A social media app allows a distraught owner to find her stolen Siberian husky and a few lessons in servant leadership by those who gave so much to our community

 * ... HAPPY ENDING: There will be no talk of politics or police shootings or #blacklivesmatter in this space today. Instead, allow me to share the story of a happy ending that started when a friend's 10-month old Siberian husky was stolen from the back yard of her home near the Bakersfield Racquet Club. When she noticed the lock on her gate had been cut and her dog gone, she alerted

neighbors on the NextDoor neighborhood app and within minutes, someone had spotted the dog with a homeless man at the McDonald's on 23rd Street. She later found her dog at the downtown GET station on a leash with a stranger. "I said that's my dog," she told me. "He said, 'No, it's my dog.' I called my dog by her name and noticed she even had a new collar on." When her husband arrived, the man gave up the husky and walked away. Are our pure bred dogs now being stolen and sold on the streets? But here's a salute to the power of social media, alert neighbors and a reunion between a family and its dog.

 * ... SERVANT LEADERSHIP: Do you ever think about what your legacy will be after you leave this earth? Will you be remembered for your generosity, your kindness, your heart? Were you involved in the community? Did you give back? That was a question I was pondering after getting a

note from Patricia Graffius, who noted that her late husband, Jim Huber, was born on July 20, 1916. During his years here he left his mark in many positive ways, including being one of the founders of the Rotary Club of Bakersfield East and serving as its first full year president; helping charter West Rotary; building Skateland roller rink and bringing the Dunns to Bakersfield to be the teaching pros. (The Dunn family accumulated many awards over the years. Daughter Natalie was three time world champion skater and is a member of the Bob Elias Hall of Fame.) In addition there is James Huber Chapel at First Congregation Church which he bequeathed at his passing in 1995. And, his son Robert was in the first graduating class of South High and is now in his second term as Mayor of Simi Valley."

 * ... GUNNER: And speaking of those who leave a positive imprint in this life, I attended a surprise gathering at Luigi's to honor the retirement of Gregg Gunner, longtime owner and operator of Gregg's Pharmacy which he recently sold to Rite-Aid. If the measure of a life well lived can be summed up by who shows up to honor you, Gunner has done well. It was a full house and Fran Gunner regaled the crowd with delightful stories of her husband's often quirky behavior, but never at the expense of others. Among those I spotted there were Don Lucas, Bruce Massa, Gary and Gloria Friedman, Ken and Teri Jones, Brian Komota, Cindy and Tom Anspach, Eleanor Etcheverry, Jane Cormier, Tom Anton, Cathy and Mark Abernathy, Dwight Byrum, Clark Gustafson, and finally Joe Munoz and daughter Julie.

* ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "You never regret being kind, unless you're in prison."

 * ... TRASH: My rant on trash in Bakersfield drew this response from Dwayne Ardis: "Your column today on trash and litter was interesting. I would like to point out one factor as to why Bakersfield, and California as a whole, has a litter problem and other states don't. The difference is, California does not make prison inmates pick up litter along road ways anymore. It would be interesting to know why."

 * ... MORE TRASH: And Chris Padham added this: "Regarding your comments concerning litter I couldn't agree more. I do not need to see a sign post telling me welcome to California. I can always tell when  the roads become littered and crumbling."

Kevin Burton decides against running for mayor of Bakersfield, an expert predicts the price of oil will double this year and Monsignor Michael Braun begins his farewell tour

 * ... OIL: With the price of oil hovering around $30 a barrel, it's hard to find optimists in the oil patch. But at least one analyst is bucking that trend by predicting the price will double to around $60 a barrel by the end of this year. That's the word from The Wall Street Journal which reported that

energy executive Harold Hamm believes the current glut will ease as U.S. producers "ratchet down production until the market recovers." Hamm, chief executive of the U.S. shale producer Continental Resources,  also described OPEC as "almost a nonentity" that is losing its ability to dictate market prices.

 * ... KEVIN: Kevin Burton has decided against running for mayor this year, citing his responsibilities as president of the San Joaquin Community Hospital foundation. Burton, who will turn 45 next week, called being mayor "a lifelong dream" but told me he was simply not in a position to run for election this year. "I love this city and it's been my goal to be mayor," he said. "But I just can't do it now." It is still not certain if Harvey Hall will run for reelection, and Burton's decision creates an even wider opening for former homebuilder Kyle Carter to seek the office. Carter says he is running whether Hall runs or not.

* ... MONA: An interesting exhibit of neon signs will be on display in Glendale next month when the Museum of Neon Art holds its grand opening. And one of its prized pieces is none other than one of the original neon signs for the now defunct Green Frog market. The sign, if you remember it, has the phrase 'Howdy Folks' under a strutting green frog decked out in a tuxedo and black top hat. By the way, if you are into this kind of stuff, take a leisurely drive through old east Bakersfield some time and take in the treasure trove of neon signs that grace our streets, from Pyrenees Cafe to Luigi's to Woolgrowers to the Arizona Cafe. Or, better yet, head over to the Kern County Museum to check out its impressive display of old neon signs.

 * ... BRAUN: Good luck to Monsignor Michael Braun, one of the smartest - and wittiest - pastors in town who has spent three decades leaving his imprint on Catholic life here. Braun will retire at the end of this month, but not before a 'farewell tour' of sorts that included a tribute dinner at Bakersfield Country Club that drew some 300 people. When Braun steps down, he will be the longest-tenured pastor at Our Lady of Perpetual Help, also surpassing those at other local Catholic parishes.

 * ... SPOTTED ON FACEBOOK: "I'd like to read an obit about someone who did not die surrounded by family. Someone whose niece was on her way but didn't quite make it."

 * ... FUND RAISER: Mark your calendar for the annual reverse raffle and fund raiser for the Our Lady of Guadalupe School, a small non-profit school that serves students through the eighth grade. The dinner is set for Saturday, Feb. 13., at the Our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine at 4600 E. Brundage Lane. Tickets are going for $140 (steak dinner for two and one entry into the reverse raffle) and there will be an $8,000 grand prize. This year's honorees for the Monsignor Craig Harrison award: Rose Alderete, Marylou Burlingame and Woolgrower's Restaurant-Jenny Poncetta and Mayie Matia.

Former residential home builder Kyle Carter readies for a run for mayor, celebrating the small-town feel of Bakersfield and noting some good form about town

 * … MAYOR: Mayor Harvey Hall's term in office doesn't expire for another year, but already folks are lining up to replace Hall if he chooses not to seek reelection. One name mentioned frequently is Kyle Carter, the former residential home builder who was recently elected to the Kern Community College District. Carter is deeply involved in the community and has recently been investing in downtown properties. He successfully sold the company bearing his name before the recession hit, and he would no doubt be a formidable candidate. Meanwhile Kevin Burton, who runs the foundation over at San Joaquin Community Hospital, is also eager to run. "It's all Kevin talks about," said one of his friends. Hall has served as mayor since 2000 and told me he would announce his intentions in February of next year.

 * … SMALL TOWN: Another reason to celebrate our "small town" feel comes from reader Aneta Adams: "Over the weekend, I caught two of the Bakersfield episodes of Diners, Drive-ins and Dives.  You know it's not Bakersfield if you don't see someone you know! At KC's Steakhouse, it was Howdy Miller and Gary Crabtree. At Mama Roomba, it was H.A. Sala. How did the restaurants choose the patrons for the show? I also caught the episode with Salty's. Both were good representations of Btown!"

 * … BAD FORM: Emily Shapiro was in res room at Barnes and Noble when she spotted this example of bad form. "In an era of water depletion, conserving water is of the utmost importance. However, this past Saturday around 5 p.m. at Barnes and Noble I noticed a patron in the ladies room who after washing and drying her hands left the water running full blast. Not only is it bad manners, but the lack of consideration for others is astounding."

 * … WATER: Reader Gene Bonas' note about the length of time it takes hot water to reach the other end of the house drew this comment from Lee Altmar, himself a former sailor like Gene. "A trick we used when I lived in Santa Barbara during the drought of the 1980s was to keep a 5-gallon bucket or two in the shower. We would fill the bucket(s) while waiting for the water to get hot, then use the water for cleaning (e.g., dishes and floors). The fun thing about Bakersfield is that, in the summer, it takes even longer for the water to get cold enough to use. I've had to brush my teeth with water that was almost boiling."

 * … NORTHEAST: Penny Young responded to a reader's rant about the lack of new retail in the Northeast. Said Penny: "Needless to say, we enjoy your column for all the voices and personalities and events and tidbits that come to light. Today Elizabeth Trainor was spot on about the feelings of northeast residents and our lack of shopping while there are such exuberant openings on the other side of town. However, I think she was a little hard on Ken Weir, our Councilmember Ward 3. It appears she misses some of the information published in The Californian. Very recently Mr. Weir organized a public forum at the new Paul Cato Middle School where he brought together directors of 5 agencies connected with development in the NE, (transportation, parks, etc.) It was enlightening, well-received, well-attended, and well-reported by Theo Douglas. It's easy to miss things, and I am sorry that Ms. Trainor has 'never seen or heard from him over the years.'  If  Ms. Trainor Googles Bakersfield City Council and clicks on the first link, she will be able to solve her problem of being 'unable to discover his email address.' (These comments are not meant in a smarty tone, but just to give more balanced perspective.)"

 * … MEMORIES: Here's a puzzler from reader Cheryl Hyde Reid: "I recently obtained my great grandfather's death certificate.  It states that he died at the Stockdale Country Club Hospital in 1940.  I was born here in 1947, and don't remember that hospital.  Does anyone else recall a Stockdale Country Club Hospital?"

Pots holding shade trees for the downtown arts district are vandalized and The Salvation Army gets a $100,000 grant from The Bakersfield Californian Foundation

* … VANDALISM: It was distressing to awake Saturday and learn that someone took a hammer to one of the beautiful new pots that were installed downtown to beautify the area. The pots, which were

purchased via a grant from The Bakersfield Californian (family) Foundation, were placed throughout the arts district to hold shade trees. The pot that was demolished sat near the Ice Housing framing studio on 19th Street.

 * … GRANTS: And speaking of The Bakersfield Californian (family) Foundation, it awarded a $100,000 grant to the Salvation Army, Tehachapi Service Center to fund the creation of a Community Center that will serve the residents of the Tehachapi area. The Foundation has also offered the Bakersfield Homeless Center Job Development Program a matching grant of $50,00. If the Homeless Center can raise $50,000 within six months, the Foundation will match that amount with its own $50,000.

* … DIAPERS: My earlier blog post on a woman who tossed a dirty diaper into a car via the sun roof after watching a couple leave in on the curb drew applause from more than a dozen readers. This, from Gene Bonas, was typical:  "I just love it when the Esthers of the world seize this type of opportunity and act on it. Great story! If you see Esther in a future meeting, give her a great big hug for me."

* … BAD FORM: Frances Quiroz raises a point about bad form that I just happen to agree with. It happens when parents take their young children into R-rated movies. "There were at least three families with kids that I saw going in to this movie. A movie, that if you looked up it's reviews, has three scenes of nudity, sexual content and sexually suggestive scenes and fondling… Are you kidding me? This is what you want to expose your kids to? As a parent of two minors myself, ages 13 and 16, there are some movies that are PG13 that I won't let my kids watch. Maybe I'm a parent from the dark ages, but I care about what my kids are exposed to. Please tell me that I'm not the only one!"

 * … BAKERSFIELD COLLEGE: Four distinguished alumni of Bakersfield College will be inducted into the alumni association's Hall of Fame this week. On Thursday, the alumni group will hold a dinner to honor Dr. John Alexander, Peter Reyes, Bill Houser and Gerry Collis into the hall of fame. Some tickets are still available by calling (661) 395-4800. Tickets are $35. The event kicks off at 6 p.m. in the Bakersfield College Cafeteria.

  * … GOOD FORM: The folks over at Covenant Coffee on North Chester are sponsoring a Book Drive for Oildale Schools. Said Covenant's Randy Martin: "The goal is for each K-6 grade student from Wingland, Standard, Beardsley and North Beardsley to be given two books each ...we need about 4,000 books! The drive runs through Nov. 17. We are giving a free coffee with the donation of two books!" This is a good cause and, if you haven't been to Covenant's trendy coffee shop on North Chester, here's your chance to check it out.

More Americans than ever now have college degrees and retired Lt. Col. Joe Drew is inducted in the ARMY OCS Hall of Fame, along with his son

 * ... COLLEGE: There has been a surge in the percentage of Americans who how hold a college degree. That's the word from the National Center for Education Statistics, which reported that 33.5 percent of Americans aged 25-29 how hold at least a bachelor's degree. That compared with 24.7 percent in 1995. Locally, according to Scarborough Research, just 14.8 percent of Kern County adults hold a college degree.

 * ... DREW: Hats off to Joe Drew, a Tejon Ranch executive who recently was inducted into the Army's Officer Candidate School Hall of Fame at Fort Benning, Ga. Drew served in Vietnam and retired as a lieutenant colonel. And to keep it all in the family, his son Col. Thomas R. Drew also was inducted into the OCS Hall of Fame at the same time. The Army OCS Hall of Fame honors infantry officer graduates who have distinguished themselves in military and civilian pursuits. This is believed to be the first time a father and son have been inducted together. And to make it truly a family affair, Fred Drew (Joe's brother and himself also a Vietnam veteran) was inducted in the Army OCS Hall of Fame in 2007. As for Joe:  his military awards include the Legion of Merit, two distinguished Flying Crosses (V Device), Three Bronze stars (V Device), Twenty Two Air medals (V Device) two Purple Hearts, and the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry.

 * ... BAD FORM: A driver spotted two bicyclists (one on Brimhall and the other on Old River) riding against the traffic in clear violation of traffic laws. Both were almost hit by cars taking right hand turns. Remember: if you are on the bike, ride with the flow of traffic.

 * ... FESTIVAL: The first Kern County Nut Festival is in the books, and organizers should be happy about how it all went. Some 9,000 people showed up at the Kern County Museum to celebrate the almonds, pistachios and other nuts that are so important to our local economy. These events are always good venues to meet and greet, and the Nut Festival did not disappoint. Hats off to some of the organizers and volunteers I spotted there, including Sheryl Barbich, Beth Pandol, Tracy and Brian Kiser, Nancy Chaffin, Coleen McGauley, Brian Burrow, Cynthia and Gary Icardo, Jim and Patrice Black, Pat Collins, Linda Hartman, Kimberly Ward Graham, Mimi Audelo, Chris Frank and so many more. 

* ... REUNION: If you are a graduate of West High, heads up: there is a reunion of the West High classes of 1967, 1968 and 1969 set for August 31 at Stockdale Country Club. It will run from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. Contact Jane Cormier (661) 332-5581.

 * ... GRANT: Hats off to the employees of the Von's on Coffee Road, who awarded a grant of $2,500 to the Assistance League of Bakersfield. The money will go to help fund Operation School Bell, which provides new school clothing to elementary age children locally.

 * ... NON PROFIT: The Society for Disabled Children is preparing for its annual camp in which 42 kids will spend 10 days fishing, swimming, riding horses and staying in cabins. Patricia Henson, the group's executive director, is looking for sponsors to help offset the costs. If you are interesting in helping, contact the society at (661) 322-5595.

April ushers in the charity fund raising season and Karen Goh will appear on Californian Radio to talk about her campaign for supervisor

* ... FUND RAISER: If it's April it means the charity fund raising season must be in full swing. I stopped by one of the fund raisers for the Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Saturday evening, a French-themed roving party held at the homes of Ken and Teri Jones, Brent and Anna Dezember and Gary and Bettina Belter. These events are always spectacular and they raise a lot of money for good causes throughout our community. Among those I spotted at the CASA party were David and Catherine Gay, Gregg and Fran Gunner, Bob and Betty Stine, Jeanne and Michael Young, Pam Giumarra, Linda Sullenger, Colleen McGauley, Greg and Mary Bynum, Rick and Cindy Jones, Cindy and George Meek, Jim and Jeanne Filbrandt, Sue and Herb Benham, Jan and Joe Drew and Bill and Holly Lazzerini, among others.


* ... KUDOS: Hats off to the hundreds of people who fanned out across town on a chilly Saturday to participate in the Great American Cleanup Day. If you ever doubt the goodwill of our community, it will be dispelled when you see so many young people volunteering their time for a good cause.

* ... GOOD DEED: Lois Ernst wrote to share a random act of kindness. "My daughter and some friends were recently in the drive thru at our local Chick Fil A. They placed their order, which came to about $24, got up to the window to pay and were informed that the customer in line behind them had already paid for their order. They were amazed and delighted that a stranger would do that! Bakersfield is a nice play to live, contrary to all the 'bad lists' we seem to end up on." Amen to that Lois.

 * ... FIFTH DISTRICT: One of the more interesting local elections this year is in the Fifth District county supervisor race where appointed incumbent Karen Goh faces a stiff challenge from former public defender Leticia Perez. Join me at 9:30 a.m. Monday when Goh will be my guest on Californian Radio KERN 1180. I will also be talking about the controversy over Democratic strategist Hilary Rosen's dig at Ann Romney because she has never held a steady job. But isn't raising five boys a job enough? Haven't we moved pass this type of flagrant attacks on women who choose to stay at home and raise their children?

* ... SMALL THINGS: Isn't it amazing how small things move us and change our lives? Yet another reader, Susan Peninger, wrote to say she too has a special plant that was given to her by a special friend. In this case the friend is Cecil Hall, the mother of Mayor Harvey Hall. "She is my aunt, Cecil Hall, who gave me an Aloe Vera plant she had in her College Height’s yard a few years before she passed away.  I love that plant that still lives on my La Cresta patio, not far from whence it came. More than likely thought she had moved that plant with each move before its stint on Baylor when she passed it along to me.  I understand the attachment to readers’ Camellia and rose bushes; I treasure the Aloe Vera plant because it reminds me of my fun-loving, always entertaining, Aunt Cecil.  I know for certain, she and Uncle Pete would be over the moon proud of their son, the mayor."

 * ... ZIPPY: For you old timers who remember Zippy the clown on local TV, Chuck Walker (formerly of Bakersfield and now of Doha, Qatar) says Zippy "was a real dwarf that appeared on the George Day Show, one of the afternoon shows on one of the local TV stations in the 1960s. The Uncle Woody show was a decade later on channel 29 and featured Woody Bryant who owned the Toy Circus, and his sidekick Chester the clown. Chester was played by Steve Hanson, among others.  Chester and his sometime sidekick,  22nd, (named for 22nd  Chester,  the location of the huge toy store in the old Three-Way Chevrolet showroom) would appear at parties and BBQs.  22nd was played by local attorney Bruce Blythe."

One woman's testimony to the Christmas spirit and more bad form involving cell phones at the Post Office

 * ... CHRISTMAS SPIRIT: Many thanks to reader Alice Brown for dropping me a note that brightened my day. She returned home last Sunday to find a plate of cookies left at her house with a note attached. "It said I had been RACK’ed," she said. "The card also said, this Christmas season, we are counting down the 25 days of Christmas by performing 'Random Acts of Kindness' each day. So often we get caught up in the shopping and forget the real reason for Christmas.  I just want to say thank you to the wonderful and caring person who shared this with me and I will be sure and continue this 'random act of Christmas kindness.'  Merry Christmas to everyone!"

 * ... STINSON'S: I stopped by the annual Customer Appreciation Party over at Stinson's Stationers to touch base with owner Ben Stinson. Every year he opens his warehouse to 800 customers, treating them to a barbecue lunch and drawings for dozens of prizes, including flat screen televisions. Ben takes to a microphone like a Southern minister at a tent revival, regaling the crowd with stories while promoting his business. Stinson's is just another example of a locally owned, family business that has weathered the downturn well.


* ... BAD FORM: This from former local TV anchor and now manners columnist Lisa Kimble Edmonston. She pulled up behind the downtown Post Office to mail a letter and sat there until she realized the woman parked in front of her was on her cell phone. "I got out of my car, walked my letter to the mailbox, tapped on her window to alert her that she had a line of six cars deep behind her ... and she was totally unfazed!"


* ... WHO KNEW? Did you know that the television  series “Pan Am” co-stars Bakersfield native Kelli Garner? She’s also had a number of film roles with actors like Drew Barrymore and Leonardo DiCaprio.

 * ... CROSS COUNTRY: East Bakersfield High School cross country teams of the 1960s will be honored at the "Run for the Dream" indoor track and field invitational meet, January 21, 2012.  Bob Farley, former cross country and track coach at Fresno State, researched and found East Bakersfield High School was the most successful cross country program in the valley through the 1960s. The guest speaker will be Billy Mills, Olympic gold medalist of the 1964 Olympics (documented in the movie "Running Brave"). The meet will be held at the Save Mart Center in Fresno, starting time 1:30 p.m. Thanks to  Richard Villalovos for sharing this.

* ... BAKERSFIELDISM: Dennis Horack writes that you may be from Bakersfield if "you remember all the great men's stores we had when shopping for a sport coat or suit: Coffees, Caspers, Harris and Franks, Richmond Brothers, Seilers and Robert Hall. Back when dressing up for church or the office was the norm, my closet was full of sport coats and suits from the above retailers. I say out with today's casual manner of dress and back to the dress-up mode. My opinion is probably in the minority, but I am old school."

Dealing with Cal State's image problems and another successful Cioppino Night with West Rotary

 * ... MORE CAL STATE: There has been a lot of feedback on Cal State Bakersfield's decision not to provide a senior discount for Roadrunner baseball games. And the fact that I raised the issue at all has led some to believe I am attacking the university. So let's be clear: I am a big fan of CSUB and believe it is an integral part of our community. The "senior discount" issue for Roadrunner baseball is albeit a small one, but indicative, some believe, of an insular view of the world held by certain administrators. Certainly these strained town-gown relationships are not uncommon in college towns across the country, but they can cause substantial damage among potential donors and supporters. This has never been more true than today, when CSUB and other universities are increasingly dependent on the generosity of alumni and local donors to make up for severe state budget cuts. And if perception is reality, CSUB does have an image problem. As retired educator and CSUB alum Craig Holland wrote me: "It is great that someone is finally stating what those of us who have been in town for 30 plus years have known."

 * ... CSUB: Along those lines, reader and CSUB volunteer Adele Davis wrote to point out that ticket prices at CSUB events are determined by each department. The Music Department, for example, has always offered a senior discount while students with ID are allowed in free. "There is a general admission price, a senior/faculty/alumni price (usually the same but not always) as well as a student price which includes any students over 12 from any school. Since we stopped charging CSUB students, our CSUB student attendance was increase greatly," even if they are not attending to complete course requirements.

 * ... CIOPPINO:  West Rotary held its hugely successful "Cioppino Night" Saturday  at Monsignor Leddy Hall at Garces Memorial High School. If you don't attend any other fund raiser, this is one that is well worth the $75 ticket price. Fresh clams, salad, cioppino, wine and dessert and all for a good cause. The profits went to the Pediatric Care Unit at Memorial Hospital, the Ronald McDonald House and the West Rotary Foundation. Among those West Rotarians I spotted were President Jim Darling, president-elect Rikki Foster, past presidents John Wells and Mike Rubiy, Bruce Jay, David Gay, Rick Kreiser, Kevin Burton.

 * ... MOVERS: Ed Taylor, community banking president for Wells Fargo Bank, is leaving town to take another position with Wells in the Washington, D.C. area. Ed has been a friend of the non profits and will be missed. Over at KGET, morning co-anchor Katie Harlan has left the set to join the communications staff at Pacific Gas and Electric. Lastly, Bryan Burrow has left his vice president job at Bank of America to join IES Engineering.

* ... CSUB TENNIS: Here's a cause worth supporting: a golf tournament to raise money to help maintain the women's tennis program at Cal State Bakersfield will be held Monday, April 4, at Seven Oaks Country Club. The cost is $125 a golfer and tee sponsorships are available for $100. There will be auction items from some of the top tennis players in the world, including Rafal Nadal, Roger Federer, Andy Roddick and Kim Clijsters. Call Regina Kuger at (661) 706-8858.

* ... MUSEUM: Good news from the Bakersfield Museum of Art where three events drew record crowds. Museum marketing director Beth Brookhart Pandol said the Western Day event drew 1,400 folks last summer, Dia de los Muertos packed in 1,600 this fall and the recent Freedom Day attracted 750. "Thanks to the many partnerships, including those with the Bakersfield Californian, KERO, Buckley Radio and Bright House Networks, plus many, many others, we were able to branch out to new audiences to provide them with a cultural experience and entertainment," she said.

 
 * ... BAKERSFIELDISM: Jemina Rowe shared this gem from her youth when she worked at the old Wayne's Drive-In located on North Chester by the river. She worked there during her college years, 1940-1944, and remembers when an Army unit leaving Northern California would call in an order. "They wanted 200 hamburgers, 200 cheeseburgers, 400 fries and 400 milkshakes. They said they would pick them up by 5 p.m. as they were going to camp across the street. We would put the order together, freeze the milk shakes and put the burgers in the warmer. Sure enough, between 4:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. three or four Jeeps would arrive to deliver them across the street. I've often wondered if anyone got what they ordered."

Storms usher in a day of beauty in Bakersfield and CASA celebration a huge hit

 * ... CLEAR DAY: I can't remember a day that broke as bright, clear and crisp as Sunday, a Chamber of Commerce advertisement for the beauty of our valley after a storm moves through. Yet another reason to feel good about our community and where we live.

 * ... REMEMBERING DOMINIC: Dominic Cornejo had just graduated from high school when he lost his battle with cancer, one of the thousands of local victims of this dreaded disease. His parents, Irma and Gerry Cornejo, have now formed a Relay for Life team in his memory. The team is called Dominic's Dugout in a nod to his love to the LA Dodgers. "He will always be special in every way," his mother told me. "You could always count on Dominic having a smile on his face."  Dominic graduated from Our Lady of Perpetual Help and later Garces Memorial High School before losing his battle with cancer on September 12, 2010. If you'd like to support the Relay team, checks should be payable to American Cancer Society/Dominic's Dugout and sent to American Cancer Society/Dominic's Dugout, ATTN relay for Life, 1523 California Avenue, 93304.

 * ... CASA KICKOFF: Had a chance to stop by the big kick off fund raiser for the Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) this weekend. It was held at the huge Loyd's Aviation hangar at Meadows Field, compliments of Steve and Pat Loyd. CASA has always enjoyed a loyal following in town and director Colleen McGaulley said more than 340 tickets were sold. Among those attending were former residents Dave and Danielle Kilpatrick, Bank of Sierra executive Michael Olague, local podiatrist Mark Miller and wife Karen, Realtor Mary Christensen, attorneys Karen Gaul and Michael Young, Dona Chertok of the Assistance League, water district manager Harry Starkey and Terri Richards Russell, Rick Peace, Marty and  Lela Mayfohrt of Fresno, Peggy Darling, former fire chief Ron Fraze and wife Shelly, Joe and Jan Drew, Barry and Michelle Zoeller, Geoff and Lisa King, Matt and Molly Clark and Dave and Debby Cohn. Tracy Walker-Kiser, owner of H. Walker's men clothing and one of the coordinators, got stuck in Los Angeles because of the snow and was unable to attend.

 * ... WOMAN HONOR: Hats off to Nancy Chaffin, one of my colleagues here at The Californian who was honored at the Susan B. Anthony 2011 "woman of Distinction" by the Kern chapter of California Women Lead.  Chaffin's fulltime job is vice president of administration and operations but I can tell you she is deeply involved in so many aspects of our community. Among other things, she created Life Interrupted, an educational program to expose teens to the dangers of driving under the influence. (Her own son was killed in an auto accident caused by a drunk driver.) A CSUB graduate, she was also instrumental in the success of the CSU Bakersfield Alumni Hall of Fame Dinner. She joins an impressive group of local women to have won this award, including Sheryl Barbich, Pauline Lawrood, Barbara Patrick, Dayna Nichols, Wendy Wayne and Mary K. Shell.

 * ... LOOKING BACK: Remember Bloomfield's drive in east Bakersfield? Reader Geraldine Sproul does and says it was located where the old Sparkle Cleaners plant stood, not at the corner of Niles and Baker streets. "The drive in was run by Gene Bloomfield and his wife (can't remember her name). She ran it while Gene worked with the Southern Pacific Railroad. The drive-in at Niles and Baker streets was Hall's and there was some connection with the Hall's and the Michner's. Marriage? Further down Baker going south toward the Southern Pacific depot was Saba's. Mike Saba was always wonderful to visit with. I can remember going in there for my mother to purchase things for my dad. It is now Saba's Uniform Store and I believe run by the grandchildren."

 * ... BAKERSFIELDISM: You know you're a Bakersfield old timer if "you remember listening to Bakersfield City Council meeting on KAFY (550) on Tuesday nights at 8 p.m., followed by Lucky Lager Dance Time." Thanks to reader John Strand for that one.

More dark economic news and the Padre's Drew Hall returns to work after jet ski accident

 * ... DARK DAYS: The news on the economic front has gone from bad to worse lately with all the talk of a double-dip recession and columnist Paul Krugman's warning that a depression is not out of the question. Now comes a study by the nonpartisan Pew Research Center showing how far the pain has moved through the economy. As reported in the Wall Street Journal, the study said that out of the 13 recessions since the Great Depression, "none has presented a more punishing combination of length, breadth and depth than this one." Even among those with jobs, three in 10 working adults have had their hours reduced and a quarter have taken a pay cut. Another 12 percent have been forced to take unpaid leave and 11 percent were forced to switch from full time to part time. Think about it: how many of your own friends and family members have taken pay cuts or been furloughed this year? Finally, the study said the recession had "ushered in a culture of frugality: 57 percent of those surveyed have postponed or canceled a vacation and seven out of 10 are buying less expensive brands. Nearly half have loaned money to someone in need."

 * ... PADRE NEWS: It was great to see Drew Hall back at work Wednesday night. Drew is the popular 31-year-old Padre Hotel manager who was critically injured in a jet ski accident at Lake Havasu. After suffering multiple skull fractures and almost losing an eye, he has made a miraculous comeback and is eager to get back to work full time.  (read my previous post here)   Drew has taken to Bakersfield and is still planning to buy a home here. He told me he received over 100 get well cards from folks around town. Meanwhile, Padre owner Brett Miller said the hotel had its best month ever in June, and business and leisure travelers are starting to discover his rooms. "The rooms have been on fire," he told me. "We are blowing away our guests with incredible service."

 * ... TOP GUN: Kudos to 12-year-old Jason David, one of our community's sharp shooters out at the Kern County Gun Club. The seventh grader from Standard Middle School is an ace trap shooter and recently posted his first perfect score, shooting 100 straight in the California State Trapshooting Championships. He was C Class Champion and won in a shoot-off. He also was champion in the Intermediate Entry Level at the California Scholastic Clay Target Program. His team, the Oaktree Junior Claybreakers, is traveling to Sparta, Illinois, in July to compete in the National Championships.

 * ... OVERHEARD: Word on the street is that  HomeGoods is considering opening a store in the old Long's Drug building on California Avenue. HomeGoods is owned by the company that owns TJ Maxx and Marshalls and they have outlets all over the country. No announcement yet from the corporate office.

 * ... SNAKE BIT: I seem to be snake bit when it comes to reporting on Siobhan O'Rourke, the young lady who received a National Multiple Sclerosis Society college scholarship. She's heading to Biola University, not Cal State Bakersfield.

* ... BAKERSFIELDISM: From reader Kimberly Fulenwider: You know you're from Bakersfield if "you remember the koi pond at Valley Plaza and the ginormous chandelier that swept down from above it! I loved looking at the fish as a child and throwing pennies into the pond."

The recession drags on in the jobless numbers and the injured Padre Hotel manager begins to heal

  

* .. JOB LOSSES: This recession won't be over until unemployment eases, both locally and nationally. So it wasn't exactly easy reading when I saw a study saying Bakersfield had lost more than 5,000 private sector jobs from April 2009 to April of this year. That's a loss of about 3 percent of all jobs in the private sector, another indication that we are bumping along the bottom of this recession. Las Vegas suffered the sharpest year over year decline in percentage terms, losing 4.71 percent. Wichita, Kansas, was the next worst at 4.69 percent. Closer to home Fresno fared a tad better than us, losing 2.43 percent of his private sector workforce.

 * ... DAVIS NEWS: Heard from reader Adele Davis who said she too graduated from UC Santa Barbara in one of the first classes to attend the "new" campus in Goleta. She is the wife of Dr. Doug Davis, music professor at CSUB who is from Clinton, Tennessee. Add him to the list of local Tennessee transplants. He is takingn of leave of absence this year to work on some unfinished compositions and perhaps write some new material. She also told me that Matthias Kleinsasser, a merit scholar and graduate of Bakersfield High, just graduated from law school at the University of Texas at Austin. He was a viola player in high school who went to UC Irvine as a music major. His mother is Dr. Jeanne Harrie, chair of the history department at CSUB, and his father is Dr. Jerry Kleinsasser, a recently retired musicologist at CSUB.

 * ... HEALING: Good news from Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center in Las Vegas where Padre Hotel general manager Drew Hall is on the mend after a horrific jet ski accident. The 31-year-old was gravely injured last Tuesday when he fell off his jet ski in Lake Havasu and was run over by another ski. He suffered multiple skull fractures and may lose sight in one eye, but friends and colleagues say he is making a miraculous recovery. He is now in a private room, eating, getting out of bed and joking with nurses and his doctors. No word yet what kind of rehabilitation is in store but his co-workers at The Padre are anxious to get him back.

 * ... THIS IS SUMMER? Hard to believe we're in mid June and we continue to have these unseasonably mild weekends. Could not have asked for nicer weather for the annual Wine Fest, which was a huge hit, and all the restaurants around town seemed busy. Mild weather, water in the river, blue skies, not the time to be anywhere else than here.

 * ... PERFECT GIFT: Is there any better birthday gift for an empty nester than calls from your children? Knowing they are well and happy and hearing that familiar lift in their voices is all one needs.

 * ... BAKERSFIEDISM: You know you are from Bakersfield if "you drag raced on Acacia Avenue behind the cemetery."

Padre Hotel manager now stable after horrific jet ski accident and more love for the Ohio State Buckeyes

* ... JET SKI ACCIDENT: If you have spent any time at the new Padre Hotel downtown chances are you've seen or met Drew Hall, the 31-year-old manager who makes everyone feel at home. Now it's our turn to reach out to Drew, who was in a horrific jet ski accident on Lake Havasu earlier this week. Drew and two other Padre managers were on jet skies when Drew went down and was accidentally hit by another jet ski. (police say no alcohol was involved) Family members say he suffered multiple skull fractures and  may lose sight in one eye, but the worst is over and he is now out of intensive care and in stable condition. His aunt said he is talking, though confused and groggy, and doctors say there are no neck or spinal injuries.  He's currently at Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center in Las Vegas where he was flown after the accident. His parents, who live in Virginia and visited Drew at The Padre recently, flew in to be at his side. A graduate of James Madison University, Drew has worked for the company that owns the Padre for several years and recently was promoted to general manager of the iconic Bakersfield hotel. He had planned to stay in Bakersfield and recently engaged a Realtor to find him a home. Please keep this young man in your thoughts and prayers.


* ... NEW PARTNER : Heard the other day that Matthew C. Clark has been named a partner in the law firm of Chain, Cohn and Stiles. Clark is a graduate of Garces High School and Loyola Marymount University and joined the firm in 2006. He's a graduate of Leadership Bakersfield, helped the Stockdale mock trail team for four years and recently was named to the board of Clinica Sierra Vista.

 * ... BUCKEYE LOVE: Got a nice note from Dan Schaffer, operations manager at KAXL Radio here, telling about his love for the Ohio State Buckeyes. He actually went to Ohio University but has a Buckeye tree in a large pot on his back patio. "It has a problem with the extreme heat here in Bakersfield, but I try to keep it moist with a mist spray every afternoon at about 3 p.m. in the summer and in the winter, I periodically dump a bag of ice on the soil to simulate snow. The seed that I planed was given to me by a friend who had brought it here from Columbus." Schaffer noted that the music worship leader at First United Methodist Church, Andrew Irvin, is an Ohio State grad. "Go Bucks!" he said.

 * ... TBC FOUNDATION: I'm fortunate to work for a family who truly believes in giving back to the community. The Bakersfield Californian Foundation represents the family owners (not the company or newspaper itself but rather family interests) and it recently awarded $81,450 in grants to a couple dozen organizations. Among them were the Bakersfield Music Theater, National Alliance on Mental Health, Boys and Girls Club, League of Dreams, Bakersfield Museum of Art, Bakersfield SPCA, Kern Bridges Youth Homes, Paramount Bard Academy and the Bakersfield Police Activities League.

 * ... OLIVIER WINS: Heard that Clint Olivier, the former KGET Channel 17 news reporter, won his race for a seat on the Fresno City Council. Janet Beckman, his mother-in-law, says Olivier won with a convincing 62 percent of the vote. Her daughter Alisha is married to Olivier.


* ... OVERHEARD:  Reader Randy Fendrick shares this jewel of a story: "I was standing in line at the bank when a woman on a cell phone next to me was sharing her conversation with everyone within earshot... when she reached into her shoulder hand bag, took out an open bottle of beer and proceeded to take a big swig. Some how your column came to mind." Only in Bako. 

* ... BAKERSFIELDISM: You know you're from Bakersfield if  "you remember the name of the theater on Baker Street just south of Kentucky. (The Rialto)

Padre Hotel's Drew Hall undergoes six-hour surgery after jet ski accident

 Drew Hall, the 31-year-old manager of the Padre Hotel who was severely injured in a jet ski accident, underwent a six-hour surgery to repair multiple skull fractures and appears to be stable. That's what relatives and friends tell me about Hall's surgery at Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center in Las Vegas. Drew was critically injured on Lake Havasu Tuesday when he fell off his jet ski and apparently was hit by another jet ski. He was airlifted to Las Vegas where he underwent surgery, and relatives say he is responding to verbal commands. Drew's parents flew in from Virginia. Drew's aunt is posting updates on his condition so check back with this post or ones posted earlier. Keep this young man in your thoughts and  prayers.

Padre Hotel manager critically injured in jet ski accident on Lake Havasu

 I heard today that Drew Hall, the popular young manager of Bakersfield's Padre Hotel, has been critically injured in a jet ski accident on Lake Havasu. Padre owner Brett Miller told me that Drew and a couple other Padre managers were taking some time off at the lake when they went jet skiing on Tuesday. Apparently Drew went down and was hit in the head by another jet ski. He was airlifted to Sunrise Hospital in Las Vegas. Miller said Hall, who is in his early 30s, had responded to a doctor's command to squeeze his hand and that surgery was scheduled. Drew is a popular figure at the Padre and had planned to settle down in Bakersfield, enlisting a Realtor to help him find a home.

Temple Beth El to honor Harvey Hall with 2009 Hillel Award

Mayor Harvey Hall gets a lot of chances to cut ribbons and get his picture taken, but next week he'll be given an honor of real substance when he will be presented with the 2009 Hillel Award by Temple Beth El. The Hillel Award honors a community leader who exemplifies the "spirit of the ancient sage Hillel the Elder ... known for his kindness, his gentleness, his concern for humanity, his moral and legal decisions are the cornerstone for Jewish tradition." Previous Hillel recipients include Wendy Wayne, Mayor Bob Price and Dr. Jess Diamond. Like all politicos Harvey may have his flaws - he can be a bit thin skinned - but no one can doubt his commitment to our community and the countless hours he puts in to improve our image both locally and elsewhere. Local political consultant Gene Tackett (husband of Wendy Wayne) will be the event MC and Fred Drew, new CEO over at the Kern Community Foundation, will give the introduction speech.

Famous words from Hillel include: "If I am not for myself, who is for me, but if I am for my own self (only), what am I? And if not now, when? ... That which is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbor. That is the whole Torah; the rest is commentary. Go and study it."

Temple Beth El is Bakersfield's Reform Synagogue and has been serving the community for more than 60 years. Rabbi Cheryl Rosenstein leads services Friday nights and the third Saturday of the month. Harvey will be honored Thursday, May 14, at the Doubletree Hotel. Tickets run $85 each or $850 a table. For more information, call 661-322-7607.