Give Big Kern raises close to $1 million for local charities, Nordstrom and Whole Foods flee San Francisco and remembering the late Merle Haggard and Bonnie Owens

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.

* ... GIVE BIG KERN: The countywide drive to support non-profits called Give Big Kern is over and it raised more than $919,000 for some outstanding organizations and programs. Topping the leaderboard as the top fund raiser was the Dolores Huerta Foundation, which raised an impressive $226,487 from 345

donors. Independence Through Grace ran second with $126,593 and Bakersfield Pregnancy Center was third with $57,312. My favorite was SJVWater.Org, the non profit run by former Californian investigator editor Lois Henry, which pulled in $7,345 for its work covering the politics of water in California. (Full disclosure: I serve on SJV's board of directors) Interesting, some groups did poorly, reflecting a  disorganized fund drive or a disengaged board of directors. For example the HUB of Bakersfield, which bills itself as a group that hopes to redefine and revitalize downtown Bakersfield (Ward 2 Councilman Andre Gonzales is a big supporter) raised a meager $50 from two donors, meaning some of the HUB's 16 board of directors likely failed to rally to the call to donate. The same was true with American Cancer Society which didn't raise a single dollar. Despite the spotty results, Give Big Kern has evolved in a major positive force in our community and non-profits who choose to participate should take this opportunity seriously.

* ... WHOLE FOODS LEAVES SAN FRANCISCO: Do you remember when Whole Foods made a big gamble on San Francisco, opening a huge new store in a blighted area? Well it is now closed after just a year, and critics are having a field day saying 'I told you so.'" The market has been the scene of just about everything: a machete wielding customer threatening others, vagrants defecating in the aisles, people overdosing on fentanyl in its bath rooms and the mentally ill harassing others. And then there is this: Nordstrom, or what is left of the once influential department store, is also leaving San Francisco. Is anybody surprised by this?

 * ... RIP SEAN MCKEOWN: A popular longtime high school teacher and coach, Sean McKeown, has lost his battle with pancreatic cancer and has passed away. The notice of his death was made by Kati McKeown, Sean's wife who works for House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in the district home office. McKeown worked as a teacher and coach at Bakersfield High, Independence and Stockdale high schools, earning legions of admirers along the way. He was diagnosed with cancer just a few months ago and fought bravely to the end. Services are are set for Saturday, May 28, at St. John's Lutheran Church. (file photo from 2016 courtesy of Kati McKeown)

 * ... PADRE HOTEL: There is nothing quite like opening The Wall Street Journal and bumping into a feature story on the iconic Padre Hotel, the grand dame of downtown Bakersfield. Built in 1928, just two years after the nearby Bakersfield Californian building, the eight-story building was the largest in town at the time and withstood multiple earthquakes over the years. The review mentions the Prairie Fire Grill and the poke nachos, but it recommends the classic Padre burger for the road weary.

 * ... REMEMBERING MERLE: Country singer David Frizzell penned a lovely short tribute to the late Merle Haggard and his wife Bonnie, leaving this entry on Facebook: "Remembering Bonnie Owens today. We were just talking about Bonnie and Merle on the way home from Illinois... I was sitting with Merle one day and he was telling me he went and seen Bonnie at the care facility where she was living at the time (due to Alzheimers)... he was having a great visit with her when she asked 'Do you want to see my room'? Merle of course said yes and they got to the room and walked in and Bonnie pointed up to a poster of Merle hanging on her wall and said, 'You see that guy right there? That is my favorite singer! '

Miss them both!" (photo courtesy of the Kern County of Old Facebook page)

 * ... WEIGHT LOSS SURGERY: How fat are our children today? Well check this out: The Wall Street Journal reports that the number of children undergoing bariatric weight surgery has skyrocketed, multiplying five fold to total more than 500 surgeries. a year Before the pandemic, some 20 percent of all American children were deemed obese, and that number is expected to rise.

 * ... OUR WILDFLOWERS: I just can't resist sharing the incredibly stunning wildflower pictures from my friend Pam Taylor, whose travels have taken her to some of the most spectacular blooms. Check out these two Pam Taylor shots.

 * ... MORE WILDFLOWERS: And one of my favorite local photographers, JoJo Paredes Butingan, submitted this incredible shot of a field of red flowers.

* ... MEMORIES: Do you remember this scene with Jack Nicholson in the movie Five Easy Pieces (1970, dir. Bob Rafelson)? It was shot on Highway 99 at the 53 off ramp to Shafter and Wasco.  Thanks to the Kern County History Fans for this timely nugget.

Bakersfield residents prepare for flooding when the snowpack melts, get ready to pay more for utilities in California and the daily struggle against crime and vagrancy for the owners of Pyrenees Cafe

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.

 * ... THE BIG MELT: All eyes are on the snow capped Sierra Nevada, which holds enough water to easily flood parts of Bakersfield and Kern County depending on how hot it gets. Uncertain homeowners are rushing to buy flood insurance policies (they seem to range anywhere from $800 to $1,500 annually) as experts warn the rush of water could flood parts of Highway 178 in the canyon and other parts of

Bakersfield not protected by berms. How bad is it? The re-emerged Tulare Lake already covers from 100 to 140 square miles with an average depth of 3.5 feet of water. It all depends - say the experts - on if the weather warms too quickly, unleashing a torrent of water that the dams and riverbanks just can't handle. Some experts say it will be mid June when the heaviest surges strike. Stay tuned.

 * ... UTILITY BILLS: If you think your utility bills are high now, just wait. If California utility companies get their way, a new pricing structure will be implanted in which your rate depends on your income. In other words, if you are successful and own a business, you will pay substantially more than the working poor under this so-called "flat rate" plan. According to CalMatters three companies — Pacific Gas & Electric, Southern California Edison and San Diego Gas & Electric — submitted a proposal to the California Public Utilities Commission that includes an income-based pricing system for these fixed charges. According to KTLA 5, the monthly charge would vary between the companies, and range from:

 - Households with annual income from $28,000 – $69,000 would pay $20 a month in Edison territory, $34 a month in SDG&E territory and $30 a month in PG&E territory.

 - Households earning from $69,000 – $180,000 would pay $51 a month in Edison and PG&E territories and $73 a month in SDG&E territory.

 - Those with incomes above $180,000 would pay $85 a month in Edison territory, $128 a month in SDG&E territory and $92 a month in PG&E territory.

 

* ... PYRENEES: By any measure, Rod and Julie Crawford should be living the American dream. They have worked, saved, invested their money and played by the rules. And for a time, the co-owners of the iconic Pyrenees Cafe and Silver Fox Starlite Lounge seemed to be enjoying the ride. Their 2013 purchase, remodel and reopening of Pyrenees was a huge success and the Silver Fox has never been as busy as it is today. But all that was before the homeless crisis hit Bakersfield, and now the Crawfords feel alone and abandoned by City Hall. For the past five years, the Crawfords have been involved in almost a nightly battle with vandalism and break-ins that plague east Bakersfield and Old Town Kern. Consider the damage just recently: a secure door is ripped off its hinges and the cash register is stolen and ends up in a dumpster, the iconic Pyrenees neon sign is vandalized to the tune of $14,000 to repair and even the folks who come in overnight to clean the restaurant cannot do so without their own cars being vandalized. And it all happens every morning, almost like clockwork, between 3 a.m. and 4 a.m.  "If we only had a little (police) presence in the neighborhood," he said. "These animals have no fear of law since there isn’t any here. In the last three months they shot out my sign, shot through windows to destroy TVs, broke three windows, need a new door a new ceiling fan. Over $20,000 in damages." When asked if he had talked to his councilman, Andre Gonzales, Crawford replied with an emoji throwing up his hands in frustration.

 * ... OLD TOWN: The real question for the Crawfords and other Old Town businesses is this: is the city serious about combatting crime and creating a relatively safe place to do business, or is it a lost cause? Andrae Gonazles is the city councilman for Old Town Kern and despite his cheerleading - this is the guy who wants to spend millions on the pipe dream of restoring the old train depot, an admirable if fool hardy idea -  crime, vagrancy and homelessness remain out of control. And it leaves landlords like the Crawfords, and other owners of the iconic east Bakersfield businesses, wondering just who is serious about crime and who is more interested in press conferences and promises?

* ... MORE CRIME: And just to show you that crime does not discriminate, 1st District county Supervisor Phillip Peters has become a victim himself, posting this on Facebook: "Nothing like waking up in the morning to find your truck broken into and all of your tools gone. Too bad there wasn’t an extra conscience or work ethic in there so they could put them to good use…"

 * ... AND ON THE COAST: Bakersfield isn't the only place where we are all growing weary of homelessness and crime. Check out this sign that was temporarily placed on the northbound exit to Santa Barbara from Highway 101.

 * ... LIFE AS IT SHOULD BE: Take a drive through downtown Bakersfield on a Sunday morning and you will be treated to the true state of the homeless crisis. As the recent point in time count reminded us, the number of people on the streets has skyrocketed some 20 percent, and the amount of trash, debris and litter they leave on our streets seems without parallel.

 * ... BED BATH AND BEYOND: You can call it a day for Bed Bath and Beyond, the once wildly popular retailer that supplied everything from pots and pans to sheets and flatware for decades,. The company declared bankruptcy on Sunday and signaled it is closing all 360 locations, including its Stockdale Highway location.

 * ... MEMORIES: I just love these old pictures of the famous Blackboard Cafe. Here is a good one thanks to the Kern County History Fans.

 * ... MODERN ART: Some of the most striking citizen photography can be accessed via the "My Home is California" page on Facebook. Check out this shot from Sacramento posted by Rubī Nevarez.

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.