of the following links to go directly to the store on your device: iPhone/iPad, Blackberry, Android. If you need a little more encouragement to download the app, I put together a lighthearted video to promote it. And while I think I’ll stick with my day job for the time being, I hope you enjoy it. To watch it, click here. 

"There are a number of exciting things happening here in Bakersfield. This weekend, Bakersfield High School will host the Kern Region Forensics League's final tournament, which I’m proud that my son Connor will be participating in. I also want to congratulate the CSU Bakersfield men’s soccer team on a great effort in my alma mater’s first time competing in a NCAA Division I Tournament. These young men are exceptional athletes and were strong competitors and I am so proud that they got so far. 

"Like many of you, I am looking forward to Thanksgiving and the Holiday Season in general. But this time of year also gives us fresh reminder that there are many less fortunate in our community, especially in our current economy. I know I have often said that the members of our community are the most thoughtful and generous I’ve ever known, and I encourage everyone who is able to find a way to give back to those in need this Holiday Season. Whether it is donating turkeys or clothing and blankets, every little bit helps and I know it is appreciated by those in our community going through tough times.