It's Girl Scout cookie season again, RIP to Edward Lee of Action Sports, Providence Consulting opens a second office in Fresno a picture of the homeless that live among us

Welcome to Bakersfield Observed. Our mission is to celebrate life in Kern County by focusing on newsmakers and events and the local characters who make this community such a special place. The views expressed here are strictly my own and do not represent any other person or organization.

 * ... PROVIDENCE OPENS IN FRESNO: Big news for Providence Strategic Consulting, Inc., a local governmental affairs firm that has now opened a second office in Fresno. Under president and

CEO Tracy Leach, Providence has grown into one of the most influential local PR firms particularly in the area of energy and fossil fuels. The opening of the office drew attention from the Fresno Business Journal, which noted that Providence has run PR on eight successful ballot initiatives.
Providence has hired Hanford-born and longtime Fresno resident, Monica Sozinho, as government and public affairs manager for the new office.

 * ... GIRL SCOUTS: It's that season again, the annual Girl Scout cookie sale that sends tens of thousands of young girls across the country raising money for their local troops. Ever wonder what the favorite cookie is in your state? Perhaps no surprise, but the Thin Mint is the favorite in California as well as multiple other states including Alaska, Arkansas, Arizona, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia and West Virginia.

 * ... RIP EDWARD LEE: Not everyone can live the life of a celebrity, or TV personality or political figure. Most of us just try to work and do the right thing, plodding along quietly while playing by the rules and leading good, productive lives. And that would describe Ed Lee, who touched thousands of lives with his quiet, unassuming manner and quick wit. Unless you were into exercise and fitness, or hung out at Kerry Ryan's Action Sports, you may not have known Edward Lee, an expert bike mechanic with a wicked sense of humor, warm smile and a master's mechanical touch. (He also worked at TA Cycles before Action Sports) Lee was just 53 but he died this week after suffering two strokes. Ed was beloved not only by his coworkers at Action Sports, but also the legions of cyclists, runners and snow borders who got to know him while hanging around Action Sports. He passed away quietly at Adventist Health Hospital. RIP, Ed.

* ... LOCAL CRIME: I spotted this post on the Bakersfield Thieves Facebook page. Be careful out there: "SCAM ALERT!! Last Friday 1/31 on Union and California there where people collecting money for a 6 year old girl named Dalia. Posters they had said she had Lymphoma. Jars they were carrying looked like 1 gallon water jugs covered in red duct tape. Today Tues 2/4 they have moved down to Union and Brudage and 'Dalia' is now a 9 year old and 'Suffers from Cerebral Palsy.' Same people, same collection jugs, different story. Sorry no pictures, I was driving."

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "My 2 year old daughter watched the Super Bowl halftime show. She's now a stripper and selling pictures of her feet online. She's supporting the entire family and we've never been more proud."

 * ... MORE TWITTER: "I just dislocated my knee trying to imitate Shakira's hip pop."

 * ... STREET LIFE: A couple of random shots of people living on the street, the first one compliments of Nick Ellis and the second by a friend. Both pictures were taken downtown this week.

 * ... MEMORIES: Check out this old picture of the corner of Chester and 18th Street, now home to The 18 Hundred restaurant. The first is a colorized version of the original.

Calm down, no one is trying to raise your property taxes by repealing Prop 13, Donald Trump mistakes Kansas for Missouri, KBAK anchor Rachelle Murcia shares a personal health struggle and Edward Lee recovers from a stroke

Welcome to Bakersfield Observed. Our mission is to celebrate life in Kern County by focusing on newsmakers and events and the local characters who make this community such a special place. The views expressed here are strictly my own and do not represent any other person or organization.

 * ... PROP 13: Is the state of California trying to repeal Proposition 13 so it can raise your personal property taxes? If you believe everything you read on Facebook, you would think so. But the truth is far different. In fact, there is an effort to repeal parts of Prop 13, but it would not affect personal property taxes. Instead,  the California Schools and Local Communities Funding Act of 2020, also

known as the "split-roll" measure, would raise taxes on factories, stores and industrial real estate by requiring they pay property tax based on current market value rather than the value of the property when it was purchased. ​Politifact, a non-profit website devoted to truth in reporting, said Facebook in particular is full of misleading statements about Prop 13 and it cited a Bakersfield publication as one of many sources spreading untruths. Said Politifact: "A similar Facebook post by Bakersfield Tuff, a media company focused on racing and rodeo, was shared more than 2,200 times. Others have appeared on the platforms Next Door and We Chat, according to the campaign for the initiative." The initiative may be flawed in many ways - and many would argue this is just the first step toward repealing Prop 13 altogether - but in this case it would not raise property taxes on individuals.

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "Be honest, you thought the Kansas City Chiefs were from Kansas."

 * ... MISSOURI OR KANSAS?: And then there was this, tweeted by our president. Now, in his defense, this is a common mistake many people make, but it didn't stop folks from heaping scorn on him.

 * ... RACHELLE MURCIA: KBAK evening anchor Rachelle Murcia has come out publicly in her fight against breast cancer. The anchor submitted a Facebook post last week in which Murcia detailed her personal struggle. "My writing teacher always taught me never to bury the lead and get right to the point. I have breast cancer," she wrote. "I found a mass before Christmas...The doctors found two large masses on my left side. They are calling them late stage two, early stage three cancer." Murcia ended the message by saying she did not plan to talking about the cancer often. "The next time I plan on talking on the air about my cancer is when I can come to you and say, I beat the dang thing and I am cancer free. So, go out there, live, be kind to one another, and have a good evening.”

 * ... MAYORAL DEBATE: KGET television will host a debate featuring Mayor Karen Goh and the candidates seeking to unseat her. The debate will air at 7 p.m. tonight (Monday). The candidates are facing off in the March 3 primary and if no candidate gets more than 50 percent of the vote, a runoff will be held in November.

* ... SICK BAY: Edward Lee, a longtime mechanic at Action Sports, is recovering from a serious stroke. Lee suffered a stroke several weeks ago, was able to leave the hospital and apparently suffered a second one that sent him back to the hospital. Friends say he is resting but the road to recovery is uncertain. Keep Ed Lee in your thoughts.

 * ... MEMORIES: Last week I submitted a picture of the old Germania Beer Hall and asked for your help where it was. Well, Art Moore solved the puzzle for me, sending me this "now and then" photo of the intersection of 19th and L streets. Enjoy.

 * ... MORE MEMORIES: And yet another walk down memory road thanks to Art Moore.

Supervisor Leticia Perez's amazing comeback, Frank DeMarco of Rosemary's Creamery dies, Anna Lavin named to head the Kern County homeless collaborative and Chevron gives Taft College $156,000

Welcome to Bakersfield Observed. Our mission is to celebrate life in Kern County by focusing on newsmakers and events and the local characters who make this community such a special place. The views expressed here are strictly my own and do not represent any other person or organization.

 * ... LETICIA PEREZ: Not long ago many had written Leticia Perez off, dismissed as irrelevant in today's political climate and certain she could not recover from the legal problems involving her husband's role in promoting marijuana. But like the mythical phoenix she not only rose from the ashes but came roaring back, and here she was Wednesday night speaking at the State of the County dinner as chair of the Kern County Board of Supervisors. And not only that, but she did so as the defender of the oil and natural

gas industry, speaking passionately about how work in the oil fields has allowed so many families to rise out of poverty. Who would have thought that a lifelong Democrat, once fighting for her political life and subjected to relentless criticism by local right wing radio, would be a pivotal player in the fight to save the fossil fuel industry? "No one ever doubted her intelligence," one political insider told me, "but the way she has positioned herself is nothing short of brilliant. " And make no mistake but conservative Kern County needs allies in the office of Gov. Gavin Newsom, who seems hellbent on putting the oil industry out of business. "If she has the governor's ear and it helps Kern County," the insider continued, "well that is important." (photo by Sam Morgan)

 * ... RIP FRANK: Frank DeMarco, one of the original owners of Rosemary's Creamery, has passed away at the age of 89. DeMarco and his wife, Rosemary, started Rosemary's in November 1984 and over the years the F Street store became a favorite place for people to recognize birthdays and special anniversaries. Family members said DeMarco had been suffering from heart and kidney issues and had been under hospice care. Frank and Rosemary were high school sweethearts and celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary in December. Their daughters, Roseanne and Katie, run the family business with DeMarco's grandson Patrick. Services are set for next Wednesday at St. Francis of Assisi. A rosary service is set for 10:30 a.m. followed by an 11 a.m. mass.

 * ... SMART KIDS: So you think you were a smart kid? Have you met Ishaan Brar, a junior at Stockdale High School? The local student was named to the prestigious Global Team Leaders, a group of 35 young people from 18 countries who have achieved the ability to creating innovative technologies that encourage healthy communities. He is the son of rheumatologist Dr. Sumeet Bhinder and nephrologist Dr. Harjeet Brar.

 * ... GRIMMWAY: Hats off to Grimmway Farms for donating $5 million to CSUB to establish the Grimm Center for Agricultural Business, the largest single gift ever bestowed on our local university. The money will come over three years and comes from an endowment created by Barbara Grimm-Marshall and Kari Grimm Anderson. The gift coincides with Grimmway's 50th anniversary in business.

 * ... TAFT COLLEGE: And also a big hats off to Chevron which gave the Taft College Foundation $156,000 to help fund the development of the allied health and sciences lab, specifically by providing medical equipment for expansion of the TC anatomy and physiology curriculum. This donation will strengthen Taft College’s collaboration with Kern County schools by expanding classes for STEM careers, said Sheri Horn-Bunk, executive director of the TC Foundation.

 * ... ANNA LAVIN: Bakersfield College administrator Anna Gavin has been named the new head of the homeless collaborative. Gavin has worked at BC for three years and is now the first executive director of the organization, which seeks to coordinate the efforts of multiple agencies to fight homelessness in our community.

 * ... THUGS: I spotted this on Facebook. Beware of folks who walk our streets. The caption read: "The Bakersfield Police Department is requesting the community’s assistance in identifying suspects responsible for an assault. The incident occurred on November 2, 2019, in the 2500 block of Wible Road. The victim was walking to a convenience store in the area when he was assaulted by the suspects... Anyone with information regarding this case is encouraged to call Detective Eric Celedon at (661) 326-3964 or the Bakersfield Police Department at (661) 327-7111.

 * ... KERN SCHOOLS: One of the most familiar brands in town - Kern Schools Federal Credit Union- is going away. The company has announced it's changing its name as part of plans of expand in the region and is opting for Valley Strong Credit Union. Kern Schools was founded in 1938 to serve local teachers before eventually expanding to general Kern County residents, according to its website.

 * ... MYSTERY PHOTO: I spotted this old photo on the Kern County of Old Facebook page. It was taken somewhere in Bakersfield. Do you know where?

Kobe Bryant dies when his private helicopter goes down near Calabasas, Kevin McCarthy celebrates his 55th birthday, Ronda Newport takes over the Board of Realtors and the oil boom in Texas

Welcome to Bakersfield Observed. Our mission is to celebrate life in Kern County by focusing on newsmakers and events and the local characters who make this community such a special place. The views expressed here are strictly my own and do not represent any other person or organization.

 * ... RIP KOBE BRYANT: Kobe Bryant, an NBA legend beloved by millions, died in a helicopter crash Sunday morning in Calabasas, along with four other people, including his 13-tear-old daughter Gianna. According to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, there were no survivors of the crash. An investigation is ongoing.

The crash came one day after Bryant was passed by Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James for third place on the NBA's all-time scoring list. As late as 10:39 p.m. ET on Saturday, Bryant was active on social media, congratulating James on Twitter during the Lakers' 108-91 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers. Authorities said it was Sikorsky 76 helicopter that crashed, believed to be the private copter that Bryant was known to fly in often. The Sikorsky is a favorite chopper for those who can afford it and has a good safety record, but authorities said the area of the crash was fogged in early in the morning. He was 41 years old.

 * ... OIL BOOM: Now that the United States has reached near energy independence, thanks to cracking the code on fracking, environmentalists want to shut it down. Doing so, without a viable alternative or replacement for fossil fuels, would simply shift the burden to imports from Saudi Arabia, Venezuela or other oil producing countries. But there is plenty of oil here, not only in Kern County but also in Texas which has become a global oil superpower. If Texas were a country it would be the world's No. 3 oil producer, behind only Russia and Sauia Arabia. Said one report: "Plunging drilling costs have sparked an explosion of production out of the Permian Basin of West Texas. In fact, Texas is pumping so much oil that it will surpass OPEC members Iran and Iraq next year, HSBC predicted in a recent report... Much of the excitement in Texas centers around the Permian Basin. Some oil execs believe the amount of oil in the Permian rivals Saudi Arabia’s Ghawar Field, the world’s largest conventional oilfield."

 * ... WEEKEND GALAS: Congratulations to Ronda Newport, who was installed as the new head of the Bakersfield Association of Realtors at a gala this weekend, and also to Jessica Mathews who presided over a sold out event at Riverlakes Ranch to benefit the League of Dreams.

 * ... BIRTHDAY: Happy birthday to House Minority Leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy, who turned 55 years old this weekend. Assemblyman Vince Fong, a former McCarthy aide, posted this picture on Facebook. (Is there anywhere Vince doesn't show up these days?)

 * ... MEMORIES: And thanks to Art Moore and the Facebook page Kern County History Fans, I bring you Cheryl Johns, the 1967 Potato Princess sponsored by the Kern County Potato Growers Association. She is wearing a Shafter Potato Sack Dress.

City of Bakersfield moves forward to buy Calcot for a homeless shelter, Catholic priest Eric Swearingen dies and local leaders seek common ground with Gov. Gavin Newsom

Welcome to Bakersfield Observed. Our mission is to celebrate life in Kern County by focusing on newsmakers and events and the local characters who make this community such a special place. The views expressed here are strictly my own and do not represent any other person or organization.

 * ... HOMELESS SHELTER: The city of Bakersfield has opted to to move forward with

purchasing property on East Brundage Lane to create a low-barrier homeless shelter. The decision came after a long (and often emotional) meeting where the council had to decide between purchasing East Brundage (the old Calcot facility) or partnering with the county on its homeless shelter being build off Golden State. The vote was 4-3 (voting for East Brundage were Andrae Gonzales, Bob Smith, Bruce Freeman and Ken Weir and opposed were Willie Rivera, Chris Parlier and Jacquie Sullivan). Remember these voting coalitions. Is this what we can expect in the post Alan Tandy world?

 * ... MORE HOMELESS: Louis Gill, executive director of the Bakersfield Homeless Shelter, was encouraged by the vote: "Congratulations to the City. Last night they voted and took action. Proponents faced a huge headwind that had been building for months from those opposed but they prevailed. First they voted to purchase the property on Brundage and to open it as a Low Barrier Shelter. We absolutely need more beds AND the professionals that can help people transition as quickly as possible to a permanent home. It was bold and impressive. Second, they voted to financially support the County Low Barrier Shelter. That was a good first step in collaboration on homelessness. Third, they voted to make curb and gutter, lighting improvements around both facilities. We will all need to support this new project for it to be successful. Those of us that will be involved in supporting the work now have an obligation to address the concerns raised by the neighbors of the site and to everything possible to partner / collaborate. The additional emergency beds are just the first step. We have much to do to but after last night... I am optimistic."

 * ... GOV. GAVIN NEWSOM: Look, it's no secret that Gov. Gavin Newsom is no friend of Kern County. He is waging an unapologetic war on fossil fuels, and his water policy is widely seen as hostile to local farmers. But Newsom isn't going anywhere, and I applaud efforts by a handful of influential local leaders who are building relationships with the governor in a bid to find some kind of common ground to help Kern County. This week, Greater Bakersfield Chamber Nick Ortiz and Kern Community Foundation executive Kristen Watson drove to Sacramento to spend time with Newsom to promote Kern County, and last week the Board of Supervisors hosted members of Newsom's team to hear our side of the oil industry. Supervisor Leticia Perez (a Democrat) has been particularly active in providing a bridge between politically conservative Kern County and the governor's office, an acknowledgment that finding common ground may be the only leverage we have in protecting our interests.

 * ... SPOTTED ON FACEBOOK: "Count the rainbows in your life, not the storms."

 * ...  BAD NEWS: Now here is a list that Bakersfield didn't need to make. That's right, but researchers at Brandeis University ranked Bakersfield as the hardest place to grow up in America. Using factors like poverty rate and green space to assist and "opportunity score" to growing up in various locales, the university said Bakersfield was the worst, citing among other things that half of all residents under the age of 18 live in low opportunity neighborhoods. Other cities on the "worst" list included Fresno, McAllen, Texas, Stockton and Riverside. The best city to grow up in? Madison, state capital of Wisconsin and home of the University of Wisconsin.

 * ... FATHER CRAIG: Nine months after he was suspended from the priesthood because of allegations of sexual abuse, Father Craig Harrison presided over the burial service for longtime RV king Mike Stier at the veteran's cemetery in Arvin. Harrison performed the ceremony without his clerical collar and presumably as a private citizen, but one has to wonder how this will be received by the Diocese of Fresno which is weighing his future as a priest. Is it a sign Harrison knows he won't be returned to the priesthood? Could the Diocese possibly be happy about this? Or is this Harrison's way of establishing his next chapter outside the church? Stay tuned as we wait the final word from the Diocese on Harrison's future.

 * ... ERIC SWEARINGEN: And speaking of priests who have faced charges of abuse, Eric Swearingen has died after a lengthy illness. Swearingen, who was based at a church in Visalia, was the target of a high profile lawsuit involving former altar boy Juan Rocha, who accused Swearingen of sexually abusing him from 1989 to 1993 during the priest’s first assignment at Our Lady of Guadalupe in Bakersfield. According to reports, the jury found Swearingen guilty of child sexual abuse in a 9-3 vote "but fell short of the nine votes required to find the Diocese of Fresno guilty of wrongdoing resulting in a mistrial. Instead of a retrial, Fr. Swearingen and Rocha entered a binding arbitration to settle the lawsuit, the terms of which remain undisclosed." Like Harrison, Swearingen was a popular priest who maintained a level of support even after being accused of abuse, yet another sign that some local Catholics are content to elevate the popularity of the individual over the pain of his potential victims.

 * ... SENOR PEPES: So did you hear about the scumbag who stole a tip jar at Señor Pepe's Mexican restaurant off Rosedale Highway? It was all captured on video surveillance and as it turns out, the tip jar was raising money for a longtime employee was it battling cancer. Once the story went viral, Bakersfield stepped up and dozens of people dropped off donations to make up for the lost money. That's Bakersfield for you.

 * ... SPOTTED ON FACEBOOK: I saw this on Facebook. You be the judge: "Bakersfield Water Resources does riverbed maintenance this time of year, in order to fulfill their obligation to keep the river flowing. They often bulldoze the grooves in the riverbed to smooth it and help water flow. This before/after shows the view from the green bike path bridge at Riverwalk looking west toward Stockdale Bridge. Was this hideous scraping really necessary? Surely this could have been done in a less brutal manner. That was one of the prettiest views in town. Can't we ever have nice things here?"

 * ... MEMORIES: Check out this wonderful old photo of the original Noriega Hotel on Sumner Street.

Facial recognition technology is here and chances are they know who you are, the city of Bakersfield faces a decision on the homeless issue, Kevin McCarthy loses a beloved pet and Stockale student Ishaan Brar gets some top honors

Welcome to Bakersfield Observed. Our mission is to celebrate life in Kern County by focusing on newsmakers and events and the local characters who make this community such a special place. The views expressed here are strictly my own and do not represent any other person or organization.

 * ... FACIAL RECOGNITION: You know how they always say the future is here? Well when it comes to facial recognition technology, it is true. According to a story in The New York Times, a company called Clearview AI has broken new ground in facial recondition technology, scrolling through Facebook, LinkenIn, YouTube, Venmo and other sites to grab pictures of all of us and

compile them in huge databases that make it relatively easy to match any face to a real name. Police departments love it - some have already signed on to solve numerous cases - but civil libertarians are alarmed because of privacy concerns. But think for a minute, what this technology can do in the hands of responsible law enforcement. That picture of the scumbag who broke into your car? Clearview AI would give police a name in seconds. That couple who shoplifted but were caught on camera? Ditto. It is all here, and the truth is, if you are on social media at all, it is likely your identity has already been catalogued in Clearview's vast database, for better or for worse.

 * ... HOMELESS QUESTION: Will the city of Bakersfield finally decide what to do about building a homeless shelter this week? Rightfully so, the city council has come under increasingly harsh criticism for its failure to address the issue, postponing and delaying it time and again as it struggles to find a location to build its shelter. This Tuesday we may get an answer and it appears to come down to two choices: purchase 17 acres of land on East Brundage and build a shelter there, or join the county to help fund the county shelter set to open next week. Councilman Willie Rivera opts for joining the county, while Councilman Andrae Gonzales is in favor of the old Calcot facility on East Brundage. Stay tuned.

* ... RIP MAC: Kevin and Judy McCarthy are mourning the death of their longtime pet Mac, a tri colored Australian Shepherd who passed away of cancer. The House Minority Leader posted this picture of Mac on Facebook to announce his passing. Mac was the familiar companion of McCarthy when he would make his daily walks through the CSUB campus while visiting his home district.

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "One minute you are young and cool, maybe even a little dangerous, and the next minute you are reading Amazon reviews for birdseed."

 * ... RISING STAR: Congratulations to Ishaan Brar, a Stockdale High School student who has been named one of the 35 global teens making a difference. Brar, son of Dr. Sumeet Bhinder, was named to the prestigious 2020 Global Teen Leaders group representing 18 countries on six continents. They were recognized for "harnessing creativity to positively impact the world."

 * ... MEMORIES: Yet another picture of the old Bakersfield Inn thanks to the folks of the Kern County of Old Facebook page. Enjoy.

A deeply divided City Council nears a decision on how to deal with our homeless crisis, a Democratic activist goes on a bizarre rant before the Board of Supervisors, radio producer JR Flores breaks a big story and crime runs rampant in the Golden State

 Welcome to Bakersfield Observed. Our mission is to celebrate life in Kern County by focusing on newsmakers and events and the local characters who make this community such a special place. The views expressed here are strictly my own and do not reflect the views of any other individual, organization or company. 

 * ... CITY SHOWDOWN: Will the city of Bakersfield go it alone an build its own homeless shelter or will it throw it with the county and partner on the new county shelter expected to open next month?

This decision is coming down to the wire and has split our City Council. On one side is Ward 2 Councilman Andrae Gonzales who is leading an effort to buy 17 acres of land on East Brundage (the old Calcot facility) for a low barrier homeless shelter. Gonzales says he will make a motion to buy the property at the Council meeting next week, but he faces opposition from Ward 1 Councilman Willie Rivera, who wants to throw in with the county on its facility off Golden State an M Street. Make no mistake but there is

plenty of bad blood between Gonzales and Rivera, who is supported by Supervisor Leticia Perez and we all know that Perez an Gonzales are like oil and water. Watch the votes on this one, because it will tell us a lot about where the council may go under newly appointed City Manager Christian Clegg.

 * ... PEREZ: Speaking of Perez, the supervisor has agreed to a deal with the District Attorney's office to resolve the conflict of interest case involving her failure to disclosure that her husband (Fernando Jara) was involved in the cannabis business while she sat on the board. The deal calls on Perez to pay $30,000 in fines to a non-profit involved in the homeless fight, another $4,000 on top of that and community service. Perez is eager to put this embarrassing chapter behind her - it came near to derailing her career - and has positioned herself as a realistic moderate in the ongoing effort by the state to shut down the oil an natural gas industry.

 * ... JULIE SOLIS: Well, it's election season and that means odd behavior, the occasional rant and stunts like the one Julie Solis pulled before the Board of Supervisors. Solis is running against 34th Assemblyman Vince Fong and went on a bizarre anti-oil rant, prompting board chair Letica Perez to try to shut her down. It was then that Solis, who like Perez is a Democrat, accused Perez of wanting to have sex with her because of her "big titties," or something of that nature. Seriously. She actually said that, and this is a woman who wants to be taken seriously as a candidate. It turns out even her own Democratic Party has turned against her, not only refusing to endorse her but kicking her out of the local party. Every election season needs a few oddballs, and Solis proved this week she is here to entertain us all. Stay tuned.

 * ... NEW CITY MANAGER: What was our City Council thinking when it offered the city manager's job to Christian Clegg of Stockton and then decided to wait three days to announce it? What did our council think, that no one would leak it? That they could sit on it for a few days and the reporters about town would sit quietly? Well that didn't happen, and credit goes to J.R. Flores, producer of both the Ralph Bailey and Richard Beene Show on KERN NewsTalk Radio, to dig up the truth. It only took Flores a few hours before he revealed that Christian Clegg, assistant city manager of Stockton, was the pick to succeed the retiringAlan Tandy. Producers of talk radio shows like Flores normally work quietly behind the scenes and rarely get credit for the work they do. Flores deserves credit for tracking this one down with his impressive network of local newsmakers.

 * ... SPELLING: Someone over at the Downtown Business Association needs to learn how to spell, or at least how to proof read.

* ... SEX TALK: I spotted this on Facebook posted by state Sen. Shannon Grove and it certainly got my attention. It alleges, among other things, that the state of California has approved new sex education guidelines for six graders that include such topics as "kinky" sex and "sex toys." The problem? According to The Californian's Bob Price, it is all bogus. As in not true. As in Shannon Grove allegedly fell for an internet hoax. Grove later took the post down and apologized. We all fall for internet hoaxes, but one would hope our local legislators would have a better grip on pending legislation.

 * ... THEFT: I spotted this post on Facebook. "These scumbags ran out of Albertson's on Panama Lane with stolen merchandise. There was a female passenger already waiting for them when they ran out. I notified Albertson's and PD to give there location. However I ended finding them in a residential neighborhood near the intersection of Sweet Water and Alum. The 3 guys unloaded all that stuff they are carrying and the female took off in the truck." Yet another sign of the times in the Golden State.

 * ... MEMORIES: How about this old shot of the Noriega Hotel?