McCarthy: Valley Fever Symposium just the beginning the the long fight to find a vaccine for Valley Fever

Rep. Kevin McCarthy gives us his view from Capitol Hill. In his words:

 "I want to take this opportunity to thank all the people that participated this week in our Valley Fever Symposium.  From our Kern County Public Health Department, the Valley Fever of Americas Foundation, the Einstein family, our renowned presenters, and all the families who took part in our

events, I cannot thank you enough.

 "On Monday, hundreds of Valley Fever survivors attended our Valley Fever Survivors Reception and Community Forum at the Kern County Public Health Department – Hans Einstein Center, and I will never forget the little girl that walked up to the front of the audience and shared how this disease has affected her life.  All the stories were so heartfelt, personal, and powerful.

 "On Tuesday, even more people came to California State University, Bakersfield (CSUB), as scientists, medical professionals, academics, community leaders, and Valley Fever advocates gathered together to find ways to collaborate with the ultimate goal of finding better ways to diagnose, treat, prevent, and ultimately cure Valley Fever.

 "I know that the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Dr. Tom Frieden, and the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Dr. Francis Collins, left Bakersfield with a better understanding of not only Valley Fever, but of our community. I am truly appreciative that they took the time to visit Kern County.

 "With the announcement of a developing randomized clinical trial right here in our community, we will begin the work to gather the necessary data that will allow us to better understand this disease that have caused so much hardship and pain to our families, friends, and neighbors. I believe we are entering a new era in our fight against Valley Fever and a lot of work still remains, but with our community’s continued leadership, I am optimistic that we will be able to raise awareness and conquer this disease.

 "I will continue to fight to ensure that our community continues to get the attention it deserves.

There has been another bobcat sighting on the bike path in the Southwest, and a social media cat fight erupts over the future of First Friday

 * ... BOBCAT: There has been another bobcat sighting along the bike path in the southwest. This from reader Kevin Ammann: "I thought I'd pass along that on Saturday morning, friends and I were

riding on the bike path about 1.5 to 2 miles west of Allen Road and saw a bobcat sitting under a shrub. Then on Tuesday evening, we saw a bobcat crossing the bike path at Truxtun lakes. It was coming from the bigger of the lakes and heading toward the dry riverbed. I've heard that they've been seen on the path, but first time I saw one."
(file photo of bobcat in a tree)

 * ... FIRST FRIDAY: A social media cat fight erupted this week over the direction of First Friday, the popular, monthly downtown event that focuses on art and bringing people into local businesses. It was triggered when Seamus Finn, a relatively new local businessman who runs a cooking studio, launched a clumsy attempt to "improve" First Friday by adding new commercial elements. Finn, a tireless self promoter, did all this without consulting the local artists and business people who have worked to make First Friday successful. The fear, according to local artists, is the commercialization of First Friday will turn it into a street faire like the ones hosted several years ago by the Downtown Business Assn. First Friday has avoided food vendors and has tried to keep it focused on the arts and getting people into the doors of local businesses. All this erupted on social media which led to Finn issued a mea culpa if he had insulted anyone. Stay tuned.

 * ... ABORTION: Memo to City Councilwoman Jacquie Sullivan: can we please stop pushing the divisive, misguided and totally unnecessary idea of having our own "Restrictions on Termination of Human Life" ordinance? However well intentioned the effort, aren't there bigger challenges in Ward 6 and the city that demand our attention?

 * ... VIDEO: Hats off to Kyle Steiner, a 2010 graduate of Bakersfield High School, who is in Australia directing a music video for Aussie pop singer Vince Gelonese. Steiner is in his final year of film school in the San Fernando Valley.

* ... WINE: It's that time of year again for the annual Elegant Evening of Wine to support the Joe Alexander Scholarship Foundation. This is truly a first class event and this year it will be held at the home of Mark and Sue Ashley in Westchester. Meir Brown of Cafe Med provides a world class experience for this Rotary event, which seems to grow in size each year. Individual tickets are $175 each. Call Vernon Varner at (661) 979-5788 for further details.

 * ... MASTERS SWIM: If you are into competitive masters swimming, you might want to head over to Garces Memorial High this Saturday when The Gold Wave Masters swim team is hosting its First Annual 'Say Goodbye to Summer' swim meet. Most of the 36 entries are coming from out of town. People wanting to sign up may do so online at: http://www.spmasterswim.org/w/SPMS/. It all starts at 8:30 a.m.

Drama at a dinner for Valley Fever Symposium speakers when Dr. Royce Johnson performs an emergency tracheotomy on former county supervisor Pauline Larwood after she chokes on food

 * ... PENSIONS: Keep your eye on the city of San Jose where a court battle is under way over reducing public pensions. The problem: San Jose now spends a fifth of its $1.1 billion general fund on pensions and retire health care. According to the New York Times, a plan drafted by the Democratic

mayor and approved by 70 percent of the voters would reduce benefits for new hires and make current retirees pay more for their health care. Not surprisingly the public employee unions have challenged this in court. Said the Times: "The outcome of the case is expected to have a major impact on municipal budgets around the state, and perhaps the country. If a state court rules later this year or early next year that the referendum allows San Jose to alter pension plans for existing workers, and it survives appeals, similar measures are expected to pop up elsewhere."

 * ... LARWOOD: There was a scary scene at a special dinner for community leaders and speakers at this week's Valley Fever Symposium. Among those attending the dinner at The Mark restaurant downtown Monday night were local civic leaders Tom and Pauline Larwood. Pauline, a former county supervisor who has been involved in the fight to find a cure for valley fever, apparently choked on a piece of meat and was struggling to breathe. Luckily, she was surrounded by some of the biggest names in medicine and Dr. Royce Johnson, an infectious disease specialist at Kern Medical Center and a UCLA professor, performed an emergency tracheotomy with a pocket knife and a pen. One witness told me Pauline regained consciousness by the time paramedics arrived and is expected to fully recover. "But there is no doubt that Royce Johnson saved her life," the witness told me. The dinner was sponsored by Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Bakersfield, and featured the directors of the Centers for Disease Control and the National Institutes of Health. (file photo of Pauline Larwood)

* ... BAD FORM: It looks like the kiosks on the bike trail near Chester Avenue have been vandalized. Bob Moses wrote that the kiosks, part of the Uplands of the Kern project, had holes kicked into the floors and broke signs explaining the local wildlife. "Sad part for me is that I'm surprised they lasted this long," Moses said.

 * ... SPOTTED: Susan Hill spotted this on Monday: "I saw a woman holding hands with a small child, walking across Truxtun Avenue against the light. Both were wearing white 'Choose Life T-shirts. Teaching your child to cross a street in the cross walk with the walk sign glowing, might help promote the cause."

 * ... MARY: It was nice to hear that Mary Trichell, owner of W.A. Thompson, was honored by the Kern County Fair Board as "Woman of the Year."  Several hundred friends attended a dinner to congratulate and acknowledge her achievements and generosity.

 * ... MERLE: George Shire remembers when he was managing the Jack C. Arbuckle Co., located at 500 East 19th Street, back around 1960 when there was a place called Smoky's Tavern next door. George recalled that Merle Haggard was a regular in the place.

 * ... BAKERSFIELDISM: Linda Welch wrote to ask if anyone remembers the Highway 99 bill board that the city of Fresno installed. It said: "Help keep Fresno clean. Send your trash to Bakersfield." Ouch.

Symposium to focus on Valley Fever is set for Bakersfield this week. Top CDC and National Institutes of Health brass will attend

 Rep. Kevin McCarthy gives us his weekly view from Capitol Hill. His focus this week: the upcoming Valley Fever Symposium.

 "Our Valley Fever Symposium is upon us.  On Monday and Tuesday,  I invite you to join me, along with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Tom Frieden and National Institutes of Health Director Dr. Francis Collins at a symposium on Valley Fever where we will host an open discussion with the community to learn more about this disease.

 "Caused by the Coccidioides fungus native to the soil in our region, Valley Fever has become known as a “silent epidemic” as it only takes one breath to become infected.  In our community, all of us know someone who has been impacted by this disease - even our pets can contract it.  However, the effects experienced by those affected vary greatly.  Some individuals who catch Valley Fever recover in several weeks after experiencing only flu-like symptoms.  Others may take months to overcome it, and experience a much broader range of devastating effects. And some have died from this disease.



"Despite its widespread impact on the western United States, no vaccine or effective treatment exists.  Our symposium addresses this problem by starting a community discussion with leading national experts on Valley Fever who will share the most recent developments, goals, and challenges ahead.  Most importantly, we want to hear your stories and ideas, and I hope you join us in our fight against this disease.

The full schedule is below:



Monday, September 23, 2013 – Recognizing Our Valley Fever Survivors

Location: Kern County Department of Public Health – Hans Einstein Center

1800 Mount Vernon Avenue, Bakersfield, CA



4:30 PM – Valley Fever Survivors Reception

5:30 PM – Valley Fever Community Forum with CDC Director Thomas Frieden, M.D. and NIH Director Francis Collins, M.D.



Tuesday, September 24, 2013 – Fighting Valley Fever

Location: California State University, Bakersfield (CSUB) Multipurpose Room inside the Student Union

Parking Lot L is reserved for attendees

9001 Stockdale Highway, Bakersfield, CA

7:30 a.m. - Registration/Check in

8:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. - State of the Science, Presentations from Leading Experts on Valley Fever

1:00 p.m. – 1:45 p.m. – The Congressional Valley Fever Task Force

2:00 p.m. – 2:45 p.m. – California Public Policy and Challenges

3:00 p.m. – 3:45 p.m. – Susceptible Populations of Valley Fever


4:00 p.m. – 4:45 p.m. – Pets/Animals and Valley Fever

Friends of Oildale plan a clean up and volunteer day and lots of new eateries popping up around town

 *... OILDALE: This is the type of news I love to share. On Saturday, September 28, a large group of

civic minded folks will meet in the morning at Standard Middle School to spruce up the sidewalks in Oildale. This "Love Oildale" movement is a day of service sponsored by a group known as the Oildale Leadership Alliance. It is also a prelude to a bigger day of service set for March 29 next year. If you are interested in helping, go to the group's website at www.loveoildale.com.  Thanks to Cher Pannell, president of the leadership alliance, for bringing this to my attention.

* ... BUSINESS: Frosting, Ink Bakeshop has opened in its new, stunning location downtown. The cupcake and sweet tooth shop owned by Sheila Heninger is now open on Eye Street at 19th in the renovated Hay Building. It is beautifully decorated with exposed brick walls and a bright and lively interior. Next door is the new Eye Gallery, an equally impressive space that is part of The Metro Galleries. Both businesses will have outdoor seating.

 * ... MORE OPENINGS: And speaking of new businesses, Chipotle Mexican Grill has opened a new location on Coffee and Hageman, serving the growing Northwest. And the popular chain is building yet another near Sam's Club down Gosford Road to serve Southwest residents.

* ... SPOTTED: A middle aged woman riding in the front passenger seat of a blue SUV, stopped for a light at North Chester and Roberts Lane,  casually rolls down her window and dumps her portable cup holder full of trash and assorted paper in the street.

 * ... ARTFEST: I stopped by Artfest on Saturday, the popular annual fund raiser for the Boys and Girls Club of Bakersfield. Held at the beautiful Moorea Banquet Centre off Harris Road in the Southwest, the event featured tiles and paintings done by the program kids and a live auction. The annual gala raises some $150,000 a year for this community program.

* ... COLLEGE FOOTBALL: If it is fall, you can bet I will hear from Sunny Kapoor, a proud 1985 graduate of The Ohio State University. He was gleeful to note he attended the Ohio State-Cal game in Berkeley, a rout by the Buckeyes. He went with his wife, Julie, sons Nigel (Bakersfield College student) and Arie (Cal State Chico student). "Being a Buckeye alumni, we sat in the visitors section, with all my Buckeye brethren. It was amazing to see all the scarlet and gray at the stadium... Our seats were adjacent to the 'best damn band in the land' and were regaled by their tunes related to the state of Ohio and The Ohio State University. All in all it was a great visit, and sure looks like the Buckeyes may have a shot at the National Championship, but we have to go through Michigan first, and that game should be evenly matched. Anyhow, I am making my reservations for the Rose Bowl at the very least !"

Lots of shout outs: to good customer service, the folks who work to make this a better place, and embracing the good that is called home

 * ... HOME: I spent a few days with my younger daughter in Chicago, her adopted hometown now that she is working and out of college. Chicago is one of the world's great cities, and her downtown Lakeview area is an eclectic mix of bars and boutique restaurants brimming with young people setting out on their own. It's easy to become infatuated with what you don't have, but even with all our quirks and challenges, Bakersfield is a good place to call home. To that I will add this: You know you're from Bakersfield when you pick out friends' homes in La Cresta when the commuter jet flies over the Panorama Bluffs before landing.

 * ... GOOD FORM: Here's a hats off to some folks working to make our city a better place. The potted trees that were planted downtown have really spruced the place up. It was the work of Melissa Iger of The Tree Foundation of Kern, paid for by a grant from The Bakersfield Californian (family) Foundation. Don Martin, owner of The Metro Galleries and long a driving force in the downtown renaissance, helped plant the trees and then decorated them with beautiful fall flowers. And kudos to the city of Bakersfield which has been diligently going about the thankless job of picking up tons of trash and old clothes left on the bike path between Beach Park and Manor Street. That corridor is a favorite haunt for runners, walkers and cyclists but it is shared with the homeless who often discard their belongings near the path.

 * ... CUSTOMER SERVICE: And speaking of good form, is there any better customer service in town that what you witness at the downtown Cruz Thru car wash? Whoever owns this franchise either has a terrific training program or is an ace at finding the right employees.

 * ... MUSEUM: Matt Munoz has joined the Bakersfield Museum of Art to head up its marketing department. Matt is a member of the popular local band Mento Buru and most recently was an entertainment reporter at The Bakersfield Californian.

 * ... KINDNESS:  This random act of kindness comes courtesy of reader Denise Pennell:  "My husband and I were enjoying an ice cream outing with friends at Dewar’s on Rosedale Highway when a family in an adjacent booth finished their Dewar’s adventure and left the store. Another young family with three children came in just behind them and sat in the same booth next to ours that was just vacated. The oldest daughter – of around eight years old – discovered a wallet in the booth which obviously belonged to the gentleman who had just left. Her parents pointed him out in the parking lot and the young girl ran to deliver the wallet before he could leave. We didn’t witness the exchange but I can only imagine how grateful he was to have his wallet returned with everything still intact. As we were leaving, I asked the parents if I could pass along a Kindness Coin to this young lady after witnessing her selfless act of kindness. Her face lit up when she received the coin and listened to the Random Acts of Kindness story, and I knew that it would make a difference in her life as she promised to 'pay it forward.'  Dr. Chuck Wall’s movement still thrives today as displayed by the prompt action of this young girl and her parents who obviously teach their children well the value of honesty, integrity and kindness. And I still believe there is goodness in just about everyone. We need to continue to pay it forward."

The Harvest Moon over downtown Bakersfield ....

 The harvest moon looms brightly over a California bungalow in downtown Bakersfield.

A Bakersfield kindergarten teacher instructs her kids on the lessons of September 11, and a fund raiser is set for Saturday for the Fox Theater in Taft

* .... NEVER FORGET: Jolie Brouttier, a kindergarten teacher at McKinley Elementary School, posted this beautiful note on her Facebook page to remember the victims of the September 11 attacks.

"It is a day we will all remember and never forget. However my students, born in 2008, are unable to reflect on a day that they did not experience, nor would they understand. It is my job today not only to teach them but to instill and enlighten the beauties of being American. We cross our hearts, they pledge, and I reflect."

 * ... SPOTTED: At the Ramco gas station and market at the corner of F and 23rd streets a woman is gassing up her car, using her right hand to hold the nozzle and a cigarette at the same time.

 * ... ANIMAL CARE: Gene Bonas and his wife Robbie are animal lovers, and every year they send a nice donation to the SPCA and the animal control facility on Mt. Vernon. He always receives a nice thank you note from the facilities but has a better idea. "I suggested quite some time ago that each start a monthly pledge type donation program, such as the one conducted at The Mission of Kern County. I realized that, instead of one big donation, a monthly donation would total much more for the entire year. Although I received nice cards from both places, neither has yet to begin any kind of pledge program."


 * ... 25 HILL: The Fox Theater in Taft will be hold a special screening this Saturday for 25 Hill, a move directed by Corbin Bernson. His mother, of course, is the late soap opera star Jeanne Cooper, who grew up in Taft. The screenings will be held at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. and proceeds will go to the Fox Theater digital conversion project. The movie is about the All American Soap Box Derby and a boy whose father died in Afghanistan. (file photo of Corbin Bernson)

* ... FATHER CRAIG: Monsignor Craig Harrison will be honored later this month at the annual Police Activities League (PAL) fund raiser at Seven Oaks Country Club. This is PAL's major fund raiser to support its efforts to help needy youth in Bakersfield. Monsignor Craig will be honored as PAL's Hometown Hero for all the work he has done to help our community. If you are interested in sponsoring a table at the Thursday, September 26 event, contact Naomi Vidales at (661) 283-8880.

 * ... BAKERSFIELDISM: Dolores Hoffman says you may be a Bakersfield old timer if you remember the martinis at Ewing's Tam O'Shanter were garnished with a small pickled green tomato instead of an olive. "Mickey was our favorite waitress, and dining at Tam O'Shanter was always very special.