More scams about town, the dismal lack of landscaping around the Westside Parkway, the quest for the best hamburger and will Aldi stores come to Bakersfield?

 * ... SCAM: Jenifer Pitcher is an intelligent young professional who is aware of the world around her, yet even some of the smartest among us are susceptible to scams. Last month, a group of gardeners

knocked on her door and offered to mulch her garden, at a cost of $8 a bag. After they put five bags down, she agreed they could do the rest of her garden. "About 30 minutes later I come outside as they were finishing up and they had a pile of bags they 'used.' The guy counted the bags… 88 bags! At $8 a bag? I was furious.  I told him, 'there is no way in hell you used that much.' We argued for a while, he was VERY pushy, and eventually I ended up writing him a check for $400. That was $400 I was NOT planning on spending that day. I also kind of got a little worried since now they know where I live so if I didn’t pay them anything, I was worried they would come back.  I had a horrible feeling about the whole transaction, so I immediately called my bank and stopped the check. I went to go run some errands, still didn’t feel right, went home and checked my bank account online. The $30 stop check fee was posted, as was the $400 check to Ernesto Vides. But the check number wasn’t right. I went to my bank (Kern Schools Federal Credit Union). I was frustrated to tears at this point.  Apparently, they went straight to the bank with my check at the same time I was calling to stop the check. They had altered the check number so that it went through. The manager at the Kern Schools on Coffee and Olive was so fantastic and worked so well with me, and I was able to get my money back.  It was a horrible experience. And I’m usually pretty skeptical of people in general, and the fact that I went against my gut was the worst part."

 * ... WESTSIDE PARKWAY: Well that didn't take long. The landscaping of the (relatively) new Westside Parkway between Truxtun Avenue and Coffee Road is so full of weeds it now resembles Highway 58.

 * ... FOODIE: I was asked the other day what happened to my hunt for the best burger in town. Well, it's still on (why quit now?) but if I were to decide today, it would be the Hudson burger at downtown's Muertos Kitchen and Lounge followed closely by the Sonny burger at Mexicali.

 * ... SPOTTED: I spotted this on Twitter: "Imagine being naked in a room full of people who speak a different language and everyone wants to touch you. That is the life of a dog."

 * ... ALDI: If you haven't heard of Aldi food stores, you will soon. The Los Angeles Times reports that the German-owned company plans 45 stores in Southern California. Aldi stores are about the same size as Fresh and Easy but are focused even more on deep discounts. You have to pay 25 cents for a shopping cart (you get the quarter back when you return it, which prevents thefts) and many of the specialty items are featured on palates on the floor to reduce stocking fees. No word yet on if Aldi is headed to Bakersfield, but sounds like a perfect fit for our market.

* ... BAD FORM: I don't normally like to run anonymous comments, but this one from a "concerned citizen" is worthy of airing: "To the person that dropped off the light colored pitbull on Country Club Drive on the morning of Friday, June 5: Shame, shame on you. She was a new mom, and ran all over the neighborhood, probably looking for her puppies. She cried all night, and a neighbor had to call animal control to come and get her. She was probably euthanized. You probably kept the puppies to sell, and dumped the mom when you were finished using her for your benefit. I will pray that this sweet dog will haunt your memories every single day."

Texas regulators look into a possible link between fracking and increased seismic activity and the issue of state public pensions gets readers riled up

* ... FRACKING: Keep an eye on Texas where regulators are investigating a potential link between hydraulic fracturing (fracking) and earthquakes. At issue is whether the use of injection wells to dispose of fracking wastewater is linked to increased seismic activity. According to The Wall Street Journal, experts are divided on the issue but one executive, ConocoPhillips CEO Ryan Lance, conceded there may be a link. Of concern are a series of mild earthquakes in and around Dallas and Fort Worth, an area that until recently rarely experienced quakes. Texas state regulators have already altered regulations so they can modify or end disposal wells if data links them to seismic activity.

* ... PENSIONS: My comments about the need for pension reform triggered a couple of responses, including this one from from Jean Hughes Gutierrez: "Welfare recipients also reduce funding for police, fire, schools, and road repairs. Many have more spending money than most taxpayers and government drones who serve them: free food, medical care, housing, cell phones, child care, training, and transportation. It is beyond ridiculous. ... While pension reform may be a valid endeavor, not all are free to workers, and I suggest equal concern for stopping fat cat government workers with free cars, gas, meals, Las Vegas trips, hookers, and line dance lessons.  And we have that right now with county higher ups and SEIU higher ups." Thank you Jean, that about covers it.

 * ... DROUGHT: It was Terrie Stoler's question that sparked the dialogue about the the lack of an incentive to install artificial turf: "I think the reply from California Water Service Co. answer in 'Ask TBC' today was ridiculous! We’ve NEVER hosed down our artificial turf! The question of hosing it down to cool it off is ridiculous. How long would that work at 105 degrees? Play on the turf when it is cooler, early morning or late evening. Water is used to make a lot of things. What a cop out from Yvonne Kingman and California Water!"

 * ... SPOTTED: I saw this on Twitter: "A woman saying 'I’m not mad at you' is like a dentist saying 'You won’t feel a thing.'”

 * ... FOODIE: One of my favorite appetizers in town is offered by Uricchio's Trattoria, the popular downtown Italian eatery over off 18th and K streets. It is a miniature meatball pizza that is outstanding. Between that and its other popular appetizer - a small plate of fried clams - it's hard to go anywhere else.

 * ... OVERHEARD: A high executive of a local technology company is telling a friend: "I am almost embarrassed by it but I love 'Game of Thrones.' Sex, torture, dragons... I can't believe I am watching it."

 * ... DEVIL PUPS: I recently wrote about the young men and women who volunteer to become
"Devil Pups," a rigorous team-building exercise that tests their physical limits. Dick Taylor is one of the volunteers who works with these kids, and he noted that the program ends with a 10-day encampment at Camp Pendleton. "It's interesting to note that this is not a recruiting tool for the Marine Corps, and about 23 percent of our teens eventually join the military (not just the Marine Corps), another 18 percent end up in a first responder career like law enforcement or fire, and about 70 percent are high school athletes. Kids completing camp tell us it is the hardest thing they have ever done, and also the coolest thing they have ever done."

The EPA clears fracking from causing widespread damage to drinking water, but the Sierra Club spins in the other way, and a local group joins the statewide effort for pension reform

 * ... FRACKING: The Environmental Protection Agency issued a report saying hydraulic fracturing (fracking) has not resulted in widespread damage to drinking water, but that won't stop the anti fossil fuel crowd from claiming otherwise. In what can only be described as an example of extreme chutzpah, the Sierra

Club said the EPA study "confirms what millions of Americans already know -- that dirty oil and gas fracking contaminates drinking water." Say what? The EPA in fact said just the opposite, though it did say there might be "risks" if wells were poorly constructed. Well of course there are risks. There are risks in driving, in breathing, in exercising, in not eating right and in walking down the street. The EPA said fracking should be regulated by the states and can be managed, which it is. Isn't that was life is all about, managing risks? Folks like the Sierra Club should just come clean and admit they don't approve of any fossil fuels. At least that is an honest position.

 * ... PENSIONS: Meanwhile, it was good to hear that the Kern Citizens for Sustainable Government is joining Reform California, the statewide initiative for pension reform in 2016. Reform California is working to place a pension reform ballot initiative on the November 2016 ballot. This is long overdue but you can bet every local and state public union will gear up to fight this, not because it's not a sound initiative but because the unions believe more in featherbedding their members than they do the health of the state or local governments. The initiative would require voter approval of any defined benefit pensions for new government employees, or any increase in pensions for existing government employees. And why not? After all, you and I are paying for these pensions. Said former San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed: "The cost of public employee pension benefits continues to skyrocket across California, crowding out funding for important services such as police, fire, schools, and road repairs."

* ... SPOTTED: On Twitter: "Dear life, when I asked if this day could get any worse, that was a rhetorical question, not a challenge."

 * ... OVERHEARD: A bartender is recalling an animated conversation by a customer about Bruce Jenner's transformation into Caitlyn Jenner. "All she could talk about was why she spelled Caitlyn with a 'C' instead of a 'K.'"


 * ... HIKE: It was a beautiful weekend and I spent a few hours Saturday hiking the hills above Hart Park. Along the way I passed a lot of hikers and picked up animated conversations in Spanish, Tagalog (one of the languages of the Philippines), French and of course English. Like our country, the Hart Park hills are wide open and welcome anyone regardless of language or background.

 * ... DEVIL PUPS: While hiking I spotted a large group of Devil Pups, young men and women working together to gain confidence under the direction of some current and former Marines. Some of these kids no doubt will end up in the Marine Corps, and watching them work together to conquer some of the area's toughest climbs was inspiring.

  * ... HONOR FLIGHT: Kudos to local talk radio host Ralph Bailey (KERN NewsTalk 96.1 FM) who raised $18,000 for our local Honor Flight program. The money was raised during a single show and the money was presented to Honor Flight organizer Lili Marsh just one day before the 71st anniversary or the invasion of Normandy.

House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy remembers D-Day and thanks those who serve our country

Rep. Kevin McCarthy, House Majority Leader, remembers D-Day 71 years ago.

"Seventy one years ago, thousands of American soldiers embarked on a mission that held no promise of success and no guarantee of survival. As the best of our nation cut through the fog that morning and landed on Normandy Beach, their valor and sacrifice lifted our nation and our allied forces to eventual triumph that preserved and expanded freedom to millions around the world.  More than 160,000 Allied soldiers landed on June 6th along a 50 mile stretch with over 5,000 ships and 13,000 aircraft supporting the D-Day invasion.

 "We honor this incredible devotion to our country as they fought to preserve the freedom we enjoy every day. Many of these men and women, our community has had the honor of recognizing as we have taken them to Washington D.C. to see the WWII Memorial on various Honor Flights. Words cannot adequately say how grateful we are to individuals of the Greatest Generation.

 "There are countless ways we honor all of the men and women who have served our country. In Congress, perhaps no act does this more than providing the resources necessary to prepare the men and women of today’s armed forces to carry out their duties and to care for the individuals and families that have already served selflessly.

 "This can be done through the National Defense Authorization Act and the corresponding Department of Defense Appropriations Act.  These critical pieces of legislation provide critical support for the men and women of our military. Congress has passed the National Defense Authorization Act, and we will work to pass the Department of Defense Appropriations Act next week.

 "
The world is a more dangerous place than it was just a few years ago. Our allies don’t trust us and our enemies don’t fear us. Now, we must do everything we can to keep America safe and strong and to serve the men and women who show proudly serve our country.

New smart TVs will start to resemble our cell phones as consumers move away from traditional programming, and more criticism of Cal Water over its confusing drought decisions

 * ... MOBILE: Get ready for a whole new line of "smart TVs" designed to leverage the growing time we spend on our mobile devices. The new flat screen TVs, from manufacturers like Sharp, Samsung, Sony and Insignia, are designed to take advantage of a growing trend by consumers to ditch traditional TV programming, which has been in a long slow slide that is now accelerating. As noted in The Wall Street Journal, the share of traditional network TV and local programming is
quickly eroding as consumers opt for devices like Roku and Apple TV to access Netflix and other programming on their mobile devices. TV manufacturers are eager to capitalize on alternative and mobile programming, and they say the new TVs will begin to look more like the screens of our cell phones.

 * ... DROUGHT: I wrote earlier wondering why Cal Water Company does not provide a rebate for artificial turn, which drew this response from David Crabtree: "I have been a certified water auditor for over 20 years and landscape contractor for over 30 years. It is a head-scratcher why the $1 rebate from California Water Service does not apply to artificial turf, which is truly a no water element.  I do agree converting turf to drought tolerant landscape is a positive change for water conservation and done properly is visually appealing. But just as important is changing popup spray irrigation to either drip or bubbler application to irrigate your drought tolerant plants. Also, what is puzzling to me is unlimited time allowed for watering on odd and even days. Without that restriction, in some cases, more water is being applied than before the restrictions."

 * ... MORE DROUGHT: And David George added this: "I echo Heather Van Arkle's confusion. We are working with a landscaper to replace our front lawn with flagstone and artificial turf. After reading the guidelines, we will put drought tolerant planting where the turf was supposed to be.  Not sure how that will save as much water, but those are the guidelines.  ut here is the bigger issue. I have been attempting to fill out an online application, which is the only way to get my plan approved.  Unfortunately the website is not up and running. According to our local Cal Water office, it will be one to two weeks before the system is ready. Seems it would have been smarter to get the system working before all the hype about rebates."

 * ... CROSSING: This from reader Ronald Belair: "Just a small concern I have. The local railroad crossings at Hughes Lane, White Lane, Gosford Road and New Stine have all been well repaired and are smooth to vehicle traffic. However the crossing on District Boulevard just west of New Stine is in very bad shape, and is in much need of attention. Anything that you do to see if this can be remedied would certainly be appreciated. After all there is much more traffic on District than on Hughes."

* ... BAD FORM: Jamie Butow was at home in the southwest when she spotted three teenagers in a red Honda Pilot circle her cul-de-sac and stop in front of her house. "They proceeded to throw several soda cans, plastic water bottles, and other assorted trash out the window and into the street and then drove off. On a work call, I was stuck. What %@#*! jerks!" But what happened next is enough to warm any mother's heart. "Then my 11-year-old son, who also saw them, went out and picked up all the trash they left behind."

 * ... GOOD FORM: And here is a shoutout from Michelle Corson to some folks who always do good work: "I saw Bakersfield City Animal Control in action today and they have a heart wrenching job. They responded to calls from me and my colleagues at our workplace about two stray dogs today.  After much effort, they were only able to catch one of the dogs. Tears filled my eyes as I watched this worker try to help these forgotten, hungry, thirsty dogs. Thanks for their hard work, a job I could not do."

More confusion over new rules on the California drought, Mexicali closes its two locations to honor Esther Gamez, and celebrating CSUB's run in the college baseball regional playoffs

 * ... DROUGHT: Here is a real head scratcher, compliments of Heather Van Arkel who recently replaced her lawn with artificial turn. "California Water Service recently sent out an informational flyer on water use during the drought. I read it thoroughly and was excited to read that they are now offering a new Turf Replacement rebate which 'provides a $1 rebate per square foot of turf that is

removed and replaced with low-water-use landscaping. This rebate applies to turf replaced between January 1 and December 31, 2015, or until rebate funds are depleted which means I will qualify as we put in our artificial turf in January. (And, like Terry Stoler in your column today, we love it!)
But then my bubble was burst as I read the next sentence which said 'Replacement with artificial turf is not eligible.' What is artificial turf if not 'low-water-use?' It is, in fact, no-water-use! A call to the Drought Call Center left the agent as perplexed as me - she had no idea why artificial turf was excluded."

* ... MEXICALI: The family that owns Mexicali and Mexicali West have decided to shut both restaurants down today (Wednesday) in honor of the late Esther Gamez, one of the owners who passed away at the age of 84. This one-day closure is a fitting tribute to a woman who meant so much not only to the restaurants, but to the community as well.

 * ... SPOTTED: On Twitter was this missive: "Have you ever listened to somebody speak and wonder who ties their shoelaces for them?"


* ... TRADER JOE'S: I read the other day that Whole Foods is getting to roll out a smaller, cheaper retail store that will compete with Trader Joe's. I know some folks in the Northeast and downtown who would kill to have a new neighborhood market.

 * ... RUNNERS: How fun was it watching the CSUB baseball team make it to the College World Series regional playoffs? None of this would have been possible without the effort that President Horace Mitchell and his team put into taking Cal State to Division 1, which was quite controversial at the time. There is not doubt that having the Runners play teams like UCLA and Ole Miss has elevated the program to an entirely different level.

 * ... FOODIE: I finally stopped by the new Johnny Garlic's, TV host Guy Fieri's new restaurant out at the Marketplace. Bakersfield always goes crazy over new restaurants and it took a couple months before the crowds died down and I could land a table without a 90-minute wait. My favorite: the lamb slider appetizers that include a thin slice of cucumber to give it that extra crunch.

 * ... THEATERS: I promised no more posts on old theaters in town, but this note from Bill Varner was too good to resist. He wrote that in the 1930s, the old Granada Theater in east Bakersfield was occasionally converted into a boxing ring. "There was a full card of preliminary bouts with a main event, featuring two local lightweights, Charly Sullivan and my brother Pat Varner. All went well (until) the middle round of the main event the lights went out. The crowd was stunned but I think most of them grabbed their wallets wondering what was happening. The lights were back on in a few minutes... Charly won the decision. I don't if that was the end of the Granada."

Esther Gamez, whose family founded and owns Mexicali Restaurant, passes away leaving a legacy of grace and kindness, while another young waitress at The Mark shows some real class

* ... ESTHER: Our community lost a terrific person recently with the passing of Esther Gamez, a daughter of the founders of Mexicali restaurant and quite possibly one of the most gracious, and kind, people I have been fortunate to have met. She was 84. Esther was a Bakersfield success story, born during the

Great Depression when women were not expected to run businesses. After her parents founded Mexicali, she and her three sisters worked as waitresses while their mother worked in the kitchen. In her early years she ran her own business on Chester Avenue called the Chili King, but later returned to Mexicali. Later she threw herself into the community, volunteering for too many good causes and non-profits to list here. If a life can be measured by sheer kindness and grace, then Esther's was a life fulfilled.

 * ... SPOTTED: A young woman is in Valley Plaza wearing a T-shirt with this message: "I like long romantic walks to the bank."

 * … GOOD FORM: Isn't it surprising how a simple act of kindness can lead to such positive emotions? I recently lost a pair of my favorite sunglasses and I had no idea where they were. Then, to my surprise, six weeks later, hostess Crystal Garcia at The Mark Restaurant on 19th Street downtown surprised me by saying she had found them on my table and put them away for me for whenever I came back. Now that, friends, is white glove service by a young lady who goes above and beyond.

 * ... FRONT TRUNK: Tom Koski read my posted about the owner of a $300,000 McLaren spotted at Costco loading groceries in his front trunk. "I also owned a car where I loaded groceries camping supplies and other items into what would normally be the engine compartment, but the car did not cost $300,000. I think that I payed a little less than $3,000 for my first new car, a 1973 VW Bug."

* ... DROUGHT: Have you ever been tempted to install artificial grass? Terry Stoler did so about three years ago, using Dan Monji to install fake grass at the family's weekend home in New Cuyama. "And we love it!" she said. "We put native oaks on drip to soften up the landscape and there were tons of rocks on the place to fill in the flower beds. I don’t miss the flowers or shrubs. The Monji firm has great designers that know how to soften the look of artificial turf. Yes they have the more natural artificial turf with some blades of brown. The first shock was the price. Yes it is pricy. However when you think about the maintenance on real grass it turns that around pretty quickly. Add up the mowing, fertilizing, water costs and weeding. There are no weeds or gophers or insects! I think it raises the value and salability of a home... As farmers our water has been cut back to barely maintenance of our crops. Hope people will weigh the options. Our population continues to grow. California will never have enough water for our past lifestyles."

 * ... ACHIEVER: Hats off to Michelle Heredia, a freshman at East Bakersfield High School, who swam on the varsity swimming team. Said proud grandparent Johnnie Adams: "She won three medals and a certificate as most improved athlete. She also plays violin in the orchestra."

House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy: Government regulations on water and the environment are detrimental to farmers, businesses and families

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

 "Water is a resource that we need more of -- a lot more of. Mother Nature simply hasn’t produced enough to our state for several years now. But what rain and snow we are blessed with in the North is not traveling the course set by the forward-thinking planners that came before us when they established the most sophisticated water system in the country, and perhaps even the world.

Currently, government regulations are standing in the way of this important resource reaching our communities; preventing our farmers, businesses, and families from living their lives and enjoy opportunities for prosperity based on hard work.

 "The California water problem is well known in our community, state, and increasingly so across the country. In Congress we are continuing to work towards a solution that rebalances the regulatory priorities that are overwhelmingly burdensome to people and families for the sake of protecting fish from potential harm. But the formidable foe of government bureaucracy and regulatory overreach has reared its head again in the water debate. This latest case focuses on regulating the water that we do have on our property from small lakes, ponds, streams, and even ditches. In fact, it even regulates water we don't have.

 Earlier this week the Obama Administration's Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its final ruling for what is referred to as "Waters of the United States" This regulation builds upon the Clean Water Act and expands the areas of jurisdiction that the EPA can regulate in compliance with the law.

 "We all know about the Clean Water Act and we all support protecting our waterways from pollution that could impact our health. But this new rule is an overreach and intrusion on private property that will have no bearing on protecting public health. How do we know this? Well, the new rule intended to protect "navigable waterways" could include waterways with no water. In Taft, the EPA had determined Sandy Creek as a waterway and was trying to impose a permitting regulation on this land before any development could occur. The problem was that Sandy Creek had been dry for thirty years. I had to drive an EPA official out to this dry ditch and show them that there is no way this falls under their jurisdiction. Finally, the EPA relented.

 "Under this new rule, farmers, energy producers, and anyone else that supports their way of life off the land is crying foul this regulation would impose undue economic hardship. What's worse is that their voices have not only gone unheard, the EPA has acted as a special interest group to persuade people to support this regulation. This tramples on the regulatory process as it was intended and produces negative consequences for the American people.

Just a few weeks ago, the House passed legislation to prevent the EPA from implementing this rule and send it back to the drawing board. Every Republican supported it as did 24 Democrats. This bipartisan bill now heads over to the Senate where millions of Americans hope for swift consideration.

 "Our community needs the water it has paid for and deserves from the North. What we can't afford is even more regulatory obstacles from this Administration on water we do (and at times don't) have. Republicans in Congress are determined to stop it and allow our economy and community to continue to grow.