An incredible sunset in Bakersfield Tuesday captured throughout town

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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.

McCarthy continues to question the use of military force in Syria, and CSUB professor Gonzalo Santos to appear on KERN NewsTalk 1180 to talk immigration reform

 * ... MCCARTHY: House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy continues to have "strong reservations" about the use of military force against Syria. The Bakersfield Republican told me there  "is nothing I take more seriously than issues that involve the lives of the men and women of our

military.  And as I continue to evaluate the intelligence information and hear the calls and emails from our neighbors, I continue to have strong reservations about the President’s draft resolution asking Congress to authorize the use of military force when there remains so many unanswered questions on the mission and the goals."

 * ... SANTOS: Gonzalo Santos is a CSUB sociology professor who has been involved in the push for sweeping reform of our immigration laws. On Tuesday at 9 a.m., I will talk to Santos on KERN NewsTalk 1180 (broadcast live on Bakersfield.com) to hear his take on his meeting with Congressman Kevin McCarthy. McCarthy claims Santos threatened him, giving him a three-month timeline to pass immigration reform or protestors would shadow him and make his life painful. Santos told me McCarthy exaggerated his comments. We will talk about that and immigration reform Tuesday. Tune in.

 * ... KINDNESS: Kim Schaefer shared this act of kindness that she witnessed at the 24 Hour Fitness center on the east side. When she arrived at the gym, she found a large pit bull sleeping by the front door. "The concerned young lady at the front desk called Kern County Animal Control. Meanwhile two young ladies came out and were very concerned about the well being of the dog because of the recent headlines regarding KCAC. The girls took the dog and plan on adopting it. I thought it was very kind and wanted to this story about these terrific young people doing their part."

* ... POLLUTION: There has been a lot of give and take on this blog about whether idling cars contribute to air pollution. This idea from Greg Laskowski: "Let’s see.  It’s 108 degrees outside on a typical Bakersfield summer day and depending on the type of vehicle being driven the temperature in the car could rise to 115 degrees  If you have a pet, an infant, or a frail senior in the car with you, are you going to shut of your engine or sit in air conditioned comfort? Let’s be practical and use common sense here. That’s why we call this town Bako."

* ... ANIMALS: Apricot Lane Boutique over at the Marketplace is offering a special incentive to help the animals at the Kern County Animal shelter find forever homes. According to Tami Calderwood, a North High graduate and boutique owner, anyone who adopts a pet from Kern County Animal Control shelter in September before they close their doors will receive a voucher for 50 percent off their purchase. Now that is a good deal. It runs through the end of this month.

 * ... INTERFAITH: There is an interesting conference set at CSUB to discuss the role of religion in world peace. It's the 16th annual Bakersfield Interfaith Conference and it is set for Saturday, October 5, from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Student Union Building. Admission is free and among the speakers will be CSUB's Professor Stafford Betty, who will give opening remarks on Gandhi.

Congressman Kevin McCarthy: continues to have strong reservations about the use of military force against Syria

 Rep. Kevin McCarthy, House Majority Whip, shares with us his weekly report from Capitol Hill.


"This week everyone’s focus remains on the debate surrounding Syria. Over the Labor Day weekend, I traveled back to Washington to moderate a classified briefing for members of the House and Senate.  I also attended a meeting with other congressional leaders at the White House with President Obama. In

that meeting, we sat with the President and his national security team to discuss the ongoing situation and the intelligence information that is available.

"There is nothing I take more seriously than issues that involve the lives of the men and women of our military.  And as I continue to evaluate the intelligence information and hear the calls and emails from our neighbors, I continue to have strong reservations about the President’s draft resolution asking Congress to authorize the use of military force when there remains so many unanswered questions on the mission and the goals.

"I encourage all of our neighbors to please continue to share your thoughts with me as this debate continues.

Cal State professor Gonzalo Santos replies to Congressman McCarthy's description of their meeting on immigration reform.

 Gonzalo Santos is a CSUB sociology professor who has been active in the movement to push for sweeping reform of our nation's immigration laws. He was with a small group of pro reform activists who met with McCarthy recently. McCarthy told me Santos threatened him by telling him he would 
"make me feel the pain" by having protestors shadow his every movement. 

 Today Santos claimed that McCarthy had twisted the facts. His note to me follows. Santos also accepted my invitation to be my guest on First Look with Scott Cox this coming Tuesday at 9 a.m. on KERN NewsTalk 1180. The interview will be broadcast live on Bakersfield.com. Tune in to hear his side of the story. His note:


"Mr Beene,

I know blogging is held to more relaxed standards of journalism than straight reporting, but it would have been nice to check with me statements attributed to me.

"For the record, what Rep. McCarthy told you I told him is a distortion, a fabrication. If you are interested in finding out what I actually told him, feel free to ask me and I'll be glad to tell you or one of your reporters.

"But for now, and paraphrasing Harry Truman: I'm not in the habit of threatening politicians, I merely tell them the truth and they think it's a threat.

"BTW, his 'explanation' for his noticed absence on the two pilgrimage events last Sunday & Monday is also disingenuous. His staff informed us WEEKS IN ADVANCE he would not greet or meet the pilgrims. Had he been willing to greet us and join us in searching for a pathway to citizenship for 11 million aspiring Americans, we would have gladly walked even longer to accommodate his busy recess schedule.

Thank you for the excellent coverage of those events and publishing our editorial on Wednesday.

Prof. Gonzalo Santos

Cal State Bakersfield professor threatens House Majority Whip over the issue of immigration, saying it will be like the 1960s all over again

 * ... MCCARTHY: It is reasonable that people get passionate over immigration reform, but does it excuse threats and intimidation? In a meeting with local pro-reform activists, Rep. Kevin McCarthy was taken aback when CSUB sociology instructor Gonzalo Santos issued a veiled threat if real reform legislation doesn't pass within three months. According to McCarthy, Santos said he would "make me feel the pain... make it difficult for me" by having his movements shadowed by protests if immigration reform doesn't happen. "He told me it would be like the 1960s again," McCarthy told me. "They already come by my house and it makes my daughter feel uncomfortable... I don't like being threatened." My own views on this issue are probably closer to those of Santos than McCarthy, but I don't believe these kinds of threats are the least bit constructive. McCarthy also dismissed accusations that he refused to meet with pro reform protesters who showed up at his local office over Labor Day, saying he had been called back to Washington for the intelligence briefing on the Syria conflict. (file photo of Gonzalo Santos)

* ... VALLEY FEVER: House Majority Whip McCarthy may be in the cross hairs over immigration reform, but some of the most important work he is doing is in trying to find a vaccine for Valley Fever. He has now gotten the attention of the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta, and two CDC directors will be in Bakersfield Sept. 23-24 for the first Valley Fever Symposium. McCarthy is invited all survivors of Valley Fever, and their family and friends. to a reception on Sept. 23 at 4:30 p.m. at the Hans Einstein Center at 1800 Mount Vernon.

 * ... MORE VALLEY FEVER: And speaking of Valley Fever, did you know that 97 percent of all Valley Fever cases come from Kern and three Arizona counties? It's the limited impact geographically that has allowed the disease to fly under the radar.

 * ... SPOTTED: On Truxtun Avenue headed east near Oak Street a reader spots a Bakersfield police officer in an unmarked patrol car, stopped with his lights and flashers on in the left hand lane. "He was out of his vehicle helping a driver push his stalled or broken-down car out of the road and into a nearby parking lot. I know it's something pretty simple, and I shouldn't really be surprised, but it was awesome to see one of our local officers offer a quick helping hand to a stranded motorist. And I think it shows you're never too busy to help someone."

 * ... LATINATION: If you have never attended a First Friday in the downtown arts district, this is the Friday to do it. The most popular art show in town opens today at The Metro Galleries when Latination premiers, an impressive collection of more than 100 pieces celebrating the arts and culture of the Latino community. As usual, all of the other art galleries along 19th Street and around the Fox Theater will be open. Things get popping around 5 p.m.

 * ... PROSTATE CANCER: There is a free prostate cancer screening for the uninsured or under insured this Saturday. It's sponsored by the Comprehensive Blood and Cancer Center and local urologists and will be held at the CBCC on Truxtun Avenue. You can call now to make a free appointment at (661) 862-7136. The screening runs from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

United Farm Workers and Democratic Senate leader pushing legislation to impose contracts on California farmers, and 'Miss Sue' Mitchell from the Blind Side to appear at CSUB Roadrunner scholarship dinner

 * ... UFW: There was a damning opinion piece in the Wall Street Journal the other day taking to task the United Farm Workers (UFW), which is trying to impose a a contract against Sanger-based Gerawan Farming. The piece said the UFW, with help from state Senate President Darrell Steinberg, is pushing legislation that would allow farmworker unions to request state mediation "whenever a contract expires, thus obliterating collective bargaining. Unions often prefer mediation because they don't have to negotiate with management, and workers don't get to vote on the final contract." What is behind all this? According to the Journal the UFW, which has lost 90 percent of its members since the 1970s, desperately needs dues from the 5,000 Gerawan workers to pad its own coffers. "Hitting up Gerawan's 5,000 workers could double the union's revenues, and the easiest way to extract money from workers was to enlist the state's help." As usual, it's always about the money.

 * ... BLIND SIDE: The CSUB Roadrunner Scholarship Fund is holding a dinner on Thursday, Sept. 12, that is worth checking out. It will feature "Miss Sue" Mitchell, the educator whose work was depicted by Kathy Bates in the movie "The Blind Side." She is the woman who worked with Super Bowl offensive lineman Michael Oher as he struggled with school. Tickets are just $40 for Roadrunner Scholarship Fund members and $50 for the public. Contact Cathy Lee at (661) 654-2188.

* ... FEEDBACK: This feedback comes from reader Sharon Langham regarding a blog post about how idling cars can contribute to air pollution. "I can't believe you reprinted the letter (comment) from Jon Crawford... Come on now. Why can I drive almost 400 miles before I need gas but could idle only (by his crazy calculations for 45 minutes)? Mr. Beene, someone should be looking to replace you as CEO/President as your brain must have been on idle for even giving Mr. Crawford the time it took to read such an idiotic letter in the first place, let alone print it. I am a bit curious to see how many people respond as I have."

 * ... STINSON: Ben F. Stinson III will be honored this week with the John Brock Award, recognizing his years of service to our community. This is a well deserved honor for a man who works tirelessly to benefit Bakersfield. Proceeds from the dinner benefit the School of Business and Public Administration at California State University Bakersfield.

 * ... MEMORIES: I had a nice telephone chat with reader Ron Ruettgers, who shared the story of when his grandmother (Minnie Bridges) accidentally helped plow a car into the old Green Frog when it was located at California and Chester. "My aunt had parked her brand new 1950 Cadillac in front of the store and left my grandmother inside," he told me. "She must have left the car idling as my grandmother reached over and must have knocked it into gear. It propelled the car right into the Smith's Bakery in the front of the store." Thankfully, no one was seriously injured.

Is China contributing to the San Joaquin Valley's air pollution? And tune in Tuesday at 9 a.m. for my interview with Monsignor Craig Harrison

 * ... IDLING CARS: Jon Crawford wrote to add his voice to those concerned how idling cars contribute to pollution. "I am in agreement with Gerhard Schmidt’s comments about idling cars at the Costco gas pumps. What he didn’t add was that cars use somewhere between one and two gallons of gasoline while idling. That means that at the low end, they are burning 6 cents of gas for every minute they wait in line at Costco [or at a long stop light]; making any wait uneconomic, unless one shuts off their

engine. A few years ago, I did some rough calculations along this same line and concluded that idling at our fast food places’ drive-thru lines result in burning 20-gallons of gas each hour per place. That’s a lot of wasted gasoline in Bakersfield. There’s more. If these customers walked from the parking lot to the inside counter, they would collectively burn some 150 pounds of fat every 12 hours these places are open; which may be one of the bigger causes of our fair city’s high rate of obesity."

 * ... POLLUTION: And speaking of air pollution, did you read the story in the Sunday Californian by Steven Mayer? It is a fascinating read that says researchers now believe that China may be contributing to the Valley's bad air. If that is correct, and high levels of ozone are being transported across the Pacific Ocean from China, then the Valley could be being unfairly punished. Said Mayer: "This research raises serious questions regarding the annual assessment of a $29 million pollution penalty paid primarily by Valley motorists in their vehicle registration fees - a cost borne each year when the district exceeds the federal standards." Stay tuned for more on this.

 * ... FATHER CRAIG: Monsignor Craig Harrison will be my guest on First Look with Scott Cox on Tuesday at 9 a.m.. We'll talk about the death of his father, dealing with long term illnesses and get his take on comments by Pope Francis about married or gay priests. The show airs on KERN NewsTalk 1180 and is video streamed live on Bakersfield.com.

* ... EAST: If you went to East Bakersfield High School, remember the 75th anniversary celebration set for October 12. It will be homecoming when East plays Tehachapi High and the celebration will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Karen Strong Cunningham, class of 1976, is organizing some of the events for the graduating classes from the 1970s.

* ... MEMORIES: Phyllis Smith wrote to say she was born and raised in Bakersfield and early on lived on H Street just a house away from a place called Higdon's Tenth Street Grocery. "My mother used to give me a dime to go there and buy a loaf of bread. It was usually white bread from Golden Crust Bakery locally. This is where she did her grocery shopping. There are so many stories about Bakersfield.  Thank you for printing them for us to enjoy."
 
 * ... MEMORIES: And this From Sara Lynn Adams: "My father, Joe Adams, worked for Gus Ergo very many moons ago and lived in the Oleander area too.  My father was Gus's 'delivery man' and  he would take groceries to their houses and got to know the neighborhood quite well.  I think in those days my father made 14 cents an hour. My father knew all the people in the neighborhood, and would help them with grocery shopping, lawn mowing, and other chores...When my father was old enough he went to work for the railroad, and the railroad would get shipments for stores, and some freight would be damaged... the railroad would give the employees a first choice of the damaged goods. My father bought a dining room table, which Gus Ergo in turn exchanged his dining room table for.  My mother still has the dining room table my father exchanged with Gus 60 plus years ago."