Rep. Kevin McCarthy: a week in the district, making the rounds

Another weekly update from our local congressman, Rep. Kevin McCarthy. Here's Kevin in his own words:

"This week, it was good to be home in California for a week of meetings and events throughout the district.
On Monday, I attended Memorial Day Services at Union Cemetery and Hillcrest Memorial Park. I am always inspired by these services, and am so grateful to live in a country with men and women who have served and sacrificed defending our freedoms.

"Tuesday morning, I was on KERN radio with Danielle Sullivan and enjoyed taking calls from listeners. We talked about several topics including the California budget, the State Supreme Court decision on Prop 8, and care for our wounded veterans when they return home. Later that afternoon, I interviewed local veteran, Jimmy Gentile, about his experiences in Iraq for the Veterans History Project (www.loc.gov/vets), so that future generations know the sacrifices that were made for our freedom. Tuesday evening I hosted an Identity Theft Prevention Town Hall at the Kern County Board of Supervisors. In case you missed it, KGOV-TV will be reairing it and you can tune in to hear about safeguards to protect against identity theft from the panel of experts. This is a growing problem, and we should all be aware of how to protect ourselves and what to do if our identity is stolen. In fact today, there was report on Channel 29 (KBAK) that identity theft is on the rise in Tehachapi.

"On Wednesday, I spent time doing radio for San Luis Obispo and Kern County. I recorded interviews with King Harris (KVEC, 920AM) and Dick Mason, (KPRL, 1230AM). Then at 3pm I was on live with Ralph Bailey in studio on KNZR, and later called into the Dave Congalton show on KVEC (920AM).

"On Thursday, I was over in San Luis Obispo County with the House Republican American Energy Solutions Group. Congressmen Devin Nunes (CA), Lee Terry (NE), Bob Latta (OH), and I led the Energy Summit at Cal Poly to talk with local and regional renewable energy experts. This was one of several summits held around the country to listen to Americans and discuss energy solutions. Cal Poly was gracious in their hospitability and a great location because they are conducting research to further renewable energy technology development. I tell my colleagues in Congress how fortunate I am to represent communities with abundant renewable energy resources. Great things are going on in San Luis Obispo County and Kern County to harness power from wind, solar, and nuclear energy. The 22nd District ranks as the 4th top wind-energy producing congressional district in the United States, and has some of the best potential for solar power in California. In addition, if Kern County was a state, it would rank 4th in American oil production. Just outside our district is Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant, which produces enough energy to power more than 3 million homes in the State. When Congress comes back into session, I will work with my colleagues on the American Energy Solutions Group to craft legislative solutions that will help lower energy prices for American families and small businesses, and put America on a path towards renewable energy and independence.

"Later that afternoon on Thursday, I presented high school students from San Luis Obispo County with the 22nd Congressional District of California Merit Award. The award honors the achievements of our communities best and brightest high school students, and recognizes their positive achievements. Students who will receive the award were nominated by their principals because they have demonstrated academic excellence (having earned a 3.5 GPA or higher), exemplary school citizenship, volunteerism, involvement in extracurricular activities and leadership skills. If you know of a school that did not participate this year, please have the principal contact my district office in Bakersfield for information on how to nominate students for next years merit award.

"Next week, Congress is back in session and it should be a busy week. In the Financial Services Committee we will have several hearings, including a status update on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the mortgage giants and Government Sponsored Enterprises (GSE) currently under government conservatorship.

Guns and kids and a horrible tragedy in Bakersfield

Was saddened to read Steve Swenson's story in today's Californian about the 2-year-old boy who was shot to death by his 3-year-old sister in Southwest Bakersfield. The girl found the gun, a 45-caliber Glock, stuffed between the mattress and the boxspring of her parent's bed and, in fooling around with it, accidentally shot her brother. There's never a good way to tell this story without being accused of sensationalism. I received one call from a man who was disgusted that we ran a picture of the mother with the girl, and he also accused us of insensitivity with the headline, which read "Girl Shoots Baby Brother," followed by a readout that started with the word "Tragedy." I don't have a problem with either the headline or picture and thought both the reporter (Swenson) and the folks who laid out the page did a fine job. The story took pains to talk about how guns should be safety stored away from children and noted the tragic consequences that follow when that doesn't happen. I also wondered what prompted the family to feel the need to keep a gun at bedside. How bad is crime in their neighborhood? Had they been victims before? It is certainly true that there is a sense of real fear out there amid this lingering recession. Cars are being stolen and homes broken into in the nicest of neighborhoods. Would welcome any comments on this story.

Smiling faces and a day in the life of Bakersfield: a kindergarten class at Patriot Elementary

I had no particular reason to post this picture other than it's a wonderful snapshot of a day in the life at Patriot Elementary school in the Rosedale Union School District in Bakersfield. Californian graphic artist Billy Simpkins took this picture (his daughter Sunnie is in the class) after the kids did a mockup of the front page of The Californian. Enjoy these smiling faces. Click on the picture to enlarge it to really enjoy the moment.

Local coalition lines up to bring Amgen Tour of California through Bakersfield next year

It looks like the local effort to bring the Tour of California bicycle race to Bakersfield is picking up some important steam. For the uninitiated, the Amgen tour is this country's only major race featuring the pro cycling teams that compete in the Tour de France, Giro d'Italia and other major events. It's quite a spectacle that draws thousands of visitors along the roadsides to see the world's best professional cyclists. It would be terrific for tourism and local businesses, and would show off our city well. Normally it starts somewhere in northern California, winds down through the coast, hitting places like San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara, before ending up somewhere in Los Angeles. The only thing preventing the tour from coming to Bakersfield is money and local support. And that seems to be changing. One of the driving forces behind all this is Kerry Ryan, owner of Action Sports over off Brimhall Road. He's part of a coalition that involves the Convention and Visitor's Bureau, some city and county officials and other local supporters, including The Californian and American General Media. Don Cohen, head of the convention and visitor's bureau, says $161,000 has already been raised to bring the tour to Bakersfield. A decision should come some time in July. If it happens, we'll be seeing pros like Lance Armstrong, Levi Leipheimer, Ivan Basso, Carlos Sastre and others here next year. Stay tuned. (photo of 2009 winner Levi Leipheimer courtesy of the official Amgen website)

Mixed signals on the economy: is it a rebound or are we headed for a double dip recession?

I spend an inordinate amount of time looking for signs of an economic rebound, but with each day's passing, the picture seems to become less clear. The stock market seems to want to rebound, but most analysts think a "correction" is overdue. The consumer confidence data is looking better, yet retailers report dismal results. Then there are days like today when everything looks dark. Consider:

* ... DOUBLE-DIP RECESSION? CNBC reported today that the U.S. economy "appears destined for several years of weak growth and high unemployment," leaving it vulnerable to a "recession relapse." From the story:

"When you remove the government stimulus, what the private sector can generate in terms of growth feels like a recession," said Jeffrey Rosenberg, head of global credit strategy at Band of America Securities Merrill Lynch in New York.
"Rosenberg thinks the U.S. Economy may trudge along at a sluggish growth rate somewhere in the range of 0.5 percent to 1.5 percent while banks recover from the credit crisis, which could take another three years.
"This is a much darker outlook than the one put forward by President Barack Obama's administration in its latest budget projections, which show economic growth bouncing back to 3.2 percent next year and hitting 4.6 percent by 2012."

* ... MORE HOUSING WOES: Prices of homes in March fell a sharp 18.7 percent from a year ago, yet more bad news. Standard and Poor's Case-Shiller Home Price Indices showed housing stuck in a slump in the worst downturn since the Great Depression. Locally, folks like Realtor Mary Christenson report an uptick in sales, even if prices are still dropping. That's good news in that it burns through inventory, but the Case-Shiller data shows we have a long way to go.



* ... BAKERSFIELD BLUES: Another list is out showing the percentage of homes in a market that have "negative equity," and Bakersfield is ranked at No. 13. This means that 39 percent of the mortgages locally are upside down. Just amazing. Here's the list:

1) Las Vegas
2) Stockton
3) Modesto
4) Reno
5) Vallejo
6) Merced
7) Fort Pierce, Fla.
8) Riverside
9) Phoenix-Scottsdale
Orlando (tied)
11) El Centro
12) Yuba City
13) Bakersfield

Short takes around our town on a Memorial Day weekend

It would be hard to imagine any better weather served up for the Memorial Day weekend. It was splendid all weekend capped by a relatively mild Monday kicked off with a cool morning. There were ceremonies across town, at Hillcrest, Union Cemetery, Greelawn and even at Cal State Bakersfield to pay honor to those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our country.
Thought the best pictures from the web came from Supervisor Michael Rubio, who attended the events at both Union and Hillcrest. Here are two photos he posted on Facebook of him and Iliana, his adorable daughter, at one of the events. Let the pictures tell the story.






Elsewhere this weekend....
* ... BAD BEHAVIOR: Along with the good always comes a little bad, and it wouldn't be a holiday weekend in Bakersfield without some examples of really bad behavior. Like the fellow who was killed when a wild fight broke out at a bar on Wible Road when - get this - police said 200 people left a biker's bar in the wee hours. Let's think about that: two hundred people piling out of a biker bar after midnight. All the ingredients were there for bad things to happen.
* ... CRIME ALL AROUND: Tuned into KGET and KBAK on Monday and listening to their newscasts, you'd think all we did in B-town was knife and shoot each other. There was a stabbing at a bar in Shafter, another shooting death in Lamont ... and the list goes on.
* ... ULTIMATE PRICE: Was sad to hear about a solider from Tehachapi, Jason George, who died in Iraq. A stark reminder of what Memorial Day is all about. Jason was 38 and had already lived a life full of accomplishments: he went to CSUB, then West Point and lived in Chicago. Our hearts go out to his family.

Weekend Bako Bits: A drowning at RiverWalk, DUI checkpoints and more on the monster Mendoza

In the middle of a long Memorial Day weekend and while it's hot, it's certainly bearable and there is much for which to be thankful. Plenty happening around town, so let's get to it:

* ... ANOTHER DROWNING: When it heats up, it's a given that the crowds will descend on the new RiverWalk park off Stockdale Highway and - you guessed it - completely disregard the no swimming signs posted around the lakes. So I suppose we shouldn't be surprised that we've had the first drowning of the year, a 16-year-old named Ricardo Lopez. He died today (Saturday) after being pulled from the water Friday. KGET reported the family waited 15 minutes before calling 911, but that won't stop our slip and fall lawyers from filing suit against the city. It's a terrible tragedy, but a little common sense could prevent these things.



* ... COPS OUT IN FORCE: When the cops tell you they're going to be out in full force on a holiday weekend, believe them. I ran into my first DUI checkpoint Friday afternoon (on Ming Avenue near The Marketplace) where KGET reports they nabbed four drunks. Then this morning, I saw a Highway Patrolman posted by the side of Granite Road headed to Woody clocking speeders. And I saw another Bakersfield police officer pull over a green SUV full of teenagers and ticketing them near Cal State Bakersfield. Be safe out there.
* ... MORE ON MENDOZA: If you haven't read today's report in The Californian about Angelo Mendoza, the 4-year-old who was left blind when his drug crazed father literally ate his eye, pick it up. (or go to bakersfield.com to check it out) Reporter Steve Swenson is all over this story and reports exclusively today that the cops were called to the suspect's home about an hour before the actual incident, left and then were called back. I am not implying that BPD did anything wrong, just another tragic chapter in this sad story.
* ... PEOPLE ON THE MOVE: Heard yesterday that Cindy Pollard, the longtime spokesman for PG&E, is moving to Sacramento for a higher job with the utility. Cindy is one of those community activists that made this a better place to live, and she will be missed. Meanwhile I had a nice chat with former CSUB development director Mike Chertok (he retired) who tells me he is now the volunteer development director for the Bakersfield Symphony.

Rep. Kevin McCarthy: honoring our veterans, making the rounds in the district

Heading into the Memorial Day weekend, Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield) brings us up to date on the goings on in Washington.


"This week in Washington, I participated in several meetings on the economy and financial services issues. My colleagues and I on the Capital Markets Subcommittee had a bipartisan dinner with former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan and Princeton professor Alan Blinder to discuss regulatory reform as it relates to the Fed. It was very valuable to hear their candid thoughts on this important issue. Also, National Economic Council Chair Larry Summers met with Republican Members of the committee to talk about the economy and share his thoughts on financial industry regulatory changes.

"I also joined my colleague Rep. Susan Davis (D-CA) in cosponsoring the Absentee Ballot Track, Receive and Confirm (TRAC) Act (H.R. 2510). This legislation will help many voters who cannot determine whether their absentee ballots were actually sent out, received and counted by helping states establish absentee ballot tracking systems. On a military matter, I introduced legislation that would provide travel reimbursement costs for military members at Edwards Air Force Base who have to travel down to UCLA for specialty medical care for their families. Given Edwards’ remote location, it is appropriate that government help ensure military families’ healthcare needs are met.

This next week I will be back home for a district work week.
On Monday, I will be attending Memorial Day Services at Union Cemetery and Hillcrest Memorial Park. Memorial Day is a solemn day of remembrance for our nation. I am grateful for the brave American men and women who have served and sacrificed. Throughout this past year, I have witnessed how our community continually strives to honor those who have served in the Armed Services. This Memorial Day, we remember the brave Americans who have fallen defending our nation, and those courageous men and women who are serving in distant lands today protecting our freedom.

"Tuesday morning, tune into 1400AM KERN radio as I will be a guest of Danielle Sullivan at 9am. Later that afternoon, I plan on interviewing local veterans about their war-time experiences, and then sending their stories to the Veterans History Project. The Veterans History Project is an initiative by the Library of Congress (www.loc.gov/vets) that collects personal stories of our war veterans so that generations do not forget their sacrifice Tuesday evening I will be hosting an Identity Theft Prevention Town Hall that will start at 5:30p.m. at the Kern County Board of Supervisors. To attend this event please email my office at RSVP.McCarthy@mail.house.gov or call my district office: (661) 327-3611. Every year an estimated 9 million Americans have their identity stolen. To help protect against this growing problem, the town hall will include official representatives from law enforcement and government agencies to listen to concerns and provide safeguards against identity theft.

"On Thursday, the House Republican American Energy Solutions Group will be hosting an Energy Summit in San Luis Obispo County, at CalPoly. I will be leading the Energy Summit with Congressman Devin Nunes and other Members of Congress. The American Energy Solutions Group is working to craft legislative solutions that will help lower energy prices for American families and small businesses, and put America on a path towards energy independence. This event, one of several being held across the United States, is an opportunity for Members of Congress to join with leading local and national experts on energy in a discussion about renewable and alternative energy technologies. This summit is open to the public, so if you are in San Luis Obispo County on Thursday, please join us to participate in the discussion.

"Thanks for reading, have a good Memorial Day weekend.