Remembering the talented Pat Conroy, Bob Smith endorses Andrae Gonzales for City Council and readers weigh in on unruly patrons at The Fox Theater

 * ... PAT CONROY: Among the passings recently was Pat Conroy, a fellow native Southerner whose semi auto-biographical novels like "The Great Santini" and "Prince of Tides" reflected the joys

and torment of growing up in Georgia and South Carolina. In his obituary in The New York Times, he gave advice that all great writers appreciate: "One of the greatest gifts you can get as a writer is to be born into an unhappy family," he said. "I could not have been born into a better one. I don't have to look very far for melodrama. It's all right there."

 * ... CITY COUNCIL: Ward 4 City Councilman Bob Smith has wasted no time in endorsing Andrae Gonzales in his bid to unseat Terry Maxwell in the Ward 2 race. Maxwell's opposition to the widening of 24th Street and and his perceived prickly personality has earned the enmity of some members of the council, as well as City Manager Alan Tandy. In an email to friends, Smith urged everyone to attend a fund raiser for Gonzales this Thursday.

* ... FOX THEATER: There has been a lot of buzz recently about unruly guests at concerts, including here at the Fox Theater. From my mailbag come these responses: "I stopped going to the Fox Theatre when I went to a concert there for Merle Haggard," wrote Cheryl. "The crowd was so loud and obnoxious and drunk that he stopped the concert and told them if they didn't behave he wouldn't play anymore. That did it for me. That would never happen at the Crystal Palace. They need to fix this at the Fox."

 * ... MORE FOX: But Carolyn Mack added this: "My husband and I attended the same Jennifer Nettles concert as the person who wrote to you under 'Bad Form' in today's paper. We had no problems. There were many people who were clearly enjoying themselves and having liquid refreshment, but no one near us was rude, drunk, or obnoxious. It was a Saturday night, there were three opening acts, and Ms. Nettles did not appear until two hours after the concert began. Plenty of time to become unruly! We enjoy the venue and hope concerts there will continue."

 * ... FOX LOVE: And finally Amy Knight weighed in as a lover of the Fox: "It broke my heart to read the 'bad form' letter about the unfortunate experience at the Fox Theater.  I have lived in Bakersfield for over 50 years and in my younger days, I always loved going there when it was a movie theater... The management for these shows has changed hands in the past years and perhaps needs to look more closely at how they deal with people who disrupt the show for everyone else... I worry that attendance at local events will plummet even further.  Please don’t let one bad experience paint the picture of the Fox. That kind of attitude is like accepting the image of our town as filled with redneck illiterates. We need to support local arts, theater and musical events. The few rowdy unruly people are not representative of us."

 * ... NOISE POLLUTION: Allen Byrd wrote to call out the Express Transit buses that operate around town. "Express Transit continues to blast their air horns multiple times per day to announce their arrival to drop off and pick up clients at the care home on Columbia Lane despite requests over the years that the horn honking cease  I suppose the drivers would think about the situation differently if they lived near a residence caring for the disabled and they had to listen to annoying commercial air horns."

* ... CRIME: From local resident Chris Brakebill: "Seems that smashing car windows is on the increase here. Several cars, including ours, had windows smashed while parked outside of Bakersfield Swim Club one night. It’s a good idea to not leave anything you don’t want to lose…keys, garage door openers, registration, watches, glasses, etc. The time of thinking 'it won’t happen to me' is over."

House Majority Leader McCarthy: President Obama puts us all at risk by trying to close Guantanamo and Congress will fight all attempts to close it

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

"There is a clear contrast between President Obama and the House. While we continue to pass bills to keep Americans safer, the president is presenting an unlawful and unwise plan to close Guantanamo

Bay. And with the news of a Bakersfield Army Reserve unit being deployed to Guantanamo I thought it’d be appropriate to discuss why the president’s policy puts America at risk.

"Simply put, the president’s track record of releasing detainees is atrocious.  Many of the detainees he has released have rejoined the fight and pose a significant threat to the homeland. These are not “low-level” terrorists as the administration has claimed.

For example, Ibrahim al Qosi, a senior al Qaeda operative and close associate of Osama bin Laden, was transferred from Guantanamo in 2012. Since then, he has not only joined al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, but has become one of its leaders. In December, al Qosi urged Muslims to carry out deadly attacks on the U.S., specifically New York City.

He is not the only one.

At least three of “Taliban Five” released in return for Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl have “re-engaged” with their old terrorist organizations. Prior to the exchange all of these detainees were deemed “high risks” to the U.S. and its allies by the Joint Task Force Guantanamo.

 "To make matters worse, last month Spanish and Moroccan police arrested a former detainee who is suspected of being part of an ISIS cell in North Africa. Authorities described him as “a leader who was trained in handling weapons, explosives, and military tactics.” These are exactly the kind of people we shouldn’t let out into the world or into our country.

According to James Clapper, Director of National Intelligence, 196 former detainees are either confirmed or suspected of returning to the fight. That's a recidivism rate of nearly 30 percent. This is unacceptable.

The best place for Guantanamo detainees is in Guantanamo. Congress will continue to fight against the president’s desire take us back to the failed pre-9/11 law enforcement approach to counterterrorism. We have passed and President Obama has signed legislation barring him from moving detainees to the United States. Even Obama’s own Attorney General Loretta Lynch, reiterated it would be illegal for the president to transferring detainees to the U.S.

Congress is resolute. We will not sacrifice U.S. national security for the sake of a misguided campaign pledge. That is why we are forever indebted to the service of the 120 men and women in the 422nd Military Police Company who will serve as guards during their one-year deployment at Guantanamo Bay.

When Mark Ruffalo and Leonardo DiCaprio aren't making millions acting, they are lobbying to shut down all oil and gas exploration in California, and access is being curtailed to the local Jar Trail

 * ... HOLLYWOOD: As if the oil and gas industry didn't have enough to worry about, now comes a group of Hollywood celebrities who are pushing to end all oil production in California by the year 2030. That's right, actor Mark Ruffalo is leading the push, engaging other celebs like Leonardo DiCaprio, Norman Lear, Rashida Jones and Diane Kruger to pressure the governor. According to a story in the magazine Good by writer Tina Daunt, Ruffalo said: “If Governor Brown is going to walk around saying that he is a climate-change hero, then by God, we are going to hold him to his word,” says Ruffalo, who has formed a group called Hollywood United for a Healthy California with “a goal of freeing California from oil and gas extraction.” Once again hydraulic fracturing, which state regulators and even the EPA has declared as safe as practiced in California, is the convenient boogyman for the anti fossil fuel crowd. (Photo courtesy of Good magazine)

* ... JAR TRAIL: If you are thinking of climbing the Jar Trail at the mouth of the Kern River canyon, beware that you might be trespassing on private property. According to James Nickel, whose family owns extensive acreage on both sides of road, hikers have been destroying fences, littering and even painting graffiti on rocks so he and other property owners are going to close off access to the Jar Trail. It's near impossible to access the trail without trespassing, so this decision may bring an end to the popular hike. Nickel called it "regrettable" but in the end said the property owners "had no choice."

 * ... GOOD ADVICE: I was struck by this quote attributed to Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg in talking about her late friend Justice Anthony Scalia: "He told me he attacks ideas, not people." Seems like good advice this election year.

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "Some people are like Slinkys … not really good for anything, but you can’t help smiling when you see one tumble down the stairs.'

 * ... KERO TV: More management upheaval in the local television market: Pete Noll is out at as vice president and general manager of the Scripps-owned KERO (23) TV station. Scripps ousted Noll along with a human resources director and the head of promotions. No word on who will succeed Noll. Loll lasted at KERO TV less than a year.

 * ... GOOD FORM: Christine Christensen was with four "senior ladies" enjoying a lunch at the Hidden Cafe downtown when a stranger picked up the tab for their meals. "He held the door open for us, we thanked him and told him he was a gentleman and to thank his mother ... When we thanked our server and asked for our bill she told us the gentleman had paid for all five. To our Knight in Shining Armor, a big thank you."

Gaggles of drunk, 50-something women who should know better disrupt a local concert, and Bike Bakersfield's Adam Kahler gives his rescue pit bull a first class lift

 * ... BAD FORM: Is there anything worse than paying top dollar for a concert and then seated next to a group of loud and obnoxious drunks? Local Realtor Michael Richert had this experience when he attended the Jennifer Nettles concert at the Fox Theater. "We had six, drunk 50-60 year old women who came in behind us and were the most obnoxious group talking about their last text from their

boyfriends, and what was on Facebook and who was seeing who. Something I’d expect from a high school crowd and not the Fox Theater at $75 per ticket.  Everyone in our row asked in several ways for them to be quiet so we could listen and nothing would stop them. It was so rude to all the performers. Complaints were made to the Fox employees but nothing. Finally, we got up and moved to open seats further back. There, we encountered three more groups of people who were so drunk that they were falling down in the aisles and around their seats all the time yelling and fighting about everything except the concert and performers. Again, these weren’t kids, all grown adults. I just can’t picture ever going back to the Fox Theater for a concert. I was embarrassed for the performers and what was to be a great night turned into something that was not. I usually go to LA for concerts so this was my 1st at the Fox in 18 years of living here. I’ve been told that 'it’s just how things are at the Fox.'  I really wish it had been different."

* ... BIKE BAKERSFIELD: If you spot a fit young man riding a bicycle and towing a white pit bull around town that would be Adam Kahler, the new director of Bike Bakersfield. Kahler, a Bucknell graduate who left the energy industry to pursue his passion, made the bike trailer out of PVC to pull Winston, a pit bull he rescued in Shafter a couple of years ago. "He loves it. He just sits back there like he is in the back of a pick up truck. I did flip it once, which he did not like," he said. If you see Adam and Winston around town, give them a friendly honk and wave.

 * ... JAR TRAIL: The Jar Trail is a steep hike at the foot of the Kern River canyon, but its popularity seems to have caught up with it. Listen to this from reader Nancy Vibe: "I have bad news about the Jar Trail and hiking in the canyon. There are some evil people taking advantage of the hikers. My husband and a few friends parked their vehicles at the Upper Richbar parking. Off they went for an awesome morning of hiking. They returned to busted out passenger windows, missing car registrations, insurance cards and house keys! Luckily my husband Mark had house keys and his ID on him. (he never takes his wallet). But the friends were not so lucky. They spent the rest of their Saturday getting their homes re-keyed! Be smart people... they will have your address and the keys to your house and can clean you out before you get home!"

* ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "Unless you tripped and smacked your face on the treadmill, no one wants to hear about your workout."

 * ... FOUNDATION: The Bakersfield Californian (family) Foundation is kicking off its spring cycle of giving with a focus on arts and culture. The Foundation is accepting applications beginning this week and all applications are due by Friday, April 1. Go to www.bakersfieldcalifornianfoundation.org to find out more about the kind of projects that will be funded.

Bass Pro Shops in negotiations for a new store at the Hosking Road interchange, two local guys stage another local mountain bike race and when did sagging skin become "gravitational descent?"

 * ... RETAIL: There is a lot of movement in the retail sector as new businesses head to town. Bass Pro Shops, which wanted to open years ago before the economy tanked, is negotiating to purchase a parcel of land on the northeast corner of the new Hoskings Road interchange, which is almost

complete. I also heard the other day that Walmart has purchased property for a neighborhood market at the corner of Brimhall and Allen roads. And lastly, I learned that they will start moving earth for a new hotel and some small retail shops at that huge 15-acre parcel at the corner of Stockdale Highway and Coffee Road across from the Trader Joe's shopping center.

 * ... KUDOS: Unless you are into competitive cycling, you may never have heard of Sam Ames or Keith Barnden, but these two guys are putting Bakersfield on the map in a big way. Ames and Barnden (SamBarn productions) are staging some of the most popular mountain, cross and road bike races in the west, including the Foothill Classic mountain bike competition this Sunday out at Hart Park. A few weeks ago, they put on the Rock Cobbler, an incredibly tough 100 mile race that put even the best endurance athletes to the test. The number of out of town cyclists and their families that descend on Bakersfield for these events is impressive.

* ... SPOTTED: In a doctor's office in the Southwest is a sign promoting cosmetic surgery for "gravitational descent." I believe we used to call that "sagging skin."

 * … SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "The best part of a best friend's job should be clearing your computer history if you die."

 * … PADRE:  The Padre Hotel is known for frequently changing its menus and offering new treats, and a menu is about to roll out. I am told it will feature bringing back some of the all-time favorites, like the Padre's signature nachos that were dropped from the menu some months ago, but let's hope they keep one of my favorites: a healthy choice kale salad (with eggs, onions and tomatoes) that is not to be missed.

 * ... FOODIE: It looks like Victor's Mexican Grill will be one of the tenants in a new building going up at F and 20th streets. Signage went up this weekend and the building looks close to completion. And if you are looking for a deal, make sure you clip the coupon in Sunday's Californian for a "but one lunch or dinner" at KC Steakhouse and get meal one free.

 * ... PAY IT FORWARD: Sandy Dralle shared these thoughts on the "pay it forward" theme in a local drive through. Said Dralle: "Recently I paid the guy behind me for letting me in the line first at a drive through. He was alone so I figured he was buying a quick drive through lunch just like me. When I handed my credit card to the employee, she said: 'He is paying for a bucket meal for four. Do you still want to pay for him?' I was a bit surprised but decided that if you are going to do 'a random act of kindness' you can't put a price tag on it. Besides the bucket meal was on sale, which turned out to be a good deal for both of us!"

Next time you think about shooting that family photograph in one of our almond orchards, better check with the owner, and what is the proper etiquette for a "pay it forward" chain at Starbucks?

* ... GOOD ADVICE: It's not surprising that so many families choose the natural beauty of our almond orchards to take family or wedding photos, especially this time of year, but local farmers are warning to do your homework first. Darin Buoni and his father Frank Buoni spray pesticides on local fields, and it prompted Darin to post this prudent warning on Facebook: "Check before you take

your children into the trees to see what has been sprayed in the last 24-48 hours. Some of the pesticides we spray in our line of work are very toxic. I watched a family taking pictures deep in a field of almond trees where I know for a fact the night before was being sprayed with a heavy dose of pesticides that requires a reentry time. And before you even find that information out perhaps you should talk to the property owner about being allowed to be on the property at all. It's very rude to trespass on someone's property because you just feel like it's ok to do so." Good advice.

* ... ETIQUETTE: Here's an etiquette question I cannot answer: What's the protocol when the car in front of you at Starbucks buys your $4.45 coffee, but when you inquire about returning the favor to the customer behind you, the barista says their bill is $13? Do you buy their drinks or risk a case of bad karma? I posed the question to freelance etiquette columnist Lisa Kimble Edmonton, who in Solomon-like fashion chose to split the baby with this response: give the barista $5 to offset the bill of the customer behind me.

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "Old expression is whoever wins presidency is the one you'd rather have a beer with. I might have to give up drinking."

 * ... GOOD FORM: Philip Beglin shared this example of good form that he recently witnessed. Said Beglin: "Yesterday as I backed out of the parking lot of Raymond's Trophy and Awards on Chester Avenue, I saw some poor old man in a motorized wheelchair, who also carried a blind person's white cane, leave the sidewalk and get about half-way across the street when his grocery bag fell from the chair and dropped his purchases into the street. Before I could get out of my car to help, two young boys (probably about nine or ten years old) who were riding skateboards rolled up behind the man, jumped off their boards, and gathered up and re-bagged the groceries for him. What a nice thing to do, huh?"

 * ... OILDALE: Folks in the Oildale area are planning a neighborhood cleanup for Saturday, March 5. If you want to participate, call Cher Pannel at (661) 393-4473. Everyone will gather at the Standard School park at 8 a.m.

 * ... FUND RAISER: Here's a fun way to raise money for a good cause. The Association of Petroleum Wives is holding its 14th annual Charity Sporting Clay Shoot on Friday, March 11, at the Kern County Gun Club. The cost is $100 person or $400 for a four-person team. Check-in is at 7:30 a.m. and lunch follows the shoot. Proceeds benefit the Mission of Kern County- Women's Recovery Program. Call (661) 333-3206 for information or email APWsportingclayshoot@aol.com.

Food blogger sends some love to Pyrenees Cafe and Saloon, a dangerous new outbreak in crime locally and some really good form at Mossman's

* … CRIME: What would you do if someone started pounding on your door in the middle of the

night? If you said call 911, you are right. Across town people are reporting an alarming crime trend in which someone starts pounding on your door screaming that his life is in danger.  If the door is opened, two or three young men force their way inside and rob you blind. Wisely, the people who this happened to called 911 and allowed the police to deal with it. So unless you have your pit bull on a leash or a Glock in your back pocket, be safe and don't open the door.

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "Taking shots of Tequila is just another way of saying, 'I like where I wake up to always be a surprise.'"

 * ... SPOTTED ON FACEBOOK: A restaurant posts this sign inside: "We Do Not Have WiFi. Talk to Each Other. Pretend it's 1995."

 * ... FOODIE: It's always nice when folks from out of town discover the uniqueness of our Basque heritage, particularly when it comes to the eateries on the east side of town. That's the kind of love Pyrenees Cafe received when a blogger from Cook's Country came to town to devote his blog to the wonders of Basque food. He sampled it all: from the setup menu of soup and salad to the pickled tongue followed by garlic fried chicken. From the blog: "The Pyrenees Café has changed hands many times since it first opened in 1899, but in recent years, after a period that featured more rival factions, shifting alliances, and hostile takeovers than your standard episode of Game of Thrones, former waitress Julie Crawford and her husband Rod were the ones left standing in charge of this Bakersfield landmark. Since September 2014, they’ve been serving up their take on classic Basque fare, along with some new favorites that devotees claim are too good to miss."

 * ... GOOD FORM: Kelly Giblin sent this shout out to the folks over at Mossman's, which was her mother and father-in-law's favorite restaurant. "Following dad’s death, we began taking mom there for breakfast to keep up an important tradition for her. Our first visit after dad’s death made it clear why they loved it so much. When we walked in, we were immediately surrounded by the entire staff who cried, laughed and shared their memories of dad with us. Since then, we have looked forward to our breakfasts, especially visiting with our adorable waitress Amanda, as well as Mandy, Gayla and Dorette. Without fail, we are always greeted with hugs and laughter. Yesterday was Valentine’s Day and it was extremely busy but as always, Amanda took the time to visit with us, share pictures of her family, and then as a Valentine’s gift (and with a sly wink) she told us that our bill had been taken care of. Holidays like that can be a difficult time for mom since dad died, but thanks to Amanda and Mossman’s it was a wonderful day! These are the kind of people and places that make Bakersfield so great!

 * ... KUDOS: Hats off to Cami Privett, a 2011 graduate of Frontier High School who went on to UC Irvine on a soccer scholarship. Privett recently signed a contract with the Houston Dash soccer team, joining the squad after playing for a club in Norway.

 * ... ASSISTANCE LEAGUE: Hats off to the Assistance League of Bakersfield that is celebrating the 60th anniversary of its Operation School Bell. This program has clothed more than 135,000 Bakersfield children and thousands more have benefited from the work these volunteers perform every day.

Ken Metter criticizes Rep. Kevin McCarthy and then sics a lawyer on a radio host who joins the fray, thanking Harvey Hall and tackling a new hike

 * ... METTLER: So who knew former Kern High School District trustee Ken Mettler has such a thin skin? Mettler penned a "Community Voices" column in The Californian last week in which he lashed out at Rep. Kevin McCarthy for being "a former used car salesman turned taxpayer-paid politician" with no principles. Mettler fancies himself as a true conservative so you can imagine what the rest of the column said. Okay so far, so good, it is Mettler's opinion and we were happy to provide him a forum. But when you willingly join the debate circle you can bet you might be in for some criticism yourself. Which is exactly what radio host Ralph Bailey (KERN NewsTalk 96.1 FM/1180 AM) did last week, calling out Mettler on his hypocrisy and challenging his facts. So how does Mettler respond? He had his lawyer send a cease and desist letter to KERN corporate owner American General Media and then - get this - sends a similar letter to The Californian asking us not to report any Bailey criticism of Mettler. Goodness Ken, you should know better. As they say in Havana, "boca cerrada, no entran moscas."

* ... HARVEY: On the other end of the decorum spectrum is Mayor Harvey Hall, who announced last week he would not seek re-election. Here's my note to you, Harvey: Thank you for your service. Your gift has always been your genuine kindness and concern for all citizens of our town, no matter their race, religion or economic stature. You eschewed the polarization and divisiveness that is part and parcel of politics today (see Mettler above item), and instead you always took the high road. Like the happy warrior Hubert Humphrey, you wore your love for Bakersfield on your pin-striped sleeve, and for that we all owe you a word of thanks.

 * ... JAR TRAIL: I got out Sunday and tackled the Jar Trail, an incredibly steep two-mile ascent that climbs more than 1,000 feet per mile. It's located at the mouth of the Kern River Canyon and provides the most breath-taking views in town. But be advised: if you want to make it to the top, bring hiking sticks, water and snacks because for people of moderate fitness, the climb can take two to three hours. (They say a fitness buff nick named "the beast" can make the ascent in 32 minutes). This trail is not for beginners, but for those looking for a challenge, go for it. And please, if you go don't leave trash and water bottles on the trail.

 * ... BAD FORM: Bryan Kelly just can't seem to get a break. Remember Bryan? He is the former Trader Joe's employee who a few years ago found a soiled diaper stuffed inside a shoe box at a local Walmart. Well, it happened again, this time at the Walmart in the Northeast. While strolling through the store he stumbled upon two women changing the diaper of a small boy, right where the Pampers were displayed. The women casually opened a new box of Pampers, pulled out a diaper, put it on the boy and stuffed the used diaper back in the box of Pampers. "They put the used Pamper in the package and turned it around so one could not tell it had been opened. I finally cleared my way out of the remnants of the tower of babel and out into our unhealthy fresh air. Have you ever showered with a mixture of Comet, Lysol and vinegar?"

 * ... KERN RIVER VALLEY: Some folks up in Lake Isabella are holding a fund raiser to build a skate park for local kids. According to Karene R. Williams, a group of local volunteers has aligned itself with the non-profit California Recreation Foundation to raise the funds. "We have the support of First District Supervisor Mick Gleason as well as Parks and Recreation Director Bob Lerude. Kern County Parks and Recreation is providing the location at no cost. Once the skate park is built, it will be turned over to the county for upkeep and maintenance." The group hopes to raise $150,000.
Donations can be made to California Recreation Foundation and mailed to 2809 Irwin Avenue, Lake Isabella, CA 93240.

 * ... BAKERSFIELDISM: Ronal Reynier writes that you might be a Bakersfield old timer if you remember when high schools had "occupational classes... when Bakersfield Community College was at BHS and you went to Bakersfield Community College tuition free. Times have changed. We used to leave our books on an outside window sill and the next day they were still there."