Bakersfield home sellers pushing prices higher, Jeff Gutierrez suffers a mild stroke and recognizing some outstanding women about town

* ... HOME PRICES: Earlier this week I speculated that - judging from some of the asking prices on local homes - we may be entering another mini real estate bubble. Not so, says appraiser Gary  

Crabtree, who told me the market has been basically flat since last September with the average media sale price being $218,000 at $134 a square foot. "On the other hand," he said, "the average median asking price over the same period was $255,500 with an average unit price of $143.50 per square foot. Your observation is correct, sellers are unrealistic in their asking prices. The issue is the economy. There is virtually no market above $300,000 and that is where the majority of the unsold inventory sets. Why? Forty five percent of the Bakersfield buyers must rely upon the low down payment government financing which has established the maximum loan for our community and much of the Central Valley of California at $271,050 while the Los Angeles and San Francisco have government loan limits at $625,500 or 130 percent higher, thus the federal government is in 'de facto' control of the real estate market. Where is Congressman McCarthy when we need him?"

 * ... MORE HOMES: And local Realtor Michael Richert added this: "Unless it comes with a famous chef who stays with the property, the overpriced house won’t likely sell. There are a lot of homes on the market because the seller is dictating the purchase price instead of the Realtor.  All those hard working, laid off oil field workers and those who benefit from their income, aren’t buying.  However, a clean, updated, well-priced home will sell to a very limited group of buyers. "

 * ... FRIENDSHIP: Al Gutierrez gave me a call to share a story of kindness and having your friend's back. It turns out his son, Jeff Gutierrez, owner of DeWalt Corp., suffered a mild stroke last Friday in Fresno and found himself alone in a parking lot unable to drive. After an Uber driver took him to a local hospital, it was his friend Jeff Green (general counsel Grimmway Farms) who drove to Fresno and spent two days in the hospital with his close friend, never leaving his side and bringing him back to town. "Now that's a true friend," Al Gutierrez told me.

* ... SPOTTED ON INSTAGRAM: ""Everything happens for a reason. Sometimes the reason is you're stupid and make bad decisions."

* ... HOMELESS: A reader dropped me this note: "Every day we drive through downtown on 24th Street. Heading west just past Pep Boys is a homeless camp on the front 'porch' of the building just on the right. Looks like a group of maybe six or seven permanently camped out.. Hasn't anyone else noticed? They are there day and night.. this building will not win a Beautiful Bakersfield Award."

 * ... WOMEN: Hats off to Cynthia Icardo, Tracy Walker Kiser, Danielle Wade and Nomra Rojas-Mora on being selected at Garden Pathway's 'Women with a Heart for Bakersfield.' The organization's  High Tea will honor these women next Wednesday, May 11.

 * ... VOLUNTEERS: We have moved into the prime fund raising season, and you don't have to look far to see folks volunteering for good causes. Recently, more than 50 women showed up to support the Power of the Purse campaign at the home of Wes and Tracey Bradford. Said Darlene Mohlke of Castle and Cooke: "Included in this group of volunteers were local business owners, community partners and 18 of the best and brightest from the CSU Bakersfield swim and dive team. These young adults come from all over to not only represent their sport, our college but give back to our community. The event raised over $120,000 and went to The Alliance Against Family Violence and Sexual Assualt. Our community really knows how to support each not only with their generous donations but with their wiling spirit to do what is needed to put on a great event."

Colorado Supreme Court strikes down local laws banning fracking, Stanford rejects a plan to divest in fossil fuels and are experiencing another housing bubble?

 * ... FRACKING: The folks trying to outlaw and demonize fossil fuels were dealt a setback this week when the Colorado Supreme Court struck down local government prohibitions on hydraulic fracturing. The court ruled that a moratorium in Fort Collins, as well as an outright ban in Longmont, were invalid because state law pre-empted them. At least two other cities in Colorado, and Boulder County, have anti-fracking regulations that could be affected by the rulings. Meanwhile, the Stanford University board of trustees has rejected the idea of divesting in fossil fuels, despite pressure from students and anti fossil fuel types. In a rare example of common sense on a university campus, the board noted it believes in reducing fossil fuel consumption, and developing alternative energy sources, (but) “at the present moment oil and gas remain integral components of the global economy, essential to the daily lives of billions of people in both developed and emerging economies. [G]iven how integral oil and gas are to the global economy, the trustees do not believe that a credible case can be made for divesting from the fossil fuel industry until there are competitive and readily available alternatives.”

 * .... HOME PRICES: Am I the only one who suspects we may be experiencing a mini bubble in the housing market, or does hope spring eternal when you are selling a home? Look around in virtually any neighborhood and you will find a lot of inventory on the market, and many of these homes seem aggressively overpriced. Yes, mortgage rates are still attractive but when prices of $200 per square foot become the new average in this town, if you have to wonder how long this will last.

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "Statistics show the number one cause of failed relationships is opening your mouth and letting words come out."

 * ... SPOTTED ON FACEBOOK: "The best part about being an adult is never having to do math ever again."

 * ... BAD FORM: I received this note from Paul Forster: "I applaud your on-going attempts to highlight bad driving behavior, so I thought I might help. Driving west on Olive, approaching Jewetta today, around 2 p.m. I noticed a black Subaru,  weaving in the right-hand lane, with a dog's head out of the driver's side window, on his lap! If that was not scary enough, when I passed him, he was talking on his mobile 'phone, stuck to his ear... need I say more?" That about covers it, Paul.

 * ... ROTARY: I neglected to mention that the volunteers I spotted cleaning up the rest stop next to Manor Street were members of the Bakersfield Breakfast Rotary Club. Thanks to Craig Holland for reminding me.

Former California House Speaker Willie Brown says Janet Napolitano is eyeing public office, Dr. Raj Patel is voted "Best Doctor" and what kind of bar gets rid of French Fries?

 * ... ACCOLADES: I was glad to see so many of my favorites were voted "Best Of" in the annual BakersfieldLife magazine readers poll (Sequoia Sandwich Co., Mexicali, Wool Grower's, Luigi's, The Padre Hotel, Motor City to name a few) but special kudos go to "Best Doctor" repeat winner Dr. Raj Patel, my own personal physician whose personal touch and attentive staff do not go unnoticed by the public.

* ... PADRE: And speaking of the Padre, there are few bigger fans of the old girl than me (I have spent so much money there they should rename the Oil Baron's Suite after me), but who told these guys to take French fries off the menu at the popular Brimstone bar and replace them with cucumber sized potato wedges?

 * ... HILLARY: Did you catch the obit in the newspaper last week for Patrick (Pat) Lee Jamieson. Even in death, as one reader said, he let his political feelings be known toward the end of the obit: "Mr. Jamieson requested that you NOT vote for Hillary Clinton."

 * ... GOV. NAPOLITANO: I was in San Francisco recently and heard former California House speaker Willie Brown speak. His prediction of who is positioning herself for a run for higher office in California, either governor or the Senate? Janet Napolitano, now head of the University of California system and former head of Homeland Security and former governor of Arizona.

 * ... BAD FORM: How is this for irony: on a bike ride Saturday I passed Mayor Harvey Hall and a group of volunteers sprucing up the bike path area near Manor Drive, and yet 10 minutes later near Ethel's Old Corral Cafe I spotted a half dozen soiled diapers on the side of the road. And so it goes.

 * ... ACHIEVER: You can't blame Joanne Shepard for a little bragging: "My granddaughter Katy Shepard Rios was honored by Bill Jager, principal of Columbia School, as teacher of the year. It was a tremendous honor for Katy to receive this award. In attendance was her dad, Steve Shepard, and brothers, her husband Brad Rios, who is employed as a firefighter with the county, and their children.

 * ... JARED GOFF: Rick Riley is the chief executive officer of Townsend Design and he had good reason to enjoy the large picture of Cal quarterback Jared Goff that ran in the paper after he was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams. Said Riley: "(It) shows this year's No. 1 pick wearing a Townsend Design knee brace, made here in Bakersfield. This is the second time in recent years a quarterback wearing a Townsend brace was drafted  No. 1. Andrew Luck (Stanford, 2012) also excelled during his senior season wearing a Townsend custom fabricated knee brace. Additionally, former NFL Super Bowl champion quarterback John Elway wore a Townsend knee brace throughout his professional career, and was featured in national ads endorsing our braces after his retirement. Three players in this year's Super Bowl were also wearing one of our braces. We've braced thousands of collegiate and professional athletes -- and hundreds of thousands of people throughout the USA and around the world have worn one of our orthopedic devices. I thought your readers would appreciate knowing there is a local company that is helping optimize the performance of elite athletes, and the quality of life for everyday consumers."

 * ... WRESTLING: The folks who support wrestling at CSUB are at it again, holding yet another fund raiser to keep the storied program alive. An Evening for CSUB Wrestling is set for this Thursday, May 5, at Stockade Country Club. Tickets are $75. For information call (661) 302-4455.

Midnight North will appear at Temblor Brewing Co. this Sunday and some random acts of kindness around town

 * ... MIDNIGHT NORTH: What happens when combine an incredibly talented young band with the hottest musical and eating venue in town? You wind up with the San Francisco-based band

Midnight North appearing at Temblor Brewing Co. this Sunday at 6 p.m. If you haven't heard this band, this description about sums them up: "For this band, it’s all about the song. When you come to a Midnight North show, you’ll find Elliott Peck, Grahame Lesh and Alex Jordan sliding into three part harmonies that are as comfortable as an old pair of jeans. You’ll hear bassist Connor O’Sullivan and new drummer Alex Koford making themselves at home in any groove from a stomp to a slow-burn or boogie. Settle in and you might find Midnight North writing a new page in the American songbook." Tickets are $25 at the door. Come enjoy amazing craft beer, great eats and can't miss music.

* ... GEESE: Local attorney Katy Raytis shared an adorable picture of a family of geese (seven little ones led by, presumably, their parents) crossing a busy Mohawk Street and California Avenue while traffic came to a stop during rush hour. It's about the only time traffic slows down around here.

 * ... GOOD FORM: Michele Garrison sent this shoutout to Derek Carr who was in town this past weekend for a good cause. "A sincere thanks to Derek Carr of the Oakland Raiders for his heartfelt ministry at the Upper Room on Sunday night and thanks for signing one last football. Thank you, Richard Beene, for giving us Bakersfieldians a personal format that is always interesting to read. " And thank you, Ms. Garrison.

 * ... MORE GOOD FORM: And here's another uplifting nugget to start your day, compliments of reader Doris Thometz: "I was getting gas intending to use the ATM at the pump but it wasn't working," she wrote. "I use a walker and I have trouble getting around so I asked the young lady at the next pump if she would go into the store for me if I gave her $5. She came back and chatted with me while I pumped the gas. When I was done, she handed the $5 back and said she wanted to pay for the gas. There's so much negative in the world today. I just had to share a positive. Thanks, Laura, you made my day!"

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "What if dogs bring the ball back because they think you enjoy throwing it?"

 *  ... ROSE PARADE: Local attorney Barry Rosenfeld has been selected to serve as a director of the Rotary Rose Parade Float Committee through 2018. Said Rosenfeld: "All of the directors are from the six Southern California districts that sponsor the float. We are all either past club presidents (I served 1992-1993) or past district governors. The these of this year's Tournament of Roses theme is Echoes of Success." 

 

Jackson Browne, Chris Stapleton and Bill Walton roll through town and another Great American Cleanup success

 * ... GEESE: A friend shared an adorable picture of a family of geese (seven little ones and the parents) crossing a busy Mohawk Street while traffic came to a stop on a busy day to watch nature at work.

 * ... WEEKEND: You didn't have to go far this weekend to find an event to attend, be it Links for Life at Seven Oaks, Relay for Life at the fairgrounds, a dinner for Catholic Charities, Cal State
Bakersfield's community day or the Great American Cleanup that saw folks spread out across town sprucing up our community. The cleanup event grows every year and brings out the best in us. Add to that concerts by Chris Stapleton and Jackson Browne and the town was hopping.

 * ... BILL WALTON: I was among the 200 or so people who showed up to hear UCLA basketball legend Bill Walton speak on behalf of Bike Bakersfield. His theme of second chances, hope, persistence and gratitude was infectious, and it was good to see Ward 2 city council candidate Andre Gonzales in the audience to support bicycle commuting. The venue - the outdoor Gardens at Mill Creek with its finely trimmed lawn  - could not have shown off better.

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "Just got a Cheerio stuck between my toes walking through the kitchen. Clearly my dog isn’t doing his part of the chores around here."

 * ... SUMMER CALORIES: How many people who order those Caramel Frappuccinos from Starbucks realize they might be better off ordering a milkshake from McDonald's?

 * ... BAD FORM: What is it about men and the need for speed? On Friday I witnessed two young men in separate, lowered cars racing down Union Avenue (it didn't end well when one of the speeders plowed into an SUV that was leaving the Burger King parking lot; thank goodness no one was seriously injured) and on Saturday a middle aged man peeling out of a parking lot off Ming Avenue and almost hitting a oncoming car near Old River Road.

* ... GOOD FORM: Reba Mullen submitted this simple thank you directed at an unnamed Good Samaritan: "I would like to express my sincere thanks to the woman who found my keys at the Valley Plaza and returned them to Total Woman fitness gym where I am a member. Such kindness will never be forgotten. I hope I will be able to help someone,  as she helped me,in the future. May God bless her."

 * ... MEMORIES: Here's a good one from Ronal Renyier: "You might be a Bakersfield old timer if you remember 'Freddie's' at the Circle. You might have seen the actor Ward Bond when he was in town having his typical breakfast of four eggs, six bacon strips, four pieces of toast, two pancakes,
one dinner steak and a double order of hash-browns. Freddie did not know what to charge him the
first time and so charged him for three meals."

Kern Health Systems pulls out of negotiations to build new administrative building downtown and some good and bad moments downtown

 * ... MISSED OPPORTUNITY: Well, the city passed up a chance to have a major employer (Kern Health Systems) purchase vacant land and bring a couple hundred jobs downtown. The land, across from the Maya Cinemas, has sat vacant for years and the Kern HMO was ready to purchase it

outright for new administrative offices. But when bureaucrats become involved, things never seem to go as smoothly as they should, and Kern Health walked away after the city set too many conditions. The two councilmen who represent the wards closest to the project - Terry Maxwell and Willie Rivera - called it a missed opportunity for downtown development and jobs in a time when growth is stagnant. On this issue, they got it right.

* ... ACHIEVER: Congratulations to Bakersfield native Connor Mojo who has been named an "outstanding senior" at Oklahoma State University. A graduate of Stockade High School and the son of Jeff and Dena Mojo, Connor is an industrial engineering and management major. He is a member of the Honors College and also served as vice president in the OSU Student Foundation (STUFU), an organization that promotes philanthropic giving on campus, as well as an officer in the Sigma Nu fraternity.

 * ... FOODIE: Friends have been raving about the new Victor's Mexican Grill on F Street downtown, so I sauntered in to see what the fuss was all about. Don't expect sit-down service or a cold margarita, because this place was birthed on the Chipotle model: a simple take-out menu featuring fresh burritos and bowls, all at a reasonable price with speedy service. If that is your ticket, punch it here at the new Victor's.

 * ... PADRE: And speaking of food, it was good to see that the folks over at The Padre Hotel finally succumbed and brought back some of the favorite bar food items that disappeared from the menu some time ago. The Brimstone's popular sliders and nachos are back, as well as some tweaks to the hotel's popular salads.

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "If you don’t have anything nice to say, you’re probably just being realistic."

 * ... SPOTTED ON FACEBOOK: A friend posted this on his Facebook page: "I spotted a guy at Starbucks today. He had no smartphone, tablet or laptop. He just sat there drinking his coffee. Like a psychopath."

 * ... BAD FORM: Note to the driver of the white Mitsubishi with the gold "in loving memory" sticker on its back windshield: was it really necessary to toss your empty McDonald's cup and a handful of used napkins out your window the other day?

 * ... GOOD FORM: But hats off to the young man named Cody who came to the aid of a 93-year-old World War II veteran who had slipped in the parking lot while headed to Denny's on Panama Lane. He later spent time with him and walked him back to his motel.

 * ... BARBECUE: And don't forget the St. Francis of Assisi annual barbecue next Thursday in the east church parking lot. For $30 you get to hobnob with your neighbors and dine on a New York steak, fettuccine, green beans, salad and rolls, and all for a good cause.

Three young men get a Darwin award nomination for busting into a huge gun store overnight (yes they were arrested) and NBA legend Bill Walton will be in town Thursday to support Bike Bakersfield

 * ... DARWIN AWARDS: Just how stupid were the three young men who broke into Second Amendment Sports and were arrested after being trapped inside? Never at a loss for words, another

local gun shop owner, the colorful Gene Thome, described the two suspected gang members and a juvenile as being "industrial strength stupid," which is a nicer way of saying they should be in the running for the Darwin Awards, which recognizes folks who have "contributed to human evolution by selecting themselves out of the gene pool via death or sterilization by their own actions." Outside of banks and other financial institutions, is there a riskier place to rob or burglarize than a gun shop?

 * ... ROAD WORK: Tom Ware wrote about a construction project that has motorists fuming, particularly at rush hour. Said Ware: "It appeared that a right turn lane at the southeast corner of Calloway and Rosedale Highway was in the works. Houses have been taken down and the corner business vacated. Now, new curbs and sidewalks are in on that southeast corner as if no right turn lane is going to appear. The traffic there backs up about a half a mile at times. A designated right turn lane going on to Rosedale Highway east is badly needed. Do you have any information or pull?"

 * ... BILL WALTON: UCLA and NBA legend Bill Walton will be in Bakersfield this Thursday speaking at a fund raiser for Bike Bakersfield. His prowess on the basketball court is well known, but his messages of persistence, second chances and hope are what has defined his life since retiring in 1987. I chatted with Walton on NewsTalk KERN 96.1 on the Scott Cox show, and his energy and enthusiasm for life is intoxicating. And did you know his father was from Taft? Walton knows the oil patch, and he had this advice for local folks who have lost their jobs in the oil industry. "These are defining moments of your life when the ball bounces the wrong way," he said, noting his 30-plus surgeries on his 6 foot, 11 inch frame as well as his personal struggle with stuttering. Look at these setbacks as opportunities, he said, and with faith and persistence anything is possible. Walton will appear at the Gardens at Mill Creek (712 19th Street) from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Go to bikebakersfield.org to buy tickets.

 * ... HAPPY THOUGHT: This note from Mary Moreland brought a smile to my face: "Yesterday as I was walking my dogs Scruffy and Rusty east of Bakersfield College I noticed some chalk drawings on a driveway. I thought how great it was that despite cell phones, kids still do that. The important message in large script: LIVE LIFE HAPPY."

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "You trust me holding your child? Do you know how many iPhone screens I’ve cracked?"

 * ... FOODIE: I was saddened to hear that Quig's BBQ and Catering, housed in a huge trailer that has graced the Garces circle for a few years, is closing down. Owner Scott Quig and his young family are moving to Maryland and hope to sell the trailer.

 * ...  LIBRARIES: Have you considered how you will vote on Measure F, the proposed tax to save our public libraries? Linda Fiddler is among those who supports the measure, and shares this memory from when she was a child in Taft. "I remember visiting the Taft branch library and participating in the summer reading program. After swimming at Taft High, we would spend the rest of the hot afternoon at the library picking out books, listening to stories and doing art projects. I went to the community meeting at the Taft branch recently. It looks just the same, only smaller."

A local attorney rides 224 miles over a 24-hour period just because he could, yet another memory of Merle Haggard and white glove service at the Craft Tap House

 * ... THOMAS MORGAN: Do you ever wonder what drives people to excel, or achieve feats of physical pain and endurance that would make most of us shrink from the challenge? I posed that

question to my friend Thomas Morgan, who just punched his bucket list on a quest to climb on his bike the equivalent of climbing Mt. Everest, some 29,000 feet. Morgan, deputy county counsel with a fascinating personal story (years ago as a young deputy sheriff he was shot in the neck at point blank range and left for dead) took his bike to the base of Round Mountain and put in 224 miles over a 24-hour period, climbing 29,137 feet in some nasty and wet conditions. Why? Morgan told me it would be easy to answer "because it is there," but more deeply said he was moved at what it brought out in his friends who rallied to help by bringing food, shoveling mud off the road and riding alongside to help him stay awake. "Why indeed?" he told me. "At first it was the idea that I could, even at an age far beyond most great athletes, do something extraordinary. I wouldn't need any support or fanfare or a pile of money. All I would need is a mountain and a bike and a little free time. However, in the end what was really extraordinary was all of the people that came out to support me... At times it seemed they willed me back up that climb when all I wanted to do was go home and sleep."

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "When life throws me a curveball, I try to duck so it hits someone else."

 * ... BILL MURRAY: And there was this quote floating around social media attributed to comedian Bill Murray: "I don't trust people who don't like dogs, but I trust dogs who don't like people."

 * ... FOODIE: After hearing friends rave about its bar food, I finally stopped by the Craft Tap House on Truxtun the other day and settled into one of their custom hamburgers. The bacon burger was outstanding, but more impressive was the white glove service provided by on site manager Robert Reyna.

 * ... MERLE: Reader A.S. McClaren has this memory of Merle Haggard when McClaren was a young deputy sheriff back in 1972: "I was working as a reserve deputy sheriff in 1972 when we got a call to meet the man at the Hart Park offices regarding a possible assault with a deadly weapon. Upon arriving we found a very wet Merle Haggard. He had been across the river at Shell Beach with a female friend when her significant other showed up. According to Merle, he had a very large gun and told Merle he could save his skin if he swam the Kern River, which he did. A few years later I was working in Los Angeles when I heard a new song by Merle Haggard entitled 'I'll Never Swim Kern River Again.' I just about fell out of my truck. I don't know how many know the story behind songs but this is one that only a true song writer could write because he had been there. And I was a witness. Sad to have lost him."

 * ... CALM: The California Living Museum (CALM) is putting on a fancy dinner and musical evening on Saturday, May 7, to expose more folks to the only wildlife rehabilitation facility in the southern San Joaquin Valley. It's called the Beastly Ball and it will feature a gourmet dinner, music, and auction and an opportunity to walk the grounds around the CALM zoo. Tickets are $125 or $900 a table.