Big oil places a big bet on solar, CALM ushers in another year of holiday lights and yes, it's time for those seasonal telephone scams again

 * ... CALM LIGHTS: The California Living Museum (CALM) is kicking off its annual holiday lights show this weekend, and it promises to be the biggest year yet for the popular light show. This

is the fifteenth year CALM has presented this dazzling show, which runs until January 6. Tickets are available at Valleytix and at the door. The show runs nightly from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.

* ... OIL PATCH: In the battle for public opinion, the oil industry has done a poor job of telling its story. Instead, environmental organizations have enjoyed free reign to demonize fossil fuels, spread half truths about fracking and demand an end to the production of oil and natural gas. So it was good to see Aera Energy CEO Christina Sistrunk take a more proactive role in explaining the company's plans to build what will be California's largest solar farm to power its oil operations in the Belridge field. This is Aera's first foray into solar and it is a big bet that will provide jobs for more than 500 people. The solar farm is expected to be operational in 2020.

* ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "I wish I could enjoy the preppy style and comfortable torso warmth of a sweater vest without looking like the manager of an Office Depot."

 * ... SEASONAL SCAMS: Karen King wrote to remind me this is the season for telephone scams. Said King: "I just had a reminder that the scammers are still at it. I just received a phone call and a man said 'Hi, Grandma... it's your favorite grandson.' I said 'What?' He repeated himself. Since my only grandson is seven years old, this was a no-brainer and I told him off. He quickly hung up and I'm sure he is going down the list of other seniors. Apparently, there are people who think gray hair equals dead brain cells. I just wanted to give a heads up to all seniors NOT to accept any such calls."

* ... DOG LOVERS: If you are a dog lover, take heart. According to a Swedish study, dog owners are less likely to develop cardiovascular disease and death than those who don't own dogs. Scientific Reports had this to say: "Owning a dog was associated with a 20 percent lower risk of all cause death and a 23 percent lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease." It went on to say that "the effect was stronger with certain breeds, particularly pointers and retrievers." The reason? Researchers speculated that owner of these breeds were more likely to get out and exercise more.

* ... BAD FORM: Joe Mitchell sent this reminder about traffic safety. "As I was driving up Wible Road this afternoon and listening to the radio news report the latest pedestrian casualty - 38 this year  a record -  a yellow school bus was stopped ahead with flashing lights and the 'STOP' sign extended.     I waited along with several other autos, traveling in both directions, as a line of students descended onto the sidewalk. These students were not children. They were what I call young adults. High school students... By high school age have they learned not to walk out into the street, and not all drivers are going to be alert and stop for them? I believe these students have been trained from their first day of school that autos are going to stop and wait for them, but unfortunately, not all will stop. That’s when we mark up another pedestrian death!"

 * ... CHRISTMAS: If you are in to the Christmas spirit, you might consider attending a special event this Saturday at St. John's Lutheran Church. It is the annual Master Chorale Christmas featuring your favorite calls and the 80-voice Bakersfield Master Chorale and Brass a la Carte under the direction of Dr. Robert Provencio. Stop by California Keyboards on Brundage Lane for advance tickets ($15) or buy them at the door for $20. The fun starts at 7 p.m.

The season of giving is upon us, mega gyms move into vacant mall space and the CSUB Roadrunners hits it big with a move to the Big West Athletic Conference

 * ... CHARITY: Did you open your wallet and donate to your favorite charity on Giving Tuesday? The day is set aside to put a focus on philanthropy, but giving should not be reserved to one day a

year. If you are part of the CSUB alumni, why not contribute to the university's scholarship fund? Same for Bakersfield College and Taft College. If you are fond of dogs or cats, there is the local SPCA. Want to help the needy? How about the Assistance League or the Boys and Girls Club? Or better yet, volunteer your time at one of our local homeless centers. It will be a gift to yourself.

 * ... HAIL UTAH: And speaking of charity, did you know that Utah is ranked as the most charitable state in the nation? According to USA Today, Utah topped the nation both in terms of money donated and time volunteered. Rounding out the top five were Maryland, Minnesota, Wyoming and Wisconsin. The least charitable state: Hawaii. California, the Golden State, ranked a lowly 43 among all states.

* ... NEW LIFE FOR MALLS? Across America malls are struggling to compete in this new age of online shopping and the demise of local retail. But some are finding new life by converting retail space once devoted to shoes and sweaters to treadmills and weight machines, opening up thousands of square feet to state of the art gyms. In Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, one mall now sports a huge gym in a former department store space next door to a juice bar, restaurant and Trader Joe's. I wonder if the folks who bought the old East Hills Mall have thought about incorporating a gym into the plans for the new project?

 * ... CSUB: Congratulations to CSUB for joining the Big West Athletic Conference, a pure natural fit for the Roadrunners to compete in almost all sports. And the best part? CSUB gets to play its natural rivals, from Cal Poly to UC San Diego to CSU Northridge and Long Beach State. Fans will be able to travel to games and the university saves $400,000 not traveling to far flung destinations like Seattle, Chicago and San Antonio. I am told that President Horace Mitchell, who will retire next year, worked tirelessly to make this happen. That's a big feather in his cap on his way out the door to retirement.

 * ... MAMMOTH: Good news for all you skiers and snow bunnies out there. Mammoth Mountain is getting some snow, as much as eight inches the other night, ushering in a ski season that will be welcomed here in the lower valley.

* ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "The endless expanse of red brake lights on freeways trying to leave Los Angeles for Thanksgiving was our Fall foliage."

 * ... ST. FRANCIS: St. Francis is holding one of its big winter fund raisers on Saturday, December 2, when it presents "A Night in Assisi" at the St. Francis Youth Center. Tickets go for $75 each and that includes wine tastings, local breweries and hors d'oeuvres. You can purchase tickets online at www.adventwine.com or by calling Carla at (661) 327-4734.

Pro marijuana organization targets Supervisor Mike Maggard in radio commercials, Celeigh Chapman unveils a new album and Lisa Green's son joins the ranks of attorneys

 * ... MAD MIKE: A radio commercial attacking Supervisor Mike Maggard has hit the airwaves, taking him to task for opposing the legal regulation of marijuana. The ad says "Mad Mike" Maggard endangered the public by opposing the sale of legal pot under strict regulations. In the absence of regulations, the ad argues that taxes will go up and crime will increase as the sale of cannabis is

pushed underground. Expect more of this type of blowback from the supervisors' decision not to allow the legal sale of cannabis. Meanwhile, the American Legion endorsed the legal                   sale of cannabis for medicinal purposes, citing research showing an overwhelming number of combat veterans use marijuana regularly to control pain and get off opioids doing so.

* ... LISA GREEN: District Attorney Lisa Green has a lot to be thankful for, but perhaps this Thanksgiving was more special than most. Green reached out to me to share this: "In 2006 my middle child, Andrew, became interested in mock trial while he was a student at Bakersfield High School.  When the other coaches found out I was an attorney, they asked me to help with the team and so began my first of approximately eight years coaching mock trial at BHS (I continued to coach well after Andrew graduated). The really cool thing, is, last Friday Andrew passed the California Bar Exam and in doing so became my first mock trial student to actually become an attorney. Anyway, as you might imagine Jeff and I are so proud of him." As you should be, Lisa. Congrats to you Andrew.

 * ... CELEIGH: And congratulations to Celeigh Chapman, an East High and USC graduate who has produced a new album called "The Winner." Chapman, 32, now lives in Los Angeles and is part of the fabric of the SoCal country music scene.

  * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "My husband let me sleep in late and then made me pancakes. Someone please let Dateline know my death was absolutely premeditated."

 * ... SPOTTED ON FACEBOOK: "If you speed up yoga, you then have breakdancing."

 * ... FALL FOOD: Here are a couple of my favorite culinary tips for Fall: try the lamb lollipops from Pyrenees Cafe, absolutely mouth watering, and the tortilla soup at Mama Roomba. Both perfect for a crisp fall day.

 * ... FAVORITE PIES: And speaking of food, an annual survey of the most popular Thanksgiving Day pies is out and once again pumpkin pie reigns supreme However, it appears that pumpkin is more beloved by Baby Boomers than millenials so a change may be coming. But for today the most popular pies are pumpkin, pecan, apple, sweet potato and chocolate in that order.

 * ... GOOD FORM: And finally, here is some good news to start your day, compliments of Jim and Diane Hankins. "My wife and I attended the Western Band Association (WBA) Championship competition at Buchanan High School in Clovis. Hundreds of wonderful young people from high school bands all over Southern California competed. The splendor and choreography of the bands reflected the untold hours of rehearsal and practice in the months leading up to this championship of the best of the best. Bakersfield was proudly represented by Bakersfield High and West High. The best part of the night was when my wife and I were sitting in the bleachers, the entire West High unit filled in all around us. It was a treat for us to be surrounded by so many enthusiastic young people. They were so full of good cheer and energy. Not one curse word was uttered during the time they sat around us. When competing bands took the field, many West High members shhhh’ed the group. All then watched, cheered and applauded for their competitors."

Updating that list of things we are thankful for, Taft College pitches in to help victims of the hurricane and Leticia Perez gets a statewide honor

 * ... GIVING THANKS: Have you done a self audit about the things you are thankful for? I have, and it starts with two healthy adult children, a cadre of friends who uplift me and provide a

sympathetic ear when I am down, a job that challenges me and work colleagues who always make me laugh, a doctor (Dr. Raj Patel) who walks me through the mine field of middle age, and a pair of tabby cats (one inside, the other out) who always great me with soft purrs and kisses.

 * ... MORE THANKS: Add to that all the local business owners who go out of their way to provide me with top flight service and food: Claire from Uricchio's Trattoria, Rod and Julie from Pyrenees Cafe, Jake from Jin Sushi, Meir from Cafe Med, Victor from Mama Roomba, Jeff from Salty's BBQ, Shauna from Muertos and Sonny from Mexicali.

* ... TAFT COLLEGE: Did you know that the Taft College baseball team has eight players from Puerto Rico? In solidarity with these athlete-scholars, the campus is holding a campaign to raise $10,000 for hurricane relief aid.

 * ... LETICIA PEREZ: Congratulations to Kern County Supervisor Leticia Perez who will be sworn in as president of the California State Association of Counties later this month in Sacramento. The organization is a lobbying, advocacy and service organization representing the state's 58 counties at the state and federal level. It deals with issues as diverse as health care reform, water and climate change and the budget. Perez is the first Latina to ever head the lobbying group.

 * ... KUDOS: Hats off to CSUB political science professor Jeanine Kraybill, who edited a new book coming out exploring the new age of hyper partisan politics. The book is titled "Unconventional, Partisan and Polarizing Rhetoric... How the 2016 Election Shaped the Way Candidates Strategize, Engage and Communicate." Kraybill is a professor of religious studies and political science and appears on my radio show (KERN NewsTalk 96.1 FM) every Thursday.

 * ... SPOTTED ON FACEBOOK: "Just when I thought this year couldn’t get worse, I heard a grown woman describe time spent doing art projects as a 'crafternoon.'"

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "I'm going to make Thanksgiving bearable this year with my super laid back Xanax cranberry sauce."

 * ... PIE RUN: Don't forget the Pie Run on Thanksgiving morning out at Hart Park. It's the perfect way to start the holiday with a quick run (or hike or walk) into the hills overlooking the park and returning to connect with old and new friends and enjoy some hot coffee and plenty of pastries. Get there before sunrise (follow the tail lights in front of you) and start the day with some exercise.

Celebrating the legacy of kindness of the late John Rous, get ready for another Thanksgiving Day Pie Run and a reader shares some love of Uricchio's Trattoria

 * ... RIP JOHN ROUS: Our community lost one of our best with the death of John Rous, a kind and gregarious man who died earlier this week while riding his bicycle near Ethel's Old Corral. Rous was

killed when his bike was hit by woman driving a late model Scion around 10:30 a.m. He was a lifelong athlete and the founder of the Bakersfield Pie Run, one of our community's signature events that brings hundreds together for a run through the hills on Thanksgiving morning. But I will remember him most for his smile, his kindness and his heart. He was 78 years old and had enough energy, drive and curiosity to live another 78, but he left us with a legacy of passion and decency. Keep his widow, Stella, son David and other members of the family in your thoughts.

 * ... PIE RUN: Speaking of the Pie Run, it is still on for Thanksgiving morning out at Hart Park. If you are new to town, and want to get a good start on Thanksgiving, bring your spouse (and dogs) and join a couple hundred new friends for a brisk run (or walk) in the hills above Hart Park. Just follow the lights to the park and get ready to go off at dawn. Make sure you bring some breakfast snacks, cookies or a pie for the feast after the run.

 * ... GOOD FORM: Hats off to Supervisor Leticia Perez who saved the Arvin Christmas parade with a $5,000 donation to the city. The annual parade was going to be canceled until Perez stepped in to make the donation.

 * ... OVERHEARD: A friend of mine overheard this conversation at a coffee shop in Irvine: "A couple in their early 20s. Woman: since this is our first date, we need to talk to get to know each other better. Man: Ok, what would you like to know? Woman: I don’t know... I guess what are your plans? Man: To give you cute babies. Woman, laughing: You practiced that line. Man: No, I’m very spontaneous! Woman: So am I. She got up from the table, spilled her hot coffee in his lap, turned and walked out."

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "I’m not shy. I’m just very good at figuring out who’s worth talking to."

  * ... URICCHIO'S: One of my favorite local eateries, Uricchio's Trattoria downtown, picked up a new fan when Anna Mulock went there recently to celebrate her 80th birthday. Said Mulock:  "What a great bunch of people, wonderful food and warm hospitality. The owner came over, met our family, visited with us and treated us as family.  I know how much you like them. There are many good reasons to recommend them."

 * ... BAD FORM: Reader Pat Sherrill and I have at least one thing in common: we both despise the way so many of our fellow citizens trash our community. "RiverWalk Park is the jewel in our park system but you would never know it the way it is treated. Numerous mornings the parking lot is full of cases of empty beer bottles and empty booze bottles. People just leave their yogurt cup or drink cup where they consumed it when there are plenty trash cans. Monday morning was the icing on the cake as someone had knocked over a bank of port-a-potties that had not been picked up yet after the weekend Beer and Bacon event. What is the matter with some of the people in our community?"

The city of Arvin gets ready to approve the indoor cultivation of cannabis for the wholesale market, a pitfall is thrown out of a red truck and more generosity about town

 * ... ARVIN MAYOR: Keep an eye on Jose Gurrola, the young mayor of Arvin who has had the political courage to help broker a deal that will allow the legal cultivation of cannabis for the wholesale  

market. Gurrola is just 24, elected mayor last November after serving one term on the city council. While the city of Bakersfield and county have decided to turn their backs on any opportunities to regulate, and benefit, from legal cannabis, Arvin has chosen its own path. The city will outlaw the store-front sale of marijuana, but will allow indoor cultivation for the wholesale market. It's a shrewd compromise that could greatly benefit the taxpayers of Arvin, while giving the city more direct control over how the industry involves.

* ... BAD FORM: A frustrated and angry Nancy Vide shared this: "Driving up Auburn Street on the way home, about 8 p.m, I came upon what looked like an accident in the road. I parked my car at home and ran across the street. There were four young adults and three of my neighbors and in the traffic lane was a beautiful brown pit/lab mix. He was about one to two years old and severely injured and in shock. Everyone was trying to keep him calm. Long story short......an EVIL, VICIOUS, HEARTLESS person threw this beautiful dog out their red car/truck and then he was ran over by a white car. While I am not trying to blame the people in the white car, I wish they would please come forward to help find these criminals. And to anyone that has a neighbor with a red vehicle that does not now have a (barking) dog...... please say something! I want to thank my neighbors Kathleen Snow and Daniel for taking this poor creature to the emergency vet on Easton Drive. And the young adults that stayed to help comfort the dog. I only hope karma jumps in big time for the evil doer."

 * ... PHILANTHROPY: Bakersfield is known for its generosity, in both big and small deeds, but the Virginia and Alfred Harrell Foundation (previously known at The Bakersfield Californian Foundation) has few peers. The foundation recently announced the winners of its fall grant cycle and they included $100,000 grants to both the Tree Foundation of Kern and the Mercy Foundation-Bakersfield. The two $50,000 grant winners were Garden Pathways and Recyling Lives. There were three $25,000 winners: Downtown Bakersfield Development Corporation (reducing trash), Rebuilding Together Kern County (the Carnation neighborhood projects) and United Way of Kern County.

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "I have an awful lot of responsibilities for a guy who also has a sign on his door reminding him to zip his pants before he leaves."

 * ... SPOTTED ON FACEBOOK: "If everyone you admire keeps disappointing you with awful sex scandals, try admiring more women."

 * ... AMES WOODWORKS: The next time you are in Sequoia Sandwich Shop downtown, check out the new indoor seating area featuring some handsome wood benches. It turns out the benches were built by Sam Ames, a local wood craftsman who specializes in tables and chairs made from reclaimed vineyard stakes. Ames provided four benches for Sequoia, made of a more traditional hardwood than the reclaimed vineyard stakes he normally uses. Check out his website at www.ameswoodworks.com.

 * ... ROTARY: And finally, Bernie Barman wrote to recognize a group of 60 Rotary and Interact Club members who spent a recent Saturday cleaning up the San Miguel Grove area where the bike path meets Manor. "In addition to picking up trash they also planted 10 oak trees donated by the Rotary clubs (to supplement the 100 trees the Breakfast Rotary planted several years ago) and cleared lots of weeds. Breakfast Rotary organized the event and was joined by members of other Rotary clubs, including Twilight Rotary and West Rotary, as well as 37 high school students from the Interact clubs at Liberty, Stockdale, Centennial, Golden Valley and Foothill High Schools. City staff also participated by bringing in the trees and hauling away the weeds. The teamwork really paid off."

Bakersfield College speeds up plan to spend Measure J money, the Bakersfield Marathon rolls through town and voters are furious with our Board of Supervisors for rejecting the music festival plan

 * ... BAKERSFIELD COLLEGE: Bakersfield College is rolling out its plans to spend more than a half billion dollars raised by Measure J, and it looks like the building and improvement program may

go faster than expected. BC President Sonya Christian told me there was initially a 20-year plan to spend the money, but some of the college trustees (including Kay Meek and Bill Thomas) want a more aggressive building schedule. I think that's a good idea. Those of us who voted for the bond measure really don't want to wait two decades to see results. One of the first capital improvement plans, to build a Veterans Resource Center, was unveiled this week.

 * ... MARATHON: So where will you be this Sunday when the Bakersfield Marathon rolls through town? If you are smart, you will review the marathon route, grab a cup of coffee (and your dog if you have one) and plant yourself in a shady spot to cheer on the runners. And hats off to the organizers of this event, which puts our community in a positive light.

* ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "Woke up early so I could get in a few extra minutes of being angry on-line today."

 * ... OVERHEARD: A friend of mine, frustrated with a problem, said this: "When I have more than $500 in my bank account, I think about leaving and starting another life."

 * ... MUSIC CENTER: Social media lit up with frustration after the Board of Supervisors denied a proposal to build a music event center off Interstate 5 on land owned by Phil and Daniel Rudnick. Interestingly, the criticism seemed to come from all ages, borne out of a frustration that our ruling political class too often seems to find ways to say "no" to opportunities that other communities so routinely enjoy. The responses included this satirical one from local veteran Chad Garcia: "Welcome to Kern County! We have a train museum and an old boxcar that a country music legend lived in that you can visit. Oh! And a lot of bars filled with people who will fight you. And meth. A lot of meth."

 * ... MORE MUSIC: My take on the music festival proposal: Are our supervisors so comfortable in their own personal wealth and social position that they feel they can say no to projects that will provide jobs, paychecks and opportunities to so many in our community that live hand-to-mouth? Does the greater good ever trump objections from a few well heeled neighbors?

 * ... GOOD FORM: Roy Parks made my day when he sent me this message: "On Sunday (11/05) I went to an ATM at Bank of the Sierra's new branch on California Avenue. I later discovered I did not have my wallet. I returned to the ATM but my wallet was gone. Returning home I envisioned the nightmare of contacting credit cards, DMV, insurance, etc. My house has a mail slot that empties into a hallway. There was my wallet! A very kind and honest person had driven to my house and returned my wallet. I wish we could have met. Another tale of good people in Bakersfield."

 * ... BLACK WIDOWS: Bill Casey worked for a pest control company and knows something about the infestation of black widow spiders. Said Casey: "I have never seen them this bad before. I usually do night patrol in the summer, twice a month, and then once a month in September, October.  I had to double my attacks this year. I must have killed 200 black widows this summer. Three made it into the house, but must have gotten into my spray area outside before getting in, and were sick or dead when I found them. With cooler temperatures they try to come inside where it's warm, and this can be a dangerous time for families with children. It's a good idea to check in dark areas, closets and under furniture for them."

  * .. MORE WIDOWS: And lastly, Irene Gorman added this: "The widow also comes in cream color and has bright red markings on its body, quite pretty. My son worked for Texaco many years ago... in Long Beach." The advice from her son? If it is black, squash it to keep from being bitten. Her son has since passed but she was left with one enduring memory of Signal Hill in Long Beach: the beautiful emerald green 'jumping spiders.'

Tom Hanks for president? Or Oprah Winfrey? Or Denzel Washington? A political satirist suggests candidates moving forward, Terri Agcaoili leaves ADAKC to take a job at Adventist Health and some good form about town

 * ... POLITICAL HUMOR: If you are looking for a way to laugh in these perilous and frightful times, pick up a new book by the actor Denis Leary called "Why We Don't Suck: And How All of Us

Need to Stop Being Such Partisan Little Bitches." The book is a satirical look at American politics and suggests that going forward only actors and entertainers should run for president. Among the actors listed by Leary as the "most trusted" by the American public and who might make a good president: Oprah Winfrey, Tom Hanks, Denzel Washington and Sandra Bullock

* ... GOOD FORM: I was heartened to see two Bakersfield police officers up on Panorama Drive early Saturday ticketing speeders as they raced toward Manor Drive. Meanwhile down Manor in the urban forest park at the end of the bike path, members of Breakfast Rotary were busy cleaning up the litter.

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "When my husband asked me do something creative for dinner, I drew a cute picture of a dog on a napkin and put it next to the pizza box."

 * ... SPOTTED AT COSTCO: Actor Wallace Shawn, a well known character actor in both film and TV series (Desperate Housewives, The Incredibles, Ally McBeal) was spotted shopping at a local Costco last week.

 * ... AGCAOILI: Congratulations to Terri Serban Agcaoili, who has taken a new job with the business development liaison team for Adventist Health. For the last two years the energetic Agcaoili has headed marketing for the Alzheimer's Disease Association of Kern County.

* ... BLACK WIDOWS: My tidbit on the explosion of black widows in town triggered a few responses, including this one from George Meek: "Having lived many years in Westchester, I have seen several 'black widow' years. However, they always seem to be around. I can tell by the touch of their webs if it is a widow or not. Ugh! My neighbor, Wayne, mentioned all the 'widows' this year just the other day. For us, it has been a huge earwig year…everywhere." Meek went on with another story when he lived on A Street: "I used to take my young children out in the night with me armed with a flashlight and can of bug spray (the kind that puts out a high pressure spray for wasps). We would go around the house, they in their PJs, and were amazed at all the black widows under the windows, doors, furniture, shrubs, etc. that the flashlight would illuminate... I would aim and spray the spider watching with morbid fascination as it withered and dropped. Bam! It was great sport and my kids still remember it. These days, being able to afford a pest service really cuts the numbers plus I really do not enjoy going out a night without the kids…maybe grandkids."

 * ... MORE SPIDERS And Tom Haslebacher added this: "It was interesting to see you note about black widow spiders in Bakersfield. I have noticed an ever increasing population also. What is even more interesting, we have a second home in the Sugarloaf area of Tulare County, our elevation is about 5,000 feet. Up until this spring, we never saw black widows. We were even told that they are not found here. I can tell you for sure, that they are every where up here now."