McCarthy: Valley needs reliable supply of water and jobs

Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Bakersfield, gives us his weekly update. In his own words:

 "California has been the nation’s top agricultural producer and exporter for decades, and our region is a main reason why. Last year, we produced $4.7 billion worth of crops – grapes, almonds, pistachios, milk and citrus topped the list – that supported countless jobs and small businesses in our community. One of the single most important ways to ensure the continued success of our agricultural industry, and the jobs it supports, is a reliable water supply.

 "Today I spoke at Vision 2061, a water conference hosted by the Kern County Water Agency (KCWA) to mark their 50th anniversary and to begin to find solutions to the state’s water challenges over the next fifty years. I don’t have to tell you those challenges are steep. We face a rapidly expanding population, government overregulation and over-litigation, not to mention the ever-present threat of drought. The good news is that we have some great minds on top of these pressing issues. After all, Jim Beck and the folks at the KCWA haven’t helped build one of the world’s leading water agencies by accident.
 "From cutting unnecessary red tape to building additional storage and conveyance systems and continuing to innovate for conservation, there are many ways to get water flowing more reliably through California. Right now, I am pushing three bills (H.R. 869, H.R. 1837 and H.R.1604) that would increase the amount of water flowing to our community, create jobs and reduce the layers of bureaucracy and paperwork for water projects. I know much more must be done, but this conference has demonstrated that we are on the right track. The ideas are there, the will is there, and I trust that our community and water experts will continue to do everything possible to ensure we have the water we need to thrive for the next fifty years and beyond.
  "Water is not the only thing that will ensure Bakersfield’s continued success; the young people our community produces continue to give me high hopes for the future. I have two young men from Bakersfield currently interning in our Washington D.C. office: Jack Pandol, who recently graduated from Washington & Lee University in Lexington, Virginia; and Jess Thomas, who studied at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Their hard work, dedication and eagerness to serve the constituents of our congressional district make me certain that they will accomplish great things and make Bakersfield proud.
 "For those still in high school, I’m hosting a U.S. Service Academy Forum this Saturday, which will allow students and parents to get detailed information on the application process, academy life and career opportunities in the military. I hope to see many of you there at 10 a.m. at the Kern County Board of Supervisors' Chambers. Also, in case you aren’t able to make it but still are interested, KGOV will air the forum live on its supported channels, and on its website at www.co.kern.ca.us/gsd/kgov/. If you have any questions, please call my office at 661-327-3611.

Remembering the old Sandberg Summit Hotel on the Ridge Route and Ravi Patel gets a high honor from the American Cancer Society

  * ... SANDBERG'S: Last week readers weighed in on the old Lebec Hotel, the grand dame of the Ridge Route that connected Los Angeles with the San Joaquin Valley before Interstate 5 was built. Now another reader, Mary Fuller, submits this information about another hotel - albeit a bit smaller but equally charming - called Sandberg's Summit Hotel. Apparently it was located near the intersection of Pine Canyon Road and the old Ridge Route at an elevation of 4,170 feet. It was built by Harald Sandberg in 1914, originally as a one-story log structure, but later enlarged to three floors. During renovation in April 1961, sparks from a fireplace ignited the roof and the hotel burned to the ground. All that remains today are foundations and a rock wall on the west side of the old road, just before entering the Angeles National Forest. Anyone remember Sandberg's?

 * ... HOMECOMING: Bakersfield is known for its "brain drain" when the best and brightest of our children leave and never return. But there are plenty of examples of kids who do come back, and I recently learned of two more from Joseph "JJ" Gianquinto, commissioner of the Kern County Superior Court. He wrote to say that one of his sons, Dr. Jared Gianquinto, completed his residency in orthodontia at Temple University and has returned to Bakersfield to establish his practive. His elder son, Jason Gianquinto, also returned to Bakersfield with his wife and two daughters. They spent some time overseas working on international engineering projects and he now works for a major Central Valley water district. "I know that my sons are only two, but they have friends here who are of the same ilk. Some of them never left, and others have returned. They will all continue to make the community and their parents proud," he said. J.J. and his wife, Lani, have been married almost 39 years and he credits her with rearing two outstanding boys. Well spoken.

 * ... PATEL KUDOS: Kudos to Drs. Ravi and Naina Patel for being recognized with a prestigious honor from the American Cancer Society for donating more than $850,000 to find a cure for cancer. The philanthropic award is given to an individual or family foundation that has given a minimum of $500,000 to strengthen the American Cancer Society's goal of saving lives and finding cures. The funding came from the Patel Foundation, which includes their family and the Comprehensive Blood and Cancer Center.

 * ... PUMPKINS: Remember to run over to the Northwest Promenade for a special sale on pumpkins on Saturday, sponsored by Cub Scout Pack 177. The Scouts will be selling pumpkins from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m.

 * ... TOW SACK ANNIE: Marcie Brakebill wrote to recall the character known as Tow Sack Annie (I was reminded by a reader that it should read 'tow sack' and not 'tote sack' as I had it). "It was fun to read your blog about Tow Sack Annie in today's Californian. As soon as I saw the heading I knew I had heard that moniker before. As a child I had lived on Weedpatch Highway close to Edison Highway but I wasn't sure if I actually remembered her or had just heard about her so I called my dad, who now lives in Missouri, and ask him if the name meant anything to him. Of course it did! He told me the same story told to you by Marvin Pritchett but also says that I had a little dog that would run out and bark at her. She apparently would scold my dog and tell him "go back in the yard or you'll get ran over"! What a great blast from the past and a chance to ask my Dad about something long forgotten! Good job." Thanks Marcie.

 * ... SMALL WORLD: I'm used to running into folks I know at Starbucks or Trader Joe's, but Kern County Family Court? I spent the day in court recently and saw four people I know, all going through divorces. Must be something in the water around here.

Shelley Long shows up in Bako for a wedding and remembering Tote Sack Annie

* ... SPOTTED: Actress Shelley Long of the hit TV series "Cheers" was spotted at Uricchio's Trattoria Friday night. Apparently she was in town for the rehearsal dinner for her cousin's wedding. Stacey Williams, daughter of Shelley's first cousin Jon and wife Debbie, married her high school sweetheart, Clint, at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church Saturday. (If there is a more beautifully landscaped church in town, tell me about it) Five priests, including Father Heffernan, former pastor of St. Francis who officiated at the wedding of the bride's parents, were at the altar. All were friends of the bride's grandmother, Rena Fagot, who is responsible for the beauty inside and out of the church next to Garces. The priests joined pastor Monsignor Mike Braun, a downtown Rotarian member, to insure the marriage was well blessed.

* ... BAD FORM: Darlyn Baker shard this experience while driving down 24th Street: "While stopped at a traffic light I looked to my left and noticed identical mirror type objects for babies, I assume twins, attached to the back of each front seat of a gray Toyota. The infant seats were empty. Then I noticed the lady reaching into her blouse to apply roll on deodorant! That was a first. She then proceeded to put on blush and had her mascara in hand as the light changed. People sure make a routine drive interesting."

 * ... WAKE UP HARRY: It was a hilarious moment on the morning show at KBAK TV last week when anchor Leyla Santiago went to interview singer Harry Belafonte, who was hooked up via a remote location. When the camera cut to Belafonte, the famous singer appeared fast asleep, prompting the raspy voiced anchor to implore: "Wake up Harry. Harry! Wake up!" The singer continued to snooze while co-anchors John Dabkovich and Aaron Perlman shared the awkward moment. The video has now gone viral, attracting thousands of hits on the world wide web.

 * ... TOTE SACK ANNIE: Marvin Pritchett wrote to answer another reader's question about Tote Sack Annie. "During my high school days I worked in a service station on Edison Highway in the early 1950s and almost every afternoon a person who we believed to be a female would pass by east bound on Edison Highway with a tote sack over her shoulder walking at a fast pace. Everyone referred to her as Tote Sack Annie. If anyone said anything to her she would show her displeasure with some very colorful words. She saved her most colorful words for truck drivers who honked at her. We never figured out where she came from or exactly where she went."

 * .... YMCA: Good news for the Kern County YMCA, which has been struggling to make a comeback after a few years in obscurity. Board member Dave Wilkerson told me they now have more than 700 kids in Y soccer programs in Delano and Arvin, all funded by some generous local companies. "Saturday we start our soccer program in Delano, almost 500 kids fourth and fifth graders only," he said. "Along with our Arvin program that started one week ago we have almost 700 kids between the two. The Delano program is a partnership between S.C. Anderson, Inc., Delano Elementary School District and the City of Delano. Arvin is 100 percent sponsored by Grimmway farms."

Don Martin being courted to run for City Council while Seven Oaks gets hit with burglaries

 * ... WARD TWO:  It looks like longtime downtown arts activist Don Martin is being courted to run for the City Council to replace Sue Benham, who is stepping down after 12 years on the council. I've heard that Candi Easter, head of the local Democratic Party, has met with Martin to urge him to run in the November 2012 election. Apparently Martin is among a number of potential candidates being approached to run, and he told me he has yet to make a decision. The Ward 2 post covers most of downtown, where Martin lives and runs his art gallery, The Metro Galleries on 19th Street. He has been instrumental in the evolution of the downtown arts district and is well known in the community. Another potential candidate is Terry Maxwell, himself an owner of a downtown restaurant, who ran unsuccessfully for the post over a decade ago.

 * ... SEVEN OAKS: The Grand Island area of Seven Oaks has been hit with a number of burglaries recently, putting residents of this gated community on edge. I am told most of the break-ins are happening in mid morning, and that the favored entry point seems to be windows leading to the master bedroom. In some cases, alarms are not triggered because the introduders simply break the glass and crawl inside without ever opening the window. Alarm companies can wire houses with devices that are triggered by the sound of broken glass, and this may be an option.


* ... MORE BURGLARIES: Kevin Ormande is the manager at the Kern Security Systems and knows something about the rash of burglaries and car thefts sweeping our community. "Please tell your readers to use their home alarm systems even when leaving for just 'a few minutes' to run to the store or pick up children from school. If all possible park in your garage. In 18 years in the security business I have yet to heare of a vehicle being broken into inside a garage."



* ... GARCES POOL: Heads up if you live downtown or on the east side of our community: the new pool at Garces Memorial High School is now open to the public for early morning workouts. Swimmers can sign up for a daily, monthly or yearly pass to use the heated pool from 5:30 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. Lockers are available. The new pool is beautiful and provides a great morning workout. Call Billy Potter at Garces at (661) 327-2578 if you are interested.

* ... FUND RAISER: I had the chance to stop by a fund raiser for the local Ronald McDonald house over at Bakersfield Memorial Hospital. It was held at Imbibe Wine and Spirits and chaired by Jeffrey Mestmaker, a local wealth advisor. I am always impressed by how many people in our community rally behind good causes. Mestmaker took the microphone to thank many donors, including HPS Mechanical, The Golden Empire McDonalds operators, Chevron Valley Credit Union, Alon USA, Peggy Darling in the memory of Curtis Darlin, Bakersfield Active 20/30 Club, Bon and Pat Engel in memory of Ryan Dobbs, Diane Lake Family in memory of Catherine Ann Lake, and Sandy Moffett in memory of Marshall Helm.

  * .... COAT DRIVE: Kudos to West Rotary’s New Member Committee for collecting over 500 coats, jackets and sweatshirts at the Antique Peddlers Fair last weekend. Headed by new club member Mark Bianchi along with Chip Casteen, PK Zander, John Shaw and senior members Brad Henderson and Jim Darling, the group's goal was 200 coats for Castle Elementary School. Because of the large response the group added Standard School and West Rotary’s sponsored elementary school in Ensanada Mexico.

 * ... BAD FORM: Speaking of Rotary, service clubs are rarely the venue for bad behavior but that was exactly the case at a recent meeting of the Rotary Club of Bakersfield, also known as the downtown club. Turns out one of its members hijacked the invocation to launch a personal attack on the speaker, with whom he had a falling out over a business deal. He later apologized.

 * ... SPOTTED: A young mother with a toddler pulls up to a tobacco shop at Ming and Ashe, music blaring loudly, windows rolled down. She gets out of the car but leaves the loud music playing and the toddler in the back seat while she runs in to get some smokes. Class act.

McCarthy: Free trade agreements show that bipartisan efforts can succeed in Congress

 Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield) submits his weekly update from Capitol. Hill.

 "Faith in Congress is at historic lows, and to be honest, I don't blame the nearly 90 percent of Americans who are frustrated. But this week proved that where there is common ground, the House and Senate, Republicans and Democrats, can take meaningful action on policies that will help get our economy back on track. I'm talking about the passage of three Free Trade Agreements with Colombia, Panama and South Korea that create a fair playing field among America and these other nations and are estimated to create jobs and increase exports across America, including right here at home.


 "I know the American people can out-compete anyone in the world if the playing field is fair. See, right now American products face tariffs when they enter these countries, making them more expensive and less attractive to consumers there. With the passage of these agreements, the majority of our exports will now enter more freely – increasing the incentive for South Koreans, Colombians and Panamanians to purchase American-made goods. Exports from California’s 22nd District directly support an estimated 139,627 jobs, and in 2010, local businesses exported an estimated $44.3 billion in merchandise, according to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. These trade agreements open the door for our businesses, from agriculture to energy to manufactured goods, to export more to Asia, Central, and South America.
 n"I am glad that the President finally submitted these agreements for approval. And I am hopeful that the bipartisan effort that moved them forward is a stepping stone to working on other areas where there is common ground.

 "Speaking of working together, I was able to meet one of our nation’s strong allies, South Korean President Lee Myung-Bak, when he addressed a Joint Session of Congress on Thursday. From national security issues to our soon-to-be increased trade relationship, South Korea continues to be a strong democratic friend and strategic ally of the United States, and I was glad to help welcome President Lee here.

 "I was also honored to meet with two of the Astronauts of the Space Shuttle Atlantis this week, Commander Chris Ferguson and Colonel Rex Walheim. Colonel Walheim was actually stationed at Edwards Air Force Base for a time, and it was great to hear first-hand about their most recent mission to the International Space Station on the final flight of the Space Shuttle program. Some folks from Bakersfield were also in Washington this week. I had lunch with Cody and Leanne Anderson and spent time with Kern County Undersheriff Rosemary Wahl.

  "Our community is known for its generosity and selfless service, and I wanted to thank everyone who helped at Veterans Stand Down at Stramler Park this past Thursday. I also want to wish the United States Navy a happy 236th birthday and thank the men and women at China Lake Naval Air Weapons Station in Ridgecrest and all the sailors and their families around the world for the work they have done and continue to do to ensure our nation’s safety and security.

Readers weigh in on the historic old Lebec Hotel, a once proud landmark that house Clark Gable and other celebrities

 * ... LEBEC HOTEL: Many thanks to the dozens of callers and readers who responded to the question about the old hotel on the Grapevine that was a favorite of Hollywood celebrities. It was called the Lebec Hotel, and according to a Santa Clarity Valley historical society, it was built in 1921 in the style of a French chateau and torched in 1971 by the Tejon Ranch Company after falling into disrepair. A rich part of our local history, I heard from more than 40 readers about the old hotel. Here is a sampling of what I learned:
  + Jack Kelley said the original hotel, named the Durant, opened on May 21, 1921, and changed names before settling on The Lebec Hotel.
 + Joey LeBrun said he lived in Lebec in the 1950s and at the time, the Lebec Hotel was run by the Burke family. He remembered the "enormous ballroom that felt like a palace. My mother met Clark Cable and Carole Lombard there."
 + Carol Dokolas says her husband also remembers the ballroom and seeing acts like the Dixie Darling and Al Hart and Harry James and his orchestra.
 + Karen Noriega said her grandmother, Claire Miller, was a maid at the hotel. "She also was a waitress at the Lebec Coffee Shop. My grandfather, George Miller Sr.,  ran the Lebec garage."
 + Reader Ed Davis said he too remembers the hotel and "unfortunately, as a young guy, I stole bathtubs out of the north wing when the building was starting to degrade!" He used the tubs as watering troughs for cows and horses on his uncle's ranch.
 + Shirley Walton said her husband worked on the crew that torn the old place town, and the family salvaged a chest of drawers that her son, Mike, took to UCLA where it lived in a fraternity house.
 + Stephen Montgomery said in the 1960s some "well intended owner tried to operate it by renaming it the Nu Motel. Well, sticking the name Nu on it didn't make it 'nu.' It was still an aging and neglected facility and after it was abandoned in the 1970s, the county "ordered it closed or upgraded. The fire department used it for fire practice and we lost an attractive and historic facility."
 + Superior Court Judge Thomas Clark said  his parents spent their honeymoon there, and that the actors Robert Stack and Clark Gable often stayed there while duck hunting.
 + Barry Zoeller, communication vice president for Tejon Ranch,  said the hotel "was located on the west side of Interstate 5 almost directly across from the Kern County Fire Station in Lebec. You can still see the tall Cypress trees that were at the front of the hotel."
  + Reader Thomas Jannino said his parents married in Pasadena in 1939 and spent their honeymoon night at the hotel. "They were on their way to the World's Fair in San Francisco. I can remember passing the structure as a child. The building was somewhat Mission-like in style, isolated from surrounding structures. Obviously, they could have never made it to the Bay area by bedtime."
 + Marilyn Scott remembers driving by the hotel many times and once stopped in the parking lot to take a closer look. "I wish I had taken the time to go inside but I had two small children with me and was in a hurry. Next time never came."
 + Lastly, Larry Miller was with the Kern County Fire Department and was in charge of burning the hotel at the request of Tejon Ranch. "Bull dozers and skip loaders completed debris removal and the project was completed in less than 24 hours, an ignominious end to what was once a storied, beautiful building."
(photos courtesy of a Santa Clarita Valley historical organization)

 * ... MORE FRAUD: My in box is full of stories on folks who have seen their credit cards compromised. The latest is from Brett and Cheryl Hurt. Said Cheryl: "We have had our numbers stolen and credit cards reissued twice within three months! We were getting ready to go to South America so we notified Bank of America and gave them our itinerary and dates. It must have been skimmed at a gas station but we had over $3,000 worth of charges to Wal-Mart in Nevada. Come on, Wal-Mart? At least make it Nordstrom's."

 * ... SPOTTED. This comes from a man who asked to remain anonymous. "A couple days ago, standing in an adjacent checkout line at a local big box store, a mother pulled in line at the next checkout with her young son sleeping in a cart on some thick towels and her groceries in another cart. After unloading the groceries on the stand, with no intention of buying the towels, she yanks them out from under the child and plops them in a pile on top of a soda cooler at the checkout stand. She left the now used towels that the kid, who was probably sick, slobbered on for the store to reshelve for some other unsuspecting customer. Tacky, selfish, unsanitary and really just plain theft."

 * ... BAKERSFIELDISM:  Mel Minney writes that you may be a Bakersfield old timer "if you remember Tote Sack Annie."

Celebrating the edible schoolyard, remembering Chet Love and learning of more credit card fraud

 * .... EDIBLE SCHOOLYARD: You really have to hand it to the Grimm Family Education Foundation for its support and creation of the edible schoolyard at Buena Vista Elementary School. In a time when obesity and diabetes seem to be the norm, the Grimm family funded the creation of a garden and special classroom to teach young children about the value of integrating fresh fruits and vegetables into their diets. Alice Waters, a pioneer in the philosophy of using the freshest locally grown ingredients (and the owner of the famous Chez Panisse restaurant in Berkeley), was at Buena Vista school last week for the grand opening. Among those attending were Bitsy and Garrett Ming, Erin and Sean McNally, Kay and Harold Meek, Sue and Herb Benham, Mary and Greg Bynum, Dinah and Jeff Mettler and many others. Hats off to the Grimm family for supporting such a worthy cause. (file photo of Alice Waters)

 * ... RIP CHET: Bakersfield lost one of its truly great citizens with the passing of Chet Love, a retired oil executive who was deeply rooted in our community. Chet passed away while visiting his mother in Witchita, Kansas, and is preceded in death by his wife of 51 years Mary Lou, who died last year. He was active in the Rotary Club of Bakersfield and the First United Methodist Church and was one of the nicest and kindest men around town. He was 76.

 * ... CARD FRAUD: KERO TV anchor Jackie Parks Karli dropped me a note about her own experience with credit card fraud, and this one is a doozy. Said Jackie: "Our card was scammed to the tune of almost $13,000 in a single charge at a farm supply store in Colorado. The woman was from Indonesia and had even had a Visa card made with our number but her picture on it. It took months to clear up. That was two years ago and we've had to cancel our card twice since due to other fraud." Ouch. (file photo  of Jackie Parks Karli)

 * ... CAR THEFTS: Linda Parker, executive director of the Kern Wind Energy Association, wrote to warn about a rash of car thefts in the Southwest. Her teenage daughter's car was stolen, and she knows of many others in the Southwest and Silver Creek area. "We work hard to provide for our family and to have someone come in and violated our space is very disturbing, not to men our daughter's emotions of not having her car," she said. "Car thefts just are not a priority when the police are tapped out on violent crimes. All you can do is report it and sit and wait for a call from the BPD and that is only if they find it!"

* ... HISTORY: Reader Pat Mahan needs some help with a history question. "There was a restaurant and motel/hotel that was up on the Ridge Route back in the 1940s or 1950s. It was frequented by movie stars and the Hollywood elite. Stories were that is where many of the male stars brought their girlfriends. Can you or any of your readers help me out?"

 * ... PUMPKINS: If you're in the market for a pumpkin - and it is that time of year - check out a sale on Saturday, October 22, behind the Roadhouse Grill at the Northwest Promenade Shopping Center. This one will support local Cub Scout Pack 177, and is there a more worthy cause than our Scouts? It will run from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

* ... BAD FORM: Another example of bad behavior submitted by reader Mona Martin: "I observed a Hispanic male in a 2008 black BMW in northeast Bakersfield cut a woman in a red Dodge truck off and then block her at a green left turn while flipping his finger at her. Just because your car is classy doesn't mean it transfers to the driver and occupants! Also, my son's debit card was hacked into a day after he bought gas at a convenience store gas pump. So important to check your bank accounts daily, as he does! The charges were all local and all of them blocked due to his daily diligence."

More blowback on Bank of America's plans to impose a debit card fee and another successful Spooktacular

 * ... BANK BACKLASH: I received a handful of tartly worded messages last week defending Bank of America and its plan to impose a debit card fee. I was reminded the fee ($5 a month) will not apply to new or existing customers until July 2012, and will not apply to customers who may other other services with the bank like mortgages. What they didn't mention is that the bank may waive the fee if the customer has a certain level of deposits, perhaps as high as $20,000. Huh? Sorry, but none of this makes me any better. As Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) told Bank of America customers: "Vote with your feet."

 * ... 100 MILES: Hats off to the Kern Wheelmen bicycle club for hosting another successful Spooktacular on Saturday. This 100-mile ride up Breckenridge mountain and the Lion's Trail switchbacks to Walker Basin regularly attracts several hundred cycling enthusiasts, and this year (thanks to the Wheelmen holding the event two weeks earlier) they were treated to absolutely spectacular weather. Among some of the familiar faces I spotted doing the 100 miler were tennis pro Hank Pfister, Tom and Christy Morgan, Gareth Feldstein, Scott Garrison, Jack Skaggs, Tyler Williams,  Brett Bonetti, Wayne Rosenthal, Randy Scholl, Matt Clark, Gregory Riggins, Mike Marotta and Courtland Keith. Speaking of cycling, I will be chatting with the founder of Bike Bakersfield (Robert Smith) and its director Zach Griffin on Monday at 9 a.m. on Californian Radio on KERN 1180. Tune in to hear their plans to encourage more bicycle commuting.
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 * ... GARCES BBQ: The annual Garces barbeque was held last week and I'm told it was a huge success. This is a "must attend' event on my list but I had a conflict and am sorry I missed it. Mission Bank was the sponsor and the Icardo team was busy cooking Harris Ranch steaks. The crowd included alumni and family: Cathy and John Anspach, Jerry and Irma Cornejo, Bruce and Jane Haupt and the usual clan of Fanucchis. Am told a number of next generation of alumni was also in attendance, including Roger Cappola, Kelly LeBeau, and Oliver Sill.

 * ... MORE FRAUD: Alli Duncan dropped me a note to say she too has had her credit cards hacked. And she passed along this advice: "Do you use your card as gas station kiosks? If so, stop! Since I've started using cash or going inside to pay with my card, I haven't had any problems. People are putting devices on these 24-hour kiosks and are able to read your card number. Then, they generate a fake card with your number and someone else's name. Good luck!"

 * ... AND MORE: And there is this from Matt C. Clark, a partner at the law firm of Chain, Cohn and Stiles. "My card got stolen too. At least the number did. Bank of America alerted me when someone tried to buy $108 worth of Big Macs at a McDonald's in Upland. Based on my credit history, the bank obviously knows that if I were to buy $108 worth of burgers, it would be at In-n-Out."

 * ... OVERHEARD: Three young men talking loudly while getting into a car in the downtown city parking garage. "I didn't steal her car," one man says. "I just stole her car seat, and her weed too."

 * ... BAKERSFIELDISM: From Alan Yost: "You know you're an old timer if you were coming off the Grapevine and saw a bright yellow light off in the distance. It was the sign at J's Coffee Shop on White Lane just east of 99 (now a motel)...that was some serious wattage."