Kern County begins to open up after the long closure, San Louis Obispo closes "bubble gum alley" and local meteorologist heads to Florida

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 represent any other person or organization.

 * ... RESTAURANTS REOPEN: There could not have been better news for the hundreds, perhaps thousands, of people who either own or work at one of our restaurants. Just in time for Memorial Day weekend, they can now open their doors with certain restrictions. The bars won't be open but you will be able to enjoy table service. The folks over at The 1800, voted best new restaurant of the year by

readers of The Californian, summed it up nicely on Facebook when they wrote this: "Brighter days are ahead y’all! As a family owned and operated restaurant our goal is to be the safest restaurant to re-open, not the first. We love and miss you Bakersfield and will keep you updated on our plans.
#staycoolbakersfield"

 * ... MORE OPENINGS: Some restaurants were ready to open quickly, including Shawna Haddad's Two Goats and a Goose (formerly Muertos in the Wall Street Alley), and Wikis Wine Dive and Grill. Others, like Uricchio's Trattoria, were taking it slowly having just reopened to offer curbside service. Meanwhile, The Outlets of Tejon announced that hoped to be open on May 27, but that date could chance. The food court at the Outlets will remain closed temporarily.

 * ... BUBBLE GUM ALLEY: Now here is a true sign of the times. Apparently concerned about the health aspects of San Luis Obispo's famed "bubble gum" alley, authorities there have decided to close it. For how long, we don't know.

 * ... ADIOS ALLISON: KERO TV meteorologist Allison Gargaro has left the station, joining Fox 35 in Orlando, Florida in a similar position. A graduate of Arizona State University, Gargara joined KERO two years ago and quickly engrained herself in the community.

 * .... REMEMBERING HARVEY: There was a nice tribute to the late Mayor Harvey Hall, posted on the marquee of The Fox Theater downtown. Has it really been two years since he passed?

 * ... MORE MARQUEE ACTION: The use of theater signage during the pandemic has exploded across the United States. Take a look at some of these random shots.

 * ... MEMORIES: Who remembers Freddie's Top of the Hill on Mt. Vernon? Thanks to the Kern County of Old Facebook page for this blast from the past.

Gov. Newsom wants to shrink the state prison system at the same time business people are being threatened for reopening their shops, Uricchio's Trattoria to reopen for curbside service this Tuesday and Pastor Angelo Frazier to appear on The Richard Beene Show

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 represent any other person or organization.

 * ... RELEASING PRISONERS: Gov. Gavin Newsom wants to drastically shrink the footprint of California’s prison system, blaming massive budget cuts triggered by the coronavirus. According to his revised budget, Newsom wants to close two state prisons, shutter all three of the state-run juvenile prisons and cut some inmate firefighter programs. And if that is not enough, he is also proposing that prisoners be released early by shortening parole to a maximum of two years, down

from five years. The irony, of course, is all this comes at the same time that state officials are threatening to jail business owners who open during the pandemic. Now think about that: at the same time we are releasing hardened criminals, we are threatening local business people - the lifeblood of our economy - if they reopen their business to make a living. Kern County Sheriff Donny Youngblood is among those who think this is ludicrous, as does District Attorney Cynthia Zimmer. Let all that sink in while you gaze at the picture below of some of the inmates of our state prison system.

 * ... RESTAURANTS: If one thing is for certain, it's that we are all itching to go back out to eat at our favorites haunts. And while we aren't there yet, people are voting with their feet. Outside Luigi's on Friday, takeout customers enjoyed sitting at a long table to catch up, and the same was happening Bootlegger's on Oak Street. This week, Tuesday to be exact, Uricchio's Trattoria opens back up for curbside pickup and it's safe to assume there will be a mad rush to catch up with owner Claire Porter and her crew of regulars.

 * ... OPEN UP: Speaking of the pandemic and the lockdown, Pastor Angelo Frazier of Riverlakes Community Church has been an outspoken proponent of allowing churches to reassemble and for businesses to reopen in Kern County. You might have spotted him at the rallies in front of City Hall, wearing a mask and waving signs urging the reopening of the economy with reasonable accommodations. Frazier will be my guest on The Richard Beene Show this Monday at 2:30 p.m.

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "When a disc jockey or a talk show host or a journalist who is being paid to work from his or her home tells people who can’t work, pay bills or pay their rent or mortgage to 'Stay home and be careful because we’re all in this together,' it’s okay to question the premise."

 * ... PUBLIC DEFENDER: An attorney in the Kern County Public Defender's office has triggered a firestorm over a Facebook post suggesting there should be a "memorial" for the "victims" of law enforcement officers. The post read: "If Friday is Peace Officer's Memorial Day then is Sunday their Victim's memorial day?" Bad form? You be the judge.

 * ... EARTHQUAKE: Did you feel that 6.5 earthquake out of Nevada on Friday? It happened around 4 a.m. and while it produced little damage (see the pictures below) it was felt in some parts of Bakersfield.

 * ... JIM BURKE FORD: Well here is another sign of the times. The Jim Burke Ford dealership on Street was vandalized this past week to the tune of some $70,000. Apparently a homeless person took rocks and bricks to the showroom windows as well as damaging multiple new vehicles on the lot.

 * ... MEMORIES: Who remembers the old River Theater, where Oildale teenagers of the 1960s would enjoy a matinee for just 25 cents Thanks to the Kern County of Old Facebook page for this nugget.

Bob Hampton, enthusiastic Taft businessman and USC alum, dies at the age of 83, Sheriff Donny Youngblood minces no works in calling for the reopening of the economy, and Dr. Brij Bhambi lays out the road toward herd immunity

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 represent any other person or organization.

 * ... HERD IMMUNITY: Centric Health's Dr. Brij Bhambi says herd immunity may be the only way to deal with the long-term consequences of the coronavirus. Bhambi said society has moved from "trying to eliminate the virus to trying to live with it," and it is now clear the nation is too

restless to stay locked down much longer. The only viable option, Bhambi said, is "a reasonable strategy to build herd immunity." That means protecting those at risk - the elderly and people with health issues - while allowing the young and the healthy to return to work. At the same time, society must continue with social distancing and other precautions like wearing face masks. Still, he warned, there will be casualties."Not everyone is going to take personal responsibility" for their own welfare, he warned.

* ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "When this is all over I hope there are lots of job openings for people who can bake bread and put together jigsaw puzzles."

 * ... RIP BOB HAMPTON: In some ways Bob Hampton epitomized Kern County and his adopted hometown of Taft: larger than life, rooted in a blue collar work ethic, successful in a quiet way that was never flaunted and loyal to a fault. He was an enthusiastic graduate of USC, worked in the recycling and waste industries and although he could afford to live in Bakersfield's finest neighborhoods, it was Taft where he worked and called home. Hampton was 83 this week when he suffered what appears to be a heart attack at his Taft office and later died. The outpouring of affection for Hampton and his widow, Judy, was immediate and impressive.

 * ... SHERIFF YOUNGBLOOD: Sheriff Donny Youngblood minces no words when it comes to the pandemic and what it means for local businesses. Youngblood said the current state policy of threatening restaurants and bars with losing their alcohol licenses if they open was "tyrannical" and that his office has no intention of playing the enforcer when "people are just trying to make a living." In a perfect world, Youngblood added, the state should allow individual counties and cities to make their own decisions about opening with proper social distancing protocol. I am not a science denier, he said, but rather a person looking for a reasonable accommodation for people and businesses.

 * ... NORDSTROM CLOSING: One of the growing list of victims to this pandemic is Nordstrom, which is closing 16 locations because of the disruption in sales. Among those to be closed in the Nordstrom on State Street in Santa Barbara.“These types of decisions are never easy because we realize what this means for our employees,” the retailer’s corporate office said in a media statement. “Our goal is to best position ourselves to serve customers in each market where we operate. Because of the impacts COVID-19 has had on our business, we need to take a critical look at the physical footprint of our stores to determine which we will continue to operate.”  Nordstrom has been an  anchor in the Paseo Nuevo mall for almost 30 years along with Macy's, which closed three years ago.

 * ... ZELEZNY: Hats off to Lynette Zelezny, the CSUB president who was voted the CSU President of the Year by the student associations of the university system. Zelezny was the face of the Cal State system when CNN aired a report on the system moving to online learning in the fall.

 * .... MEMIORIES: Back in 1952, just after the big earthquake,  this is what Chester Avenue looked like. Thanks to the Kern County of Old Facebook page for this shot.

Experts say it is harder to contract the coronavirus outside, the Padre hotel restaurant and bar opens back up for to-go service and is it safe to allow churches to reopen?

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 represent any other person or organization.

 * ... CORONAVIRUS: It might come as no surprise, but it is worth noting that medical experts now concede it is much better for you - and harder to contract the coronavirus - being outside rather than inside. This news come as people have become weary and restless over local governments closing parks and

beaches, shutting down basketball and tennis courts and generally doing everything possible to keep people inside. “Parks, beaches — as long as they're not cheek to jowl, cycling, walking, this is good,” said Tom Frieden, the former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Enjoy nature. It’s good for us, and it has very low risk of spreading the virus.” And that, is good news.

 * ... CHURCH SERVICES: Meanwhile, we have all heard the arguments for reopening church services in this pandemic. But Glenn Bland, owner of Bland Heating and Solar, cautions it may not be the smartest idea. This is a tad long but worth a read: "Lately I’ve seen lots of noise about opening houses of worship and restaurants with social distancing measures in place. As an expert in HVAC technology, I’m saying it’s just not possible. Air conditioning systems recirculate the air within the building envelope at a rate of approximately 400 cubic feet per minute per 12,000 btus of capacity.
Typically there’s about 12,000 btus of unit capacity for every 200 square feet of commercial building.
Example: 2,000 square building/200 = (10) X 400cfm = 4,000cfm. So in a 2,000 square ft. building with 8 ft. ceilings, every four minutes would be a 100% complete circulation of all the air in the building. The formula is directly proportional so the rate of change stays the same regardless of building size. nAre you getting the picture? It wouldn’t matter if you’re 6 feet apart or six inches, everything contained in your bodily excretions in vapor form is shared with everyone in the building envelope every FOUR MINUTES. Worship via Zoom, order for take out or delivery, let your hair grow a little longer, cut your own toenails, shop on-line, etc. Having patience a little while longer may save your life or the life of someone you love."

* ... CAFE SMITTEN: I was thrilled when the owners of Cafe Smitten decided to reopen their restaurants for take-out service. That, and news that Uricchio's Trattoria would open for curbside service on May 19, sends a strong message that we may be slowly returning to normal. Mayor Karen Goh was also happy about Smitten, posting a series of pictures and this valentine on Facebook: "Thank you, Bakersfield, for continuing to support our SMALL BUSINESSES. Welcome back, Cafe Smitten, Shai and Stasie Bitton! Delicious quinoa bowl – perfect combination of warm red quinoa, egg, avocado, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, and kale."

 * ... MORE EATS: Elsewhere, I hear the Brimstone bar at The Padre Hotel will reopen, possibly this week. Also returning for curbside service is Woolgrower's this week, and next Tuesday, May 19, Uricchio's Trattoria will be up and running with a limited pickup service.

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "Nobody looks back on their life and remembers the nights they had plenty of sleep."

 * ... FOX THEATER: You have to admire the creative thinking at The Fox Theater, which is raising money during this pandemic by renting out its signage for $200 a day.

 * ... MEMORIES: Take a trip down memory lane and check out these photos, separated only by the hands of time.

Uricchio's Trattoria will reopen for curbside pickup soon, the county says it is not in the business of shutting down businesses that violate the state lockdown, and KBAK's Rachelle Murcia celebrates the end of her chemo treatment

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 represent any other person or organization.

 * ... REOPENING: Uricchio's Trattoria, the popular downtown eatery that closed temporarily when the stay at home orders were passed down, will be reopening for take-out service on Tuesday, May

19. That's according to owner Claire Porter, who said Uricchio's would reopen with a limited menu as it gauges when it might return to tabletop dining both inside and on its open air patio. Porter said she anticipates the industry will be allowed to reopen but only with some restrictions, possibly limiting inside seating and requiring the use of masks and gloves by some employees. Meanwhile some local restaurants - including Mossman's Fish and Chips, Moo Creamery and Spencers - have reopened with restrictions in defiance of the state order.

 * ... PHASE TWO: As California moves into the Phase 2 process of reopening, county chief administrative officer Ryan Alsop said the county would not be in the business of shutting down businesses that violate the state order. Alsop said the county is in a position of "re-enforcing" the state mandate, but it would be up to the state to use it regulatory power to cite and punish any business that reopened prematurely. For restaurants and bars, Alsop noted, the state can use its regulatory powers over food and alcohol to mete out punishment if needed.

 * ... GIANT HORNETS: Are you ready for the killer hornets? That's right, Asian hornets that grow to two inches in length have been spotted in Washington and farmers worry they could play havoc with the bee population used to pollinate plants. Perhaps not surprisingly, we are told that eating the large hornets is common in some Asian countries.

 * ... TEACHER HONORS: Congratulations to Joseph Andreotti, who was named Teacher of the Year for the Lakeside Union School District. The honor puts him in the running to be Kern County teacher of the year. Andreotti teaches eight grade and ansi is the AVID site coordinator for the AVID program.

 * ... RACHELLE MURCIA: A big hats off to KBAK evening anchor Rachelle Murcia, who officially completed her round of chemotherapy for cancer. The local anchor posted this to celebrate the day: "FINAL CHEMO DONE! I had 4 Red Devil treatments, 4 Taxol treatment and my last treatment was in the 4th day of the 4th month. The force is strong in this one.
(I wore some special things my loved ones sent to me. What I couldn’t wear, I carried with me and that bag sat right next to me for the 5 hours of my last treatment. Thank you all!)"

* .... OLD SCHOOL FIREFIGHTERS: I spotted this photo on a friend's Facebook page so I cannot tell you the date of this photo, or where it was taken, but it is a beauty. Are those beers they are drinking?

 * ... MEMORIES: Don't you just love this picture of old Caliente? Thanks to the Kern County of Old Facebook page for this nugget from our past.

Pressure builds to open up the economy but researchers warn the virus could come back with a vengeance, Kern County appeals to the governor to allow a gradual reopening and banana bread is the dish of choice for the time of quarantine

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 represent any other person or organization.

 * ... CORONAVIRUS: Americans have grown restless after six weeks of staying at home, and across the country protests have erupted demanding that the country open up for business. This isn't a unanimous conclusion and there are plenty of people - still a national majority - who fear opening

early could trigger a second wave of infections. Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania agree, warning that a premature reopening could lead to another 233,000 deaths from the coronavirus. The Wharton School Budget Model said even a partial reopening could lead to an additional 45,000 lives lost.

 * ... KERN COUNTY: Meanwhile a group of Kern County supervisors, assisted by state Sen. Shannon Grove, are appealing to Gov. Gavin Newsom to allow Kern County to come up with its own plan for a gradual reopening. Supervisor Mike Maggard said the idea would be to phase in a reopening plan based on the conditions in Kern County, that are far better than the situation in Los Angeles and other areas. Joining Maggard and Grove are supervisors David Couch and Zach Scrivner. Maggard will be my guest on Monday at 2:30 on KERN NewsTalk 96.1 FM/1180 AM.

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "I'm starting a rumor on the Breitbart chats that Covid-19 turns you gay. That should keep a lot of these idiots at home."

 * ... ONE OPINION: Tony Martinez, who retired from the Bakersfield police department and now runs a nonprofit that provides house repairs for the needy, did not mince words when he cautioned that we should all be adhering to social distancing. Said Martinez:  "What a slap in the face to our chiefs, the women and  men of their departments, our doctors and nurses who every day risk their lives and of their families for individuals like those who protested in front of City Hall. No guts to protest in front of a hospital? Constitutional rights? Yes many men and women fought and gave their lives so you could have and use wisely, not for your political or personal agendas. If you have to venture out at least please use a face cover.. think of your children and families.

 * ... BANANA BREAD: So what do you think is the single most researched food item that people have been preparing during the quarantine? If you guessed banana bread, you would be right. According to Google, more people researched how to make banana bread than any other food dish. Have you made yours yet?

 * ... MEMORIES: Check out these photos of Highway 99 back when it opened in Kern County. These pictures are courtesy of the Historic Highway 99 Facebook page and show stretches of the 99 just south of Bakersfield.