Local coalition lines up to bring Amgen Tour of California through Bakersfield next year

It looks like the local effort to bring the Tour of California bicycle race to Bakersfield is picking up some important steam. For the uninitiated, the Amgen tour is this country's only major race featuring the pro cycling teams that compete in the Tour de France, Giro d'Italia and other major events. It's quite a spectacle that draws thousands of visitors along the roadsides to see the world's best professional cyclists. It would be terrific for tourism and local businesses, and would show off our city well. Normally it starts somewhere in northern California, winds down through the coast, hitting places like San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara, before ending up somewhere in Los Angeles. The only thing preventing the tour from coming to Bakersfield is money and local support. And that seems to be changing. One of the driving forces behind all this is Kerry Ryan, owner of Action Sports over off Brimhall Road. He's part of a coalition that involves the Convention and Visitor's Bureau, some city and county officials and other local supporters, including The Californian and American General Media. Don Cohen, head of the convention and visitor's bureau, says $161,000 has already been raised to bring the tour to Bakersfield. A decision should come some time in July. If it happens, we'll be seeing pros like Lance Armstrong, Levi Leipheimer, Ivan Basso, Carlos Sastre and others here next year. Stay tuned. (photo of 2009 winner Levi Leipheimer courtesy of the official Amgen website)

Short takes around town.: another restaurant to open downtown, Claire ties the knot and prayers for a local man at UCLA Medical Center

* ... DOWNTOWN REVIVAL: Saw on Facebook a posting by local artist Barbara Reid heralding the pending opening of a new sushi bar downtown on 19th Street , the same spot where Xander's and Benjamin's restaurants made a go of it. Barbara says the place is being opened by Yuri and Phil Chang, the folks who own Toro Sushi Bar and Grille over at the Marketplace. Toro is a class act and a second location downtown (apparently it will be called simply "O") would be a boost to the emerging downtown art and restaurant scene. Barbara, whose art graces the wall of Toro, said she was treated to some menu ideas for the new restaurant and had this to say:

 "They were all unique and yet displayed (with) what I have come to expect and appreciate as the artistry and flair of the sushi chefs at Toro. Beautiful presentation and wonderful mix of flavors. The offerings included sushi, tempura, stir-fry and salads. The opener was a serving bowl of skewered baby scallops, the tinest I have ever seen, in a spicy/sweet sauce with hints of citrus, tomato, cilantro. It was superb."

 * ... PRAYERS FOR A YOUNG MAN: Please keep Curtis Hartman in your thoughts and prayers. Curtis is the 35-year-old son of Linda Hartman, the executive director of the BARC (Bakersfield Association of Retarded Citizens) Foundation. Curtis just  underwent a double lung transplant at UCLA Medical Center and is recovering, but it will be long climb back. Curtis and Linda have a wide and supportive family. Linda's sister is Nancy Chaffin, Californian vice president of Human Resources and one of the founders of the local campaign to curb drunken driving that was recently recognized with a statewide award.

 * ... CLAIRE TIES THE KNOT: Congratulations to Claire Porter, the always gracious co-owner of Uricchio's Trattoria over off 17th Street, who got married a couple weeks ago to Mark Elieff, a physical therapist at San  Joaquin Hospital. Claire and Mark slipped off  quietly to wed in Las Vegas and then headed to New York for  their honeymoon, where they saw Bruce Springsteen at Giants Stadium. And speaking of Uricchio's, I was there the other night and had a chance to meet Mike Ariey, a local businessman who did a stint in the National Football League, playing for both the Green Bay Packers and New York Giants. He's also a graduate of Garces Memorial High School and San Diego State and represents the long line of local men and women who have represented Bakersfield in professional sports.

 * ... AMGEN TOUR ANNOUNCEMENT: It appears that the announcement of the host cities for the 2010 Amgen Tour of California will be made on Thursday, October 22. At least that's the word from Don Cohen, manager of the Bakersfield Convention and Visitors Bureau. The Amgen Tour is the biggest bicycle race in the country (read the previous post here) and would likely feature such heavy hitters as Lance Armstrong and Levi Leipheimer, as well as a host of European cycling stars. Bakersfield has made a strong pitch to host one leg of the event, either the ending of a race day or the beginning of one. This would be a huge plus for our town, not only in terms of tourism and revenue but also in terms of putting Bakersfield on the map. Stay tuned.

Bakersfield makes another Top 10 list, this one for urban poverty and remembering the Army Air Corps

 * ... POVERTY: One of the fallouts of this recession has been the spike in poverty in some of our nation's larger cities. And not surprisingly the hardest hit cities are those - like Bakersfield - that benefitted most from the housing bubble and are now struggling to recover. Bakersfield is ranked No. 3 on the list of the top ten markets with high poverty in urban suburbs, surpassed only by the Texas border towns of El Paso and McAllen. The Brookings Institute report noted that poverty "in the entire Bakersfield metropolitan area rose 23 percent from 2007 to 2009. The suburban portion of the metro has been affected far more. Bakersfield's two main industries, oil and agriculture, require a large amount of manpower. Much of this is supplied by immigrants, who often -- especially when it comes to agricultural jobs -- don't make enough money to lift them out of poverty. As of 2009, 29.1 percent of those living below the poverty line in Bakersfield were born outside the U.S. That's one of the highest rates in the country, according to Brookings." Others on the top ten list include Albuquerque, N.N., Augusta, Ga., Jackson, Miss., Little Rock, Ark., Modesto, Ca., Lakeland, Fla., and Fresno.

 * ... AIR CORPS: Edward Gaede is a World War II veteran, having served 30 months in the Pacific, and gave me a call to correct a piece in the newspaper that recalled a U.S. Air Force bombing in Europe in 1942. Edward reminded me that the U.S. Air Force was not formed until 1947, and that prior to that the branch was known as the Army Air Corps. I should know since my own father served as a captain in the Army Air Corps and was fond of singing its fight song ('Nothing can stop the Army Air Corps!). Now 88, Edward lived for years in Shafter and now resides in Bakersfield, a proud member of "the greatest generation."

 * ... ACCIDENT: A horrible accident between a bicylist and a runner led to the death of the rider, a 41-year-old Visalia school teacher. These things can happen quickly - in this case the runner turned around and ran right into the cyclists - it serves as a reminder that we all share the same road. This is the season for running and cycling, and locally both sports are enjoying a surge in popularity. In the Visalia incident, 41-year-old math teacher Scott Nelson was thrown off his bike and later died. Whether running, cycling or driving, be safe out there.

 * ... AMGEN TOUR: City leaders are busy rounding up support to lure the 2012 Amgen Tour of California back to Bakersfield. When the tour made a stop in Bakersfield in 2010 it was a huge success, with thousands of spectators lining the Panorama Bluffs to watch some of the world's best cyclists race to the finish. The Tour skipped Bakersfield this year and coordinators are crossing their fingers we will get back on the map.

 * ... HIGH ACHIEVER: Jason McPhetridge wrote to highlight his step daughter, Cynthia Begay, now a senior at UC San Diego. A Highland High School graduate, Cynthia's goal is to attend medical school (she did an internship at the Harvard Medical School in Boston) and eventually help treat Native Americans. She is half Native American and half Hispanic and recently left to work on a Navajo Reservation.

 * ... AND ANOTHER: Another local youngster heading off is Prnay Copra, an honors graduate from Bakersfield Christian High School who is bound for Northeastern University in Boston to study behavioral neuroscience. Prnay, who graduated with honors at BCHS, is the son of Caltrans engineer Ray Copra and wife Ameeta.

 * ... CALIFORNIAN RADIO: I will be interviewing Jeff Konya, athletic director at Cal State Bakersfield, Friday at 10 a.m. on Californian Radio SmartTalk 1230. Make sure you tune in as Jeff shares his expectations for the new year and we talk college sports.

 * ... BAKERSFIELDISM: You know you're from Bakersfield if "you've become an expert at dodging tumbleweeds during the windy season."

The Tour of California prepares to sweep into Bakersfield and Big Mike Ariey returns to Garces High School

 * ... AMGEN TOUR: This is your final reminder to get out and watch the Amgen Tour of California bicycle race sweep through Bakersfield and up the Panorama Bluffs Thursday afternoon. This is a world class event featuring some of the world's best pro cyclists, including Lance Armstrong, Mark Cavendish, George Hincapie and so many others. The finish to this Stage 5 event will happen sometime between 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. up on Panorama Drive in front of Bakersfield College. If you want to ride your bike to the event, Bike Bakersfield will have free valet parking for bikes up near the corner of Mount Vernon and Panorama. Simply check your bike in, enjoy the race and then pick it up by 4 p.m. A free "lifestyle festival" will get under way around noon and end at the finish of the stage.

 * ... HIGH DRAMA: Lots of drama around town as high school seniors get ready to walk across the stage to enter the next phase of their lives. It's always a stressful and exciting time for these seniors and their parents. I've heard of kids acting up (usually alcohol is involved) and being disciplined in the final weeks of school and others mentally checking out in bad cases of "senioritis." My advice: even good kids make bad decisions and they'll all pull through it. Time to leave high school and move on.

 * ... HERSBERGER KIDS: Good news for local residents Rod and Susan Hersberger, whose two children are both about to complete their MBA degrees. Mark is about to graduate from San Diego State and sister Kate Greenberg will get her advanced degree from UCLA on June 11. Both have undergraduate degrees from UCLA. Mark works in the corporate office of UPS in San Diego and Kate works for Disney Consumer Products in Burbank.  Mom Susan is director of public affairs at Aera Energy and dad Rod is the dean of the University Library at Cal State Bakersfield.

 * ... HARVARD LAD: Heard from local jeweler Gordon Wickersham that his son Greg will receive a master's degree in school policy from Harvard University at the end of this month. Greg graduated from UCLA and has been teaching English as a second language in the Atlanta school system.

 * ... BIG MIKE: Nice to hear that Mike Ariey, "Big Mike" to his friends, is returning to coach the freshman football team at Garces Memorial  High School. A product of Garces High and then San Diego State, Ariey played professional football with the New York Giants and Green Bay Packers and was instrumental in establishing the freshman program at Garces in the late 1990s. "I love working with these kids and I'm thrilled to be going back," he told me. "It's like going home." Ariey owns a barbeque and catering business.

 * ... HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Joyce Hobbs wrote to welcome home grandson Brian Mercado after two tours of duty in Iraq. Brian, his wife Veronica and their three children flew from Germany to LAX and will be home a month before heading to Fort Bliss, Texas. Veronica was also in Iraq on a tour of duty. "Brian was injured more than twice, fighting for our freedom, and I am so proud of him," Hobbs said. "Today is his 29th birthday, and he will be celebrating in Vegas on the 20th, and the 21st. Could you wish him  happy birthday?  Thanks so much- a proud grandmother." Welcome home, soldier.
 
 * ... BAKERSFIELDISM: This from reader Will Winn: "You must be from Bakersfield if you remember when there used to be two monuments at the Circle -- Father Garces and Chief Fire Water."

Local leaders make final push to land major pro bicycle race; the waiting begins

As mentioned here before, the final push has been made to make Bakersfield a stop on the 2010 Amgen Tour of California bicycle race. I got a copy of the city's official "entry" to land a tour stop and it was an impressive piece of work. A dozen or so letters of support from local business leaders, maps proposing race routes around town and lots of details on what a terrific host we would be. Bakersfield has never seen anything like a pro cycling tour coming to town, and it would be something we wouldn't soon forget. All the greats would be here: Lance Armstrong and his Astana team, the great Spaniards Carlos Sastre and Alberto Contador, the big Belgian sprinter Tom Boonen and those crazy Aussies like Robbie McEwen and Cadel Evans. The group of supporters, led by folks as varied as Action Sports owner Kerry Ryan and local lawyer Jay Rosenlieb, has raised $160,000 in pledges already. Now the waiting begins. We should know something within a month or so. Past Amgen tour winner Levi Leiphiemer (an American) is shown in the picture and other pictures are courtesy of Lyne Lamoureux.

Making a list of things we should be thankful for in our home town, and welcoming the Tour of California to town

* ... HOME SWEET HOME: When was the last time you jotted down all the things you like about living in Bakersfield? I did so recently on a plane returning from the east coast and trust me, it's a much better experience than listing the things we don't like. In no particular order, here's my view of some of Bako's more endearing qualities: great weather, wonderful people, small town feel, the bike path, Luigi's, Basque food, short commutes, access to the mountains and beaches, the Padre Hotel, locally owned businesses, great neighborhoods, good schools, active and committed non-profits, a high sense of personal accountability in a town where everyone knows each other, acceptance of outsiders, the Kern River and local agriculture. What's on your list?

* ... OLDEST GRADUATE? Heard from retired CSUB math professor Lee Webb wondering if his friend, Esther DeLeon Dougherty, is the oldest graduate of UC Santa Barbara living locally. Esther graduated from Santa Barbara State College (precursor to what became UC Santa Barbara) in 1943 and apparently still substitute teaches. "All of us at the (Kroll) dog park really enjoy her company and her enthusiasm for life. She was the first Hispanic to graduate from college in her family, working her way through college, teaching for a number of years in Bakersfield schools, and she is still adding to the culture of this outstanding city."

 * ... AMGEN TOUR: Remember to put Thursday, May 20, on your calendar. That's the date that some of the world's best cyclists will storm into town for a sprint finish up the Panorama Bluffs in the Amgen Tour of California bicycle race. Trust me, this is an event worth attending and you'll be treated to some spectacular bike racing as well as music, food and vendor booths. Tour de France winner and cancer survivor Lance Armstrong will be there along with all the big names in professional cycling. There will be a Stage 5 "Lifestyle Festival" in the northeast parking lot on the campus of Bakersfield College from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. the day of the race, and it's free to the public. This is a chance to show off Bakersfield, so don't miss it.
  

* ... COOL WATER: Ever notice how just the tiniest bit of water in the Kern River makes us all feel better? It's always a surprise to return from a long trip to find real liquid in our river, as crazy as that sounds to outsiders. Wish it were there all the time.(photos courtesy of Don Martin)

 * ... OFF TO KOREA: Kudos to Emily Shapiro, a 2009 graduate of Cal State Bakersfield, who is off to Seoul, South Korea, to teach English. She majored in communications with an emphasis in journalism and public relations.


* ... MEA CULPA: I heard from the mother of Jenna Richmond, the fourth grader who had a chance to see pop singer Miley Cyrus as part of the local "Make a Wish Foundation." I reported that Jenna was suffering from a brain tumor but mother Kellie Richmond happily reported the tumor is in remission. Now that's a mistake I don't mind correcting.

 * ... BAKERSFIELDISM: You know you're from Bakersfield when "you think beans and salsa go with everything."

Bakersfield rolls out the red carpet for the Amgen Tour of California and remembering Suzanne Rivera, local cyclist who died on Mother's Day

 * ... AMGEN: Get ready for a day to remember Thursday when the Amgen Tour of California cycling race comes to town. Organizers are expecting as many as 30,000 people to view the race, which features some of the top pro cyclists in the world. The 18-mile time trial course starts on the bluffs across from Bakersfield College, follows Alfred Harrell Highway out to Hart Park and returns up the steep grade back to Panorama. It promises to be a spectacular event and if you have never witnessed a pro bike race, this is your chance to see some of the world's finest athletes in action. It's absolutely free, it starts at 1 p.m. and should by over shortly after 4 p.m. And, let's not forget to thank our city for agreeing to put water in the Kern River for the day to help put our community in its best light.

 * ... RIP SUZANNE: Friends and family are mourning the death of Suzanne Rivera, the 47-year-old mother of two who died in a nasty crash during a women's road cycling race near Mariposa. Like any sport cycling has its share of inflated egos and posturing, but Suzanne always had a smile on her face and never had a bad word for anyone. She crashed into a support van on a steep descent on Mother's Day, but she died doing something she loved. (Californian photo of Suzanne with coach Danny Kaukola)

* ... HIGH ACHIEVER: Among the many notable kids graduating from high school is Cristobal Trujillo, a Ridgeview graduate who is headed to Yale on a full-ride scholarship. Michelle Beck, one of his former teachers, told me Cristobal came to this country speaking no English but eventually mastered the language and qualified for the GATE program. That's an accomplishment that should make us all proud.

 * ... HOPPER: As if legacy media didn't have enough challenges, now comes the "Hopper" that threatens to to disrupt the television business model. The "Hopper" is a device offered by Dish Network that allows people to completely avoid commercials. Viewers can already fast forward through commercials, but the "Hopper" does it automatically and the viewer sees nothing but a momentary blank screen and no commercial. As the Wall Street Journal noted: "The notion that viewers won't see even a whirr of fast forwarded ads threatens billions of dollars in broadcast television advertising-and risks the ire of the networks."

 * ... BABY NAMES: The Social Security Administration has released the most popular baby names for 2011. According to USA Today, the top name for girls were Sophia, Isabella, Emma, Olivia, Ava, Emily, Abigail, Madison, Mia and Chloe. For boys: Jacob, Mason, William, Jayden, Noah, Michael, Ethan, Alexander, Aiden and Daniel.

 * ... BAKERSFIELDISM: Donna Pacheco wonders if anyone else remembers Hart Park in the 1950s when it featured boat racing, the miniature train, a roller coaster and a merry-go-round. Donna worked at a food stand selling hot dogs and drinks.

Get ready for the Amgen Tour of California and who was the woman stealing the snap dragon from the gas station?

 * ... AMGEN: I stopped by Rabobank Arena earlier this week for the kick off reception of the Amgen Tour of California bicycle race coming in May. Kerry Ryan, owner of Action Sports and one of the key drivers in getting this prestigious race back to Bakersfield, predicted 30,000 people will line the Panorama bluffs to watch the May 17, State 5 time trial showcasing some of the world's best cyclists. Spotted in the crowd were Rabobank's Andy Peterson, local attorney and cycling booster Jay Rosenlieb, City Manager Alan Tandy and wife Kate, City Councilman and supervisor candidate David Couch, Memorial Hospital's (and city councilwoman) Sue Benham, City Councilman Harold Hanson, KBAK TV sales manager Scott Meeks, Action Sports' Sam Ames and wife Andrea, City Councilman and State Senate candidate Rudy Salas, KBAK reporter Keisha Courtney, and David Lyman of the Convention and Visitor's Bureau.

* ... SPOTTED: Gail Oblinger submitted this eyewitness account of some really bad form about town. "The gas station at the corner of Mt. Vernon and University has flowerbeds filled with a lovely selection of spring blooms. While passing in my car Sunday, I noticed a woman bent over with her hands in the flowers and I thought. 'What a shame, she looks like she is picking some.' After I had finished my errand and drove back down the same way, there she was walking along the street. It was worse than I had thought. She had not picked some flowers, she had completely dug up a good sized, yellow snapdragon plant, and was carrying it upside down by the root ball!"

 * ... OVERHEARD: At Trader Joe's recently an impatient woman is heard complaining to her boyfriend about the customer in front of her: "The woman is writing a check and it's taking forever! Nobody writes checks anymore!"


  * ... LAST WISH: This may be highest compliment if you own a restaurant. The Home Depot Rosedale taco stand, owned by Yvonne Torres for the past three years, is well known for its chile verde. But not even owner Yvonne Torres could dream it might be a dying man's last wish to dine on your chile verde. Torres said she was approached at her taco stand by a strange woman recently. "She had been crying and said her father was dying... in the morning her father had Pappy's for breakfast, for lunch he wanted Cafe Med, for a snack he wanted Dewar's ice cream and for dinner he wanted chili verde from Home Depot. Now I feel honored my chili verde was chosen for a man's dying wish... I am truly honored."

 * ... DID YOU KNOW? Did you know that members of the Kern County Union High School class of 1938 meets regularly at Woolgrowers?  That's a lot of memories to share.

* ... BABY ON BOARD: Congratulations to Melissa (Lissa) Dignan, the former KERO TV weather forecaster who recently learned she is pregnant with her first child. Dignan is married to Brian Dignan, who is a coach with the Bakersfield Jam. Lissa said the baby is due in November. Always the animal lover, Lissa said the baby will have a "big sister" in her beloved weather dog Shelby.

Amgen Tour of California: Visalia to Bakersfield

 Wonderful promotional video of the upcoming Amgen Tour of California, stage five from Visalia to Bakersfield. If you want to see what why Bakersfield is a cycling paradise, view this video.

Occidental makes a big bet on Bakersfield and BakersfieldLife to spotlight our high achieving kids

* ... GOOD NEWS: If there  is a winner in this terrible oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, it may be Occidental Petroleum. At least that's the view of Bloomberg news service, which said Oxy is "leading a rush to find crude on land" as the disaster spurs tougher offshore drilling rules. Oxy recently doubled its estimate for a discovery near Bakersfield, to the equivalent of as much as $34 billion at current prices. Bloomberg said Oxy "bucked the oil industry migration to deep-sea drilling during the past decade and focused on onshore fields from California to Texas to Abu Dhabi." The story went on to say that Oxy is keeping the precise location of its Kern County discovery a secret to prevent competitors from trying to buy adjacent tracks of land.

 * ... COLLEGE BOUND: The city magazine BakersfieldLife comes out Saturday with its annual spotlight on some of our community's high achieving, college-bound kids. This is my favorite issue as it focuses on some of our local success stories, all of them inspirational. Among those being profiled are Joanne Bae, Liberty, headed to UC San Diego; Wesley Elrich, BHS, headed to UCLA; Kristyn Pendley, Ridgeview, headed to UC Davis; Tyler Davisson, West High, going to Cal Poly; Alexandra Tamplin, South High, bound for Stanford; Brandon West, Garces Memorial, Pepperdine; Katherine Scott, East High, headed for Smith College; Andrew Morales, Highland High, UC Irvine; Jake and Lauren Howry, Centential, going to University of Chicago and Washington and Lee, respectively; Melissa Hamilton, Stockdale, bound for Stanford; Michael Moore, Golden Valley, Morehouse College; Nathaly Navarrette, North High, UC Merced; Alex Kim, Stockdale, West Point; Jasmin Barrena, Foothill High, UC Berkeley, Brice Ezell, Bakersfield Christian, George Fox University; and Alexandria Trakimas, Frontier High, University of Pennsylvania.

* ... GARCES POOL: Nice to hear that Garces Memorial High School is getting ready to break ground on a new state-of-the-art competition swimming pool .  It will have 12 practice lanes and 10 competition lanes and a diving area with a depth of 14 feet. It will also have two one-meter diving boards and one three-meter board. It is supposed to be completed in December.


 * .,.. DRILLER NATION: Sue and Roger Allred wrote to tell me about their ninth child who will be graduating from Bakersfield High School on June 3. Their oldest graduated from BHS in 1993, the 100th graduating class of the school. "Our children have five bachelors degrees, one masters in education, one is a lawyer, one is going for a masters in physics, four are stay at home moms, and three are still working on degrees. We have had a wonderful time at BHS and thank those who have enriched our children's lives." And apparently all nine kids will be home for the graduation, coming from places like New York City, Brooklet, Ga., Salt Lake City, Ut., Tucson, Az., San Diego and of course Bakersfield.


 * ... AMGEN TOUR: A reader asked me to list the three committee chairmen who worked so hard to make last week's Amgen Tour of California a success, so here they are: Sam Ames of Action Sports was responsible for the VIP area, Janey Clary was in charge of the hundreds of volunteers and Doug Gosling, an attorney with Klein, DeNatale, was chairman of the festival committee, where all the food and vendors were set up. 


* ... EAST BAKERSFIELD: You know you're an East Bakersfield old timer if  "you remember what the original price of a hamburger at Ken-Ken's was. 10 cents."

Amgen Tour of California returns to Bakersfield and country fire chief leaves under cloud

 * ... FIRE CHIEF: Kudos to my colleague Lois Henry for digging into the "retirement" of Kern County Fire Chief Nick Dunn, who is leaving under questionable circumstances. Dunn appeared at a press conference wearing Bermuda shorts and a knee brace and referred to his "battered body," but it's now clear there is much more to the story. (He was under scrutiny for allegedly using public property for personal gain) Either way, he walks away with a lifetime pension of around $175,000 a year, which we will all be paying for years to come. Legal, yes. But also distasteful.

* ... GARCES TRIBUTE: Jim Doty read my earlier post about Garces Memorial High School and submitted this tribute to a Catholic school education. "We were living in England in the late 1960s (or early 1970s) and our son was the equivalent of a high-school sophomore. One day he told my wife and me that he would like to go back to the U.S. to go to school. My wife and I decided it was a reasonable request so we talked to a friend who had been in a similar situation when he was that age. He recommended his old school, a Jesuit boarding school, in southwest Arkansas. With his help, our son was accepted. We sent them a mighty fine boy; we got back an exceptional young man. He is now a senior executive for a major corporation, and has made us proud as punch, job-wise, but more important-son, man, person, everything-wise. That Garces turns out good students, and cares for them, does not surprise me. I am not Catholic, but I feel indebted to their educational system in every way. "

 * ... BIKE RACE: Terrific news that the Amgen Tour of California bike race is coming back to Bakersfield in May. If you missed this race two years ago, make sure you catch it this time. This is spectacular show - it will be a time trial here - and you don't have to be a bike racing fanatic to enjoy the extravaganza. So mark May 17 on your calendars to see some of the world's best athletes in action. (photo courtesy of Velonews)

* ... SALLY THE SHOPPER: John Brock Jr., whose family ran the famous Brock's department store for years, weighed in with the final word on the store's Sally the Shopper program. "It actually originated at our store in the spring of 1952. The first person appointed to the position lasted about a month and then Pat Esposito (now Mrs. Lloyd Plank) took over and really became the first Sally. She had been in the position for about three months when the earthquakes of July and August hit Bakersfield, forcing Brock’s to move from its downtown location into a circus tent which was erected on a parking lot in the Westchester area, just south of today’s Westchester Bowl. The personal shopping service became quite popular during the circus tent period with Pat on the job. She continued to be Sally until about 1955, and the service continued under others until Brock’s was acquired by Gottschalk’s in 1987 (and possibly after that)."

 * ... BROCK'S: And speaking of Brock's, reader Cheryl Bomar said her mother was a "Sally Shopper" and she worked in the gift wrapping department while in high school. "I made more in tips from the gentlemen shopping than I did in wages," she said. "It was during that time that I met Troy Donahue in the 'operator run' elevator. He said hello but I was too frozen to say anything."

 * ... LA CRESTA: Janice Huston Montoya spotted her brother's comments about growing up in La Cresta and added this: "I can't believe my little brother, Mike Huston, didn't remember one of our favorite places on Alta Vista Drive, the La Cresta Sundry. They had the best hamburgers in town!"

* ... BAKERSFIELDISM: From Jerry Beckwith: "You might be a Bakersfield old timer if you remember going on a picnic with your grandmother Ethel and brother Mike, a bindle over your shoulder, to the Hillcrest sign north of Niles Street. There was nothing but foothills north of Niles and east of Horace Mann School.

Ten days after the Great American Cleanup and the city has yet to remove the collected trash, and how about some water in the river for the Tour of California

 * ... TRASH: Ten days ago hundreds of local volunteers spread across our community picking up trash as part of the Great American Cleanup Day. That was terrific, yet more than a week later much of the trash remained, particularly along the Kern River bike path where the once neatly stacked piles of black trash bags were trashed themselves by the homeless, animals and inclement weather. It's a shame it took more than a week to finally pick up the trash bagged by legends of volunteers.

* ... KERN RIVER: If the city would like to make amends, perhaps it can arrange to have water in the river during the upcoming Tour of California bicycle race. At least that's the idea of Frances Rosales, one of the owners of Happy Jack's restaurant downtown. "Why can't we have water flowing down the river when the Amgen Tour of California bike race is in town? We have friends coming from Napa and it would be great to see us at our best," she said. The tour will be in Bakersfield on Thursday, May 17, for the individual time trial competition. Some 30,000 spectators are expected to watch the time trial on the Panorama bluffs near Bakersfield College.

* ... SHOE DRIVE: Rosco Rolnick is at it again, helping those in need with his 20th annual "Shoes for the Homeless" campaign benefiting the Bakersfield Homeless Center. Rosco is president of Guarantee Shoe Center on Chester Avenue and has long been a supporter of our community. The shoe drive will conclude on May 6. Donations can be dropped off at Guarantee Shoe Center, KGET TV, Second Smile Denture Car, the Downtown School and at Four Seasons activity center. Donors will receive $10 off their next purchase of regularly priced shoes of $60 or more at Guarantee Shoe Center.

 * ... BOMB SHELTERS: My earlier post on the bomb shelter in Rick Kreiser's yard in College Heights brought this note from reader Carl R. Moreland. "In 1966, when we bought our first home on 21st Street from the former Kern County Museum Director Richard Bailey, it included a bomb shelter. When visitors first came the house, we always took them went down into the submarine-like shelter. Our children Margalo and Krista and their friends used it as an underground playhouse."

 * ... BOMB BAR: And then there was this note sent to me from Richard Diffee: "One more thing about bomb shelters. Old timers may remember a bar on Union Avenue near 8th Street during the 1940s called the Bomb Shelter. Patrons went there to get bombed."

 * ... WEBSTER WEBFOOT: I wrote earlier about the old television show called Webster Webfoot and Jimmy Weldon. It brought this response from reader Gary Higgins: "Jimmy is alive and well and living in North Hollywood. I was an avid fan of Webster Webfoot when I lived in Fresno in the 1950s.

* .... WHO KNEW? From the Vision 2020 Image Committee comes this: "Did you know there is a band called Brokedown in Bakersfield that pays homage to the Bakersfield Sound, which it says is 'California country music made raw and rocking, spiked with twang and sweetened with heartfelt harmonies.'

Bako Bits: dealing with a dysfunctional state Legislature, San Joaquin bank and news of the day

Getting ready for the weekend, cleaning off my desk and crossing my fingers that a resurgent stock market means better economic times ahead. Let's get to it:

* ... The (MESSY) STATE OF CALIFORNIA: Once the envy of the country, the Golden State has become the punching bag for the nation. People now talk about California the way they used to talk about Mississippi. Our Legislature is totally dysfunctional, the two parties talk past each other and cater to the extremes at both ends while meanwhile the special interests (state employee unions etc) rule the day. Consider the following excerpt from a recent column:

"The (state) Senate is not dysfunctional-it is nonfunctional. The problem is that neither the institution nor its members are accountable to 'We the people.' Instead members concern themselves with personal and partisan agendas."

Sounds like California right? Well, this is a story about the New York legislature, which apparently is afflicted with the same paralysis and lack of leadership as our own. Written by Gerald Benjamin and Mario M. Cuomo, this column appeared in the Wall Street Journal and was brought to my attention by Ray Dezember, the retired banker who may singly be the most influential man in town. Affectionately known as "Mr. Bakersfield," Ray is known for his personal generosity and his deep involvement and love for our community. He passed this column along to me with a personal note saying California needs a state constitutional convention to get out of this mess.
This is precisely what Benjamin and Cuomo argue, that things are so bad in New York that only rewriting the rules can save the state. Ray is among a growing number of folks who believe the same is true for California, that between the initiative process and gutless legislators, we simply need to rewrite the rules and start anew, focusing on the core issues facing our state. The Cuomo column ends this way, and rings true for California:

"Albany can show that it is genuinely interested in considering reform by putting the convention question on the ballot. Alternately it can ignore calls for change. This, of course, would further reinforce the cynicism of New Yorkers and push them further away from public life - and from democracy. If the legislature wants to avoid this fate, which is of its own doing, then it should take up the calls for reform."

That's Ray shown in the photo below along with Californian publisher Ginger Moorhouse and me, shortly after Ray retired from our Board of Directors.



* ... SAN JOAQUIN'S INDIAN CONNECTION: As reported earlier this week, troubled San Joaquin Bank announced a recapitaliization that will bring $38 million into the bank from a group of Indian investors. This is good news for the local bank, which has been under the screws of federal regulators who are concerned about "impaired" development loans on the books. CEO Bart Hill said the investment would be enough to stabilize the bank, but there are a series of steps that must be taken before the money can leave India and get to the bank. Meanwhile, the bank filed a "Form 8-K" which details the transaction, and this notes that San Joaquin can and will continue to look for yet more investors. If you're curious about this stuff, and want to read the names of the Indian investors, check out the Form 8-K here.

* ... WAITING ON THE TOUR: Meanwhile, local cycling enthusiasts are waiting to hear if Bakersfield's bid to host a leg of the 2010 Amgen Tour of California will be approved. A large group of local business leaders, supported by the city of Bakersfield, are supporting this move to bring this premier professional cycling event to Kern County next year. This would be a sure-fire winner in terms of tourism and showing off our community, so keep your fingers crossed. If you want to keep up with the progress of our bid, check out the website here. That's a photo of past winner Levi Leipheimer below.



* ... A TOUCH OF OILDALE IN LA: Local photographer Felix Adamo passes along word that a gallery in Los Angeles is featuring six Bakersfield artists and their art of Oildale. The exhibit runs Aug. 1-29 at L2kontemporary, located at 990 North Hill Street, No. 205. Felix says one of the artists is our own Jill Thayer, North High and CSUB graduate. Make sure to check it out if you're down in Los Angeles.

Amgen Tour of California, Stage 5, ends in Bakersfield

 Some random shots as the Tour of California ended in Bakersfield, on the Panorama Bluffs.

More toxic loans about to hit the local real estate market and a reader sounds off on arrogant cyclists on the Woody road

 * ... HOUSING WOES: There's more evidence that we've got a long way to go before our real estate market recovers. Experts are now predicting that 3.5 million homes nationally will go into foreclosure this year (up from 2.8 million last year) as risky adjustable-rate mortgages set in 2005 reset and unemployment lingers. That's the word from RealtyTrac senior vice president Rick Sharga, who warned foreclosures will continue to rise until they plateau in late 2011. "The second wave of toxic loans is about to hit," Sharga said this week. High unemployment and rate resets will drive the foreclosures, as well as a move toward "strategic defaults" where folks decide it just doesn't make any sense anymore to keep paying on an underwater mortgage. Lastly, and this is scary, Sharga said the next wave of foreclosures will hit more middle and upper class people with prime mortgages. So if you thought the worst of the meltdown was over, think again.

 * ... EYESORES: And speaking of foreclosures, there's not a neighborhood in town that is immune from the tell-tale signs of imminent foreclosure: once proud lawns overtaken by knee-high weeds, no cars and no signs of behind the darkened windows. Next time you are driving around town, count the number you see. It's a sobering exercise.

 * ... HELLO LANCE: We were all disappointed when Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong crashed and didn't appear in Bakersfield at the end of Stage 5 of the Amgen Tour of California bicycle race. But it turns out he did make an appearance here, although under unforeseen circumstances. After crashing outside of Visalia, Armstrong was rushed to Bakersfield Memorial Hospital and was treated for his crash wounds. Hospital CEO Jon Van Boening said he was alerted to "get to the hospital now!" when word arrived that Armstrong was on his way. "He had his own orthopedic surgeon and his own entourage," Van Boening told me. "I told him we were happy to see him in Bakersfield, but it was too bad it was at the hospital and not the race!"

 * ... DEZEMBER SALUTE: Nice to see retired banker Ray Dezember honored  with a legacy award by the downtown Rotary Club. Ray and wife Joan, both Whittier College graduates, are known as perhaps the most philanthropic couple in town, giving hundreds of thousands of dollars to worthwhile causes over the years, most of it without fanfare or recognition. Rotary president Duane Keathley delivered the tribute for Ray, who was accompanied by Joan, son Brent and wife Anna and daughter Katie Werdel.

 * ... CYCLISTS: Yet more feedback on the debate on cyclists on the road to Woody. This from reader Mike Wenzel: "All slow traffic is required to move to the right side of the road and allow faster traffic around. The bicyclists on Woody road arrogantly refuse to do this. The excuse seems to be 'we pay taxes too.'  After having to follow these arrogant egocentric bicyclists a few times in the mountains, I took a great deal of joy in listening to their self righteous whining about pedestrians on the bike path. failing to move over for them. This 'I own a bike-I am the center of the universe' attitude is comical. Maybe if bicyclists extended a little courtesy to other they may receive a little themselves. By the way, I own a bicycle myself." 

 * ... MAYOR OF DOWNTOWN: It was nice to see Don Martin, owner of Metro Galleries on 19th Street, recognized with a Beautiful Bakersfield award for promoting the arts. Known by his friends as the "mayor of downtown," Martin has done more for the local arts scene than any other single individual, and he deserves the recognition. A born marketer, Martin was the creative genius behind the "First Friday" arts festivals downtown.

 * ... EAST BAKERSFIELDISM: You know you're an East Bakersfield old-timer if  "your mother dropped you off every Saturday morning for the all-day movies at the Granada Theater."

Final kilometers of Stage FIve Amgen Tour of California finish in Bakersfield

Amgen Tour of California ... coming to Bakersfield May 20th!

California Radio will focus on spending and the future of the Golden State, and what's with the Bakersfield police littering our streets?

 * ... GOLDEN STATE: What is your view of the future of California? Are we on track to become the next Greece? Will unbridled spending and public pensions spell the end of the promise of the California dream? Join me on Californian Radio KERN 1180 Monday when I will be chatting with David Bynum, an attorney at LeBeau-Thelen, about unfunded pension liabilities and their affect on the state and local governments. I also will be talking with Dr. Raj Patel, a partner in Preferred Family Physicians, about seasonal allergies and what we can all to do deal with them.

 * ... GRADUATES: This is the time of year when our children walk across the stages of high schools and colleges in graduation ceremonies that make us all swell with pride. So congratulations to all these graduates and the families that stood behind them in their quests. And special kudos to my own Hannah Beene, who graduated this past week at the University of Michigan, and all those teachers at McAuliffe Elementary, Tevis Junior High and Stockdale High School who guided her along the way.

 * ... FAN CLUB?: I wrote earlier about trash piling up on the bike trail following the Great American Cleanup, and it triggered this response from reader Kash Berry. "Go pick up the trash yourself you bum...  Don't complain about bags being left out..  complain about the shame that is your excuse for a newspaper and city. And when the Amgen (cycling) tour hits Bakersfield, all that the participants and spectators from out of town will notice is the worst city in California that stinks of bad air and idiotic people. Let the river flow! It might cover up the trash left out." Thanks Kash, but next time try to be more direct.

 * ... SPOTTED: Larry A. Fredeen describes himself as a "law and order" guy who has always supported the Bakersfield Police Department. But last week he witnessed some behavior he wanted to share. He was driving south on M Street and fell behind a Bakersfield police unit. At a red light, the officer rolled down the window and dumped a handful of peanut shells out his window, and then repeated it at the next two lights. "I spend hours (as do other good Bakersfield citizens) keeping the area around my home, street and a nearby 'city-owned' alley cleaned up.  (Just ask Harold Hansen, he's aware of my cleaning.)  I keep a trash bag in my vehicles, I never throw anything from them, and empty the debris in a proper trash can.  I have helped out on city clean up days, and the Great American Cleanup etc. I was appalled to view one of Bakersfield's finest littering our downtown streets."

 * ... BAKO: Local farmer Dick Porter and wife Becky were in Cincinnati recently when they came upon a downtown restaurant named 'Bakersfield.' Porter described it as "music saloon" which featured Bakersfield landmarks on the walls and a band that plays "outlaw country music." Painted on one wall is the Bakersfield arch and on another wall is the Fox Theater.

* ... NFL: Debby Schipper dropped me a note to add a few more names to the already long list of local athletes who played in the National Football League. "I wanted to remind you of John and Melvin Tarver who played for the Patriots and Broncos respectively. I went to Arvin High School with both of them and wanted to remind you of their achievments in the NFL! Carrying on their tradition, I have heard via Facebook that one of their nephews, Justin Cheadle, just signed with the Kansas City Chiefs. (Cheadle when to Bakersfield High School) What  fabulous family contributions Arvin has made to the NFL!"

 * ... BAKERSFIELDISM: Spotted on Facebook was this: You know you're from Bakersfield when the best burger in town comes from a car wash (34th Street Car Wash) and the best bloody Mary is from a bowling alley (Westchester Bowl).