Bakersfield Observed

Saturday, April 30, 2022

Mugged on the Bakersfield bike path, a local businessman shares his horrific story of how an mid-day bike ride turned into a horrific crime that left him with a broken arm and other injuries

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 company or publication.

Frank Marr is a 57-year-old Bakersfield businessman whose passion for exercise finds him on the Kern River bike path multiple times a week. With the influx of homeless along with their tents, trash and unleashed dogs, the path has become hazardous but Marr and other cyclists have

continued to us it.

All that changed earlier this week when Marr was riding west-bound on the bike path near the Chester Avenue bridge. It was Wednesday, April 27, at 12:40 p.m., a beautiful day, when Marr encountered two young men on the bike path that would change everything, and leave him in the hospital with a broken arm and other injuries.

Marr shares his story exclusively with Bakersfield Observed, and we provide it here in the hope that city of Bakersfield officials wake up to the dangers that lurk on what was once one of Bakersfield's bragging rights, the extensive bike path that winds through town and connects Hart Park with Lake Buena Vista.

Here is Marr's story, in his words:

"I was traveling westbound under the Chester Avenue bridge approximately, about 100 yards from there, when I encountered two teenage boys riding razor scooters in the middle of the bike trail, not yielding to the left side. I simply said 'coming through' as I passed parallel to them. One threw a rock and hit me in the side (so) I decided to confront them. I stopped, got off my bike and approached the first one in the middle of the trail.

"He stood there stoic looking as his other friend came quickly approaching him to back him up,." It was at that point that Marr, sensing danger, said he pulled a small pocket knife from his cycling jersey pocket and flipped the blade open so the young men would back off.

"As they did I realized there was no danger so I got on my bike and rode off. I realized my right shoe was untied so I stopped approximately 500 yards beyond where the initial confrontation began and tied my shoe. It took me about 30 seconds to get that done and I quickly got on my bike and started to ride, but to my surprise one of the teenagers - the black haired one - was behind me wielding a 4 foot long club or stick about one and a half to 2 inches diameter, striking me on the left side of my and helmet knocking me from my bike to the ground. I went over the handlebars, (and) to my surprise this kid was swinging the club as hard as he could hitting me in the knee the left arm. When I guarded my face he hit the center of my right forearm which I heard crack, and it went into a 2 degree angle and I immediately knew my arm is broken.

"I went to retrieve my knife again but my arm didn’t work, I grabbed what little was available in my left hand such as gravel and sand and through it at his face. It gave me time to get back on my feet once that happened the attacker dropped the stick and fled towards the direction of Chester Avenue. I called 911 and met police and fire department at Sam Lynn ballpark. I hope my recent misfortune can help increase the safety of this area, I thank the cycling community for all their support and good wishes for my recovery."

Editor's Note: Marr, who founded Marr Ironworks and is now retired, is recovering from his injuries. His story is the latest unnerving incident on the bike path, where runners and cyclists have been verbally harassed by vagrants, chased by wild snarling dogs and forced to endure cat calls by some of the mentally challenged denizens who live in one of the hundreds of illegal tents and shelters that line the path.

Tuesday, April 26, 2022

Critics attack Rep. Kevin McCarthy as a "liar" and a "traitor" for lying to protect former President Trump, researchers work to bring the Monarch butterfly back to Kern County and CSUB loses two ranking executives to other schools

* ... ON TRUTH, LIES AND AMERICAN POLITICS: So what is your take on Kevin McCarthy after he was caught lying about whether Donald Trump should resign after the Jan. 6 riots at the nation's

Capitol? Do you care? Does it mean anything in the grand scheme of things? Or perhaps are you one of those who believe "they all lie" so what's the big deal? Or, are you among those Americans who believe McCarthy has entered some type of Faustian pact with the devil to achieve power at any cost, proving himself a "liar" and a 'traitor" and so much worse. Dan Balz of The Washington Post believes the worse, and he penned a damning essay saying McCarthy had "demonstrated weakness, hypocrisy and a willingness to lie to save his skin," and that was one of the kinder things written about the Minority Leader from Bakersfield. McCarthy initially denounced reports that he considered asking Trump to resign as so much political noise from Democrats, but that was before two Post reporters produced audio tapes catching McCarthy in a brazen lie. "I think this (impeachment) will pass and it would be my recommendation you should resign," McCarthy is quoted as saying. So what does all this mean about the man known affectionately locally as KMAC? The criticism goes like this: McCarthy recognized Trump's role in the Jan. 6 riot and was ready to call for him to resign, but he quickly changed his story to appease Trump and Trump's supporters whose support he needs to be elected speaker of the House. And yet here's the hard truth in all this: in his quest to become Speaker, McCarthy has managed to alienate damn near everyone. While McCarthy remains popular with many rank and file Kern County Republicans, the Trump wing of the party is openly hostile to McCarthy, viewing him as an opportunistic player who can't be trusted. And no where is that truer than in his own district, where the Trump GOP base has been suspicious of McCarthy for years and doesn't hesitate to attack him on local talk radio or in letters to the editor. He's not conservative enough, they say. He's an opportunist who will say and do anything for power, they whisper, a RINO (Republican in name only) who proved he is no friend of Trump. And among more moderate Republican voters, many are openly disgusted with they way McCarthy has chosen to sell his soul just to become speaker. If you can't speak the truth about a riot at the Capitol, the ask, what does that reveal about your true character? But remember, this is politics and it is the year 2022 and we are midway through President Biden's term, so does a lie to protect Trump really matter with so much at stake? One thing remains true: there is no doubt McCarthy will be reelected and he will win many Republican votes even if they remain suspicious of him. As tarnished as he is, McCarthy will always be seen as the better alternative than a Democrat in Kern County. But let's not forget this: reputations take decades to build through trust, hard work and honesty, but they can be lost in an instant. The world of politics and entertainment are strewn with the fallen reputations of people who once could do no wrong. McCarthy will likely become the next Speaker of the House, but in doing so he just may lose part of who we thought he was.

* ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "Good morning to everyone—and especially to the person who recorded Kevin McCarthy!"

* ... MORE MCCARTHY ON TWITTER: "Missing: one moral compass containing truth, transparency and the ability to put your country before personal ambition. If found return to Kevin McCarthy at the House Minority Leader's office."

* ... MONARCH BUTTERFLY: One of nature's grand spectacles every year is the annual migration of the Monarch butterfly. No long ago the Monarchs would descend on Bakersfield by the thousands, but today researchers are worried all that may be coming to an end. Californian writer Steven Mayer took the subject on the other day and noted that the monarch population fell to some 2,000 in the year 2020, a drastic 99.9 percent decline from the 1980s. But today Mayer explains a ground of volunteers has been working the Panorama Vista Preserve and seven other riparian locations to try to save the monarch. Will it work? It's too early to tell. Why is the monarch population down? Mayer cited experts as saying it is due to loss of overwintering, breeding and migratory habitat, climate change, disease and insecticides.

* ... CSUB EXODUS: Cal State Bakersfield lost two important executives recently to other universities when chief fund raiser Victor Martin and Athletic Director Kenneth Siegfried announced they were leaving. Siegfried, who had spent the last decade at CSUB, is becoming Athletic Director of the University of Evansville, a small Division 1 private school in Indiana. Martin, vice president or development, leaves for a similar position at the University of the Puget Sound. Martin set fund raising records while at CSUB, raising some $60 million in support of students. “We’ve celebrated our largest fundraising totals as an institution in the last few years, and community and alumni engagement are at an all-time high,” Martin noted. “Above all, I’m most proud of the team that has been built in University Advancement and the strong engagement with the Foundation Board of Directors.”

* ... JEFF FLORES: The campaign to elect Jeff Flores to the District 3 seat on the Board of Supervisors got a boost last with a fund raiser at the home of local criminal defense attorney David Torres and his wife Angie. Flores is running against retired CHP officer Brian Parks and former homeless executive Louis Gill. Among those present were Jimmy Tamsi of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Michael Bowers of Centric Health, heart Dr. Jeet Singh, para-legal Sylvia Mendez, Dee Slade, Mayor Karen Goh, water attorney Alex Dominguez and others. The winner of the contest will succeed Mike Maggard, who is retiring.

* ... MEMORIES: From the Kern County of Old Facebook comes this nugget of the old Clerou Tire Company, location possibly 21st and Kern street in 1963.

* ... MORE MEMORIES: This photo of a bar in Caliente, California, was posted on the American Saloons, Bars and Restaurants Facebook page. The caption: "A Sad Day Indeed When The Saloon in Caliente, California Wad Destroyed By Fire In 1910 "

Monday, April 18, 2022

Easter is celebrated as America becomes less religious, the building housing the old Trout's honky tonk goes up in flames, Measure N fuels big spending in Bakersfield and celebrating the sculptures of Ben Victor

* ... RELIGION AND AMERICA: We just celebrated Easter and worshipers throughout Kern County turned out at parks, in their homes and in places of worship to express their faith. There is no doubt Kern is a very religious place, with 49.4 percent of residents identifying themselves as religious with 30 percent of them saying they were practicing Catholics. But there also is no doubt that America is becoming less religious by the generation. By far, the least religious generation in the U.S. today is Generation Z

where 42 percent of respondents identified themselves as unaffiliated. Older Millenials come is second in terms of not believing in God (30 percent) followed by Generation X (21 percent), the Boomers (15 percent) and the Silent Generation (9 percent). The most religious states in the nation, according to Pew Research? That would start with Vermont with New York, Massachusetts and Utah close behind. The least religious states: Oregon, Washington, Alaska, Nevada and West Virginia.

* ... ERIC SIMPSON? Speaking of religion a former counselor at the Bridge Bible Church has found himself in legal trouble over allegations of sexual misconduct. According to KGET, a lawsuit alleging sexual misconduct against former counselor Eric Simpson has been settled for an undisclosed sum. The suit alleged that Simpson manipulated a woman who had initially gone to him for marriage counseling sessions with her husband. Simpson, the lawsuit said, insisted on private sessions and eventually ended up sexually abusing the plaintiff. Simpson has apparently left the church and local attorney Gabe Godinez, who represented Simpson, told KGET his client admitted no wrongdoing in agreeing to the settlement.

* ... MORE SIMPSON: Meanwhile, Simpson may have left the Bridge Bible Church but he has shown up as a person involved with CityServe of Bakersfield, a popular and influential non-profit that seeks to help the most needy in our community. The organization, which brings churches and non-profits together to serve the under privileged, owns the old Montgomery Ward building on F Street where officials announced new homeless housing would be created. Exactly when Simpson went to CityServe is not clear but he was identified on the organization's Facebook book page as director of the CityServe Educational Collaborative. In the Facebook feed, Simpson is quoted as saying that CityServe is in a partnership with Bakersfield College where "we are able to offer them quality education and opportunities to learn, develop, and utilize their skills to better our community, both in employment and as a person." Attempts to reach Pastor Wendell Vinson at CityServe for comment were not successful.

* ... MEASURE N: Remember Measure N, the city sales tax proposal that won voter approval by the narrowest of margins in 2018? Now also remember that the tax was passed by a public weary of soaring crime and chronic homelessness. Proceeds from the tax, the city assured us, would go primarily to combat crime. Then came the pandemic when tax revenues sunk and the city was fortunate to have another source of money. That tax now generates about $113 million a year, and it is largely responsible for a long laundry list of improvements across the city, some crime related and some not. This year, some of the Measure N money ($400,757) will go for mental health counselors at BPD, with another $3.8 million earmarked for enhancements to the downtown corridor. The Brundage homeless centers will get $1.8 million, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Park gets $1.6 million, $2 million is set aside for city of living adjustments and $1.3 million is set aside for public art.

* ... OVERHEARD: At the Alberton's on Coffee Road and Stockdale Highway an employee is heard explaining why they were completely out of shopping carts: "We're so sorry but the homeless people take them all. It's been like this forever."

* ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "Wow, so when you answer the door naked to scare away Jehovah's witnesses, it's funny but when I do it with Girl Souts, I get arrested. Is it because I'm brown?"

* ... TROUT'S BURNS: The building that once housed the old Trout's honky tonk on north Chester went up in flames the evening of Easter, yet another blow to the rich history of the Bakersfield Sound and the remarkable musicians who put our community on the map. For folks interested in preserving local history this is yet another blow to a community that at times doesn't seem to honor its past. No word on the cause of the fire.

* ... BEN VICTOR: Last week we told you about a new statue that is being made for a World War II memorial at a downtown park, and it turns out the artwork yet another piece by local Bakersfield product Ben Victor. Son of "Doc" Victor (president of a local bible college) and wife Joyce, Benjamin Victor is a Foothill High graduate who has emerged as one of our country's premier sculptors. (The public response to his work has been overwhelmingly positive so we will share more here). He already made the bronze Roadrunner sculpture at at CSUB and he is the only living artist to have three works on display in the U.S. Capitol building. The new sculpture will go up at Jastro Park and will depict a wife and mother who just received a telegram that he husband had been killed in action. Victor's work is stunning, and in addition to the new sculpture, I am including some of his other works of art for your enjoyment.

* ... MEMORIES: The old Motel Bakersfield on Union Avenue, thanks to our friends at the Kern County History Fans Facebook page.

Tuesday, April 12, 2022

Rep. Kevin McCarthy visits U.S. troops stationed near Ukraine, Dr. Brij Bhambi is honored, local attorney David Cohn nears retirement and we near the three year anniversary of the sexual abuse allegations against a once popular local priest

* ... UKRAINE CONFLICT: House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy led a bi-partisan group of U.S.

lawmakers to the NATO countries of Poland and Romania amid the Ukrainian crisis. McCarthy, R-Bakersfield, and others met with local lawmakers and U.S. troops stationed near the Ukrainian border. Meanwhile, with the mid-term elections looming and inflation spiking and more trouble at the U.S. border, McCarthy may be eyeing becoming the next speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.

* ... BRIJ BHAMBI: The life and work of Bakersfield's Dr. Brij Bhambi was honored this weekend during a gala at The Beverly Hilton. The California chapter of the College of Cardiology and the Israel Heart Society threw a five-star bash for Bhambi, honoring his work as chairman of Centric Health and the Bakersfield Heart Hospital. (Bhambi seen with Sheriff Donny Youngblood and DA Cynthia Zimmer)

* ... CHAIN COHN CLARK: One of our community's premier plaintiff's law firm is undergoing a major change as its managing partner prepares to retire. With David Cohn getting ready to leave the firm at the end of the year, his law firm has launched a rebranding effort to focus on its new name, Chain Cohn Clark. Mathew Clark succeeds Cohn as managing partner.

* ... MILESTONES: Can you believe it has been three years since Craig Harrison was suspended by the Catholic Church amid allegations he is a sexual predator? That's right, it was right around Easter in 2019 when the church suspended Harrison after allegations arose that he had sexually abused a young man in Firebaugh. It would be almost two years later - in February of 2021 - that Harrison would resign the priesthood, an almost unbelievable and shocking Shakespearean twist to the once popular priest's standing in the community. Since then, yet more men have come forward to accuse Harrison of being a sexual abuser, lawsuits are winding their way through the courts and the community waits for the details to be revealed once the cases go to trial. Harrison has avoided any possibility of criminal charges thanks to the statue of limitations, but the civil side promises to shed fresh new light on multiple allegations that have been simmering for years. (photos of a Harrison press conference by The Bakersfield Californian)

* ... TAKE FRIDAY OFF: How many of us are ready to start taking Friday off? Well don't be surprised that the "take Friday off" movement is now becoming the reality across the country after two years of pandemic living. Some companies have moved to four-day work weeks while other employees are willing to take pay cuts to have Friday afternoons off. For the record, The New York Times says 32 percent of employers in the United States offer a compressed four-day work week.

* ... MEMORIES: Check out this old map, date uncertain, showing an old Bakersfield but without Ming Avenue. Thanks to the folks at Kern County of Old for this nugget.

* ... BEST SHOT: I have a friend, JoJo Paredes Butingan, who is a talented photographer, often capturing dynamic views of our valley that he shares with his friends on social media. Here is a recent shot JoJo posted on his Facebook page capturing the green hills of spring.

* ... MORE MEMORIES: And finally, I ran into these two "Then and Now" pictures of the Tejon Pass, the first from May 2, 1905 at 10:55am, and the second November 27, 2013 at 5:41pm. What a difference in 108 years!"

Tuesday, April 5, 2022

New York City learns the hard way that most homeless want to remain on the streets, downtown Bakersfield retailers turn to private security to fend off crime and vagrants and sculptor Ben Victor gets some well deserved recognition

* ... DO THE HOMELESS WANT HELP? One of the more vexing issues facing our city is determining to what extent the thousands of homeless and vagrants actually want real help. Housing for the homeless is in woefully short supply, yet affordable housing remains one of the primary focuses by those charged with getting people off the streets and back on the road to self sufficiency. But what if all

those drug addicts, petty criminals and mentally challenged individuals could care less about finding a roof over their head? What if - gasp - they actually prefer being on the street? Before you dismiss the idea, understand that this is exactly what authorities are finding out in New York City where Mayor Eric Adams has launched a major push to clear the subways and get people off the streets. So far, according to the New York Times, of the hundreds of homeless moved from more than 239 homeless camps, only five have opted to move into shelters. That's right, just FIVE people have agreed to go into a city-run shelter out of hundreds. The others? They just want to stay on the street. This is the reality on the ground, and the sooner the powers that be in Bakersfield realize it, the better off we all will be. Shelter is the way to go for some, but for others it simply isn't realistic.

* ... DOWNTOWN CRIME: And speaking of the homeless and rampant, out of control crime, you have to feel for all those downtown business people who have been struggling with graffiti, vandalism and petty theft for four years now. So far, the city has failed these businesses miserably, leaving retailers to fend for themselves as they battle chronic lawlessness. And now comes this: the Downtown Business Assn. is experimenting with an idea to have a local private security guards walk the streets downtown, hoping the mere presence of a rent-a-cop will bring order to the streets. Well, it's certainly a better idea than the DBA had a few years ago when its solution was printing cards that retailers could give vagrants telling them where they could get a hot shower and warm meal. That was an astonishing bad idea. The hard truth is this: both the DBA and city have been unable to make a real dent in this problem, and it won't be until the state legislature deals with a series of laws that decriminalized almost everything from heroin to street drugs before things will get better.

* ... COVID TESTS: If you have not used that free Covid test sent to you by our government, make sure the test kit has not expired. It turns out all these Covid test kits are printed with an expiration date, but be careful because different tests have different expiration dates.

* ... BEN VICTOR: One of the truly talented people to come out of Bakersfield is Ben Victor, son of Joyce and Doc Victor, and he received some overdue recognition recently by Assemblyman Vince Fong. Victor is an amazing sculptor, and he is the genius behind the Roadrunner sculpture out at CSUB as well as some remarkable work that now grace the halls of our nation's Capitol. Said Fong on his Facebook page: "Honored to be able to give an early surprise recognition to world renowned sculptor Benjamin Victor who is getting inducted into the Foothill High School Hall of Fame this weekend! He is the only living artist to have three sculptures in Statuary Hall in the U.S. Capitol and he is the artistic creator of the Oil Worker Monument in Taft! Amazing work! Victor was just 26 years old when his first statue, Sarah Winnemucca, a Paiute activist in Nevada, was dedicated in the Hall in 2005, making him the youngest artist to ever be represented in the Hall. In 2014, his sculpture of Norman Borlaug, "the father of the Green Revolution," was dedicated in the National Statuary Hall and in 2019, his statue of Chief Standing Bear, a Native American rights leader, was dedicated in the National Statuary Hall making him the only living artist to have three sculptures in the Hall. (a few of Victor's works of art)

* ... THE NEW AMERICAN HOUSEHOLD: The number of Americans who live in multi-generational households is skyrocketing and demographers say it just may become the norm. Since 1971, the number of us living with relatives has quadrupled. In March, says the New York Times, nearly 60 million people were living "with" multiple generations under one roof. Financial issues and caregiving are the top reasons why we live together, but overall those who do live with relatives are happy about it. "More adults living in multigenerational households say the experience has been positive (30 percent) or somewhat positive (27 percent) than say it has been somewhat negative (14 percent) or very negative (3 percent)," said the Pew Research Center.

* ... MEMORIES: Enjoy these shots of some of our old hospitals, captured in vintage photos. Thanks to the Kern County History Fans.

Wednesday, March 30, 2022

The city embraces the Bakersfield marathon, the DeStafani family mansion on Buena Vista burns to the ground and the owners of Cafe Smitten on 18th Street plan to open a bar across the street in the old Dott & Ott

* ... BAKERSFIELD MARATHON: Another Bakersfield Marathon is in the books and along with it the gripes and complaints of some residents about all the street blockages. Others, perhaps cynically,

wondered if it was a mere coincidence that the Kern River bike path was repaved and restriped just days before the marathon, not to mention all the homeless encampments that were destroyed in the week before the race. So did the city spruce up the bike path and clear the homeless encampments just for the marathon? Or are folks just being cynical? And my friend Joseph had this to add: "Explain this to me. How have I never been able to get BPD to respond to a crime in progress but there can be multiple officers on every corner for this marathon? They are even on the bike path. Maybe if they did this all the time we wouldn’t have the problem in the river that we do."

* ... BUT IT WORKS: Ini spite of all this, the marathon in its short life here has found its way into the collective heart of the city. Neighborhoods turned out to greet the runners, hundreds of recreational runners took park in shorter distance run and despite the traffic snarls, it is an event that adds to the richest and diversity of our community. And hats off to the sponsors among them Dignity Health, Chevron, Jim Burke Ford, Buck Owens Crystal Palace and 23ABC.

* ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "I had no idea I had a gift for doing EVERYTHING wrong until my daughter became a pre-teen and decided to graciously point it out.'

* ... NEW PLACES TO DRINK, EAT: There is a lot of activity in the local restaurant scene as Bakersfield comes out of the pandemic and people start resuming more normal lives. Shai Bitton, one of the owners of the popular Cafe Smitten coffee houses, revealed he has leased the space on 18t Street that once house Dott & Ott and will open a bar there later this year. And the main bartender at The 1800 restaurant and lounge, a Spanish gentleman named Cristo, is planning to open an authentic Spanish tapas bar over near the Locale farm to table eatery across from the downtown post office.

* ... FIRE GUTS HOUSE: If you have ever driven out west on Buena Vista, headed toward the coast, you no doubt have seen the large home with multiple towering pines out near Independence High School. Well it turns out that house, owned by the DeStefani family, caught fire this past weekend and much of the huge mansion was lost. Authorities later arrested a suspect. No word yet on the full extent of the damages.

* ... PRIEST ABUSE: Have you noticed the rash of TV advertisements by a law firm looking for people who have been abused by Catholic priests? Run and paid for by the Minnesota-based firm of Jeff Anderson and Associates, the spots begin by showing the dangling feet of a young man, presumably in church, while in the grainy background a priest walks in, setting up a scenario in which the viewer believes something sinister is about to happen. As it turns out, the law firm is already representing two men who claim they were sexually abused by former priest Craig Harrison, who left the church under a cloud of accusations. One unidentified man claimed he was between 15 and 17 years old when he was abused by Harrison in Firebaugh in 1993-1995 and the other claimed Harrison abused him when he was around 13 years old back in 1990 at St. Francis. Those lawsuits are pending and will soon be heard in civil court. Harrison was put on paid leave by the Diocese of Fresno in April of 2019, he later filed a defamation suit against the Diocese (it was dismissed) and Harrison has since left the church and surrendered his priestly duties. Harrison cannot face any criminal charges because of the statute of limitations, but he does face multiple civil lawsuits that seek to hold him accountable.

* ... MEMORIES: Enjoy these old photos courtesy of our friends who maintain the Kern County History Fans Facebook page, that posts so many wonderful memories.