House Majority Leader McCarthy: the House passes a bill to approve the Keystone pipeline and now it is time for the president to support it

 Rep. Kevin McCarthy, House Majority Leader and a Bakersfield Repbulican, gives us his weekly view from Capitol Hill. In his words:

 "This week marked the return to Congress following the November elections. On November 4th, the American people sent a message to Washington, DC.  It was a message of frustration and discontent

with the direction of our great nation. The American people want Washington to function again and get our country moving in the right direction.


 "The House has fought against this Administration’s government-first agenda that continues to put the direction of the economy more in the hands of Washington and federal agencies, and not with local communities or the private sector.  One of the policy areas that can immediately have a positive impact on creating jobs and jumpstarting our economy is to focus on enhancing our nation’s energy production.  We should encourage more domestic energy production as well as focus on updating our energy infrastructure.

 "Few things in this country have more bipartisan and nationwide support as approving the Keystone XL pipeline. The states it would run through support it. Our northern ally, Canada, supports it. Most importantly, the American people support it because the project will create jobs and lead America one step closer to North American energy independence.  If this decision were based on merits alone, Keystone would have been approved and built years ago. The President said himself that a critical decision point would rest on levels of increased emissions—something his own State Department said will not be a problem.

 "After over six years of waiting and with no reason to wait further, it’s time to act.  Today the House passed H.R. 5682, which would immediately approve the Keystone pipeline.  I am hopeful that the Senate will finally follow the House’s lead to get this project off the ground, and send the bill to the President for his signature."

The millenial generation has a negative savings rate, a reader weighs in on the best burgers around town and the hysteria over hydraulic fracturing reaches an airport bar in Denver

  * … SAVINGS: If you have children under the age of 35 (this is the millenial generation) a recent report about their lack of ability to save money may not surprise you. According to the Wall Street

Journal, this generation has a negative 2 percent savings rate, making their position in the world "increasingly precarious despite five years of economic growth and sustained job creation. A lack of savings increases the vulnerability of young workers in the post recession economy, leaving many without a financial cushion for unexpected expenses."

 * … FOODIE: Bryan Kelley wrote to send his recommendations on the best burgers in town after I visited Ethel's Corral. "I can only hope that you ordered the (Ethel's) buffalo burger. THAT is the reason you brave the rattlesnake signage! Trust me on burgers… I do not carry around 75-plus vanity pounds from eating at salad bars. Ethel's buffalo burger, Lie-n-Den backyard burger, Happy Jack's California burger. Simple." (photos of Lie-n-Den burgers)

                                                                                               
 * … BAD FORM: I was verbally accosted over the issue of hydraulic fracking at a Denver International Airport bar this week when a stranger learned I was from Bakersfield. "You are causing earthquakes, contaminating water and poisoning the earth!" he bellowed. I found another pub and left thinking the oil and gas industry needs to do a better job in telling its side of the story.

* … KART RACING: Heard the other day that Mason Marotta, a CSUB student and 20-year-old son of Mike and Lynda Marotta, is heading to Spain for the world championships in kart racing. Mason was invited to join the Rotax Team USA for the World Game Final in Valencia, Spain, competing against drivers from more than 60 counteis. The race is Nov. 25-29.

 * …COACH: The East Bakersfield High School community lost one of its own recently with the death of former head football coach and teacher Armando (AJ) Vazquez. He was beloved as an inspirational teacher and coach who always displayed a positive spirit. Keep his family in your thoughts.

 * … GOOD NEWS: And finally, kudos to the Stockdale Christian Band wind ensemble which is raising money to play a concert at Carnegie Hall in the spring of 2016. Said band chair Donna Johns Hylton:  "Giving these young students an opportunity to perform at a prestigious concert venue as Carnegie Hall will create lasting memories and a positive ripple effect in our community." she said. "The band performed at Disneyland Friday and now fundraising is in full swing to reach the $600,000 goal by spring of 2016 for instruments and the trip! I'm thrilled to be chairing this wonderful cause for these young musicians!"

House Majority Leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy: we honor the sacrifice of our veterans but our government lets them down

 House Majority Leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy submits this note to recognize Veteran's Day.

 "Every November 11th, our great nation thanks those who have served in our Armed Forces and reflects upon the sacrifice of that service. In times of great crisis and need, willing citizens have answered the call to shoulder the burdens of conflict and war for the preservation of peace.

Those we honor today have faced dangers most of us cannot comprehend. Separated from family and friends, they were sent to every corner of the earth to fight for America and its principles. And they have continually demonstrated a heroism that is both unique and has been a defining aspect of our Armed Forces since the birth of our Republic.

 "Communities throughout the country often reflect upon this time through experiences with family and friends. For us, we remember and celebrate the meaning of Veterans Day together honoring our brave veterans that call our community home. The blessings of living and working with the finest men and women our nation has to offer cannot be understated.

  "Unfortunately, this year our nation discovered just how far short our government has fallen in caring for our veterans. The scandal of secret waiting lists and an unprecedented amount of backlogged disability claims at the Department of Veterans Affairs was shameful and an indignity to our veterans. While this scandal broke onto the front pages of national papers and evening news-casts the past few months, the troubles, inadequacies, and failures of the VA have been a source of frustration to our veterans for many years now.

  "Since I came into Congress, I have focused my efforts on reviewing and auditing the VA and implementing real changes that help our veterans. Finally, just a few short months ago we were able to enact change that begins a fundamental reform of the Department of Veterans Affairs. Our duty is to make sure that scandals like this never happen again. The reforms that we passed in Congress and signed into law are a promising first step to making an efficient VA happen, and more must be done. I am committed to building on these reforms to guarantee our veterans see the highest quality of care that they were promised and deserve.

 "We are grateful and thankful to our veterans on this day, but we should thank them each and every day for the great blessings of liberty and human dignity we enjoy and that have been preserved by their efforts. May our veterans always enjoy the peace and freedom they fought to protect and preserve, and may our country never cease to honor them.

The percentage of first-time buyers in the housing market continues to shrink, remembering Wendy Wayne and celebrating some iconic watering holes around our community

 * … HOUSING: Some nuggets on the sputtering recovery in our home sales: the National

Association of Realtors says fewer young people see home ownership as a goal, and the statistics support that. Only 33 percent of homes were bought by first time buyers this year, the lowest level since the late 1980s. Home prices are rising while wages are stagnent, freezing out many first time buyers. The average age of the first time buyer has now risen to 31.

* … FOODIE: I was intrigued by my colleague Pete Tittl's Sunday review of Ethel's Old Corral Cafe so I stopped by for a look-see with a friend after a nice hike in the hills overlooking Hart Park. Every town in America has its iconic bars and restaurants, and certainly Ethel's is one of our's. Rustic and unassuming but full of character, this should be a destination for anyone looking to get off the beaten path for something unique to what makes Bakersfield a special town. While there, I also heard folks talking about the new owners of the Pyrenne's Cafe, who have done some renovations that are bringing the old place back. Yet another example of one of the many iconic watering holes in our community.

 * … OVERHEARD: I heard this on Friday while having lunch at Luigi's Restaurant and Delicatessan: "There's hardly a day goes by that I don't think of Wendy Wayne and her kindness and spirit. How many people can you say that about who are gone?" For those of you who didn't know her, Wendy was a community activist with a huge heart who died of cancer two years ago at the age of 64.

 * … MUSIC: Every so often,  a singer comes along with a voice so singular and captivating, that he or she can sing anything and mesmerize a room.  That is New Orleans-bred Andrew Duhon who could sing "Mary Had a Little  Lamb" and have people on their edges of their seats. There are traces of Van Morrison, Bob Dylan and various blues singers, Andrew's voice is ageless even though he's not yet 30. He's performing at the Bakersfield Museum of Art  6 p.m. (doors open at 5) Sunday, Nov 16.  Buy a ticket online at Eventbrite or at the door.

* … GOOD FORM: This letter from Twilla Klassen brightened my day, and I hope it does the same for you. Said Twilla: "What a blessing my friend David Urner and I had last Friday (Halloween) at Mexicali West. A young couple was in a booth across from us as we walked in for lunch. We said hello and sat down. When we got ready to leave the waiter gave David this note: 'To the cutest couple in the bar. We lost a grandmother yesterday. It was nice to sit and hear your banter and we wanted to buy your lunch. Have a wonderful weekend. Happy Halloween.' Thank you two so much. We have show the note to lot of people … this was special for us."

* … MEMORIES: Sue Anderson wrote to ask if anyone remembers the old Community Club Awards Program that was around in the mid to late 1960s. "The idea was that you would purchase certain items (Pepsi, Arby’s, etc) or patronize certain stores. Then you would save receipts, bottle caps, and other proofs of purchase, turn them in to your organizer and your club would be rewarded with cash prizes. The idea was great, but somehow it turned into more of a scavenger hunt  I remember going to gas stations and asking them to save their bottle caps, and had restaurants saving bread wrappers for me. I even remember my dad in a dumpster in the back of a neighborhood Thriftimart looking for cash register receipts!"

Voters in Santa Barbara County reject a ban on hydraulic fracturing, while two other California counties (Mendocino and San Benito) approve similar measures

 * … FRACKING: Voters in Santa Barbara County strongly rejected a measure that would have restricted hydraulic fracturing. The measure, which oil companies opposed by pouring

millions of dollars into the campaign, was rejected by 62.6 percent of the voters. But similar measures in two other counties - San Benito and Mendocino - were approved. Meanwhile, in the college town of Denton, Texas, which sits on a huge natural gas field, also approved a measure to restrict fracking. Said one report: "The proposal in Denton, a university town about 40 miles north of Dallas, was a litmus test on whether any community in Texas — the nation's biggest oil and gas producer — could rebuff the industry and still thrive." A legal challenge to the Denton ban was immediately launched, and this fight will now head to the courts. (AP photo)

 * … MARIJUANA: Meanwhile, the results of mid-term elections this week revealed that efforts to legalize marijuana are gaining steam across the country, particularly in the West. Voters in both Alaska and Oregon approved legalization measures, joining Colorado and Washington which previously legalized recreational marijuana. And, voters in Washington, D.C., also approved a measure to allow the use and cultivation (but not retail sales) of cannabis.

  * … FIRST FRIDAY: It's time for another First Friday in the downtown arts district. Always a great evening to check out all that's happening downtown, Metro Galleries on 19th Street has a new exhibit featuring former Californian journalist Christine Iriarte Niswonger. She has created a series of paintings that reflect on her years as newspaper reporter in Bakersfield and other cities. The First Friday ArtWalk continues to grow and this month will feature 50 local artists. Be sure to check out Tina's Cookies N More, a new bake shop that has opened next to Metro on Eye Street.

 * … SPOTTED: This bumper sticker was spotted on a truck recently: "Misplaced Texan."

 * … PETS: My post about a dog being treated after eating methamphetamines drew this comment from Carol Knapp: "A couple of years ago my son's German short hair appeared to have been poisoned while spending the weekend at our Lake Isabella cabin.  She couldn't stand up and was really goofy.  So, as usual these emergencies always happen on the weekends and the vet bill was around $600 to find out the dog ate marijuana.  A presumed hazard of having acreage close to the high school with many boulders that make  good hiding places for a bag of weed but not so safe from hunting dogs!"

 * … ACHIEVERS: More good news on some of our local students. This from Robin Jaske: "My daughter (Paige Kobdish) graduated from Bakersfield Christian High School in 2013 and was recruited by San Diego State University for its music program since she is a double reed player, few and far between. Also Hunter Raney (father is Mike Raney of BSO fame) is an accomplished trumpet player and is attending Cal State Bakersfield where he is very active in their music program. One more shout out to Zach Thoennes who is a performance major at UCLA with some great performances in their famous marching band!"

Bakersfield is the No. 4 market in the nation for political advertising on the radio and some nice props for Janis Varner and her work in our community

* …POLITICS: If you feel like you are inundated with political attack ads locally, there is a good reason for it. According to the organization Media Monitors, Bakersfield ranks No. 4 nationally as a

market with the most radio political advertising. That's right, we rank right behind Fresno, Chicago and San Francisco as markets with the most political advertising on local radio. That's a pretty impressive number, considering the California gubernatorial campaign is not as heated as in many other states.

* … PRESERVE: Several readers have contacted me to clear the air about a project to preserve the area below the Panorama Bluffs near the bike path. Said Andy Honis, Kern River Corridor Endowment Board Member and Panorama Vista volunteer: "This is a project that a number of us have invested thousands of volunteer hours in. We want to enhance wildlife habitat around the Kern River as well as to provide recreational opportunities for the people of Bakersfield. We expect the result to be something that Bakersfield can point to with pride. People can learn a great amount about our preserve by going to our website 'panoramavista.org.'"

* … JANIS: Janis Varner is a tireless supporter of so many good causes in our community, and it's nice to see her receive some well deserved recognition. Mike Stricker, who like Janis is a big fan of CSUB wrestling, dropped me this note: "For the last two years I've watch as the veterans and the Honor Flight Veterans were honored and recognized at a CSUB wrestling match thanks to the efforts of Janis Varner. How nice is this ... Thanks Janis (The Official Team Mom of the CSUB Wrestling Team) Varner." (file photo of Janis Varner, right)

 * … OVERHEARD: A cat owner who was visiting a veterinary hospital after Halloween is sharing the story about seeing a dog in the waiting room high on methamphetamines. "They didn't know if someone fed meth to the dog or if he had found it himself. They say they see dogs on drugs all the time."

* …. ATHLETES: It is always nice to catch up on local student athletes that have taken their talents to the collegiate level. Here's an update compliments of reader Tom Schroeter: "Another example of Kern County athletes playing Division 1 sports occurred (recently) when two local athletes who had played against each other in high school faced one another again. Big 10 Women's volleyball teams from the University of Nebraska and Rutgers University met at Rutgers. Kelsey Fien (2012 Titan/Bakersfield Volleyball Club) started as outside hitter for the Huskers, and Ali Schroeter (2012 Driller/Club Jamba) was starting libero for the Scarlet Knights. The game was streamed live on the BTN plus network. The Huskers, ranked 14th nationally, came away with the victory in three hard fought sets. Fien had 12 kills with a hitting percentage of .321 and Schroeter, who is fifth in the Big 10 Conference in digs/set, had 21 digs."

 * … SCAM: My personal physician, Dr. Raj Patel of Preferred Family Medical, shared with me this email scam that is too ridiculous not to share. The email allegedly came from an African diplomat and warned Raj, in broken English complete with misspellings, that his ATM card had access to $2.7 million if he would pay a fee to renew the card. "Really," Patel said, "this is too funny."

 * … BAKERSFIELDISM: Kevin Sneed says you know you are getting old when "most of the history news in the Today In History section in the newspaper is younger than you."

House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy: is President Obama about to cut a deal with Iran on its nuclear program at the expense of U.S. relations with Israel?

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

  "In recent weeks, the public has heard disturbing revelations about the White House’s approach to our challenges in the Middle East.  As our military continues to fight to keep the terrorist organization ISIS he Administration is dually in negotiations with Iran over their nuclear program.

from metastasizing throughout the region and from potentially carrying out terrorist activity in the West, t

  "Iran has yet to prove that it is willing to negotiate for a deal acceptable to the West. We know one thing for certain: we cannot accept an Iran with nuclear weapons. Iran has a bad human rights record, which has even worsened recently. It is a sponsor of state terrorism, an enemy of our greatest Middle East ally, Israel, and a destabilizing influence in the region.

 "These negotiations face a deadline at the end of November and reports indicate that the Administration is ready to make a deal with Iran and provide significant sanctions relief to the Iranian regime without Congressional support. While this “go at it alone” approach is distressing, it is made even more worrisome in light of additional reports that the Administration may be willing to yet again make significant concessions to the Iranians. There is overwhelming, bipartisan concern on Capitol Hill about Iran’s nuclear and missile programs, its sponsorship of terrorism, its promotion of instability throughout the region, and its appalling human rights record. I can promise that Congress will conduct extensive oversight regarding the details of any deal or extension of the current Joint Plan of Action.

 "But earlier this week, the Administration’s disrespectful attitude to our closest allies in the region was made public. Speaking anonymously, a White House official attacked the character of the Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu. These are not isolated insults; they are part of a pattern of disrespectful and profoundly counterproductive behavior that has strained the critical alliance between the United States and Israel.

 :"No ally of the United States is perfect and neither is any American administration.  But responsibility Presidents ensure their advisors work through policy differences with our closest partners respectfully and through the appropriate channels. The U.S. Congress is firmly committed to the U.S.-Israel alliance and will continue to resolutely oppose unilateral efforts by the Palestinians at the United Nations, and demand that Palestinian leaders join Israel in seeking a negotiated, two-state solution to the conflict that allows both sides to live in peace and security.

  "It is imperative that the President publicly repudiate both of these incidents and commit to working with Congress and supporting our great ally in the region.

A huge thunderstorm rolls through Bakersfield and it's the talk of the town, and more on those IRS telephone scams that are targeting so many Kern County residents

 * … RAIN: Who knew that a passing rainstorm could pick up our spirits? The rain (and wasn't Friday night amazing?) was the No. 1 topic in town over the weekend and everyone is hoping for more. Which brings us to this: You know you are from Bakersfield when you take pictures and video of the rain and post it on social networking websites. (photos by Don Martin and Christina Sweet)

* … IRS SCAMS: Our community is being inundated by telephone sammers posing as Internal Revenue Service agents. One reader called to say she returned home to find a "very threatening" message on her answering machine from someone claiming to be front the IRS. When she called Bakersfield police, an officer told her more than 150 people a day are complaining about the scams.

 * … SCAMS: And it gets worse. Kati McKeown in Rep. Kevin McCarthy's office passed along this note from an IRS official:  "The calls can seem scary and legitimate at the beginning. They know your name, they know the last four digits of your Social Security Numbewr, and they reference a specific amount of money that you owe. They insist on immediate payment, even threatening arrest if you hang up! They sometimes keep victims on their cell phone the whole time they are going to the store and buying the pre-paid card. The latest twist is that they tell victims to show up with payment at a specific IRS office. It is not the one closest to the victim’s home. It is often an inconvenient 50 miles away. (Using the IRS office makes this seem more legitimate.) After the victim acquires the pre-paid card, the scammer 'generously' offers to let them off the hook for the lengthy drive. They 'permit' the victim to settle the debt by giving the scammer the numbers off the back of the card, without having to make the trip to the IRS office. If you could help us share just one message, it would be this: The Internal Revenue Service NEVER directs taxpayers to put money on a pre-paid card!"

 * … POLLUTION: This thoughtful note came from Carlos Luna, who was traveling west on 7th Standard Road recently when he spotted a huge mound of almond trees burning near Snow Road.
"This farmer may have had a permit or was in a hurry to get rid off the trees before regulation for no burn days takes effect. May I mention it was a hazy day our surrounding mountains were slightly
visible yet this farmer was burning. The Air Resource Board continues to cut back on citizens burn days, however allows farmers to burn huge piles of green wood. Where is the logic? We get home that afternoon listening to the TV news telling us to brown bag it, don't idle the car, walk kids to school
you get the picture. The ARB should encourage these farmers to take their trees to nearby co-gens or make mulch for our freeways  The co-gens will at least clean up the exhaust before leaving the stacks, but no they want to eliminate our burn nights and fireplaces."

 * … ACHIEVER: Hats off to Lindsay Pearson, a junior at Frontier High School who has been accepted into the 2015 Investigative Journalism Program at Boston University next summer. Her father is Jerry Pearson, a partner at the law firm of Young Wooldridge.

 * … GOP: Karen DeWalt dropped me a note to remind be that the Bakersfield Republican women are gearing up for their annual Pizzazz Luncheon and Fashion Show. The theme is "Celebrating America" and Assemblywoman Shannon Grove will be the guest speaker. The event is Tuesday, Nov. 11 at the Bakersfield Marriott. Tickets can be purchased by calling (661) 477-7004 cost is $50.

 * … MEMORIES: Bud King remembers when "you could bring a Golden Crust wrapper to the Tejon Theater on a Saturday in the summer and get in free if you were a kid. Years later my dad's company, King Trucking, tore down the old bakery. "