®
July 2013
bakersfieldlife.com
Summer sips with a twist
20 UNDER
Things you didn’t know about
Scott Cox
40 People making Bakersfield proud
50 ways to
Dining Divas are lovin’
Valentien
enjoy summer in town
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Wells Fargo has the products, services, and tools that help make your banking easy: Wells Fargo College Checking® account • Wells Fargo Debit Card with Card Design Studio®1 • Access to over 12,000 Wells Fargo ATMs nationwide Wells Fargo Online® and Mobile Banking Manage your money the easy way • Deposit checks quickly and securely with your smartphone with Mobile Deposit2 • Send and receive money quickly and securely with a checking account using Wells Fargo SurePay[ Visit wellsfargo.com or talk with a banker at: Stockdale Nima Farokhirad, Store Manager 5401 California Ave. • 661-863-0234
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Wells Fargo reserves the right to accept or reject any image. Wells Fargo Mobile apps are supported on these operating systems: Android OS 2.1+, iPhone iOS 4.3+, iPad iOS 5+, BlackBerry OS 4.5+, and Palm OS 1.4+. © 2013 Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. All rights reserved. Member FDIC. (964572_08766)
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F E A T U R E S July 2013
20 UNDER 40 PEOPLE TO WATCH Bakersfield Life received more than 150 nominations in this inaugural feature. Meet 20 locals under 40 years old who are champions in our community, achieving great things, and making Bakersfield proud in various ways.
LOCAL ART PROJECT Ever notice those utility boxes around town painted spectacularly? They’re part of a project that brings together Bakersfield Police Department, local artists and nonprofits to help fight graffiti. Learn how and see where they are.
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SUMMER OF 50 THINGS Who says there’s nothing to do in Bakersfield? Check out our list of 50 ways you can rev up your summer in town.
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July 2013
D E P A R T M E N T S July 2013
13 32 34
Up Front It Manners a Lot Kelly Damian
98 102 104 106
History Our Town Community Neighborhood Spotlight
Celebrating 19 Years of Caring! Darlyn Baker, RN - Owner
36
ASSISTED CARE
36 40 44 46 50 52 54 56 58 88 92 94 96
Personal Assistance Hospital Sitting Companionship Light Housekeeping Bathing Shopping Preparing Meals ...and much more!
HOME HEALTH RNs/LVNs Physical Therapists Home Health Aides Wound/Ostomy Care
Dining Divas Food and Wine Entertainment Foodie Hometown Hero On the Road All-Star Athlete Talk of the Town For a Cause Business Briefs Pastimes Home and Garden Why I Live Here
54 110 114 116 120 124 128 130 132 142
Guys Who‌ Personality Real People Fit and Fresh Trip Planner Health and Wellness Prime Finds SNAP! Inside Story
FACILITY STAFFING RNs, LVNs, CNAs Senior Placement Services
Screened * Bonded * Insured
120
The only RN & family owned provider in Kern County!
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July 2013
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For the record: Media Music Jam features local media personalities like Jim Scott, Mike Hart and Aaron Perlman. An article on page 42 in the June 2013 issue of Bakersfield Life included an incorrect name.
Elevate your day and let McDonald’s® take you on a tranquil journey. Rejuvenate with a combination of ice, real fruit, and creamy, low-fat yogurt. This perfect blend of bliss can only be found at your locally owned and operated Bakersfield McDonald’s. It’s more refreshment to love.
At participating McDonald’s ©2013 McDonald’s.
FEEDBACK STAFF SHARES
Bakersfield’s Premier City Magazine July 2013 / Vol. 7 / Issue 10
THIS SUMMER, I PLAN TO… “This summer, my husband and I are taking our two teenagers to Pearl Harbor to remember the greatest generation and events that changed history. God Bless America.” — Chris Thornburgh, contributing writer
Bakersfield Life™ magazine is published by The Bakersfield Californian. The magazine is inserted into The Bakersfield Californian on the last Saturday of every month. To subscribe, please call 392-5777. To advertise, contact Lisa Whitten at lwhitten@bakersfield.com or 395-7563. Publisher Ginger Moorhouse President/CEO Richard Beene Senior Vice President Revenue and Marketing John Wells
“I’ll be spending time with baby Aryaan and learning how to be a mom.” — Mira Patel, marketing manager
Vice President, Administration and Operations Nancy Chaffin Director of Display Advertising Roger Fessler Interactive Sales Manager Gunter Copeland
“Spend some time at the beach with Julio and my boys. I love watching them play together in the water and sand. — Olivia Garcia, editor “Spend as much time at the beach, on the golf course and chauffeuring my 17-year-old around for college visits.” — John Wells, senior vice president marketing & revenue “Lounge around my pool, practice tennis, visit friends in Orange County and hit the beach. I’m also planning a Vegas trip ... it should be a fun summer!” — Hillary Haenes, specialty publications coordinator
“Read all available books in the “A Song of Ice and Fire” series. Winterfell! — Mark Nessia, contributing photographer “Disconnect my alarm clock, not get within a mile of an ironing board or school uniform, avoid sack lunches at all costs, and read! My stack of summer reading awaits.” — Lisa Kimble, contributing writer “Go camping at Umpqua Lighthouse State Park.” — Ken Hooper, contributing writer “Transform my overgrown jungle of a backyard into an outdoor living area and then use it.” — Gregory D. Cook, contributing photographer and writer
“Keep cool by the pool, chill at the beach and escape the Bakersfield heat any chance I can.” — Jorge Barrientos, assistant managing editor “Teach my dog to swim, develop a taste for eggplant margaritas, and bowl like nobody’s watching.” — Kevin McCloskey, contributing writer “Visit all my close friends who live out of town, visit sandy beaches and go rock climbing outdoors ... finally! — Emily Claffy, contributing writer
Advertising Sales Manager Lisa Whitten Advertising Traffic Manager Shauna Rockwell Marketing Manager Mira Patel Distribution and Marketing Representative Patrick Wells Editor Olivia Garcia Assistant Managing Editor Jorge Barrientos Specialty Publications Coordinator Hillary Haenes Editorial Assistant Estella Aguilar Art Director Glenn Hammett Photography Felix Adamo, Sally Baker, Henry A. Barrios, Casey Christie, Gregory D. Cook, Alex Horvath, Michael Lopez, April Massirio, Greg Nichols, Mark Nessia, Carla Rivas, Aaron Ruth, Jan St Pierre, Rod Thornburg Contributing writers Megan Anderson, Sally Baker, Jennifer Burger, Gregory D. Cook, Kelly Damian, Breanna Fields, Ken Hooper, Lisa Kimble, Katie Kirschenmann, Marissa Lay, Jasmine D. Lowe, Stephen Lynch, Kevin McCloskey, Gabriel Ramirez, Chris Thornburgh, Brian N. Willhite Interns Kaelyn De Leon, Andrea Vega On the cover Photo by Michael Lopez. Mr. Melon, served at Narducci’s Cafe, features melon-flavored Midori blended with vodka, soda, pineapple juice and a splash of 151 rum. For more summer sips with a twist, go to Page 40.
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July 2013
N OW O P E N T WO N E W N E I G H B O R H O O D S in B A K E R S F I E L D West Village and Windwood by Standard Pacific Homes are a pair of single-family home neighborhoods in southwest Bakersfield close to parks, shopping and schools. These spacious brand new homes showcase one- and two-story floor plans, innovative new home designs, plenty of storage and generous garages.
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From the $250,000s 1- and 2-Story Floor Plans 1,794 to 2,626 Sq. Ft. 3 to 5 Bedrooms 2 to 4 Baths
BROKERS WELCOME
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From the $270,000s 1- and 2-Story Floor Plans 1,935 to 2,600 Sq. Ft. 3 to 5 Bedrooms Plus Den 2 to 3 Baths
10216 Sirretta Peak Place s Bakersfield, CA 93311 windwood@stanpac.com s 661-282-8880
Open Monday 1:00 to 5:30 p.m. s Tuesday - Sunday 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Visit standardpacifichomes.com for driving directions standardpacifichomes.com
K"=GD!. #9*%!. *%F OD"&! *"D DBBDGO=LD $% O?D F*OD $B #M(9=G*O=$% *%F !M(;DGO O$ G?*%AD 7=O?$MO %$O=GD, KD"!$%! =% #?$O$! F$ %$O "D4DGO "*G=*9 #"DBD"D%GD *%F housing is open to all without regard to race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin. Square footage/acreage shown is only an estimate and actual square footage/acreage will differ. Buyer should rely on his or her own evaluation of useable area. Depictions of homes or other features are artist conceptions. Hardscape, landscape, and other items shown may be decorator suggestions that are not included in the purchase price and availability may vary. To be eligible for a commission, (1) agent/broker must be an active real estate licensee in the state where the home is located; (2) agent/broker must accompany and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
EDITOR’S NOTE
INTRODUCING THE “20 UNDER 40 PEOPLE TO WATCH” WINNERS Cover outtakes Art director Glenn Hammett thought up a few ideas for our July summer issue cover, including this post-card inspired cover celebrating summer in Bakersfield. Ultimately, we went with the beautifully taken “summer sips” shot. We hope it catches your eye.
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n this issue of Bakersfield Life Magazine, we are proud to introduce you to our inaugural “20 under 40” edition. Several months ago, we asked our readers to submit nominations of local individuals, between the ages of 18 and 40, who were committed to professional excellence, were champions in our community, successful up-and-coming leaders and/or were making a difference in their career or schooling. You responded resoundingly. In fact, more than 150 local people were nominated. For our first contest, we were beyond inspired and motivated by our readership and by the quality of nominees. I have to admit, this was the toughest contest our magazine has had to face. We relied on our “20 under 40” committee to review the candidates and recommend the best based on a judging criteria we developed for the contest. The committee narrowed down to about 40 before finalizing the list to 20. This contest would not have been possible with their help. My thanks and appreciation to the Bakersfield Life 20 under 40 Judging committee: The Bakersfield Californian and Bakersfield Life Publisher Ginger Moorhouse; CEO/President Richard Beene; Senior Vice President of Revenue and Marketing John Wells; Assistant Managing Editor Jorge Barrientos; Art Director Glenn Hammett; Marketing Manager Mira Patel; at-large community member Jay Tamsi (Kern County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce); and myself. And now the winners (to see them, go to page 62): They were selected for their strong leadership qualities, their personal narrative, giving beyond their work level through community, school or other volunteer involvement, and continuing to find ways to strive to be successful, not only for themselves, but for Bakersfield as a whole. They follow the idea that “it takes a village to raise a child” in that they are using their skills, knowledge, dedication and passion to make Bakersfield the great community that it is and can July 2013
continue to be. I encourage you to turn to our special coverage inside where we highlight the story of each one of our winners. We are recognizing them with a small ceremony and certificate of recognition. For those who were nominated but not selected, I still want to acknowledge you and thank you for all that you do. Like I said, it was a very difficult selection process. However, we will make this an annual contest, so please continue to do the great things you do in the community, and readers, please send in those nominations when the time comes next spring. For now, I introduce you to the inaugural class of the Bakersfield Life’s 20 under 40 People to Watch. Well deserved, honorees.
AWARD-WINNING BAKERSFIELD LIFE MAGAZINE Bakersfield Life in June took home the “General Excellence Magazine” award during the Kern Press Club’s “award of excellence” ceremony. For judging, we submitted the August “Kern Life” issue, the October “Food issue,” and the May “Best Of Bakersfield” issue. Judges commented: “Excellent concepts carried out in an excellent fashion. Easy reads. Beautifully produced.” Two Bakersfield Life regulars were also victorious. Regular contributor Lisa Kimble won the “print news feature” award for her feature story in B Well Magazine, Bakersfield Life’s sister publication. And April Massirio, designer and photographer for Bakersfield Life and B Well magazines, won for “single feature photo.” They joined several winners from The Bakersfield Californian, Bakersfield Life’s parent company.
Olivia Garcia Editor 395-7487 • ogarcia@bakersfield.com
UP FRONT
WORD ON THE STREET Compiled by Gregory D. Cook
HOW DO YOU BEAT THE BAKERSFIELD HEAT? Eric Ordonez
Terri Devlin
Aaron Harrington
“Stay covered up and in the shade as much as I can.”
“I’m moving out of state.”
“Going to the movie theater, shopping at the mall, and using other people’s air conditioning.”
David George
Charles Gilkey
Tyler Avery
“Get out of town as much as possible, and then there’s always the swimming pool.”
“I don’t think there is a way to beat the heat; you just have to deal with it. But get up early, and go inside when it’s too hot.”
“Just be in the pool a lot!”
Denise Childress
Stephanie Warnoca
Leonard Rodriguez
“Get up early to exercise and stay indoors.”
“Staying out of the kitchen and playing in the water more, and I am wearing dresses more often when I am outside.”
“Stay out of it, stay in the shade and drink plenty of water.”
Only 5% of the lawyers in the state are named . Daniel Rodriguez has been selected by Southern California’s Super Lawyers Magazine as one of the Top Attorneys for the last three years in a row!
When you need a REALLY good lawyer!!
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UP FRONT
THE BIG PICTURE Photo by Casey Christie
TOUCHDOWN! This egret hops from rock to rock in search of a good spot in Central Park At Mill Creek.
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UP FRONT
THE BIG PICTURE Photo by Casey Christie
MAKING WAVES Jake Lyons, left, Jesse Lyons, foreground, and Kevin Hinkle, right, hit the water on their personal water crafts on Isabella Lake near the French Gulch area. 16
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UP FRONT NAMED AFTER
PHOTO BY CASEY CHRISTIE
BUENA VISTA AQUATIC RECREATIONAL AREA
Fishermen compete in a fishing derby at Buena Vista Aquatic Recreation Area’s Lake Evans, one of Buena Vista’s two lakes.
B
uena Vista Aquatic Recreation Area, or “BV” as it is often referred, is a mecca for fishing, boating and bird-watching enthusiasts, and it exists on ground both hallowed and with lore more storied than perhaps any other destination in Kern County. Home at one time to Native Americans, Spanish explorers and cattle barons, the original Buena Vista lakebed 25 miles southwest of Bakersfield was also at the heart of a landmark legal battle. The manmade recreation area that draws thousands to its shores today is 20 feet above the original lake bed on its northern side and fed by the California Aqueduct. Twelve miles northeast of Taft, two lakes — Webb and Evans — make up the area. The name Buena Vista, Spanish for “good view,” was aptly noted in the writings of Don Pedro Fages, the commander of the Presidio at Monterrey and the first European to leave a written description of the area. In 1772, while searching for deserters from the Spanish Missions, Fages entered the valley from the Cajon Pass and spotted Buena Vista Lake from the hills south of Maricopa. For thousands of years, the mighty Kern River had been wearing away at the skirt of the Sierra Nevadas, eventually forming a natural dam with sediment deposits. This became the northern boundary of the Buena Vista Basin. During wet years, the runoff filled the lake and nearby Kern Lake, covering up to 150 square miles in surface area. The high-water mark around 300 feet above sea level was considered the natural shore line, and Native Americans built there villages along here. The Yokuts tribe, believed to be the original dwellers, occupied a large village on what is today part of the Coles Levee Ecosystem Preserve, about a mile from the Buena Vista Golf 18
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Course. Over the years, excavations have unearthed burial grounds and evidence that the lake shore was inhabited as far back as 6,250 B.C. The shoreline was ever-changing as water flowed into the Buena Vista Slough and continued for another 40 miles north, spilling into Tulare Lake. By the mid-1800s, early pioneers, trappers and ranchers had laid claim to the area. But in 1858, when land barons Henry Miller and Charles Lux went into partnership, they cut out the middle man by raising their own cattle, eventually acquiring all the tule-covered swamp land between Tulare and Buena Vista Lakes, considered some of the most prized farmland in the state. Miller and Lux constructed a canal connecting Buena Vista and Tulare Lakes, carrying all the excess river runoff up into Tulare. Its completion, however, fell during one of the worst drought years of the century. What little water trickled out of the Sierras was detoured into the Kern Land Company’s system of canals before it ever reached the shores of Buena Visa. A landmark legal battle over water rights ensued, lasting eight years. Kern Land Company and Miller agreed to share equally the costs of constructing the entire Buena Vista Lake reservoir system. At the time, the 26-square-mile reservoir and its canal system created out of the former lake was considered the largest artificial reservoir-irrigation complex in the country. The first nationally sanctioned boat regatta was held in there in 1939. But after completion of Lake Isabella and the California Aqueduct, Buena Vista had outlived its usefulness until 1973, when Kern County built the artificial lake and park to meet the needs of the residents of the westside of Kern. Fish are regularly stocked by Kern County Parks and Recreation. — Lisa Kimble
MONEY MATTERS
KNOW WHAT YOU CAN, CAN’T DEDUCT ON YOUR TRIP THIS SUMMER hen mixing work and play on business trips, what’s okay to write-off? If you’re taking the family on your next business trip this summer, understanding the do’s and don’ts may mean the difference between a tax deduction and a dreaded audit.
W
conference specifically relates to your business or profession or improves your career skills. Pleasure trips are never deductible. If the trip is primarily personal, travel expenses to and from the destination are disallowed even though you engage in business activities while at the destination.
TIMING IS EVERYTHING
FITTING IN THE FAMILY
As you might expect, the main purpose of your trip must be business-related to deduct travel expenses. An important factor is the amount of time you spend on business activities versus fun and games while on your trip. To deduct your travel expenses, the number of business days must be greater than personal days. Weekends, holidays, and necessary standby Thornburgh days count as business days provided they fall between business days, and it would be impractical to return home. Travel outside the of the United States has more stringent rules. Spend a few minutes planning your business travel so you benefit from the rules.
Combining business with pleasure may create complications and IRS scrutiny. If you go down this road and bring along the family, you can deduct only your own expenses. However, find overlap with what you have to pay for yourself anyway. For example, if you drive everyone in one car, your deductible transportation got the entire family to the destination. If everyone shares a single hotel room, it’s deductible, too. Any fees for added occupants or an upgrade to a larger room to accommodate the family, however, aren’t covered. You can deduct expenses for anyone who is involved in the business of the trip; so unless they’re employees, expenses will be considered personal and not deductible.
WHAT CAN YOU DEDUCT? The IRS has no problem with you deducting legitimate expenses. Expenses that relate to your business trip are fair game — airfare, baggage fees, tips, taxis, rental cars, gasoline, lodging, meals at 50 percet, phone calls, Internet and supplies. You can even deduct your laundry service. However, if you like to live the high life when traveling, the IRS does not permit deductions it considers lavish or extravagant. The IRS says expenses must be “ordinary and necessary.” Translated to our language: expenses must be typical of your industry and necessary for your business. If you’re traveling for a convention or seminar, costs are deductible as long as the
TRACK EVERYTHING Since travel deductions are rife with abuse, keep meticulous records that help prove your business purpose, such as itineraries, agendas, programs, itemized receipts, and the like. Document the five Ws: who, what, when, where and why. IRS Publication 463 (travel, entertainment, gift and car expenses) is a good resource for business travelers. The rules can be complicated and differentiate between U.S. travel, foreign travel, as well as cruises. This article is just a snapshot of what you can and can’t deduct. For information specific to you, consult a knowledgeable tax professional. — Chris Thornburgh is a CPA and partner at Brown Armstrong Accountancy Corp. in Bakersfield. Contact her at cthornburgh@bacpas.com or 324-4971.
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UP FRONT
SHORT TAKE
BAKERSFIELD BOY COMPETES IN NATIONAL SPELLING BEE
O
Brooke Horack and Zach Skow of Marley’s Mutts Dog Rescue.
VOLLEYBALL PLAYER TO ‘PLAY FOR MUTTS’ Brooke Horack says she believes “every tail should wag.” For that reason, the volleyball player will be playing for a local animal shelter when she competes in the National Junior Olympics in July. Brooke, who plays on Centennial High’s varsity team and is part of the No. 1 Bakersfield Volleyball Club, will compete in the 2013 USA Volleyball Girls’ Junior National Championships in Dallas from June 28 to July 5. While there, she will “play for mutts” — Marley’s Mutts Dog Rescue. Brooke is asking for a minimum donation of $1 for the shelter for every ace, kill and pancake she does in the four-day tournament. Coach Jill Rexroth Reynolds will be keeping track. More information or to donate, please call: 201-6489 or email: whorack@sbcglobal.net.
JOBS IN BAKERSFIELD: GET ‘EM WHILE THEY’RE HOT Looking for a job? You’re in the right place. Bakersfield made it on a Forbes Magazine list for top “best cities for jobs.” The Bakersfield-Delano metropolitan area was listed fifth among midsize cities and was the only metro area in Central California to be ranked on the list. San Francisco and San Jose were the only other California cities on the list. Those on the list are adding higher-wage jobs in the energy, technology sectors, which includes oil and gas industries, which are staples in our area. Forbes looked at about 400 metro areas in the United States to measure growth and vitality. 20
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svaldo Sanchez, an 11year-old sixth-grader from Emerson Middle School, was one of 281 top spellers in the nation who took part in the 2013 Scripps National Spelling Bee recently in Maryland. And English isn’t even Sanchez’s first language! Yet, he worked hard and earned a spot on the national stage, and his good luck ritual may have helped — he eats enchiladas before every competition. David Sandles, Osvaldo’s coach and language arts teacher, accompanied him on the trip. Osvaldo was eliminated from the Bee just before the semifinals. However, the two remain proud and hopeful for Osvaldo’s future. — Kaelyn De Leon
Osvaldo Sanchez
CITY TO SHINE ON THE SMALL SCREEN Bakersfield will be in the national spotlight in July — for a good reason. Our city will be featured on the small screen for C-SPAN’s 2013 Cities Tour during segments that will be shown July 6 and 7 on C-SPAN 2 and 3. The show highlights literary life and history of U.S. mid-size cities. “It’s a great way for us to feature this unique city,” said coordinating producer Debbie Lamb while on the “First Look with Scott Cox” show in early June when interviews were filmed locally. For Bakersfield, producers will highlight the Bakersfield Sound, Kern County Museum, Col. Thomas Baker and Chief Justic Earl Warren, among other things synonymous with our town. C-SPAN worked with Bright House Networks and the city of Bakersfield to identify people and places to include in the segments. More information: c-span.org/LocalContent. — Bakersfield Life Magazine
EVENT TO HIGHLIGHT LOCAL LATINAS, 15-YEAR ANNIVERSARY
L
atina Leaders of Kern County, founded in 1998, invites the public attend its annual “Latinas Leading the Way” awards and recognition dinner from 6:30 p.m. to midnight on July 12 at Bakersfield Marriott at the Convention Center. The event will mark the group’s 15-year anniversary, and organizers plan to pay tribute to its original founders as well as highlight the success of current local Latinas, adults and youth, in the community, explained event co-chair Genie Navarro-Ambriz. The nonprofit group is dedicated to providing guidance and opportunities to cultivate the future of local Latina women and youth. Its two largest programs — the Youth Leadership Program and the Latina Leadership Program — focus on leadership development to ensure a successful and healthy community, as well as endorsing good life choices and supporting these young women to embrace their cultural and local roots. These programs give local women and youth access to different leadership opportunities and activities to empower them and give them the confidence to know that they can make a difference in the community, added Latina Leaders President Norma Rojas-Mora.
“On a personal note I can tell you that my involvement with Latina Leaders has been extraordinary,” she said. “There are so many amazing women in this community, and I continue to learn so much from both our youth and my peers.” Cost to attend the event is $55 for individuals or $500 for a table of 10. Funds raised for the event will help support its leadership programs and other Norma Rojas-Mora activities offered through the nonprofit, Rojas-Mora said. For more information about the event and sponsorship opportunities, please contact Genie Navarro-Ambriz at 979-3005 or RojasMora at 302-6284. — Andrea Vega
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UP FRONT
SHORT TAKE
NEW DORM LIFE FINALLY COMING TO CSUB
C
PHOTO COURTESY OF CSUB
al State Bakersfield is finally getting new student dorms. Since before 2005, CSUB has sought to build a new residence hall on campus. Last year, the university was approved for funding, and recently it broke ground on the 500-plus bed complex. The dorms will be built on 28 acres on the northeast corner of campus and are replacing ones that are nearly 40 years old. The new environmentally-friendly dorms will have lounges, classrooms, and study, game and multi-purpose rooms. The outdoor area will be a central courtyard for recreational use. They are expected to be finished in February 2015.
MY PET
LINDA COHEN AND LORELAI Linda Cohen and Lorelai, the shorthair cat, came together when Cohen’s daughter rescued her from the Bakersfield SPCA about nine years ago. Since then, life has been easy with Lorelai, said Cohen, a legal secretary with Bakesfield’s City Attorney’s Office. Cohen’s daughter named her Lorelai after a character on Gilmore Girls. “She is a wonderful pet!” Cohen said. How my pet became a part of the family: When my last cat passed away, I thought I was done with pets, but my daughter thought otherwise. She and a friend found this cat and eventually I fell for her, too. They told me she was around 4 to 5 years old, and I’ve had her for nine years. She was very quiet at first but eventually warmed up to me (and treats). Whoever trained her when she was young did an excellent job. I’m very grateful that she never jumps up on counters, begs for food or wants to go outside. What makes my pet special: A few years ago, she was diagnosed with diabetes, and we began a regimen of insulin shots twice a day. Through the help of my veterinarian and a special diet, she has been in remission for almost a year. Now if I could only get her to exercise. Lorelai is happiest when… she has a lap to sit on. She just loves snuggling. I know when my pet is moody when… Honestly, I don’t think she’s ever moody — always the perfect sweet girl. 22
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Linda Cohen showing Lorelai some love. Five words to describe my pet’s personality: Mellow, lovable, relaxed, affectionate, adorable. Favorite game: Really? She could sit for hours being brushed. Favorite food: Crispies salmon treats — just a few at bedtime. Talents: She can convince people, even those who don’t like cats, to like her. And she has a great purr. Antics: “Helping” me trim her claws. Favorite moment: Anytime I look at her and realize how much I love her.
Award-winning heart care, and so much more.
Category
Rankings
Medical Excellence Cardiac Care Cardiac Care Cardiac Care Overall Hospital Care Major Cardiac Surgery Heart Attack Treatment
Top 10% in the Nation #1 in the State #1 in the Market #1 in the Market #1 in the Market #1 in the Market
Patient Safety Cardiac Care Cardiac Care Overall Hospital Care
Top 10% in the Nation #1 in the Market #1 in the Market
Patient Satisfaction Overall Hospital Care Overall Medical Care Overall Surgical Care
#1 in the Market #1 in the Market #1 in the Market
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Rated #1 for Hospital Safety in California by Consumer Reports Rated one of California’s Best Hospitals for Patient Experience in Heart Care by WomenCertified® THE HOSPITAL IS PARTIALLY OWNED BY PHYSICIANS
www.BakersfieldHeartHospital.com
UP FRONT
AJ Whitfield was inspired by the great Los Angeles sportscasters, Vin Scully and Chick Hearn.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF AJ WHITFIELD
FINDING FAME
AJ WHITFIELD By Jasmine D. Lowe
A
s a self-described die-hard sports fan, AJ Whitfield played soccer, basketball, baseball and tennis as a kid in Bakersfield. But at age 12, when he realized that he likely wasn’t going to play any of the sports professionally, he focused his attention to on-air broadcasting. He made a wise choice. The 37-year-old Bakersfield native has been a part of three Emmy Award-winning sports shows as a producer, and in August will be part of a new network in Los Angeles, Fox Sports 1, as its feature producer. Whitfield attended Bakersfield High School and later graduated from Cal State Northridge in 1997 with a degree in broadcast journalism.
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Bakersfield Life Magazine
July 2013
He was inspired by listening to Vin Scully, the voice for the Los Angeles Dodgers, and Chick Hearn, the late broadcaster for the Los Angeles Lakers. “I listened to them like crazy as a kid,” said Whitfield. “I was a die-hard Dodgers and Lakers fan, and I saw what they had done with their careers, and I just thought it was amazing. To be able to watch sports everyday, to talk about it everyday, to me, it didn’t seem like there was anything better than that.” He spent his junior and senior years in college working on his school’s television show and sent out admission tape to prospective employers. When he received notification from various stations telling him he didn’t have enough experience — despite the three internships at KGET-TV 17 in Bakersfield and KCAL-TV in Los Angeles while he was in college — he pursued a career in producing instead. Whitfield was an intern at KGET’s sports department, and after graduating from Northridge, he worked in the Los Angeles area for five years at Fox Sports with Jim Rome on “The Jim Rome Show.” He also worked for the NFL Network in film production, and on the television show “Extra.” During the last five years, he has worked as a producer in New Jersey for the Major League Baseball Network. There, he was part of a three-time Emmy Award-winning team on “MLB Tonight,” which recently won “outstanding studio show, daily.” But those awards didn’t come easy. Whitfield struggled and worked hard like many other individuals in the television industry before success came. “A lot of people want the instant satisfaction when they get out of college, but you’re no going to get that in the TV industry,” he said. “You need to have a mindset that money will come, and that you just need to grind it out, learn your craft and get better.” He said he lives by the motto, “be better than yesterday.” Whitfield advises young television hopefuls to try to constantly be creative. He observes and visualizes new and innovative ideas, has his eyes peeled for the next big thing, and attempts to bring interesting content to his audience, he said. Whitfield has been living in New Jersey with his wife Dominique, and they have two sons, Roemann and Camilo. The family will move to Los Angeles before Whitfield begins his new job with Fox Sports 1, which launches Aug. 17.
Favorite Deli! BAKERSFIELD’S
BY THE NUMBERS
BAKERSFIELD’S JULY HEAT It’s no secret: Bakersfield is hot during the summer, especially July. The National Weather Service helped us see just how hot it gets here.
25 Most consecutive days of 100 degrees or
118 Highest temperature ever in Bakersfield — on July 28, 1908
13 Times Bakersfield has had a thunder-
11 Days Bakersfield has reached temperatures of 115 degrees or higher since 1893.
36 Strongest July wind gust (in mph) — July
10 Number of those 115 degree-plus days that occurred in the month of July
higher — 1971 and 1978
4 Most consecutive days of 110 degrees or higher — 1938 storm in July, from 1937 to 2007 20, 1979.
Source: National Weather Service, Bakersfield
96.9 Overall average high for July in Bakersfield since records have been kept
69.2 Overall average low for July in Bakersfield since records have been kept 45 Coldest it has ever gotten in July in Bakersfield — July 1955 38 The average number of 100 degree or higher days in Bakersfield per year 12 The fewest number of 100 degree or higher days ever recorded in Bakersfield — 1965 and 1999
67 The greatest number of 100 degree or higher days ever recorded in Bakersfield 1231 18th Street (18th and L Streets)
Downtown
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Phone: (559) 323-0330
See our full menu and order online at
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Thank you, Kern County for your continued support!
UP FRONT
SHORT TAKE
KERN ‘OFFICER OF THE YEAR’ AWARDS SET FOR JULY 12
Sheriff’s Cmdr. Randy Turman salutes a Kern County Law Enforcement Memorial ceremony.
PHOTO BY FELIX ADAMO
T
he 25th Officer of the Year awards, honoring officers whose work excels above and beyond their typical jobs, will be held at 6 p.m. July 12 at Stockdale Country Club. The July 12 date for the awards ceremony by the Kern County Law Enforcement Foundation was rescheduled from a previous date to allow organizers more time to plan event. The event will include an inspirational awards and dinner program that highlights officers selected by their agencies. The foundation raises money to help the 29 law enforcement agencies in Kern County and for scholarship funds to assist college students seeking careers in law enforcement. Tickets, information, sponsorships: Sofie Zimmermann at 342-1532 or email sofiezimm@aol.com.
UPDATE
B WELL MAGAZINE’S GET FIT WEIGHT-LOSS CHALLENGE Alex Silicz and Katie Taylor are participants of the “Get Fit Weight-Loss Challenge” and have been on a mission since January to lose weight and change their lifestyles with the help of trainer Tim Gojich, owner of Fit For Life Gym. These two were introduced in the February issue of B Well Magazine, Bakersfield Life’s sister magazine. Here’s an update on their journey but look for their big reveal in B Well’s Family Issue, out Aug. 11. Alex Silicz: I’ve come to realize that staying fit and eating healthy is a constant battle that will continue the rest of my life, and that I will constantly go through highs and lows. It seems impossible for me to not crave ice cream, chips, cheeseburgers and good beer. But I’ve also found that a cheat day once in a while won’t hurt the weight-loss journey in the long run. As long as I have my little cheat and jump right back on track, I will still see results. The weight isn’t coming off as quickly now since it is nearing the end of this challenge, so starting now is when my discipline must be perfect. From here on out, it’s the small things that will make all the difference in the end like taking my protein regularly before and after workouts and weaning myself off of any carbs in the evenings. I know the weigh-in date is fast-approaching, and I must stick to the plan. I will strive to eat as clean as possible and get at least 26
Bakersfield Life Magazine
July 2013
five workouts in a week to keep my body metabolized. I have felt myself getting stronger over these last several months and am able to finish my workout strong. My trainer Tim Gojich has kept a close eye on me and can see when I’m getting fatigued, and that’s when he changes my workouts to help me feel better. To date, I am in the best shape of my life. Katie Taylor: Slip ups have become fewer and far between. When faced with the choice of eating right and making a bad food choice, it is now easier to make the better choice than in the beginning of the challenge. When dining out or attending summer barbecues, I choose salads with chicken and balsamic vinegar or steak or fish with a double helping of vegetables. Tim has put me back on his “extreme fat-loss diet,” which has produced the best results for me. Dinners on this diet are fantastic and include meat, a carb, salad, steamed vegetables and soup. This is the easiest to follow when eating out of the house as there are so many combinations that satisfy me. I do allow myself a few dark chocolate squares a month when I have a craving, but I usually combine it with an apple to help make me feel more satisfied. My greatest obstacle remains the scale, which refuses to budge. However, I feel leaner. I have shape in areas that I never dreamed would round out. But I do believe that this is just the beginning of a long process. My body has been out of shape for many years, and I am definitely on the right path. To prepare for my reveal, I will be doing the “fat-loss class” in the morning and sticking to my diet. Maybe it will jump-start my metabolism ... read the August issue to find out.
WHAT I’M READING
SHERRY GOMEZ
O
ne thing’s for certain, Sherry Gomez can recommend a good book or two — she’s surrounded by thousands of them daily. At 63, Gomez serves as the director of Kern County Libraries, where she’s worked at various branch locations and has held different jobs like children’s librarian, branch supervisor and branch coordinator. Gomez said Kern County Library’s staff “provides access to information, promotes reading and literacy, and acts as an anchor in the community.” What I’m currently reading: I am eclectic in my reading interests and go through phases when I read nonfiction books to expand my knowledge and understanding or fiction for pure enjoyment. The library gives access to books in print, audio, eBook and eAudio formats on such a wide variety of topics at no cost. I’m currently in a knowledge and understanding phase and reading “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks” by Rebecca Skloot. It is a fascinating true story that chronicles how cells were harvested from Henrietta Lacks more than 60 years ago and became the first human cells successfully grown in culture, and used in some of the most
important medical discoveries and innovations of the past half century. It also explores the impact this had not only on society as a whole, but on her family. Imagine learning that part of your deceased loved one has lived on without your initial permission and knowledge. It raises questions of bioethics, protocol and responsibility in a world where technology blurs the lines between individual rights and society’s demands. This book has been selected by the One Book, One Bakersfield, One Kern committee as the community read for fall 2013. The committee has planned a series of programs that will explore issues raised by this book. Look for details of those events coming soon! To read a full interview with Sherry Gomez, including her favorite writers and a few books that she recommends for summer reading, visit bakersfieldlife.com and click on the ‘Lifestyle” tab.
“Women know what Women want.”
2013 St. Jude Dream Home kitchen designed by Blue River Cabinetry
Call the gals from Blue River Cabinetry to design your new kitchen or bath from start to finish.
588-8481 • BRCKitchenBath.com Showroom inside Artistic Surfaces 120 Union Avenue
License # 865925
Annette Mercado General Contractor, C.K.D. Michele Waugh
bakersfieldlife.com
27
UP FRONT
Find more community events at bakersfieldlife.com or submit yours via email: bakersfieldlife@bakersfield.com
HAPPENINGS: Can’t-miss events in July Sat. 6 to Sun. 7 Tejon Ranch Junior Rodeo, for ages 3 to 18, pole bending, barrel racing, ribbon roping, team roping, goat tying, tie down roping and more; check-in 7:30 a.m.; rodeo 8:30 a.m. Tejon Ranch Equestrian Center, 1401 Crane Canyon Road. $35 entry fee; free for spectators. avyrarodeo.org.
Thur. 11 Concerts by the Fountain, classic oldies and The Beatles covers with Triple Threat, 7 to 9 p.m. The Marketplace, 9000 Ming Ave.
Amy Grant
Wed. 3 Annual 4th of July Fireworks
Fri. 12 Spank! A Fifty Shades
Show, barbecue 6 p.m., fire-
Parody, 8 p.m. Bakersfield Fox
works 9 p.m. Shafter High School football field, 526 Mannel Ave., Shafter. Free, food available for purchase. 746-2600.
Theater, 2001 H St. $35. vallitix.com or 322-5200.
I Love America — Freedom Celebration, patriot-
ing live music, art openings, specialty shops, galleries and boutiques, artists will set up their artwork, 5 to 9 p.m. Downtown Arts District. Email don@themetrogalleries.com or info@themetrogalleries.com.
Sat. 20 Sara Evans, 8:30 p.m. Eagle Mountain Casino, 681 South Tule Reservation Road, Porterville. $25 general admission; $35 reserve. Tickets online at eaglemtncasino.com or 888-6950888.
Wed. 24 Amy Grant, 7 p.m. Fox Theater, 2001 H St. $40-$60. vallitix.com or 322-5200.
Thur. 25 Concerts by the Fountain, the blues with Fat Daddy Blues Band, 7 to 9 p.m., The Marketplace, 9000 Ming Ave.
benefitting The Mission of Kern County, 6-9 p.m., top-sirloin steak dinner, $15-25. Fellowship Park, 816 E. 21st St. missionatkerncounty.org.
oldies, funk, latin, and country with Thee Majestics, 7 to 9 p.m. The Marketplace, 9000 Ming Ave.
Fri. 5 First Friday Downtown featur-
arts and crafts, games, contests, farmer’s market, 5:30 p.m. Central Park at Mill Creek, 21st and R streets. 325-5892.
First Summer Barbecue Fundraiser
Thur. 4 Concerts by the Fountain,
ic music, skydivers, the singing flag, aerial fireworks, 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Bakersfield College, Memorial Stadium, 1801 Panorama Drive. $5-$15. Liberty Festival, food, health fair, bounce inflatables, 2 to 7 p.m. Bakersfield College, at the HUB north of the stadium. Free. Visit iloveamericabakersfield.com.
Third Thursdays Faire in the Park, entertainment, barbecue,
Sat. 13
Fri. 26 Jerry Seinfeld, 7
Ramon Ayala, 8 p.m.
Spank! A Fifty Shades Parody
Sat. 6 NASCAR & KUZZ Fireworks Night, Pro Late Models 100, CITGO Lubricants Late Models 50, Mini Stocks, Legends, Bandoleros, 6 p.m. Kern County Raceway Park, 13500 Raceway Boulevard. $8$45. Email sblakesley@kernraceway.com or 835-1264.
p.m. Rabobank Theater & Convention Center, 1001 Truxtun Ave. $45-$75. ticketmaster.com or 800-745-3000. Jo Koy, 8 p.m. Friday, Fox Theater, 2001 H St. $29. vallitix.com or 322-5200.
Jerry Seinfeld
Rabobank Theater & Convention Center, 1001 Truxtun Ave. $40 to $80 plus fee. ticketmaster.com or 800-745-3000. Summer Bazaar, vendors, carnival, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Kern County Fairgrounds, fine arts building, 1142 S. P St. Free. Proceeds benefit Relay for Life. 3811581.
Sat. 27 CALM Kids Free Day, last Saturday of every month, California Living Museum, 10500 Alfred Harrell Highway. 872-2256.
Thur. 18 Concerts by the
Wed. 31 Billy Currington,
Fountain, a Steely Dan tribute band with The Blue Deacons, 7 to 9 p.m. The Marketplace, 9000 Ming Ave.
7:30 p.m. Fox Theater, 2001 H St. $35-$60. vallitix.com or 322-5200.
Billy Currington
NASCAR racing at Kern County Raceway Park 28
Bakersfield Life Magazine
July 2013
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
‘Amen’ to phone etiquette Just read your article on the public use of smart phones (“New ‘smart’ phones should come with instructions — for public use,” May 2013), and all I can say is, “Amen, sister!” It is simply amazing all of the things we can do with the new technology out there. Remember on the cartoon “The Jetsons” how they could see each other when they talked on the phone, and we thought that was so cool? As you mentioned, however, with this technology comes responsibility to use it unoffensively, and with consideration of your surroundings. Thank you for your article. While I doubt that the offenders will mend their ways anytime soon, at least your article is an attempt to educate people, and I, for one, was relieved to know that I’m not the only one who takes huge offense to the inconsiderate and inappropriate use of cell phones in public. — Julie Russell
Column ‘everyone should read’ I just finished reading “To the Class of 2013 ...” (June 2013). This is a page that everyone should read. It is very good. I especially enjoy reading the things (Lisa Kimble) writes about that we see everyday and wish someone would teach people how to act while driving, eating in restaurants, or whatever when dealing with other people. Keep up the good writing, and I hope that those who need the lessons will learn. — Barbara Mullin
Celebrating college education The American Petroleum Institute’s San Joaquin Valley Chapter raises money throughout the year to provide college scholarships to deserving students in Bakersfield and Kern County. This year, we honored 53 well deserving students with $78,000 worth of college scholarships at our June meeting. The students have all attended either local high schools or colleges with most of them going on to study majors related to the petroleum industry. These majors include various engineering disciplines such as chemical, mechanical and petroleum as well as geology, chemistry and many others. Along with those attending CSUB and Taft College, these students will also be attending such universities as UC Davis, UCLA, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Stanford Universtity and many other locations. The API would not be able to award these scholarships without the hard work and dedication of its membership. The API, which provides network opportunities for the petroleum industry, also is highly active in the community by donating time and money to organizations and events such as Adopt a Highway, Kern County Science Fair, Gleaners, and many other organizations in Bakersfield and Kern County. For more information, visit our website at APIBakersfield.com. — Matt Kedzierski, Chairman of API San Joaquin Valley Chapter — Got comments to share? send your “letter to the editor” to bakersfieldlife@bakersfield.com bakersfieldlife.com
29
UP FRONT
25 RANDOM THINGS YOU DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT
SCOTT COX Compiled by Hillary Haenes
S
cott Cox, host of “First Look with Scott Cox,” is quite a character, especially on air. He got his first radio gig in December 1999 because he wanted to “try and talk some sense into people who were freaking out about Y2K.” That didn’t work out so well, he said, but here he is nearly 14 years later still trying to talk sense into
1 I do not care for yams. 2 I think Merle Haggard is
12 I’ve had seven concussions that I can remember. I expect that this explains a lot to some people. 13 I think Nashville record executives have systematically destroyed country music over the last 20 years. No, make that 25, because Columbia Records dropped Johnny Cash in ’86. 14 I’ve been bitten by a horse, a kestrel, a cat, an alligator, a shark, several dogs, a goose, a pig and a couple of black widow spiders. Only the cat put me in the hospital. 15 One of the U.S. flags that flew over our Naval Air Base in Bahrain on 9/11 is in a frame in my house, where it will stay. 16 I once literally bumped into Eric Clapton at a Stevie Ray Vaughn concert. Years later, I had a son who went on to become an excellent guitar player. Coincidence? Well, yes, actually. 17 I wasn’t kidding about the yams. They’re nasty.
18 If you’ve ever owned a Taylor Swift CD, but not an Aretha Franklin CD, you really are just a terrible person. 19 The same goes for Emmylou Harris and Alison Krauss. Buy their music. 20 I have tasted more than 150 different tequilas. 21 I’ve been to 14 of Texas Monthly Magazine’s top 25 barbecue joints.
22 I once lost a tennis match to John McEnroe. I guess it would be way more impressive if I’d won, but he’s John freaking McEnroe. 23 I can move my pinky toes independently of the rest of my toes. This skill really comes in handy. 24 I have never completed a Sunday New York Times crossword puzzle. And I’ve tried ... a lot. 25 One day back when Mesa Marin was still going strong, I parachuted into the track, then raced two different cars and a motorcycle in one night. I wondered if that’s what it felt like to be Steve McQueen. — Is there someone in Bakersfield you’d like to learn more about? Let us know. Email us at bakersfieldlife@bakersfield.com with the subject line: 25 random things.
PHOTO BY ALEX HORVATH
perhaps the best songwriter of all time. 3 I believe that the greatest car ever built is the 1986 Porsche 959, but the car I want to drive before I croak is the Ferrari 458 Italia. 4 I think people who litter are worse than Al-Qaeda. 5 I am an excellent snow skier, but dangerously bad at water skiing. Go figure. 6 I once won $4 from Elliott Gould playing basketball at Disneyland. 7 I own in excess of 30 cowbells. 8 I was a spelling bee champion in sixth grade. 9 Many years ago, a snake fell through a knothole in the roof of our house and landed near my feet. My dad killed it with my guitar. 10 I once belched the alphabet, nonstop. I have witnesses. 11 I have seen “Tombstone” 63,000 times. This figure is, however, undocumented.
people. What Cox does well is tell stories, which is why the 49-year-old describes himself as a “raconteur.” He loves his job — the hours are reasonable and he doesn’t have to do any heavy lifting. Listen to him weekday mornings on NewsTalk 1180 AM KERN radio, or watch him on Bakersfield.com. So what is this outspoken man like in his personal life? In his spare time, he thinks of clever things to say on his show, but not before he tries them out on his dogs. Cox really enjoys live music, spending time raising money for charities, and playing Hot Wheels with his grandson, Oliver.
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Bakersfield Life Magazine
July 2013
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IT MANNERS A LOT By Lisa Kimble
SUMMER VACATION: AN ENDLESS WEEKEND FOR CHILDREN, PARENTS
I
f all seasons have a certain dance and rhythm, then summer, which may have started out as a peppy salsa when the last school bell rang, may now feel something akin to a slow waltz. It may even near a crawl, depending on the foot traffic through your house these days, if you have children or teenagers, and the amount of time you’ve been spending outdoors. Summer vacation may deliver a reprieve from the daily grind from September to May, but it also assures that if you opt for a “staycation” at home with your kids, your front door could become a revolving one like Sears, if it hasn’t already. Or worse, depending on your proximity to major tourist attractions, you may be on the receiving end of an endless Disney parade of out-of-town guests. Let’s face it: For kids old enough to spend the night at a friend’s house everyday until midAugust is a Saturday — an endless weekend littered with sleeping bags, campouts in the backyard under the stars, and a tango of sleep depriLisa Kimble vation for bleary-eyed parents. Fun for them, but a big responsibility for those ensuring their safety. Growing up in the La Cresta neighborhood of northeast Bakersfield, I could walk to my best friend’s house in under a minute. Ours was each other’s home away from home. Spending the night was more fun than any iPad or Twitter session could ever deliver. Some of my best childhood memories are wrapped in those safe, blissful sleepovers. When we weren’t at each other’s homes, we vacationed with one another’s families. At some point, I’m sure, our signals for each other’s company were as simple as bird calls. Yet, our mothers still checked in with each other, the old fashioned way, using a big plastic thing called a telephone attached to a wall with a rotary dial, making sure our plans were in sync with theirs.
“CYCLISTS FARE BEST WHEN THEY ACT
In today’s mobile and digital orbit, reliance on new devices, or perhaps sheer laziness, seem to have become the new guardians of supervision. But texting with children should never substitute for connecting with those in charge for the night — the adults. The sleepover is a milestone on a child’s road to independence. Our youngsters may be adept at rolling their eyeballs, but to the best of my knowledge, they aren’t yet mind readers. So before they pack their overnight bag, sit them down and give them a quick tutorial on how to be a good guest, and more importantly, one who is invited back. It’s simple really: the “house” rules. Remind them that being on their best behavior means obeying the parents in charge, respecting their property, and not keeping the adults up all night. Friend and choir instructor Crystal Watts found what may be one of the most inventive ways to finally get a rambunctious group of fifth-grade girls to sleep in the predawn darkness. “It was after two in the morning, so I went into the living room and notified the group that we were going to practice the flutophone, and I asked who wanted to be first!” She didn’t hear another peep. You can’t remind children enough to eat what is served, or at least to help clear the table and thank the hosts profusely for the food and invite. When dropping off your children, don’t slow down to 5 mph so they can parachute out of the car. Escort them to the door, make real-time, face-to-face contact with the supervising adult. And don’t be embarrassed or shy about asking important questions, like whether there are weapons in the home. Children, after all, are your most precious cargo. And come morning, don’t be a phantom parent. If you are expected to pick up your child at an appointed time, don’t swing by hours later. It is inconsiderate of the host and embarrassing for your child. If guests will be spending the night at your house, don’t dwell on the youngster who has an “accident.” They happen from time to time. If a child gets homesick, don’t try to convince them to stay either. Call their parents. It’s okay to discipline your children, but not somebody else’s. If someone is simply unmanageable, call a parent. — Agree, disagree? Send your questions, comments or topics you’d like to read about to me at itmannersalot@ bakersfield.com or visit itmannersalot.blogspot.com.
Push your body. Find your beat.
AND ARE TREATED AS DRIVERS OF VEHICLES.” ~JOHN FORESTER
EXPLORE EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES AT bikebakersfield.org/edu
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Bakersfield Life Magazine
July 2013
K E L LY D A M I A N
READY OR NOT? EXPO PREPARES FOR DISASTER
W
hen calamity strikes, there are those who will find themselves helpless and doe-eyed in the absence of modern infrastructure. Then there are the people who will leap into action. On a recent Saturday, I spent some time with citizens of the latter group at the Prepare to Endure Expo at the Kern County Fairgrounds. Seeing as how it was 108 degrees, and I was in a large building with no air-conditioning, I felt like I was proving without a doubt my ability to endure. But how prepared for disaster was I? Not very, it turns out. Let’s begin, shall we, with your basic first aid kit. If you paw through my cabinets long enough you will eventually find a handful of odd-sized bandages, antibiotic ointment and some Bactine, a laughable kit when compared to the goods offered by Minute Man Rx. They sell a range of first aid backpacks, one of which includes a skin stapler, Israeli trauma bandage and disposable scalpel. Who are the typical customers in need of such intimidating medical supplies? A Minute Kelly Damian Man Rx representative said customers range from outdoorsmen to emergency medical technician. And what if I have a disposable scalpel but lack the guts to use it in an emergency? A representative said that oftentimes the average citizen doesn’t know how to use the more advanced components, but in an emergency will find someone with the knowledge to use the tools. The small people who live in my household can barely survive a three-hour stretch without a snack, so you might think that I am well stocked with food. A survey of potential emergency rations in my pantry resulted in a few cans of lentil soup and some vegetarian chili, gone uneaten for obvious reasons. Other than that, we have some uncooked beans and a rather strange assortment of nuts. This pantry could use some real help from Wise Company gourmet meals, purveyor of
freeze-dried food. Unlike my cans, freeze-dried food has a shelf life of 25 years and can be opened and eaten pretty effortlessly. A couple purchasing a bucket full of meals from Wise Company assured me that the food, once enlivened with water, was quite tasty. “Better than a TV dinner, but not gourmet,” was the informed opinion of the woman. After a long day of digging through rubble or establishing martial law, you’re likely to be sore and stressed out. That’s where the IQ Massager comes in. The friendly salesman at the booth affixed some sticky pads to my upper back, and with an iPod-like device administered small electrical pulses into my body with the intent of increasing blood flow and loosening tight muscles. The effects of this high-tech relaxation were somewhat counteracted by the crackling of Tasers at a nearby booth. The snap of a Taser gun tends to put a person on edge when you have electrodes stuck to your back. Let’s say I’m ready to take preparedness to the next level. About the size of a shipping container, an Ultimate Bunker comes with four fold-down beds, a kitchenette, an escape hatch and a six-inch blast door. Missing was an instruction manual for how to keep the love alive within your family while hunkering down in such tight quarters. If I wanted to find advice for such a scenario, I have a hunch that I might do well to look through Backwoods Home Magazine. A brief survey of cover stories revealed an eclectic range of topics from “Fact and Fiction of Apocalyptic Scenarios,” to “What a Treehouse!” While watching a demonstration from Tim Ralston of Survival Technology Innovations, I struck up a conversation with the man sitting next to me. He saw the event as an opportunity to gather information about becoming more self-sufficient. It was also a chance to spend time with other preparation enthusiasts. “Being prepared is not about being a lone wolf,” he told me. “It’s about developing community.” When it comes to being ready for the unexpected, I pale in comparison to those at the expo. However, I do always have on hand the makings for a pitcher of white sangria. Am I “Ultimate Bunker” material? Not yet. But on the long road of preparedness, it’s all about baby steps. — To read more, visit kellydamian.com, or follow Kelly on Twitter @kellydamian2.
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D I N I N G D I VA S
VALENTIEN RESTAURANT & WINE BAR Upscale neighborhood bistro worth visiting
Photos by Greg Nichols
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alentien Restaurant & Wine Bar â&#x20AC;&#x201D; an affordable, upscale bistro tucked away on the busy corner of Truxtun Avenue and Oak Street â&#x20AC;&#x201D; has been a gourmet gem since it was started in late 2002 by New York transplant Chef Robert Dixon. Five years later, Jeramy Brown and partner Jennifer Sanderson took ownership. Together, this couple continues to strive to create a warm and inviting atmosphere. This neighborhood bistro provides a unique dining experience and offers seasonal menu items, including fresh fish, exotic game meats and vegan dishes. From year-round events, such as winemaker dinners, tasting menus and the spring and fall Movies on the Patio, there is usually always something happening at Valentien. We were overwhelmed by the entire dining experience from the food to the hospitality and top-notch service that Valentien provided. However, the owners and their staff welcomed us and opened our eyes and palates to an incredible culinary experience. Valentien truly offers something for everyone!
Roasted beet salad
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Valentien Restaurant & Wine Bar
Valentien owners Jennifer Sanderson, far left, and Jeramy Brown, far right, weclome the Dining Divas, from left: Denise Ornelas, Stephanie Pickering, Mai Giffard, Andrea Ames and Marlene Morales.
Address: 3310 Truxtun Ave. Phone: 864-0397 Hours: Dinner reservations, 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday; lunch reservations, 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday only Facebook search: Valentien Restaurant and Wine Bar Website: valentienrestaurant.com Catering: Available for any event Video/Photos/Wine Pairings Hungry for more? Watch footage of the Dining Divas’ visit to Valentien and see more mouth-watering photos at BakersfieldLife.com.
SMALL PLATES Marlene and Mai on the rosemary cheese tartlet: The most exquisite combination of sweet, tart and tang. The crust was flaky and the perfect thickness. The filling was savory, fragrant and smooth with a bit of melted cheese viscosity. The house-made goat cheese ice cream was creamy, while the orange marmalade added the perfect sweetness. The trick is to spoon all three together and let your taste buds experience the amazing flavors and textures. Andrea on the artichoke pancake: This stack of seasonal colors was so delicious! The crisp artichoke pancake was golden, savory and very light. It was topped with melted goat cheese and sweet purple onions. The tomato confit was piled high with lightly balsamic tossed spinach — a great fusion of flavors. Stephanie on the saucisoon sec: I started with a delectable sampling of salami from the Alsace region of France. Served with grilled baguette and house pickled raisins, these mouth-watering bites laced with black pepper and garlic were the ultimate appetizer to share with my fellow Divas! Denise on the triple cheese flight: Valentien offers a fantastic triple cheese flight that consists of Barely Buzzed from Utah with a rind covered in lavender and coffee (my favorite!); Brie cheese with a light fig and chardonnay sauce; and Spanish manchego. If you’re a cheese lover like me, I recommend ordering this, then asking Jeramy, a seasoned sommelier, to recommend a wine pairing. Mai on the seafood risotto: This outstanding dish combined two of my favorite things — seafood and a perfectly cooked risotto. I would love if this dish were served in an entree-sized portion, although it is perfect to share as an appetizer to whet your appetite (and it sure will). It was rich, savory, full of depth and provided a flavorful seafood taste. The scallops and white fish were prominent and fresh while the lobster stock gave it the umami you will want more of as soon as you
Sake braised beef short ribs are done with your last bite.
SALADS AND SOUPS Marlene on the grilled apricot and spinach salad: The spinach was lightly tossed in a creamy, honey, orange and black pepper dressing, which made it refreshing. The spinach was then topped with pecans, parmesan cheese and apricots. Delightful! Andrea on the soup de jour — chilled apricot soup: It was a warm evening, so this soup sounded like a great idea because it was served chilled. This apricot puree was cooked in vegetable stock, with a bit of simple syrup, shallots and coriander. It was slightly sweet with a spicy finish for a little twist. Stephanie on the honey glazed endive salad: My palate continues to expand as my belly grows. Lately, I am loving any salad, so I ordered the beautifully presented honey glazed endive. Sections of endive were filled with goat cheese rolled in mint, strategically placed raspberries and sprinkled
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Rosemary cheese tartlet
Seasonal fish
Continued from page 37 with pistachios, then drizzled with honey and pistachio oil. Mai on the goat cheese salad: I love salads, and simple ones that honor their few well-prepared and wellpaired components are the ones that I opt for almost exclusively. This salad was exceptional — the roasted striped beets were sweet and tender, complemented with peppery arugula, tangy cider dressing, almond dust and panko-crusted goat cheese. The cheese was warm and the panko gave a crisp, textural contrast to the soft cheese. The dish was simple, yet thoughtful and well done.
MAIN ENTREES Marlene on the early summer pasta: Nothing says summer like the vibrant flavors of fresh herbs and vegetables tossed in pasta. This dish was outstanding. It was made with basil, corn, roasted tomatoes, zucchini, pine nuts and herbed ricotta. The pasta was tossed in a light pesto dressing, and every bite was delectable. Denise on the sake braised beef short ribs: The short ribs were fantastic — no knife needed for this mas-
Getting to know the real ‘Divas’ Having been in the limousine business for more than 10 years, serving thousands of clients and logging more than a million miles, I am fortunate that I get to meet many people. If you are doing your job as a chauffeur to the best of your ability, it will reflect in your relationships with your clients. You will become an extended family member to your clients because you are a part of their lives, driving them to and from vacations, anniversaries, children’s birthdays, graduations, etc. Being a great chauffeur can be so rewarding.
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terpiece! It was served with creamy mashed potatoes that were seasoned perfectly and broccoli rabe. The portions of the entree were just right. When I thought I couldn’t eat another bite ... the dessert came out. Stephanie on the stuffed squash: One thing I love about Valentien is that they have menu options to suit everyone. A funny thing about my pregnancy is that I am craving more vegetarian options. Fortunately for me, I may have been the last patron at Valentien to delight in the stuffed squash entree before this seasonal dish takes a summer hiatus. The squash was stuffed with lentils, kale, risotto, Brussels sprouts, mushrooms and red wine reduction. This vegan dish is a must as soon as Jeramy and Jennifer add it back to the menu in the fall! Andrea on the halibut with strawberry habanero salsa: I was amazed at the quality of the fish. On the bottom of the dish was a crisp risotto cake that was topped with grilled asparagus — a favorite of mine this time of year. The grilled halibut was placed on top and piled with the strawberry salsa and a fresh cilantro sprig. If you enjoy a little spiciness, then this will be your summer favorite!
DESSERTS Marlene on the chocolate souffle: This dessert is worth the wait and the calories. It takes 35 minutes to make and is served right out of the oven. The aroma of chocolate is tantalizing. You can instantly taste the flavors
I have been given the opportunity to be the Dining Divas’ transportation provider. What a blast it has been getting to know these Divas. From the time I pick them up until I drop them off, it’s a whirlwind of fun. I really can’t even call this work — getting to know each of them individually and as a group has been wonderful. We laugh about 90 percent of the time that we are together. Being with five Divas, you can only imagine that anything can and will be discussed. I am thankful for these friendships that I now have with these amazing Dining Divas. — Tim Dobbs, owner and driver of Distinctive Limousine and Chauffeur Service and Executive Car Service of Bakersfield
Maripat Ermigarat and Tim Dobbs
Signature Properties, Signature Service definitely grasped my full attention! This dessert was a rich blend of chocolate that melts in your mouth. Mai on the coffee: I grew up in a family where coffee was a daily ritual and a region where great coffee was coveted and sought out. So naturally, I have a deep love for it — from bean to brew. I am obsessed with a quality cup of joe! The coffee we were served was a fullbodied roast and it was brewed in a coffee siphon, which was fun to watch in action and definitely a conversation piece. I urge you to dine at Valentien for this alone. I was in coffee nirvana! This dining experience was reminiscent of a night out in Los Angeles or the Bay Area.
Chocolate marquise of cocoa, cinnamon, chocolate and vanilla whipped cream. Marlene on the almond apricot cake: The presentation was so beautiful, and every bite tasted as great as it looked. It was moist and made with a light almond sponge cake, goat cheese mousse, apricot crème and topped with amaretto sauteed apricots. Andrea on the vanilla bean crème brule: This crème brule had a crisp caramelized top and was packed with vanilla flavor. I loved the raspberries stuffed with blueberries on the side. Denise on the chocolate marquise: Honestly, I am not a big dessert fan, but the presentation and aroma of this chocolate art,
Mary Christenson 32 years of local real estate professional service
Specializing in Luxury
Homes, Estate Properties and Golf Course Communities
OVERALL EXPERIENCE Valentien offers French cuisine with California freshness and an extensive wine list. We discovered that Jeramy spent a few years in Europe, residing particularly in Italy, giving him the wine bug. We were impressed with the owners’ knowledge of the wine pairings with each entree. This restaurant has the perfect combination of a knowledgeable wait staff; outstanding culinary team, entree presentation, great service, decadent food and a coffee siphon that produces the best coffee to complement the desserts. Our server Preston Andrews was nice, attentive and never missed a step with his service or with answering any of our inquiries. It speaks volumes of Jennifer and Jeramy’s commitment to educating their staff.
Direct Cell
301-MARY (301-6279)
DRE License #00818891
Valentien offers food and wine pairings Before dinner drink Charles de Fere Blanc de Blancs Brut Non-Vintage Cremant is a sparkling wine from France not made in the champagne region; made with 100 percent chardonnay grapes. A refreshing, light, perfect, summer cocktail to begin a fine dining experience. It’s also very inexpensive and affordable.
Pairs well with appetizers and salads A Picpoul de Pinet is the name of the grape and one of the oldest Languedoc grapes. The Piquepoul has been growing near the Thau Lagoon for centuries
west of France. The Picpoul de Pinet 2011 Coteaux du Languedoc wine is not only splendid with seafood and shellfish as well as with other traditional Mediterranean dishes, but also with cheese and chocolate.
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The perfect wine to complement most summer entrees The flavors of Domaine Eden 2009 Santa Cruz Mountains Chardonnay are integrated beautifully. There is a lovely balance of rich, creamy fruit and Santa Cruz minerality. Citrus, nectarine and light floral honey are layered into the focused, vibrant finish.
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FOOD AND WINE
SUMMER SIPS… WITH A TWIST Six atypical summer cocktails made locally, and guaranteed to cool you down By Kevin McCloskey
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taying cool in the Bakersfield summer can be challenging to say the least, but thanks to your Facebook suggestions, we have discovered a few new libations to help you beat the heat, along with some old favorites.
Having just celebrated its first anniversary, this jewel of a restaurant in Wall Street alley between Chester Avenue and Eye Street should be on your radar. Shawna Haddad Byers has created a welcoming atmosphere in the historic building, and an impressive menu for her 10-foot-by-10-foot kitchen. Signature drinks at Muertos are created by Sarah Kirschner, who has a 12-year history with Shawna from her days at Fishlips. Sarah’s fantastic blood orange jalapeño margarita began as a homemade salsa recipe before she added tequila and turned it into an excellent summer beverage. Without a full liquor license, the Muertos version substitutes a soju Korean vodka and agave nectar for the tequila, along with fresh blood orange juice (in season), muddled jalapeños and rimmed with Sarah’s own chili salt. Sweet, spicy, crisp, and refreshing, this cocktail will satisfy all your senses. Another great option at Muertos is the sangria. Available in both red and white, Sarah blends sweet wine with a variety of fresh, in-season fruit including limes, apples, plums, raspberries, blackberries, grapes and sometimes pomegranate seeds, soaked in citrus juice. They are best served a couple of 40
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Mr. Melon from Narducci’s Café
PHOTO BY MICHAEL LOPEZ
BLOOD ORANGE JALAPENO MARGARITA, SANGRIA Muertos Kitchen & Lounge
Aperol Spritz, top, and the Kalimotxo are refreshing offerings at Luigi’s. days after the initial blending in order for the wine to take on all the flavors of the fruit. — 1514 Wall St.; 324-2557; 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday; and 4 to 10 p.m. Saturday.
PHOTO BY MICHAEL LOPEZ
PHOTO BY CASEY CHRISTIE
Muertos’ red and white sangria
Most of you know Luigi’s Restaurant as a lunch favorite, where you may just get a complimentary neck rub if you sit in the right section, but their summer drinks may surprise you. Luigi’s has been serving the first one for decades. The Kalimotxo (pronounced Kal-ee-MOO-cho) has a great and catchy name, but if you’re unfamiliar with it, please skip the rest of this paragraph and try one before you continue. The Kalimotxo is a simple, refreshing cocktail made from the house burgundy, a healthy squirt of Coke and a squeeze of lime. It is the kind of drink that tastes much better than it sounds, with a name far superior to just calling it a red wine and Coke cooler. Substitute Mr. Pibb for Coke for a popular variation, but be prepared for a discussion on the proper form of this Basque creation. Manager and bartender Liz Davis has been part of Luigi’s for more than six years, and her summer suggestions is an Aperol Spritz. Aperol — an Italian aperitif infused with sweet orange peel, mandarin orange and an array of herbs, roots and spices — is poured over ice and topped with prosecco, an Italian sparkling wine. The sweet liqueur, with hints of cherry and bitter orange, blends beautifully with the sweet sparkling wine, and is best enjoyed at Luigi’s new outdoor bar, which is staffed on Fridays and Saturdays. — 725 E. 19th St.; 322-0926; Bar hours 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday; shopluigis.com.
PHOTO BY CASEY CHRISTIE
KALIMOTXO, APEROL SPRITZ Luigi’s Restaurant
Muertos’ blood orange jalapeno margarita.
MOSCOW MULE, MR. MELON Narducci’s Café The Moscow Mule was developed in the 1940s to help popularize vodka to an American audience, whose favorite clear spirit at the time was gin. This traditional drink is served in a copper mug, with zero insulating properties, and is among the coldest drinks you’ll ever have. This cup of cock-
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but don’t want to steer away from good oldfashioned beer? Make a trip to Lengthwise. The staple local brewery recently unveiled a slew of new experimental beers, some of which are now available in its restaurants. A few, however, are being kept behind closed doors for now, but co-owner Jeff Williams gave Bakersfield Life a sneak peek of a few of them highlighted here. Centennial Ale Zeused (6.5 percent): Centennial Ale dry hopped with Zeus hops, which feature a smooth pleasant taste, with a pungent dark and earthy, woody aromas. Centennial Ale Nelson Sauvin (6.5 percent): Centennial Ale dry hopped with Nelson hops from New Zealand that add a wine-like element to both the aroma and the taste (Sauvin is shorthand for the grape variety Sauvignon Blanc). This Lengthwise brew presents the taste of crushed gooseberry, black pepper, mace and spice. Centennial Ale Sorachi Ace (6.5 percent):
tail history is made of vodka, ginger beer and a squeeze of lime. Be prepared to surrender your driver’s license upon ordering — a temporary fee aimed to prevent these copper mugs from leaving local establishments illegally. Moscow Mules were originally created with Cock ‘n Bull ginger beer, and Narducci’s steadfastly maintains that tradition. The portions of vodka to ginger beer can vary from place to place, but it’s easy to tell where this mule gets its kick. After a couple of these, you may wish they’d asked for your keys along with your license. Bring a sober driver if you are planning on a night of mules. And ask for a Warsaw Mule for the Polish vodka variation. Co-owners Julie Crawford and Jimmy Narducci can also mix up a Mr. Melon, a cocktail that Jimmy came up with three decades ago when Midori was the king of sweet, summer liqueurs. Melon-flavored Midori is blended with vodka, soda, pineapple juice and a splash of 151 rum make this an excellent choice to cool you off. — 622 E. 21st St.; 324-2961; narducciscafe.com; open 9 a.m. Monday through Sunday. Bakersfield Life Magazine
Jeff Williams, Lengthwise co-owner. July 2013
PHOTO BY AARON RUTH
Looking for a summer sip with a twist
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PHOTO BY AARON RUTH
Lengthwise: Local brewery unveils experimental beers
PHOTO BY AARON RUTH
Narducci’s Moscow Mule
PHOTO BY MICHAEL LOPEZ
Lengthwise offers an array of beers, including several new experimental drinks now available on tap.
Hops are used to brew new beers. Centennial Ale dry hopped with Sorachi Ave hops, Japanese hops with unique tones of lemon, dill, melon and pepper. Zeus Imperial IPA (10 percent): Williams calls this new brew a “game-changer.” It debuted at May’s first-ever Bakersfield Craft Beer Festival, and has already gotten an immense loyal following. It’s an India pale ale, with a Centennial Ale base, brewed primarily with Zeus and Citra hops. And it’s deceiving — smoother than what you would expect from a 10 percent beer. The passion fruit and citrus overtones overwhelm at first and finish very smooth. Double Centennial Ale Citra Combines the brewery’s beloved Double Centennial Ale (8.5 percent) with the famed citra hops, which has hints of guava, passion fruit, lychee, stone fruit and, of course, citrus. Totally Nuts almond ale: If you attended the first-ever Kern County Nut Festival, you may have tried this one made especially for the event. The lightly hopped blonde ale uses vanilla and almond extract for a bold almond aroma and taste. Whether this one sticks around or not depends on the demand. — Lengthwise has three locations in Bakersfield. In July, look out for Lengthwise’s 15th anniversary, which will introduce a double IPA. More information, locations, hours: lengthwise.com or search “Lengthwise Brewing” on Facebook.
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E N T E R TA I N M E N T
BACK WITH A BANG! By Andrea Vega
Fireworks return to Bakersfield College’s Memorial Stadium. 44
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Family activities are scheduled before the fireworks begin at Memorial Stadium.
tume and talent show for kids ages 3 to 10, a patriotic photo competition, best-dressed bicycle and a singing contest. The winner of the singing contest will even be invited to present a selection as part of the I Love America Freedom Celebration at the stadium. Look online for registration information and guidelines as some contests may require an entry fee. “It is our greatest desire to be a tool that promotes and raises the level of patriotism in Bakersfield and the entire Kern County area,” said Rick Moore, producer and director of the event. “The freedom we have in America is founded by the blood, sweat, and tears of our forefathers and ancestors. We want to demonstrate to the world how America celebrates her liberty by honoring her heroes and remembering their sacrifice. And, oh yes, there will be fireworks!” Along with the long-awaited return of the fireworks, the I
CALIFORNIAN FILE PHOTO
I
t’s been four years since the last 4th of July summer fireworks display has set the sky alight at Bakersfield College’s Memorial Stadium. But this year, they’re back and better than ever with the “I Love America Liberty Festival and Freedom Celebration.” Previously organized by the Bakersfield Firefighters Relief Association, this year the Canyon Hills Assembly of God Church and a nonprofit that promotes patriotism are working together — along with several other sponsors — to make sure this Independence Day is celebrated with a bang. The festivities begin with the “I Love America Liberty Festival,” taking place just north of the Memorial Stadium. The festival will include storytelling, rides and activities for the kids, booths with games and American-style food. For those with a little friendly competitive spirit, there are plenty of opportunities to show off and win some prizes. Think you’ve got the cutest baby in Bakersfield? Enter a picture of your precious pride and joy into the “Beautiful Baby Bakersfield” competition. Other contests include a cos-
CALIFORNIAN FILE PHOTO
Fireworks show returns to Bakersfield College with ‘Liberty Festival and Freedom Celebration’
Proudly Serving Kern County’s Homecare Needs for 23 Years. I Love America Liberty Festival and Freedom Celebration When: Thursday, July 4. Liberty Festival from 2 to 7 p.m. Freedom Celebration at 7:30 p.m. Where: Memorial Stadium at Bakersfield College Admission: Liberty Festival is free. Freedom Celebration (including fireworks show) is $12 to $15 for adults; $5 to $7 for children, with discounts available for early ticket purchases. Tickets are available online or at several local locations including: Emporium Western Store, Henley’s Photo and Snider’s Cyclery. More information, sponsorship, volunteer information, contest details: iloveamericabakersfield.com or “I Love America Bakersfield” on Facebook
Love America Freedom Celebration will include a 150-voice choir ensemble that will form a singing flag, military and veteran’s honors, patriotic music performed by a live marching, a time of remembrance for the victims of 9/11, sky divers and much more. The evening will conclude with the much anticipated main event — the fireworks spectacular, “The Lights of Liberty.” This new event promises to be patriotic, inspiring, fun and what local residents hope will be a tradition for families to enjoy in the future.
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FOODIE
Dorothy Holland, owner and designer of The Green Thumb, loves cooking for family and company. Here she prepares an artichoke chicken dish with sides for daughter Olivia, 10, and Stella, 6.
DOROTHY HOLLAND The best meals are served in company of friends, says florist Compiled by Hillary Haenes
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Photos by Aaron Ruth
hen hosting lavish or even low-key dinner parties with family and friends, you can bet Dorothy Holland — owner and designer/florist of The Green Thumb — will have the perfect centerpiece on her table. She opened The Green Thumb, at 1913 F St., 15 years ago. Aside from operating her business, Holland, 40, likes riding her motorcycle and is an avid runner. But she really loves nothing more than sifting through recipes to uncover a gem, spending the day in her pristine kitchen cooking, setting a beautiful table and enjoying great company. 46
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“Cooking is important to me because it allows me to spend quality time with my daughters,” Holland said. “Reading and following recipes, measuring ingredients, experiencing and experimenting with new foods, and being creative while having fun together is pretty darn great.”
COOKING ADVICE I developed an interest cooking when: I realized how relaxing it was for me. It allows me to focus on the task at hand, be creative and make people full and happy. It is super gratifying. How often I cook for my family and friends: At least five nights at week. The girls would rather eat in then go out, sometimes to my dismay! I have friends over on a weekly basis, and I love nothing more than a casual Sunday dinner on the back patio. Really any excuse to cook and hangout with friends is a great time for me. Everything goes better with: Good friends and great conversation. Wine and/or cocktails are a plus, too.
Dorothy Holland serves an artichoke chicken dish with arugula salad and orzo.
I rock at making: Chicken chile verde! (Not for those with a mild palate.) What I buy in bulk: Boneless chicken breasts. I always have some grilled ahead of time to have on hand for a quick sandwich, a snack or to throw on a salad. One of my cooking secrets: I add crushed red pepper flakes into just about everything. My inspiration to create a new dish usually comes from: Someone mentioning a great meal. I’ll go on a mission to find a similar recipe and the ingredients. Then it’s an excuse to have them over and a dinner party is born. One ingredient I love to use in my recipes: I use peppers whenever I can. I have jalapenos and serranos in the garden, so I can grab them anytime. A chef that I would love to work with: Matt Molina of Pizzeria Mozza and Osteria Mozza. At only 32 years of age, he has worked his way up from line cook to executive chef. Amazing! I would love to know what he has up his sleeve next!
TOOLS OF THE TRADE Favorite piece of kitchen equipment: My dutch oven. It retains heat for so long! It’s great for braising meats and cooking soups, stews and casseroles. Must-have kitchen tools: Good knives for sure, and I love my hand blender. Go-to cookbook: “Neiman Marcus Cookbook.” It was given to me when I first began cooking. It covers all the basic
recipes and has a fantastic gumbo recipe among several others. Everything I have made from it has been a huge success. Spice cabinet necessities: Red pepper flakes, bay leaves and cumin. I cook with a lot of fresh herbs from the garden. The flavor and colors can’t be beat. Favorite cooking show: “Chopped!” It’s amazing to see what these chefs can come up with out of four completely random ingredients in virtually no time to make an appetizer, main course and dessert! I’m always in awe! I’m not a fan of: Blue cheese, feta, goat cheese ... well cheese, really! Oh, and olives! Dream kitchen appliance: I love my kitchen layout and its gadgets, so the only thing I could think of improving it would be the ocean and a sandy beach right out my kitchen window. Now that would be perfection.
GLOBE-TROTTING I’m completely obsessed with: Thai food right now. Favorite local restaurant: Chef’s Choice Noodle Bar. The tom yum soup with glass noodles and chicken is insane! I cannot get enough and crave it weekly. Thank goodness they are around the corner from my store! Restaurant I’m dying to try: I just heard about The Thai House on Ming Avenue. I’ve never been there and am excited to try it. Best food experience: The Hotel Bel-Air. I enjoyed
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Continued from page 47 lunch on the gorgeous patio, world-class food, impeccable service and Nancy Reagan seated at the table next to me. Most expensive meal: The Mansion on Turtle Creek in Dallas. It was a seven-course chef’s seasonal tasting menu paired with wine, and it was out of this world. Best risotto in my life, hands down. In the bar, the burgers and truffle fries are amazing. At breakfast it was the pear, ginger and pineapple juice! Most surprising food I’m not crazy about: I don’t like cheese. I love pizza, and, of course, a cheeseburger, but only with mild cheese like cheddar or mozzarella and it must be melted! Otherwise, I can’t do it. Absolutely, positively no way on blue, feta or goat cheese!
A FEW OF MY FAVORITE THINGS Always in my fridge: Half and half for my coffee, butter and raw tortillas. I’m addicted to: Putting anything into a wrap! My latest obsession is the sloppy joe at Moo Creamery. I order it in a wrap with extra pickles and jalapenos. Owners Richard and Jessica Yoshimura always accommodate this wrap fetish. I think I’m addicted to Moo as well! Farmers market finds: The farmers market across from The Marketplace has fantastic berries. Does the Kettle
Corn qualify? I always end up with a bag of that somehow. Summer sip: A Moscow Mule in a copper cup! Yum! And a super ice cold beer like Firestone 805 or an Allagash White Ale. Comfort food: Chicken and dumplings. I have a handful of recipes on this one and all of them are delicious! The only problem is that I need a nap after this meal! Frozen treat: Currently, it is chocolate-dipped frozen bananas from Trader Joe’s. They’re a fruit, right? Barbecue side dish: My cole slaw rocks. I have yet to find a better one. Yup, it’s that good. Healthy snack: I have a banana with peanut butter every morning when I wake up. It provides plenty of fuel for my run or workout. It’s been a staple for 10-plus years! Family recipe: It would come from my Polish/German heritage. My grandmother was an incredible baker, and my mom is an amazing cook. I can eat her homemade potato dumplings straight out of the pot! I don’t even need the rest of the meal! Splurge at the grocery store: Vinegar and oils — a great truffle oil is the icing on my risotto. The single tastiest thing I’ve eaten this month: The Banana Peanut Butter French Toast at Moo Creamery. It’s so sinful, I don’t know how it can be considered breakfast. But I’m sticking with the fact that it is on the breakfast menu, and I can always run it off the next day.
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Brimhall Square Brimhall Rd & Calloway Dr 241-9329 July 2013
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Artichoke Chicken Start to finish: 1 to 1-1/2 hours Servings: 6 to 8 Ingredients: 2 tablespoons butter 2 tablespoons oil 8 chicken breasts 3 small jars marinated artichoke hearts, strained 3 cloves minced garlic 1 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced 1 large can (28 ounces) plus 1 small can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes, strained 2 teaspoons salt 2 tablespoons dried oregano 2 teaspoons pepper 1 cup cooking sherry Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Dredge chicken in seasoned flour. Heat oil and butter in pan. Sear chicken to golden brown. Remove
from pan and place in casserole dish. Place mushrooms, artichokes and tomatoes (no juices) around chicken. Stir together juices from tomatoes and artichokes with spices and garlic. Pour over top of chicken and bake 1 to
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HOMETOWN HERO
MICHELE SPENCER U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel Compiled by Andrea Vega
Photos courtesy of Michele Spencer
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t. Col. Michele Spencer, a 50-year-old native of Bakersfield, has served for decades in the U.S. Army, assigned in Iraq and throughout the United States before landing back in California after 20 years of being away. She is currently assigned in Sacramento, is an author and the mother of two sons. Current assignment: Lieutenant Colonel, active reserve
Lt. Col. Michele Spencer, of Bakersfield, awaits to deploy for the U.S. Army. medical service officer, executive officer for the 7305th Medical Training Support Battalion in Sacramento. Where I was stationed: Army Physical Disability Agency in Washington D.C. (Walter Reed National Military Medical Center); Fort George G. Meade, Md.; Fort McPherson, Ga.; Baghdad, Iraq; Fort Carson, Colo.; Fort Lewis, Washington state; and several U.S. Army Reserve centers in Florida. The first thing I did when I got home after deployment: Spoil my two sons (Miguel and Clay), both teenagers at the time. I have served in the Army for: 27 years. In 1986, I enlisted as a private first class. In 1990, I became a commissioned officer. The following year I went before the promotion board for colonel. Woohoo! Why I joined: Initially, a combination of needing a real full-time job and wanting to test my ability to “be all I can be” with the added financial incentive of the Army paying my college student loans of $5,000 in full. Now, I’m “Army Strong!” Why I continue to serve: The quote by the late Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm sums it up: “Service is the rent we pay for the privilege of living on this earth.” I embody service member! My greatest military accomplishment: Penning and 50
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self-publishing my inspirational war memoir, “B.A.G.H.D.A.D. Yoga: A shift in consciousness: fear to love, war to peace.” In “B.A.G.H.D.A.D. Yoga,” I share the healing spiritual principles and mind-body-soul practices that guided me through the combat stressors of war abroad and have given me the courage that underpinned my decision to lead a life of service as an agent of change at home. It is interspersed with spiritual guidelines, mind-body techniques, anecdotes, and inspirational quotes as well as practical tips and strategies to cope with stress and be “powerful beyond measure” — whatever and wherever your war. It is our collective hero’s journey. What I like most about my job: My manifesto is to “show up, serve, shine,” and Spencer has served in the Army for 27 years. being a soul-dier. My job everyday is having another opportunity to shine, seeing the light in another’s eyes, and helping our great profession to do the same. My greatest challenge: There is so much we can do on this planet to make a world that works for everyone: socially, environmentally, economically, culturally. The challenge is practicing discernment on what I can do today and not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will take care of itself. My favorite memory of the Army: The pride I have wearing my uniform for as long as I have... so many comrades in so many different places and doing so many different things — from eating my first MRE (meals ready to eat) and jumping out of a perfectly working airplane to earning my airborne wings and coming home from a year combat deployment safely with my entire unit. I am proud to serve and wear the cloth of our nation. What I do when I’m not serving: Is there such a thing? There is not a time when I am not serving. Favorite activities to do in Bakersfield: Visiting any of my extended family and childhood friends. My mother and father (Geri and John Spencer) are still in the house I was raised in, so it’s always pretty special. Valuable advice I have learned while in the military: It is our Army warrior ethos: I will always place the mission first. I will never accept defeat. I will never quit. I will never leave a fallen comrade. “Failure is not an option” is another. I have since distilled the advice to my above manifesto for success: Just show up, present and do your very best. Serve with integrity and respect, and shine with courage. God, duty, honor, country. More information on my book: baghdadyoga.com and liv4lov.com. — Do you know a Kern County resident who has served honorably in the military, or is currently serving? Email us at bakersfieldlife@bakersfield.com with the message subject line: Hometown Hero. Please include an email, phone number and/or Facebook link to reach the nominee.
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ON THE ROAD
2013 LINCOLN MKZ HYBRID
Bakersfield Life Assistant Managing Editor Jorge Barrientos gets ready to continue the "date night" in the 2013 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid with wife Carla, and friends Isaac Rocha and Stephanie Board. Lincoln's "date night" program lets Bakersfield customers test drive this car for a weekend, along with $100.
Supremely sleek luxury hybrid sedan is a head-turner By Jorge Barrientos
Photos by Michael Lopez
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n early June, Ford Motor Co. announced it had already sold more hybrid vehicles than its previous record set in 2010. The amazing feat was thanks to the automaker’s new CMAX Hybrid, C-MAX Energi, Fusion Hybrid and Fusion Energi, and perhaps the most impressive — and the focus here — the Lincoln MKZ Hybrid. Lincoln, under the umbrella of Ford, completely redesigned its MKZ for 2013 and is a luxury hybrid sedan at its finest. It’s making waves in auto circles everywhere, including in the super-competitive California market, according to the Los Angeles Times. Why? One, it’s a head-turner, or as a Washington Post review stated about the MKZ: “This one is a neck-snapper supreme.” It is sleek and solid from front to back — from the unique grill that spreads out like wings to the brilliant LED taillights and dual exhaust. In between, the spacious, high-tech interior is designed with the inspiration of the wings of a stingray. Being a head-turner is one thing, but being a head-turner 52
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and a hybrid at the same time is another feat. The MKZ is rated 45 mpg across the board — city and highway — and features regenerative braking, where each push of the brake recharges the electric motor. Here are a few other luxurious features found in the MKZ: • Active Noise Cancelling picks up outside and engine noises and cancels them through speaker-emitted sound waves, much like those super fancy headphones you see people wearing on airplanes. • MyLincoln Touch with SYNC by Microsoft is super interactive and easy to use, especially with the large 8-inch monitor. Most interesting of all, the entire center console is knob and shift free. Control the car using the touch screen and fivebutton transmission interface, with a push-button start. The car includes multiple connections including USB, SD, RCA and 110-volt power outlet. “You can technically plug in an Xbox and use it,” said John Schmidt, Lincoln brand champion for Bakersfield’s Jim Burke Lincoln. “Hopefully not while you’re driving.” • Continuously Controlled Damping, standard on all MKZs, detects suspension bumps and adjusts damping 50 times per second. No more bouncing around in the car. The MKZ could possibly be the ultimate cruise machine, smoothly going from 0 to 60 mph with no jolts whatsoever. If you’re looking for power, it’s important to note that the MKZ comes in various models and engines. The non-hybrid,
The all-new 2013 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid features LED taillights, backup sensors and a rear camera.
The roomie interior of the 2013 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid features a console and dash that is inspired by wings of a stingray.
standard MKZ comes with a 2.0-liter, 240 horse power engine with 270 pounds-feet of torque. A 3.7-liter, 300 horsepower V6 engine is also available. However, half of MKZ buyers are choosing hybrid, according to the Detroit Free Press, which is the same price as choosing the equivalent trim level with a turbocharged gasoline engine. It’s safe, too, with airbags in each seat, and even in seat belts, which inflate on impact. Several of my backseat passengers had a fun (and roomie) time, playing with the backseat lights, which are ingrained in the roof fabric and turn on with the wave of a hand. So who’s buying the Lincoln MKZ? Lincoln is targeting a “progressive” buyer, one who wants a luxury ride that’s different from the BMW or Mercedes, Schmidt said. USA Today said the MKZ is “high-style, high-class, high-spirited.” The new design is intended to be a more contemporary take on Lincoln’s 91-year history as a luxury brand, according to reports. From my view, it definitely has that “wow” factor.
DATE NIGHT Like what you see? Give it a try yourself. Jim Burke Ford is offering Bakersfield customers its “date night” program, where the company lets you drive the MKZ Hybrid for a weekend (this same car pictured here, in fact), and gives you $100 to spend on a date night. A local firefighter, Schmidt said, even took the car to Pismo Beach through this program. Besides the features listed before, this test drive model has upgraded leather and a panoramic roof that opens up so you can share your drive with the sky. It has blind spot recognition, an outstanding THX audio system, and heating and cooling seats. If you take it home for good, you’ll get a standard 4-year, 50,000-mile maintenance package. To take advantage of the “date night” program, go online at jimburkelincoln.net or call 837-6400 to see if you qualify. After your date night, Ford staff will ask you what you thought about the car, with no pressure to buy, Schmidt said.
It’s all in the details Mileage: 45 mpg fuel economy (45 city, 45 highway) Price tag: $36,800 starting 2013 Lincoln MKZ best features: One of my favorite features of the 2013 MKZ is the all-glass, retractable panoramic roof. It gives you an incredible sense of space and is the largest of any sedan on the road. The MKZ also offers a push-button transmission located next to the navigation screen, which opens up the center console, and has inflatable seat belts that act as airbags for the rear passengers. 2013 Lincoln MKZ is perfect for… Lincoln has designed the MKZ to appeal to people it calls “progressive luxury customers.” These are discerning individuals who value luxury with a personal touch, and are unafraid to seek fresh new alternatives that appeal to them because they are a truly unique choice. What makes the 2013 Lincoln MKZ stand out from others? Lincoln is focusing on ways to make customers feel pampered through two new services. The first is Lincoln Host and 24/7 Concierge Service, which provides a personal concierge to guide an interested client through the entire shopping process. The personal concierge stays with the client through ownership, creating a customized relationship. The second experience is Lincoln Date Night, which provides interested buyers the opportunity to spend a weekend with a new vehicle and take that special someone for a night on the town courtesy of Jim Burke Lincoln. Target customer: Lincoln is aiming for a narrower audience it calls “cultural progressives” — younger, independent-thinkers who are open to new ideas, new brands and new products. Lincoln executives say this group makes up about 25 percent of luxury car buyers. They were the early adopters of the Audi brand in the United State, for instance, or affluent Subaru or Scion owners ready to trade up, but who don’t see themselves in a Mercedes or Lexus. What do you like the most about the 2013 Lincoln MKZ? The car is definitely a head-turner. Three words that define the 2013 Lincoln MKZ: Elegant. Modern. Intuitive. More information: jimburkelincoln.net Source: John F. Schmidt, Lincoln brand champion for Jim Burke Lincoln
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PHOTO BY GREGORY D. COOK
A L L-S TA R AT H L E T E
CAITLIN BERNARDIN Garces, Bakersfield College volleyball star’s journey continues to Alabama
Caitlin Bernardin reaches to save a volley during Bakersfield College’s season-opening game against Ventura College.
By Stephen Lynch
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akersfield and Tuscaloosa, Ala. are 2,039 miles apart. But Caitlin Bernardin’s journey from her hometown to where she will go to college next has been a much longer distance. After attending three different colleges in the two years since she graduated from Garces Memorial High, the standout volleyball player is on her way to the University of Alabama this fall. Bernardin, coming off an outstanding sophomore season at Bakersfield College, signed a letter of intent on April 17 to play for the Crimson Tide. It was a joyous occasion for Bernardin, who spent her freshman year in San Diego attending Point Loma Nazarene University and Grossmont College before coming back home to play at BC. “I’m really just blessed to get another chance to go off to a competitive atmosphere and get another chance to play at another four-year (college) again,” Bernardin said. “And the fact that it’s with Alabama... it’s such a great college town. Bernardin earned her second chance by working hard and honing her skills while at BC this past year. The result was a season filled with success and accolades. Bernardin was a First Team All-Western State Conference selection and American Volleyball Coaches Association Second Team Junior College All-American. The 5-foot, 7-inch outside hitter/libero ranked second in the state with 4.89 kills per game. Her stellar play helped the Renegades post a 22-6 record 54
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and reach the third round of the California Community College Athletic Association playoffs. Bernardin’s feats on the volleyball court at BC also attracted the attention of several four-year colleges interested in her services. It wasn’t the first time for the multi-talented athlete. Bernardin, a volleyball and basketball star at Garces, was recruited by both Oregon State and Point Loma during her prep career. She chose to go to Point Loma in San Diego where her older sister Jackie, a former volleyball player at Centennial High, lives. But after a semester at Point Loma, Bernardin decided to transfer to nearby Grossmont College. “The school was great, and the volleyball program (was) awesome,” Bernardin said of Point Loma. “I loved the coach and I loved my team, but overall, I just wasn’t happy there. Overall, the deciding factor was just my happiness, and I didn’t want to have anything holding me back from what I needed to do there with school and volleyball.” Bernardin spent half a year at Grossmont before deciding there, too, wasn’t right for her, and it was time to head home. The decision to leave San Diego and return to Bakersfield was a difficult one, she said. “All the friendships and relationships I built in San Diego was probably the most special thing I created there, and I really didn’t want to let anyone down or have them think it was because of them,” Bernardin said. “I just needed to do what was best for me and my family, and just for my happiness.”
Bernardin was also a standout basketball player at Garces Memorial.
PHOTO BY RODNEY THORNBURG
Caitlin Bernardin
Bernardin is certainly full of happiness now with the way things have turned out. She credits BC coach Carl Ferreira and her teammates on the Renegades for making this past season a special one. “I think the main reason our success was so great was because of him,” Bernardin said of Ferreira. And the girls on the team were awesome ... We just had a competitive spirit every day coming into the gym. And we just worked really hard together.” Bernardin now plans to carry that competitive spirit and passion with her to her new school.
Born March 24, 1993 in Bakersfield. Parents are Jacque and Patty. Older sister Jackie played volleyball at the University of Texas and the University of San Diego. Varsity starter for four years in both basketball and volleyball at Garces, where she graduated in 2011. Selected three times as First Team Bakersfield Californian All-Area in basketball and two times First Team All-Area choice in volleyball during her prep career. Member of Rambassadors, Associated Student Body, Campus Ministry and Christian Life Community while in high school.
Won honors during time at Garces including Outstanding Four-Year Athlete, Campus Ministry Award, Traynor Scholarship and Jim Burke Leadership Award. Finalist for Mayor’s Trophy for county’s best female athlete and the Jim Hyak Award. Named an AVCA Second Team Junior College All-American this past year at BC following a season in which she ranked No. 2 in the state with 4.89 kills per set. Chosen First Team All-Western State Conference, First Team All-SoCal and First Team All-State. Hobbies include working out at the gym, hanging out with friends and family, hunting and fishing.
“I really wanted to go somewhere where they were happy to have me, and there was a competitive environment for volleyball,” Bernardin said. “That’s what I’ve always wanted.”
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TA L K O F T H E TO W N
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n June, Willie Rivera was victorious against five other candidates in the race for the Ward 1 Bakersfield City Council seat. He succeeded, he said, in part by campaigning and knocking on doors from day one of candidacy, and by being open with Ward 1 residents, sharing his cell phone number with more than 10,000 of them. The 22-year-old, up-and-coming local Democrat, who was more than 30 years younger than four of his competitors, will now represent southeast Bakersfield. Learn a little more about him here: You beat everyone else by hundreds of votes. How? We outworked everyone else. I announced my candidacy on Feb. 11, and we began walking and knocking on doors that day. Our volunteers put in countless hours and wore out more than enough shoes talking to the residents of Ward 1. Our goal was and still is to increase the awareness and accessibility of existing city government services and programs to help improve the lives of residents in Ward 1. People appreciated us taking the time to knock on their door. How are you preparing now to serve Ward 1? I have met with city management staff, department heads and my colleagues on the city council. We have discussed my priorities for Ward 1, as well as citywide goals and issues. Walking and talking to thousands of residents produced a long list of items that I am now working to address with city staff â&#x20AC;&#x201D; items like graffiti, potholes and broken streetlights. What do you say to those who say 22 is too young to serve? No one is too young to serve if they are willing to work hard. I intend to use my age to my advantage in getting more young peo56
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CALIFORNIAN FILE PHOTO
Compiled by Bakersfield Life Magazine
PHOTO BY CASEY CHRISTIE
New councilman ready to serve Bakersfield
PHOTO BY CASEY CHRISTIE
WILLIE RIVERA, WARD 1
What issues will you tackle first? Our campaign focused on three things. One, Ward 1 needs more infrastructure investment. There are still too many streets without basic curbs, gutters and sidewalks. Second, many Ward 1 residents don’t feel safe in their neighborhoods. My goal is to work with the police department to address concerns brought up by residents. No one should be afraid to come out of their home. Lastly, the residents of Ward 1 wanted a representative who was accessible and open. I passed out my cell phone number to more than 10,000 residents with the hope that they would call me when they had an issue, a concern or a question. What’s your idea of a great time in Bakersfield? My idea of a great time in Bakersfield is a night out at one of Bakersfield’s great eateries, and a movie at Maya Cinemas afterward. Interesting fact about yourself your constituents may not know: I was born in San German, Puerto Rico and moved to
PHOTO BY HENRY A. BARRIOS
ple involved in local government. Bakersfield has very talented young people, and there is no reason why that talent cannot be put to good use, making our community a better place to live.
Willie Rivera works the phone at his campaign office on 20th Street. Bakersfield in 2000 with my family. How will you make Bakersfield proud to have you? I will always work my hardest to make sure residents of Ward 1 get their fair share of resources, and I will always take my job to serve the residents of Bakersfield seriously. If something opens up in the state Assembly, you’re staying put, right? Yes. I am excited for the opportunity to serve the residents of Ward 1.
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PHOTO BY CASEY CHRISTIE
FOR A CAUSE
Louie, left, and Cinnamon enjoy a lazy afternoon at California Living Museum. See them this summer during Twilight at CALM.
Annual event at California Living Museum lets families enjoy the zoo after hours By Megan Anderson
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ike most of us, some animals just like the cooler summer evenings instead of the hot Bakersfield summer heat. Why not enjoy the night together? In an annual tradition, the California Living Museum is opening its doors to visitors during extended hours on Saturdays in July and August — as the sun sets and as the cool breeze drifts in. It’s called Twilight at CALM, which includes wildlife presentations and scavenger hunts. Families are encouraged to pack a picnic dinner at eat among the wildlife. And though this is the event’s ninth consecutive year, it remains a bit of a secret to Kern County that comes with many perks for coming after hours, said Lana Fain, the zoo’s manager. Twilight at CALM was started to give families something fun to do in the evenings, to see some of the zoo’s nocturnal critters, and as a way to beat the heat. Just don’t show up too close to closing time or you won’t have enough time to see all of the animals housed at CALM, Fain said. The zoo is home to a botanical garden, museum and about 250 rescued animals — bears, felines, birds, reptiles and more — that are native to California but can no 58
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The newest desert bighorn sheep exhibit at California Living Museum features a ram and two ewes.
PHOTO BY CASEY CHRISTIE
TWILIGHT AT CALM
longer be returned to the wild. Even the non-nocturnal zoo animals tend to perk up because the heat of the day is gone, making the zoo comfortable for critters and visitors alike, Fain said. Picnic areas are spread throughout the zoo where families can enjoy a fun dinner together next to the animals, even the bears. The extended hours will also give families a chance to see new changes at CALM made in the last year. “If you haven’t visited CALM in a while, you haven’t seen CALM at all,” Fain said. Among those changes: • This spring, a local Boy Scouts troop planted 31 new trees on CALM’s grounds to help beautify the zoo. • The new KaBOOM playground was built in November entirely by volunteers, including those from PG&E and the Kern County Superintendent of Schools Office. • New animals that have called CALM home include two desert bighorn sheep, and one desert bighorn ram, joining
PHOTO BY MEGAN ANDERSON
as part of the nation breeding program. The desert bighorns and CALM recently welcomed a fourth desert bighorn — a new baby girl (for more on the addition, see the sidebar). Also, a new water fowl area features local birds. During Twilight at CALM, it’s still important to wear sunscreen, Fain said, as the sun sets. And bug spray is essential, too, to ward off the mosquitos. Twilight at CALM will take place from 5 to 8 p.m. every Saturday in July and August, except Aug. 24. Cost is $9 for adults, $7 for seniors, $3 for children 3 to 12 years old, and free for children 3 and younger (CALM members are free). CALM is at 10500 Alfred Harrell Highway between Lake Ming and Hart Park. More information: 872-2256 or calmzoo.org.
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California Living Museum’s newest addition, a Desert Big Horn lamb, stands on a rock next to her dad Gerome.
CALM welcomes new baby girl In April 22, CALM welcomed a new addition to the zoo, a desert bighorn lamb. The baby girl weighed in at just 12 pounds, and today is quickly growing and gaining weight. The lamb, which remains unnamed, made her debut to the public on May 18 during a CALM birthday bash. The birth was a big step for CALM because it was the first birth on the grounds as part of a breeding program, said Lana Fain, the zoo’s manager. In October last year, the zoo received two ewes and one ram loaned as part of desert bighorn breeding program. The desert bighorn species is endangered, making each live birth even more important. They were three of only 47 desert bighorn sheep on display throughout the country. In the wild, their numbers are even fewer. To make things even more tense, the lambs must make it to 30 days old before they’re all clear because they are so fragile. The good news is that this little girl has made that mark. For Esther, the lamb’s mother, this was her seventh live birth as part of the breeding program. The lamb has made a big impression on the zoo staff and the other bighorns, Fain said, and staff is hoping the lamb can stay at CALM. The lamb can be viewed during zoo hours and also during Twilight at CALM.
— Megan Anderson bakersfieldlife.com
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Keeping Bakersfield beautiful with
ART Bakersfield police, artists, nonprofits team up in utility box project that helps combat graffiti
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1 July 2013
Authentic Flavors, Affordable Elegant Dining
By Jasmine D. Lowe Photos courtesy of Bakersfield Police Department
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rt plays a role in people’s daily lives without many never really noticing it. The look, the feel and the functionality of an entire city depends on its art and its carefully crafted and innovative architecture. But another type of art work on city walls can tear down a city’s image and invite more crime to the area —
graffiti. In 2011, about $1.3 million was budgeted by the City of Bakersfield to clean graffiti — money that could have been used instead of to improve neighborhood roads, parks and other public spaces. Graffiti can also lead to a decrease in the feeling of neighborhood safety, drop property values, and hurt business and tourism. “I always say to our legislators, ‘Can you imagine what we can do with those tax dollars (used to clean graffiti)’?” said Bakersfield Police officer Tony Martinez of the BPD Crime Prevention Unit. Four years ago, Martinez and local officials decided to fight that graffiti with graffiti and art. The utility box mural project has worked wonders. The idea is simple: the Bakersfield Police Department teams up with local artists, local youth and local nonprofits to paint beautiful murals across town, on plain city utility boxes found on street corners. The art pieces prevent graffiti and promote art, Tony Martinez said. “The kids like it because all we do is create a new canvas for them to write on,” he said.
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HISTORY The project came to be when Martinez, also the chairman of the Keep Bakersfield Beautiful anti-graffiti committee, came together with Jeanette Richardson-Parks, who was director of the Arts Council of Kern. The project resulted in 15 utility boxes being painted. In the summer and fall of 2012, the project returned, and 10 utility boxes were painted. That was funded by The Bakersfield Californian Foundation, which gave $5,000 to buy paint, supplies and to make sure youth joined in on the project. “Most of the kids who do the graffiti on the boxes, they just want to show their art,” said Sebastian Muralles, a local artist who helps local youth get involved and show their talent in a legal way. “We need to motivate our kids to pursue art, especially programs like this one. I know it’s hard in schools because they are eliminating the arts classes, but we should try to motivate them and keep them involved in these programs.
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Utility box murals in downtown Bakersfield 1. 21st and L streets Artist: Al Mendez
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2. 21st and Q streets Artist: Al Mendez 3. 21st street and Mill Creek Park Artist: Al Mendez 4. 18th and L streets Artist: Sebastian Muralles 5. 19th and Q streets Artist: Sebastian Muralles 6. 19th street and Mill Creek Park Artist: Sebastian Muralles
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7. 18th and Q streets Artist: Jesus Fidel
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8. 18th and Mill Creek Park Artist: Jorge Guillen County government building
Civic center
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9. 17th and L streets Artist: Christine Sweet 10. 17th and Q streets Artist: Susan Roussel
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Continued from page 63 It keeps them out of trouble.” Martinez asks a neighborhood’s permission before murals are painted tp prevent tagging over them, just as he did with “Stop the Violence,” a mural project at the “Stop the Violence” headquarters at Martin Luther King, Jr. Park. Those murals have not been damaged in the four years there. Why? The murals are respected by fellow artists, Martinez said. The project is expected to continue to expand. It was nominated for the Beautiful Bakersfield award.
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ARTISTS • Jorge Guillen, a local artist, has incorporated specific artistic styles, such as urban culturalism, into the murals he painted on the utility boxes downtown. That style draws inspiration from Fauvism, Cubism, artistic graffiti and a spin on the Mayan hieroglyphs. Guillen also took artistic elements from Picasso, Cezanne and other historical artists. He plans to teach youth after graduating from Cal State Bakersfield and continue to help the community by participating in other beautification projects. Recently, he helped in San Diego Park in Lamont. “Hopefully the electrical boxes are just a starting point,” said Guillen. “There should be more public art. Now it’s more common, especially in the arts district ... but we need (the community’s) support.” • Other local artists like Al Mendez, Jesus Fidel, Thomas Lacero and Christina Sweet participated in the community project. They painted her mural on a utility box on 17th and L streets. • Muralles, Martinez, Guillen and artist Susan Roussel — along with about 20 students from Bakersfield High, Highland High, Norris and Lamont schools — worked on the project as well. They maintain the boxes when need be. — Interested in helping ordonating? CallTony M artinez at3263922 orem ailtm artine@ bakersfieldpd.us;Keep Bakersfield Beautiful:326-3539 orKBB@ BakersfieldCity.us;Reportgraffitiin your neighborhood to 32-ERASE.
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KEN BEURMANN
The Beurmann family includes Ken, wife Gianna, and children Matthew and Lizzy, twins, and Abby.
PHOTO BY APRIL MASSIRIO
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en Beurmann, chief executive officer of TERRIO Physical Therapy & Fitness, Inc., has achieved a tremendous amount of success at a young age. Beurmann, a standout from Liberty High, graduated with a political science degree in three years from Cal State Bakersfield, where he served as the CSUB student body president. At 21, he was the youngest ever to graduate from University of Southern California’s Annenberg School with a master’s degree in 2008. As manager of TERRIO’s Research and Development Department, Beurmann helped the company open its first location outside of Kern County. He accepted a job at Goodwill Industries of South Central California and helped expand to four locations outside of Kern, and another retail store locally. In Beurmann’s time with Goodwill, he oversaw 230 employees and a budget of $10 million. He was instrumental in helping the division become just the seventh nonprofit in the country to be accredited an “affirmative business enterprise model.” A results-oriented, antiwasteful spending mindset has served him well. Earlier this year, he returned to TERRIO as CEO. His peers say his drive, business acumen and commitment to his community are unmatched. Wellliked, the 27-year-old juggles family life and work with love for his hometown. He is the chairman of the CSUB Council of 100, a Leadership Bakersfield graduate and loves spending time with his wife, Gianna, and three children, twins Matthew and Lizzy and daughter Abby. — Lisa Kimble bakersfieldlife.com
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JENIFER PITCHER
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enifer Pitcher, community and government liaison for Kern Citizens for Sustainable Government, is a woman on a mission to beautify Bakersfield. “This community has helped shape the person I am today, so I take a lot of pride in my commu68
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nity, and I want others to see what I see: a beautiful place that people can be proud of,” she said. With Kern Citizens, a new issue advocacy group, and as its only employee, Pitcher is a dynamic, one woman band of spunk, the “face” of the government watchdog organization who is no shrinking violet. But she moves with grace and ease as she advocates for the community, especially when her opinion may not be the most popular in July 2013
the room. Pitcher, 27, graduated from Centennial High in 2004 before going to California Lutheran University, becoming the first in her family to attend college. She completed her bachelor’s degree at Cal State Bakersfield in 2008 and her master’s degree in 2011. For her thesis, she analyzed gender stereotypes and their effect on political candidates, completing an analysis of Kern County political candidates, 24 in all.
Over the course of the project, she brokered relationships that emboldened her as she grew into the political advocacy sphere. She is now an adjunct lecturer of political science at Taft College. As vice chair of the Keep Bakersfield Beautiful Committee, she is involved in community cleanups and spearheaded the cigarette receptacle project downtown. — Lisa Kimble
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t’s Jeremy Adams’ goal to inspire hundreds of local students to be knowledgeable citizens of our country, become involved, and reach higher in life. And as a 15-year Bakersfield High School teacher, he’s among the most decorated educators we have in Kern County, if not the state. Among awards, Adams, 37, was a Kern County Teacher of the Year in 2012, won the Beautiful Bakersfield Award in education in 2012, and was a California State Teacher of the Year Award semifinalist earlier this year. He is credited for starting the Advanced Placement government program at BHS and created the annual Earl Warren Cup, a entertaining civics trivia contest for top students. He is a frequent speaker at educationfocused events, and was featured in one of the nation’s largest teacher magazines, California Educator. He recently authored the book “Full Classrooms, Empty Selves.” “His charismatic leadership inspires hundreds of students to reach higher,” said nominator and Cal State Bakersfield emeritus professor Victor Lasseter. Adams, teaches civics at his alma mater, where his father also taught. He met his wife Jennifer, a local attorney, at the school, and they have two daughters and a son. He returned to Bakersfield after graduating from Washington and Lee University in Virginia, and earned his master’s degree from Cal State Bakersfield, where he has taught in the Political Science Department for seven years and sits on the alumni association board. — Jorge Barrientos
PHOTO BY HENRY A. BARRIOS
PHOTO BY HENRY A. BARRIOS
PHOTO BY HENRY A. BARRIOS
JEREMY ADAMS
ALEXANDRA BATEY
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n September 2011, Alexandra Batey pulled into the driveway of her grandparent’s home in Bakersfield. She had embarked on a journey that led her from Virginia to a place she now calls home. At the time, Batey was a recent graduate of College of William and Mary, where she earned a degree in business administration with a concentration in marketing. Growing up, she bounced throughout the country with her mother, a Bakersfield native, and her father, a commander in the U.S. Navy. A star student, she chose Bakersfield as a place to start her career. Here, she began her first job as the executive assistant of J.P. Lake, vice president of marketing at Rain for Rent. Within months of arrival, she began volunteering. In 2012, she joined the Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra board, making her among youngest member ever elected. This year, she was elected to the board of directors for the Boys and Girls Club of Kern County. She is also a member of Bakersfield Masterworks Chorale, occasionally helps at The Guild House, and volunteers for Kern Citizens for Sustainable Government. Friends and family say she is an example of what is needed more in Bakersfield — she is creative and has a passion for helping others and bringing new ideas to Bakersfield. In January, she married Justin Batey (maiden name is Hart). You can find her doing yoga around town, or making wine with her family. — Breanna Fields
JUAN AVILA
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he path of contribution for the community’s rising stars like 37-year-old Juan Avila — community and client services director for Garden Pathways — can be traced back to grassroots projects in which people like Avila roll up their sleeves, dig in and don’t mind getting dirty to better the lives of others. Well-known and respected in the local nonprofit orbit, Avila became the first in his family to attend college, and to receive a master’s degree. In 2003, Avila worked with Clinica Sierra Vista. Three years later, he became executive director of Parent Institute for Quality Education, educating parents on how to help their children succeed in school. The program’s model is now a staple in local education and has been replicated across the state. Many parents mentored by Avila are now community leaders themselves. Avila has also served as director of nonprofit outreach for the Kern Community Foundation, worked as a field representative for former Kern County Supervisor Karen Goh, and as a board member for the Youth 2 Leaders Education Foundation, where he was instrumental in securing more than a $1 million in scholarships in the past five years. Tireless in his efforts to help make a difference — whether it is with the Greenfield and Lamont communities and park clean-ups, or volunteering for East Bakersfield United for Peace — Avila is at the forefront of projects effecting change. — Lisa Kimble bakersfieldlife.com
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FIONA KELLY LYTLE
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f you want to make an impact, Fiona Kelly Lytle says, you should first look in your own backyard. As one of the newest members of the Kern Economic Development Corporation, Fiona is doing just that. At age 26, Lytle is helping recruit and retain businesses to support Kern County’s local economy. Her vision has been to inspire and motivate our community to live a purposeful life that is beneficial to society by spreading the importance of sustainability and engaged citizenry. Before returning to Bakersfield, Lytle attended the University of the Pacific in Stockton, where she earned her bachelor’s in biological and physical sciences, and master’s in administration and leadership. There she mentored high-risk students in outdoor learning, and taught them the importance of agriculture and leadership. She was vital in raising $100,000 for sustainability education on campus through building a community garden. She represented the university at a Clinton Global Initiative University meeting, where she worked with world leaders in international development. Lytle worked in Washington D.C. for the nonprofit International Action, where she researched and reported on humanitarian work for Haiti earthquake survivors. When she returned to Bakersfield in 2011, Lytle worked as a college instructor and program coordinator. In her current position, she researches and markets industry sectors in Kern. Outside the office, she mentors students in Independence High’s Energy and Utility Academy, and joined the Kern Green Awards committee and Kern’s Human Relations Commission. Colleagues tout her professionalism, energy and enthusiasm, organization, attention to detail, and sense of humor. When she’s not working, you can find Lytle playing tennis with her husband Jeremy, or relaxing with family and friends. — Jorge Barrientos July 2013
PHOTO BY HENRY A. BARRIOS
PHOTO BY HENRY A. BARRIOS
PHOTO BY HENRY A. BARRIOS
ALEX BALFOUR
MELANIE CRUZ
DANIEL H. CHANG
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elanie Cruz’s sister’s baby didn’t have much hair. Using a headband, Cruz attached pigtails that made the baby look like she had just enough. Soon, her cute idea turned into the patented Bebe Doos Perfect Ponies, featured on the Today Show, on TLC’s “19 Kids and Counting” and The Ellen DeGeneres Show. The product is available for purchase in hundreds of stores throughout the world. Today, the business keeps growing, with Bebe Doos getting licensed through Revlon. The 31-year-old entrepreneur also co-owns a product development firm, Dream Innovators, with her family. But Cruz says her biggest achievements have been personal. She and her husband raise two daughters — Arabella, 4 and Londyn, 1, who was born with gastroschisis, a birth defect in which an infant’s intestines stick out of the body. Her family lived in the Los Angeles Ronald McDonald House while Londyn underwent surgeries. Full of enthusiasm and positivity, Cruz kept cool throughout the ordeal. Londyn is now a healthy toddler, calling Bakersfield home. The ordeal made Melanie want to help others, fundraising for several children with the same ailment. Locally, she’s an advocate for animal rights in Kern County, donating to local causes, fostering strays, and bottle feeding baby kittens found in a dumpster. Bebe Doos talks are continuing with Target and Toys R Us retailers showing interest. More information: bebedoos.com. — Jorge Barrientos
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aniel H. Chang has his sight set on giving Bakersfield better vision. The board-certified ophthalmologist has helped give patients a better quality of life with better sight through Empire Eye and Laser Center, and the nonprofit, Advanced Center for Eyecare. Daniel Chang graduated with honors from the California Institute of Technology. He received his medical and ophthalmology training from Duke University and Emory University, where he earned the title of chief resident in ophthalmology. After, he joined a prestigious cornea and refractive surgery fellowship at Minnesota Eye Consultants. He’s authored numerous articles and publications in his field, performs cuttingedge clinical research (including FDA-clinical investigations), and speaks at seminars in the United States, including for the Kern Leadership Alliance, and across the globe. He accepted his brother Joe Chang’s invitation to join him in Bakersfield in 2008 at Empire, where the two are now respected leaders in and out of the office. The cofounders of Advanced Center for Eyecare have helped provide medical and surgical eyecare to local uninsured and underinsured people of Kern County, including hundreds of schoolchildren. “Bakersfield has been a great place to raise my own family, to grow professionally, and to give back to the community.” He is a member at The Bridge Bible Church where he volunteers. He lives in Bakersfield with wife Lisa, and daughters Sarah, 6, and Abigail, 3. He turned 40 in May. — Jorge Barrientos
rowing up in Tehachapi, Alex Balfour learned about hard work early on. As a boy, he helped tend a small ranch while also helping his father with the family air conditioning company. The work ethic and seemingly endless energy continued after he moved to Bakersfield as a teenager and through his adult years — working with Cushman & Wakefield, Pacific Commercial Realty Advisors, Inc., and in charity work in our community. Eight years in, he has broken sales records for Central California within his company that has a network of more than 6,000 employees. He has been a top five producer within Central California twice, ranking among peers with 25-plus years of experience — and the first person under 30 years old in the company to ever do this. Outside of work, Balfour, 30, is a board member for the Bakersfield Active 20-30 Club. The group has raised millions for local children charities since its creation in 1928, and close to $400,000 since 2006, when he joined. They’ve provided back to school clothes, Christmas gifts and supplies to more than 1,500 local children. At his alma mater, CSUB, he has served as a board member for its Alumni Association since 2007. He’s a charter board member for the Friends of Mercy Foundation’s Legacy Circle. Coworkers and friends say he has a kind heart and gets along with everyone he meets. He lives in northwest Bakersfield with wife Kathyrine Balfour, and dogs Chuck and Daisy. — Jorge Barrientos
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ANDRAE GONZALES
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ndrae Gonzales, 31, could likely have been placed on a local “people to watch” list in middle school. He was, after all, junior high class president at Compton Junior High and president of his class all four years at East High 72
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School. He left Bakersfield to study political science at UC Berkeley, but when he finished, he came back home to give back. Gonzales started Faith in Action, a faith-based nonprofit aimed to bring churches and communities together when he was 26. Today, he remains committed to serving our community. He’s the executive director of Stewards, Inc., which manages budgets for the mentally disabled and elderly. He founded the ChilJuly 2013
dren First Campaign, aimed at helping local children succeed and remain safe and healthy. He’s also a board member with the Bakersfield City School District, where he’s touted by parents, teachers and community members for bringing about positive changes to our local schools. Recently, his name floated around as someone who should compete for an open State Senate seat; he refused to run to fulfill his BCSD board term.
Colleagues have said Gonzales speaks to the community and listens. And with the praise and notoriety, Gonzales has remained humble to Bakersfield. “I would not be where I am today if not for the teachers, counselors, friends, family, and mentors who took time to help me along,” Gonzales said. “I simply feel a duty to pay it forward and help create opportunities for more young people to succeed.” — Jorge Barrientos
PHOTO BY HENRY A. BARRIOS
PHOTO BY HENRY A. BARRIOS
PHOTO BY HENRY A. BARRIOS
VANCE ELMORE
MAYRA GARZA
JOE HAY
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graduate of Arvin High and UCLA, Mayra Garza returned home to Kern County where she has continuously made an impact in local educational programs that focus on marginalized youth. As a program supervisor with the Kern County Superintendent of Schools office, the 35-year-old manages dozens of employees across Southern California, specifically in five communities, as part of AmeriCorps, a federal program that engages adults in intensive community service work. The program cares for hundreds of local at-risk middle and high school students. The epitome of a servant leader, she also managed several large education initiatives for out-of-school youth and migrant families. Garza herself comes from a farm-working family in Lamont. When she’s not working, she volunteers in school reading programs and in Arvin High’s We the People constitutional competition, scholarship reading, fundraising for local and national causes, and in church programs and senior work. She’s received numerous state and national recognitions, while also presenting at national conferences. She’s also a trainer for California School-Age Consortium. A lifelong learner, she received her master’s degree in public administration from Cal State Bakersfield and is seeking a second master’s in counseling with a credential. For fun, Mayra loves to travel around the world and has competed in three halfmarathons. — Breanna Fields
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ames Joseph “Joe” Hay, 34-year-old fifthgeneration Californian, is widely considered to be an emerging community leader by those twice his age and with decades of local leadership. The eldest grandchild of the late Jim Burke, Hay takes his role as descendent of a community legacy seriously. “When you have been in one place for so long, you really feel that you have a vested interest in its success, which is part of the reason why our company focuses so heavily on supporting education and health care.” As vice president and Auto Mall general manager for Jim Burke Ford Lincoln Jaguar, Hay oversees a dealership with some 50 employees and $25 million in annual sales. Activism and leadership come naturally for the Bakersfield High and University of Notre Dame graduate. In college, he led 15 fellow students on a volunteer trip to Appalachia to mentor children. A graduate of Leadership Bakersfield, Hay also founded N35, a networking group for young professionals. Five years ago, he joined the Bakersfield Museum of Art’s board of directors. As incoming chairman, he is the youngest to serve in that capacity. This year marks the company’s 100th year in business as a Ford dealer. Hay says he is proud to carry on his family’s work. “This community has been very supportive of our business over those years, which is why it is important we return the favor and reinvest our time and resources to make this community a better place.” — Lisa Kimble
ffective coaches and managers share similar leadership qualities — both motivate their teams to accomplish goals, and come out on top. Vance Elmore, 22, excels in both worlds as the head coach of the Roadrunner Aquatics Club and a master’s student at Cal State Bakersfield. His love of swimming and leadership began at Centennial High School, where he was class president his last two years. After graduating in 2008, Elmore attended University of Hawaii for one year; however, he returned to Bakersfield and earned his bachelor’s in business at CSUB. He joined the swim team, becoming one of the team’s top freestyle swimmers, and a team captain. The highlight, he said, was the team’s first Division I conference championship. His leadership extended as vice president of the student-athlete advisory committee at CSUB, where he served as a liaison for all student-athletes. His peers honored him as 2012 Roadrunner of the Year. Today, Elmore is still involved with the CSUB swim team, serving as a graduate assistant coach. He also manages the 280-member youth swim club, Roadrunner Aquatics, as head coach. Elmore has helped lead the youth club to be recognized among the top 200 in the country. “He juggles a lot while being an excellent role model for the children,” said Chris Hansen, CSUB director of swimming and Roadrunner Aquatics owner. Elmore aims to complete his master’s degree in June 2014. He hopes to work in management marketing for a technology firm. — Jennifer Burger
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For decades, Ward 7 Councilman Russell Johnson has been a champion of local public safety. While in student government at Bakersfield College, the Stockdale High graduate fought successfully to fix potholes in the school’s parking lot. He moved away and received a bachelor’s degree from UC Santa Barbara in 2001, but returned to his hometown. His name became known more as a Bakersfield planning commissioner and later as chief of staff for Kern Supervisor Mike Maggard. When he won a City Council seat in the 2010 election, he told voters he would support local businesses, fight for job creation, protect funding for public safety services, and help Bakersfield weather tough financial times. He has kept his promises. Recently, he decided not to run for an open State Senate seat, despite wide support, to focus instead on the City Council. Johnson, 33, also serves on the foundation board for Boys and Girls Clubs of Kern County and Center for Kern Political Education. He owns Common Sense Consulting, a local public affairs firm. His colleagues throughout Bakersfield say Johnson never compromises his integrity to achieve goals. You can find him volunteering throughout the community with his wife Susanne. — Jorge Barrientos
RUSSELL JOHNSON
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DENISE CASTANEDA-ORNELAS As attested by her family, friends and colleagues, Denise CastanedaOrnelas never stops taking on projects to help improve Bakersfield. Ornelas, 39, was the marketing director at La Bonita Tortilla Co., a 55year-old, family-owned local business led by her husband, Albert. She is an esthetician who owns Allure Beauty Salon, and a part of Dr. Gordon Mitts team. The chairwoman of the Kern County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce recently started a new venture with AAA. In her personal life, Ornelas is a super mom. Her family includes husband Albert, daughter Jessica, 14, and son Gabriel, 15. She is “team mom” for the Bakersfield High School Drillers. She is deeply involved activities surrounding her deaf teenage daughter, and is the president of the deaf and hard of hearing parent teacher organization. For her community service and leadership, Ornelas has received a “Latinas Leading The Way” award by Latina Leaders of Kern County and also the Garden Pathways’ “Women with a Heart for Bakersfield” In her early 30s, she returned to school, received her bachelor’s degree is currently working on her master’s degree. Nominators describe Denise as a driven businesswoman who is a mentor to many and always willing to lend a helping hand. — Bakersfield Life Magazine
As a famed musician from the former Yugoslavia, Zoran Maric travels around the United States and Europe to perform. But it’s the travel from Bakersfield to Los Angeles that concerns him the most. Maric, 38, and his wife Susanna are raising twin 4-year-old boys, one of which was born with congenital heart disease. The trips to Children’s Hospital Los Angeles for surgeries and care have turned Maric into an advocate for children’s health. He and his wife collected toys over the years from local donors to take to sick children in Los Angeles, and their efforts are paying off for children locally, too. Due to Maric’s advocacy, in July, specialists from the children’s hospital will start staffing a full-time pedicenter in Bakersfield. At Frontier High School, he ensures safety in his role as campus supervisor. It’s a career far different from what he left behind. After serving as a military police officer in the Bosnian War, Maric built a lucrative pop rock music career in Serbia. In 2003, when he visited his father in Bakersfield, Maric attended a Mento Buru concert and met his future wife — Susanna was a professional mariachi player and English teacher. Maric enrolled in Bakersfield Adult School and learned English quickly. Still, Maric has been able to build an international audience by traveling to cities with concentrated Serbian populations in the United States and Europe. — Jennifer Burger
ZORAN MARIC
How do you instill pride and spirit into a group of people? For the answer, you can ask Myka Peck. The Garces Memorial High coach and activities director is credited for doing just that at the school. Peck, a soccer standout, graduated from Bakersfield High School and then Loyola Marymount University (her master’s degree is from Cal State Bakersfield). She returned home and began coaching the next generation of soccer stars — first at Golden Valley High and then Liberty High, and as assistant coach for Cal State Bakersfield’s women’s soccer team. Now at Garces Memorial, she has been “the heartbeat of our campus,” said Lou Ann Durrett, Garces director of marketing. As activities director, she infused heart, soul and renewed enthusiasm at the school’s campus with her spirited approach to student activities. As a coach, she teaches players about dignity, respect and sportsmanship above winning. But winning came. In 2010, her second year at Garces, The Bakersfield Californian named Peck “Girls Soccer Coach of the Year” — she credited the players for working hard. The Rams this year won their second Division II Central Section championship under Peck, despite starting with an 0-6 record. The team stayed positive with Peck’s leadership. Peck also suffers from multiple sclerosis. She never lets the disease define her or uses it as an excuse, let alone talk about it. She is a role model to others who suffer from debilitating illnesses. — Jorge Barrientos
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Michael McCarthy, a 25-year-old Cal State Bakersfield alum originally from Brentwood, was drafted by the Boston Red Sox in 2011. He transfered here from the University of Redlands and has treated Bakersfield like his hometown since. Even now, as he pitches for a Red Sox minor league team in Virginia, McCarthy returns in the offseason to live, work and serve. He has taken part in Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service and United Way Day of Caring. At CSUB, he coordinated and fundraised for the Boys and Girls Club of Kern County, as well as helping families in need. He was co-coordinator of CSUB Athletics’ Relay for Life, serves as volunteer coach for a junior baseball team, and guest speaks for local nonprofit events. He served on CSUB athletic boards and committees, and remains assistant to the vice president of student affairs. While he broke baseball records, he made the dean’s list eight times, won the CSUB President’s Award and CSUB Roadrunner of the Year Award. When he was drafted, he made a commitment to return and finish his biology degree at CSUB. He did. In the offseason, he mentors the Roadrunners, and shares nutrition and physiology knowledge. While he pitches throughout the United States, McCarthy writes a column that runs in The Bakersfield Californian. — Jorge Barrientos
MICHAEL MCCARTHY
KIMBERLY SMITH VAN METRE At 39, Kimberly Smith Van Metre, owner of Neurofeedback Train Your Brain, has taken a challenging route to success and life. Against personal odds, she introduced a new business in town on the cutting edge of health care. While attending Cal State Northridge, she lost everything in the 1994 earthquake. She later returned to Bakersfield, married and a mother of three, and graduate at the top of her class with a degree in environmental science. But permanent nerve damage, the result of a surgery for degenerative discs, left her on an endless quest to alleviate her chronic pain. She entered a pain rehabilitation program at UCLA and said it was the best $26,000 investment she’d ever made. She received neurofeedback clinician certification and three years ago brought the practical application of brain science to town. Now recognized as cutting-edge and vital, the treatment modality is covered by health insurances. Van Metre’s migraine clients no longer suffer debilitating headaches. She is also helps vets grappling with posttraumatic stress disorder. “I feel like the luckiest person on earth,” she says. “If you looked at me on paper, you wouldn’t look at it that way. But I am grateful for it all.” — Lisa Kimble
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Brian Mendiburu believes that the magical spirit his mother exuded could be spread throughout Kern County while helping local families. That belief, for 13 years, has been a reality with the Mendiburu Magic Foundation, which Mendiburu founded as a way to help others in Kern in his mother’s memory. Nancy Ann Mendiburu died in June 2000 from ovarian cancer when Brian was 22. Since, foundation has raised hundreds of thousands for ongoing cancer care, to help families affected by catastrophic illnesses, and for scholarships. Mendiburu, 33, serves as president, with help from his wife Valerie and volunteers (and a few staffers), many of whom are community leaders. They host the annual Nancy Ann Mendiburu Compassion Awards, which recognizes the caring ways local folks and businesses promote her philosophy and commitment. The annual Pyrenees Fiesta also raises funds. In his day job as Bakersfield High School assistant principal, Mendiburu is motivating and well-respected by staff and students. The Kern High School District, he said, has been great foundation supporter from day one. Those who know Brian best say he is committed to his faith, family, profession and community efforts. Mendiburu and his wife raise three boys. — Jorge Barrientos
BRIAN MENDIBURU
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PHOTO BY CASEY CHRISTIE
Try digging for fossils at Sharktooth Hill this summer.
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Bakersfield Life Magazine
July 2013
50 WAYS TO HAVE
By Bakersfield Life Magazine
W
ho says there’s nothing to do in Bakersfield in the summer? That couldn’t be farther from the truth. In fact, here are 50 ways you can rev up your summer within the city limits.
Out and about
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HUNT FOR FOSSILS
FISH
The Ernst Quarries, near Sharktooth Hill, is home to the largest deposit of Miocene marine fossils in the world. So go get yourself a piece of historical treasure. Public and scientific access is available. Prices vary. More information:
You don’t have to leave Bakersfield’s city limits to fish in the great outdoors. You ever see those people holding sticks and circling around Lake Truxtun, Lake Ming or The Park At Riverwalk? They’re fishing. Join them.
GOLF Bakersfield is blessed to host several in-town and neartown golf courses, whether its private or public courses. Pick one, or several, and hit the links.
HART PARK Fish in two lakes, have a picnic and walk among
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Continued from page 79 wildlife at the 370-acre Hart Memorial Park. It’s close to home, but far enough away from city life to allow you to really enjoy summer. Plus, you can take a nice little hike nearby.
pet-friendly parks including Kroll Park, University Park and Centennial Park. Always watch your dog, and make sure he or she is playing safe. Don’t have a dog? Watch other people’s dogs play!
PRECISION SHOOTING Enjoy the day with your doggy. Our town has several
Take your weapon out to the range to shoot target, or if you want to have some fun with friends, try paintball. 5
Kroll Park is one of several dog parks in Bakersfield. 80
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CAR, MOTO MEETS Bakersfield is not short of car and motorcycle enthusiasts who love to meet up and show off their stuff. Even better, they love company. Join them at a number of usual meet-up spots like Chuy’s Mesquite Broiler on
Rosedale Highway, or Bob’s Big Boy on Ming Avenue.
WATCH A RACE The new Kern County Raceway will be hosting events throughout July, including a fireworks night and several NASCAR races on July 13, July 20, July 27. Check out Bakersfield Speedway, too (bakersfieldspeedway.com). More information: kernraceway.com.
PHOTO BY HENRY A. BARRIOS
DOG PARK
Dogs Range is open throughout the summer. For paintball, try Poso Creek Paintball or Gorilla Paintball.
July 2013
YOGA Relax and stretch the summer away with yoga. Great way to deal with stress while getting fit. Try Yoga Space: bakersfieldyogaspace.com.
BE A TEAM PLAYER Join a softball, roller hockey, indoor soccer league or other recreational league offered by the city or parks and recreation districts.
help. Try Fit For Life Bootcamp or Bakersfield Adventure Boot Camp for Women.
TAKE A SWIM The City of Bakersfield’s public pools are open seven days a week throughout the summer and offer a variety of activities for the family. They include Silver Creek Pool and McMurtrey Aquatic Center, which also offers aqua activities like “aqua conditioning” and “learn to swim” sessions. Fees may apply.
CYCLE ABOUT GET IN SHAPE CrossFit, boot camp, running clubs ... take your pick. If you’re trying to shed some pounds this summer while enjoying the outdoors, local groups are happy to
Take a bike cruise starting at Kern River Parkway or enjoy some summer riding with Bike Bakersfield (bikebakersfield.org) events. A “Sunday City Bike Ride” is on July 7, and a “Full Moon Bike
PHOTO BY APRIL MASSIRIO
Stay active
Get fit and relieve stress at Yoga Space. Ride” is on July 22.
13. And why not run while supporting a local cause?
RUN FOR A CAUSE Enjoy running? Check out Bakersfield Track Club (bakersfieldtrackclub.com) for running events, like the Yokuts Park Fun Run on July
TAKE A HIKE Take a stroll along the bike bath or a short drive to some greater-Bakersfield
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Continued from page 81 trails in Hart Park and Wind Wolves Preserve.
Indoor heaven ICE ICE BABY Toss the shorts and sandals, dress warm instead, and head to the San Joaquin Community Hospital Ice Center on Q Street for some ice skating fun. Besides public skating, the center offers lessons and hockey leagues. Fees apply.
BOWL Hit the lanes at AMF Westchester Lanes, AMF Southwest Lanes or Regency Bowling Center. While you’re there, grab a cold one or get some of that famous bowling alley grub.
SHOP Valley Plaza, The Marketplace, Northwest Promenade, Stockdale Fashion Plaza, East Hills Mall — there’s no shortage in Bakersfield to get your shopping fix. For unique wear, try local and downtown shopping boutiques.
LAUGH A LOT Several big-name comedians are coming to town to make us laugh. They include Jerry Seinfeld (July 26 at Rabobank Arena Theater and Convention Center) and Jo Koy (July 26 at For Theatre).
For the thrills! You don’t have to leave town to enjoy some Kern River rapids. River’s End Rafting & Adventure offer trips that start from the mouth of the canyon and end in Lake Ming. Don’t be a statistic — remember to always wear a life vest. River’s End also offers kayaking and paragliding. 82
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Get the freshest local produce at one of Bakersfield’s farmers markets. July 2013
PHOTO BY APRIL MASSIRIO
RAFT
Always a truck in your neighborhood!
Now You’re rre Sitting Siittt Si tti tin ing g Pretty! Pret Pr P re etttttyy! y! ng Pretty SKYDIVE Feeling adventurous? Try jumping out of a plane. Skydive San Joaquin Valley has an office in Bakersfield (at 12112 Copus Road). Skydiving Bakersfield California also offers trips and classes.
GO KART Race your friends around the track in go karts, which make kids feel like grown-ups, and grown-ups act like kids. Try Camelot Park, Jam Raceway or John’s Incredible Pizza Co.
FLY A CHOPPER Fly a real or simulated helicopter at the pilot training academy by SRT Helicopters, an accredited flight school for adults and kids. Learn how to become pilot or celebrate a summer party — SRT rents out its simulator and airport hanger, at 1701 Skyway Drive. More information: 393-4567, 3312900, Juniorpilottrainingacademy@srthelo.com.
Glass (or plate) half full FARMERS MARKETS Get the season’s best fresh fruits and veggies at one of several Farmers Markets including at Brimhall Market, Golden State Certified Farmers Market and at Kaiser Permanente on Ming Avenue.
EAT ICE CREAM There’s no shortage of ice cream parlors in town to help you cool down this summer. Why not try local? Must stops include Dewar’s, Rosemary’s Family Creamery and Moo Creamery.
DINNER, DANCING Enjoy a hearty meal and work it off with some line dancing at Buck Owen’s Crystal
Palace. Show information: buckowens.com
BASQUE CRAWL Enjoy our area’s unique Basque offerings by bouncing from restaurant to restaurant — a Basque crawl. Within walking distance of each other are Wool Growers Restaurant, Pyrenees Cafe, Narducci’s Cafe and Noriega’s. Make one of your stops at the famous Luigi’s Restaurant & Delicatessen, too.
LEARN TO COOK The Guild House downtown offers cooking classes in a demonstration format. Printed recipes, with tastings of dishes prepared in class and beverages served. More information: bakersfieldguildhouse.com, 3255478. And at Cafe Med Restaurant & Deli, weeklong kids cooking camps are offered through July, for ages 7 to 17. Reservations, more information: 8344433, cafemedrestaurant.com.
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Cultured life THIRD THURSDAY Every third Thursday of the month, make your way to Central Park along Mill Creek for the Downtown Business Association’s “Third Thursday,” which features barbecue, arts and crafts, a children’s area and lots of entertainment. The July 18 Third Thursday, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. is titled “All American Celebration.”
FIRST FRIDAY Take in downtown Bakersfield on the first Friday of the month, when local artists show off their best work in galleries, antique shops open their doors and restaurants and bars are ready to serve. It runs from 5 to 9 p.m., also features local music entertainment, and is hosted by Metro Galleries — 1604 19th St.
Continued on page 84
2013
JULY
FREE 7pm -9pm
04 Oldies, Funk, Latin, and Country with THEE MAJESTICS 11 Classic Oldies and Beatles Covers with TRIPLE THREAT 18 A Steely Dan Tribute Band with THE BLUE DEACONS 25 Great Blues with the FAT DADDY BLUES BAND
9000 Ming Ave. (at Haggin Oaks Blvd.)
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PHOTO BY CASEY CHRISTIE
Bakersfield has no fewer than eight spray parks, including this one at Casa Loma Park.
Continued from page 83
AMPHITHEATER SHOWS Popular acts including Everclear, Live, Filter and Sponge will hit the Bright House Amphitheatre stage at 7 p.m. June 30 during the “JBL presents: Summerland Tour 2013.” More information: www.bakersfieldamphitheatre.us
BAKERSFIELD MUSEUM OF ART The museum’s Visual Arts Festival 2013 will run until Sept. 1 with the theme “Lost But Not Forgotten.” Pay a visit. For the kids, the museum offers a summer education program.
JOIN THE BAND Home to Korn, Buck Owen and Merle Haggard, Bakersfield breeds some incredible musicians. Check out some local bands playing near you. Enjoy live music cir84
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July 2013
cled around the giant fountain at The Marketplace on Ming Avenue. July shows include Thee Majestics, Triple Threat and Fat Daddy Blues Band.
ART CLASS The Bakersfield Art Association hosts workshops to help develop your skills. For the kids, try the Children’s Art Institute at Cal State Bakersfield, which runs through July 11.
KERN COUNTY MUSEUM The museum is open throughout the summer, including tours of Pioneer Village and the Black and Gold exhibit, and the collections.
For the kids, family SPRAY PARKS No fewer than eight spray parks are open for your little
ones from 12 to 7 p.m. seven days a week until Sept. 2. More information: 326FUNN.
BROADWAY IN BAKERSFIELD Our local theaters are gems that offer live entertainment throughout the summer. Check out “Rosedale” at Gaslight Melodrama Theatre, starting July 26, which is said to be like “‘Dallas,’ but funnier.” Stars Theatre will show “Monty Python’s Spamalot” from July 5 to 27. Check out other local theaters, like The Empty Space, for even more.
GO HOLLYWOOD Disney Pixar’s “Brave” will be shown July 26 at Bright House Networks Amphitheatre, at The Park at River Walk. It starts at dusk. Best of all, it’s free! Maya Cinemas also features classic films during the “Kids Summer Film Festival,” like “Goonies” and “Wizard of
OZ.” Admission is $1, and so are hot dogs and popcorn.
COLOR ME MINE Make your own masterpiece at this paint-it-yourself ceramics studio at The Marketplace on Ming Avenue. No experience necessary. And what you paint, you get to keep.
HOMETOWN BASEBALL Watch the Bakersfield Blaze minor league team live throughout the summer. July promotions include fireworks shows (4 and 5), license plate giveaway (6) and “thirsty Thursday” (18).
TWILIGHT AT CALM Learn about mammals, birds of prey or reptiles on Saturdays night during the summer at California Living Museum, at 10500 Alfred Harrell Highway (between Lake Ming and Hart Park). Twilight
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387-6427 • CastleCookeHomes.com • Stockdale & Renfro
Continued from page 84 at CALM includes an hour-long presentation, kiddie train rides and a scenic walk. More information: www.calmzoo.org or 872-2256.
BUENA VISTA MUSEUM The museum features artifacts and animals of our area. Tours, paleontologist digs and science summer camps for kids are available. The First Saturday of each month is “family day” — $20.00 for two adults and up to 6 children.
Enjoy one of several fireworks shows to celebrate our independence, including at Bakersfield College for the first time in years. Or buy your own fireworks at any of the dozens of firework stands around town, and give back to a hosting charity while you’re at it.
The 4th of July parade in Westchester has become a popular neighborhood event.
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JANE’S
9530 Hageman Rd Corner of Calloway & Hageman Telephone: 661-587-6242
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Visit us on our website: JanesJewelers.com
PHOTO BY RODNEY THORNBURG
FIREWORKS
REPLACEMENT WINDOWS Most importantly, celebrate safely.
BUGSEUM Though the Insect Lore’s Bugseum in technically in Shafter, Bakersfield’s northwest side of town practically is attached to it. So why not visit this live insect museum for a family getaway? The exhibit houses butterflies, ladybugs ants and other interesting and exotic insects.
PARADE! Celebrate the 4th with a parade. The Westchester neighborhood in downtown Bakersfield annually hosts a parade. And the City of Bakersfield, as of early June, had plans for one at The Park At Riverwalk.
For the grownups GO CLUBBING Get funky at one of the swankiest clubs in town, playing top 40 hits — Prospect Lounge in The Padre Hotel.
KARAOKE Sing along to your favorite hits with friends at one of dozens of hot spots in town. Try The Prime Cut, Rockstarz or Trouts, or check Thursday’s Eye Street in The Bakersfield Californian for listings.
DANCE, DANCE Learn to ballroom dancing, tango, swing or line dance in North of the River Recreation and Park District summer classes. More information: norfun.org.
WINE TASTE Local wine shops, such as Imbibe Wine and Spirits Merchant, offer a vast selection of wines from Californian and around the world. Give it a try.
TAKE A “STAYCATION” Tired of your home but don’t want to leave Bakersfield? Ditch the kids and consider a romantic night getaway by staying in one of our several hotels, such as the Padre. Want to involve the kids? Head over to Lake Ming or Buena Vista Lake for wakeboarding or a nice boat ride. Or consider renting some horses and explore some trails near the Kern River.
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B U S I N E S S B R I E F S - R E A L E S TAT E P R O F E S S I O N A L S SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
Mike George, Mortgage Banker
Agape Mortgage
NMLS #226626
Contact Information 661-324-2427 5001 California Ave., Suite 200 Bakersfield, CA 93309 agapemtgco.com Sierra Pacific Mortgage Company, Inc. dba Agape Mortgage. License by the Department of Corporations under the California Residential Mortgage Lending Act License #8171169 Branch NMLS #354349
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Years in business: 11 years. Services offered: Home loans for purchasing and/or refinancing primary residences, second and/or vacation homes, investment (rental) properties from one to four units. Why you should choose us: We are the seventh largest local mortgage banker that you can sit down with and discuss your current situation and options from a personal perspective. Awards/Recognition: Bakersfield’s Best Mortgage Company for The Bakersfield Californian’s Readers’ Choice Poll in 2012, Affiliate of the Year for Bakersfield Association of Realtors, Greater Bakersfield Chamber of Commerce Leadership Graduate. Professionally proud: We set out to change what people thought about professionals in our industry with a different approach to how we build relationships with our clients. Greatest personal achievement: Marrying
Bakersfield Life Magazine
July 2013
the love of my life and blending seven children who have grown to give us almost seven grandchildren (our seventh is due in November). How family has influenced me: Our family has helped me stay focused on the fact we are in the people business — we just happen to do loans. Hobbies: Spending time with my kids and grandkids, barbecues, Harley Davidson and NASCAR. What sets me apart: The fact that when we meet or talk with people, their goals and objectives are primary in the information we share and the options we discuss. Charitable work: Cooks from the Valley (travel all over the world and cook steaks for the military), Wounded Heros Fund, Golden Empire Gleaners and Mendiburu Magic Foundation. Piece of advice I live by: Trust God and family is always first.
From left: Annette Anello, Kathy Breeding and Maddy George
Contact Information 664-6500 10000 Stockdale Highway CastleCookeHomes.com
CA DRE# 01254164
Castle & Cooke My mission: Kathy Breeding: To not just sell a home, but to assist my clients in finding the perfect home for them in a friendly and professional manner, always! How I handle the current housing market: Annette Anello: I take one day at a time with patience and always a smile. I do a lot of listening, as well as reassuring prospective buyers with all their concerns and questions. Why you should choose me: Annette Anello: I am a very dedicated individual who truly cares about my clients all the way through the transaction. I am always reachable, and I will be there from the beginning stages of construction to the very end when I hand over the keys to your new home. I am also available to my buyers even after they close escrow. I believe in Castle & Cooke completely, and the product that we deliver. Castle & Cooke is an awesome builder. How family has influenced me: Annette Anello: My family has influenced me by always being there to listen and to remind me that I am very good at what I do, and I can do any-
thing that I set my mind to. They believe in me, which helps me to believe in myself. Maddy George: My grandparents came from Europe and started a successful farming business in the early 1900s. I received my good working ethics from my grandparents and parents. Kathy Breeding: My immediate and extended family is full of love and laughter, and make each day something to look forward to. Unconditional love for each other. What sets me apart from others in my profession: Annette Anello: I am a very dedicated, loyal and professional person. I feel each client is just as important as the next. I treat my clients with the utmost respect. I treat them the way I want to be treated. I want to build lifelong relationships, and let them know that I am here for them. Maddy George: Good old fashion customer service: return phone calls, answer emails and provide answers to their many questions. Kathy Breeding: That there is no other me â&#x20AC;Ś we are all unique. bakersfieldlife.com
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Contact Information 370-0600 200 New Stine Road, Suite 115 csmbakersfield.com
Sierra Pacific Mortgage Company, Inc. DBA Cornerstone Mortgage DOCCRMLA license #8171199 Branch NMLS# 259310
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Cornerstone Mortgage Years in business: Cornerstone Mortgage is a locally-owned and operated company with more than 25 years of experience in the lending industry. Services offered: We offer a variety of loan products to fit our client’s specific needs. Each client is different and their lifestyles require special planning. We are dedicated to helping our clients choose the right loan to achieve future financial success on their real estate investment. We specialize in: Home loan financing offering Conventional, Jumbo Loans, FHA, VA and USDA for purchase money, and mortgage refinancing of primary residence or investment property, including several first-time home buyer loans with little to no down payment. We have a friendly and dedicated team of loan specialists who are well-versed and ready to discuss all financing options to fit the individual needs of all of our clients.
Bakersfield Bakersfield Life Life Magazine Magazine July July 2013 2013
Mission: We seek to provide our clients with a stress-free experience and get loans processed and approved in a timely manner. We also provide prequalification letters if you are in the early stages of home shopping. Whether you are purchasing your first home, or seeking a better interest rate on a current loan. Why you should choose us: Cornerstone Mortgage is determined to set ourselves apart by bringing it back to the basics, “Do as we say, and say what we will do.” With our combined experience, we know how important the lender and client relationship is. We have four simple principles: commit, follow up, follow through and close. Come to the professionals at Cornerstone Mortgage for a consultation, and explore all the creative options that are available for your mortgage and lending needs.
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“My work is my passion.” - Rick Sorci
Alex and Beth Otten have lived in their home in the Rosedale area since 1995 and raised their four children there. Alex is the owner of Otten Ag Enterprises, Inc, specializing in providing feed products to the dairy industry. Beth is a stay-at-home mom, who also substitute teaches at Stockdale Christian School, and caters with Kathy Crettol Catering. The kitchen in our home wasn’t going to last forever and was in need of some major upgrades. Beth was always so patient with the kitchen the way it was, but with 25 year old cabinets, four different brands of appliances in three colors it was time! They had considered a remodel a couple of years before but the timing wasn’t right. At the beginning of this year, they rekindled their plans for a kitchen remodel and met with Rick Sorci, owner of Stockdale Kitchen and Bath. Right from the start we developed a very open, easy and comfortable relationship with Rick. He made it clear from the outset that the Stockdale Kitchen & Bath team would do everything in their power to present a finished product Stockdale would be proud of and we would be happy with. Rick stressed that this would only happen if we maintained
an open line of communication and always “returned phone calls.” Although we had a basic idea of some of the changes we wanted to incorporate in the kitchen, Rick gave us numerous ideas of ways to make the kitchen more functional, efficient and beautiful. He designed a beautiful set of cabinets and the use of space is amazing! Rick was also very open to our ideas and was always willing to consider them. We were also appreciative of Stockdale Kitchen’s flexibility and willingness to change things as we ran into the unexpected. Also, as with most remodels, the project grew as we went along and the Stockdale team willingly changed the plans to incorporate the expanded project and their additional charges were always fair. We have now been able to enjoy our beautiful new kitchen for several weeks and we are extremely pleased with how everything turned out. Our friends and family have also been very complimentary of our new kitchen. We thank Rick and his team at Stockdale Kitchen and Bath for delivering on their promise - they presented us with a kitchen that they can be proud of and we are very happy with!
Alex and Beth Otten
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PA S T I M E S
Starting pitcher Chad Bennett throws against the Santa Paula Halos during a recent game at Bakersfield Christian High School.
THE ‘SOUND’ OF BASEBALL New summer collegiate team — Bakersfield Sound — hopes to play right tune for baseball fans By Gabriel Ramirez
Photos by Casey Christie
S
ummers in Bakersfield are known for heat — and baseball. Little league games, city softball leagues and the minor-league Bakersfield Blaze help keep America’s pastime alive in town this time of year. Add one more to the list. The Bakersfield Sound — the city’s first and only wood bat collegiate team — is mak-
Maddox Garza, 4, listens to the playing of the National Anthem before the game. 92
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ing a home run with locals. The name of the team, of course, references Bakersfield’s country music roots. Team organizers hope the team becomes a Bakersfield namesake just like music genre. Dave Packer, team general manager, approached Nick Valos, now the assistant general manager, last September about building a local collegiate summer team. The idea was to build one that also served as “a community organization with the intent of creating a staple in the Bakersfield community,” said Valos said. Packer wanted to provide clean summer family fun and a successful internship program while also establishing a partnership with local nonprofits and businesses for future growth, Valos said. In preparation for the team’s start, Packer hosted a poker tournament fundraiser in January. It was a success, but Valos knew a lot of work was still ahead: filling the team roster, ordering uniforms and paying league fees with only five months until the opening of the season.
Bakersfield Sound shortstop Greg Younger makes a play against the Santa Paula Halos at Bakersfield Christian High School.
Interns Stephanie Nava, left, and Robert Picos give Maddox Garza a hand during a tricycle race between innings. With the help of an advisory team, Packer was able to gain community support, and today, the team’s season is in full swing. “This is an opportunity to keep playing against good competition,” said Bakersfield Sound outfielder and Bakersfield native Jordan Turner, who has played baseball for 15 years. The team, which is part of the California Collegiate League, has 25 players, 10 of whom are local collegiate players. Others are from colleges throughout the country. Matt Packer, for example, is a Bakersfield native and played with Taft College and Miami University. “Being able to come home and still play baseball is what got me interested in the team,” Packer said. “Quite simply, this sport is America’s pastime and has always been a part of my life.” The team is partially funded by Major League Baseball, which Valos said is a great way to get exposure for players who want to pursue a professional career in baseball. Valos and Packer eventually want to fill the team with Bakersfield players to get them more exposure, and give them a competitive league to play in during the summer. You can watch the team play home games at Bakersfield Christian High School. For a team schedule and more information, go to bakersfieldsoundbaseball.org.
Facts The Bakersfield Sound baseball team
Sound player Bubby Rossman, of La Habra Heights, watches a game.
•The team runs an internship program in partnership with Cal State Bakersfield. • The team also has a summer youth baseball camp that is run by the players. • The team partners with other local nonprofits in the community and gives them free exposure to help further their causes. • The team had close to 200 people in attendance at its inaugural game.
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HOME AND GARDEN
The world reads about their farming successes and failures on calituckyfarm.com.
Kentucky natives Steve and Missi Miniard wanted to share farm life with their California-born children, Miles and Olivia.
A PIECE OF KENTUCKY IN BAKERSFIELD Bluegrass State natives run organic family farm for world to see By Kelly Damian
Photos by Aaron Ruth
C
alitucky Farm is home to sheep, chickens, a rabbit, a dog, a turtle, a large organic vegetable garden, and a shady little tree house. If the animals are bothered by the diesel trucks rumbling 50 feet away down Rosedale Highway, they don’t show it. All is bucolic peace at this small urban farm just outside of the Bakersfield city limits. Kentucky natives Steve and Missi Miniard moved to Bakersfield 12 years ago. For a while they were content with suburban life in their housing development, but as their children, Miles and Olivia, grew older, they found themselves wanting to keep the spirit of Kentucky alive in their California-born
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children. “We wanted to go back to our roots, to do what our family did in the past,” Missi said. She had fond memories of her childhood on her granny’s property in rural Kentucky. “She had a big garden and chickens running around. I wanted that for the kids,” she said. “I wanted them to know where food comes from.” So last year, the Miniards moved to an old ranch house with a large, expansive lawn and horse corral. When their last box was unpacked in July of 2012, Calitucky Farm was born. Once they broke ground on the garden, Missi set the goal of growing and harvesting 500 pounds of organically grown food in a year. And the couple decided to record their progress on their website — calituckyfarm.com. It started out as a way to keep family and friends informed of their progress, but it has become quite popular, with readers representing 15 different countries. “When people go to our blog, I hope they don’t expect, ‘Hey, this is how you do it, and everything is sunshine and lollipops’,” Steve explained. “We adopt the motto from (the television show) Mythbusters: ‘Failure is always an option’.” The past year certainly has brought its fair share of failure, along with success. Last summer, Missi and her mother, Sharon, spent three days in the summer heat building raised beds for the garden. They added dirt to the boxes, and the family tended the crops diligently, only to find out that the plants sown directly in the ground were faring much better than those in the boxes. And so began the process of taking apart the raised beds and tilling the ground. Then there were the chickens. The family was given six chickens from their friend and chicken expert, the late Don Gutierrez. On the chickens’ first morning, the Miniards fed them, made sure they were snug in their coop and went to work. They returned that afternoon to find one chicken cowering in the trees. Their extremely docile dog — a pet who barks a few times a year and lets the rabbit jump on him while he dozes — had broken into the coop and killed five of the chickens. One of them he ate, and the rest he buried in the yard as snacks for later. The chickens now live in a heavily fortified coop with a protected run around the perimeter of the garden. Nicknamed “the chunnel,” the chicken run helps prevent weeds
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Calitucky Farm is home to sheep, chickens, a rabbit, a dog, a turtle, a large organic vegetable garden, and a shady little tree house.
and pests from invading the garden. Life on Calitucky Farm is a combination of daily routine and constant experimentation. The needs of the plants and animals wake the family early in the morning and keep them busy until the end of the day. Far from feeling worn out, the Miniards are eager for more. Missi has her eyes on the next patch of grass she can convert into garden, and Steve is planning on bringing pigs into the fold. “We get so much satisfaction out of it,” Missi said. “That keeps us motivated.”
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WHY I LIVE HERE
Ken Griffey, Sr., manager for the Bakersfield Blaze, has called Bakersfield his home since 2011.
Compiled by Bakersfield Life Magazine
K
en Griffey, Sr. traveled the globe during his professional baseball career that spans five decades. Today, he calls Bakersfield his home. Since 2011, Griffey, Sr. — a Major League Baseball All-Star during his playing career that also included World Series titles with the Cincinnati Reds — has served as the manager for Bakersfield’s minor league baseball team, the Blaze. His family includes numerous athletes, none more famous than Major League Baseball All-Star Ken Griffey, Jr. The two have played together on the same professional team. Griffey, Sr. shared a bit of what he’s learned about Bakersfield since he’s been here. Hometown: Donora, Penn. Family: Three boys and three girls, 15 grandkids and 1 great-grandkid Interesting fact: Most folks don’t know my first name is George — George Kenneth Griffey. My Bakersfield impressions: Without getting into any specifics, let’s say that what I heard and what I’ve seen have been very different, and what I’ve seen has been far better than what I heard. What surprises me most about Bakersfield compared to other places I have lived: I have never seen this many oil pumps in one place. My neighborhood: I live in northern Oildale, which is mostly new apartments — another part of Bakersfield that’s pretty different than people think. How I relax in Bakersfield: The baseball team gets one day off every two weeks or so, and I’m pretty exhausted by then. I like to relax at home with the air conditioner on, 96
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PHOTO BY AARON RUTH
KEN GRIFFEY, SR.
watching some television. When my wife and grandson get here on vacation, the little guy will drag me out of the home. Where you will usually find me eating lunch or dinner: Mostly at the ballpark, but when I can get out, I like Famous Dave’s and Black Angus Steakhouse; Cataldo’s Pizza makes some amazing wings. What I enjoy most about living here: I love being a part of this baseball team. Going to the ballpark is the best part of every day, and Bakersfield is very fortunate to have a minor league team. Bakersfield is famous for: Country music! Our hitting coach tells me that one of the Bush families lived here, too. Favorite community event: We visited a senior center in 2011 that was a wonderful experience for me, getting to chat with some amazing people. We also have Goodwill Wednesdays at the park where the team collects donation items. The positive list I think Bakersfield would rank near the top: I’d have to say the food selection. There are some great restaurants here and a crazy number of choices. My favorite Saturday activity: I haven’t had a Saturday off work since 1969! When I want to get out of town, I go to: Yosemite. It’s not that far, either. I went up there with our pitching coach and clubhouse attendant back in 2011 for a day-trip and had a fantastic time. Perfect date night in Bakersfield: A nice steak dinner and a movie. It doesn’t get much better than that. — Do you know someone from outside of Bakersfield who now calls Bakersfield home, has chosen to stay in Bakersfield above anywhere else, or returned here after living away, and is proud of it? Please let us know. Email us a name and contact information to bakersfieldlife@bakersfield.com with the message subject line: Why I Live Here.
How many years have you worked at Premier Realty? 20 + years Why do you enjoy working at Premier Realty? I enjoy working at Premier Realty because they believe “family” comes first. This is a belief shared by everyone at Premier and you can feel the warm welcome when you walk through the doors. In today’s challenging real estate market, I enjoy working in an office of Realtors where everyone comes together to share their experience to insure you’re at the top of your game and truly care about one another and their success. Adoree and Joe Roberson have built their family business using the same high professional and ethical standards I value and expect from myself. From the first day I walked through the doors at Premier Realty, I knew this is where I should be and have never doubted that decision.
What makes Premier Realty stand out from other brokers? That Premier Realty is locally owned by a family who has called Bakersfield their home for generations and has stayed strong leaders in the real estate market and active contributors to the community.
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HISTORY
The Bakersfield College campus under construction, circa 1956.
A ‘GOOD NUCLEUS’ TO START BAKERSFIELD’S FIRST COLLEGE Bakersfield Junior College began with 13 students in September 1913
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n the early 1900s, Bakersfield was growing up. In 1910, the Lakeview Gusher near Maricopa, the largest recorded oil strike in U.S. history, brought international attention to Kern County. The climate and soil of the San Joaquin Valley was pulling ranchers and farmers into the county. Downtown Bakersfield was experiencing a burst in construction as new money flowed into the city. Bakersfield was growing up, and the city needed a college. The 1907 Upward Extension Act gave local high schools in California permission to provide the first two years of university instruction. Talk of creating a junior college in Bakersfield
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The Kern County courthouse, built in 1896, was unsuccessfully targeted to be the first Bakersfield College campus.
CALIFORNIAN FILE PHOTO
By Ken Hooper
Kern Veterans Oral History Project
PHOTO COURTESY OF KEN HOOPER
Sponsored by the Kern County Historical Society, the Kern veterans oral history project started in the fall of 2012 at the KGET-TV 17 studios. The interviews are conducted by trained volunteers at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. on the second floor studio every Wednesday starting in the fall. The goal is three-fold: • Ask the veterans of Kern County to share the stories of their service to our country. Regardless of conflict, branch or service, or length of service, any stories that former service men and women are willing to share, we are willing to listen. • Make the interviews available on the internet. The interviews come under the copyright protection of the Kern County Historical Society, a registered nonprofit organization. • The Library of Congress is gathering thousands of interviews to keep the history of America alive. We want to make sure the Kern County veterans are represented. To schedule an interview, email the Kern County Historical Society at kchs1931@gmail.com. For more information on historical society membership and programs, visit kchistoricalsociety.org
The Commercial Building was the first building on Kern County High School’s campus in 1895, and was torn down in 1936. first arose in 1911 when the old Kern County Court House, which was built in 1896 on Truxtun and Chester avenues, was to be replaced by a modern courthouse built across the street. The Bakersfield Californian editorial on Aug. 18, 1911 advocated for the old courthouse to be sold to the City of Bakersfield for use as a city hall instead of new college campus. The need for a consolidated “civic center” near the newly constructed Hall of Records and the new courthouse outweighed the need for a home for the yet unfounded Bakersfield Junior College. The civic center plan moved forward and the old courthouse was
converted to Bakersfield’s City Hall until its demolition following the earthquake of 1952. Without the old courthouse to serve as a site, it was decided to charter the college on the campus of Kern County High School, now Bakersfield High School. G.C. Carlisle, Kern County’s assistant superintendent for public instruction, stated in August 1911 that the purpose of forming a junior college “is primarily for those who do not
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PHOTO COURTESY OF KEN HOOPER
The campus center on the newly-opened Bakersfield College campus in 1956.
Continued from page 99 have the opportunity to take advantage of a college or university training.” For potential college students living in Kern County, the nearest universities were the private Stanford University and the public University of California, both of which were in the Bay Area nearly 300 miles away. In 1913, the newly appointed principal of Kern County High School, Dr. B.S. Gowen, also oversaw the newly established junior college and made plans for the installation of college classes in history, science, mathematics, agriculture, surveying, teaching and many other courses usually taken by first- and second-year college students.
In the summer of 1913, William A. Vivian was hired to teach mathematics and Paul R. Denton was hired to teach English and history. Both newly hired teachers saw duty in the high school and college classrooms. As the fall term of 1913 approached and students enrolled, Kern County Superintendent of Schools R.L. Stockton stated, “We are assured a good nucleus with which to start the junior college when the fall term begins.” Thirteen students entered Bakersfield Junior College in September of 1913. Enrollment by 1916 would grow to 30 students, and 57 students would enroll by 1920. It wasn’t until the spring break of 1956 that Bakersfield College left the campus of Bakersfield High School for its new home on the hill in east Bakersfield. The junior college building was renamed Warren Hall, in honor of former California governor and chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, and alumnus of Kern County High School, Earl Warren. Currently, 117 junior colleges are in California in 72 community college districts. As Bakersfield College celebrates its 100th anniversary this year, it has the distinction of being the second junior college established in California, with more than 17,000 students in attendance. — Ken Hooper is a history and archiving teacher at Bakersfield High School. He is the past-president of the Kern County Historical Society and the current historian for the Kern Veteran’s Memorial Foundation.
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From left: Local students Andrew Daughtery, Bryan Bumgarner and Natrelle Demison attend a meet-and-greet with Congressman Kevin McCarthy recently. The three were nominated to attend U.S military academies.
SELECTED TO SERVE Three local students tapped by Congressman Kevin McCarthy to attend top military academies Story and photo by Gregory D. Cook
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his fall, many local high school graduates will head off to college. They will embark upon the next great adventure in education. Three hard-working local students will be taking their adventures to another level after earning nominations to the nation’s most prestigious military academies. The three are among eight nominated by Congressman Kevin McCarthy from California’s 23rd Congressional District. They were welcomed recently by McCarthy at a meet and greet at his Bakersfield office. The other five nominees are from outside of Bakersfield but in McCarthy’s district. Each year, the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, U.S. Air Force Academy, U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy fill their freshmen classes with students nominated by members of Congressand the Executive Office of the President. Competition for the limited number of nominations is stiff, and in addition to receiving the nod, students must still meet the academic and physical requirement for admission to the academies, which are some of the strictest of any universities in the nation. “There are going to be challenges along the way, but you are going to get the highest quality of education,” said McCarthy. “You are going to get morals and character different 102
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than anybody in your age group.” While the goal of the federal service academies is to train the future leaders of the nation’s military, students will emerge, after four years, with a bachelor’s degree just like traditional universities. Additionally, students don’t pay tuition in academies. But students must commit to a length of service in the military, or the U.S. Merchant Fleet for Merchant Marine Academy students. “It’s our way of investing in our best and brightest,” McCarthy said. Heading off to college can be stressful for both parents and students, many who will be away from home for the first time in their lives. “Don’t think it’s not going to be a struggle,” McCarthy advised. “If it wasn’t a struggle, it wouldn’t be worth doing it ... But just remember you have a big support group, and we will be here for you every step of the way.” This year, Bakersfield nominees are:
Bryan Bumgarner U.S. Merchant Marine Academy
As a freshman at Highland High, Bryan Bumgarner didn’t put attending college high on his list of priorities. It was, however, high on his mother, Sonya’s, list. “He kept telling me, ‘I want to be a Marine. I just want to be a grunt marine’,” she said. “I told him, ‘You can be a Marine, but you have to go to school first’.” His parents took him to McCarthy’s 2009 academy night hoping to spark his interest. That’s where Bryan took notice of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. Over the next few years, Bryan focused on high school and Highland’s swim team. Then early in his senior year, Bryan
received a letter from one of the academy’s swim coaches. The Merchant Marine Academy differs slightly from other academies in that one school year will be spent as a midshipman, aboard ships in the U.S. Merchant Fleet. Bryan will be one of just 250 freshmen starting at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy this year, and he plans to major in engineering. After graduating, he will have the option of serving his commitment in any of the branches of the military or with the U.S. Merchant Fleet.
Andrew Daughtery U.S. Air Force Academy
Centennial High wide receiver Andrew Daughtery was scouted by several big-name universities, but it took only a visit to the U.S. Air Force Academy’s Colorado Springs campus to make up his mind. “They contacted me first, purely from a football standpoint,” Andrew said. “And then we took a trip out there to visit the campus and just fell in love with it.” By virtue of father Glenn Daughtery’s 27 years of service in the U.S. Navy, Andrew was able to apply for one of only 100 nominations to academies available through the Executive Office of the President. Andrew may soon be playing Division I football for Air Force, but he will be aiming a little higher than the gridiron
when it comes down to a career. “I’m looking to be a pilot of some sort,” he said.
Natrelle “Chewie” Demison U.S. Air Force Academy
Natrelle Demison’s road to the U.S. Air Force Academy has had more than its fair share of hurdles. During his junior year, the Bakersfield High student’s family went through a painful and messy divorce. The emotional strain caused his grades to suffer, threatening the champion wrestler’s chances to attend any university. “It was horrible. We gave up our house, moved and we were the court system for what seemed like forever,” said Danielle Demison, Natrelle’s mother. “And Chewie has fought back from everything. I’m the proudest a parent could ever be of him.” Natrelle’s older brother serves in the U.S. Navy, and when the U.S. Air Force Academy contacted him with interest about having him on their wrestling team, he jumped at the chance. “I feel honored. It’s such a great opportunity,” he said. “I know I have a really great future ahead of me, and it’s going to be hard, but I can do it.” Natrelle plans to major in meteorology or civil engineering and wants to become a combat weather after the academy, or a pilot.
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COMMUNITY
The “big Indian” stands tall and proud with Old Glory at Ethel’s Old Corral Cafe.
From the Garces Circle to Alfred Harrell Highway, big statue is now a staple in Bakersfield
The owners of Ethel’s refurbished the “big Indian” when it was moved to the cafe in 2001.
CALIFORNIAN FILE PHOTO
‘THE INDIAN ON THE CIRCLE’
By Kaelyn De Leon
‘MUFFLER MAN’ MARKETING
E
thel’s Old Corral Café is a unique fixture to Bakersfield, known for its food and live country music. But it’s also known for what you’ll see as you pass by the cafe on Alfred Harrell Highway — a 25-foot statue of a Native American. So why exactly is there a giant fiberglass Indian ready to greet you as you drive by? “The Indian is a city landmark,” said Ken Barnes, the original statue owner. Today, the Indian is a staple to Ethel’s with an interesting history in our community.
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In the mid-1960s, Barnes, owner of Barnes Big O Tires, was looking for an eye-catching marketing piece to help promote Mohawk brand tires. It was at that time that Bakersfield’s “muffler man,” as Barnes was named, came to town. Purchased for $1,400, the “big Indian,” as it was often referred to then, was placed on Garces Circle, where it was inevitably noticed by all of Bakersfield. “Sometimes, I would even come to work in the morning and find arrows shot in the statue,” says Barnes. Throughout the 1960s and mid-1970s, the statue attracted many visitors who would stop to gaze at the giant, and it
PHOTO BY HENRY A. BARRIOS
The Indian made an interesting backdrop for the 2012 Amgen Tour of California bike race.
became part of Bakersfield life. But in the 1970s, Barnes sold the tire business, and with the business went the big Indian. After about 20 years in storage, the statue resurfaced as the Standard Middle School Warriors mascot. When it retired as a mascot, Barnes was shocked to find where it went next. “My son, a deputy Sheriff, called me and said, ‘Dad, you will not believe what I am looking at in the backyard of a home in Oildale’.” Once again, the “muffler man” was back.
‘INDIAN ON THE CIRCLE’ In 2001, the statue was moved to its current home, Ethel’s Old Corral Café, by then-owners Tommy and Donna Chisum. The Chisums completely refurbished the Indian with a new paint job and fiberglass exterior. It was then placed atop a cement platform and renamed “The Indian on the Circle” to honor the statue’s origins. Donna Chisum is the daughter of original café owner Ethel Beeson, who ran the café from 1962 to the time of her death in 1996. Ethel was known to be the sassy lady who ran a great restaurant, leaving many to begin calling the Old Corral Café as “Ethel’s.” It wasn’t until current owner Natalie Mears began running the café that the restaurant’s name was legally changed to honor Ethel. Mears felt it necessary to preserve not only Ethel’s history, but also the history of the “Indian on the Circle.” Today, the statue stands on bricks that visitors have engraved with the names of loved ones, or other memories. “We love having him here,” Mears said. “Rather than throw away history, we would rather preserve it.” She continued: “I love the Indian and would never part with him. It’s history of Bakersfield, and now Ethel’s.” It’s safe say that the statue isn’t going anywhere soon. Instead, it will stand tall on the side of Alfred Harrell Highway where it waves to the community it calls home.
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PHOTO BY GREGORY D. COOK
NEIGHBORHOOD SPOTLIGHT
Where possible, the building's original 18-inch thick brick walls have been preserved and integrated into the decor of 1612 City Lofts.
THE DOWNTOWN LIFESTYLE By Gregory D. Cook
I
n the years following World War II, America flocked to the suburbs, where they could live in quiet neighborhoods, removed from hustle and bustle of the city. But for a growing number of today’s young professionals, including the residents of the nine loft apartments making up the “1612 City Lofts” project, downtown living is making a comeback. The lofts are on the second floor of the historic Hay Building on 19th Street, which is one of the centerpieces of downtown’s continuing revitalization. The building was constructed in 1896. “The Dinkelspiel brothers from San Francisco built it and was a house upstairs,” said Eydie Gibson of the 19th and “I” Investment Group, who owns the building and is managing its renovations. “So really, we are just returning it back to its roots.” 106
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With open floor plans and modern fixtures, 1612 City Lofts blends the modern with the historic.
PHOTO BY GREGORY D. COOK
Residents of new 1612 City Lofts experience downtown living at its finest
MODERN WITH THE OLD The building is being renovated as a multiple-use building. Several businesses, including two art galleries, occupy the street level, and the residences are upstairs. Preserving a building over a century old is expensive and hard work, but for Gibson and her partner Eric Jencks, demolition was never really an option. “People worry about spending money retrofitting an old
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1612 City Lofts, on the second floor of the Hay Building at 19th and Eye streets, gives its residents the true downtown lifestyle.
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building, but look what it would cost to replace it,” Gibson said. “So we try to blend the modern with the old, and our craftsmen have done a real artful job of it.” Where possible, the building’s original 1890s brick work has been preserved and used as the basis of the decor in many of the lofts. “I can’t tell you how hard Eric and I fought with the architects and builders to keep them,” said Gibson. “They all said they would be more trouble than they were worth to maintain, but we’ve had them all sealed and they will last.” 21st St. It’s a touch that isn’t lost on people who live there. “I’m so happy they saved the brick,” said Cor1612 City 20th St. rine Coats, resident and local high school teacher. Lofts “The imperfections are what give it so much character and make it beautiful.” 19th St.
DOWNTOWN LIFESTYLE Chester Ave.
H St.
One of the things that drew Coats and her Alley neighbors to the lofts was what they call “the 18th St. downtown lifestyle.” “I love that I can walk out my front door and go the best restaurants in town, go to the best art 17th St. galleries in town and see the best theater in 1/8 mile town,” she said. “Truly the best that Bakersfield has to offer is right outside my door.” With so much so close, residents find themselves walking more and using their cars less. “It’s been about two weeks since I’ve driven my car,” said Alex Garza, a resident and support manager for a computer communications company. “I pretty much walk everywhere.” Wall Street
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PHOTO COURTESY OF EYDIE GIBSON
Damage to the Hay Building in the 1952 earthquake.
Continued from page 107 Such proximity also seems to breed a closer sense of community between the residents of downtown and the businesses they frequent. “It’s just such a neat thing to walk across the street to the flower shop and have them know me,” Coats said. “It’s such a local experience it makes; it’s just a different kind of lifestyle.” Local realtor Adam Belter, who also lives in the lofts, is a
downtown lifestyle veteran and loves it. He lived in downtown Santa Barbara. “When I moved back here and saw downtown going in a positive direction, I knew I wanted to be a part of it,” he said. The downtown lifestyle seems to appeal to Bakersfield’s young professionals who find themselves leaving the suburbs and creating a new downtown community. “We’re all from different socioeconomic backgrounds, and we all get along because we like downtown,” said Belter.
BREATHING NEW LIFE About the only thing residents are missing in the downtown area is a grocery store, something residents hope will come soon. Gibson envisions one day to have weekly farmers markets within walking distance of the lofts, as well as more community events for the area. The goal of projects like 1612 City Lofts is to continue to breathe new life into Bakersfield’s downtown, by breeding a business district and a neighborhood as well. If people call the area home, Gisbon said, they will care more about the area, and it will flourish and grow. In the future, Gibson and Jencks hope to undertake more projects similar to the 1612 City Lofts and allow even more people to experience the downtown lifestyle.
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GUYS WHO…
... ARE ARTISTS These four share their love of art with students, community Compiled by Andrea Vega
Photos by Mark Nessia
A
rt can boost self-esteems, spark creativity within youth, and even be a cure for anxiety.
That’s according to these four local guys, who for years have been staples in the local art scene. Learn more about their work here.
ALBERTO HERRERA Alberto, 60, is an art teacher at Fruitvale Junior High and works with migrant children who don’t have the opportunity to receive art education in the summer. How did you get started in art? I stared getting anxiety attacks at the age of five. I remember my mother holding me and massaging my hands and comforting me until my attacks would subside. One day, while having one of my attacks, she handed me a crayon and some newspaper as she guided my trembling hand. I frantically started drawing, trying to escape my fear. From that day on, whenever I would feel an attack approaching, I would draw. As I reflect, my anxiety attacks have been a blessing. To this day, I am grateful to my loving mother for stepping in and guiding me in this direction. What’s special about the local art scene? The art district here in town
offers many venues for any artist to participate. I am a three-time “best of show” winner in the Latination show, put on at the Metro Galleries every year. Every artist I meet, I encourage to visit and explore the art district. Any artist can set up an easel on First Friday and 110
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Alberto Herrera showcase their work. The local art scene is alive and in full swing. Where do you find your inspiration? My inspiration is an everyday
occurrence. Painting is a way of life for me. My mother’s praise, whenever I did something creative, has stayed with me to this day. Where can we find your artwork?
You can find my artwork at Kuka’s in the arts district. Late last year, Kaiser Permanente purchased four of my paintings that now hang in their downtown offices. Also, (my work is) in the homes
of many private collectors. What do you want others to take away from your work? I want others to
feel a sense of curiosity and whimsy as I feel, either with the subject or with the colors I choose.
JESUS FIDEL Jesus, 30, has been the director of The Empty Space Gallery for three years now and has curated more than 35 art shows. How did you get started in art?
When I was in the first grade, my mom
Jesus Fidel
sat me down and taught me how to draw a really cool island with palm trees and waves and a giant sunset in the background. I created that drawing any chance I got. When I was around age seven, she started showing me how to draw flowers. She mainly only knew how to draw her own version of a hibiscus, but she showed me how to use oil pastels to make the petals pop with color. Because of those small lessons, I became obsessed with painting flowers and oceans; now my versions of these have grown into my own wild style. Where do you find your inspiration? Originally my love for Van Gogh helped me find my way in my techniques, which quickly started to develop into my own funky style. Nowadays, I find my inspiration in color. I try to choose paintings that I know I can fill with deep colors of contrast. Using my wide-ranging pallette is an outlet to express myself, whether I’m feeling happy, sad or angry. What is your favorite subject to paint? Oceans because of the back story. When I paint my oceans, I can completely let go. I don’t need to do rough sketches, test my colors or worry about my composition. It’s like a dance between me and my brush. While painting my oceans is when I’m in complete artistic bliss. What do you enjoy the most about creating art? Art is mainly what settles me and keeps me a good person. Before I paint, I turn on my favorite music, light my candles, turn on my lamps, pour a glass of wine and enjoy a perfect date with my canvas. Where can we find your artwork? In The Foundry, an art gallery on 19th and Eye streets, and at The Empty Space Gallery. Once in a blue moon I get really lucky and get invited to show in group exhibitions at Metro Galleries. What do you want others to take away from your work? When people see my work, I want them to feel joy and hap-
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Continued from page 111 piness, and I want them to see that giving on your dreams is never an option.
HANK WASHINGTON Hank, 63, is an art teacher at South High. His passion is teaching, and he says he has the best job in the world. How long have you been making art? I can remember my very first painting in my kindergarten class — a snowy scene. I painted the snow red and yellow, blue, green and orange. I also remember all the class laughing because they said snow was supposed to be white. I was painting the reflected Christmas lights as they reflected off the snow. How did you get started in art? Three people were influential in aspiring me to create art: my mother, a cousin who was a commercial artist in New York City, and my hippy high school art teacher, also an artist in Manhattan. What is your best art–related memory? During my senior year in high school, the young lady I was dating took me to the Museum of Modern Art in Manhattan. This was my first visit to the museum, and it was a birthday gift. What a day! Picasso, Dali, Matisse, Barnett Newman, Warhol, Jackson Pollock all in one building! Where do you find your inspiration? I love people! No two people are the same. We come in all flavors, and we all have a story to tell — in our eyes, expression, body and mannerisms. People inspire me! I love all the color I see when I
look at an interesting face, I love the way an aged hand looks, and wonder about all the stories and secrets it has to tell. Where can we find your work? I have two pieces in the traveling Art in Touch exhibition sponsored by the Arts Council of Kern. The exhibition wishes to provide a high-quality art experience to the visually impaired and everyone else. This show travels for one year throughout Kern. What do you hope your students get out of creating art? An appreciation for the creative process. I believe if a
student develops this understanding and appreciation for being creative, this carries over into their everyday life. The process provides students with necessary tools like patience, goal-setting, pride in one’s self, work ethic, and the fulfillment that one receives with a completed task. All these tools can now be applied to whatever path they have chosen in life. What’s your favorite part of what you do? I believe I have the best job in the world. I get to be creative each and every day.
ART SHERWYN Art, who will soon turn 63, is a retired high school teacher and tennis instructor who has won numerous awards for his art work. He has also authored two art books and continues to teach classes at the Bakersfield Museum of Art. Art, he says, only gets better with age. How did you get started? In the early 1970s, I was hired to teach at a high school even though I had very minor art teaching skills. It did not take me long to realize the magic behind teaching art. Most of the students liked being there, the lessons learned were universal and holistic, and it was a great place to build students’ self-esteem. I decided the art room was where I wanted to make my career. Where can we find your artwork? The only place to find my artwork is at my home studio. Every couple of years, I will have an art show showcasing my latest works. The pressures of keeping pace with the art market seems to be against the discipline of my nature. What do you want others to take away from your work? Artists are storytellers. It is my ultimate hope that
viewers of my works will initially become captivated and connected to the theme, message or story of the work, much like a good book draws the reader in. It is also my hope that the viewer develops a respect for the technical prowess and physical process used in constructing the piece. What do you hope your students get out of creating art? My overall theme as a teacher has always tended to
emphasize the psychic rewards art can provide. Making art is one of the all-stars when it comes to enriching one’s life. I hope my students experienced how making art can be a valuable way to connect time on earth with thinking creatively. It is my hope that my teachings planted seeds for a lifetime of challenges and slow heartbeats. Where do you find your inspiration? Inspiration is everywhere you look from the land and space that surrounds us, to the beings that inhabit that space. The key for me is to keep my eyes and options wide open and unearth inspirations that connect with my interests and mindset. With my art, I tend to be inspired by positive, uplifting and celebratory viewpoints — it’s a lot easier on the soul.
Art Sherwyn
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PERSONALITY
panic Chamber of Commerce’s “businessman of the year” who kicked off his retirement this month. “But now it is time for another chapter. I have spent so many weekends working events, but I don’t have to do that anymore. Now, everyday is Saturday.” The 62-year-old Bakersfield native and Vietnam War veteran began his relationship with Advanced Beverage Company on a whim. He’d been selling appliances at Sears when, in 1976, he applied for a job with the company. “I applied on a Friday, and Bill Lazzerini Sr. told me to report for work on the following Monday,” Cornejo recalls. “He said he could use someone like me because I was the only Hispanic there at the time, so he put me on a delivery truck.” But he wasn’t behind the wheel for long when owner and mentor Lazzerini tapped into Cornejo’s engaging people skills and the enormous potential the Hispanic market promised. “Bill had a vision for the Hispanic market back then when he put me in the marketing position,” he remembers. “My title was ‘special markets manager,’ but nobody knew what that meant.” For Cornejo, it was simple — connecting Hispanics with Advanced Beverage Company. He says he was given all of the Kern County accounts with one basic directive from Lazzerini. “Bill wanted me to go out and make friends and just get involved,” he said. Cornejo hit the ground running and never slowed down. In the days before cell phones and computers, it proved to be a winning formula. “In the beginning, we had beepers, and that was it,” he said laughing. “Business was done the old-fashioned way. I did everything on a handshake with sponsors. I introduced myself as ‘Joe Cornejo with Budweiser’ and built relationships on that introduction and a handshake. And with that came loyalty.” At one time, 87 percent of the local market share belonged to Budweiser. He said he’d been with the company about 10 years when he knew he was in it for the long haul. Although he received an associate’s degree in business from Bakersfield College, he says his best education came from marketing Bud. “Anheuser sent me to the best marketing schools in the country. I don’t think college could have taught me what I learned going there.” Perhaps the best piece of advice Lazzerini gave him, he said, was to know the people who make the decisions. Over the years, Cornejo’s work in the community earned him appointments on the Comision Honorifica Mexicana and the Kern County Fair Board and praise from his peers. In 1982, he was part of Anheuser-Busch’s national Hispanic
“
Anheuser sent me to the best marketing schools in the country. I don’t think college could have taught me what I learned going there.
”
Joe Cornejo
JOE CORNEJO Retirement refreshing for longtime businessman By Lisa Kimble
Photos by Gregory D. Cook
T
o hear Bakersfield businessman Joe Cornejo tell it, his 37 years as the unofficial Budweiser ambassador for the local Hispanic market has been an amazing journey that has allowed him to meet new people, making lasting friendships and sponsor or support many nonprofit and community events through the company he has faithfully served. “It has been a really good ride,” said the Kern County His114
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marketing team, and there were side ventures of his own, including the purchase of a local radio station. Five years ago, when InBEV bought AnheuserBusch, the corporate change was felt all the way down to the distributors. Lost in it all, Cornejo said, was the family feeling. “I handled change for many years, and it’s time to go,” he said. “I accomplished everything I wanted to by getting involved in community events and organizations like soccer groups, Menudo Cook-offs and the CSUB Hispanic Excellence Scholarship Fund committee. “The best part of all of it, and what I will miss the most, is all the wonderful nonprofit organizations and the people I met, and the good they did for our community.” Eventually, Cornejo and his wife Hope plan to relocate to Los Osos to be closer to their three grown sons and two grandchildren. These days, the man once voted one of Kern County’s best dressed men, in a Bakersfield Californian poll, dresses in golf shirts and enjoys spending time on the links — and driving his retirement gift, a 2013 Buick LaCrosse. And of his retirement? “It isn’t bittersweet. It’s just real sweet!”
Long-time friend Anthony Gonzales recounts some humorous moments from Joe Cornejo’s 37 years of employment with Advance Beverage Company at a roast to commemorate Cornejo’s retirement.
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Award-winning sheriff dispatcher Kyanna Garrett at the Kern County Sheriff’s communication center.
EMERGENCY DISPATCHERS By Bakersfield Life Magazine
T
hey’re the first voices we hear when we call 911, calmly communicating vital information to officers to help us as quickly as possible during emergencies. They’re dispatchers, and recently the Kern County Sheriff’s Office and Bakersfield Police Department announced their dispatchers of the year. They are Kyanna Garrett (KCSO) and Brandy Watts.
KYANNA GARRETT, 37, EIGHT-YEAR DISPATCHER From KCSO: “Kyanna goes above and beyond the call of duty to make Kern County as safe as possible for our residents and visitors ... Kyanna’s focus is always on officer and public safety. She is the calm voice you want on the phone or the radio during an emergency situation.” What kind of calls do you typically get? The majority is, unfortunately, domestic violence, property crimes and fights between families. Weekends bring a lot of noise complaints. 116
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PHOTO BY FELIX ADAMO
REAL PEOPLE
What’s the most challenging part? Missing out on family functions and holidays is difficult. But people need help 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Another challenge is feeling helpless in many situations; you can only hear what’s going on and try to help verbally over the phone. You also often don’t know the outcome of the calls you take. What is the best part? Being able to calm down a scared juvenile or elderly person, offer help and resources to a victim of spousal abuse who is ready to get out. Being able to help deputies find the bad guy by supplying enough information. It’s always a good day when our deputies go home safely. Any misconceptions about your job? Many people have the idea that all we do is sit and answer phones. This is a high-stress position, where using the word “multitasking” is an understatement. We are the lifeline to units in the field. What’s the most interesting call you’ve gotten? I’ve gotten the 911 call asking how long to cook a turkey or calling because the fast food restaurant messed up on an order. We used to have this guy that would call and sing to us. How do you train for your job? It is an intense training program that lasts four to nine months, on average. You learn more about Kern County than you ever knew existed: from geography to agencies, and everything in between.
What happens after you finish a call? You move on to the next one. We don’t have the luxury of walking out of the room to recuperate. Have you seen the movie “The Call” where Halle Berry plays a dispatcher? Besides the made-for-movie ending, I thought it was an accurate portrayal of what we do. That helpless frustration you feel watching, as Halle Berry can do nothing but listen to the caller while staring at the computer screen, is fact.
From BPD: “Watts is courteous and considerate with the public, as well as fellow employees. She approaches each call with enthusiasm and excitement, ensuring the callers feel heard and understood ... BPD truly is a better place because of Watt’s hard work and enthusiasm.” Why did you decide to become a dispatcher? Growing up, my parents instilled in me a deep abiding respect for law enforcement. I recall being 4 or 5 years old pretending to be a dispatcher, while the other kids played their imaginary roles as officers and suspects. I would call out the crime, specifically, “a bank robbery in progress.” The idea of helping the public, being a part of the police department, assisting officers, is very rewarding. What’s the most challenging part?
Continued on page 118
Brandy Watts is a recent recipient of the Bakersfield Police “dispatcher of the year” award.
PHOTO BY ALEX HORVATH
BRANDY WATTS, 39, 13-YEAR DISPATCHER
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Continued from page 117 When someone needs help, and I want to help them myself. It’s difficult to not “feel” for another person who may be just like me when they call at such a vulnerable time. What is the best part of? Being able to help the caller who has reached out, and I am the one who answered their call. Most satisfying of all, however, is when the entire process goes without flaw: lives are saved, officers are safe and not nice people are apprehended. Any misconceptions about your job? On the lighter side, it’s frustrating trying to convince a caller that I am not the officer who is responding. I cannot count the times that someone has called for help, explained their needs in great detail, and then scolded me for still being on the line and not enroute to where they are. What’s the most interesting call you’ve gotten? A recent call from a bill collector who refused to believe that they’ve called a police department, and not someone who’s behind in his X5 steam mop payment. Or the 911 call for more chairs at a meeting on the other side of town. Do you ever keep track of callers? I am a bit of a news junkie. So through the course of keeping myself informed, I do read about incidents. Learning the outcome of a case often provides closure for me. — For a full Q&A with the two “dispatchers of the year,” go to BakersfieldLife.com.
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FIT AND FRESH
Certified swim instructor Sarah Baker is helping the Kirschenmann twins get accustomed to being in the water.
SET FOR THE SUMMER Safe swimming tips, sizzling runs, bean salad recipe, and more By Sally Baker and Katie Kirschenmann
Photos by Sally Baker
S
ummer can be a challenging month in Bakersfield to maintain your fitness program. Getting in your run or ride may mean rising before dawn to take advantage of the slightly cooler temperatures. However, a few local events are worth getting out for a sweat:
SUMMER RUN SERIES This series of six evening runs at the California Living Museum takes place every other Tuesday. July’s dates are July 2, 16 and 30. This run is open to walkers, joggers and serious runners of all ages and is a 5K; it traces the edge of the Kern River and loops back uphill to the CALM parking lot. Watermelon, served after, will never taste so sweet. More than 500 runners attended the first event on June 4, and it was a fun, friendly, dusty and hot! This is a handicap event, so after the first run of the series, everyone will take off at their handicapped time. Visit the Bakersfield Track Club for more details. It’s $3 for students — Sally Baker 120
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Summer be
an salad 1 15-ounce can garban zo beans, 1 15-ounce drained can black beans, dra 1 medium ined red bell pe pper 1 medium orange be ll pepper 1 bunch gre if you prefe en onions, chopped (or red onio r) n, 1 8-ounce carton of sh elled Edam 1 cup fresh ame white corn Dressing: 3 tablespo ons extra vi rgin olive o 1 tablespo il ons white wine vineg 3 cloves o ar f minced g arlic Salt and p epper to ta st e Direction s much or a : Dress your bean sa s la ready to se little dressing as yo d with as u like. Whe rv e, cu t a ly squeeze le n it over the mon in half, and fre shsalad and For a perfe fo ld it in. ct chicken, co summer dinner, ad and a crust ttage cheese, sliced d barbecued tomatoes y baguette. — Sally Bak er
EDAMAME BEANS Edamame are fresh green soybeans gaining popularity due to its health benefits, availability and versatility. They have become more readily available in the grocery store, in shelled and â&#x20AC;&#x153;in the podâ&#x20AC;? forms. They are extremely versatile, easy to throw in salads and soups, or just a great snack on from the pod. Just a half-cup serving packs a powerful nutritional punch, including 8 grams of protein, 4 grams of fiber, and numerous vitamins and minerals with only 100 calories, zero cholesterol and very little sodium. Edamame is the perfect meat alternative because they are a â&#x20AC;&#x153;complete protein,â&#x20AC;? containing all of the amino acids necessary for a healthy diet. Try them out this summer, they really are delicious. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Sally Baker
SAFE SUMMER IN THE POOL Its summertime in Bakersfield and that means itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time to escape the heat. When the mercury hits triple digits, a refreshing dip in the pool is fun way to find relief from the summer swelter. And swimming can be delightfully beneficial for children. Not only is swimming a fun refuge from the heat, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fantastic exercise as well. Hours of splashing in the pool are also hours
of quality family time. Whether you are enjoying one of Bakersfieldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s many public pools or your own backyard pool, it is extremely important to be safe while having fun in the sun. Drowning is the second most common cause of death and injury among children under the age of 14. The best way to prevent an accident is to make sure your child can swim and is comfortable in and around the water. Introducing water safety early is smart. Swim lessons can begin as early as 6 weeks of age. At 9 months old, my little chickadees are just now beginning swim lessons with certified swim instructor, Sarah Baker. Bakerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;Mommy and Meâ&#x20AC;? baby swim classes have become more accessible and popular in recent years. There are numerous classes available for participation and plenty of private instructors for hire. These classes require active inwater participation from both parent and baby. If your little one already knows how to swim, donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t assume he or she is safe in the water alone. Often, many parents overestimate their childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s swimming capabilities. Always vigilantly supervise your children in the pool. It is important to remember: if you are not looking, then you are not watching. So, put the phone down and be alert. It only takes a few seconds for an accident to happen.
Continued on page 122
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Children can begin swim lessons as young as six weeks.
Continued from page 121 It’s always a good idea to enroll your experienced swimmer in refresher classes to strengthen his or her abilities. 5 tips for pool safety: 1. Always, always, always supervise! This holds true even
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if you are enjoying a public pool with a lifeguard on duty, and even if your kids are older, more proficient swimmers. Adult supervision is a must. Put your phone down but keep it nearby in case there is an accident. 2. An oldie but a goodie: no running! Pool decks are slippery and usually concrete — not a good combination for little noggins. 3. If your child is just learning how to swim, make sure that flotation devices are U.S. Coast Guard approved. 4. No diving! Diving accidents can result in lifelong injuries. 5. When the pool is not in use, make sure it is barricaded. A minimum 4-foot fence with a self-locking, self-latching gate is recommended. Install a gate alarm inside of the house so you can hear if the pool is being raided. An in-pool alarm isn’t a bad idea either. Pool alarms alert if someone jumps, falls or is pushed into the pool. Local swim resources: • McMurtrey Aquatic Center A wide range of classes available, for babies to adults. “Water Babies” class for ages 6 months to 3 years. 852-7430 • Bakersfield College Summer Swim and Sports Camps BC offers swimming lessons for all ages and other swim-
ming activities. The contact is Tina Cummings. 395-4663 • American Kids Sports Center Baby and toddler swim classes, and free infant swim class designed for infants 6 weeks to 6 months. Call for information. This class fills up quickly. 589-2100 • Bakersfield Swim Academy Founded by a bronze medal-winning Olympian, the academy provides instruction for the beginner to expert. “Parent and Me” class. Minimum age: 6 months. 615-6530 — Katie Kirschenmann
EXERCISE OF THE MONTH: BENCH DIPS, TRICEPS Find a sturdy bench or chair. With your back to the bench, bend your legs and place your hands on the front edge of the bench. Place your feet in front of you, so most of your body weight is resting on your arms. Bend your arms and slowly lower your body until your upper arms are parallel with the floor, dropping your hips straight down. Straighten your arms to return to the starting position. Begin with two sets of 10, and build up to three sets of 15. Even better, incorporate your dips within your morning walk or run, using benches along the bike trail or park. — Sally Baker
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TRIP PLANNER
A DANISH DELIGHT Denmark, modern culture meet in Solvang, just a short drive from Bakersfield
Solvang’s architecture reflects its Danish roots.
By Bakersfield Life Magazine
Photos: SolvangUSA.com
A
three-hour drive southwest of Bakersfield is a town that is a country away — or at least it appears. Solvang is officially in Santa Barbara County, but it offers the unique taste and feel of Denmark. From its Danish style architecture, to its bakeries, restaurants and gift shops, Solvang is an escape from the norm while also highlighting some of the best of California — wine, shopping, art, dining and family fun.
HISTORY Solvang, which is Danish for “sunny fields,” was founded in 1911 by a group of Danish-American settlers. They bought 9,000 acres of the former Rancho San Carlos de Jonata and sought to preserve their Danish culture as much as possible. Today, Solvang is a thriving modern city — with the diversity of 150 restaurants, shops and art galleries, and activities for all ages — while sticking with its tradition. The Scandinavian culture can be seen throughout the Solvang’s streets. You may have seen Solvang sights in the 2004 comedydrama film “Sideways.” Solvang has also been named by Orbitz Travel as one of the top five “Domestic Destinations with International Flair.” 124
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Statue of Hans Christian Andersen
SEE Your feet are all you need to explore this town’s main area and see much of Solvang’s heritage, architecture and Danishthemed attractions. A copy of the famous Little Mermaid statue from Copenhagen, the bust of famous Danish writer Hans Christian Andersen and replica of Copenhagen’s Round Tower are all in the city center. Besides the Danish-inspired sights, Mission Santa Ines,
one of the California missions, is near the center of the town at the junction of State Route 246 and Alisal Road. You can also see a live show at the outdoor Solvang Festival Theater (solvangfestivaltheater.org).
DO It doesn’t take all day to stroll through all of downtown Solvang, while stopping to enjoy the sights. Take pictures of windmills, Danish architecture or inside one of the guards outside of Solvang Inn & Cottages. Stroll though Hans Christian Andersen Park or Sunny Fields Park and bring a picnic if you please. Ride a horsedrawn wagon through town. Stop and eat a Danish pastry at one of several bakeries in town. Shop for trinkets, Danish toys and gifts at the dozens of quaint shops. Learn while you’re in Solvang by visiting museums: the Elverhoj Museum, former home to a Solvang family that is now dedicated to Danish culture; the Hans Christian Andersen Museum; or the interesting Solvang Vintage Motorcycle Museum. As for bigger events, the Danish Days annual festival, which celebrates Solvang’s heritage, is the third weekend of every September. The Taste of Solvang food and wine festival is in March.
Solvang is nestled in the Santa Ynez Valley.
TASTE For breakfast, Paula’s Pancake House is essential, but be ready for a wait. Or if you’re too hungry to wait, a handful of other breakfast restaurants are ready to serve you traditional American and Danish-style fare. A stop at a bakery is a must, too: Solvang Bakery,
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DRINK Solvang itself features a dozen or so wine-tasting rooms, and a short drive will take you to several dozen more wineries in the Santa Ynez Valley (plenty of wine tours are available and take off in Solvang). In the heart of town, try Lucas & Lewellen Vineyards’ award-winning wine, or at the Wandering Dog Wine Bar on the main strip. If wine isn’t your thing, visit the Solvang Brewing Company on Mission Drive, “where Danish tradition, craft beer and delicious food come together.”
SLEEP
A trip to Solvang is not complete without sampling Danish pasteries. Mortensen’s Danish Bakery or Birkholm’s Bakery are all fine choices. For lunch, any of the cafes that serve breakfast also offer great lunches. But Root 246 and Solvang Brewing Company have great non-Danish options, too. For dinner, go all out at Mirabelle, a fine-dining experience.
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Solvang features more than a dozen hotels and inns in the heart of town. For weekend stays, book early. For a more familiar night’s stay, a Holiday Inn Express is in town. Other options include designer guest rooms and suites at Wine Country Manor, or the family-friendly Solvang Gardens Lodge.
MORE INFORMATION, WEBSITES City of Solvang: cityofsolvang.com Solvang Conference and Visitors Bureau: solvangusa.com Santa Ynez Valley Visitors Association: visitthesantaynezvalley.com
H E A LT H A N D W E L L N E S S
Joel Livesey, left, and Tyler Garewal prepare continuously for ultramarathon races.
ULTRAMARATHONERS: MIND AND MATTER
He’s part of the local running group Bakersfield Distance Project that includes Livesey and is coached by Andy Noise, another ultramarathoner. Participants dedicate the majority of their free time to running long distances outdoors.
HOOKED ON RUNNING
Mental, physical preparation is key for long-distance racers By Jasmine D. Lowe
Photos by Aaron Ruth
W
hile the majority Bakersfield go home after a full work day to spend time with family and relax, Bakersfield’s Tyler J. Garewal and Joel Livesey run — a lot. On top of working 50- to 60-hour weeks, they run every day, no matter the weather, to train for 100-mile ultramarathon races that take a lot of passion and a ton of drive. Garewal will run a 100-mile marathon in September, and one in October. His best 50-mile time is 9 hours, 37 minutes.
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Garewal became interested in the sport after reading “Ultramarathon Man” by Dean Karnazes. The book made the idea of trekking a 100-mile marathon sound fun and doable. He scheduled his first marathon last year and has been hooked since, he said. Locals David A. Torres and Brad Norris have been main supporters and kept him going. “I kind of want to push myself as far as I can and see what I can accomplish,” said Garewal. “I think once you go beyond a marathon, it becomes mental, and that’s my favorite part of it — just getting to the mental aspect of it, not just the physical.” Research has found that ultramarathoners — those who run more than 26.2 miles — have a strong psyche — mental toughness — that’s balanced by euphoria, where euphoria trumps pain, according to Slate.com. A long race is a thrill as opposed to what many may think as a miserable experience. The sport has surged in the past five years, with the number
Joel Livesey, left, and Tyler Garewal prepare for an ultramarathon at The Park at River Walk.
of competitors doubling to an estimated 70,000 in North America. Along with mentally preparing for an ultramarathon race, runners make sure they consistently eat healthy and are getting enough sleep.
GOALS UNFOLD And as if finishing a 100-mile race and staying nutritionally sound isn’t tough enough, Livesey must prepare and race with Type 1 diabetes. On top of making sure that he eats well, drinks plenty of water and gets a good night’s sleep before a race, Livesey has to eats the right breakfast and test his sugar levels before the race and during the race — ignoring the body isn’t an option for an ultramarathon runner with Type 1 diabetes. Finishing a race means a little extra for
How to do an ultra-marathon Your ultimate goal during a race of any length is to finish, not get hurt, and to have fun. The key: you must be prepared. • Enter and pay for your race, and give yourself enough time to get in shape and build your endurance for the race. • Drink plenty of water and practice your nutrition throughout your training, and find out what works best for you. • Practice running for marathons by moving efficiently, while wasting little motion as possible. • Find multiple pairs of comfortable socks, shoes and clothing for training
someone like Livesey, and he remains competitive. “It’s so awesome to see all of your goals unfold even with Type 1 diabetes,” he said. “I’m not even supposed to be out there. I’m marveling at this the whole time, but then I found out there was another guy out there and that blew me away.” The intense activity takes long distance runners through various highs and lows throughout a marathon course. Garewal and Livesey have made countless friends through running, some who are curious about ultramarathon running. “My friends now they think I’m kind of crazy a little bit,” said Garewal. “They ask me why am I doing this, but after they have seen me do this and seen how much passion I have, they accept it and they encourage me more than anybody.”
and racing. • Right before the race, you should get plenty of sleep two nights before since you will most likely be a little anxious about your marathon. • Eat plenty of long-lasting energy boosting carbs. • Arrive to the race early, keep calm, hydrate before the race, and make sure you use the bathroom at least once or twice. • During the race, you should begin slowly since it is a long run, make sure you breathe deep breaths, remember your mantra and just have as much fun as possible. Source: Tyler Garewel, Joel Livesey, Active.com, Runnersworld.com
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MAREâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Evening at the Races May 17 Held at the McBurney Estate Photos by Jan St Pierre View these photos and more online at bakersfieldlife.com
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Links for Life Sharyn Woods Memorial Gala May 18 Held at Seven Oaks Country Club Photos by Susan Heflin Photography View these photos and more online at bakersfieldlife.com
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Corvette Club of Bakersfield show May 18 Held at Bill Ray Classic Car Museum Photos by Mark Nessia View these photos and more online at bakersfieldlife.com
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Bakersfield High School Football Hall of Fame banquet May, 10 Held at Bakersfield Marriott of Bakersfield Photos by Greg Nichols View these photos and more online at bakersfieldlife.com
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Steve and Kathleen McCullah
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MAOF Aztec Awards May 31 Held at Bakersfield Marriott Photos by Greg Nichols View these photos and more online at bakersfieldlife.com
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Fit for Business 5 & 10k June 8 Held at The Park at Riverwalk Photos by Rodney Thornburg View these photos and more online at bakersfieldlife.com
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First Look Party May 30 Held at The Bakersfield Californian offices. Photos by Henry A. Barrios View these photos and more online at bakersfieldlife.com
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Craft Beer Festival May 25 Held at CSUB Photos by Greg Nichols View these photos and more online at bakersfieldlife.com
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WALTER STIERN LIBRARY Campus building houses largest academic book collection in southern San Joaquin Valley By Marissa Lay
Photos by Henry A. Barrios
E
very day, students, faculty, and community members can absorb the many offerings at Cal State Bakersfield’s Walter Stiern Library under the motto, “Books and friends in a place of enlightenment.” It encompasses 150,000 square feet, is five stories high and has been the largest single-structure building on CSUB’s campus since 1994.
The Walter Stiern Library is the largest structure on the CSUB campus. generosity are a way of life,” said Curt Asher, interim dean of Walter Stiern Library. “These upgrades allowed the library to be a leader in forward-thinking design and technical infrastructure, thanks largely to the work of library dean emeritus Rod Hersberger, who worked hands-on with architects to ensure the library met our students needs.”
DESIGN
ORIGIN The libraries namesake belongs to Walter W. Stiern, a Kern County veterinarian and 28-year Democratic California Senator who strongly advocated for education, agriculture and health. He helped authorize the bill that created CSUB in 1965. At a time when technology began to emerge and became more adequate in fulfilling students’ educational needs, the former library on campus at the current Education Building was no longer favorable. The Walter Stiern Library opened in 1994 and was designed by Esherick Homsey Dodge and Davis, a San Francisco design firm known for designing the UC San Francisco medical school complex, the California State Archives and the Graduate Theological Union’s library at UC Berkeley. Funding for the $24 million project, full of enhancements and upgrades, came largely from assistance by the community. “The university is extremely fortunate to be located in a community where, to many of its residents, philanthropy and 142
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The elevators, bathrooms and stairways are situated on one side of the building, allowing for a more uniformed spacing on the floors. The lower level houses five computer classrooms, a computer lab, three instructional television studios, a multimedia production lab and a 24-hour study room, which is accessible even when the library is closed. Students check out materials, use reference computers, borrow reserve materials and seek research help from librarians on the main floor. On average, librarians at the reference desk answer more than 500 reference questions per week. And nearly 85,000 items were checked out last year. The other three floors to the library house study rooms, an extensive collection of periodicals, about 725,000 pieces of microfilm, A portrait of Walter and about 500,000 volumes Stiern and a replica of of books — the largest acahis Senate desk are inside of the library. demic book collection in the southern San Joaquin Valley. The library also holds Dust Bowl archives, papers of numerous political figures including U.S. Representatives William Ketchum and Harlan Hagen, the prized Lucas Garban Collection, and George Berry Davis Civil War letters, which can also be viewed online at csub.edu/~casher/civilwarletters/.
MORE INFORMATION, HOURS Walter Stiern Library website: csub.edu/library
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