A final wish for less pettiness in our political discourse for the new year, Muertos and the Silver Fox Starlite Lounge roll out new menu items and some recommendations for the new year

 * ... FINAL WISH: A final thought as we head into 2018 after a tumultuous year politically and

socially. My simple wish is that we as a people can reject the poisonous attitudes of tribal politics that focus on blame and character assassination and instead look for the beliefs and traditions that bring us together. No matter who is in the White House or Congress, it is up to us as individuals to establish a more civil discourse. Identity politics that categorize us by the color of our skin, our gender, our nationalities or our political affiliation serve only to divide us and do precious little to advance a meaningful and honest conversation. Enough of pettiness and blame. Surely we can do better.

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "When I told my parents over the phone that my husband had the flu, my dad said 'Have you tried euthanasia?' and in the background my mom yelled 'For the last time, it’s echinacea!'"

 * ... SPOTTED ON FACEBOOK: "Reflections on sexual harassment: Be respectful and don’t say anything to a woman at work that you wouldn’t want another man to say to you in prison."

 * ... GOOD EATS: One of the local eateries I frequent - Muertos in the Wall Street alley downtown - is adding a handful of custom hot dogs to its menu. Among them: the "serrano dog" featuring grilled serrano peppers and onions, chopped bacon jack cheese and tomatillo slices, the "cheesesteak dog" featuring grilled carne aside, onions and bell peppers with melted jack cheese, and the "bird dog" with grilled chicken with pico de gallo, melted jack cheese, chopped ortega chillies and tomatillos salsa.

 * ... SILVER FOX: Meanwhile they are now serving food over at the newly renovated Silver Fox Starlite Lounge across from Mexicali on 18th Street.  Bar manager Andrew Willingham told me the Starlite is now serving street dogs and tacos along with a few other items. The Fox is owned by Rod and Julie Crawford, owners of the iconic Pyrenees Cafe in east Bakersfield.

 * ... PICKLEBALL: Did you know the fastest growing sport in America - including here in Kern County - is pickle ball? The paddle sport, played on a court about a third the size of a tennis court, has been embraced across town. At the Bakersfield Racquet Club, "pickle ball only" memberships are nearing the 100 mark, and private clubs like Stockdale Country Club and Seven Oaks have also restriped tennis courts to accommodate its popularity. Nick Jacobs, a Garces High graduate who is now the men's tennis coach at Bakersfield College, is preparing to hold his second "Renegade Cup" pickle ball tournament this September. Last year, its inaugural year, he had more than 100 entries.

 * ... NEW YEAR TIPS: If you own an old home like I do, it's good to know folks who can attend to the occasional problems that older homes present. So here are some recommendations for your new year, courtesy of my own experience: family owned Bakersfield Plumbing for those clogged sewer lines and water issues, Rich Johnson Painting and his crew for quick, affordable and thoughtful attention to detail,  Dean Farnsworth for a versatile handyman who can handle just about any job, and General Tree Service for those seasonal trimming jobs.

Hurricane Maria causes a nationwide shortage of saline IV bags, and add the names Samuel Van Kopp and Jim Damian to the list of up and coming young people locally

* ... MEDICAL SHORTAGE: If you or a loved one receive regular intravenous injections, beware that there is a national shortage of the saline IV bags used to inject drugs in hospital and outpatient

settings. It turns out there are only a few providers nationally, and one of them was located in Puerto Rico owned by Baxter International. Hurricane Maria almost destroyed the Baxter facility, and a second manufacturer in Orange County has had quality control issues. That has left doctors and hospitals across Kern County scrambling to find new suppliers. The Food and Drug Administration is allowing Baxter to import saline and other IV bags from its other facilities in Australia and Ireland until the shortage ends.

 * ... NEW LAWS: Of all the new California laws that went into effect this year, more than a few have me scratching my head. To wit: we now have a third gender choice on our California driver's license: "non binary" which lives somewhere between male or female. Yet another law says Californians can no longer buy dogs or cats on installment plans (huh?) and a third forbids companies from asking prospective employees if they have a criminal record. To what end?

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "Yes you impress me. But so do plants that can go two weeks without water."

 * ... SPOTTED ON FACEBOOK: "It's so cold in the upper half of the USA today that politicians will put their hands in their own pockets."

 * ... VAN KOPP: Last week I threw out some names of promising young people who I hope will consider running for office here, be it the City Council or a local school board. A friend reached out and said I had overlooked one important person: Samuel Van Kopp, a Bakersfield High and West Point graduate who was gravely injured in a suicide bombing in Afghanistan in 2012. He was right. Van Kopp, 29, has worked for Rep. Kevin McCarthy and is now studying for his law degree. Thoughtful, witty and razor sharp, he personifies the type of leadership that this community needs to serve its citizens.

 * ... JIM DAMIAN: And add Jim Damian to that list as well. The founder and chief executive officer of Stria technology company, Damian is active in local organizations and has the knowledge, commitment and progressive attitude that would serve our community well.

 * ... MEMORIES: I was pursuing one of my favorite websites (the Facebook page "Kern County of Old") and found a reference to an old watering hole on Edison Highway called "Chet's Club." The entry had this to say about Chet's Club: "Located next door to the Lucky Spot, it was a well known 'watering hole' for Kern residents. The founder and early owner was Chester Earl 'Chet' Thompson (1902-1966). Chet was the biological father for my many, many year friend and Kern County of Old member, Jerry Frederick."

Looking forward to 2018 and thinking about those New Year's resolutions ... a hope for new leadership and saying goodbye to some inspiring local leaders

 * ... HAPPY NEW YEAR: Have you sat down to list your New Year's resolutions? If you could have three wishes for 2018 what would they be? My top three don't change through the years,
because they represent wealth that money cannot buy: personal happiness for those I love, health and hope for those less fortunate.

 * ... LOCAL POLITICS: On the local political level, I hope 2018 brings a new wave of younger, savvy, more forward thinking and thoughtful candidates to put an end to the clubby, risk averse and often backward reputation that Kern County has earned over the years.

 * ... OPIATES: Along those lines, wouldn't it be nice to hear our city council or Board of Supervisors express as much - or more - concern about the opioid crisis than they do about marijuana? While we fritter the night away wringing our hands about pot, people die every day from crushing addictions that start with legal prescription drugs and often end with crude and dangerous forms of street drugs. And some of the hardest hit? Our combat veterans - who we claim to admire and love - who often return home with crippling injuries that can lead to addiction to opiates.

 * ... RICO'S LIST: I compiled my own list of younger, engaged citizens that I hope one day will consider running for office. I do not know their personal politics, but all are educated and smart and have shown a love for this community. My "watch list" includes Michael Bowers, Melissa Poole, Lauren Mae, Don Bynum, Thomas Maxwell, Patrick Wade, Jay Tamsi, Justin Salters, Dana Culhane Brennan, Anna Smith and David Milazzo. Who did I miss?

 * ... ANIMALS: And how about this for a resolution: Here's hoping we stop treating our pets as disposable items here in Kern County and see fewer of them roaming our streets hungry, afraid and alone.

 * ... HORACE MITCHELL: We will lose Horace Mitchell to retirement as president of CSUB this year, and here's hoping his replacement is as dynamic, forward thinking and inclusive as Mitchell has been during his 13 years at the helm of our local university. These are all tricky decisions, and there is no guarantee that the next CSUB president will show the vision that Mitchell brought when he arrived on campus in 2004.

 * ... STEVE SCHILLING: Another notable retirement is that of Steve Schilling, the longtime head of Clinica Sierra Vista which provides basic health care services to thousands of Californians across multiple counties. Schilling almost single handedly built Clinica into a massive, important health care organization, and let's hope his replacement- Brian Harris - shares the energy and vision that Schilling brought to his job.

 * ... SMALL GIFTS: Happiness is never tied to a zip code, and isn't it true that it is always the small things that make life such a gift? A few of mine: an 11-year-old tabby whose love is boundless, friends who make me laugh so hard my side hurts, grown children whose success and happiness brings me such joy, a hike in the hills above Hart Park on a crisp Bakersfield morning, indescribably delicious Christmas cookies from my neighbor Robin, sitting under my grand sycamore tree in downtown Bakersfield while listening to the train couplings, a cozy evening at the "Italian embassy" (Uricchio's Trattoria as Rick Kreiser calls it) seeing old friends, and a new wife who gets my jokes, makes me laugh and fills a room with her smile.

* ... THANKFUL: And finally, here's to some of the local cast of characters who continually surprise, challenge and inspire me in so many different ways: Monsignor Craig Harrison, Louis Gill of the Bakersfield Homeless Center, CSUB basketball coach Rod Barnes, Dr. Raj Patel of Preferred Family Care and Randy Martin of Convenant Community Services.

The state of California ushers in an expected $7 billion industry next week with legal marijuana, criminals hit local churches to steal and break into cars and animal control officers capture some wild dogs on the bike path

 * ... LEGAL CANNABIS: While the city and county have opted out of regulating the legal sale of cannabis beginning next week, the emerging $7 billion state industry is moving forward. One of the

latest developments: Bill Lockyer, formerly California's top cop as Attorney General, has co-founded a company to distribute marijuana concentrates and edibles to retail outlets. That's right, the same person who was in charge of California's "war on drugs" is now hoping to cash in on the medicinal and recreational use of pot. As Lockyer told The Los Angeles Times:  “For me as somebody who was on the law enforcement side for so many years, I saw the inadequacies of the effort to regulate something just by calling it illegal. I think legalizing will help stabilize and help legitimize this industry and result in better consumer protection and other public benefits. This whole industry has to come from the dark side to the light."

 * ... CRIME: Not sure if this is a trend but car thieves seem to be singling out local churches to steal and break into cars. At least two friends had their cars stolen this Christmas, right from the parking lot of their local churches. Yet another left the service to find his car had been broken into and his wallet stolen.

 * ... DOG POUND: It was nice to see two Bakersfield animal control officers on the bike path near Manor Drive on Christmas Day looking for a pack of wild dogs that has been chasing cyclists and runners. So far they have captured six dogs, mostly pit bull mixes, while two or three remain loose.

* ... SHOPPING MAYHEM: On Christmas Eve every single shopping cart at the Target on Stockdale Highway was in use, not to mention every checkout line was open with a line. I wasn't the only shopper to wait to the last minute.

 * ... CHRISTMAS LAMENT: I spotted this on a friend's Facebook page: "I really hope to wake up to a brand new car with a huge red bow, but I’m pretty sure my husband just got me socks."

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "I’m pretty sure that it’s easier to leave most street gangs than it is to cancel a membership to a gym."

 * ... SPOTTED ON FACEBOOK: "Everyone is talking about Star Wars and I'm here thinking about tamales."

 * ... ALARM CLOCK: Local appraiser Gary Crabtree wonders if he is alone in noticing a new alarm clock about town. "Is it just me or has anyone else noticed the new town alarm clock in the form of the 'pile driving” taking place for the Centennial Corridor project over the Kern River. For the last two weeks I’ve been awakened by the 'gong' that starts around 6:30 to 7 a.m.  I can hardly wait for them to begin on the California Avenue and Stockdale Highway’s bridges."

  * ... GOOD FORM: Sandra Morris was dining with friends at Joseph's Italian restaurant recently when a kind looking man eating by himself picked up her bill. "A friend from Nigeria is here for the holidays and we were giving her a going away party and an Italian food experience... My friend from Nigeria always says how good and generous Americans are and she got to see a fine example today."

The Winter Solstice marks the beginning of the long march to summer, the Bakersfield Homeless Center faces relocation and a new children's book celebrates a gay Santa

 * ... SOLSTICE: We may be in the early days of winter, but if you are a fan of warmer weather you won't have to wait much longer. The winter solstice (December 21) marks the shortest day of the year

as well as the longest night of the year. So starting today the sun will begin to rise a little earlier every day as we begin our long march toward spring and another Bakersfield summer. In Pagan times, the winter solstice was called Yule and was a celebration of the Goddess Moon, which (it was believed) gave birth to the sun. Some families use the solstice as a time to renew family ties with an eye toward spring.

* ... HOMELESS CENTER: It looks like the Bakersfield Homeless Center will be one of the losers when the High Speed Rail project finally comes to Bakersfield. Both of the two favored routes will force the center to relocate, and that has CEO Louis Gill worried and looking for alternatives. But Gill said he can't move forward until the High Speed Rail Authority agrees to buy the homeless center, and that isn't happening anytime soon. Gill needs regular donations to operate the center, and is concerned about asking for money for capital improvements when the facility will eventually have to move.

 * ... GAY SANTA: So did you hear about the new children's book called "Santa's Husband?" Its theme: Santa Claus is black and gay and is married to a puffy white man. The couple deals with relevant social issues as labor disputes, "good dental plans," and climate change. Not everyone thought it was a good idea. Consider this review on Amazon: "I run a parenting group for multiracial families, and we had high hopes here. This book is tokenizing and tries to address far too many social needs. I learned it was written by two white people, and that might explain the problem. Input from a black author would have resulted in a better book for our kids, who deserve better. A Black Cake for Santa is an excellent alternative for race-conscious parents." Unnecessarily provocative or a sign of the times?

* ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "It’s horrible when you congratulate a woman on being pregnant and she’s just fat. Especially when it’s your wife."

 * ... SPOTTED ON FACEBOOK: "Don't mess with someone who has reindeer antlers and a tree nose on their minivan. They are obviously past their breaking point."

 * ... CONGRATS: Congratulations to former CSUB pitcher Michael McCarthy who announced this week that he is joining the Minnesota Twins organization as a coach with their AAA team (Rochester Red Wings) in 2018.

 * ... GOOD FORM: Pyper Von Normann shared this uplifting note about an incident recently at Red Robin where she was having lunch when her 4-year-old daughter Goldie suffered a seizure. "We called 911, and spoke with a very kind and competent operator. Within minutes, the Bakersfield Fire Department was there, and three fantastic firefighters were tending to my little girl. Just behind them was a wonderful Hall Ambulance paramedic and EMT who took over from there. All of the first responders were kind, compassionate, concerned, helpful, intelligent, alert... just to name a few. When we arrived at Adventist Health, the story didn't change. The medical staff was incredible, every single one of them. I also need to give a shout out to the staff at Red Robin who were so caring and concerned, and insisted on comping our bill. I am so thankful to live in this community, and yesterday was a good reminder of that."

Bakersfield police reveal the extent of our gang problem, CSUB makes the right call in calling the Icardo Center home and a mea culpa on an earlier blog post

 * ... GANGS: Most of us are fortunate to live in neighborhoods that are safe from the scourge of gangs. We go about our lives, shop, raise families and work with little regard for what

happens in the less fortunate neighborhoods. Which is why I was stunned to read the front page story in the Sunday Californian by Harold Pierce shedding light on the extent of gang activity in town. The most shocking part of the story? The half page map showing where the gangs operate, their names and the extent of their influence. From Colonia on the far east to the West Side Bakers to the west, gangs operate in a remarkably large part of our city.

 * ... CSUB: The smartest thing the CSUB Roadrunners did a few years ago was return to the iconic Icardo Center for home basketball games. Certainly Rabobank Arena had the fancier facilities, but the intimacy (and foot stomping noise on the old bleachers) of the Icardo Center plays better to whip up the crowd. And there is nothing like a Roadrunner basketball game on a crisp fall Saturday to renew some old friendships. Some of those I spotted enjoying CSUB's victory over Georgia Southern were former Mayor Harvey Hall, sporting a wintry white beard, Mel Atkinson, Greg and Mary Bynum, Patrick Wade, Alan Wade, Dr. Vip Dev, Mike and Claudia Stepanovich, Assemblyman Vince Fong and Rep. Kevin McCarthy.

   * ... SPOTTED ON FACEBOOK:  “I ordered a chicken and an egg from Amazon. I’ll let you know” what arrives first.

 * ... MORE FACEBOOK SPOTTED: "If you’re not fully satisfied with your life, do something about it. Or complain about it on the internet. Whatever you prefer."

 * ... GOOD ADVICE: This good advice came from a high school teacher to her students about "news" stories: "Always ask yourself: Who writes these stories? Who benefits from the stories? And who is missing from these stories?"

 * ... BAD FORM: My friend Justin Salters posted this on Twitter: "Hey @SunworksSolar- I just had to dodge an empty can thrown by your employees into the street. Stockdale Hwy and Stine Rd in Bakersfield, Ca. Guess which solar company I’ll never use..."

 * ... GOOD FORM: Hats off to the young father who, along with his young sons, were seen walking the park at the Panorama Bluffs picking up trash, a heart warming example of a teaching your children the importance of having pride in your community.

 * ... MEA CULPA: Bruce Jay, president of Valley Republic Bank, wrote to correct me on an earlier item I published. "The Kern County Cancer Fund is in fact a part of the CBCC Foundation, but is a separate division with a separate mission, Board of Director, books and records, etc. The KCCF only provides financial assistance for cancer treatment. The typical client is either a single working parent or a working family with one bread winner that has cancer and can no longer work and household income has become compromised. Often, there is not sufficient income to pay monthly health plan premiums. So KCCF provides funds for cancer care medical costs including prescriptions, co-pays, insurance deductibles and COBRA. Without this assistance, patients can be forced into a horrific situation of having to suspend treatments due to household financial restraints. The good news is KCCF has provided financial assistance to over 450 clients over the past four years with a financial commitment of over $2 million."

Fires, mayhem and high taxes force more Californians to give up on the Golden State, Villaraigosa closes in on Newsom in the governor's race and Rick Kreiser raises $42,000 for the Kern County Cancer Fund

 * ... GOODBYE CALIFORNIA: It looks like the recent fires in Santa Rosa and Ventura County are

pushing yet more people to finally leave California for good. At least that is what the New York Times reported recently, citing our long frustration with the high cost of living here. "For many Californians," the paper reported, "the question is always sitting there: Is this worth it? Natural disasters are a moment to take stock and rethink the dream. But in the end, the calculation almost always comes down to cost." Since 2010, it continued, "the state has lost more than two million residents 25 and older, including 220,000 who moved to Texas... Arizona and Nevada have each welcomed about 180,000 California expatriates since the start of the decade."

 * ... VILLARAIGOSA: Does former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa have a shot at beating former San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom in the governor's race? Apparently he does, at least if you follow the polls. Villaraigosa started off more than 20 points behind Newsom among Democrats and has now narrowed that to about five points. And Villaraigosa, who swung through Bakersfield this week, is making a bold bid to lure moderate Republicans by courting the conservative San Joaquin Valley. Expect to see more of Villaraigosa locally as we head into the new year.

 * ... SEASONAL LIES: Some of the lies we tell ourselves: "I am starting my diet tomorrow ... He will never hear from me again ... I'll just have one drink."

 * ... SPOTTED ON FACEBOOK: I saw this on my friend Justin Salter's Twitter feed: "If we can train ourselves to be optimistic, as soon as life gets difficult, we will have the mental toughness to persist and succeed. "

 * ... GREGORY PORTER: Here's a worthy fund raiser that you may want to consider: Habitat for Humanity will be holding a concert featuring Grammy winning jazz singer Gregory Porter. Porter is one of the most famous singers to come out of Kern County, having graduated from Highland High School and going on to San Diego State. Habitat says Porter will be singing some Nat King Cole tunes. The concert will be held in the Dore Theater at CSUB on Saturday, Jan. 20. Tickets are just $50 and all proceeds will benefit Habitat for Humanity Golden Empire. Porter appeared on NBC's Kathie Lee and Hoda earlier this week to belt out a tune. Check out the Habitat for Humanity Golden Empire Facebook page to buy tickets.

 * ... CANCER FUND: Hats off to Rick Kreiser and his Guitar Masters series, which raised $42,000 for the Kern County Cancer Fund during his annual concert featuring Christmas with the Cranktones. Kreiser sold out the Crystal Palace for the annual event, benefitting an organization that says all the money stays in our community to help cancer patients and their families pay for cab rides, living expenses, wigs and other items during their fight with cancer.

* ... HARVEY HALL: Another reason why I miss Harvey Hall as our mayor. Even out of office, Hall continues to give back to his hometown by funding the Downtown Street Ambassadors who pick up trash in our downtown area. Since kicking off April 1, the street ambassadors have removed 2,714 bags of litter. That's an average of 340 bags collected each month. Some good news: the amount of trash collected actually decreased in October. Hall stepped up to fund the program in February.

RIP local cyclist Dale Northrop, readers lament pedestrian deaths and jaywalking and a new vaccine for shingles hits the market

 * ... SAFETY: Gabrielle Lopez spoke for many of us in lamenting (while expressing frustration)

with the number of pedestrians who are hit and killed by cars. Said Lopez: "I do not think that there is anything anyone can do about the
pedestrians/cars issue. I am constantly seeing people run red lights as if they are not breaking the law and they have zero shame about it. I honk at them if I am in the front of the light and they run it. I
have been given dirty looks and the finger as if I am doing something wrong. They have absolute no regard for other people who are waiting and they think they don't have to wait. And I constantly see people walking against the light mostly NOT in a crosswalk though I have seen them in a crosswalk when my light is green. I honk at them too. I just think there is an epidemic of 'it is all about me' going on. There is nothing that can fix stupid."

 * ... JAYWALKERS: Some of the worst cases of jaywalking occurs around our local high schools when classes begin and end, including the lunch period. And it is particularly bad around Bakersfield High School where students regularly dash across a busy California Avenue to beat the bell before classes.

 * ... SHINGLES: Here's a tip for those of you who have reached the age of 50 or beyond: get the new shingles vaccine recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration. According to Dr. Raj Patel of Preferred Family Care, the new drug Shingrix is more than twice as effective as an older vaccine (Zostavax) and should be taken by anyone over the age of 50 with a normal immune system. Check with your physician to determine if the drug is available locally.

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "I removed all the fattening food from my house. It was delicious."

 * ... SPOTTED ON FACEBOOK: "I am more likely to be sexually assaulted than I am to benefit from this tax bill."

 * ... HEALTHY EATS: I was out in the Southwest this weekend and stopped by Eureka Burger, perhaps one of the few chain restaurants I frequent. After I tried their Protein Chopped Salad, I may have to return more often. It is a delicious and healthy salad featuring romaine, kale, quinoa, roasted beets, red onion, carrot, three types of beans, sunflower seeds and a red wine vinaigrette.

 * ... RETAIL: The boutique store Fashionista has moved next door to QwikCafe and Sequoia Sandwich Co. on 18th Street. The store was previously located near the Fox Theater.

 * ... RIP DALE: I was saddened to learn of the death of Dale Northrop, one of the first people I met in the cycling community when I moved to Bakersfield in the 1990s. Northrop was an avid cyclist and was deeply involved in helping organize the annual Spooktacular century ride as well as the New Year's Day ride. I spent many hours at the 24 Hour Fitness off White Lane chatting with Dale on our stationary bikes and will miss his large smile and kind spirit. He was 78 years old.