Kern County election returns show the county gradually trending more Democratic, California makes a list of the worst states to retire in and the show American Pickers is returning to Bakersfield

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 company or publication.

* .. PURPLE KERN: The image of Kern County has long been this: rock hard conservative, Republican, big on law and order and not a friendly place to be a Democrat. But that is changing, and no where was that more on display than this week's election. First consider this: did you know only 1 percent separates President Trump and Joe Biden in Kern's popular vote? That's right, as of right now the president won Kern County with some 71,000 votes, but Biden was nipping at his heals with 69,000 votes. How can that be in a red county? Here in red state Kern County, the Republican president beat his Democratic rival by just 1 percentage point. Let that sink in. Even Assemblyman Vince Fong, wildly popular and a "centrist" Republican by most standards, handily run his race against Democrat Julie Solis but she still managed to win some 38,000 votes. And then consider this: Democrat T.J. Cox outpolled Republican David Valadao in the 21st Congressional District race 62 percent to 38 percent in Kern County.

There are still some 80,000 to 100,000 Kern ballots yet to be counted, but these numbers speak for themselves. These are numbers that not long ago would be unthinkable, but they reflect the hard truths about Kern County's demographics: we are getting younger, browner and more likely to vote Democratic. Supervisor Leticia Perez, a Democrat, was widely ridiculed when she said two years ago that Kern was becoming a purple county, meaning a bled of red and blue. Who is laughing now?

* ... 21ST CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT: With up to 100,000 votes still left to cast in Kern County, the race between Rep. T.J. Cox and challenger David Valadao remains too close to call. As of now Valadao leads with 51.4 percent of the vote while Cox has 48.6 percent, but that is a scarce 3,000 vote lead. Anything can happen. Expect anything. 

* ... TIMOTHY MOORE: Now here is another head scratcher. Remember Robert Forbes, the Black Lives Matter protester who was run down by a car and killed on California Avenue last June? Well the man who hit Forbes, Timothy Keith Moore, was found dead in Baja, Mexico, in September and now police say his death was caused by either an "accident or violence." Moore was known to hang in shady circles, and there is no reason to believe the death of Forbes was anything but an accident, but who knows what happened in Mexico. (photo courtesy of The Bakersfield Californian)

* ... GOOD STATES, BAD STATES: California made another list of being among the worst states in America for retirees. That's right, the website Moneywise (no relation to the local Moneywise Guys) ranked California in the Top Ten of the worst states for retirement. As usual, high taxes combined with high home prices and an overall expensive cost of living put California on the list. Other less desirable states for retirees include New York, Maryland, Alaska, Nevada, New Jersey, Rhode Island and New Mexico.

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "If we are going to have a really old president, why can't it be Betty White?"

 * ... AMERICAN PICKERS: The popular TV show "American Pickers," where the hosts travel the country looking through garages, barns and attics for valuable antiques and keepsakes, is returning to California in December and looking for places to visit. If you know of a place where the pickers might go, call 855-OLD-RUST to get in touch with the producers. The hosts are Nike Wolfe and Frank Fritz who specialize in antique "picking."

 * ... INGA BARKS: Former conservative local radio host Inga Barks died this week at the age of 53. Barks struggled with personal issues, had a bout with cancer and had been in general bad health for some time when she passed away. No cause of death was given. Barks worked at both KERN and KNZR radio over her long career.

 * ... MEMORIES: Thanks to the Kern County History Fans Facebook page for posting these old images of the Bakersfield Inn in the 1940s.

A stressed out nation prepares to vote, a Bakersfield man who has accused Monsignor Craig Harrison of sexual impropriety takes to the airways to discuss deviant priests, Rep. Kevin McCarthy and the GOP hierarchy celebrate Halloween and did you catch the Blue Moon this weekend?

 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 company or publication.

 * ... ELECTION EVE: This probably won't come as a surprise but did you know that almost seven out

of 10 Americans have experienced crushing stress over this election? That's the word from the New York Times that reported Sunday that never before has the general electorate been so stressful as in this election year. Families and friendships have been torn apart, the cancel culture is in full swing and perhaps never have people on both sides considered themselves so right, and the other side so wrong. If you are a stressed out voter, rest assured you are not alone.

 * ... THE ANGRY CATHOLIC: Ryan Gilligan, a former Benedictine monk who is among a group of men accusing Monsignor Craig Harrison of sexual improprieties, was featured on a podcast devoted to cleansing the church of deviant priests. A graduate of Bakersfield High School and a former confidant of Harrison's, Gilligan now stands as one of the few accusers who has gone public against Harrison, who was suspended by the Diocese of Fresno in April of 2019 after multiple men came forward to accuse him of lewd sexual behavior. Gilligan was the featured guest on The Angry Catholic podcast and spoke to the intimidation of men who come forward to accuse priests and the long history of the Catholic Church in covering up abuse cases. Harrison has since filed a slander suit against Gilligan, and he has slapped a lawsuit on the church itself. Kyle Humphrey, one of Harrison's attorneys, has likened accusers to "pigs" lining up at the trough for payoffs, a point which Gilligan cites as another example of the type of intimidation and slander that has become the focus of the defense of Harrison. At this point, going on two years since his suspension, it appears unlikely Harrison will ever return to St. Francis and his future in his hometown of Bakersfield seems uncertain. (The good news for Harrison: the statute of limitations has expired in most of the cases so Harrison will likely avoid any criminal prosecution, although we may see some civil lawsuits against him) For this part, Gilligan has since left the monastery but remains committed to exposing wayward priests, including his old mentor Harrison. Gilligan is featured twice during the 50-minute podcast, at the beginning and the end.   (file photo of Gilligan and Harrison in happier times at St. Francis Church, Bakersfield)

 * ... LIST OF ACCUSED PRIESTS: Meanwhile pressure is mounting for the Diocese of Fresno to publicly name the priests who have been accused of sexual misconduct. The Fresno Diocese is only one of two in the state that have yet to release the names of the accused priests, saying it remains a "work in progress." But lawyers for accusers are demanding to see the list. Attorney Jeff Anderson, whose firm specializes in clergy abuse cases, said it is long past time when "the identities, histories and current whereabouts of all clergy accused of child sexual abuse who worked in the Diocese of Fresno to be known." The Diocese of Fresno serves some 1.2 million Catholics in 87 parishes in eight counties: Fresno,Tulare, Kings, Kern, Inyo, Madera, Merced and Mariposa.

* ... HALLOWEEN: Rep. Kevin McCarthy and some of the local Republican hierarchy were out to provide a safe Halloween for hundreds of local children this weekend. McCarthy and his staff provided a drive-through Halloween and campaign rally Saturday afternoon at his local office off Empire Drive, drawing hundreds of cars, many festooned with Trump flags and even a masked Trump impersonator. Helping the congressman work the crowd were Mayor Karen Goh, Assemblyman Vince Fong, Kern High School District trustee Jeff Flores and David Valadao, who is running to return to Congress after being ousted by Democrat T.J. Cox. KERN radio producer J.R. Flores (pictured) was among those who brought their children to the event.

 * ... BLUE MOON: Did you catch the full moon on Halloween night? It was spectacular, and it turned out it was the first Halloween full moon since 1944. The Oct. 31 full moon is also referred to as a "blue moon," which means a second full moon in as single calendar month (also called a Hunter's Moon). The full moon was visible across the United States.

 * ... TRASH CLEANUP: Hats off to all the volunteers to fanned out across our community this weekend to help pick up trash. Peter Wollesen, a cyclist, posted this comment along with the pictures below: "While volunteers from the Kern River Parkway Foundation were cleaning up trash around the Adobe House at Hart Memorial Park, I joined up with cyclist volunteers from Team Action Dad and Kern Wheelmen Bakersfield to pick up trash in the foothills above Hart Park. With help from county staff and dozens of volunteers, we made a huge impact! Big thanks to Adrian Monge for organizing this!"

 * ... MEMORIES: Check out this 1910 circa photo of old Bakersfield with the Beale clock tower in the distance. Thanks to the Facebook page Kern County History Fans for this one.

Almost 80 million people have already voted this year, setting us up for a possible record turnout this year, Keith Wolaridge honors his father in a new book and a combat veteran finds his home in renewable energy

 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 company or publication.

 * ... RECORD TURNOUT? It looks like we are headed to a record turnout for the presidential election next week. So far - and this is stunning - 78 million people have already voted. That is more than half of

the total votes counted in the 2017 general election with President Trump beat Hillary Clinton. According to USA Today, more than 257 million people in the United State are 18 or older and some 240 million are eligible to vote. It's possible that 85 million people could vote before Nov. 3, with 150 million voting in total, according to McDonald. That would mean an eligible voter turnout rate of more than 62 percent.

 * ... GOOD FORM: On my recommended reading list this week comes "Five Pillars," the latest book by Bakersfield businessman and school board member Keith Wolaridge. The book examines give character traits handed down by Keith's father to lead a fulfilled life: integrity, perseverance, decency, courage and faith. It is available on Amazon.com. A quick, important read made even more relevant by the times in which we live.

 * ... BAD FORM: This picture was allegedly taken at a Trump rally in Bakersfield this past week. Bad form all around, particularly when you allow young children to read it.

 * ... SOARING VETERAN: Congratulations to Army Airborne veteran Chad Garcia who has joined Braun Electric as a lead in a major solar project. Garcia spent more than 13 years in the Army and was medically retired after suffering head injuries in Afghanistan. After working in the radio business and becoming active in local veteran organizations, Garcia found his calling working on wind turbine farms and was recently recruited by Braun to turn his attention to another renewable energy, solar.  (Perhaps ironically, coworkers from Braun reached out to support Garcia while he was in Afghanistan) Garcia's journey is a testament to the persistence, tenacity and passion that it takes to transition from active military life to a promising career in renewable energy.

 * ... RISING STAR: And here's to Cooper Adamo, youngest son of former Californian photographer Felix Adamo and wife Teresa, for being awarded a fellowship  at the John Jay Institute in the Philadelphia suburb of Langhorne, PA. Said Adamo: "The four month program is intended to prepare Fellows for careers in public service, whether they take shape in the public, non-profit, or for-profit spheres." After completing the course, the Fellows could land new positions in the Congress, State Department, Heritage Foundation, International Arts Movement, the Center for Strategic Studies and others. (photo courtesy of Felix Adamo)

 

 * ... MEMORIES: Who remembers Mrs. Freise's hospital where so Bakersfield people were born? Check out this photo from May 12, 1939.

 * ... MORE MEMORIES: And then there is this shot from Delano, thanks to the Kern County History Fans Facebook page.

Medical experts worry about "virus fatigue" as we head into the cold winter, CityServe wins a Beautiful Bakersfield award and did you spot the Trump caravan through town this weekend?

 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 company or publication.

 * ... CORONAVIRUS: We have all heard the warnings: we are heading into a dark, cold winter where the coronavirus could spike and infect tens of thousands. Do we have the discipline to practice safe protocol?

Or will our "virus fatigue" set in and make us all vulnerable? Before you do anything consider this: the chances of dying from the coronavirus in the United States is 50 times higher than Japan, and 2,000 times greater than dying in Vietnam. That's according to Dr. Brij Bhambi, a founder of Centric Health and a cardiologist with Central Cardiology. At the core is one simple fact: people in many other countries are much more likely to practice safe protocol like wearing masks and keeping a safe distance from others.

 * ... BEAUTIFUL BAKERSFIELD: Hats off to CityServe, the non-profit devoted to helping the neediest among us, for winning the Chairman's Award at the Bakersfield Beautiful Awards this weekend. CityServe operates out of the old Montgomery Ward building on F Street with a mission to helping those who need the most. Over the past year CityServe has helped thousands of Kern County families by partnering with churches across Kern County to distribute food and other household goods to the needy.

 * ... TRUMP TRAIN: Did you catch the Trump train on Saturday? An estimated thousand cars, trucks and motorcycles adorned with American flags and Trump flags wound its way through Bakersfield on Saturday, part of a caravan that started in Fresno and eventually made its way to Los Angeles. It was quite the spectacle and if you are a Trump fan - there was no sweeter sight.

 * ... JESSICA MATHEWS: The executive director of the non-profit League of Dreams, Jessica Mathews, is moving to Idaho Falls with her family within the next month. The good news: Mathews said the Board of the non-profit has agreed to retain Mathews as executive director on a remote basis, meaning she will continue in her role from Idaho. Mathews is largely responsible for the dynamic growth of the organization since its creation, serving hundreds of physically challenged young people by providing safe environments to participate in a variety of sports, including baseball, fencing, basketball and dance.

 

* ... BULKY WASTE: Heads up out there: Kern County Public Works will hold a bulky waste collection event on Saturday, Nov. 7, at three locations about town. Here's a chance to get rid of that old mattress, dresser, and old construction material. It will not collect hazardous waste. Spread the word and maybe we will see less dumping on public roads in the weeks ahead.

 * ... MEMORIES: From the Kern County History Fans Facebook page comes this nugget from back in the day.

Anonymous letters threaten to burn down the homes of Trump supporters, local lobby the state to have water in the Kern River year round and some old pictures of Steve McQueen on a motorcycle in Lake Isabella

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 company or publication.

 * ... THREATENING LETTER: KGET reporter Bob Price is looking into a letter that has been showing up around town threatening Trump supporters with violence after the election.  "Your address has been

added into our database as a target for when we attack should Trump not concede the election," he said. "We recommend that you check your home insurance policy and make (sure) that it is current and that it has adequate coverage for fire damage."

 * ... NETFLIX: If you are like me, you have spent the pandemic running through the inventory at

Netflix, which has seen a surge in revenue and subscribers over the past eight months. Netflix added 2.2 million subscribers in the third quarter, just shy of its estimate of 2.5 million, and revenue jumped 23 percent to an incredible $6.4 billion. It has now leveled off, but count Netflix among those companies who have benefitted from the long lockdown.

 * ... DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME: Fall has finally come to the Central Valley as temperatures dip, leaves begin to change color and the end of Daylight Savings Times is near. The clocks will roll back one hour on Nov. 1, the day after Halloween, at 2 a.m. It’s also a good time to replace batteries in warning devices such as smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. If your device has sealed-in batteries, remove any debris and check to confirm they are functioning properly. Daylight saving time will return at 2 a.m. on March 14, 2021.

 * ... KERN RIVER: The push to get water flowing year-round in the Kern River made its way to the State Water Resources Control Board's monthly meeting. That's the word from Lois Henry and her website SJVWATER.ORG that said multiple speakers asked the board to make it a priority to allocate unappropriated water on the river to keep is flowing year round. One of the speakers from Bakersfield, writer Kelly Damian, said "the people here deserve to have their river back." Damian was among a group of speakers who were behind a change.org petition seeking water in the river full time. "If Mono Lake can be saved, the Owens can be restored and the San Joaquin can flow again, we will bring back the Kern," the petition said.  This is no quick fix, to be sure, but it's good to see some influential local people pressuring the state to do the right thing.

* ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield) weighed in on the dispute over the decisions by Twitter and Facebook to start censoring certain conduct. Said McCarthy: "When Twitter selectively targets any user based on politics, they not only undercut their own Terms of Service, they undermine the principles of our First Amendment. Freedom of speech is an inherently American value. It must be protected."

 * ... KGET DEBATES: Hats off to the folks over at KGET for stepping up when others won't: KGET has devoted its time and airways to a series of debates, including one featuring Rep. Kevin McCarthy versus Kim Mangone, Rep. T.J. Cox against former congressman David Valadao and Assemblyman Vince Fong versus Democrat Julie Solis. As one viewer said on Twitter while watching the McCarthy debate: "Sorry Kim Mangone, not now. Not today." Even thought candidates like Mangone and Solis are clearly outmatched, the management at KGET and debate moderators Jim Scott and Eytan Wallace deserve our thanks for airing all of these debates.

* ... STEVE MCQUEEN: Check out these old photos of the late Hollywood actor Steve McQueen, a motorcycle enthusiast, gassing up in Lake Isabella. Thanks to former Californian photographer Felix Adamo for posting this and crediting the photo to John Dominis, who was on assignment for LIFE magazine.

 * ... MEMORIES: And check these pictures out, from the Kern County History Fans Facebook page. 

Fire guts the old Logan's Roadhouse, Chad Hathaway gets married, two women to speak out on breast cancer today and is Bob Price really an old, senile reporter?

 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 company or publication.

 * ... BREAST CANCER: Most breast cancers are diagnosed among woman over the age of 50 - most

often in the 55 to 65 age range - and Diane Nelson and Stacey Shepard are two witnesses to that. Nelson, a pharmaceutical rep, and Shepard, a writer at The Bakersfield Californian, will be sharing their story  Tuesday at CBCC at 5:30 p.m. in an “Ask Us Anything” format. And both will be guests on The Richard Beene Show today at 2 p.m. to share their experiences as a warning to others.

 * ... BOB PRICE: Bob Price, the popular former editor at The Californian who has since joined KGET as a reporter, received a bit of hate mail at the station when a text referred to him as a "senile old fart." In typical Bob Price fashion, he joked in a post that he was surprised it took eight months in his new job to be criticized.

 * ... TYLER WILLIAMS: Congratulations to Tyler Williams, a Bakersfield lad who has built an impressive career as a professional cyclist. Williams was among an elite group of racers who were named by USA Cycling to compete in the first ever UCI sports world championships. The event is scheduled to take place inDecember. Williams burst onto the professional scene after learning to ride (long and fast) with local cyclists who routinely ride into the foothills (Woody, Glennville etc) on the weekends. After a stint living and riding in Spain, he returned to the United States and made his home in Santa Rosa. Recently, Tyler and wife Brea welcomed their first child into the world.

 * ... HAPPILY MARRIED: And hats off to Chad Hathaway,  president and owner of Hathaway Oil, and wife Lindsay who were married this weekend in a small ceremony officiated by state Sen. Shannon Grove (R-Bakersfield).  Hathaway is a regular guest as an oil industry expert on both The Moneywise Guys and The Richard Beene Show on KERN NewsTalk 96.1/1180 AM.

 * ... LOGAN'S: Fire engulfed the old Logan's Roadhouse Grill on California Avenue Saturday morning and suspicions immediately focused on vagrants who have been using the building for shelter.

 * ... MEMORIES: This wonderful old picture of the Beale Clock tower draped with a Red Cross fund raising banner comes compliments from the Kern County History Fans Facebook page.

 * ... MORE MEMORIES: And then there is this, a picture circa 1939 of loading bins of potato planter which fertilizes and plants potatoes in one operation. Photo by Dorothea Lange.