Federal government drastically cuts its estimates of recoverable oil in the Monterey Shale, and the inspiring story of a kind hearted mailman who rescued the dog that bit him

* … SHALE: The government's stunning announcement dramatically cutting the amount of oil believed to be in the Monterey Shale could have widespread consequences for Kern County. Oil

industry experts were shocked when the Energy Information Administration estimated that there are only 600 million barrels of extractable oil in the shale, a drastic cut from the 13.7 billion barrels that were originally thought to be there. The reaction here? Local drillers shrugged it off, saying if the oil is there, the industry will find a way to extract it. I'm betting with the oil industry on this one.

* … GOOD FORM: This note from Joan Muller made my day. "I recently had to deal with finding kittens in the wall of my house. Mama kitty had gotten into the attic (which will be fixed) and had her litter of three babies. The kittens fell in a hollow spot which was about a 10 foot drop from the attic into the wall. Not having the means to extract the little ones from the wall I called my cousin Brook Muller for help. He was at church choir practice when I called but stated he would be over as soon as he finished. He showed up as promised at 9 p.m. with his saw and had to cut out three small portions of the garage wall before we finally found two little kittens which were starving and scared  While I put them in a pet carrier and gave them food and water Brook put the cut panels back in place, swept the floor and put all the boxes back where I had them. I found the third one the next day.  I just wanted to give a HUGE shout out to my wonderful cousin who gave of his time and talent to help God's defenseless creatures! He is a blessing to his family and this community!"

 * … THEFT: Add downtown to the growing list of neighborhoods where a resident has awakened to find his struck on blocks, the wheels and tires stolen in the night. This time it happened to a late model Toyota truck. Trucks in Stockdale Estates and La Cresta have suffered similar fates.

 * … CHUTZPAH: My use of the word "chutzpah" recently drew this response from reader Terry Beals: "While the mayor of Porterville is surely outspoken and ill informed, his unfortunate comments don't rise to a level of chutzpah. As a youngster I was told that a definition of chutzpah is difficult to create; but that the following description could suffice. A man convicted of killing both of his parents pleads for mercy from the judge, ... because he is an orphan. That is CHUTZPAH."

 * … SNUFFY: Dan Cooper wrote with this inspirational tale of Snuffy, a small white dog rescued from death row. "Our family moved from Reno to Bakersfiield in 1937, and we brought Snuffy with us, a small white dog with a mean streak. We lived on Orange Street. Snuffy bit the mailman and was picked up by the authorities to be held for 10 days, and if not adopted, put down. We did not want him back. The mailman asked us about the dog… On the last day, we later found out the mailman adopted the dog. The dog that bit him. We drove by his house, and there was Snuffy on a chain. Lucky dog, kind hearted mailman."

Campus activism at UCLA puts the state of Israel in its cross hairs, and who wins the bragging rights for the amazing 3-year-old colt California Chrome?

* … ISRAEL: Did you hear about the latest incident of political correctness at UCLA? The Westwood campus is embroiled in a controversy over student government elections in which

candidates were pressured to promise that they would not visit Israel on sponsored visits. This kind of anti-Israeli sentiment is common on university campuses and it is sad that some try to quash a civil conversation about a very complex and important topic. One UCLA student, who refused to sign the pledge, lost by 31 votes. According to the Los Angeles Times, Chancellor Gene Block said he was disturbed by what happened and is calling for more tolerance on the campus. Other universities, including UC Santa Barbara and the University of Michigan, have seen undergraduates demand the school cut ties with companies that do business with Israel.

 * … BULLYING: And speaking of political correctness, you have to admire Porterville Mayor Cameron Hamilton's chutzpah even if you don't agree with his message. Hamilton is under attack for saying that bullying victims should toughen up and defend themselves and not blame the world's problems on bullying. In what can only be described as an unusual display of frankness, he said some folks should "grow a pair" and learn to "just stick up for them damned selves." You can imagine the ruckus that followed in the small community of 55,000 people. At issue was a student program proposing safe zones around town with signs directing children to places where they could seek refuge from bullies.

* … CHROME: It looks like there is a battle for bragging rights over California Chrome, the 3-year-old colt who will try to become the first horse in 36 years to win the Triple Crown. Folks in Bakersfield love the horse because co-owner Steve Coburn used to call Kern County home, but he now lives in Reno so the Nevada city also claims the horse. And up in Coalinga, where California Chrome was trained at Harris Ranch, there are bragging rights as well. It looks like the thoroughbred really has become "America's horse."

* … EXHIBIT: If you have a smart phone, and you use Instagram, here's your chance to enter a photography contest. The idea came from Don Martin, owner of the Metro Galleries on 19th Street, for a June exhibit. It will be called INSTAexhibition, a collection of Instagram only photography. Martin said this will be a unique show exploring not only the use of the app but also hashtags for marketing purposes. He already has entries from Europe, Canada and throughout the United States. For info on this exhibit log on to www.TheMetroGalleries.com or email Martin directly at Don@theMetroGalleries.com . (photo by Don Martin)

 * … MUSIC: And speaking of Metro Galleries, Don Martin is hosting a terrific Americana folk singer this Thursday, kicking off his summer concert series. The songstress is Kat Devlin from Santa Barbara, and I can personally vouch for her talent. A portion of the proceeds from the event (tickets are just $10) will go to support the Arts Council of Kern,. Doors open at 6 p.m. and Kat sings at 7 p.m.

 * … NUT FESTIVAL: Organizers are gearing up for the second annual Kern County Nut Festival out at the Kern County Museum. The inaugural event last year was a huge success but was not without its hiccups. This year they promise it will be bigger and better. It is set for Saturday, June 7, over at the museum. Pick up your tickets at the museum.

More doubts about the panhandlers who roam our parking lots looking for cast, and The Bakersfield Californian Foundation hands out $211,000 for groups that care for our stray and abandoned animals

 *… PANHANDLERS: Kathy Scott wrote to share some information on panhandlers who hang out in the Von's parking lot at Stockdale Hwy. and California Avenue. "According to someone who works in the center, he noticed a large van coming early in the morning hours that unloads a group of people who then scattter throughout the shopping center and ask for money. At a precise time of day they all

gather to get into the van and return home. They profess to need food but will only accept cash.
Hungry, doubtful! But hungry for money that goes untamable, yes. I myself have encounter many of them outside of where I go for weekly meetings and was blasted for not giving them money. When are people going to see that the panhandlers are, for the most part, not whom they seem."

 * … GRANTS: I am fortunate to serve on the board of The Bakersfield Californian (family) Foundation, which focused its recent grant cycle on animal welfare. The number of groups and individuals committed to rescuing and helping abandoned animals is nothing less than impressive. The foundation handed out more than $211,000 in grants last week. Among the recipients: 2nd Chance Ranch [Tehachapi] $15,000; All The King’s Horses of Robison Ranch [Ridgecrest] $5,000; Bakersfield Pet Food Pantry $10,025; Bakersfield SPCA $40,000; Bit-O-Heaven Ranch $20,000; Cathey’s K-9 Rescue $5,000; Critters Without Litter: $20,000; Friends of the Kern County Animal Shelters Foundation $30,000; Have a Heart Humane Society [Tehachapi] $14,000; Helping Animals Live Tomorrow (HALT) Rescue: $13,300; People Assisting Wasco Shelter (PAWS) $12,000; Pet Match Maker California $10,000; A SafeFurr Place Animal Rescue: $5,000 and Whiskers Paws Hooves and Claws Animal Advocacy $12,000.

* … GOOD FORM: Here is a bit of good form compliments of reader Judi Anderson Gahagan. She was having dinner at the Outback Steakhouse on Mother's Day when her order was lost. "The manager came and asked what I had ordered, he then asked if my husband wanted a fresh meal when mine would be delivered. We said no, so my husband enjoyed his meal... I did too when my steak was delivered.  When our check came, we noticed my meal had been deducted, so this was a wonderful way to get us as repeat customers."

 * … MORE GOOD FORM: Kristi Orizaga, who worked in the city animal care center, wrote to thank the folks at Sharon's Mobile Pet Makeover for donating their time at the shelter. "The ladies do a wonderful job and I just wanted them to know how much we appreciate it."

 * … SKATE PARK: I ran into Dianne Hoover, the city parks director, the other day and she reminded me that a new skate park is opening this week at Planz Park. The park was designed by local skate boarders and will open this Thursday at 3:30 p.m. The new park, larger and more elaborate than the one at Beach Park, features a bowl, ramps, stairs, railings and a sloped wall. The skate park was originally a public pool that was built in the 1960s that is long past its life expectancy. (file photo by McIntosh Associates of Beach Park)

 * … SIDEWALK: The decision by a downtown property owner to dig up his sidewalk, only to be told by the city to replace it, could prove a costly mistake. Said Stephen A. Montgomery: "Not only will the property owners be required to replace the sidewalk they removed but the new walk will need to meet current code which, if the property is on a corner, will include an ADA compliant access ramp per the California Building Code. Their lapse of common sense and judgement may prove to be rather expensive."

 * … ACHIEVER: Ruthann Romano Marquez wrote to note that her nephew, Adam Schuster, graduated from the University of Colorado at Boulder summa cum laude with a double major in English and Philosophy. He was also chosen to be the valedictorian speaker at the English Department graduation ceremony. Adam will pursue a Ph.d in English at the University of Wisconsin starting in September. Adam and his parents, Frank and Lisa Marquez Schuster formerly lived in Bakersfield. Adam attended Ronald Reagan Elementary and Warren Junior High before moving. He is the grandson of Joe Marquez, nephew of Deborah Marquez Baker and Richard Marquez ,who all reside in Bakersfield.

House Majority Whip McCarthy: recognizing some of the pioneers of NASA and Edwards Air Force Base

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

 "On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong stepped onto the moon and into the history books. But long before he accomplished this amazing feat, he was a young man with a dream working right here in our backyard.  In fact, Armstrong spent many of his early years training at NASA’s primary test flight test

facility at Edwards Air Force Base—as an aeronautical research scientist and a test pilot—and this week, the very center where he trained was renamed in his honor.


"The test range also is now named for Hugh Dryden, a titan of American aeronautics in his own right. Dryden oversaw the research and development of the revolutionary X-15 rocket aircraft, and his expertise was so valued that he was appointed the first deputy administrator of NASA.  His work paved the way for individuals like Neil Armstrong and the many accomplishments in aerospace today.


"On Tuesday, I joined with members of NASA to celebrate the lives and legacies of these American heroes.  It was a wonderful ceremony, and I was happy to see so many members of the Armstrong and Dryden families and the Antelope Valley community on hand for the dedication.


I "t took many years of hard work and many devoted individuals to make this a reality. I would like to especially thank Cathy Hart and members of the Antelope Valley Board of Trade for their tireless efforts in seeing this task through.

"When asked about his years at NASA’s flight test facility, Armstrong described it as a place of “enormous curiosity, wonderful intensity, and unbelievable willingness to attempt the impossible.” I have no doubt that the Neil A. Armstrong Flight Research Center and the Hugh L. Dryden Aeronautic Test Range will continue to foster this same imaginative and competitive spirit and inspire the next generation of aerospace leaders that will emerge from its ranks.

City of Bakersfield tells a downtown property owner to replace the sidewalk they dug up, and the rash of burglaries and break-in across the city continues unabated

 * … BURGLARIES: Every time I mention a burglary, or theft, in this column I hear from other victims. The other day, a friend who works downtown (she didn't want to be named) shared this

experience.  "My home was burglarized at the end of March while we were gone during the day. They broke through two double dead bolted doors using our garden tools. They ransacked the house; all of my jewelry was stolen, along with a couple of small items. It could’ve been worse, but it still is such a terrible thing to go through. Since this has happened, I am hyper-alert to all of the news stories of break-ins and am so discouraged to see how it is basically a daily occurrence  What is really bizarre is that the same time I was burglarized, a co-worker’s home was also broken into... And then a couple of weeks later, another co-worker’s home was broken into. We have a very small staff, and for three of us to have been hit in such a short span of time just seemed unreal to all of us. We all live in different parts of town, too.  One word of caution you might want to share with your readers: one of the break-ins happened while the home was tented for termites!  Apparently this is a 'thing' now; crooks know that if a home is tented, all of the windows have to be wide open. So, they don gas masks and break in, knowing they have at least a few days to take whatever they want, and all they have to do is cut the tarp, climb in a window, and have their run of the house. If criminals put this much effort into working, they’d be amazing employees."

 * … MORE THEFTS: And regarding the rash of incidents in which thieves steal rims and tires off trucks, a reader bemused: "I've lived in The Oaks for 23 years and leave my cars unlocked and sometimes even leave the keys inside. I never worry about anything happening to either of my cars.  After all, isn't that what the attached two-car garage is for?"

 * … SIDEWALK: Earlier this week I wrote about a downtown homeowner who unceremoniously dug up a city sidewalk - without permission - and replaced it with grass, even going so far as to plant a hedgerow of bushes to force walkers into the street. It drew a number of responses, including this one:
"It's not just bad form. It's also a violation of city rules and the Americans with Disabilities Act. It's not just forcing strollers into the street. It's also forcing people in wheelchairs, walkers, etc. into the street, which is a pretty major thing… Someone needs to send code enforcement over there ASAP, not complain about it in the newspaper." Update: Acting city Public Works director Nick Fidler said that code enforcement informed the property owners they have to replace the sidewalk. Score one for the good guys.

 * … BAD FORM: Reader J. Klein shared this bit of bad form that she witnessed in the parking lot of San Joaquin Hospital. "We came upon an older model gray van with two Chihuahuas locked inside barking madly in obvious distress. We were told they had been locked up for at least two hours.  It was 91 degrees that afternoon  Finally security had then hospital page the owners who finally came out with one of their party explaining they 'didn't know the dogs were in the car'…And these people really thought this excuse was believable? I don't have tactful words to illustrate how angry I was at these idiots.  A bit more time and I'd have broken their window and taken the dogs myself."

 * … SUMMER CAMP: An important summer camp for kids was left out of our listings recently. It is the Harmony Road Music School for children from ages 16 months to 12. There is a Junior Music Camp, a Music and Movement Class for Toddlers and Preschoolers and an Intro to Piano Camp. Classes are held in June, July and August. Call (661) 665-8228 for information or visit their website at www.harmonyroadbakersfield.com.

 * … BAKERSFIELDISM: Kurt Seeger says you may be a Bakersfield old timer if you remember watching the Meet Mitchell show starring Harry Mitchell. "His well known catch phrase was 'pull up your socks and go to the Fox.'"

Another truck in Stockdale Estates is found on blocks, its wheels and tires missing, and is it legal to rip up a city sidewalk and replace it with grass, forcing strollers into the streets?

 * … THEFT: Well it has happened again. Yet another homeowner has awakened to find his truck on blocks, the wheels and tires stolen during the night. This time it happened to Stockdale Estates resident Jason Cohen, but in this case there was a silver lining. Said Jason: "After filing a police report and calling my insurance company I texted Mike from Three-Way Chervolet. His words were, 'we will get you taken care of.' They came over, put tires on the car and took it to the shop as

well as dropped off a Tahoe for me to drive in the meantime. What could have been a horrible day turned into the Saturday it was supposed to be. I owe a huge thank you to Mike and all the guys at Three-Way. I honestly believe that was Bakersfield at its finest. This town always takes care of itself. Certainly noteworthy."

 * … BAD FORM: In a downtown historic district with wide leafy streets, a homeowner digs up the city sidewalk, plants sod and installs a row of hedges to keep people off her lawn, forcing strollers and walkers into the street. (Good luck if you are in a wheelchair) Someone missed the memo about the benefits of walkable communities and safety.

 * … ACHIEVER: Hats off to Chelsea Fraley, a 2010 graduate of Bakersfield High School, who graduated Magna Cum Laude from Gonzaga University with a double major in political science and criminal justice. She will be spending the summer as an intern at Klein, DeNatale, Goldner and in August will enter the Duke School of Law. Chelsea's proud parents are Sean Fraley, a battalion chief with the Kern County Fire Department and Christy Fraley, the head guidance counselor at Independance High School.

 * … FLAGS: There will be a spectacular display of flags at the Park at Riverwalk over Memorial Day weekend. Sponsored by Breakfast Rotary, the event will feature more than 1,000 flags in honor of the many people who have served, or continue to serve, our nation and community. The cost to sponsor a flag is $50 and can be ordered at www.thousandflags.org. The flags will be flying from 11:30 a.m. Saturday, May 24, through Monday.

 * … PANHANDLERS: Robert Yoo lived for a short time in the northern Kentucky town of Alexandria, just a short distance from Cincinnati which had a strict panhandling ordinance. "One day while walking along the Cincinnati waterfront, I saw a disheveled homeless person with a hand printed sign saying, 'homeless, need money,' begging for money from the tourists along the waterfront. About an hour later, I walked by the same spot and the man and his belongings were gone, however his sign was propped up against the wall where he had been previously sitting.  Neatly printed on the sign were the words, 'This site closed courtesy of the Cincinnati Police Department.' Stapled to the sign was an officer’s business card. Now that’s an anti-panhandling enforcement ordinance with some teeth in it!  I wished we had that here in Bakersfield!"

 * … MEMORIES: Another reader remembers Casper's Men's Store downtown. Listen to Brenda Bosley: "The two recent entries from Greg Cowan and Kelly Casper Donovan about Casper's Men's stores really caught my attention. I remember my mom taking me shopping with her to Casper's at a very young age and as I grew up Casper's was always THE men's store our family patronized. But, to show the strong thread that connects the people of Bakersfield, many years later both Greg and Kelly were a very near and dear part of my adult life…. my mom was Greg's great aunt and Kelly's grandmother, Mrs. Casper, often brought Kelly in shopping at our store, Lou Ella's Children's Shop on Baker Street. We were so lucky to know Mrs. Casper and Kelly for many years, and Greg was and still is a very special part of our family. It is so good to know that as Bakersfield continues to grow younger people still have fond memories of our town's past. Thanks Greg and Kelly for bringing back my fond memories of two special kids!"

Happy Mother's Day: a local mom awakes to find one of her family's car stolen and the other ransacked, and remembering Casper's Men's Store downtown

* … BAD FORM: A friend of mine who lives in The Oaks had a rude awakening on Mother's Day when she awoke to find one of the family cars stolen and the other ransacked. Her husband, as it turned out, had left her Mother's Day gift in his car and went outside to find it gone. "He also left his wallet in the car and we are terrified of identify theft," she told me. The thieves tried unsuccessfully to hot-wire the second car, popped open the trunk and left a duffle bag of a girl's personal items. The lesson: never leave anything of value in your car, no matter where you live.

 * … CASPER'S: Kelly Casper Donovan is the grand daughter of the founder of the old Casper's Men's Store downtown. She was surprised when a reader wrote to me with his fond memories of the place. "Thanks to reader Greg Cowan and his memory of downtown and Casper's Men's Store. The day the article was printed was my birthday, and what a wonderful birthday present that my grandfather's store was mentioned. I worked at the store from childhood through the time I went away to college, working at the front desk and wrapping gifts for our customers. I watched as men from all over town came in to be fitted for suits and clothing, and watched my grandfather and his staff provide a place where the customer knew he would find a quality product with superior customer service. Casper's was truly a Bakersfield institution, and I am so proud to have been a part of my grandfathers dream.

 * … DREAMMAKER: Good news for the folks over at DreamMaker Bath and Kitchen of Bakersfield. First, they were recognized as "Best Home Improvement Building Contractor" in the annual Best off Kern County readers' poll, and now they have been recognized on a national level with the BIG50 title, published in Remodeling Magazine. Fifty contractors are chosen each year to join an elite group of professionals from all over the country that have performed exemplary business practices, management skills, community service, design, and craftsmanship.

 * … ACHIEVER: And kudos to Nicole Bonna, a student at Tevis Junior high who will perform at Carnegie Hall next month with the Honors Junior Band as a trombonist. This is all part of the Middle School Honors Performance Series that highlight some of the most promising young musicians in the country. Nicole currently is a member of the Tevis Symphonic Band and Jazz Band under the direction of Kelly K. Willey.

 * … KERNVILLE: Bob Hyde from Kernville weighed in on the panhandling issue: "We live in Kernville and 'go to town' (Bako) with our lists every three weeks or so and the panhandlers are everywhere. We usually have breakfast at the IHOP off Buck Owens and about 9 a.m. and we always see a group of young men with their signs and pets pass through the parking lot on the way to the Rosedale/Buck Owens intersection. It is almost like they are unionized-they meet and then disperse to their assigned corners. We also encounter panhandlers in the parking lots at Costco, Wal-Mart, Smart and Final and Trader Joe's, and even at the Fast Trip gas stations. Encountering or trying to avoid them is very stressful, but we have little compassion for "'the regulars.'  And, yes, we do have our share in the Kern River Valley. The Valley Plaza in Lake Isabella is a panhandlers haven but Ms. Hotchkiss should not include our 'tamale lady.'  She and her family make the tamales at home and sell them in various locations around the valley. She is nice, never pushy, and her tamales are excellent. I am guessing she drives up from Bakersfield and I cannot imagine she takes much back at the end of the day, but she is producing not begging and for that she deserves credit and our respect."

 * … MORE PANHANDLERS: And finally, Riley Parker of Santa Maria noted "we have a couple that have set up a permanent post near a driveway into the Costco/Trader Joe’s parking lot. They rotate on the hour, sharing the well done, easily read sign asserting that he/she is unable to work since their 'accident.'  They are both clean and well dressed. Her long, nicely coiffed blond hair appears to be professionally highlighted, etc.  They arrive daily at about 10 a.m. driving their late model, clean and well maintained Toyota pickup. It appears that they are operating a lucrative, all cash business preying on the kindness of others. I particularly like the fleece lined jacket and high quality western hat that he wears on cool days. Nice touch with his well-trimmed grey mustache. Some days they bring the dog along…must appeal to the animal lover in all of us. After so many months, now days they just wave like old friends when I pass them by."

McCarthy: House Majority Whip welcomes 77 veterans and their guardians to Washington, D.C., as part of the Honor Flight program

 Rep. Kevin McCarthy, House Majority Whip, shares his week on Capitol Hill:

 "This week, I had the privilege of welcoming 77 veterans and their guardians to Washington, D.C., as part of the Kern County Honor Flight program. This was the tenth Honor Flight to-date, and each group is just as amazing and awe-inspiring as the last.

 "These incredible men and women—veterans of WWII, Korea, and Vietnam—began their busy trip with a hero’s send off in Bakersfield. Once in DC, they took in the many sites and sounds, including the changing of the guard at Arlington National Cemetery and a visit to the National Air and Space Museum.
 "In addition, our veterans visited the Korean, Vietnam, Navy, Marine, and Air Force memorials, and laid a wreath at the World War II Memorial. For many, this was their first time in Washington and, thus, the first time seeing these memorials created in their honor. As you could imagine, it was a very moving experience for all involved.
 "I especially was honored and humbled to give our veterans a tour of the U.S. Capitol building and take them to the chamber of the House of Representatives and onto the House floor. As our group entered the Capitol, a spontaneous round of applause broke out among the other tourists in the Capitol, and dozens of school children rushed to shake hands, take pictures with, and just say “thank you” to these heroes.
 "Finally, their visit came full circle with an afternoon barbecue put on by “Cooks from the Valley,” a local organization that flies around the world serving steak lunches to the men and women of our military. These volunteers cooked more than 11,000 steaks on Thursday for our Navy personnel at the Navy Yard, and they have served some 185,000 service members since 2002.
 "What a wonderful community we live in — from the veterans who sacrificed so much so that we could enjoy freedom, to the men and women who go to such amazing lengths to say thank you. Kern County is truly a remarkable place.