House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy: President Obama faces a defining moment on Iran. Will he show real U.S. leadership or will he make the world an even more dangerous place?

 House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy gives us his weekly view from Capitol Hill. In his words:


"At the end of the month, the Obama administration will run into a deadline to reach an agreement with the Islamic Republic of Iran on the limits of its nuclear program. The majority of Americans and their representatives in Congress are clear on their requirements for this deal: at no point in time should Iran

be able to build a nuclear bomb. But as reports of an emerging deal indicate, this injunction on an Iranian nuclear bomb may only last for ten years. That is simply unacceptable.

 "Iran’s active state sponsorship of terrorism has isolated them from the free world. This isolation creates a sense of obscurity for many Americans who were not old enough to remember the Iranian hostage crisis from 1979 to 1981 or who view seemingly sporadic terrorist attacks in the Middle East as simply part of the region. But within this public isolation, Iran has operated through terrorist proxy groups to exert their will and fuel sectarian conflict in the Middle East. This active engagement in terrorism has killed potentially thousands of Americans in Iraq and Afghanistan and destabilized the region.

  "United States and other world leaders have responded to Iranian aggression by issuing tough sanctions on their ability to take part in the global economy. As the sanctions were intended to do, the Iranian economy began to crumble, creating unrest with the Iranian people living in economic distress. This has forced Iran to the negotiating table to end their pursuit of a nuclear weapon and reassess their support for terrorism.

  "With Iran at the table, President Obama faces a defining opportunity to reassert America’s leadership in the world and to close the book on Iran’s malevolent hegemony. But as reports indicate, he is failing to rise to the occasion. He and his Administration have even forgotten that it is the economic pressure from sanctions that even brought Iran to the negotiating table.

 "Iranian leaders have been involved in efforts that have killed Americans and innocent women and children. Should a void of leadership arise in the Middle East, they will look to fill it—as they have already started to. If the Administration grants Iran global legitimacy and eases economic pressure but fails to force Iran to surrender their intention to build a nuclear bomb and support of terrorism, the world will never be the same. Iran’s influence will only increase, and a race within the region to match the Iranian nuclear capacity would almost surely occur. This is not the world order that President Ronald Reagan commanded through American leadership and it is certainly not one Republicans in Congress will stand for. America must lead because when we do not lead, the world becomes unsafe.

The lessons of the tragic murder-suicide in Stockdale Estates, celebrating Kern County's almond industry and dealing with California's long drought

* … SUICIDE: The tragic apparent murder-suicide in Stockdale Estates (the grisly details of the story and names the victims hardly need to be repeated) serves as a sober reminder of the

emotional pain and anguish that so many of us privately carry. The lesson: it doesn't take much to muster a little kindness to our friends, neighbors and the random strangers that pass through our lives. May we all be aware of the burdens that each of us bear.

* … ALMONDS: Did you know that California (and Kern County in particular) supplies virtually all of the U.S. grown almonds, walnuts and pitacchios? The state, according to the Agriculture Department, produces 82% of the globe's almonds and ships about 70 percent of them overseas.

* … DROUGHT: Diane Arends responded to reader Gene Bonas' comment about how long it takes to get hot water from his home's east side to west side. "My husband's solution is that he uses an old plastic container and fills it with water while waiting for the water to get hot.  He then uses that water to fill the bird bath and water a flower bed. We also don't take as many showers as we used to and installed a shut off valve on the shower head. We also practice 'if it's yellow, let it mellow; if it's brown, flush it down.'"

* … MORE DROUGHT: And Bryan Williams added this: "Call me a bad citizen - but I did have winter rye planted in my front yard this winter.  Because of my dogs eating my sprinkler master system, I have had to water my lawn with a sprinkler attachment on the hose for months. However - I have not watered my lawn since September! The winter rye has been green and beautiful since that time surviving off of only the rain we have received and the dew in the morning. My water bill for the months since it was planted has hovered around $25. Thanks Mother Nature!"

 * … MEMORIES: Risk management consultant John Pryor is the go-to historian when it comes to Stockdale Country Club, and he assures me that the club never served as a hospital. (An earlier reader claimed her great grand-father's birth certificate said he was born at the club) Said Pryor: "As former historian of Stockdale Country Club for many years, I can assure you there is no reference in its recorded history since the 1920s that mentions any Stockdale Country Club Hospital. However, I can assure you there are multiple historical references to Stockdale Country Club hospitality -- a long-standing and key element of the Club's culture and staff quality that continues to this day."

* … KEEP: The Camp KEEP Foundation is hosting its annual “Wine Camp for KEEP” fundraiser to raise money to help send kids with financial needs to Camp KEEP. The event is Saturday, April 25, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at a private residence in northwest Bakersfield. There will be food, wine and live music from Roadhouse Revival. Tickets can be purchased for $40 at any local Sparkling Image Car Wash location or by calling (661) 636-4629.

 * … HEALTH: Mark your calendar for Saturday, March 21, for the 6th Annual Bakersfield Health and Fitness Expo. It will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Rabobank Theater and is absolutely free. Among the exhibits will be an obstacle coursae for kids offered by Terrio Fitness, a child identity program hosted by the Kern County Sheriff's Department, free adult health screenings by Dignity Health and lots of live demonstrations on Zumba, Hot Hula, personal defense, spinning and healthy cooking. ANd of course some adorable former strays from Marley's Mutts will be on hand for sloppy kisses."


 

Former residential home builder Kyle Carter readies for a run for mayor, celebrating the small-town feel of Bakersfield and noting some good form about town

 * … MAYOR: Mayor Harvey Hall's term in office doesn't expire for another year, but already folks are lining up to replace Hall if he chooses not to seek reelection. One name mentioned frequently is Kyle Carter, the former residential home builder who was recently elected to the Kern Community College District. Carter is deeply involved in the community and has recently been investing in downtown properties. He successfully sold the company bearing his name before the recession hit, and he would no doubt be a formidable candidate. Meanwhile Kevin Burton, who runs the foundation over at San Joaquin Community Hospital, is also eager to run. "It's all Kevin talks about," said one of his friends. Hall has served as mayor since 2000 and told me he would announce his intentions in February of next year.

 * … SMALL TOWN: Another reason to celebrate our "small town" feel comes from reader Aneta Adams: "Over the weekend, I caught two of the Bakersfield episodes of Diners, Drive-ins and Dives.  You know it's not Bakersfield if you don't see someone you know! At KC's Steakhouse, it was Howdy Miller and Gary Crabtree. At Mama Roomba, it was H.A. Sala. How did the restaurants choose the patrons for the show? I also caught the episode with Salty's. Both were good representations of Btown!"

 * … BAD FORM: Emily Shapiro was in res room at Barnes and Noble when she spotted this example of bad form. "In an era of water depletion, conserving water is of the utmost importance. However, this past Saturday around 5 p.m. at Barnes and Noble I noticed a patron in the ladies room who after washing and drying her hands left the water running full blast. Not only is it bad manners, but the lack of consideration for others is astounding."

 * … WATER: Reader Gene Bonas' note about the length of time it takes hot water to reach the other end of the house drew this comment from Lee Altmar, himself a former sailor like Gene. "A trick we used when I lived in Santa Barbara during the drought of the 1980s was to keep a 5-gallon bucket or two in the shower. We would fill the bucket(s) while waiting for the water to get hot, then use the water for cleaning (e.g., dishes and floors). The fun thing about Bakersfield is that, in the summer, it takes even longer for the water to get cold enough to use. I've had to brush my teeth with water that was almost boiling."

 * … NORTHEAST: Penny Young responded to a reader's rant about the lack of new retail in the Northeast. Said Penny: "Needless to say, we enjoy your column for all the voices and personalities and events and tidbits that come to light. Today Elizabeth Trainor was spot on about the feelings of northeast residents and our lack of shopping while there are such exuberant openings on the other side of town. However, I think she was a little hard on Ken Weir, our Councilmember Ward 3. It appears she misses some of the information published in The Californian. Very recently Mr. Weir organized a public forum at the new Paul Cato Middle School where he brought together directors of 5 agencies connected with development in the NE, (transportation, parks, etc.) It was enlightening, well-received, well-attended, and well-reported by Theo Douglas. It's easy to miss things, and I am sorry that Ms. Trainor has 'never seen or heard from him over the years.'  If  Ms. Trainor Googles Bakersfield City Council and clicks on the first link, she will be able to solve her problem of being 'unable to discover his email address.' (These comments are not meant in a smarty tone, but just to give more balanced perspective.)"

 * … MEMORIES: Here's a puzzler from reader Cheryl Hyde Reid: "I recently obtained my great grandfather's death certificate.  It states that he died at the Stockdale Country Club Hospital in 1940.  I was born here in 1947, and don't remember that hospital.  Does anyone else recall a Stockdale Country Club Hospital?"

This comes under the 'you're really not going to believe this' department but the student government at UC Irvine bans Old Glory from its office space lest someone be offended

 * … OLD GLORY: I had to read the story twice out of disbelief but there it was: students at the University of California, Irvine, voted to ban the American flag from a student governmenet office

because it might offend someone. That's right, the Associated Students of University of California, Irvine (ASUCI) voted to remove all flags – including Old Glory – for fear it could be offensive. And check this out: part of the student government resolution noted that “the American flag has been flown in instances of colonialism and imperialism” and its display “does not express only selective aspects of its symbolism but the entire spectrum of its interpretation.” Huh? Thankfully, the student executive council voted to rescind that resolution after the flap became public, but it heads back to another vote with the broader student government association.

* … LITTER: They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, so I suppose we should be happy that a city in Louisiana ripped off the anti-litter awareness slogan and logo that was developed here in Bakersfield. The slogan (Litter, it's beneath us) was the brainchild of Californian editor Robert Price and the logo was designed by Californian graphic artist Glenn Hammett. It has now shown up in Shreveport as part of its Great American Cleanup.

 * … BAD FORM: My friend Bryan Kelley was driving west on Highway 178 recently and found himself behind a raised pickup truck. "I spot a two seat convertible coming up behind me in the left lane going three shades of grey over the speed limit. The diver is  a young woman with her hair tied up on top of her head. She drives past me and the driver of the pick-up flicks his cigarette out the window. It flies through the air and lands in her hair. Oblivious, she keeps up her speed and passes the pick-up and is gone. I see her again at the Chevron station at the foot of the 178… she is outside of her car… she found the cigarette. I am sure that if I stopped I could have added a few new words to my vocabulary."

 * … SPOTTED: On a friend's Facebook page was this post: "At the Starbucks drive-thru this morning at 5 a.m. I waived a Range Rover through in front of me because we hit the entrance at the same time from different angles. The Range Rover paid for my drink for me. Thanks for making my morning nice person. The person who stole my three flats of flowers from my yard last night… Boo, you won't ruin my day."

 * … WEST: Congratulations to Rachol West, a sophomore forward on the San Jose State University women's basketball team who was named player of the week for the Mountain West Conference. The Garces Memorial High graduate is the younger sister of Nikki West, who was player of the year with the CSUB Road runners a few years back. She ranks second on the team in 3-pointers (36) and is the leading shooter from distance (.343).

 * … WATER: Gene Bonas is a retired Navy submariner and friend and he shared this note about water conservation: "I timed how long it took to get hot water from the east side of my house where the hot water tank is to the west side where our master bath is. It took two minutes to get hot water to the sink and another 15 seconds to get hot water to the shower. That's a lot of wasted water. Maybe it's time to grow a beard and shower every second or third day. I've already adjusted lawn watering, and I didn't sow rye grass this year. I bet a few of your readers can come up with creative suggestions on cutting back water use in and around the house. I guess I'm an old timer because I can remember back to the 1940s and 1950s when we had plenty of that stuff called rain!"

House Majority Leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy: The presidency of Barak Obama is one based on the singular principle of overreach

 Rep. Kevin McCarty, House Majority Leader, gives us his weekly view from Capitol Hill. In his words:

 "This week placed the inter-workings of the Supreme Court on high display. On Wednesday, I went to the Supreme Court and heard oral arguments for a lawsuit on the legality of a key provision of

Obamacare. The case, King v. Burwell, is another challenge to the law that was forced through Congress by the Obama administration. Should the Court rule against the law, it is imperative that Republicans respond with a health care plan of our own that increases choice, lowers costs, and gets the government out from in between you and your doctor.

  "Earlier this year I established a working group to develop an alternative to Obamacare should the Courts strike it down. A day before the Court heard the arguments this week, the Chairmen of three House committees released an editorial that outlines the House plan. When the Court issues its ruling, the House will be prepared to present a way forward to the American people.

 "Just as was the case with Obamacare, the president has defined his presidency as one of overreach.

 "Late last year, the President issued an executive action that rewarded illegal immigration. And just a few weeks ago a federal judge in Texas struck it down and placed an injunction on its implementation. As the judicial review is underway, I believe that the legal case against the president’s executive action is strong. Without any willing partners in the Senate in which we gave them over a month to craft an alternative to House passed legislation, and with arcane rules that allow Senators to hide behind a 60-vote threshold instead of working out differences in a conference committee, I would not play politics with our security when the Senate is unable to act.

 "The Congress heard from Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on just how unsafe the world is.  The security of our nation is my greatest concern.  Threats from terrorist organizations such as ISIS must not and cannot go without a strong response and we must be vigilant.

 "Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to a joint session of Congress was an important moment for our country and for Israel. Iran’s aggression and support for terrorism throughout the Middle East and around the world is real. An overly concessionary approach to negotiations will not convince Iran to change their ways. We must have a strategy that increases the financial and diplomatic pressure on Iran, bolster the weakened credibility of our military option, and confront the growing threat of Tehran and its terrorist proxies.

 "In my conversations with Prime Minister Netanyahu and my discussions with our military and intelligence officials, the threats to our nation are real and I will continue to work to ensure that we take these threats seriously.

A new study links a good night's sleep with a higher risk of strokes, more on that Los Angeles County waste being spread in Kern County and loving those Girl Scout cookies

 * … SLEEP: That good night's sleep may not be so good for you after all. According to a new study published in Neurology, sleeping more than eight hours a day may put you at a higher risk for stroke.

That's right, folkjs who get more than eight hours of shuteye a night were 46 percent more likely to have had a stroke. The results came from 356 people studied over a 10-year period.

* … BIOSOLIDS: Retired oil executive F. Lynn Blystone raised a good point with this note to me: "Does anyone wonder why injection wells are being shut in despite no adverse results to the aquifers for decades while Los Angeles can truck tons of waste every day and spread it on the surface to percolate?"

*  … GIRL SCOUTS: You know it's the season for Girl Scout cookies when a colleague tells you:
"I'm not going to lie. I had Thin Mints with my coffee this morning. A whole sleeve."

* … WRESTLING: The Kevin Costner film glorifying the McFarland High School cross country team was certainly awe inspiring, but it's not the only inspirational story in Kern County. Consider the wrestling team at Golden Valley High School which has won its league championship again this year (that makes three in a row) and went undefeated in league dual meets. The Bulldogs have qualified three individuals for this weekend's CIF state wrestling championships. Johnny Hunter has qualified at 170 pounds, Julio Fuentes at 182 pounds, and Nimrod Quintanilla (known as Nimbo) at 285 pounds. The team finished 10th at the Central Section Grand Masters wrestling tournament last week out of 70 plus schools. The Golden Valley Bulldogs are coached by Aaron Wherry, Joe Rojas and Jom Poteete.

* … HOPE: Gloria Stevens is an English teacher at Robert F. Kennedy High School in Delano, and shared these thoughts after her family experienced several thefts. "I was beginning to get frustrated and thinking, 'What is this world coming to?' Then, my daughter lost her key ring which included her car key, house keys, sister's house key, mailbox key… you get the picture. We searched and searched, retracing her steps of the last few days. Nothing. A month later the library on Ming Avenue called her and said someone had turned in a set of keys. Her library card was on the keyring and whoever found them thought that the library could trace them to the correct person. This has greatly renewed my faith in the goodness of some people. Thank you to the person who took time out of their day to help someone out."

* … NORTHEAST: All the new businesses opening in the southwest can make folks in other parts of down feel downright neglected. Consider this noter from Elizabeth Trainor: "I was reading your blog in the Californian this morning and your remark about the opening of two new stores and a restaurant in the southwest interested me. I have lived in the northeast, just off Panorama Drive, for thirty years and a more neglected part of Bakersfield with regard to stores would be hard to find. If the community in the southwest goes nuts for new businesses, you can imagine how we would feel if just one good new store opened here. We have several shabby strip malls, a boarded up shopping mall, a Target, a Walmart and several grocery and drug stores. Not unfortunately the much missed Green Frog market.  I drove down Buena Vista last week and on nearly every corner a new shopping center was either just built or in the process. Our supervisor is Ken Weir and we have never seen or heard from him over the years. I tried to e-mail him about some issues before the last election but was unable to discover his e-mail address. Apparently the only time he becomes animated during meetings is when the words 'Bluffs' and 'development' are used in the same sentence! I wish he would put forth some effort in trying to bring new businesses here. We are part of Bakersfield and pay our taxes, but we are all but ignored by local politicians. Perhaps if we wanted a sports complex we would get a better hearing."

On the importance of Netanyahu and the Jewish state, Kevin McCarthy, hysteria over fracking, disinformation and TurboTax scams… all that and a little more

 * … ISRAEL: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu' delivered a blunt, 40-minute speech to Congress laying out the risks that Iran poses to the very existence to Israel. Was it political theater or an honest attempt to warn the world of the threat of a nuclear Iran? Count Rep.

Kevin McCarthy among those who welcomed hearing from Netanyahu, and McCarthy was also among dozens of congressmen and senators who showed up at the annual American-Israeli Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) meeting in Washington, D.C. earlier in the week. In a time of increasing tension between Israel and the Obama administration, the annual convention of this powerful lobbying group is a must-visit venue for politicians who support the Jewish state. In world affairs, there are few more pressing issues that the role of a secure Israel in the Middle East. Also attending the conference and watching the action close up were retired Bakersfield endodontist Dr. Bob Smith and his wife Marcy.

  * … FRACKING: Keeping up with the half truths and outright distortions over hyrdaulic fracturing can be a full time job, and now a new group called Environment California has just added to the problem. The group produced a cartoon video that should win an Oscar for its distortions, including calling fracking a "dangerous and new" drilling technique (it has been around since the 1940s) and claiming fracking injects toxic chemicals into the underground water supply. As I have said, we should all welcome an honest debate on the use of fossil fuels, but spreading distortions like these does little to promote a healthy and sober debate.

* … SPOTTED: On Twitter was this post: "I always say 'morning' instead of 'good morning.'  If it were a good morning I’d still be in bed instead of talking to people."

 * … COMPLAINTS: And I spotted this sign in a local antique shop: "The deadline for complaints was yesterday."

 * … ONLY IN BAKO: How excited do we get about a new restaurant in town? Consider this: families were posing to have their pictures taken outside the new Johnny Garlic's at The Marketplace this weekend.

 * … SCAMS: Cybercriminals have hacked into TurboTax to file fraudulent tax returns in Utah and other states, and now it looks like it has come home here to California. A local executive told me her TurboTax return was compromised when someone filed a tax return using her personal data, but the invasion was caught before she was out any money. "It's a nightmare," she told me. "The worst is dealing with the IRS and working with that bureaucracy to make it right." At least 19 states have suffered from similar fake tax filings.

 * … BAKERSFIELDISM: From Ronal Reynier: "You are a Bakersfield old timer if you remember Freddie's Cafe; all three of them. There was Freddie's on the Circle where you could watch and laugh at out of towners going around and around the circle. We once watched a car make the trip five times. I think that was the record. Then there was Freddie's on 24th Street and he ended with Freddie's Top of The Hill. My step-mother Zola was his cook for many, many years….Many Hollywood people would stop at the circle for breakfast when in town. The most famous was Ward Bond, not for his acting but for his breakfast order. Try eating this: four eggs over easy, six bacon strips, six link sausages, double hash-browns, one breakfast steak medium rare, three slices of toast, coffee and orange juice. My step-mother said that sometimes he would sub two pancakes for the toast."

Thieves strip a classic century-old home of everything down to door hinges and faucets, and some not-so-great news about the health of Baby Boomers

 * … CRIME: Thieves broke into an empty home downtown recently and picked it clean, right down to century-old door handles, hinges and faucets. Apparently the insurance adjuster told the owner that

the company would not reimburse her because the house sat idle waiting for a remodel. Really? One neighbor's advice: "Drag in a twin bed, throw some towels in the bathroom, leave dirty clothes in the corner and add a toothbrush on the sink for good means… only THEN call the insurance company."

 * … BOOMERS: If you are a certain age that qualifies you as a member of the Baby Boom generation, consider these Boomer health statistics from the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons: 52 percent report no physical activity, 72 percent have one or more chronic diseases, 42 percent have high blood pressure and 24 percent have a walking disability. And, by the year 2030 there will be a 673 percent increase in knee replacements. Suddenly I don't feel so well.

 * … RETAIL: The three busiest businesses in down this weekend had two things in common: they all just recently opened and they are all in the Southwest. This is a community that goes nuts for new businesses, and you could see it at BevMo! and Sprouts Farmers Market at The Shops at River Walk and at the new Johnny Garlic's at The Marketplace. Next up: Nordstrom Rack will open on March 26 right next to Sprouts.

* … OVERHEARD: "I almost hit four zombies last night," a man tells a friend. "You know, all those people in dark clothes that jaywalk at night. They are everywhere."

 * … KUDOS: I headed over to Woolgrower's this week to help celebrate the birthday of Evelyn Johnson, the beloved long-time secretary at the Rotary Club of Bakersfield. Evelyn broke bread with a number of former, current and future downtown Rotary presidents, including Tracy Walker Kiser, Rob Noriega, Duane Keathley, Steve Williford, Rogers Brandon, Ben Stinson, Steve Sanders, Pat Collins, Greg Gallion and David Morton. She has been secretary for the downtown club for 57 years, longer than most folks stay in the workforce, and she never misses a meeting.

 * … JUNIOR LEAGUE: Congratulations to the Junior League of Bakersfield on 50 years as a member of the Association of Junior Leagues. Founded as Community League of Kern in 1952, this local group has given $1.4 million dollars back to the community, invested more than a million volunteer hours, and helped in some way nearly 200 local programs and projects - including Community House, Lori Brock Children's Museum, CALM.  Members will gather for a golden gala this weekend when the League will commemorate its 50th by giving out a $50,000 grant to one local non-profit. This Friday evening, March 6, the public is invited to drop by its stately headquarters at 1928 19th street to help toast its milestone."