McCarthy: lame duck session is over, time to roll up the sleeves and get to work

 Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield) presents his year-end blog. In his words:

 "This week, the House marked the end of a chaotic lame duck session with the passing of a Continuing Resolution (CR) which will keep the federal government operating through March 4, 2011.  On January 5, 2011, the 112th Congress will be sworn in and immediately following I will join my newly elected colleagues on implementing legislation that will provide the common sense solutions our country needs. We have to get America’s economy thriving again so Americans can get back to work.

 "On Monday, I announced my nominations for the United States Service Academies.  Each of the nominees went through a competitive selection process, including an individual interview by the Academy Interview Committee (a committee comprised of local leaders like Monique Rogers, the Corporate Administration and Marketing Director for AARC Technologies and Richard Beene, President and CEO of The Bakersfield Californian).  All of the students nominated displayed the focus, honor and courage necessary to serve our country as future leaders; I commend them for their accomplishments thus far, and wish them well in their future endeavors. From Bakersfield, Mark Van Kopp was nominated to attend the United States Military Academy, in West Point, NY.  Van Kopp is a senior at Bakersfield High School and plans to double major in History and English.  He will also be following in the footsteps of his older brother, 2nd Lt. Samuel Van Kopp, a 2010 West Point graduate.
 "At my office today, I presented Leonard Corwin, a Bakersfield World War II veteran, with an early Christmas gift.   Mr. Corwin served with the 1st Marine Division in the Asia-Pacific on Okinawa, and following his discharge, he never received the proper recognition and medals for his service.  After a request from his family, my office worked hard to ensure Mr. Corwin’s sacrifices were recognized and today I presented him with these prestigious awards. All in all, Mr. Corwin received 7 awards including: the Purple Heart, Combat Action Ribbon, Presidential Unit Citation, China Service Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal, and the Navy Occupation Service Medal.  Moments like this are priceless, and I am happy my office was able to assist Mr. Corwin in securing this much deserved recognition.  As we celebrate Leonard Corwin’s dedication to our nation, let’s not forgot the men and women around the globe who daily give up so much to defend our nation and our way of life.

 "Thank you for reading my update this week and I hope each of you have time to enjoy this Christmas holiday with your family and friends.  Until next week, I wish all of you a Merry Christmas!

Mourning the loss of the disappearing community bank and wondering why sprinklers are running in the middle of a flood

 * ... FLOODING: With half our town flooded, don't you think we should be shutting off the sprinklers? Apparently not, at least over at Sing Lum School in Campus Park. According to reader Kevin Ammann, he was walking his dog near the school, in an area that had been closed due to flooding, and noticed the school sprinklers on full blast. "Heck, the city was still running two pumps trying to lower the sump at the park next to the school. And, I know it isn't just the school that is clueless. I've seen some houses with sprinklers running while it was raining. Heck, during the winter months, once a week can be too much." Well noted, Kevin. (photos by Henry Barrios)

 * ... WONDERFUL LIFE?: This is the time of year to catch up "It's a Wonderful Life," the inspirational Jimmy Stewart classic in which he portrays a small town banker in the fictitious town of Bedford Falls. So it was interesting to read a Reuters story noting that while Stewart's character (George Bailey) "remains emblematic of a benign banking system, most Americans probably don't realize he's the most endangered species in finance." Why? The news service noted that hundreds of community banks, including our own San Joaquin Bank, have failed or sold out in the last few years, "a consequence, unintended or otherwise, of government and regulatory decisions codifying the biggest banks as infallible." Some 300 banks will fail this year, and Reuters said another 860 banks remains on its "troubled bank" list.

* ... GARCES POOL: The new competition swimming pool at Garces Memorial High School has now been filled with water and will officially open on January 7. The new facility has been named the Salvucci Aquatics Center and represents just the latest in a long line of capital improvements at the private Catholic school. Following the ribbon cutting, the pool will host the first swim practice of the year. The school has now set its sights on building eight tennis courts on campus.

 * ... DID YOU KNOW? Jack Kerouac, the Beat Generation writer and poet who influenced a generation with his novel "On the Road," stayed in Bakersfield at the old Padre Hotel several times during his cross country jaunts? Bakersfield is mentioned in "On the Road" and the late Spartacus Miller, the Padre's owner, told folks that Kerouac stayed at the Padre for several days at a time.

 * ... LOCAL LAD: Sometimes you are just born with good genes. And that seems to be the case with Jeffery Mulock, who at 24 seems to be on the verge of becoming the next great male model. A 2004 graduate of Liberty High School, Mulock was enrolled in college in San Diego when he was discovered by a fashion scout drawn to his rugged All American good looks. He has since adorned the cover of the Turkish fashion magazine 'Cosmoman," appeared in a BLK Jeans brochure and modeled in Germany and Greece in addition to Turkey. His parents are Roberta Pearce and Ellery Mulock.

 * ... BAKERSFIELDISM: You know  you're from  Bakersfield when "it's not unusual to see oil derricks adorned with Christmas lights."

Smoking rates decline in California and Memorial Hospital gives Ed Shuler a proper send off

  * ... SMOKING RATES: It looks like Californians are slowly kicking the smoking habit. A new state department of public health survey shows the percentage of residents who smoke in California is 13.1 percent, well below the national average of 21 percent. Here in Kern County, 17.1 percent of us smoke but really, we can do better than that. Other counties weighing in were Los Angeles at 10.4 percent, Ventura at 11.8 percent, Santa Barbara at 11.6 percent, Fresno at 11.2 percent and Orange at 10.9 percent. According to the Los Angeles Times, as of last year California had seen a 38 percent decrease in smokers since 1990. Now that's progress.

 * ... MILITARY ACADEMY: I had the privilege recently of serving on a committee, appointed by Congressman Kevin McCarthy, that selected candidates for the military academies from the 22nd Congressional District. Each member of Congress gets to appoint four principal nominees to attend the Air Force Academy, West Point, the Naval Academy and the Merchant Marine Academy. We interviewed 32 kids, all high achieving and terrific youngsters, from McCarthy's congressional district. It was inspiring to see these kids walk through the door, one after the other, each one impressive in his or her own way. Those chosen were Mark Van Kopp, 18, of Bakersfield High School, headed to West Point; Spencer Marsh, 18, of Paso Robles, headed to the Naval Academy; Courtney Bishop, 18, of Desert High School in Edwards, headed to the Air Force Academy; and Travis Farewell, 17, of Tehachapi High School, headed to the Merchant Marine Academy.  (pictured below are Courtney Bishop, Travis Farewell, Mark Van Kopp and Spencer Marsh)

 * ... SHULER'S FAREWELL: Ed Shuler stepped down from the Board of Directors of Memorial Hospital this week, wrapping up a full 26 years on the board. Shuler, who is 88 and looks maybe 60, helped guide Memorial through its affiliation with Catholic Healthcare West, ensuring the hospital remained an affiliate of Mercy Bakersfield and CHW while retaining governance and ownership here in Bakersfield. Hospital president Jon Van Boening told me Shuler was "an invaluable asset" during the tricky affiliation process. "He's given so much time and so much of his life to this hospital," Van Boening said. During Shuler's term the hospital added 238 beds with the addition of the East Tower in 1988 and the West Tower in 2009. Shuler is a geologist, former president of the downtown Rotary Club and former employee of Getty Oil.


 * ... SEXTANT WINES: Ran into Craig and Nancy Stoler at a Christmas party the other night and they brought me up to date on their family business, Sextant Wines. The winery is doing well and the Stolers said business is steady and getting  better. Craig is a graduate of Bakersfield High School and later Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. He joined the family business in 1991 and is now CEO of Sunridge Nurseries. Nancy is a proud Scot from Highland High School. The couple has four girls, own a home in Avila Beach and visit friends and relatives on the weekends here.

 * ... MINIATURE GOLF: Local architect Bruce Biggar dropped me a note to recall yet another miniature golf course, this one on Oak Street where Barnett's Tire Center now stands. "My father's office and construction yard was next door to the north. During the summer, one of my jobs was to trim the bushes along the property line and to clean up the mess." 

 * ... BAKERSFIELDISM: You know you're a Bakersfield old timer if "you remember driving to Stockdale Country Club from Oak Street to Fairway Drive on a two-lane road and the only building in view was a small Shell Oil Company building on the south. It was Joe Shell's oil company, not the 'other' Shell Oil Co." Thanks to John Pryor for this contribution.

Karen Goh's rookie mistakes, celebrating the big tipper around town and unions denounce Scrivner as the 'devil'

* ... JUST EMAIL ME: By all accounts Karen Goh, who went from director of a religious-based non-profit to an appointment to the Kern County Board of Supervisors, appears to be a good choice. I know Goh from the downtown Rotary club and can tell you she is both smart and articulate. But to most of the residents of the Fifth District, she's a virtual stranger. Which is why it's so puzzling that she consistently declines to speak in depth to reporters, choosing instead to communicate via sound bites or email, as in "just email me your questions and I'll send you a statement."  What keeps Goh so busy that she can't share her views with her constituents? Posting pictures to her Facebook profile? Playing Guitar Hero? I doubt it. Going silent is a rookie mistake for a public official, particularly a freshman like Goh whose views are unknown. It only leads to idle speculation, which in this case has her taking orders from local political power broker Mark Abernathy. I have no doubt Goh is qualified for the job, but I couldn't tell you where she stands on a single substantive issue. (She did tell KGET TV that she supports jobs, but gosh, who doesn't?) Eventually Goh will need to prove she is not anybody's puppet and can stand on her own. (photo by Felix Adamo)

 * ... THE DEVIL? The other newcomer to the Board of Supervisors is Zack Scrivner, whose past and positions - unlike Goh's - have been picked apart and dissected like a lab rat. Scrivner led the much-needed pension reform while on the Bakersfield City Council, incurring the wrath of the powerful police and fire unions. And they haven't forgotten him. On the California Professional Firefighters website, 2nd District, Scrivner is likened to "the devil" for daring to rein in pension costs. "The supervisor race that we  lost will have a greater impact then the two city council seats we won," said firefighter Derek Robinson. "The devil now sits on the Board of Supervisors and pension reform is coming, like it or not." Scrivner told me the remark was "unfortunate" and "inflammatory" and added this: "I think it's interesting and perhaps telling that he characterizes the election of Rudy Salas and Russell Johnson to the Council as wins for the unions, but goes on to say that my election trumps those victories. I guess time will tell."

 
 * ... BIG TIP: Remember that generous patron who tipped his server a sweet $5,000 last week at Cafe Med? Well now I learn that after leaving Cafe Med, he went to the Padre Hotel where he tipped a bartender $2,000. That's right. Seven thousand dollars in tips. Merry Christmas.


 * ... THE BUZZ: Everyone is talking about the rain, which has made our bone dry community appear more like Seattle, albeit for a brief few days.  It's been non-stop for days and let's hope it fills the reservoirs and means we'll have water in the river again next summer. One thing is for certain: if you have a leaky roof, you know it by now. 


  * ... DUSTIN'S DINER: Folks over in Haggin Oaks are continuing the long tradition of Dustin's Diner, a hot cocoa and cookie stand that collects money for the homeless through the holidays. This all started years ago on St. Cloud Lane when Dustin Kilpatrick, son of Dave and Danielle Kilpatrick, started the stand with the help of neighborhood kids. It has since grown huge, regularly collecting more than $10,000 a year for the Bakersfield Homeless Center. So if you want to enjoy the Christmas lights and help the homeless, drop by the dinner now located at 2301 Haggin Oaks Boulevard. It runs through December 23.

 * ... BAKERSFIELDISM: From reader Robert E. Holland: You know you're an East Bakersfield old timer if "your mom sent you to the Green Frog Market for an item and reminded you to pick up the new copies of Women's Day and Family Circle at the check stand that were given out at no charge."

MCarthy: After tax compromise, time to start curtailing spending in a big way

 Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield) gives his view from Capitol Hill. In his words:

 "Last week I gave you an update on how the House calendar will be different next year to create more certainty in members’ schedules, and increase efficiency in the legislative process.  This week was case in point for the needed changes as last minute, late night legislating usually does not produce the best results.

  "Even though Congress had two years to work on a package to keep taxes at current levels for all Americans, Thursday night the current majority had to schedule a vote after 11 pm because they were having
trouble agreeing on whether or not they would raise taxes in 14 days or just keep them the same thereby preventing a $3.8 trillion tax hike from taking place on January 1st.

  "Throughout the debate on taxes this year, I have long advocated for a permanent extension of current tax law to provide certainty for entrepreneurs and small businesses to grow and create jobs, which is especially needed as unemployment continues to be above 9%.  That said, on Thursday, the House passed legislation to extend current tax law for 2 years.

  "I supported this bill because voting “no” would have guaranteed that average middle-class families would have been hit with a $1,540 tax increase.  Rejecting this bill would also have saddled 88 million Americans in the lowest income bracket with a minimum tax increase of $503.  Though I did not agree with all the provisions in the bill—I believed that the extension of unemployment insurance included in the legislation should have been offset as to not contribute to our burgeoning deficit.  Unfortunately, House Democratic leaders denied members the opportunity to amend the bill to address this issue.  That said, when the new Congress comes into session on January 5, 2011, my colleagues and I will immediately work to cut unnecessary spending to pay for what the current majority chose to not offset.  Fortunately, we prevented a major tax increase, and now we need to focus on long-term solutions that will lead our nation to prosperity and make it more competitive.

  "America spoke loud and clear in November, and one of the primary messages to Congress was to stop the out-of-control spending that will hurt future generations.  This was one of the principles that my colleagues and I committed to uphold in the Pledge to America, along with reducing the size of government.  However, instead of listening, the Senate majority leaders decided to introduce and try and pass a $1.1 trillion spending bill that included over 6,000 earmarks in a last minute end-of-the-year effort.  Fortunately, common sense
prevailed and the bill was abandoned.   A short-term, stop-gap funding measure passed the House to keep government running through next week and I anticipate the Senate will approve it as well.  Next year, we
will continue to fight for a responsible spending plan that cuts waste and reduces the size of government.

  "Congratulations to Tehachapi High School, whose football team won the
Central Section Division 2 Championship week.

Luigi's opening second location at Bakersfield Racquet Club and a big tip at Cafe Med

 * ... LUIGI'S WEST: Now here's some welcome news: Luigi's Delicatessen, the popular Italian eatery on 19th Street that has some of the best food in town not to mention a loyal following in the thousands,  is opening a second outlet at the Bakersfield Racquet Club. The club has been looking for a new restaurant manager to replace Big Popy's Deli, which is moving out at the end of this month. But no one expected Luigi's the fill the void. And, I am told that Darci Atkinson, a local caterer, has been hired to run the place for Gino Valpredo, one of Luigi's owners. This marriage of two Bakersfield institutions is a win-win for everyone: Luigi's gets a second location that is small enough to handle with ease, Atkinson gets a solid gig, the Racquet Club gets exposure to folks who would not otherwise visit, and Luigi's fans get a alternate venue for its famous half and half pasta and beans.

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 * ... CITIZENS ARREST: Everyone needs a neighbor like Wayne, a friend of mine who just happens to be a long-distance cyclist at peak fitness. He was returning to his Westpark neighborhood about 1 p.m. Sunday, with his bike in his truck, when he and his wife noticed two young men leaving their neighbor's home on a BMX bike, with a black garbage bag sitting on the handlebars. "My wife said 'that's not right' since our neighbors are not home," he said. After noticing his neighbor's gate was broken, Wayne quickly unloaded his bike from the truck and sped off after the young men. "I caught up to them about two blocks later and said 'you just left my neighbor's house. What's in the bag?'" The BMX rider then tried to race away from Wayne, a futile move under any circumstance. " I found incredibly funny ... (I) said 'is that really your plan? Because I can do this all day,'" he said. Finally realizing they couldn't shake Wayne, the lads dropped the bag, which was full of Christmas presents from the neighbor's home, and sped off. Wayne called the police and later identified one of the youths who "was a county (jail) guest at least for a night." Nice to have a Lance Armstrong-like neighbor there in the time of need.






 * ... THE BUZZ: Meir Brown, owner of the popular restaurant Cafe Med over on Stockdale Highway, contacted me with this incredible story. "I thought you would be interested, last night a generous patron tipped one of my servers $5,000 on a $1,760 tab. When the server verified the intent with the patron he just said, 'Yes, Merry Christmas!' There are great generous people in our midst." Wow.

* ... WACKER TOWING: Robbie Horton of Mayflower, Arkansas, wrote to remember and recommend Tallywacker towing service. She said it was owned by Louie Tally and possibly Kenny Eggenberg, who still owns the property.

 * ... SICK BAY: Californian columnist Herb Benham is recuperating from his hip surgery and doing well. He's happy to report that his surgeon remarked that he has "good bones," a comment that we no doubt will soon be reading about. Also Sending out best wishes to regular reader and contributor Jack Kelley who is recovering from knee replacement surgery. His wife, Sidney, tells me Jack entertains her by reciting "Bakersfieldisms" while they drive around town. "We'll be driving by somewhere and he'll say, 'I used to shoot pheasants right here,' pointing to the Jim Burke Ford lot on Oak Street."Get well, Jack.

 * ... BAKERSFIELDISM: From reader John Martin: "You are truly a Bakersfield old timer if you remember ordering the Blue Plate business man's lunch ($1.29) at Martin's Malt Shop, on the corner of Baker and Lake Streets."

Gaggles of ex cons put downtown residents on edge, and solving the mystery of the internment camps

 * ... ANIMAL ABUSE: Am glad to see prosecutors going after the 43-year-old man accused of taking a golf club to a small dog and then spraying bleach into its eyes. It's a case of almost unimaginable cruelty, but things like this also bring out the best in our community. Folks at the Coffee Road Animal Hospital say they have been overwhelmed with donations to help the dog, named Lacey. And a rescue home has already stepped forward to care for Lacey, whose long-term prognosis remains uncertain. Meanwhile, prosecutors are filing felony animal cruelty charges against Robert Gonzales, the alleged abuser.

* ... GRAPEVINE: Larry Miller, a retired battalion commander with the Kern County Fire Department, wrote to recall the hot summer days before air conditioning when trucks would navigate the Grapevine. "I marveled at the truck drivers who would stand on the running board of their trucks trying to escape the hellish, mind-bending engine and pavement heat coming up through the floorboards of their rigs as they were creeping over the Grapevine at 10 miles per hour. With a brick propped on the accelerator to keep the rigs moving, they would reach through the open cab door with their right hand on the steering wheel while clinging to the open door frame with their left arm. No seat belts on those days." 

 * ... EX CONS: If you live or work downtown, you're accustomed to seeing groups of freshly paroled prisoners hanging out in front of the Greyhound Bus Station. They're unmistakable in their khaki pants, black slippers with no laces, white T-shirts and prison-issued manila envelopes. These are people who have served their time, but their presence has put some downtown business people on edge. Don Martin, the tireless advocate for downtown and himself owner of Metro Galleries on 19th Street, lives downtown and routinely enjoys his walk to and from work. But not always. He was outside the downtown Rite Aid the other day when he was "stopped by a guy saying he just got released from prison. He wanted me to fill a prescription for him. I told management at Rite Aid." The previous day, he was stopped on 19th Street by another man who also had just been released who was trying to sell him stamps. Martin politely declined. With the recession deepening and the state on the verge of releasing thousands more inmates because of overcrowding chances are this kind of thing will continue for a while. Meanwhile, Martin is one of a group of downtown business owners who have been working - unsuccessfully so far - to get the bus station moved.

* ... INTERNMENT CAMP:  I may have learned what happened to the couple who ran a produce stand in 1943 but were sent to a Japanese internment camp. A reader, who did not want her name published, said the name of the produce stand and market was Sogo's Produce, and it was owned an operated by Utaro and Koye Sogo and their son-in-law, Kingo Nakamoto. Their families, longtime Bakersfield residents, were relocated to Poston, Arizona where there was a Japanese internment camp. Apparently, according to this source, the business was turned over to the Lum family who successfully ran a produce business in town for many years. The produce stand was located at the intersection of Golden State Highway and Union Avenue.

 * ... OVERHEARD: Reader Becky Williams: shared her encounter with a young lady at a local sandwich store recently.  "I'd like a turkey sandwich please,"  she said. The young lady replied, "I'm sorry. I can't make you a sandwich because our lettuce hasn't come yet."  Hold the lettuce then, Williams answered.  "I can't do that," the clerk said, "because I don't have any lettuce and it has to look like the picture."

 * ... BAKERSFIELDISM: You know you're a Bakersfield old timer "if you've taken part in the soap box derby races held in the late 1930s on River Boulevard between Columbus and Greenlawn Cemetery." Thanks to F. Valentich for that one.

Air Pollution Control District takes more heat and BC looks for an athletic director

 * ... AIR DISTRICT: More criticism for the Valley Air Pollution Control District. This time it comes from Stephen Montgomery, a retired railroad employee and former union legislative representative who worked to improve working conditions. He called the air board's move to shut down the Thanksgiving Day Pie Run bonfire "an overreaction to small potatoes. It's apparent they enforce the things that are easiest to enforce and in at least one case avoid messing with the ones that may be more difficult." He cited, in his capacity with the union, numerous letters he wrote - including one to the air district - to complain about hazardous dust at the Traver truck stop 30 miles south of Fresno. He said trucks are routinely driven off the road to an unpaved portion of railroad right of way "raising dust in the dry seasons. In wet conditions water runoff from the fuel dock aprons puddles up in this area and along with all the runoff containing fuel and brake dust soaks into the water table." In short, it's a mess and certainly creates more pollution, day in and day out, than a simple once-a-year bonfire at a public park. And what happened? According to Montgomery, absolutely nothing. (photo courtesy of Stephen Montgomery)

* ... THE BUZZ: The announcement that Jan Stuebbe will be stepping down as athletic director at Bakersfield College has some folks speculating that BC may look to Cal State Bakersfield for a successor. CSUB of course just named its new athletic director, Jeff Konya, and in so doing  passed over Roger Fessler, who was outgoing AD Rudy Carvajal's No. 2 person in the department. In fact, not only was Fessler passed over but he also wasn't given the courtesy to interview for the job, a slight that did not go unnoticed both inside and outside the campus. All this is speculation of course, but BC could do a lot worse than Fessler, who has deep roots in the community and who also spent time as athletic director at St. Francis University in Pennsylvania.


* ... MINIATURE GOLF: Reader Pam Mahan wrote to say she "had to laugh when I read Jimmie D. Hill's comment about the miniature golf course just north of Green Frog Market. I remember when I was playing there with a group of friends who included Arnold Kirschenmann. Arnold, who even at that time was a really good golfer, had a terrible round at the miniature course and proceeded to terrorize his golf club by bending it over his knee and throwing it into outer space. I don't know how Arnold's knee turned out, but it was a rough day for the golf club."

 * ... MARATHON: Heard from reader Pat Chaffin who wanted to share the news that her sons, their wives and two grand daughters walked and ran 13 miles in the Zappo's Rock and Roll Las Vegas Marathon. "What a spectacle," she said. "Thirty two thousand competed and 18,000 were first timers. Many dressed in costumes and there must have been 50 Elvis impersonators... What's amazing is the majority of them are just ordinary working stiffs squeezing  in the time from their jobs and families to train for this race. Next year maybe they'll do the 26 miler!" The group includes Steve and Sara Chaffin, Doug and Connie Chaffin and Jenni Chaffin.

 * ... RETIREMENT: Hats of to one of our city's most valuable and beloved employees who recently retired. That would be Louie Peralez, who retired after 42 years, serving most recently as the street superintendent. Mark Salvaggio, former city councilman, described Louie as "a city of Bakersfield institution. His service is second longest in the history of the city... He is the finest public servant one can find anywhere. His shoes will never be filed." Good luck, Louie.

  * ... OVERHEARD: "A local electronics story now sells a key chain breathalyzer ... the perfect gift for that 'special' relative."

* ... BAKERSFIELDISM: You know you're a Bakersfield old-timer if "you remember the long lines outside of Fontana's Pie Shop on Niles Street the day before Thanksgiving with people wanting fresh pumpkin or pecan pies." Thanks to Ken Barnes for this one.