A sexual abuse lawyer accuses Monsignor Craig Harrison's lawyers of "draconian" tactics to silence critics, we have now entered into the realm of "flying shaming" and the Kern County Fair board needs to move toward transparency, not secrecy

Welcome to Bakersfield Observed. Our mission is to celebrate life in Kern County by focusing on newsmakers and events and the local characters who make this community such a special place. The views expressed here are strictly my own and do not reflect the views of any other individual, organization or company. 

 * ... FATHER CRAIG: As if the story involving Monsignor Craig Harrison could not get more interesting, it just did. Harrison, suspended from the Catholic Church after multiple men came

forward to accuse him of sexual impropriety, is now in civil court fighting an effort to have his personnel file opened for the public to see. The question: did a victims' rights advocacy organization defame Harrison by holding a press conference where its spokesman (Stephen Brady) reiterated the allegations? Harrison attorney Craig Edmonston says yes, and he slapped a defamation lawsuit against the group Roman Catholic Faithful. Attorneys for RCF responded by demanding to see Harrison's personnel file at the Diocese of Fresno, arguing that only by making the allegations public could the RCF defend itself. Mike Reck, an attorney for Jeff Anderson and Associates, a firm that specializes in sexual abuse cases, called Edmonston's lawsuit "draconian." Said Reck: "To use litigation to try to silence others is very heavy handed ... and uncommon. It's draconian." The opening of the file could be revealing: it would first provide in graphic detail all the salacious allegations against Father Craig, and it could also reveal damning information on how the church failed to deal with allegations against sitting priests. Stay tuned. (file photo of attorney Mike Reck)

 * ... FLYING SHAME: I suppose it was inevitable, but in the name of global warming, people are now being shamed for flying. That's right, the correctness police are now focusing on individual air travel to "shame" people for expanding their carbon footprint. In Sweden, it is known as "flygskam" or "flying shame" and it is directed by people who travel for leisure. As it turns out, it is a small group of frequent flyers (12 percent) who make more than six round trips a year and are responsible for two years of all air travel. According to the New York Times, these travelers emit more than three tons of carbon dioxide per year, a substantial amount by global standards. Personally, I think this is a good thing. Let's allow those who want to shut down fossil fuels to feel the real impact of doing so: instead of flying, take a bus (oops more carbon emissions) or a train (more emissions) or simply walk.

 * ... SOUND AND THE FURY: At this point you would think the people who run our public and quasi public agencies would understand the need for transparency. Not so with the Kern County Fair Board, where chairwoman Blodgie Rodriguez summarily dismissed the fair board without hearing from a room full of people who were there to speak about the controversy over more than $300,000 in unaccounted for expenditures. Hey Blodgie, it's just the public, and when you are chair of the board, it might be wise to let the people speak. On a lesser scale, the superintendent of the Bakersfield City School District shows similar tone deafness in dealing with parents at the Downtown Elementary School  angry about possible changes in the way the school operates. We are told that superintendent Harry "Doc" Irvin doesn't like to talk to the press (he has declined my invitation to appear on the radio) and he opts instead to meet with select group of parents behind closed doors. Here are my two cents for both Blodgie and Doc: dodging the press and the public may work in the short term, but you will pay dearly later. Just open the doors and let the sunshine in.

 * ... IN 'N OUT: We all know how Californians feel about our beloved In 'n Out burger, but what about the french fries? According to a recent online posting, the franchise's French fries are hardly a fan favorite. Too limp, too oily, not crisp enough, the complaints abound when it comes to the fries. But one poster had a remedy:"Order them well done," she said. "And they will come out perfect." Try it next time and tell me what you think.

 * ... DOWNTOWN CRIME: The rash of crime across town, much of it done at the hands of our drug addicted masses who roam our streets with near impunity, continues. Check out these surveillance pictures from TLO wines on 18th Street, where the Zaninovich family has poured tens of thousands of dollars into a lovely facility to display their wines. The person in the photo destroyed pots and plants and left a faucet on that flooded the facility

 * .... MEMORIES: Love this picture of the old Kern County Courthouse thanks to the Facebook page Kern County History Fans. The second picture is of the Pastime Theater, at 1517 19th St. (Bakersfield) was a silent-era theater that opened in February of 1913 and closed in July of 1927....

The Valley of Hope gala honors Rick Kreiser, Dr. Jasleen Duggal celebrates a birthday in style, and Via Arte wraps up its 21st annual event at The Marketplace

Welcome to Bakersfield Observed. Our mission is to celebrate life in Kern County by focusing on newsmakers and events and the local characters who make this community such a special place. The views expressed here are strictly my own and do not reflect the views of any other individual, organization or company. 

 * ... VALLEY OF HOPE: Congratulations to Adventist Health and its Valley of Hope weekend gala

that benefited the Valley of Hope Children's Foundation. More than 350 people gathered for the gala, which honored Rick Kreiser as one of his award recipients. Owner of Carney's Business Solutions and a man deeply involved in our community, Kreiser lost both his wife and one of his sons to cancer.

 * ... BLUE GOLD SCRIMMAGE: Make sure you check out Tuesday's annual Blue/Gold scrimmage out at the Icardo Center at CSUB when both the men's and women's basketball teams will kick off the season with a nite of dunks and high flying acrobatics. The 7 p.m event is free to the public and doors open at 6:50 p.m.

* ... FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Check out this post from my friend Lily Crommett-Marsh. Read it and weep: "So San Luis Obispo, population 6, (actually 47,000, with airports in Santa Maria and Santa Barbara) now has non stop flights to: LAS VEGAS ($99.00 one way- not entirely heinous), Los Angeles, Denver, Dallas, Phoenix, San Francisco, and Seattle. Flights to SAN DIEGO and PORTLAND will begin next year.  And Kern, population 839,631, has next to nothing. What is going on. I know the airlines will go to the most lucrative markets, but what the heck are we doing wrong?????"

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "Dear parents with teenagers: The bottle of vodka in your liquor cabinet is water."

 * ... BIRTHDAY: Dr. Jasleen Duggal, an endocrinologist from Bakersfield, celebrated her 40th birthday in style at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas with a few hundred friends and family. Duggal, known as 'Jazzy' to her friends, is married to local cardiologist Dr. Jeet Singh.

 * ... HOMELESS: Here is a random shot of one of our homeless using the public right of way as her own personal toilet. The caption read: "Off Highway 178 on Mt Vernon, panhandler taking a dump on the overpass where all can see him, as well as small kids."

 * ... VIA ARTE: The annual chalk art festival called Via Arte wrapped up this weekend, another successful venture by the Bakersfield Museum of Art held at The Marketplace on Ming Avenue. It was the 21st year of Via Arte. (photos courtesy of Jeanine Kraybill)

 * ... JUST FOR FUN: I saw this on social media, and it speaks volumes about how we view ourselves here in the Golden State.

 * ... MEMORIES: A couple more historic photos culled from the Facebook pages of Kern County of Old and Kern County History Fans.

Expect a flood of new abuse cases against the Catholic Church as California ushers in a new law to give abuses more time to file lawsuits, a storm is brewing with the downtown elementary school and how about that Hunter's Moon this week?

Welcome to Bakersfield Observed. Our mission is to celebrate life in Kern County by focusing on newsmakers and events and the local characters who make this community such a special place. The views expressed here are strictly my own and do not reflect the views of any other individual, organization or company. 

 * ... ABUSE CASES: Thanks to a new law signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, victims of childhood sexual abuse now have a new three year period (beginning Jan. 1, 2020) to file lawsuits against their

abusers. In addition to that, the law will extend the age limit of the victim filing from 26 to 40 and the time limit of when the abuse is discovered to when the case is filed from three to five years. Attorneys say almost every Catholic Diocese in the state will be hit by lawsuits, including the Los Angeles and Fresno dioceses that have long histories of covering up abuse cases by transferring clergy from one parish to the other. Will this have an immediate impact on Kern County? Who knows, but it will certainly allow alleged victims of any Kern County clergy (including the embattled and suspended Monsignor Craig Harrison) to come forward with legal action. All this comes as Harrison's legal team continues its scorched earth policy of slapping lawsuits on anyone who dares criticize Harrison. Attorney Craig Edmonston has already sued a Benedictine monk (Father Justin Gilligan) who testified against Harrison, as well as an organization that follows and tracks clergy abuse cases. It should be noted that neither the monk nor the organization claim to be victims of Harrison but rather have either cooperated with police or opined publicly on the matter. Pay attention to the Harrison case because I hear that new information is about to come out, and I am also told the Diocese of Fresno will rule on Harrison's future once the Firebaugh and Merced police departments wrap up their investigations into allegations that Harrison inappropriately touched young men while serving there. (file photo of Father Gilligan and Monsignor Craig Harrison)

 * ... IT HAS GOTTEN UGLY: If you are among those who wonder why victims of sexual abuse take so long to come forward, consider the intimidation of facing a lawsuit simply for speaking up, and the public humiliation when a community rallies around its accused priest and publicly shames the victim. Case in point: witnesses in the Father Craig case say they have been verbally harassed and followed, threatened and scolded by Harrison's true believers. (Note this is an accusation that cannot be independently verified and there is no evidence that Father Craig personally directed any of this, if indeed it ever happened) The support for Harrison is so strong that a local businessman paid $27,000 at a fund raiser to dine with Father Craig to benefit Dignity Health. When major institutions don't flinch to be associated with an accused abuser, it is no wonder that witnesses or alleged victims are wary of coming forward.

 * ... DOWNTOWN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL: There is one truth above all others: do not mess with parents when it comes to where their children go to school. And Bakersfield City School District Superintendent Harry "Doc" Ervin is learning that quickly as parents at the Downtown Elementary School react to news that the original mission of the school - to serve children whose parents live downtown - may be abandoned. We are talking about the dismantlement of one of BCSD's top performing schools, and for what? So the district can earn a little more money by serving lower income students?  Could there be another motive? Consider this: the school is so popular you have to enter a lottery to get your kid in, the parental involvement factor is huge, kids and teacher and parents are happy, the scores are excellent ... and we want to leave all this behind? The school is 44 percent Hispanic, so it is hard to argue it serves only the well heeled, and a lottery systems determines who gets in. That's right, a judge picks out names from a lottery to see who gets in. Hard to get more democratic than that. So here is where we are:  Irvin should be warned that these parents are committed and will give you a run for your money. Stay tuned.

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "Only in California do they generate power from the wind, but when the wind blows shut the power off."

 * ... HUNTER'S MOON: So did you check out the full moon this week? Known as the Hunter's Moon, it follows the Harvest Moon and is reportedly the best time for hunting deer and other animals, according to the Farmer's Almanac. According to NASA: "In northern locations, leaves have fallen, deer have fattened and harvesters have cleared the fields, making it easier to see the animals under the light of the big bulb in the sky, according to NASA. But people of different cultures and regions gave their own names to full moons. The Algonquin tribes, for example, called October's full moon the Travel Moon, the Dying Grass Moon and the Sanguine or Blood Moon; the latter three are thought to be named after the changing colors of the leaves and dying plants, according to NASA. "

 * ... PASSINGS: A trio of of local iconic businesses are shutting their doors, bringing an end to their downtown footprints that served customers for years. I got the word that Red Door Interiors on 23rd Street, an upscale furniture store that flourished since 1977, is calling it quits. And last week we learned at Joseph's Italian restaurant on F Street was also leaving the scene. Add to that: Beverly Crafts and Fabrics on F Street, a mainstay of businesses along that corridor, is also calling it quits.

 * ... DAVE AND BUSTERS: Coming soon to Valley Plaza: Dave and Busters, the popular arcade and food center that caters to young kids and their parents. The new franchise is expected to open at Valley Plaza next August.

 * ... SPOTTED ON FACEBOOK: Check out this list of local high schools and other facilities built over the years, and their construction dates.

 * ...MEMORIES: Some fascinating old photos, courtesy of the Facebook page Kern County of Old. The famous clock tower was damaged beyond repair in the 1952 earthquake and was later demolished, as seen in the first photo.

Gov. Gavin Newsom performs a "bait and switch" with the state dollars meant for road improvements, Countryside Market opens to serve the east side of town and North High and Stockdale hold some high school reunions

Welcome to Bakersfield Observed. Our mission is to celebrate life in Kern County by focusing on newsmakers and events and the local characters who make this community such a special place. The views expressed here are strictly my own and do not reflect the views of any other individual, organization or company. 

 * ... BAIT AND SWITCH: If you voted for the state gas tax under the assumption the money would

be used solely for road and bridge improvements, how do you feel now? In yet another Sacramento bait and switch, Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed an executive order allowing him to siphon off at least $5 billion for "environmentally friendly" alternatives to projects associated with fossil fuels. That's right, those taxes we were promised would go to infrastructure are now going for softer, more green friendly pet projects. Among the project that were killed were several in the Central Valley, including the widening of the "blood alley" portion of Highway 46. And they wonder why the public is so cynical.

 * ... COUNTRYSIDE MARKET: There is finally some good news for those folks living on the east side of town, particularly those in the Tuscany and City in the Hills communities. Countryside Market has opened a new branch at the corner of Comanche Drive and Highway 178, featuring gas, fresh coffee, groceries and even a Smith's bakery. Countryside Markets are always top shelf, and you can expect this one to benefit from some very grateful neighbors.

 * ... REUINIONS: Congratulatons to the North High School class of 1989 that celebrated its 30th reunion at Woolgrower;s, and the Stockdale Class of 1999 which held its 20th this weekend as well.

* ... THEFT: I spotted this post on Facebook. Beware of your surroundings during this surge in crime.

 * ... PORTER RANCH FIRE: Check out this picture of a partially burned edition of The Los Angeles Times, scorched in the fire that engulfed part of Porter Ranch in the San Fernando Valley. The banner headline reads, in part: "...blackouts raise anger... high fire danger affect millions" (Screen grab from KTLA live footage)

 * ... MEMORIES: And how about these pictures of some old theaters, starting with one  on North Chester back in the mid 1950s. The second shot shows movie goers outside of the California Theater at 1816 Chester Ave. Next to the theater was the Opera Meat Market and the Union Stage Depot. The photo is dated 1923 and is compliments of the Kern County of Old Facebook page. Enjoy.

Are rolling blackouts the "new norm" in California and will Gov. Gavin Newsom pay a political price? Plus Kelly Ardis leaves The Californian to join CSUB and another trip down memory lane with some old photos

Welcome to Bakersfield Observed. Our mission is to celebrate life in Kern County by focusing on newsmakers and events and the local characters who make this community such a special place. The views expressed here are strictly my own and do not reflect the views of any other individual, organization or company. 

 * ... WINDS: Hey California, does it feel like we are becoming the next Venezuela, a nation-state of endless shortages, uncertainty and bloated bureaucracy? It sure looks like it when we wake up and

find the power has been shut off and the state bureaucracy is telling us to shut up because this is the "new norm" in California. It is all because of Pacific Gas and Electric, the utility that cannot seem to shoot straight, has instituted rolling blackouts during the windy season to prevent wildfires. That's right, after the lack of maintenance led to horrifying fires in northern California, the utility has decided to pass the buck to us instead of doing what we expect it to do. But here is the ugly truth: historically the utility has put the pockets of its investors over routine maintenance of its power lines, creating a system that puts shareholder profits over safety. (Thankfully that practice ended recently thanks to a federal judge), Now you know what I mean when I say California is starting to look a lot like Venezuela.

 * ... RECALL NEWSOM: So where does all this leave our Gov. Gavin Newsom, who has long been eyeing a run for the presidency at some point? Will the rolling power outages lead to more pressure on Newsom, and act as a catalyst for the "recall Newsom" movement? Recall supporters point to Newsom's moratorium on the death penalty (after being upheld by voters), his decision to take gas tax money meant to improve highways and divert it to pet rail projects, and now this. Time will tell but the pressure is growing on Newsom as the state struggles to keep the lights on.

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "You're an adult now. That means nobody can stop you from putting shrimp in a bowl of melted butter and eating it like cereal. Not anymore."

 * ... MOVING UP: Congratulations to Kelly Ardis, a longtime Bakersfield Californian features reporter who is joining the ranks at CSUB in a marketing position. Ardis is the latest TBC alumni to join CSUB, closing ranks with Christine Bedell who works in alumni affairs, and head communications director Jennifer Self. Ardis will work for the school of Natural Sciences, Mathematics and Engineering, reporting to Dean Kathleen Madden and working closely with Jennifer Self, director of public affairs and communications. The school of NSME is on the rise at CSUB, having earned a prestigious engineering accreditation in 2018.

 * ... THE POLITICS OF WATER: If you live in California, you should pay closer attention to water policy and how politics plays a role in who gets this precious resources, and who doesn't. And now there is a comprehensive new non-profit that offers in-depth reporting and writing on California's love/hate relationship with water. It's called SJVWATER.ORG and it is run by award winning journalist Lois Henry, who has devoted her life to reporting and writing about water in the Central Valley. Go to the website and support it, financially, by becoming a subscriber. I did.

 * ... MEMORIES: And what do you think of this, a shot of "West side girls" back in the day. Thanks to Art Moore and the Kern County History Fans Facebook page. And check out this second photo of the old Ridge Route back in the day.