What does a soaring homeless population and a spike in crime and in Kern County say about life in Kern County? Plus the superbloom does not disappoint and an impressive class in the Highland High School alumni hall of fame

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.

 * ... HOMELESS PROBLEMS: They counted the homeless again and once again the number of people living on the street is up, some 22 percent higher than a year ago. According to Kern County's latest count, some 1,948 people are homeless compared to just 1,603 last year. Now it may be true the number is higher because more people were counting, but the numbers paint a grim picture of what is happening on the

streets day in, and day out. So how does this make you feel? Have our efforts of the past five, six years been a total failure? Record numbers of homeless are being ushered into housing and yet, the numbers on the streets still keep rising. It's not a pretty picture and while local efforts to combat homelessness should be applauded, is there anyone who can say this looks anything like a real successful strategy to turn this around?

 * ... NETFLIX CDs: If you are of a certain age you remember the early, pre-streaming days of Netflix  when our movies arrived in bright red envelopes with a DVD tucked inside. Well Netflix says the last DVD will be shipped on Sept. 29 and after that Netflix will no longer send disks. At its peak in 2010, Netflix had some 20 million customers to its DVD service.

* ... WILDFLOWERS: The wildflower superbloom is here, and you don't have to go far to enjoy it. Certainly the Antelope Valley poppy preserve and the Carrizo Plains are spectacular venues but there are many closer areas that are equally impressive. A casual drive up Breckenridge Road is a superbloom treat, as is Windwolves Preserve and of course Tejon Ranch. Here are a few shots of the wildflowers at Tejon this past weekend, taken by James Burrow.

 * ... MORE TEJON: And check out these photos from Tejon by my friend Mark Duffel, some wonderful superbloom shots for the ages.

 * ... DOWNTOWN GRAFFITI: Koral Hancharick, director of the Buena Vista Museum on Chester, discovered what so many downtown businesses have: their business has been tagged by graffiti artists, or worse broken into. It's another day in the life of Ward 2 where we recently learned homelessness has skyrocketed by more than 20 percent, people sleep on the streets and sidewalks without consequence and our alleys and doorways are being used for drug transactions and more.

 * ... CALIFORNIA SOBER: Have you heard the term "California sober?" It refers to residents of the Golden State who choose not to drink alcohol or do heavy drugs, but they do occasionally partake in cannabis and cannabis-related products. There are no statistics on how many people are "California sober" here, but nationally there has been a gradual move toward non drinking and lighter drinking, and some experts say non-drinkers in states where marijuana is legal are more likely to consume cannabis. In fact, states where marijuana is legal have more people kicking booze than other states. In 2018, 5.1% of adults engaged in heavy drinking in the past year, 15.5% engaged in moderate drinking, 45.7% engaged in light drinking, and 33.7% did not consume alcohol at all.

 * ... HIGHLAND HIGH SCHOOL: Did you see who was inducted into the Highland High School Alumni Hall of Fame? Among those honored were Kern County chief administrative officer Ryan Alsop, San Diego Superior Court Judge Eugenia Eyherabide, Supervisor Leticia Perez, Dr. Willa Crosby Thorson, Joe Barton, Liz Stinson Haley, Pete Gonzalez and the 1977 Varsity Wrestling Team.

 * ... MEMORIES: A couple of historical shots here for your enjoyment, both courtesy of the Kern County History Fans page on Facebook.

Welcome to California where a budget deficit goes from a $100 billion surplus to a $22 billion deficit, the much awaited "superbloom" of wildflowers is under way officials expect record number of deaths in the Kern River

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.

 * ... CALIFORNIA OR BUST: Ah to live in California, where yesterday's budget surplus is today's deficit. It seemed like yesterday when the state had a budget surplus of some $100 billion, but thanks to

inflation and a slowing economy we now face a deficit of $22.5 billion. That is a $125 billion swing in the states finances over 12 months and experts blame it on California's dependency on taxing the rich. As the economy slows and people earn less on their investments, tax revenue dwindles. Gov. Gavin Newsom is now looking at ways to close the deficit by cutting child programs and reducing funding for some climate change initiatives. Meanwhile, the median value of a home in California is $719,000 while in Texas (where many Golden State residents flee) stands at $289,000.

 * ... THE DEADLY KERN: The old sayings warns that death and taxes are the only two things in life you can count on, but you can add this: we can expect more deaths this year in the swollen Kern River. Outside of Bakersfield, and even as close as Los Angeles, people view the Kern River as a day-tip getaway to enjoy the cool water of a fresh river. But they aren't expecting the record snowmelt to swell an already dangerous river, and as Steven Mayer noted in The Californian, officials say the number of drownings is expected to spike this year. Already some 317 people have lost their lives in the river, and that number will likely increase as the temperatures rise and the snow melts.

 * ... SENIOR CREDIT: Here's some rich data on home ownership, age and credit. According to the New York Times, the wealth of most older adults is tied up in real estate. Among homeowners aged 65 to 74, home equity represented about 47 percent of their net work in 2019. For those over the age of 75, it jumps to 55 percent. For black homeowners over the age of 62, it accounted for about 75 percent of their net worth. And yet, federal data shows that banks are wary of lending to seniors even if their credit scores are beyond reproach.

 * ... WILDFLOWERS AND MORE: And once again we bring you some of our outstanding citizen photographers who are capturing some amazing wildflower and other shots around the state. The first two shots, including one from the Carrizo Plain, are by Jojo Parades Butingan, followed by Pam Taylor's cool shot of the moon setting, then a shot by Christy Morgan at Windwolves Preserve and Michele Morgan-Brown Magyar. And lastly, Landon Peppel gives us this wonderful shot of wildflowers out at Windwolves.

 

* ... ANTELOPE VALLEY: And if you really want to see some wildflowers, check out these blooms in the Antelope Valley. These pictures and this incredible shot of the Pacific Ocean appeared on the "My Home is California" Facebook page.

 

* ... MEMORIES: From the vault of the Kern County History Fans comes this old picture of the Morris department store downtown. And lastly check out the old St. Francis church located downtown before the 1951 earthquake destroyed it.

High drama is being playing out as farmers and governments spar over the re-emerging Tulare Lake, a class of new county firefighters graduates and celebrating Ricochet the famous surfing dog

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.

 * ... POWER, INFLUENCE AND WATER: Keep an eye on the tug-of-war among farmers and local governments out where Tulare Lake is re-emerging after the deluge of local rains. Thousands of acres of prime farmland is now under water or about to be under water, and how this plays out could affect both farmers (who stand to lose their crops) and residents of smaller valley communities (who stand to lose their towns to flooding). There isn't a better place to follow this story than San Joaquin Valley Water
(SJVWater.org or https://tinyurl.com/39m9apz5), a non-profit run by investigative journalist Lois Henry who is not afraid to speak truth to power. Already the huge farming conglomerate J.G. Boswell has reported Lois to the local sheriff's department for the mere infraction of asking for a quote. This story will only grow in importance - and don't expect Lois Henry or SJVWater.org to back down - as time goes on and the melting snowmelt brings more water to the valley, and the emerging Tulare Lake.

* ... MORE TULARE LAKE: The story of Tulare Lake captured the attention of The New York Times, which put the sheer size of the lake in perspective: "The lake is essentially at 790-square-mile bathtub - the side of four Lake Tahoes - that dates back to the Ice Age. Mammoths once sipped at Tulare Lake's shores, and tule elk ranged in its marshlands."

 * ... THE BEAUTY OF WHERE WE LIVE: More beauty to share of our valley from local photographers. Let's start with two shots out near the Taft prison by Pam Taylor, followed by another remarkable shot by Taylor of Mount Able. Then we have two pictures by JoJo Paredes Butingan (how about those wildflowers near Woody?), Gabby Osdale provides a lovely picture of the Kern River and Landon Peppel closes it out with a sunset over water.

 * ... RIP RICOCHET: Did you hear Ricochet, the amazing surfing therapy dog from San Diego, died recently at the age of 15? That's the word from the Los Angeles Times who said the golden retriever had been diagnosed with liver cancer in August and passed away Friday. Said the Times: "Ricochet was raised to be a service dog, but the energetic pup was more fond of chasing birds than assisting with household chores...Throughout her life, the beloved dog touched the lives of kids with special needs, wounded service members and families of fallen veterans. Ricochet was known as an affectionate companion, a shameless belly-rub beggar and had an intuition for people who needed a cuddle." (Los Angeles Times photo)

 * ... NEW FIREFIGHTERS: Kern County graduated a new class of firefighters this week and they will be reporting to their respective stations almost immediately. Among the graduates was Colin Ames, son of Sam and Andrea Ames and shown here with his proud mother.

* ... MEMORIES: Take a look at this old postcard that shows where the old Sears store was on 19th Street near the Kress Building. Thanks to the folks over at Kern County History Fans for this one.

A new poll finds Americans are less patriotic and religious and also are less likely to tolerate others, Stockdale High's uber successful debate team and will the ancient Tulare Lake be recreated by the rainstorms?

 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.

 * ... OUR CHANGING WORLD: Sometimes it seems the world is in turmoil, and nothing reflects that better an annual University of Chicago and Wall Street Journal poll that takes the pulse of what is

important to Americans. And chances are you might not like what it found. First the bad news: patriotism, religious faith, having children and other bedrock priorities are no longer so important. Today, just 38 percent of the respondents said patriotism was really important to them and 39 percent said religious was equally important. In 1998 when the same survey was conducted, 70 percent said patriotism was important and 62 percent said religion was important. And here is another bad trend: "confidence in others" was deemed very important by 80 percent of the respondents two years ago and today, it has shrunk to just 58 percent.

 * ... BAKERSFIELD MARATHON: Were you among the thousands that lined the streets to cheer on the Bakersfield Marathon, or were you among a cranky minority who got stuck in your homes when streets closed along the route? First the good news: the race was a huge success and the weather was cooperated, yet once again folks along the route complained about the lack of notice that their streets or neighborhoods would be closed. We have passed the time where the marathon should be a surprise and instead we should be cheering an event that shows off the best of our city. If it was a mess, it was a glorious mess.

 * ... STOCKDALE DEBATE: If you want to feel good about something look no farther than Stockdale High School and its phenomenally successful debate team, which recently won its 10th consecutive Central Valley speech and debate championship. (photo courtesy of The Bakersfield Californian)

 * ... TULARE LAKE: All eyes are on the "resurgence" of Tulare Lake, the old lake bed that existed for thousands of years until the Kern River was damned and water diverted for agricultural uses. Here is a good explanation of the Tulare Lake and a couple of old pictures: "Then and Now, the Tulare Lake south of Kansas Avenue, Kings County, California.  Then image taken in 1938.  Now image taken earlier this week.  I've always said that the Tulare Lake will return, it just needed Mother Nature to remind everyone who's in charge.  The lake existed for tens of thousands of years as the drainage point for the Kings, Kaweah and Tule Rivers, along with numerous other creeks such as Cross, St. John's, Cameron, Deer and White.  It's going to be an interesting year."

 * ... MOSQUITOES: With all this rain we have had you can expect a huge mosquito season this year. Experts are warning this could be the worst mosquito season in years in Kern County.

 * ... OUR WORLD: Here are some more pictures taken by our citizen photographers about town. The first is by Jim Eggert, the second of a snow capped Mt. Able was shot by Pam Taylor, and  the third another beautiful photo by JoJo Paredes Butingan. The picture of the snow on Interstate 80 is provided by the CHP.

 * ... MEMORIES: John Kelley is a local historian who regularly shares his rich collection of photos and knowledge of our area. Here, John shares three pictures of an old 76 gas station that once stood mid way up the Grapevine headed south toward Los Angeles. Enjoy these amazing pictures.