House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy: I intend to lead

 House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield) gives us his weekly view from Capitol Hill. In his own words:

 "As I humbly assumed the post of Majority Leader, the values enshrined in me by our community will serve as my daily guidance. I understand that we must have the courage to lead and the wisdom to listen.
"The American people are frustrated. We must raise the banner high for a society of prosperity and opportunity that isn’t given by government but rather is earned by a free and exceptional people.
 "As your Congressman and Majority Leader, that is how I intend to lead.
 "This week, I was honored that my pastor Roger Spradlin from Valley Baptist Church accepted my invitation and travelled to Washington D.C. to

give the invocation on the House floor yesterday. Let us all be inspired by his words:
 Father, we thank You for Your sovereignty and providence in each person’s life who sits before me, and more importantly, before You.  Grant them today Your guidance in their deliberations.
 We acknowledge that our country is facing serious challenges, and that our world is in crisis.  Give this body the courage that is necessary to lead.  Rather than allowing our ideology to further divide us may you, Father, unite us in our shared love for this great nation.
 Give the members the wisdom to help the oppressed and the weakest among us, as well as the courage to lead by conviction rather than by mere pragmatism.
 Concerning our failures, rather than justice we ask for your mercy and grace.  Give us the will to acknowledge and to repent of all wrongs.
 We thank You for the values upon which our country was founded and for Your continued blessing.  We ask that our best days would not be behind us but before us.
 We ask all in the strong name of Jesus.
 Amen

The percentage of Americans who own their own homes dips to a near record level, and an oil field worker rescues a cyclist who was spent and sick from the heat

 * … HOUSING: Another sign that we are far from recovering from the recession came this week when it was revealed that the share of Americans who own homes had dipped to its lowest level in almost 20 years. The Commerce Department said just 64.8 percent of homes across the country were occupied by owners, according to the Wall Street Journal. That is the lowest it has been since the third quarter of 1995. The missing
ingredient in the housing recovery? Just 35.9 percent of people under the age of 35 are homeowners.

 * … AIRPORTS: Little surprise here but the fastest growing airports in the country are in North Dakota, where the Bakken oil boom has led to hyper growth. In Williston, N.D., traffic at the Sloulin Field International Airport has increased 254 percent in just two years.

 * … BRICKS: Walter E. Stewart weighed in on the city's plans to remove the donated bricks at Centennial Plaza. "Remove the family bricks from the Centennial Plaza? What's next? Remove the grave markers from the cemeteries?"

 * … OVERHEARD: A local businessman is talking about attending an interfaith mass: "Glad to hear it is an interfaith service. Kathy and I will attend. We have an interfaith marriage—she’s a Notre Dame fan and I am a USC fan."

 * … APOLOGY: This heartfelt (and anonymous) apology showed up in my mailbox. "I would like to sincerely apologize to the gentleman in the Vons North Chester parking lot on Thursday morning. I was totally out of line and I sincerely apologize for my actions… please forgive my ugly words and rude behavior."

 * … GOOD FORM: It's not often that I can report an incident of "good form" involving a motorist and a bicyclist, but Tom Morgan provided this sterling example from last week. Morgan, deputy county counsel, had ridden his bike to Alta Sierra this past weekend and by the time he reached Poso Creek at Round Mountain Road on his way back, it was 106 degrees and he was spent. "While I was resting and trying to think of what to do next a large truck passed and shortly thereafter I could hear the sound of his air brakes. The driver, Richard Castellon, a supervisor for H and S Trucking, backed up and asked if I was okay. I had just enough energy to walk to his truck and climb up into the passenger seat. Without a word, he hopped out, grabbed my bike and gear and strapped it to the cage behind his cab, jumped back in and asked me where I  needed to go. I told him where I lived and he offered to take me directly home. On the way, I began to feel worse and I ended up getting sick in the cab of his truck. He didn't bat an eye and simply told me not to worry about it. Richard was able to get me safely home. Over the years I've had many encounters with vehicles as I've cycled the roads around Bakersfield, but I have to say that some of the most positive have been with the folks that work in the oilfields surrounding the city. Richard was on his way home after putting in a hard day at work and I'm sure the last thing he needed was some guy on a bike making a mess out of his truck and delaying his arrival home. But he never hesitated and he was clearly only be concerned about getting me home safely."

 * … MEMORIES: Carolyn Wilson was a member of the Bakersfield College choir in 1962-63 and is looking for a copy of a vinyl record made featuring Gabriel Faure's requiem. "I am appealing to those who may have a clean copy of this recording so that I can get a professionally mastered CD copy of it. I am willing to buy or borrow a copy as this recording has special memories for me and my family. If you cant help Carolyn, call her at (559) 432-8553.

H. Walker's Clothing store gets a facelift, some bad form from a panhandler and a car wash does its part to combat California's long drought

 * … BAD FORM: Linda Welch shared a story about a young panhandler who was standing in front of the McDonald's on North Chester along with his dog. She happened to have a can of dog food in her

car, and handed to the man. "He looked at the can and said, 'but lady this is dog food.' And I said 'yeah, and you have a dog.' By the way, not one time did he say thanks," she said. "So much for being taken in." (file photo)

 * … H. WALKER'S: H. Walker's Men Clothing has closed its downtown location for a complete remodel. Owner Tracy Walker-Kiser said the store, now in its 43rd year of business including 16 at its K street location, is getting new furniture and carpeting and will reopen in early August. Plans call for an expanded shoe section surrounded by a new sitting area, as well as an expanded line of fragrances for both men and women. The store will reopen on August 12.

 * … SMOOT: Lauren Smoot, a fixture over at the Greater Bakersfield Chamber of Commerce, has landed a new job as director of policy and community affairs at the Kern Citizens for Sustainable Government. Smoot earned her bachelor's degree from Fresno State and is working on her master's degree in community development from Kansas State University. At the Chamber Smoot served as communications manager.

  * … DROUGHT: Kudos to the folks over at Sparkling Image Carwash on 24th Street where they are taking the drought seriously. Said reader Sue Lueth: "You know your column may have rubbed off on some of the other Kern County folks too, because I went to the Sparkling Image Carwash on 24th St. this Saturday. Of all of the restaurants, businesses, and even stylists shops I see over the course of a year, this is the first place in Kern County I have run across that has the water taps adjusted in the restrooms to 5 to 10 second bursts of water to wash. And what a great place to implement water conversation,  just quick pulse of water and the job is done. Kudos to them and maybe others will follow."

* … BUFFET: Steve Ramsey had the pleasure of meeting Jimmy Buffet recently during a concert in Boston. "When speaking with him, I told him I was from Bakersfield and that he was the most requested act to come and perform at the Rabobank Arena. I asked him if he thought that this would ever be possible.  He said he would mention our conversation to his business manager and see what happens. At least I put the bug in his ear. To all the Parrotheads in Bakersfield, let's keep our fingers crossed

 * … WATER MEMORIES: This nugget from the past comes compliments of Ronal Reynier. "If you remember this you are as old as me: the artesian water wells along a narrow county road named Stockdale Highway that ran to a golf course way out in the country. The wells fed ice cold water into six foot wide cement ditches that you could float in on a hot summers day for at least a mile; more if you liked to walk. If it was a lucky day someones dad would be waiting at the end to take you back to your bicycles. Do you remember the creek that ran where Stockdale and Monitor are now? You youngsters out there have memories of the South Union Avenue Plunge, its ice-cold artesian well; as well as its 20 foot (I dare you) platform. Water, water everywhere and in some years a foot or so in the Westchester area."

What kind of person dumps a young cat and her kitten and drives away like nothing happened? And more on those telephone scams going on around town

 * … SCAM: More on those telephone scams going on around town. From Alice Merenback: "Today, I received 11 phone calls (obviously their machine jammed, because it was the same message each time). The caller had a very strong foreign accent and told me that my house and bank accounts were going to have a lien on them within 24 hours due to my tax default. He said a bill collection

officer would contact me soon to complete my paperwork... Since my bills are all paid up, I was more amused than anything, but they might be calling people randomly who do have tax problems, so I think you might spread the word.  I did look on my call log, but the number there was marked 'private' so I could not locate the origin of the call."

 * … BAD FORM: Beverly Hayden submitted this bit of bad form that is almost beyond belief. "As my husband and I were standing on our driveway the worst of human kind, three women inside a pick up, pulled up at the end of our cal de sac and dumped a young cat and kitten. They drove away as we shook our fists at them." The couple tried to take the cats to the SPCA, but there was no room, but in the end their friends took the cats to their ranch. "Thank goodness for folks like them who come along and clean up other people's mess. As for the ladies in the pick up, we wonder what your trip home was like, probably just relief as you couldn't have dumped those cats if you had a conscience."

 * … OVERHEARD: A young woman at a Starbucks in the Northwest orders a 600-calorie drink with whipped cream but declines a muffin because "I am on a diet."

 * … HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Happy birthday to the Westside Parkway, which has brought untold relief to so many folks across town.

 * … SPOTTED: Ardith Gash wrote to comment on a recent story titled '5 Common Mistakes That Will Derail Your Career.' "I was shopping at Home Depot and one of the sales ladies was wearing a top that was positively indecent. Not a little cleavage showing but practically letting it all hang out. I found it inappropriate and disgusting."

 * … EMMY: File this under the heading "local girl does well." Alexis Nelson, a graduate of the East Bakersfield High School MultiMedia Academy Class of 2006, has been nominated for an EMMY Award for her work on graphics on the History Channel program "The Ultimate Guide to the Presidents."

 * … GOOD FORM: There is some good news over at the Dress for Success Bakersfield office. Executive director Elaine McNearney told me that the group has provided services to more than 150 women so far this year, more than the past two years combined. And, 41 percent of those women are now back in the workforce. Now that is good news.
                 
 * … NAVY: Navy submarine veteran Gene Bonus shared these interesting facts about the changing face of our military. Said Gene: "Thought your readers would like to know of changes taking place in our U.S. Navy submarine force. There are now 60 female officers who are either in sub school training or have already been assigned to nuclear subs  Thirty female officers have been assigned to ten fast attack subs and twelve female officers have been assigned to four missile firing subs. Female officers have been assigned in groups of three. So far there have been no major problems or complaints. The only challenge has been with the men getting used to hearing female voices over the 1MC which is the main communication line.  The other challenge is the use of the officers’ 'head,' better known as the bathroom. There are only two showers and toilets aboard officers’ quarters, so there might be wait time involved."

House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy: While President Obama and the Senate dither, California suffers a record setting drought and thousands go without work.

House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy gives us his weekly view from Capitol Hill. In his own words:

 "As I listen to the residents in our community, they are growing frustrated and discouraged by a President that, time and time again, has skirted making the tough choices at home and has failed to demonstrate strong American leadership abroad. Frankly, I share their frustrations.

 "Equally frustrating is the fact that the House is acting in Congress and the Senate is not. In the House, we have passed over 300 bills—bills that would encourage the creation of good-paying jobs, move North America closer to energy independence, make government more efficient and accountable, and lower the costs of everyday expenses. But what has happened to these bills? They are sitting in the Democrat Senate, on Leader Harry Reid’s desk.

 "This is simply unacceptable. Times are tough right now. Moms and dads are working harder just to make ends meet.  House Republicans have ideas that will help all American families.  This week, I worked with my colleagues in the House to pass legislation that lets families keep more of their hard-earned money – the Child Tax Credit Improvement Act.

 "The price of raising a child has skyrocketed in the Obama Economy. According to the USDA, the annual costs of food, clothing, education and child care has increased by thousands of dollars in the last decade. Nonetheless, even as prices have consistently risen, the Child Tax Credit has remained the same. Our bill will index the Child Tax Credit for inflation, helping families better afford the increasing costs of raising a child, while putting more of the money they earn back in their pockets.

  "Meanwhile, as the House was working, President Obama was in California.  As he was flying across different regions of our state, I was disappointed that he failed to address our current water crisis.

 "The Central Valley and our state continue to endure the worst drought in a century, one that is threatening the livelihoods of so many communities and causing an increase in food prices for people everywhere.  Rather than taking commonsense actions to allow more water to flow to the Central Valley, this Administration has largely stood silent, as once-productive farmland sits idle, workers do not have jobs, and trees are being uprooted due to lack of water.   Inaction has consequences.  One only has to go to a local grocery store or even order a double-double at In-N-Out to see the higher prices that we now pay due to our water crisis that has been exacerbated by water restricting environmental regulations.  The House has passed the Sacramento-San Joaquin Valley Emergency Water Delivery Act earlier this year and the Senate finally passed a water bill as well. Discussions are underway on a solution, which must address these onerous regulations.

 "I believe that all Americans deserve better than that.  With over 300 bills awaiting action in the Senate, the House will continue to act. We deserve a government that works for us, that learns to do more with less, and that produces real results.

Historic pictures of Bakersfield's clock tower after the 1952 earthquakes ...

 Thanks to my friend Dee Rhodes who supplied these family pictures of the historic Bakersfield clock tower after the devastating 1952 earthquakes …

Bakersfield man suffers traumatic neck injury while zip lining in Mexico; family establishes fund raising to bring him back to the United States

 * … TRAGEDY: Horrible news out of Cabo San Lucas where a Bakersfield man was severely injured in a zip lining accident. Brian Hodges and his wife Shimeaka were in Cabo celebrating a year of marriage when Brian broke his neck when he slammed into the side of a mountain while

zip lining. He is currently in a medically induced coma in a Mexican hospital. The family is trying to raise money to have Brian flown back to California where his insurance will kick in and he can be treated. Shimeaka works at OMNI Healthcare and Brian is a truck driver for KSI. A friend established the Brian and Shimeaka Hodges Fund at gofundme.com under their name. The family is trying to recoup the $50,000 it had to pay the Mexican hospital for Brian to be treated.

 * … BAD FORM: This example of some really bad form (and that is being generous) comes from reader Darla McCallum. "This is to the person who hit a dog on July 19th on Enos lane south of Rosedale Highway. (you know who you are). Did you even slow down or stop to see how the dog was? My guess is no! Shame on you. My husband and I did along with four other kind hearted people. He was severly injured and scared. How could you just leave him on the side of the road to die? You could have called for help. We could not afford to take him to the emergency vet. We comforted him as best we could until Animal Control got there. I say THANK YOU to the four people that stopped to help. My husband and I and a young women from Taft stayed with him for almost three hours, and by the way he had to be put down his internal injuries were too bad to save him. Again I say where is the compassion for living, breathing beings?"

 * … GOOD FORM: Hats off to two Garces High graduates who rescued a dog in the ocean off the Ventura coast. It turns out a dog had chased a sea gull into the ocean and went out too far, getting stranded while its owner was frantic on the beach. The two Bakersfield men, David Etcheverry and Cruise Adams, grabbed a kayak and a surfboard and paddled out to save the dog. Said Jeff Adams, Cruise's uncle: "David and Cruise paddled back to shore to a standing ovation by about 50 onlookers. It was a good thing David had been out kayaking every morning and Cruise had been surfing every morning to give them the ability to save another families love one."

 * … FOUNDATION: The Bakersfield Californian (family) Foundation is holding two separate grant cycles with awards of $100,000 and $50,000. The Foundation is looking to make a large impact with these two awards that will go to deserving non-profits. Letters of inquiry are due Friday, August 29. There is no "theme" for the work being done to win these awards. Go to the Foundation website (www.bakersfieldcalifornianfoundation.org) for more information.

 * … KUDOS: Kudos to Rachol West, a 2013 Garces High graduate who has been recognized by the Mountain West Conference for academic excellence in maintaining at least a 3.5 GPA through her freshman year as a student athlete (women's basketball) at San Jose State University.

 * … MEMORIES: Meanwhile local Realtor Ken Barnes remembers visiting his longtime friend Robert Stack in Los Angeles about 12 years ago. "We decided to go to lunch at the Bel-Air country club near his house. When we entered the bar-lunch area overlooking the putting green Bob said 'Let's join these guys over here by the window.' As we sat down he introduced me to Richard Crenna, Greg Kinnear, Dick Martin, and James Garner. He told me later he thought Kinnear was being interviewed for a membership in the club. You would never had known any of these guys were famous just sitting over lunch for an hour or so and talking about nothing special.  Garner was especially funny with many of his remarks.  Sad to say, I lost Bob the following year to a heart attack. Great memories."

You know you're from Bakersfield when you get excited when it sprinkles in town, more from those who want to ban fireworks and yes, more bad form in the Trader Joe's parking lot

 * … PLEDGE: Kati Hartnett McKeown, who works in the district office of Rep. Kevin McCarthy, noted this as she was driving with her 6-year-old son. "Jake just said the Pledge of Allegiance to a flag

flying on a pole by a building as we were driving past and he included.. 'and you may be seated.' We had to explain that part was not actually in the pledge."

 * …. WATER: With all the focus on conserving water, who will hold our city and county responsible? We've been told to expect steep fines if we allow water to flow into the street, but what about those public median sprinklers that are sending water cascading down Gosford and other roads virtually every morning? And the same thing is happening up on Panorama Drive.

 * … FIREWORKS: The conversation on whether we should ban fireworks here continues, and now the opposition has mounted a signature campaign on Facebook. Lois Henry, my colleague who has long advocated a ban, has created a Facebook page asking folks to weigh in. (You can find it on Facebook by searching for Ban Fireworks in Kern County) The page has almost 600 followers and it is growing every day. Meanwhile, reader Bob Hartshon put it this way: "Much has been said for, and against, banning fireworks. Many complaints seemed to be associated with illegal fireworks. Banning legal fireworks will not matter regarding these complaints. The issue is those knuckleheads who use illegal fireworks or legal fireworks the improper way. It's about people acting responsibly. In the words of the great philosopher, Ron White, 'you can't fix stupid.'"

 * … VICTOR: The recent remodel of the Smart and Final on Golden State was an unexpected gift to folks who live in the downtown area, and now after a short absence, manager Victor Rios has returned. Rios is known for his personal touch, smile and excellent customer service.

 * … DMV: Count me among the happy customers of the DMV online appointment reservation service. I was in and out in 15 minutes with an appointment the other day, bypassing a line that snaked out the door at the F Street office.

 * … GOOD FORM: Hats off to the young couple who stopped their car off Brimhall Road the other day to rescue a stray dog that was wandering in the street. The woman stopped oncoming traffic as her friend coaxed the young pup into their car.

 * … BAD FORM: Note to the middle aged man in the raised black truck at Trader Joe's this weekend who apparently wasn't wearing underwear when he hopped out of his car as a woman sat at the wheel of her car next to him. "Yuck," she said, "it was a close your eyes moment."

 * … CODY: Cody Kessler, the junior quarterback at USC who hails from Bakersfield's Centennial High, made the "watch list" of college players most likely to be in the running for the Maxwell Award, given to the college player of the year. Alabama quarterback A.J. McCarron won the award last year.

 * … BAKERSFIELDISM: You know you're from Bakersfield if you post pictures of raindrops on the sidewalk and post it on Facebook to celebrate a slight sprinkle.