San Luis Obispo is crowned the best college town in America, avocado prices spike because of a bad harvest and Steve Schilling prepares to retire from Clinic Sierra Vista

 * ... COLLEGE TOWNS: So where is the best college town in America? Would it surprise you if I told you it was just up the road in San Luis Obispo, home of Cal Poly? That's what the website

College Rank found in its research, crowning SLO as the "best college town" in the country. Rounding out the top ten were Cambridge, Mass. (Harvard); Gainesville, Fla. (University of Florida);  Amherst, Mass. (Amherst College); Boulder, Colo. (University of Colorado); Burlington, Vt. (University of Vermont); Charlottesville, Va. (University of Virginia); Ann Arbor, Mich.  (University of Michigan);  Santa Cruz, Calif. (UC Santa Cruz) and Athens, Ga. (University of Georgia).

 * ... AVOCADO: If you've noticed a sharp spike in the price of avocados, it should come as no surprise. The average retail price for avocados rose 35 percent in the first half of this year to $1.21 per avocado, according to the Hass Avocado Board. The reason: smaller than average harvests in California, which produces more avocados than any other U.S. state.

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "Just drove my mechanic's vehicle and his check engine light was on."

 * ... SPOTTED ON FACEBOOK: "You're never too old to be nice to people."

 * ... GOOD FORM: Hats off to new Californian columnist Justin Salters who broke ranks from the divisive and self pitying nature of other voices and called for more "Jefferson Dinners," venues for people of all backgrounds and political philosophies to come together for constructive conversations. It's an idea whose time has come, and I salute Salters for suggesting something that I for one plan to adopt.

 * ... SCHILLING: Steve Schilling, who built Clinica Sierra Vista into one of the largest and most important health organizations serving the needy in Central California, is looking to retire. That's the word from Jennifer Self, Clinica's communications and advocacy director, who said a search is under way to replace Schilling as the organization's chief executive officer. "He will stay until his successor is on board," Self said, adding that might be accomplished by the end of the year. Schilling almost single handedly built Clinica into a powerhouse in providing basic and preventative health care to thousands of Californians via a vast network of public and private partnerships.

 * ... SHOUT OUT: City Councilman Andrae Gonzales was making the rounds in Ward 2 the other day when he gave a shout-out to an important local organization that works quietly and doesn't get a lot of press: The Assistance League of Bakersfield. Said Gonzales: "The Assistance League is an all-volunteer non-profit organization, serving the community through ongoing philanthropic programs. One program, Operation School Bell, provides new school clothing to children in need. In 2017, the group helped over 3,600 children with back-to-school clothing! The organization's thrift store, the Bargain Box Thrift Store, is the group's biggest fund-raiser. The store is located at 1924 Q Street and is open Monday though Saturday, 11a.m. To 3 p.m. Stop by and visit!"

* ... MEMORIES: So who remembers Beryl's Cafe, a small country style cafe located at the corner of South Union and Bear Mountain Boulevard? According to Fatima Al-Bugharin, writing on the Kern County of Old Facebook page, it was originally a gas station owned by Vern Sweitzer (Sweitzer's Corner) from 1917 to 1961. "In 1961 Mrs. Beryl Mitchell purchased the property from Mr. Sweitzer and turned it into Beryl's Cafe. The cafe was successful and became a home away from home for many visitors, farmers, and truckers. Beryl's cafe closed in 2006 and in 2009 Mrs. Beryl Mitchell passed away. Unfortunately, the old place fell apart through the years and was demolished as a result."

Where were you when the wild weather hit over Labor Day weekend, Superior Court Judge David Lampe suffers a nasty bike crash and Monsignor Perry Kavookjian celebrates 30 years in the priesthood

 * ... EPIC WEATHER: Where were you when the storm moved through town Sunday afternoon?

Did your power go out? Were you stuck on the Westside Parkway unable to see because the rain was coming down so hard? Sudden, unexpected weather events like this bring out the best in us. There were impromptu block parties, neighborhood pool parties and I ended up enjoying a rare patio dinner reveling in the 25-to-30 degree drop in the temperature, eating by candlelight because my friend's power was out.

 * ... SICK BAY: Superior Court Judge David Lampe is recovering after a nasty accident that happened while he was riding his bicycle on Labor Day. Lampe, an avid and experienced cyclist, was participating in a group ride when his front tire hit a rock and his tire shredded, sending him over the handlebars and onto the pavement. He suffered a broken clavicle and numerous bruises.

* ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "It's time to eliminate triggering words like industrious, diligent and conscientious. They stigmatize those who choose not to be."

 * ... SPOTTED ON FACEBOOK: "You know that you're officially lost when you turn down the car radio and take off your sunglasses.

 * .. MONSIGNOR: When I wrote to commemorate Monsigner Craig Harrison's 30 years in the priesthood, Liz Neuman reminded me that Monsignor Perry Kavookjian is also celebrating his 30th anniversary. It turns out Harrison and Kavookjian were classmates in the seminary and were ordained together. Said Neuman: "As you may know, in 2008 Monsignor Perry was tasked with the challenge of beginning the first new Catholic parish in Bakersfield in 40 years. He has taken St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish from a small group of people meeting at Frontier High School, to a booming and vibrant parish of over 4500 families! The beautiful church at the corner of Old Farm and Reina Road represents Father Perry's dedication to serving the Catholic community in Northwest Bakersfield, but the true testament of his priesthood can be found in the deep affection his parishioners hold for him. ..
We are throwing an anniversary party for our beloved pastor on Sept 16th.  We have sold out the Crystal Palace with people wanting to celebrate his ministry, which I believe is proof that Bakersfield loves Monsignor Perry!"

 * ... LEBEC HOTEL: Jack Kelley wrote with his memories of the old Lebec Hotel. "My wife and I spent our wedding night at the Lebec Hotel in 1948 (it was very run down then) we were on our way to Catalina. The hotel was built by a saloon keeper Thomas O’Brien and a partner Cliff Durant. Cliff Durant was the playboy son of William Durant the founder of General Motors. The hotel was started in 1919 and the $225,000 grand hotel was opened to the public Friday, May 21, 1921, in a blaze of glory as Hotel Durant. Jack Dempsey heavy weight champion of the world was a registered guest. Other guests were silent film stars Rex Bell, Clara Bow and Buster Keaton. Cliff's father ran out of money due to bad investments and pulled out, forcing O’Brien to buy him out and renamed the Hotel Durant to Hotel Lebec. The hotel never made money always about breaking even. O’Brien sold the hotel to Foster Curry, son of the concessionaires of Yosemite, and the hotel was renamed for a short time as Curry’s Lebec Lodge... The hotel gradually went down hill. The county of Kern condemned the hotel, Tejon purchased and burned it and buried the rubble. There is a Cypress tree and a historical marker at the site."

 * ... MORE LEBC: And Nikki Heitman added this: "I remember the hotel, in fact my grandfather worked there for a while. The family lived up in the hills and while riding home on the back of their flatbed truck, they encountered a mountain lion. I think they moved not too long after that. My grandmother was concerned for her nine kids' safety.

Monsignor Craig Harrison celebrates 30 years in the priesthood, Ben Stinson III gives away $93,000 in non-profit grants and lamenting those crazy Bakersfield drivers

* ... FATHER CRAIG: Congratulations to our own Monsignor Craig Harrison, who celebrates 30 years in the priesthood in September. Harrison began his journey in Merced and his first parish

was in Mojave and Rosamond, then on to Firebaugh and finally now at St. Francis where he has been for 19 years. There are few more popular religious figures in town than 'Father Craig,' and as one friend said to me: "I'm not even religious but talking to Father Craig makes me want to join the Catholic faith."

 * ... GOOD FORM: People who are in touch with their own "true north," that internal moral compass that guides decision making and feeds the soul, are invaluable to the success of any community. We are blessed with many of them here, and one of them is Ben Stinson III, who has guided Stinson's Stationers to a growth path despite the challenge from big box competitors and online shopping. So it shouldn't surprise anyone that Stinson, to celebrate his company's 70th anniversary in business, decided to give away $93,000 in $1,000 grants to local non profits. At his vast warehouse off Union Avenue Tuesday morning, more than 200 representatives from local non-profits gathered to network and enjoy a robust breakfast.

* ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "Racism is alive and well. I entered a plane and a white lady started freaking out. I laughed so hard my grenades fell out of my pocket."

* ... DRIVING: Are drivers in certain parts of town more reckless and prone to speeding than others? That occurred to me the other day while driving on Coffee Road near Meany Avenue when I was passed by not two, but three different drivers doing at least 80 mph plus on a quiet Saturday morning. Is it the width of the roads in the Northwest and Southwest that turn them into our personal German autobahns?

 * ... GET A GUN: I spent a lazy morning this past weekend at a relatively new firearms store called Get A Gun over off Patton Way in the northwest. For you hunters and enthusiasts gearing up for dove season, owner Rafael Esqueda and his staff have put together a remarkable destination for firearms and accessories.

 * ... MEMORIES: My pal Gene Bonas, a proud Navy submarine vet, submitted this memory on growing up in Bakersfield in a simpler time. "I was reminiscing about growing up in east Bakersfield during the 1950s when I realized what today's youth missed. I remember pasta had not been invented yet. Back then it was called macaroni or spaghetti. Pizza? Sounds like a leaning tower somewhere.  Potato chips were plain, oil was for lubricating, fat was for cooking. Healthy food consisted of anything edible! Sugar was considered white gold. Water came out of the tap; if someone had suggested bottling it and charging more than gasoline for it, they would have been the laughing stock.  There were two things mom never allowed on the table: elbows and hats, and there were always two choices for meals: take it or leave it!  I really miss those days!"

Kern County's grape harvest is in full swing, more heat in the 106-degree range is in the forecast, a new manager takes over at The Mark restaurant downtown and a fond farewell to Lois Henry

 * ... GRAPES: If you are lucky, this is the time of year when it's good to count a local grape farmer as one of your close friends. The grape harvest is in full swing, and I watch with envy as a neighbor unloads a case of delicious, red seedless grapes from his car, courtesy of his buddy whose family

owns a vineyard in Delano. Kern County specializes in the classic plump, seedless table grape, but vineyards like The Grapery in Shafter have also brought to market exciting new varieties like the Moon Drops, Tear Drops and Cotton Candy variety. This is the season. Enjoy the harvest.

* ... HEAT: You know you are from Bakersfield when you realize summer is never over until the Kern County Fair ends in October. An example: temperatures are heading back to the 105-106 degree range this weekend and into early next week. Hang tight because winter is coming. Just not tomorrow.

* ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "If you scan the barcode tattoo on my neck, it tells you I scored very poorly on my SATs."

 * ... ROBERT LEE: The award for the overreaction of the week goes to ESPN, which told an Asian-American sports broadcaster named Robert Lee that he could not provide the play-by-play for a University of Virginia football game because his name was too similar to the Conferdate war general Robert E. Lee. To which someone tweeted: "From 1862 until his surrender in 1865, ESPN college football announcer Robert Lee commanded the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia." And so it goes.

 * ... STATUES: And speaking of Gen. Lee, it is important to note the distinction between history and heritage in the argument over removing statues of Confederate soldiers. History is the study of exactly what happened in the past while heritage is the celebration of local and regional life via traditions, buildings, statutes etc. As one website put it: "History is the study of the past and heritage refers to valued objects and qualities such as historic buildings and traditions that have been passed down from previous generations."

 *... THE MARK: There is a familiar face hanging around The Mark as the downtown eatery's new  food and beverage manager: George Valencia, who spent six years working in a similar position at The Padre Hotel. The Mark has struggled with a series of short tenured managers who were shown the door (Terry Maxwell and Jeramy Brown were the latest) and are hoping Valencia brings some much needed stability to the popular restaurant. Meir Brown, the Cafe Med owner who was brought it to stabilize the place, said he hopes his temporary assignment ends by late December.

 * ... FAREWELL LOIS HENRY: And finally, a farewell and good luck to Californian columnist Lois Henry, who ends a remarkable 30-year run at the newspaper today (Friday) to explore new opportunities. Her courage, doggedness, honesty and occasional snarkiness (what would a Lois column be without a dose of that?) will be missed on the pages of our local daily newspaper.

The eclipse was Mother Nature's gift, a rare moment of positivity and wonder in a world awash in negativity, terror and vitriol, and USC comes in at No. 4 in the AP preseason college football poll

 * ... MOTHER NATURE: Wasn't the solar eclipse spectacular? Even here in Kern County where it didn't totally block out the sun, the event provided a rare and welcome respite from the tsunami of

negativity and bad news that have consumed us recently: Charlottesville, neo-Nazis, white supremacists, Barcelona, Islamic terrorism, the rush to erase history by tearing down statues, to name just a few. In less than three minutes Mother Nature brought us together in positivity, wonder and hope.

 * ... SPORTS: Is there a better time for sports than fall: College football returns, we head to the World Series and the Los Angeles Dodgers are on top of the baseball world. And now this: the USC Trojans are ranked fourth in the AP preseason college football poll right behind perennial powerhouses Alabama, Ohio State and Florida State. Rounding out the top ten are Clemson, Penn State, Oklahoma, Washington, Wisconsin and Oklahoma State.

* ... SPOTTED ON FACEBOOK: "You ever get a funny feeling in the pit of your stomach and then look down and realize you're impaled on a spear?"

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "Much like the moon, I also like to stand in front of my hotter friends and dramatically become the center of attention.

 * ... SUMMER TREAT: Here in the waning days of summer, the best dessert around is mango mocha ice cream from Jin Sushi downtown, topped with whipped cream, chocolate and cherries.

 * ... REALLY BAD FORM: Ginny Espinoza is a volunteer at the Rags to Rescue store on H Street that supports the HALT (Helping Animals Live Tomorrow) dog rescue operation. This past week, someone stole an old red wooden telephone booth in front of their store. "The telephone booth was going to open in October as a Little Neighborhood Library, with books to help kids learn about their pets and how to better care for them. We had plans for Pumpkin Carving for children, Kids’ Painting Sessions, and Dogs Best Costume Contests at Halloween around the library in front of our shop.
To say that we are heart-broken is putting it mildly! Hoping you can help us spread the word for return of the booth!"

 * ... MORE BAD FORM: My neighbor Bernadette Root was in Denver recently dining at the newly remodeled Union Station when she noticed a diner changing her baby's diaper at her table. "Then she left it there on top of the table," she said. Looks like bad form knows no geographic boundaries.

  * ... FRANKLIN: Kathy Kozlowski is a second grade teacher at Franklin Elementary and sent me this note to set the record straight. "On Friday morning, you had a blurb in your blog about parents at Franklin not being allowed to walk their kids to the front gate on Truxtun as being a 'sign of the times.' This is really misleading. I don't know who emailed you, but most of the parents affected are not walking their kids to school; most of them are driving them.  I have been teaching at Franklin for 28 years. When I started there in 1989, no one was allowed to drop or pick up their kids off on Truxtun Avenue because the traffic made it too dangerous. It remained that way for years. However, recently, more and more parents decided to break the rule and drop off their kids on Truxtun because it was more convenient. The traffic on Truxtun is really fast in front of the school, even though it's supposed to be 25 mph. Most cars are going much faster than that. Some parents were even double parking on Truxtun to pick up or drop off their kids. To avoid potential accidents, this year, we decided to start the new year off with going back to enforcing the rule that had been in place for years. Eighteenth Street has a crossing guard, and the traffic is not as bad as Truxtun Avenue."

Clinica Sierra Vista lends a hand to the neediest among us, the last house on 24th Street goes down and how long before someone calls for the removal of the state of Father Garces?

 * ... HELPING HAND: Hats off to Clinica Sierra Vista and a number of other organizations that teamed up to lend a hand to some of the neediest among us. The organization, which provides basic

medical services to the poor and needy, opened its doors at its Old Town Kern facility to provide free haircuts, breakfast burritos, HIV testing and screening for glucose and high blood pressure.
It was all part of National Health Center Week, an annual celebration of community health centers like Clinica Sierra Vista. Said Clinica CEO Steve Schilling: “The marginalized of our community are why Clinica was created. We can’t forget our roots.”

 * ... FRANKLIN: A sign of the times about traffic and growth: parents of students going to Franklin Elementary downtown have been told that walking their kids to school on busy Truxtun Avenue is too dangerous because of the speeding cars. Instead, they now must enter the school from the rear entrance on 18th Street.

 * ... FATHER GARCES: How long do you think it will take before someone calls for the removal of the statue of Father Francisco Tomas Garces at the Garces traffic circle? Is he a symbol of the white European repression of native Indian tribes, or an inspiration as one of the first Europeans to discover California? Take your pick.

 * ... SPOTTED ON FACEBOOK: "I thought I felt a cold breeze but it was just my mother's sighs of disappointment."

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "If anyone asks, I'm drinking all this wine to collect corks for a Pinterest project."

 * ... 24TH STREET: The last house standing in the way of the 24th Street widening is being demolished this week, clearing the way for the next phase in what will be a long process to improve the road. Next up: installation of sound walls on the north side of 24th.

 * ... OVERHEARD: A downtown resident is telling friends about a homeless woman who showed up at his door one evening past 9 p.m. "She was holding two Ramen noodle cups and asked me for hot water. I turned on the hot water and looked back and she was inside my house. When she saw I had ordered a pizza, she said 'Can I have some?'"

 * ... PEOPLE IN THE NEWS: Providence Strategic  Consulting Inc. has announced that two local business women have become affiliated with the firm. They are Kristin Hagan, a local attorney, and Kim Schaefer, a political and public affairs advisor who most recently was the public face behind the successful effort to rescind the PACE (Property Assessed Clean Energy) program.

 * ... WEEKEND MOVIE: Playing locally here at the Maya Cinemas is a movie called Wind River starring Jeremy Renner and Elizabeth Olson. It is one of the most highly anticipated movies of the year and is touted as a moving, dark drama set on an Indian Reservation. Olson plays an FBI agent sent to Wyoming to investigate a murder. Worth considering for your weekend enjoyment.

The coming spectacular solar eclipse, discovering a killer superfood salad and celebrating the perfect down-home simplicity of the 24th Street Cafe

 * ... SOLAR ECLIPSE: Where will you be for the solar eclipse on Monday? This rare event will happen at 10:15 a.m. Pacific time and will end at 2:50 p.m. Easter time. We won't get a total blackout in this part of California, but it will be spectacular nonetheless. (If you want to get the full 100

percent blackout, fly to Salem, Oregon on the west coast or Charleston, S.C. on the east.) Folks are already stocking up on "eclipse glasses" or building their own pinhole projectors. Binoculars can be used but only if you have slide-on filters to protect your eyes.

 * ... SPOTTED ON FACEBOOK: "Amazing things will happen today if you choose not to be a miserable cow."

* ... STEAK: The most popular local image on Facebook last week was a 33-ounce tomahawk ribeye steak being served at Luigi's Delicatessen. Enough to feed four or more people, the tomahawk is a stunning  culinary masterpiece that that costs the princely sum of $75. When Luigi's served it Friday, Facebook exploded with posts showing folks consuming this meat lover's special. KC Steakhouse also serves the tomahawk and given its popularity, expect to see it served elsewhere.

 * ... GOOD EATS: And speaking of our iconic local eateries, I dropped into the 24th Street Cafe on Saturday for a post exercise caloric experience. There are few more entertaining places in town to eat than at the cafe's friendly counter enjoying a deep menu and crisp service while watching the world go by.

 * ... MORE EATS: As long as I am talking about food, I would be remiss if I didn't mention  an impressive "superfood" salad available at BJ's Restaurant off Stockdale Highway in the Southwest. Perhaps one of the best and healthiest salads I have had in a long time, it features baby kale, Romaine lettuce, Peruvian quinoa, sliced apples, fresh blueberries, diced cucumbers and tomatoes, jicama, sweet corn and asparagus.

* ... GOOD FORM: Congratulations to Dr. Tom Gordon and Bakersfield West Rotary for sponsoring 30 needy children for a 'back to school' shopping spree. Vija Turjanis of Kern Behavioral Health and Recovery Services said Rotary West has been doing this since 2005. The kids were given $100 each to shop at Kohl's.

 * ... GRAPEVINE: John Kelley added this note to my recent piece about how the Grapevine was named:  "Richard to add to your blog on the community of Grapevine, as you printed Grapevine Canyon was named by Don Pedro Fages, ( La Canada de Las Uvas ) which translates to 'The Canyon of the Grapes.' The grapes are Cimarron Grapes, they grew so profusely the soldiers under Fages had to hack their way through them. Don Pedro Fages was chasing army deserters. Also Don Pedro named Buena Lake, and the area he viewed was a labyrinth of lakes and tulares. Many people believe that Father Francisco Garces was the first white man to enter the San Joaquin Valley; not so Don Pedro Fages was there four years ahead of Garces."

                         

Remembering the famous studio musicians called "The Wrecking Crew" and a young bass guitarist named Carol Kaye, Happy Jack's gives back to the Ronald McDonald House and Taft College gets a big donation from a supporter

 * ... WRECKING CREW: Before he rose to fame, the late Glenn Campbell was an accomplished studio musician and a member of a famous group of musicians in Los Angeles called "The Wrecking Crew." Active in the 1960s and 1970s, the Wrecking Crew became the most requested session

musicians of their time, playing with artists such as Frank Sinatra, Sonny and Cher, the Beach Boys, the Monkees and even the Byrds. In addition to Campbell, other members included keyboardist Leon Russell, guitarist Tommy Tedesco and saxophonist Steve Douglas. And, not to be forgotten, the crew also included a talented young bass guitarist named Carol Kaye, who at 84 now lives in Rosamond.
Kaye was the bassist on Phil Spector and Brian Wilson productions and recorded guitar on Ritchie Valens' huge hit "La Bamba." The story of the Wrecking Crew was made into a documentary now available on Netflix.

 * ... HAPPY JACK'S: My friend Gene Bonas, a proud Navy veteran, reminded me of an important event this weekend that is worthy of note. Said Bonas: "Stopped in at my favorite diner to have a delicious hamburger and spoke with the owners of Happy Jack's, Frances and Ruben Rosales. They said they're sponsoring another fundraiser for the Ronald McDonald House this coming Sunday, August 13, from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. All money collected will go to Ronald McDonald House, and workers are donating their time, wages and tips. Last year Happy Jack's presented Ronald McDonald House $8,000. The goal this year is $10,000. So, for a delicious breakfast or lunch please support this worthwhile fundraiser."

 * ... RIP HARRY: Taft College lost a friend and community role model last year with the death of Harry Wilson, who graduated from the school in 1942. Wilson, who died last September at the age of 96, served in both World War II and the Korean war and later worked at ARCO for 30 years before retiring. The college has now announced that Wilson left the college $1.6 million, which will help fund  student support services along with starting the Opal Smith and Harry Wilson Endowment for Taft College.

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "Sometimes I'm good at eating healthy, but other times I have to change into bigger clothes in the middle of a meal."

 * ... SPOTTED ON FACEBOOK: "Unfortunately, I don't have the type of rage that makes you want to clean house."

 * ... NUESTRO MEXICO: Congratulations to the folks who own Nuestro Mexico, the intimate eatery on 21st Street that consistently serves up quality food at affordable prices. (They also happen to offer an awesome margarita). According to the Californian's Dorothy Mills-Gregg, the restaurant is looking to open a lounge at the corner of Calloway Drive and Hageman Road to serve the fast growing Northwest area.

 * ... MEMORIES: Did you know that the Grapevine is actually a community located at the foot of what we now know as the 'Grapevine grade" headed to Los Angeles? According to the Facebook page Kern County of old, "The village and grade are named, not for the once-winding road known as the Grapevine that used to climb the steep mountain canyon, but for the canyon it passed through with its wild grapes that still grow along the original road. Its Spanish name was La Cañada de las Uvas, i.e. Grapevine ravine." Wikipedia added: "The top of the Grapevine is registered as California Historical Landmark #283, where Don Pedro Fages passed through in 1772 during his explorations through California."