How about some home brewed whiskey right here in Bakersfield? And David Blaine looks to auction a football with signatures from local NFL greats

 * ... NFL GREATS: Did you know that Kern County has produced more than 40 men who have played in the National Football League? And David Blaine, an attorney over at Klein DeNatale Goldner, is hoping to get all of those who are alive to sign  a commemorative NFL football to auction off for a good cause. The football has already been signed by folks like Ryan Matthews (Chargers), 

David Carr (Giants), Ken Ruettgers (Packers), Michael Stewart (Rams), Aaron Merz (Bills), Joey Porter (Steelers), Brent McClanahan (Vikings), Mark Nichols (Lions), Jeff Buckey (Dolphins), Stephen Neal (Patriots) and others. "It's been a four month journey sending this football around the country," Blaine told me. "It's been shipped, hauled and handed off from person to person." The football will be auctioned at the CASA Kentucky Derby Party on Saturday, May 5, with all proceeds going to CASA. Tickets are $175 each. Call (661) 631-2272 if interested.

 * ... SPOTTED: Peter Mayer dropped me a note about a horrific incident he witnessed involving a dog riding in the back of a pickup truck. Mayer was driving on Highway 99 when he came upon large yellow labrador pacing back and forth in the bed of the truck, at times placing its front paws on the side of the bed. "Within seconds the dog actually jumped from the right side of the truck (traveling in the right lane), hitting the pavement at about 60 miles per hour. It rolled under the truck and was hit by the owner himself at least twice as the truck swerved and spun to a stop facing the opposite direction. The dog actually got up and limped to the right shoulder, and the truck also pulled off (still facing the wrong way). Thankfully, nobody was directly behind and surrounding traffic was able to slow and move away from the situation.  I don’t know what ultimately happened to the poor dog or the owner." Mayer noted that pets are like children, and they "depend on us to take care of them and keep them from dangerous situations. I don’t have a problem with a dog riding in a pickup truck, but keep it on a very short leash, attached to the middle of the truck bed." Amen.

 * .... BOMB SHELTERS: Last week I mentioned how some folks in town built bomb shelters following the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis. But did you know there was a huge one beneath East High? That's what Ben Ansolabehere told me. "Living in Bakersfield put us right in the middle of some of this country's most important targets. Nestled between Edwards Air force Base, Vandenberg Air Force Base,  SAC (Strategic Air Command) base near Sacramento, not to mention the largest city in the U.S., with one miscalculation and we were gone. However, one of the largest shelters built was actually under the cafeteria at East High School. While teaching at East, both World and U.S History, I had the privilege of taking my early classes down to the shelter to see some of the old bunk beds, provisions, and sparse living conditions which would have had to be endured by any of the survivors lucky enough to make it down there."

* ... SEMPER FI: From reader Kathy Hahn: "While working out this morning at Eric Nolan's Extreme Kickboxing, I was talking with a young man who had spent 12 years with the Navy and Marine Corps. Now he is working on getting a PA degree at Taft college while supporting a wife and three small children. So proud to have our tax dollars going to someone with determination and character. His hopes are to go to Stanford to get a Doctors degree and then reenlist. Wow!"

 * ... BAKO WHISKEY: Bakersfield is known for a lot of things, and it soon may be known for its whiskey. That's right, local businessman Dave Plivelich told me about his North High School buddy Wade Bowen and a group of investors who plan to produce and market a high grade whiskey right here in Bakersfield. Dave, who owns the The Marcom Group digital marketing agency, told me he recently reconnected with Bowen who shared his dream of making premium whiskey. They now have all the federal licenses as well as federal approval of the recipe. The still is built and empty bottles and corks are ready to go. "We're anticipating bringing Bakersfield its first legitimate whiskey, and it's a damn fine whiskey to boot, sometime in May of this year. This is all produced here in Bakersfield and will be made in small batches. Our thing is... if you are going to get a superb American-made whiskey that doesn't come from Tennessee (Bowen's is better anyways), its only logical that it would come from someplace with such a rich west coast history." Bowen's Spirits Inc. will be the producer of Bowen's Whiskey. Look for it.

Ten days after the Great American Cleanup and the city has yet to remove the collected trash, and how about some water in the river for the Tour of California

 * ... TRASH: Ten days ago hundreds of local volunteers spread across our community picking up trash as part of the Great American Cleanup Day. That was terrific, yet more than a week later much of the trash remained, particularly along the Kern River bike path where the once neatly stacked piles of black trash bags were trashed themselves by the homeless, animals and inclement weather. It's a shame it took more than a week to finally pick up the trash bagged by legends of volunteers.

* ... KERN RIVER: If the city would like to make amends, perhaps it can arrange to have water in the river during the upcoming Tour of California bicycle race. At least that's the idea of Frances Rosales, one of the owners of Happy Jack's restaurant downtown. "Why can't we have water flowing down the river when the Amgen Tour of California bike race is in town? We have friends coming from Napa and it would be great to see us at our best," she said. The tour will be in Bakersfield on Thursday, May 17, for the individual time trial competition. Some 30,000 spectators are expected to watch the time trial on the Panorama bluffs near Bakersfield College.

* ... SHOE DRIVE: Rosco Rolnick is at it again, helping those in need with his 20th annual "Shoes for the Homeless" campaign benefiting the Bakersfield Homeless Center. Rosco is president of Guarantee Shoe Center on Chester Avenue and has long been a supporter of our community. The shoe drive will conclude on May 6. Donations can be dropped off at Guarantee Shoe Center, KGET TV, Second Smile Denture Car, the Downtown School and at Four Seasons activity center. Donors will receive $10 off their next purchase of regularly priced shoes of $60 or more at Guarantee Shoe Center.

 * ... BOMB SHELTERS: My earlier post on the bomb shelter in Rick Kreiser's yard in College Heights brought this note from reader Carl R. Moreland. "In 1966, when we bought our first home on 21st Street from the former Kern County Museum Director Richard Bailey, it included a bomb shelter. When visitors first came the house, we always took them went down into the submarine-like shelter. Our children Margalo and Krista and their friends used it as an underground playhouse."

 * ... BOMB BAR: And then there was this note sent to me from Richard Diffee: "One more thing about bomb shelters. Old timers may remember a bar on Union Avenue near 8th Street during the 1940s called the Bomb Shelter. Patrons went there to get bombed."

 * ... WEBSTER WEBFOOT: I wrote earlier about the old television show called Webster Webfoot and Jimmy Weldon. It brought this response from reader Gary Higgins: "Jimmy is alive and well and living in North Hollywood. I was an avid fan of Webster Webfoot when I lived in Fresno in the 1950s.

* .... WHO KNEW? From the Vision 2020 Image Committee comes this: "Did you know there is a band called Brokedown in Bakersfield that pays homage to the Bakersfield Sound, which it says is 'California country music made raw and rocking, spiked with twang and sweetened with heartfelt harmonies.'

Bakersfield West annual Cioppino Night brings in $100,000 for charities and Steve McEvoy is ousted at KERO TV

* ... CIOPPINO: One of the signature Bakersfield spring fund raisers was held Saturday night at Monsignor Leddy Hall over at Garces Memorial High School, the always spectacular and fun Cioppino Feed and Live Auction hosted by Bakersfield West Rotary. Featuring "all you can eat" fresh clams, salad and cioppino brimming with shrimp and crab, this event routinely attracts more that 300 people and raises $100,000 or more for some worthy charities. This year's beneficiaries include the Boys and Girls Clubs, the Golden Empire Gleaners, MARE and the Bakersfield West Rotary Foundation. Too many people to list here but among those I spotted were Vernon Varner, Mike Rubiy, Diane and Tom Gordon, county supervisor candidates Harley Pinson and Karen Goh, Harry Starkey, John Fallgatter, Jim Darling, Greg and Mary Bynum, Nancy Olcott, Robin and Pat Paggi, Linda and Bruce Jay, Karen and John Wells, Rick Kreiser and Lori Tovar Stites, and of course West Rotary President Ricki Foster.

* ... KERO SHAKEUP: Steve McEvoy is out as general manager of KERO TV (channel 23) after 28 years at the station. The move came this week when the new owner of the station, Scripps, terminated McEvoy. Years ago KERO TV was once the local ratings powerhouse but has been lagging behind market leader KGET and KBAK for the past 10 or 15 years. Scripps bought KERO and several other TV stations from McGraw Hill in January. Management changes are not unexpected after a sale of a station.

 * .... RAVI PATEL: Dr. Ravi Patel, one of the foremost experts on fighting cancer locally and the founder of the Comprehensive Blood and Cancer Center, will be my guest on the Monday edition of Californian Radio on KERN 1180. Patel will be taking on a wide range of topics, including the state of cancer care in Kern County and his own personal story. He will be appearing at 9:30 a..m.

* ... CSUB WRESTLING: You have to hand it to the supporters of the storied Cal State Bakersfield wrestling program: they simply refuse to give up. Faced with the sport being eliminated at the school because of budget cuts, supporters are tireless in their efforts to save the program. The latest fund raiser will be held Tuesday, May 1, at Stockdale Country Club. It is billed as an "Evening with Stephen Neal," the former New England Patriots offensive lineman and two-time world wrestling champion at CSUB. The cost is $75 per ticket. Call (661) 302-4455.

 * ... REUNION: Bakersfield is blessed with many long-time families with rich histories, and one of them is the Vincenzo Fanucchi family that is celebrating its 100th anniversary. Barbara (Fanucchi) Crear said the reunion was held this past weekend and featured some 150 family members. Her grandparents, Cristina Banducci and Vincenzo Fanucchi, came from Italy, settled in Bakersfield and were married at St. Francis Church. "They had four children and I am from their youngest child, David Fanucchi (the Garces family.) My grandparents had four children, three boys (Oreste, Edward and my father David) and one daughter, Nellie, who married Joe Lencioni. All of this generation has passed away but between the four families there are about 210 descendants."

 * ... ZIPPY: More memories of George Day and Chester the clown from reader Joe Stormont. "The clown was originally called 'The Clown with no name.' They had a contest in which kids viewing the show could write in suggesting a name for the clown. A few weeks of hype went on before the big day in which Chester was picked. Another popular show in the 1960s ws the Webster Webfoot Show which featured a duck puppet and host Jimmy Weldon."

 * ... BOMB SHELTERS: Did you know that many local families actually built bomb shelters around the time of the 1963 Cuban missile crisis? Old friend Rick Kreiser told me his father had McCarthy Tank and Steel build one in his College Heights yard, and there were at least two others in his neighborhood.

McCarthy: Small Business Tax Cut would aid the jobs producing economy and offset burdensome Obama regulations

 Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Bakersfield and House MajorityWhip, weighs in from Capitol Hill with his weekly column. In his words:


 "This past week, as the deadline passed for families and small businesses in our community to file their taxes and send their hard-earned dollars to Washington, we continue to see the need for our government to be smaller and more effective. With March unemployment in California at 11% – and at 15.9% here in Kern County – we know that we still need more private sector jobs and more economic growth. How do we do that? We should look at a comparable time in recent history and look at who the job creators are.

  "From the end of the last recession in 2001 to the beginning of this recession, jobs increased and the economy was strong, as was the housing market. Seven million of those jobs were created by small businesses – big corporations actually cut a million people from their payrolls. In fact, small businesses make up 99.7% of total private sector employment in America, and are responsible for 65% of all new job creation. These are America’s job creators. Instead of increasing taxes and burdening them with new unnecessary regulations, they should be able to keep more of what they’ve earned to invest and grow their businesses.

  "Unfortunately, because of the President’s and Congressional Democrats’ misguided tax-and-regulate policies, small businesses and entrepreneurs have been sapped of the capital and investment that they need to be able to expand and hire more employees. As House Majority Whip, I am continuing to focus on bringing relief to small businesses and hard-working families, and I was pleased that the House passed the Small Business Tax Cut Act (H.R. 9) this past week. This bill would allow small businesses to deduct 20% of their annual earnings so that they can keep more of their own money to invest in expansion and continue to put people back to work locally and across the country.

  "The Small Business Tax Cut Act is a step in the right direction towards pro-growth tax policies that broadens the tax base, gives investors more certainty, and keeps taxes lower for all Americans.  Instead of the Obama Administration and Congressional Democrats continuing to threaten to raise taxes, cause more uncertainty in the economy, and hold our job creators back, I am working with my colleagues to support these tax reforms to simplify our tax system so that our economy can prosper.

  "Our economy was built on the belief that with a good idea and the willingness to take a risk and work hard, one can have the opportunity to succeed. All of the statistics, the facts and the history of America show us that our economy is the strongest when small business is strong. Small businesses create the jobs in this country, so we must ensure they can remain competitive. The Small Business Tax Cut Act is another step as we continue to work to ease regulations and reject tax increases on American families and entrepreneurs.

April ushers in the charity fund raising season and Karen Goh will appear on Californian Radio to talk about her campaign for supervisor

* ... FUND RAISER: If it's April it means the charity fund raising season must be in full swing. I stopped by one of the fund raisers for the Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Saturday evening, a French-themed roving party held at the homes of Ken and Teri Jones, Brent and Anna Dezember and Gary and Bettina Belter. These events are always spectacular and they raise a lot of money for good causes throughout our community. Among those I spotted at the CASA party were David and Catherine Gay, Gregg and Fran Gunner, Bob and Betty Stine, Jeanne and Michael Young, Pam Giumarra, Linda Sullenger, Colleen McGauley, Greg and Mary Bynum, Rick and Cindy Jones, Cindy and George Meek, Jim and Jeanne Filbrandt, Sue and Herb Benham, Jan and Joe Drew and Bill and Holly Lazzerini, among others.


* ... KUDOS: Hats off to the hundreds of people who fanned out across town on a chilly Saturday to participate in the Great American Cleanup Day. If you ever doubt the goodwill of our community, it will be dispelled when you see so many young people volunteering their time for a good cause.

* ... GOOD DEED: Lois Ernst wrote to share a random act of kindness. "My daughter and some friends were recently in the drive thru at our local Chick Fil A. They placed their order, which came to about $24, got up to the window to pay and were informed that the customer in line behind them had already paid for their order. They were amazed and delighted that a stranger would do that! Bakersfield is a nice play to live, contrary to all the 'bad lists' we seem to end up on." Amen to that Lois.

 * ... FIFTH DISTRICT: One of the more interesting local elections this year is in the Fifth District county supervisor race where appointed incumbent Karen Goh faces a stiff challenge from former public defender Leticia Perez. Join me at 9:30 a.m. Monday when Goh will be my guest on Californian Radio KERN 1180. I will also be talking about the controversy over Democratic strategist Hilary Rosen's dig at Ann Romney because she has never held a steady job. But isn't raising five boys a job enough? Haven't we moved pass this type of flagrant attacks on women who choose to stay at home and raise their children?

* ... SMALL THINGS: Isn't it amazing how small things move us and change our lives? Yet another reader, Susan Peninger, wrote to say she too has a special plant that was given to her by a special friend. In this case the friend is Cecil Hall, the mother of Mayor Harvey Hall. "She is my aunt, Cecil Hall, who gave me an Aloe Vera plant she had in her College Height’s yard a few years before she passed away.  I love that plant that still lives on my La Cresta patio, not far from whence it came. More than likely thought she had moved that plant with each move before its stint on Baylor when she passed it along to me.  I understand the attachment to readers’ Camellia and rose bushes; I treasure the Aloe Vera plant because it reminds me of my fun-loving, always entertaining, Aunt Cecil.  I know for certain, she and Uncle Pete would be over the moon proud of their son, the mayor."

 * ... ZIPPY: For you old timers who remember Zippy the clown on local TV, Chuck Walker (formerly of Bakersfield and now of Doha, Qatar) says Zippy "was a real dwarf that appeared on the George Day Show, one of the afternoon shows on one of the local TV stations in the 1960s. The Uncle Woody show was a decade later on channel 29 and featured Woody Bryant who owned the Toy Circus, and his sidekick Chester the clown. Chester was played by Steve Hanson, among others.  Chester and his sometime sidekick,  22nd, (named for 22nd  Chester,  the location of the huge toy store in the old Three-Way Chevrolet showroom) would appear at parties and BBQs.  22nd was played by local attorney Bruce Blythe."

McCarthy: Overregulation and overspending are killing growth in California and is putting businesses in jeopardy

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

 "Bakersfield is home to many family-owned businesses that have shaped our community.  Businesses like Smith’s Bakeries, Clerou Tire Company, and Dewar’s Ice Cream and Candy Shop are often mentioned.  But there are many others, like the story of Jona Feil and Marvin Bartel who saw potential here in Bakersfield. In 1965, Jona and Marvin founded a weed and insect control business with one spray rig and one worker. Soon, Abate-A-Weed expanded into selling chemicals and lawn and garden equipment, and today, the Feil family employs 36 people and remains a long-standing equipment and pesticide service supplier in our community.

"My fear is that today’s Jonas and Marvins won’t be able to get off the ground in California. And simply put, California is not the model Washington needs to follow.  I’ve lived in Bakersfield my whole life, and in almost 47 years, I’ve watched California’s business climate continue to worsen.   Overregulation, overlitigation and overspending have driven our state into debt, joblessness, and soaring fuel and food costs that are hurting families and local small businesses.  In fact, a recent survey released by the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) indicated that high gas prices are seriously affecting small businesses and decreasing optimism about the economy.

"Many of our small business owners this past week shared with me the impact rising gas prices are having their small businesses. One local small business owner said that as a result of gas prices surpassing $4.00 per gallon, the amount he spends on fuel now exceeds his payroll costs.  These local experiences are the reasons I continue to push policies for more domestic energy production.  We need energy for America, from America.

The new pro-growth energy policy package that I released last week would help provide needed relief to families and small business owners by providing a true “all-of-the-above” strategy to stabilize rising gas prices. I urge the President and my Democratic colleagues to take up this legislation - as well as the six other energy bills that have been passed by the House and are currently stalled in Democratic-controlled Senate - to help lower the cost of energy, spur economic growth, and create new American jobs.

"The recent provision in the JOBS Act that I authored – and has been signed into law by the President - repeals an outdated Securities & Exchange Commission regulation limiting capital formation to help entrepreneurs access the capital they need to grow and hire new workers.

"I believe the right policies for our economy’s recovery start here with our local small business owners.  The economic success of our nation and California rests on the foundation built by innovators in our community. The success story of the Feil family is one that our nation, state, and community need to replicate.

Eureka Burger prepares to open in the Southwest and saying goodbye to Warren Haupt

 * .... NEW EATS: Looks like the new Eureka Burger restaurant in the Southwest is getting ready to open. Located next to the relatively new Chipotle off Stockdale Highway at the Park at Riverwalk, the Fresno-based burger chain has been training its employees and is looking at opening as early as next week. Knowing our town, you can expect a mad rush when it opens. Eureka Burger offers specialty beers and gourmet hamburgers.

* ... HAUPT: The funeral for long-timer local businessman Warren Haupt, who died earlier this week at the age of 83, is being held today (Friday) at St. Francis Church. John Croson is one of the many people in town who considered Warren a friend, and he passed along this note to me. "I had the pleasure of meeting Warren during our Health for Life class at Glinn and Giordano Physical Therapy.  I always looked forward to the class because Warren was so much fun to spar with about all subjects of life. We solved a lot of USA and world problems if only someone else had listened!  He was just a lot of fun to be around and I am sure all who knew him will miss him greatly…  His family was always in his thoughts and he told me many stories of the adventures and times they spent together and the achievements his children and grand children had obtained.  He was so proud of his family and inspired by all they did. Warren, thanks for sharing a little of your life with me and may you rest in peace."

* ... BAKERSFIELD SOUND: One local resident who visited the Bakersfield Sound exhibit in Nashville is Dave Rangel, who recommends it highly. "Coming into  Nashville there were billboards with the pictures of Buck and Merle at the end of the famous Bakersfield arch. Even city buses had the arch on them. I am even more proud of Bakersfield after visiting the exhibit at the Country Music Hall of Fame. People in Nashville always ask where and why you are visiting Nashville, of course after they open the door for you. You tell them, 'from Bakersfield,' and they think you know Buck and Merle. What a great town to visit."

* ... SPCA: If it's spring, it's time to do a little house cleaning and take all those books and music to the local SPCA for its annual book sale. SPCA spokesman Chuck Nordstrom said the annual SPCA book sale will run from April 27 to May 26. "Now is the time to clean out your closets and make a donation that will not only rid you of clutter but make a difference in helping to save the lives of stray and abandoned pets," Nordstrom said. "All donations are tax deductible. To donate you can simply take your books up to our book sale location, 3501 Mall View Road near the old Michael's store. This is our largest fundraiser of the year!"

 * ... VOTE: Speaking of animals, the Kern County Animal Shelter needs our help to win $100,000 in the Rachel Ray challenge to help shelters across the country. All you have to do is go to www.votetosavelives.org and vote for the Kern County shelter. We are currently in 10th place but within a few hundred votes of jumping up in line. The voting ends Monday.

* ... BURBS LOSE APPEAL: Apparently our country's romance with living in the suburbs is coming to an end. At least that's what USA Today reported after reviewing Census data which shows more people living closer to the inner city than ever before. Why? More folks are renting (thanks to foreclosures), gas prices are making living in the suburbs more expensive and high unemployment is driving more folks to where the jobs are.

RIP Warren Haupt and more on Smithsonian magazine's spotlight on Bakersfield Basque tradition

 * ... BASQUE: Thanks to Mayor Harvey Hall for passing along a copy of the recent Smithsonian magazine that featured a nice spread on Bakersfield and our Basque restaurants. Written by travel writer Jonathan Gold and called "The Basque Revolution," it singles out places like Wool Growers, Benji's, the Pyrennes Cafe and the Noreiga Hotel, as well as several Basque eateries in Nevada. Said Gold: "I loved the Nevada restaurants. But still, I couldn't wait to get back to Bakersfield, which feels like home." He also visited Dewar's, which he described as "maybe the best unreconstructed ice cream parlor in the country, famous for its banana splits and its peanut butter chews." (photo courtesy of the Smithsonian magazine)

 * ... RIP WARREN HAUPT: Our community lost one of its great characters this week with the death of Warren Haupt at the age of 83. Warren and his wife, Catherine, had five boys, all of whom turned out to be productive citizens with families of their own. The Haupts are a large, Catholic family with strong ties to Our Lady of Perpetual Help school and Garces Memorial High School. Warren grew up in Bakersfield, attended Kern County Union High School and later managed Kern Rock Company for 30 years. Services will be held at St. Francis Catholic Church on Friday at 10 a.m. Keep his widow Catherine, and this special family in your thoughts.

* ... MORE MEMORIES: Reader Rod Kearns wrote in response to an earlier post about a Camillia bush that traveled with a family for many years. His note: "I read your blog each day it is in the paper and enjoy it immensely. The note about Camellia memories prompted memories of my own.  Our little rose bush's life is ten years short of the camellia's life, but this bush will certainly outlive us. Our family moved from Sanger to Fresno when I was ten years of age. To celebrate our new home I rode my bicycle a couple miles to a nursery and purchased a miniature rose bush. My parents planted the bush in our family garden where it thrived. When my wife and I moved to Bakersfield in late 1970, my parents transplanted the bush for us as a gift for our new home south of Bakersfield College. Seventeen years later we built our current home further east of BC and the rose bush went with us. It has adorned our entry flower bed for twenty-five years. We love the small pink blossoms and the memories are grand.  This little rose bush has been with us in three locations for 56 years."


* ... GOH: Four-time Pro Bowl football player Joey Porter and wife Christy are hosting a fund raiser for county supervisor Karen Goh in her bid to win a full term. The Porters will be opening their home on April 27 with food and entertainment. Call (661) 322-2225 if you are interested in tickets. Goh is running against former public defender Leticia Perez for the 5th District seat.

 * ... BAKERSFIELDISM: Kurt Seeger says you may be a Bakersfield old-timer "if you remember Uncle Woody and his Toy Circus toy shop on Chester Avenue. He also would perform, with his sidekick, Zippy, at private birthday parties."