Bako Bits: giving thanks and remembering days gone by

 * ... GIVING THANKS: While you are giving thanks this week, keep in mind all those who are struggling with illness and other challenges. My thoughts go to Wendy Wayne, one of our community's great leaders who is down at City of Hope Hospital in Los Angeles undergoing chemotherapy for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. 


* ... BAD FORM: Harry Love wrote to lament some of the bad driving habits seen around our town. "It is time to remind Bakersfield drivers about California law that requires driving to have headlights on even during the day. Today while driving on Rosedale Highway only one out of ten cars had the headlights on. Please spread the word." Will do, Harry, and I'll also issue a polite remind that using turn signals is also a good idea.

 * ... SPOTTED: And speaking of suspect driving, a pit pull is spotted hanging by its leash off the side of a yellow pickup truck getting on east-bound Highway 178 at Fairfax Road, its feet scrambling on the pavement to keep up with the accelerating vehicle. Alerted by the honking of others, the driver pulled to the side of the on-ramp and put the dog back in the bed of the truck.

 * ... PIES: This seasonal tidbit from reader Ken Barnes: "Never a better time to remember my long-gone friend and hunting partner Leroy Fontana. He and his whole family would produce hundreds of pumpkin and pecan pies Thanksgiving week at their shop on Niles Street. And, not just to sell but to give to local shelters around town. Best piece ever made in the city, bar none!"

 * ... IRONMAN: Hats off to John Zaninovich, who at 41 completed his first Ironman triathlon. Proud mother Priscilla Kelly said family and friends where there in Tempe, Arizona, when John competed with 2,600 other triathletes in the grueling event. "We are all proud of him and feel he sets a great example for all of us when we have to talk ourselves into our daily exercise regime!"

 * ... MORE THANKS: Gordon Wickersham wrote to thank the folks over at The Rehabilitation Center of Bakersfield for their kindness in helping his wife Betty, who is suffering from Parkinson's disease. He said the center sponsored a day trip to Eagle Mountain Casino for more than  30 patients "and it was precision at its finest. The smiles will last forever."

 * ... FLOUROSCOPE: Remember the old Flouroscope machines that X-rayed your feet at local shoe stores? Shirley Essman believes the first in town was at Leed's Shoes at 19th Street and Chester Avenue.

Heading into a day of giving thanks and reeling from the idea that Bakersfield is a top "sex happy" city

 * ... THANKS: Thanksgiving is a time to acknowledge the blessings in our lives, so here's my list of some of the things for which I am thankful.

 - I am thankful for a job that keeps me motivated and feeling appreciated.
  - I am thankful for my family and all the women in my life, including two wonderful daughters and a gray tabby named Latte who welcomes me home each and every night.
  - I am thankful for my health and for Dr. Raj Patel and all the good folks over at Preferred Family Physicians who take a genuine interest in my well being.
  -  I am thankful to live in a vibrant and free nation that, despite our challenges, remains the most dynamic country in the world.
 - I am blessed to have a cadre of wonderful friends who never cease to amaze me with their kindness and understanding.
 - And finally, I am lucky to live in a community like Bakersfield that - while quirky at times - is a wonderful place to call home.

 * ... FIRST FRIDAY: I'm looking forward to next week's First Friday when our downtown arts district will once again come alive. I'm particularly keen to see the new Keith Wicks exhibit at The Metro Galleries on 19th Street. Wicks is one of my favorite artists  (I own two of his paintings) and he's worth checking out if you are not familiar with his work. Wicks lives in Sonoma but has strong local ties, including many cousins who live in Bakersfield.

 * ... FOUNDATION: Yet another wonderful thing about our community is its generosity, in ways small and large. I am fortunate to work for a family that believes in giving back, which it did last week via the family's Bakersfield Californian Foundation. The Foundation gave away $111,748.22 in its fall grant cycle, which concentrated on beautifying downtown. Among the recipients were the Arts Council of Kern, the Bakersfield Museum of Art, the Tree Foundation of Kern County, the Fox Theater Foundation, the Spotlight Theater, the Boy Scouts of Kern County, the Boys and Girls Club and the Kern County Museum Foundation.

 * ... SEX HAPPY: Bakersfield made the top ten among American cities deemed to be the most "sex happy." That's right, at least according to Men's Health magazine which based the survey on condom sales, birth rates and STD rates. The top five? Austin, Dallas, Columbus, Ohio, Durham, N.C., and Denver.

 * ... PIE RUN: Remember the annual Pie Run at Hart Park Thanksgiving morning. The fun starts at sun up when more than a 100 runners and walkers head into the hills for a chilly start to the day. Follow the cars to the bonfire and make sure you bring a pie or something to share.

 * ... BAKERSFIELDISM: You know you're from Bakersfield when the two most common bumper stickers deal with Jesus Christ or the Oakland Raiders.

If it's Thanksgiving week, it's time for the annual Pie Run and to welcome the returning college kids

 * ... JOE GOTTLIEB: Long-time Bakersfield businessman and pilot Joe Gottlieb passed away recently, prompting this note from reader Kathy Scott. "Not only did he own 'Gottlieb's Seat Cover City' for many years b ut he was once thought to be dead after not being seen for several days (or perhaps it was weeks, I am not sure) and then he remarkably showed up in Mexico after surviving an accident that put him, his airplane and a friend underwater. Then there is the fact that he had his own private airstrip in his back yard in northwest Bakersfield." 

* ... PIE RUN: One of Bakersfield's great traditions will happen at the crack of dawn on Thanksgiving out at Hart Park. It's the annual "Pie Run" where a hundred or so runners and walkers brave the early morning chill and run through the hills and return to a fire and freshly cooked trip-tip and plenty of pies, cookies and breads. It's the brain child of John Rous and has grown into one of our community's signature events, a can't miss way to start the holiday. It starts at dawn and make sure you bring warm gloves, the pie of your choice and your favorite dog.

 * ... COLLEGE KIDS: If it's Thanksgiving week then prepare for the annual influx of college kids home for the holiday. You'll spot them at Luigi's, Uricchio's, Woolgrowers and all the other favorite haunts that serve up Bakersfield home cooking. 

 * ... SPOTTED: Thirty-something mother screaming at her young daughter in the shoe department at a local Target, loudly berating her in front of others. Said one reader: "I could hear this mother clear across the store. She's screaming at this poor little girl,  'You're rude and an embarrassing child!'"

 * ... FEDWAY: Reader Patti Imes remembers her first real job as a Santa's helper at the old Fedway where she helped with the photos. "This was long before digital cameras and I had to remove the exposed film from the camera box under a zipped black bag with arm holes for your hands to go through. Then the film was placed in a mail bag, all while still not looking at what you are doing so you did not get light on the exposed film. Then the package was mailed every night and the families would get the pictures of their kids with Santa in the mail a week later. And who cannot forget the red pixie elf jacket I had to wear every night."

* ... BROCK'S: Kym Vliem wrote to recall the Campus Debs at Brock's Department Store. "In the mid 1960s I participated in Operation Quick Stitch: Brock's 7th Annual Spring Fashion show with Anne Meyers as the Campus Deb director. We were required to sew our own outfits (mine was a mini dress with matching shorts) and write a little bit of dialogue to be read as we did our runway walk."

 * ... LOIS HENRY: Californian columnist Lois Henry will join me Monday at 9 a.m. on Californian Radio (KERN 1180) to talk about investigative journalism and what drives her. Have something you want her to look into? Call the show. We'll be on until 10 a.m.

House moved into digital era allowing constituents to follow activities in real time

Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Bakersfield and House Majority Whip, gives us his weekly view from Capitol Hill.

 

 "This week, the House was launched into a new era of transparency with a ground-breaking government application called WhipCast. With this first-of-its-kind government app that you can download on your iPhone, iPad, Blackberry or Android mobile device, you can receive updates on legislation, what the House is considering on the Floor, press releases and more, as it happens. This is a truly revolutionary app – a one-stop-shop to get all the information on what’s going on in Washington.

"For example, this week in Washington was a busy one, the House passed bipartisan legislation to repeal a cumbersome tax withholding requirement to help create jobs and increase certainty for businesses and also ensure our veterans have the resources they need to find employment in this difficult economy. This bill is now on its way to the President’s desk to be signed into law. In addition, we took up a Balanced Budget Amendment to our Constitution to finally force the government to live within its means.

"If you are one of the over 25,000 people who have already downloaded WhipCast, you probably already knew about the action we took this week. If you haven’t downloaded WhipCast yet, I hope you do. Downloading is fast, easy and free. All you have to do is go to the app store on your iPhone, iPad, Blackberry or Android mobile device and type in ‘WhipCast.’ Or, just click on one of the following links to go directly to the store on your device: iPhone/iPad, Blackberry, Android. If you need a little more encouragement to download the app, I put together a lighthearted video to promote it. And while I think I’ll stick with my day job for the time being, I hope you enjoy it. To watch it, click here. 

"There are a number of exciting things happening here in Bakersfield. This weekend, Bakersfield High School will host the Kern Region Forensics League's final tournament, which I’m proud that my son Connor will be participating in. I also want to congratulate the CSU Bakersfield men’s soccer team on a great effort in my alma mater’s first time competing in a NCAA Division I Tournament. These young men are exceptional athletes and were strong competitors and I am so proud that they got so far. 

"Like many of you, I am looking forward to Thanksgiving and the Holiday Season in general. But this time of year also gives us fresh reminder that there are many less fortunate in our community, especially in our current economy. I know I have often said that the members of our community are the most thoughtful and generous I’ve ever known, and I encourage everyone who is able to find a way to give back to those in need this Holiday Season. Whether it is donating turkeys or clothing and blankets, every little bit helps and I know it is appreciated by those in our community going through tough times.  

Bakersfield is No. 1 in dirty air and Wendy Wayne faces a new setback in her fight with cancer

 * ... POLLUTION: Bakersfield ranked No. 1 on another list of dubious distinction, this time winning the title of the American city with the dirtiest air.  In fairness to us, the Forbes story noted that our air is actually cleaner than it has been in years, but we're still stuck with the title of the dirtiest city in the country. Following Bakersfield were Los Angeles, Visalia, Fresno, Pittsburgh, Modesto, Birmingham, Phoenix, San Diego and Sacramento.  Forbes had this to say about Bakersfield: "Hot, dusty, adjacent to California’s biggest oil fields, Bakersfield has 60 days a year of unhealthy air, 10 times a level considered acceptable. Its ozone levels are better than at any time in the past 15 years, but still unhealthy for 100 days out of the year."

 * ... SICK BAY: I was saddened to hear that Wendy Wayne has suffered a setback in her long battle with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Wendy underwent a stem cell transplant two years ago at City of Hope and had bounced back to her old self, but apparently the cancer has returned and she is back at City of Hope for another round of chemotherapy. Wendy is one of our community's most generous and giving citizens, a former member of the First Five Commission, an inductee into the CSUB Alumni Hall of Fame and a former Peace Corps volunteer. Keep this special woman and her family in your thoughts and prayers.

 * ... GREEN FROG: The closing of the Green Frog Market on Columbus prompted this memory from reader Mark Thompson. "I am reminded of the time in 2001 when the World Wrestling Federation (now WWE) came to town to tape their weekly Smackdown television show. During the episode heated rivals Stone Cold Steve Austin and Booker T wound up at the Green Frog and promptly destroyed the store as well as each other. It was one of the funniest moments ever in wrestling" and you can see the clip on YouTube.

 * ... OVERHEARD: At the downtown Starbucks on 24th Street a woman tells her companion: "I just gave that parolee outside two bucks because he looks so scary I was afraid to say no!"

 * ... BOOK SIGNING: Make sure you head over to Russo's Books at the Marketplace Saturday where author Richard Mallard will be signing his new book "Convict Lake," the tragic story of the death of several teenagers and would-be rescuers in 1990. I've read this book and it is a real page turner, as well as shedding new light on the troubled billion-dollar industry dealing with troubled teens. Mallard will be at Russo's from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

 * ... LA CRESTA: Another memory of old La Cresta, this time from life-long Bakersfield resident Matt Koelzer. "Two of the best memories are Sullivan's Miniature Golf north of Green Frog and west of the old Shakey's Pizza building and Alta Vista Drugs between Tam O'Shanter Liquors and the old Spin 'N Span Market. My family always referred to the drug store as 'Bert and Orville's' for the couple that owned it. If we were well behaved at the doctor or while running errands with mom, we could go in and get a soda or float from the old fashioned fountain where they still mixed you a Coca-Cola by hand."
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Westchester rattled by a second shooting at Jastro Park and more weigh in on union protesters

 * ... JASTRO SHOOTING: The second shooting in a year at Jastro Park has rattled residents of the downtown and Westchester neighborhoods. Blessed with wide streets, century-old homes, a canopy of trees and the charm of Rockwellian America, Westchester has always enjoyed a special allure but also bears the brunt of the occasional opportunistic crime. In the latest case, two known gang members were arrested for opening fire at two other men with whom they had an altercation. As one resident said: "My family has lived here for 60 years and we've never had two shootings in a row like this. There's one home that seems to be at the center of this activity and we're going to do something about it."

* ... PICKET LINE: Stephen J. Haupt, a senior vice president at Colliers International, responded to my post about union picket lines with a view shared by many in the business community. "Personally I do not have a problem with people exercising their First Amendment rights. However, it would be more meaningful if the union members were actually on the picket line rather than the temp workers who probably do not know all of the issues. I wonder if the union is paying these protesters union wages?"

* ... SPOTTED: From a reader: Seen at California Avenue and Oak Street an older, mid-sized truck
with two bumper stickers on the back window. "One shows a cell phone with a red slash through it and the words 'Hang up and drive.' The other says 'Keep honking — I'm reloading.' Is it just me, or would shoving ammunition into a firearm while driving represent a bigger potential traffic hazard than talking on a cell phone?"

 * ... MEMORY: Roger Abonnel asks if anyone else remembers the Kern River flood of 1950. "You are an old timer if you stood on the bluffs, as I did, on Sunday, November 19, 1950, and watched the flood take out Gordon's Ferry,  Rancheria and the Kernville bridges.


* ... FISK HARLOW: Regular contributor John Pryor wrote with some background on Fisk Harlow, who owned the old Bakersfield Hardware store. He said Fisk lived "in a charming home on the southeast corner of Alta Vista and Bernard, directly across the street  from a current news story - the Green Frog Market - whose owner Charles Everett lived across the street from the Harlow's (and my family) in the opposite direction. We witnessed Everett walking back and forth from his home to the Green Frog with a huge bag of money in his grip. It was so heavy he 'listed' to one side as he walked the almost two block distance." Pryor said Harlow also owned the first golf cart used at Stockdale Country Club.


* ... CPA: Longtime Bakersfield resident and CPA Lynn Starr Del Mundo has joined the accounting firm of Daniells Phillips Vaughan and Bock as a partner. Prior to this Lynn had been part of a successful accounting practice with her late father, Martin A. Starr.



* .... BROCK'S MEMORY: Marvin Schmidt weighed in from New Mexico with a memory of his mother, Irene Schmidt, who worked at Brock's until she was into her 80s in the drapery department. "Standing 4 feet 11 inches and weighing a little over 100 pounds, she always wore high heeled shoes and the best dresses. When management changed, they were told not to look at her age but at her abilities," he said. "For years before moving to Bakersfield she rode the bus from Shafter to come to work."

Union protesters personify bad form and yet another county department head is being investigated

 * ... BAD FORM: Shame on the Carpenter's Union protesters who have targeted the old Castle and Cooke headquarters building on Stockdale Highway. The building, which houses Ticor Title, Colliers Tingey and other tenants, has been the scene of a loud, disruptive picket line the past week. One employee, who asked not to be identified, said dozens of protesters have parked themselves on private property and are intimidating those who work inside. "We can't even figure out who they are picketing and they don't seem to know themselves," the employee told me. "They are so loud we can't work." Legal or not, it's shameful that this union would seek to disrupt the work of folks who may have nothing to do with the dispute.

 * ... DUQUETTE: Speaking of bad form, I was stunned to read  James Burger's front page story  in The Sunday Californian on the investigation of county Library Director Diane Duquette for allegedly using her county-issued car and gas for personal uses. Didn't we just go through this with former county Fire Chief Nick Dunn? And apparently Duquette may have used her car - and charged gas - to go for job interviews. Talk about chutzpah. Sounds like the county has developed a culture of entitlement over the years.

 

* ... VALADAO: Join me Monday morning on KERN 1180 Californian Radio when I will be chatting with congressional candidate David Valadao, a Hanford Assemblyman, and former KERO TV weather forecaster Melissa Dignan. Valadao will talk about his campaign and Melissa about her plans for the future. The program runs from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m.

 * ... DIGNAN: And speaking of Dignan, reader Nancy Edwards wrote to say Melissa will be missed. "She is very professional, yet seems to have a kind personality and has shown great compassion for the many animals who need homes in Kern County. Her absence will certainly be noted.... Melissa inspired many people, I am sure, to rescue and adopt animals. In a community in which we have read of terrible incidents enacted on helpless animals, Melissa showed our community the opposite in her daily on air actions." 


* ... FEDWAY: Longtime Bakersfield resident Dan Giordano remembers playing around the escalator at the old Fedway Department store but  also recalls something equally interesting. "When you were tired of riding the escalator, there was the 'Shoe Fitting Flouroscope.' You would step up on the Flouroscope, located in the shoe department, and with your shoes on put your feet inside, press a button, look through a viewer and you saw an X-ray of your feet. They have since been outlawed."

 * ... SPOTTED: Reader Paula Blakey was driving down California Avenue in front of Bakersfield High School when a yellow Mustang with personalized plates came barreling through, weaving, while the young female driver was texting and smoking.

* ... FEDWAY: Another fond memory of the old Fedway. Karen Nelson Winn was at the store and entered a contest in the shoe department - it was a promotion for Hush Puppy shoes - and won a Basset Hound puppy. "I named him Sir Fedy Fedwick!" she said.

McCarthy: time to salute our veterans and honor their sacrifices

Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield) and House  Majority  Whip, gives us his weekly update from Capitol Hill.

 "Throughout our nation’s history, America has been a shining city on a hill to the rest of the world – a representation of what freedom and a democratic system of government can produce. And we have the men and women of our Armed Forces to thank for it. Many of those brave patriots come from our communities. On Thursday, I toured Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake with House Armed Services Committee Chairman Buck McKeon, where I was again impressed by the great work being done there to ensure our nation’s security. I was also impressed by the support the Bakersfield community showed on Veterans Day. The turnout for the 92nd Annual Veterans Day Parade and the Veterans Day Military Vehicle Show at the Kern County Museum was great. I was honored to participate in these events and interact with some of the courageous veterans who answered the call to serve our nation.

"There are more than 22 million veterans in America, about 2 million reside in California. Our Congressional District is home to one of the highest concentrations of veterans in our state – nearly 55,000. Just a few examples of the courageous individuals from our community who have answered the call to defend America include: highly decorated Korean War veteran Larry Ybanez, who continues to give his time assisting fellow veterans; Iraq War veterans Jeremy Staat and Wesley Barrientos, who are gearing up to ride across the country from the Wall of Valor Memorial to the Vietnam Memorial in Washington D.C. to unify the nation’s vets; and Ashleigh Martel, a veteran of the Iraq War who now works at the Kern County Veteran Services Department.

"The men and women who have served our country deserve our unending gratitude for the sacrifices they and their families have made to ensure we can wake every morning to a nation full of endless possibility. One way we can demonstrate our gratitude is to make certain our veterans receive the benefits they earned. This past August, legislation I voted for was signed into law to ensure that veterans receiving tuition aid under the GI bill receive the funding they are entitled to. I was also pleased to vote for improving job training programs and employment opportunities for veterans. In addition, I recently led a group of my colleagues in requesting an independent audit into the Veterans Administration to get to the bottom of the continued backlog and delays our local veterans have been experiencing with getting the health care they need in our region.

"As we take a moment to remember those who have answered the call of duty, let us renew our commitment to honor them when they return home. We are a grateful nation, and I thank the residents in our community for always showing our veterans our heartfelt appreciation for their service. I encourage everyone to take a moment to thank a veteran for their service this Veterans Day and to reflect upon the opportunities afforded us because of their sacrifice.