Kern county, ca 2016 by Community Connections Publishers Llc

A guide to

Kern County, California F E A T U R I N G

E D W A R D S

A I R

F O R C E

B A S E 2016

W W W . C O M M U N I T Y C O N N E C T I O N S P U B . C O M

Thank you for choosing Community Connections Publishing as your resource for relocation and visitor information! We strive to bring you current and relevant details to help you decide how to spend your time in Kern County, CA. Whether itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the rich history, amazing local attractions or just enjoying nature, we hope you enjoy your sneak peek! Community Connections Publishing LLC. 1115 N. North St. Suite C Peoria, IL 61606 Phone: (844) 625-4909 Fax: (309) 863-2100

KERN COUNTY SCHOOLS A.M. Thomas Middle School 20979 Lobos Ct Lost Hills, CA 93249 Phone: (661) 797-2626

Bakersfield High School 1241 G St Bakersfield, CA 93301 Phone: (661) 924-9841

Browning road Elementary School 410 East Perkins Mc Farland, CA 93250 Phone: (661) 792-2113

Albany Park Elementary School 235 W 20th Ave Delano, CA 93215 Phone: (661) 721-5020

Bear Mountain Elementary School 1501 Hood St Arvin, CA 93203 Phone: (661) 854-6590

Centennial High School 8601 Hageman Rd Bakersfield, CA 93312 Phone: (661) 588-8601

Alicante Avenue Elem. School 7998 Alicante Ave Lamont, CA 93241 Phone: (661) 845-1452

Beardsley Elementary School 1001 Roberts Ln Bakersfield, CA 93308 Phone: (661) 392-1417

Cesar E. Chavez High School 800 Browning Rd Delano, CA 93215 Phone: (661) 720-4501

Almond Tree Middle School 200 W 15th Ave Delano, CA 93215 Phone: (661) 721-3641

Beardsley Junior High School 1001 Roberts Ln Bakersfield, CA 93308 Phone: (661) 392-9254

Cesar E. Chavez Elementary School 4201 Mesa Marin Dr Bakersfield, CA 93306 Phone: (661) 631-5870

Almondale Elementary School 10510 Chippewa St Bakersfield, CA 93312 Phone: (661) 588-6060

Belridge Elementary School 19447 Wagon Wheel Rd McKittrick, CA 93251 Phone: (661) 762-7381

Chipman Junior High School 2905 Eissler St Bakersfield, CA 93306 Phone: (661) 631-5210

American Elementary School 800 Verdugo Bakersfield, CA 93312 Phone: (661) 587-2277

Bessie E. Owens Primary 815 Potomac Ave Bakersfield, CA 93307 Phone: (661) 631-5420

For more information about Kern County schools visit

Arvin High School 900 Varsity Rd Arvin, CA 93203 Phone: (661) 854-5561

Bill L. Williams Elementary School 5601 Harris Rd Bakersfield, CA 93313 Phone: (661) 837-8070

PublicSchoolReview.com

KernCounty, CA

INFO, HISTORY, & DEMOGRAPHICS KERN INFO & HISTORY

Kern County is a county located in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2010 census, the population was 839,631. Its county seat is Bakersfield. Kern County comprises the Bakersfield, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area. The county spans the southern end of the Central Valley. Covering 8,161.42 square miles (21,138.0 km2), it ranges west to the southern slope of the Coast Ranges, and east beyond the southern slope of the eastern Sierra Nevada into the Mojave Desert, at the city of Ridgecrest. Its northernmost city is Delanoand its southern reach expands just beyond Lebec to the Grapevine and the northern tip of the parallel Antelope Valley. The county derives its name from the Kern River, which was named for Edward Kern, cartographer for General John C. Frémont’s 1845 expedition, which crossed Walker Pass. The Kern River was originally named Rio Bravo de San Felipe by Father Francisco Garces when he explored the area in 1776. The county’s economy is heavily linked to agriculture and to petroleum extraction. There is also a strong aviation, space, and military presence, such as Edwards Air Force Base, the China Lake Naval Air Weapons Station, and the Mojave Air and Space Port. It is one of the fastest growing areas in the United States in terms of population growth, and suffers from significant water supply issues and poor air quality. Kern is a strongly Republican county in Presidential and congressional elections. The last Democratic candidate for President to win a majority in the county was Lyndon Johnson in 1964. In the United States House of Representatives, Kern County is split between California’s 21st congressional district, represented by Republican David Valadao, and California’s 23rd congressional district, represented by Republican Kevin McCarthy. The area was claimed by the Spanish in 1769, and in 1772 Commander Don Pedro Fages became the first European to enter it, from the south by way of the Grapevine Canyon. Kern County was the site of the Battle of San Emigdio, in March 1824, between the Chumash Indians of the Santa Barbara Mission who

rebelled against the Mexican governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s taking over mission property and ejecting the natives. This battle with Mexican forces from Monterey under the command of Carlos Carrillo took place at the canyon where San Emigdio Creek flows down San Emigdio Mountain and the Blue Ridge south of Bakersfield near todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Highway 166. It was a low-casualty encounter, with only four Indians killed, and no Mexicans; the surviving Indians were pacified and brought back to Santa Barbara in June 1824 after a pursuit and negotiation in which many were allowed to keep their arms for the return march over the mountains. In the beginning, the area that became Kern County was dominated by mining in the mountains and in the desert. In 1855 an attempt to form a county in the area was made when the California legislature took the southeastern territory of Tulare County on the west of the Sierra Nevada Mountains for Buena Vista County, but it was never officially organized prior to 1859, when the time of the enabling legislation ran out. The south of Tulare County was later organized as Kern County in 1866, with additions from Los Angeles and San Bernardino Counties. Its first county seat was in the mining town of Havilah, in the mountains between Bakersfield and Tehachapi. The flatlands were considered inhospitable and impassable at the time due to swamps, lakes, tule reeds and diseases such as malaria. This changed when settlers started draining lands for farming and constructing canals, most dug by hand by hired Chinese laborers. Within 10 years the valley surpassed the mining areas as the economic center of the county, and the county seat was moved as a result from Havilah to Bakersfield in 1874. The discovery well of the Kern River Oil Field was dug by hand in 1899. Soon the towns of Oil City, Oil Center and Oildale came into existence.

KERN DEMOGRAPHICS

The 2010 United States Census reported that Kern County had a population of 839,631. The racial makeup of Kern County was 499,766 (59.5%) White, 48,921 (5.8%) African American, 12,676 (1.5%) Native American, 34,846 (4.2%) Asian, 1,252 (0.1%) Pacific Islander, 204,314 (24.3%) from other races, and 37,856 (4.5%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 413,033 persons (49.2%); 43.4% of Kern County residents are of Mexican heritage, 1.0% Salvadoran, 0.5% Colombian, and 0.4% Guatemalan.

RECYCLING MATTERS

RECYCLING NEAR YOU Joey Recycling Center 2101 White Ln, Bakersfield, CA 93304 Phone: (661) 834-9933

FACTS ABOUT RECYCLING •

Currently less than 35% of households and less than 10% of businesses in the U.S. recycle. (EPA 2011)

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Those levels have barely improved in 15 years despite billions of dollars spent on competitions, symposiums, awareness campaigns and sorting technologies.

SA Recycling 2000 E Brundage Ln, Bakersfield, CA 93307 Phone: (661) 327-3559

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The experience at the bin needs to be improved for the general public, which is why we have introduced society-wide standardized labels.

C & J Recycling 3030 Brundage Ln, Bakersfield, CA 93307 Phone: (661) 558-0091

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If the US recycling levels can reach 75% it will be the environmental benefit of removing 50 million cars from the road each year and it will generate 1.5 million new jobs. Improving and increasing recycling is one of the greatest opportunities for our environment, our natural resources, and our economy!

New World Recycling Center 3301 Jewett Ave, Bakersfield, CA 93301 Phone: (661) 325-3508

Midway Recycling 7200 Downing Ave, Bakersfield, CA 93307 Phone: (661) 589-5712

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EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE Kern County, California

Edwards Air Force Base (AFB) (IATA: EDW, ICAO: KEDW, FAA LID: EDW) is a United States Air Force installation in southern California, located approximately 22 miles (35 km) northeast of Lancaster and 15 miles (24 km) east of Rosamond. It is the home of the Air Force Flight Test Center and is the Air Force Materiel Command center of excellence for conducting and supporting research and development of flight, as well as testing and evaluation of aerospace systems from concept to combat. It operates the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School and is home to NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center and considerable test activities conducted by America’s commercial aerospace industry.

OVERVIEW

Previously known as Muroc Air Force Base, Edwards AFB is named in honor of Captain Glen Edwards (1918– 1948). During World War II, he flew 50 missions in A-20 Havoc light attack bombers in the North African campaign on extremely hazardous, low-level missions against German tanks, convoys, troop concentrations, bridges, airfields, and a variety of other tactical targets. Edwards became a test pilot in 1943 and spent much of his time at Muroc Army Air Field, on California’s high desert, testing wide varieties of experimental prototype aircraft. He died in the crash of a Northrop YB-49 flying wing near Muroc AFB on 5 June 1948. The base is next to Rogers Dry Lake, an endorheic desert salt pan whose hard dry lake surface provides a natural extension to Edwards’ runways. This large landing area, combined with excellent year-round weather, makes the base good for flight testing. The lake is a National Historic Landmark. The base has played a significant role in the development of virtually every aircraft to enter the Air Force inventory since World War II. Almost every United States military aircraft since the 1950s has been at least partially tested at Edwards, and it has been the site of many aviation breakthroughs. Notable occurrences at Edwards include Chuck Yeager’s flight that broke the sound barrier in the Bell X-1,

test flights of the North American X-15, the first landings of the Space Shuttle, and the 1986 around-the-world flight of the Rutan Voyager. Airplanes from Edwards AFB provided the flyovers at many outdoor sporting events in Los Angeles County, including the 1980 Major League Baseball All-Star Game, many World Series games at Dodger Stadium, and the missing man formation after the National Anthem at Super Bowls at the Rose Bowl in nearby Pasadena: XIV, XXI, and XXVII, sung by Cheryl Ladd, Neil Diamond, and Garth Brooks, respectively. The base’s five-man color guard has accompanied presentations of the National Anthem by a who’s who of recording artists at these and other major sporting events in Los Angeles County, including the 1984 Summer Olympics opening and closing ceremonies, many NBA Finals games, two Stanley Cup Finals, two National Hockey League All-Star Games, and three NBA All-Star Games, most notably accompanying Marvin Gaye’s performance at the 1983 game in Inglewood, California.

HISTORY

A water stop on the Southern Pacific Railroad since 1876, the site was largely unsettled until the early 20th century. In 1910, Ralph, Clifford and Effie Corum built a homestead on the edge of Rogers Lake. The Corums proved instrumental in attracting other settlers and building infrastructure in the area, and when a post office was commissioned for the area, they named it Muroc, a reversal of the Corum name, because there was already a town named Coram. Conscious that March Field was located in an area of increasing growth in Riverside County, and with the need for bombing and gunnery ranges for his units, base and 1st Wing commander Lieutenant Colonel Henry H. “Hap” Arnold began the process of acquiring land next to Muroc Dry Lake for a

new bombing range away from populated areas in August 1932; the last tract was not acquired until 1939. The facility established to support the range, initially called “Mohave Field” for the nearby community of Mohave, was Muroc Field. In October 1935, five men under a Sergeant Folgleman were sent to the area from March Field. They pitched tents and then put out circular bombing targets in the desert. For the next two years aircraft shuttled back and forth between Muroc Dry Lake and March Field for Crew Bombing Practice. At this time, another colorful character in Edwards’ history, Pancho Barnes, built her renowned Rancho Oro Verde Fly-Inn Dude Ranch that would be the scene of many parties and celebrations to come. The dry lake was a hive of hot rodding, with racing on the playa. The runway on which the Space Shuttle landed follows the route that hosted racing in the 1930s. The first major aerial activity occurred at Muroc in 1937 when the entire Army Air Corps participated in a largescale maneuver. From then on, the bombing range grew in size.When Arnold became Chief of the Air Corps in 1938, the service was given a renewed focus on research and development. Muroc Field drew attention, because the nearby dry lake was so flat (Arnold described it as “level as a billiard table”) that it could serve as a giant runway, ideal for flight testing. Over US$120 million was spent to develop the base in the 1940s and expand it to 301,000 acres (470 sq mi; 1,220 km2). The base’s main 15,000-foot (4,600 m) runway was completed in a single pour of concrete. World War II: On the afternoon of the Attack on Pearl Harbor (7 December 1941), the 41st Bombardment Group and the 6th Reconnaissance Squadron moved to Muroc from Davis-Monthan Army Airfield, Arizona with a collection of B-18 Bolos, an A-29 Hudson and B-25 Mitchells. Then on Christmas Eve, the 30th Bombardment Group and the 2d Reconnaissance Squadron also arrived from New Orleans Army Airbase, Louisiana for crew training. Designation of the Muroc Bombing and Gunnery Range, Muroc Lake, California, as a separate post (Exempted Status) took place on 23 July 1942. The name of the facility at the time was “Army Air Base, Muroc Lake”. In July 1942, Muroc Army Airfield became a separate airfield from March Field and was placed under the jurisdiction of Fourth Air Force. Throughout the war years, the primary mission at Muroc was to provide final combat training for bomber and

Bell P-59A (S/N 44-22609, the first United States jet fighter) and a P-63 Kingcobra (S/N 42-69417) in flight, 1944.

fighter aircrews just prior to overseas deployment. Known sub-bases and auxiliaries to Muroc AAF were: • Bishop Army Airfield 37°22′23″N 118°21′49″W • Blythe Army Airfield 33°37′09″N 114°43′00″W • Palmdale Army Airfield 33°37′46″N 118°05′04″W • Desert Center Army Airfield 33°44′52″N 115°19′31″W • Gary Army Airfield 33°40′45″N 114°38′36″W The initial use for Muroc was IV Bomber Command Operational Unit training. The B-25 Mitchell 41st and 30th Bombardment Groups and the A-20 Havoc 47th Bombardment Groups trained at the station in early 1942. The training provided newly graduated pilots eight to twelve weeks of training as a team using the same aircraft they would use in combat. The training mission was transferred to IV Fighter Command, with P-38 Lightning OTU training for the 78th and 81st Fighter Groups during 1942. The 360th Fighter Group and 382d Bombardment Groups were assigned permanently to Muroc in 1943 for P-38 Lightning and B-24 Liberator Replacement Training (RTU) of personnel. With the arrival of the Bell Aircraft P-59 Airacomet jet fighter, the Mojave Desert station was chosen as a secluded site for testing this super secret airplane. The first XP-59 arrived on 21 September 1942, ground tests were underway five days later, and a first flight accomplished on 30 September when the XP-59 rose to ten feet altitude for one-half mile during taxi testing. However, the first official flight was 1 October 1942 with NACA, Navy Bureau of Aeronautics, Royal Air Force, Army, Bell and General Electric personnel on hand. Additional World War II test flights included the Northrop JB-1 Bat. In the spring of 1942, however, the immense volume

Chuck Yeager next to experimental aircraft Bell X-1 #1, Glamorous Glennis, 1947

of flight test already being conducted at Wright Field, in Ohio, was one of the factors driving a search for a new site where a “Top Secret” airplane could undergo tests. The highly classified nature of the aircraft compelled program officials to find an isolated site “away from prying eyes.” The urgent need to complete the program without delay dictated a location with good, year-round flying weather, and the risks inherent in the radical new technology to be demonstrated on the aircraft dictated a spacious landing field. After examining a number of locations around the country, they selected a site along the north shore of the enormous, flat surface of Rogers Dry Lake about six miles away from the training base at Muroc. The aircraft was America’s first jet, the Bell XP-59A Airacomet. As with virtually all of the test programs conducted during the war years, most of the actual flight test work on the P-59 was conducted by the contractor. Although Army Air Forces (AAF) pilots flew the aircraft from time to time, and flight test engineers from Wright Field reviewed the data, the formal preliminary military test and evaluation program did not commence until the Fall of 1943, a year after the first flight. Designed to validate the contractor’s reports, this preliminary evaluation consisted of a very limited number of flights and was essentially completed within a month. Formal operational suitability and accelerated service tests did not get underway until 1944, well after the AAF had decided that the airplane would not be suitable for combat operations and would, instead, be relegated to a training role. The P-59s were tested at Muroc from October 1942 through February 1944 without a single accident and, though the aircraft did not prove to be combat worthy, the successful

conduct of its test program, combined with the success of the Lockheed XP-80 program which followed it in early 1944, sealed the future destiny of the remote high desert installation. Muroc would thenceforth become synonymous with the cutting edge of the turbojet revolution in America. Aircraft testing continued at this desert “Army Air Base”, then on 8 November 1943, the base title was changed to “Muroc Army Air Field, Muroc.”. In the fall of 1944, Eighth Air Force ran tests to determine how well conventional fighters stood up against jets. The results were obvious. Also, in October 1944, a small detachment arrived at the base for experimental work in rocket firing and achieved much success that they remained though most of 1945. Postwar Era: With the end of the war, Fourth Air Force relinquished command of Muroc Army Airfield on 16 October 1945 and jurisdiction was transferred to Air Technical Service Command, becoming Air Materiel Command in 1946. Test work on the Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star was the primary mission of the base for the greater part of the fall of 1945.The Consolidated Vultee XP-81 single seat, long range escort fighter and Republic XP-84 Thunderjet fighter arrived at the base in early 1946 for flight testing. It was obvious even at this embryonic stage of base development that the Army Air Force desert station was destined to become a proving ground for aircraft and a testing site for experimental airplanes. The success of these programs attracted a new type of research activity to the base in late 1946. The rocket-powered Bell X-1 was the first in a long series of experimental airplanes designed to prove or disprove aeronautical concepts—to probe the most challenging unknowns of flight and solve its mysteries.Further evidence of things to come was experienced on 14 October 1947 when Captain. Charles “Chuck” Yeager flew the small bullet-shaped airplane to become the first human to exceed the speed of sound. Four months later, on 10 February 1948, Muroc AAF was re-designated Muroc Air Force Base with the establishment of the United States Air Force as a separate military service. Units attached or assigned to the base at the time were the 4144th Army Air Force Base Unit, the 3208th Strategic Bomb Test Squadron along with communications and weather detachments. On 20 August 1948, the 4144th Air Force Base Unit was re-designated as the 2759th AF Base Unit and with the adoption of the Hobson Plan, as the 2759th Experimental Wing. With the X-1, flight testing at Muroc began to assume

Cold War: North American X-15A (56-6671) with test pilots, Edwards AFB, California. Number 6671 was extensively damaged during emergency landing at Edwards AFB on 9 November 1962 with John McKay at the controls. Later modified as X-15A-2 - Now on display at WPAFB Museum.

Northrop YB-49 taking off for the first time on 21 October 1947

two distinct identities. Highly experimental research programs— such as the X-3, X-4, X-5 and XF-92A—were typically flown in conjunction with the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, or NACA, and were conducted in a methodical fashion to answer largely theoretical questions. Then, as now, the great bulk of flight testing at Muroc focused on evaluations of the capabilities of aircraft and systems proposed for the operational inventory. In December 1949, Muroc was renamed Edwards Air Force Base in honor of Captain Glen Edwards, who was killed a year earlier in the crash of the Northrop YB-49 Flying Wing. From the time Edwards Air Force Base was named, speed and altitude records began to pile up as new aircraft were developed and the base started to build and branch out significantly. A major reason for the growth of Edwards AFB was the nearness of West Coast aircraft manufacturers. However, another major reason was the decision in 1947 to build a missile test facility on the base. The need for a static missile faculty to test high-thrust missile rocket engines was first envisioned in 1946 by the Power Plant Laboratory at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. It was that decision that such a facility should be government-owned to prevent a single contractor exclusive advantages on Air Force contracts for high-thrust missile rocket power plants, and it would eliminate duplication of like facilities by different manufacturers. The choice of location in 1947 was the Leuhman Ridge east of Rogers Dry Lake on Edwards AFB. Construction began in November 1949 on what was to become the Experimental Rocket Engine Test Station.

Jurisdiction of Edwards AFB was transferred from Air Materiel Command on 2 April 1951 to the newly created Air Research and Development Command. Activation of the Air Force Flight Test Center (AFFTC) followed on 25 June 1951. Units designated and assigned to the Center at the time of activation were the 6510th Air Base Wing for station support units. The test flying units at Edwards were assigned directly to the AFFTC . That same year, the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School moved to Edwards from Wright Field, Ohio. Its curriculum focused on the traditional field of performance testing and the relatively new field of stability and control, which had suddenly assumed critical importance with the dramatic increases in speed offered by the new turbojets. As the decade opened, the first-generation X-1 reached Mach 1.45 (957 mph) and a 71,902-foot altitude, representing the edge of the envelope. The D-558-II Douglas Skyrocket soon surpassed these marks. In 1951, Douglas test pilot Bill Bridgeman flew the skyrocket to a top speed of Mach 1.88 (1,180 mph) and a peak altitude of 74,494 feet. Then, in 1953, Marine test pilot Lt. Col. Marion Carl flew the same plane to an altitude of 83,235 feet. On 20 November 1951, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics’ Scott Crossfield became the first man to reach Mach 2 as he piloted the Skyrocket to a speed of Mach 2.005 (1,291 mph). Less than a month later, Maj. Chuck Yeager topped this record as he piloted the second-generation Bell X-1A to a top speed of Mach 2.44 (1,650 mph) and, just nine months later, Maj. Arthur “Kit” Murray flew the same airplane to a new altitude record of 90,440 feet. These records stood for less than three years. In September 1956, Capt. Iven Kincheloe became the first man to soar above 100,000 feet, as he piloted the Bell X-2 to a then-remarkable altitude of 126,200 feet. Flying the same airplane just weeks later on 27 September, Capt. Mel Apt became the first to exceed Mach 3, accelerating to a speed of Mach 3.2 (2,094 mph). His moment of glory was tragically brief, however. Just seconds after attaining top speed, the X-2 tumbled violently out of control and Apt was never able to recover. With the loss of the X-2, the search for many of the

answers to the riddles of high-Mach flight had to be postponed until the arrival of the most ambitious of the rocket planes—the North American X-15. McDonnell Douglas F-15A-1-MC Eagle (71-0280) (also known as YF-15A, first F-15 manufactured) preparing to make its historic first flight on 27 July 1972 at Edwards AFB, CA with the 6512th Test Squadron. This a/c was later used for exploring the F-15’s flight envelope, handling qualities and external stores carriage capabilities. Meanwhile, the turbojet revolution had reached a high plateau at Edwards. By the time the base was officially designated the Air Force Flight Test Center in June 1951, more than 40 different types of aircraft had first taken flight at the base and the nation’s first generation of jet-powered combat airplanes had already completed development. One of them, the North American F-86 Sabre, was dominating the skies over Korea. The promise of the turbojet revolution and the supersonic breakthrough were realized in the 1950s, as the Center tested and developed the first generation of true supersonic fighters—the famed “Century Series” F-100 Super Sabre, F-101 Voodoo, F-102 Delta Dagger, F-104 Starfighter, F-105 Thunderchief and F-106 Delta Dart), and, in the process, defined the basic speed and altitude envelopes for fighter aircraft that still prevail to this day. The Center also played a pivotal role in the development of systems that would provide the nation with true intercontinental power projection capabilities as it tested aircraft such as the B-52 Stratofortress, C-133 Cargomaster and KC-135 Stratotanker, as well as the YC-130 Hercules which served as the basis for a classic series of tactical transports that would continue in frontline service until well into the 21st century. It also supported the development of the extremely high-altitude and long-range Lockheed U-2 and the dazzling ultra-performance capabilities of the B-58 Hustler, the world’s first Mach 2 bomber. Throughout the 1950s, American airplanes regularly broke absolute speed and altitude records at Edwards, but nothing compared with the arrival of the North American X-15 in 1961. The program got underway in earnest in 1961 when Maj. Robert M. “Bob” White became the first man to exceed Mach 4, as he accelerated to 2,905 mph (Mach 4.43) on 7 March. He claimed Mach 5 just three months later when he pegged a speed of 3,603 mph (Mach 5.27) on 23 June and then, during the X-15’s first full-powered flight on 9 November, he exceeded Mach 6, as he flew to a speed of 4,094 mph (Mach 6.04). Major White also became the first man to fly an

airplane in space when he climbed to 314,750 feet on 17 July 1962. NASA’s Joe Walker flew the airplane to its peak altitude of 354,200 feet (67 miles) on 22 August 1963 and Maj. William J. “Pete” Knight reached Mach 6.72 (4,520 mph) in the modified X-15A-2 on 3 October 1967, a speed that remains to this day the highest ever attained in an airplane. In addition to the X-15 Program, AFFTC and NASA also teamed up to explore a new concept called “lifting reentry” with a series of wingless lifting body aircraft. These rocket powered-vehicles—the M2-F2, M2-F3, HL-10, X-24A and X-24B—paved the way for the Space Shuttle and future spaceplane designs when they demonstrated that they could make precision landings after high-speed gliding descents from high altitude. The major aircraft systems that were tested and developed during the 1960s, the T-38 Talon, B-52H Stratofortress, F-4 and RF-4 Phantom II, the F-111 and FB-111, C-141 Starlifter and C-5 Galaxy all became mainstays in the USAF operational inventory. Another aircraft gained world fame in the late 1960s at Edwards: the Lockheed YF-12A, a precursor to the SR-71 Blackbird, shattered nine records in one day of testing at Edwards. The SR-71’s full capabilities remain classified, but the records set on 1 May 1965 included a sustained speed of 2,070 miles per hour (3,330 km/h) and an altitude of 80,257 feet (15 mi; 24 km). YF-16 and YF-17 in flight during their competitive fly-off, 1974. Over 4,000 production F-16s were built after the competition. The YF-17 was the basis for the highly successful United States Navy F/A-18 Hornet.

YF-16 and YF-17 in flight during their competitive fly-off, 1974.

The history of Bakersfield begins here... On these sacred grounds lie early pioneers, city founders, soldiers of the Civil War on both sides, and the man for whom our city is named. Historic Union Cemetery is more than a memorial park. It is the storybook of the American West.

Park Open Daily: 7:00 am - 6:00 pm HISTORIC UNION CEMETERY 730 E. Potomac Ave. Bakersfield, CA 93307 661.324.9648 www.unioncemetery1872.com

New aircraft types arrived in the 1970s: The F-15 Eagle with its advanced engine and fire-control system; the single-engine F-16 Fighting Falcon with its revolutionary, “fly-by-wire” flight control system; and the B-1 Lancer with its multitude of highly sophisticated offensive and defensive systems. These planes more than bore out the prophecy concerning the ever-increasing importance of systems testing and integration. Moreover, another major new element of complexity was soon introduced into the flight test process. At a remote location in 1978 and 1979, an AFFTC test pilot and a pair of flight test engineers were engaged in proof-of-concept testing with Lockheed’s “low-observable” technology demonstrator, dubbed “Have Blue.” The successful conduct of these tests led immediately to the development of a new subsonic attack aircraft that was designated the F-117A Nighthawk. The capabilities of existing aircraft such as the F-15 and F-16 have been continually refined and expanded, even as totally new aircraft and systems incorporating radical new technologies are developed for future operational use. The dual-role F-15E, for example, was developed in the 1980s and went on to demonstrate truly remarkable combat effectiveness in the Persian Gulf conflict of the early 90s. The Low Altitude Navigation and Targeting Infrared for Night, or LANTIRN, system revolutionized air-to-ground combat operations during the same conflict by denying opposing forces the once comforting sanctuary of night. The late 1980s also witnessed the arrival of the first giant flying wing to soar over the base in nearly 40 years. The thin silhouette, compound curves and other low-observable characteristics of the B-2 Spirit bomber represented third-generation stealth technology, following the SR-71 and F-117. The 1980s also saw Edwards host a demonstration of America’s space warfare capabilities as a highly modified F-15 Eagle launched an ASM-135 anti-satellite missile at the dead P78-1 (or Solwind) satellite and destroyed it. In 1986, Dick Rutan and Jeana Yeager launched from Edwards to set a new aviation record by piloting the first non-stop, aroundthe-world flight on a single tank of fuel in the Rutan Voyager. Extensive aviation research was also conducted on the ground at Edwards. Two rocket sled tracks pioneered important developments and research for the Air Force. The

first 2,000-foot (610 m) foot track was built by Northrop in 1944 near what is currently the North Base. Originally intended to help develop a V-1 flying-bomb-style weapon that never left the drawing board, the track found use after the war as a test area for V-2 rockets captured from Nazi Germany in Operation Paperclip. Later, Lt. Col. John Stapp appropriated the track for his MX981 project and installed what was believed to be one of the most powerful mechanical braking systems ever constructed. His deceleration tests led the press to nickname him the “fastest man on earth” and the “bravest man in the Air Force.” The results from the first track prompted the Air Force to build a second in 1948. Located just south of Rogers Lake, the 10,000-foot (3,000 m) track was capable of supersonic speeds. Its first project was the development of the SM-62 Snark cruise missile. This track was so successful that an extension was constructed, and on 13 May 1959, the full 20,000-foot (6,100 m) track was opened. After the Navy had conducted research on the UGM-27 Polaris ballistic missile, the track was used to develop ejection seats that could be used at supersonic speeds. Though this program was a success, a budgetary review concluded that the track was too expensive to maintain and the track was decommissioned on 24 May 1963. Before it was closed, a trial run set a world speed record of Mach 3.3 before the test car broke up. After it closed, the rails were pulled up to help straighten Lancaster Boulevard. Space Shuttle Endeavour atop the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft taking off from Edwards AFB after the STS-126 mission, 9 December 2008. For a complete list of Space Shuttle landing locations, see: List of space shuttle missions. After President Richard M. Nixon announced the Space Shuttle program on January 5, 1972, Edwards was chosen for Space Shuttle orbiter testing. The prototype Space Shuttle Enterprise was carried to altitude by the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) and released. In all, 13 test flights were conducted with the Enterprise and the SCA to determine their flight characteristics and handling. After Space Shuttle Columbia became the first shuttle launched into orbit on April 12, 1981, it returned to Edwards for landing. The airbase’s immense lakebeds and its proximity to Plant 42, where the shuttle was serviced before relaunch, were important factors in its selection and it continued to serve as the primary landing area for the space shuttle until

1991. After that time, Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida was favored. This saved the considerable cost of transporting the shuttle from California back to Florida, but Edwards AFB and White Sands Space Harbor continued to serve as backups for the duration of the shuttle program. Shuttles landed at Edwards as recently as August 9, 2005 (STS-114), June 22, 2007 (STS-117), November 30, 2008 (STS-126), May 24, 2009 (STS-125), and September 11, 2009 (STS-128) due to rain and ceiling events at the KSC Shuttle Landing Facility. STS-126 was the only mission to land on temporary runway 04 at Edwards, as the refurbished main runway was operational from STS-119 through to the retirement of the shuttles. Into the 1990s: The end of the Cold War was marked by the arrival of the YF-22A and the YF-23A. The two prototype fighters were the first airplanes to blend stealth with agility and high-speed, supersonic cruise capability. The YF-22A was selected to become the Air Force’s new advanced tactical fighter after a brief demonstration and validation risk reduction flight test program. Now named the Raptor, the F-22A continues to undergo test and evaluation at Edwards. A new group of research projects came to Edwards in the 1990s. Global Hawk, an unmanned aerial vehicle that has been used extensively in Afghanistan and Iraq, made its first flight at Edwards in February 1998. The X-24, X-33, X-34, X-36 and X-38, a series of new lifting bodies, technology demonstrators and half-scale models were tested here by NASA during the decade. The new millennium brought new projects with worldwide impact. The X-35A and X-32A, competing models for the Joint Strike Fighter program, made their first flights in September and October 2000. The X-35A won the competition in 2001 and will eventually be built in various versions for America’s flying armed services and for foreign air forces as well. Also new are the RQ-4 Global Hawk, YAL-1 Airborne Laser, the B-52 synthetic fuel program, the C-17 Globemaster III, and many prototype unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Edwards is among the few U.S. military bases to have gained jobs since the Cold War. Under the DoD’s Base Realignment and Closure process, several smaller bases have been decommissioned, and their facilities and responsibilities have been sent to Edwards, China Lake, and other large bases. For example, Marine Aircraft Group 46, Detachment Bravo, two heavy lift helicopter squadrons, were assigned to Edwards after the May 1999 closing of Marine Corps Air

Station El Toro. During 2012, the 95th Air Base Wing, the former base support unit at Edwards was inactivated and consolidated into the 412th Test Wing as part of the Air Force Flight Test Center transitioning into the Air Force Test Center. The five-Center consolidation not only better integrates the workforce, but saves taxpayers approximately $109 million annually.

NEARBY BASES

Another element of Edwards’ success has been its proximity to other U.S. military bases. Edwards is close to Los Angeles, but it is also only a short flight south from Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, Nellis Air Force Base, and Groom Lake, within Area 51. Very secret aircraft developed at Edwards or other bases can easily and secretly be flown to a nearby base on moonless nights for maintenance or testing. United States Air Force Plant 42 and other defense research facilities in Palmdale are only a few miles south west of Edwards. The site of Lockheed Martin’s famous Skunk Works, Plant 42 contains Boeing and Northrop Grumman aircraft manufacturing facilities as well. New, top-secret planes are often built at Plant 42 and then flown to the Main Base for secret nighttime testing. Edwards’ proximity to other bases has led to the establishment of the jointly-administered R-2508 Special Use Airspace Complex. Containing Edwards, the Navy’s China Lake and the Army’s Fort Irwin bases, and a large amount of land in between, R-2508 is completely restricted above FL200 for military use, and in some areas is restricted to the ground. The Department of Defense and its branches use this airspace to train pilots, and to test aircraft and weapons. Joint exercises are often conducted here, and sonic booms can be heard regularly.

Prototype YF-22 and YF-23 fighters, 1991

Lancaster Baptist Church

Growing together in Christ Weekly Services Sundays at 8:30 am, 11:00 am, & 5:00 pm Wednesdays at 7:00 pm

For upcoming events and sermons visit

www.lancasterbaptist.org 4020 E. Lancaster Boulevard, Lancaster, CA 93535 | 661.946.4663

O C U N NTY R E K

COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES California Living Museum (CALM) CALM is a 14-acre zoo and garden and our beautiful grounds have an abundance of picnic areas as well as a children’s playground. We are open seven days a week to better serve our visitors. Our annual events include Spring Fling, CALM’s Birthday Bash, Ice Cream Zoofari, Boo-at-the-Zoo, Twilight at CALM and Holiday Lights at CALM. We also offer Kids Free Day (the last Saturday of the month) and Senior Discovery Day (every Monday). Most recently, the Beastly Ball returned to CALM. Every year, thousands of school children visit this facility and learn about the nature that surrounds them. CALM 10500 Alfred Harrell Hwy Bakersfield, CA 93306 Phone: (661) 872-2256

For more information visit: www.calmzoo.org

Camelot Park With tons of entertainment to choose from for your entire family, Camelot Park offers something for the kid in all of us, including miniature golf, go-karts, arcade, batting cages, and more! Camelot Park is the ideal location for birthday parties, family group events, or just an afternoon of fun. Camelot Park 1251 Oak St Bakersfield, CA 93304 Phone: (661) 859-1812

For more information visit: www.camelotparkbakersfield.com

The Links at Riverlakes Ranch Tucked into the southern end of California’s San Joaquin Valley, Bakersfield is typical Central California--sunny, warm and beautiful year round. Despite the nearby Tehachapi Mountains that separate it from the Los Angeles basin, it’s also quite flat—providing the perfect canvas for course architect, Dale & Ramsey, to paint their masterpiece! The Links at Riverlakes Ranch takes full advantage of its superbly fertile, valley location. In fact the land on which the Links now stands, once supported vegetable and cotton crops which later gave way to almond orchards. What gives The Links At Riverlakes Ranch its unique layout and design is its many undulations in a very flat environment. The Links at Riverlakes Ranch 5201 Riverlakes Dr Bakersfield, CA 93312 Phone: (661) 587-5465

For more information visit: www.riverlakesgc.com

2016

STAYING

SAFE in

Always Lock Your Doors

One of the easiest everyday safety precautions to take is locking your doors. Even if you live in a safe neighborhood and you trust your neighbors, criminals could still target your home. Lock your doors when you are home, as well as when you leave the house. And get in the habit of locking your car doors as well! When I am driving alone, I lock my doors, especially in bigger cities.

Use Your Peephole

When someone knocks on your door, before you answer you should take a look through the peephole. If you don’t recognize the person, and it’s not someone like the mailman or a maintenance man, then it might not be a good idea to open your door. Lots of robberies these days happen by homeowners simply opening their door, only to be forced inside and taken advantage of.

Don’t Pick up Hitchhikers

This goes without saying, but women driving alone are bright red targets for hitchhikers. There’s always the chance that it’s just a misfortunate soul who needs a ride, but why risk it? There will be others who come along, and you need to keep your safety in mind. When you are alone in a car with a stranger, you won’t have anywhere to go or any way to get help should the situation go wrong.

Never Stop to “Help” Children

I know, this tip sounds cruel. But recently, criminals have been employing a new and dirty trick. In secluded areas of the highway or back country roads, they are leaving covered car seats alongside the road. When someone, usually a woman, stops to help the baby, the woman is either abducted or her car stolen. If you notice a small child or a car seat along the roadside, call 911 and do not stop!

Wear Your Seat Belt

You would be surprised at how many lives this simple mechanism in a car could save, yet how many people refuse to wear theirs. Start forming the habit of buckling up no matter how short of a drive you may have. If nothing else, wearing your seat belt will prevent you from getting a ticket in most states!

Have Emergency Supplies on Hand

It’s always a good idea to have an emergency kit on hand. Leave one in your car and one in your house. Ideally, these kits should contain items suited to personal needs and local weather tendencies. A few good basics are water, non-perishable food items, a first aid kit, cell phone charger, a blanket, an extra jacket and pair of shoes, candles, matches, flashlight and batteries, money, and copies of documents you might need in the event that your personal belongings were all lost. Consider diapers and formula if you have a baby, and personal hygiene products as well.

Avoid Dark Parking Lots

This might be hard tip to avoid, depending on where you live or work, but lots of women are attacked or abducted from dark parking lots. If you can’t get around walking through a dark parking lot, carry your car keys in your hand. In the event of an emergency, you can press the panic button on your car remote. This is usually enough to scare a potential attacker away!

Arvin Police Department 200 Campus Dr, Arvin, CA 93203 Phone: (661) 854-3128 Bakersfield Police Department 1601 Truxton Ave, Bakersfield, CA 93301 Phone: (661) 327-7111 California City Police Department 21130 Hacienda Blvd, California, CA 93505 Phone: (760) 373-8606 Delano Police Department 2330 High St, Delano, CA 93215 Phone: (661) 721-3377 Ridgecrest Police Department 100 W California Ave, Ridgecrest, CA 9355 Phone: (760) 499-5000

Take a Self Defense Course

Learning a few basic moves in self-defense could possibly save your life! Most cities should have a place or two that offer self-defense classes, and they shouldn’t be too costly. In the event you should need to use what you learned, the class will have paid for itself!

Learn How to Handle Natural Disasters

Try to gather basic information on what to do when presented with natural disasters, a medical crisis, or even bomb threats. If nothing else, at least learn which natural disasters are likely to occur in your area, and what you should do in the event of one happening. Find out where to go, whom to contact, which items to grab, and how to stay safe until help arrives.

Don’t Panic

Whatever you do, when faced with any kind of danger, emergency, or scary situation, don’t panic. Stay calm and try to use common sense. The situation will more than likely get worse if you freak out. If you must freak out, freak out on the inside, but remain calm on the outside and do what needs to be done.

Bakersfield Fire Department 2101 H St, Bakersfield, CA 93301 Phone: (661) 326-3712 California City Fire Department 20890 Hacienda Blvd, California, CA 93505 Phone: (760) 373-4841 Kern County Fire Department 5642 Victor St, Bakersfield, CA 93308 Phone: (661) 391-7000 Ridgecrest Volunteer Fire Department 139 E Las Flores Ave, Ridgecrest, CA 93555 Phone: (760) 378-3966 Tehachapi City Fire Department 800 S Curry St, Tehachapi, CA 93561 Phone: (661) 324-6551

LOCAL HEALTHCARE KERN

C O U N T Y,

Bakersfield Heart Hospital 3001 Sillect Ave Bakersfield, CA 93308 Phone: (661) 316-6000

Ridgecrest Regional Hospital 1081 North china Lake Blvd Ridgecrest, CA 93555 Phone: (760) 446-3551

Sturz Pediatric Dentistry 9860 Brimhall Rd Bakersfield, CA 93312 Phone: (661) 588-2525

Mercy Hospitals of Bakersfield 2215 Truxton Ave Bakesrfield, CA 93301 Phone: (661) 632-5000

Southern Sierra Medical Clinic 1041 North China Lake Blvd Ridgecrest, CA 93555 Phone: (760) 446-6404

Bakersfield Eye Care Optometric Ctr 11320 Ming Ave, Suite 360 Bakersfield, CA 93311 Phone: (661) 847-9870

San Joaquin Community Hospital 2615 Chester Ave Bakersfield, CA 93301 Phone: (661) 395-3000

Elite Chiropractic 2612 F St Bakersfield, CA 93301 Phone: (661) 873-4151

Premiere Eye Care Optometric Ctr 3911 Coffee Rd Bakersfield, CA 93308 Phone: (661) 588-8222

Bakersfield Memorial Hospital 420 34th St Bakersfield, CA 93301 Phone: (661) 327-4647

Dr. Shukla Pankaj 9900 Stockdale Hwy Bakersfield, CA 93311 Phone: (661) 664-0600

Tecachapi Optometric Center 20131 W Valley Blvd Tehachapi, CA 93561 Phone: (661) 822-6886

Kern Medical Center 1700 Mount Vernon Ave Bakersfield, CA 93306 Phone: (661) 326-2000

Northwest Dental Arts 3015 Calloway Dr Bakersfield, CA 93312 Phone: (661) 588-1147

High Desert Haven 1240 College Heights Blvd Ridgecrest CA 93555 Phone: (760) 371-1989

Mercy Southwest Hospital 400 Old River Rd Bakersfield, CA 93311 Phone: (661) 663-6000

Custom Dental 3409 Calloway Dr Bakersfield, CA 93312 Phone: (661) 387-6577

Villa Gardens LA Sr Health Center 842 East Villa St Pasadena, CA 91101 Phone: (626) 463-5350

FUN FACTS ABOUT EXERCISE

1. Listening to music while exercising can improve your work out performance by 15%! 2. Cardiovascular exercise helps create new brain cells. This improves brain power and brain activity! 3. Exercising increases the production of cells that are responsible for learning and memory! 4. If you run at a 10 minute per mile pace you can burn 104.3 calories per mile! 5. The more muscle mass you have, the more fat your body burns while resting! 6. If you exercise 3 times a week for 45 minutes you can help prevent signs of aging! 7. Having more muscle than fat means you can consume more calories! 8. Exercising on a regular basis helps boost your immune system. This means you’ll get sick less often than people who don’t exercise! 9. Exercising increases the amount of endorphins that are released into your body and increases productivity! 10. Sweat releases dirt through your pores which reduces acne and breakouts. Workouts improve the overall look of your skin. 11. Exercising can help ease your mind and rejuvenate your body. Working out will make you feel great and boost your confidence! 12. If you’re someone who has trouble sleeping or staying asleep then working out is your answer. Exercise helps to clear your head and helps you feel relaxed!

2016 HOROSCOPES

ARIES March 21 - April 19 Your ruler, the rambunctious Mars with a takes-no-prisoners manner, zig zags through the houses of your chart in 2016. He pays special attention to personal growth, love and marriage, and the expansion of philosophy and just regular wandering around. Mars begins the year making direct hits to the house of both one-on-one intimacy, and funds received from other people. He stays on a wild ride through that house for the first eight months of the year with an occasional peek into the house of philosophical thinking. Neptune is his silent partner, bringing a spiritual element to life... a kind of acceptance or “it is what it is” attitude. Jupiter is in the house of the workplace and in this position gives you a sense of purpose, better working conditions, or possibly a new job with increased salary. Since this house is also connected to your health, Jupiter brings you more vitality and physical strength. In September this lucky star moves into the house of marriage and improves on an already blooming love affair or your marriage. If you’re single he has been known to bring that special person to the scene. TAURUS April 20 - May 20 The Fifth House, that place of daring but light-hearted love, creativity, sports, and -- yes -- children, is your key to happiness this upcoming year. The always sultry Taurus has an inner bad boy/bad girl and he or she swims to the surface in 2016, bringing you any number of new and lusty adventures. You’ll be redefining your image, too, with Jupiter in this house, expanding your capacity for love... and that thirst is real. The eternal teacher Saturn is in the Eighth House of intimacy, and it’s cooling off those one-on-one sexy encounters. Now it’s not about sex, it’s about love. Love is in the air all year, Bull, but you will be also dealing with deeper issues. It’s true that our belief system rules our lives, and for you with Uranus in the Twelfth House you are in for an upheaval or reversal in what you believe, as both philosophical and religious ideologies are up for change. With Pluto in the Ninth, some of you may be returning to school, or taking extra academic classes. When these two heavy-hitters, agents of change are in the mix. You are not only ready for change, but celebrating it. GEMINI May 21 - June 20 Mercury, your ruler, runs rampant this year and so do you, Gemini. As the year begins he stops in his tracks and reviews his status, and sets a pattern for your behavior for the upcoming twelve months.This year this occasionally superficial but darling rascal makes his list and checks it twice (that is, moves into retrograde motion) four times instead of the usual three. He is a tad more impulsive than usual but the big news is he is taking on Saturn and actually opposing that stern taskmaster all year. During those times when testing is inevitable, there is no end to the targets: romantic unions, friendship, or career. You’ll get in there and dig deep and this could be one of the most transformative years in decades. You want your way this year and will use any means to achieve that end. With Neptune holding tight to your Tenth House you have decided that your career must have more personal meaning, and look for more authenticity in all areas of your life. The largest star in the heavens, Jupiter, is helping you achieve inner peace in the Fourth House, the place of home and family of origin, and in the Eleventh House, too -- bringing new pals your way, and a possible special love interest. CANCER June 21 - July 22 Cancer, you already know that home, career, and love can present the most crucial of life’s continuing challenges, and this year the cosmos decided you need to review or polish each and every one of these categories. You are bonded to the home more than any of the other signs and there could be that first signal in March when a Lunar Eclipse shines its heavy and bright light on your sanctuary. Although this wild card drops a hint about change on the premises as early as March, it isn’t until September that Jupiter moves into the Fourth House and this actually spells out new happenings are eminent.

With your home life it could range from some minor renovation, to someone moving in, to an actual move. But, wait! Change can only take place in accordance with how much insecurity you can tolerate, which, for you, water baby, is minimal. Cancer does love to be safe and this may just be the year you question the caution you’ve been living with. A big change that feels scary at first can turn out great! Then there’s Uranus in the Tenth House of career, promising more rocking and rolling in the area of your work or your image. The last area to be stirred is Pluto still in the Seventh House of total commitment, hammering away at your love life and asking you to be even more true or faithful. It could be that this year, when Jupiter, Uranus, and Pluto are up at bat and all will whack that ball out of the park, it’s not personal, it’s business, Cancer. Leo July 23 - August 22 Dramatic, generous, and romantic, Leo, you are everyone’s dream date... and 2016 isn’t any different, except that you could be even more giving. Jupiter, the gift giver, could outdo himself this year with the beautifully wrapped baubles given for no particular reason. He’s in the Second House of you-belong-to-me and there is an abundance of intimacy and good feelings. If you have one -- or if you want one -- a love affair emits the glow that films and novels are born from. The majority of the stars hover around the place that signifies your partner zone, and they are flashing a green light with almost any new idea you conjure up. You could be tempted to totally overlook restrictive Saturn in the place of letting the good times roll. He does keep nudging you in the direction of making a commitment to that long-time love, improving your performance on the job, and keeping a watch on finances. It will become harder and harder to ignore his nudges this year, especially with the wildcard eclipses doing their job. They are shining their light on the financial houses and reminding you to keep it all real and not take unnecessary risks. Overall, you couldn’t ask for a better year to expand on both your emotional happiness and your financial future. Virgo August 23 - September 22 The year begins with the largest star in the heavens, Jupiter, in your own sign and in the house of who you are. What could possibly be the result of this position? Expansion of your personality, emphasis on your own personal growth and happiness, and a general “me, me, me” attitude. You are certainly in for one of the best years of your life, Virgo, and in September this gift-giving star moves into the house of finances and you can also look for expansion in the flow of funds. In direct opposition to all this is Neptune in the house of whom it is we love, possibly ready to blind you to reality... and your ruler Mercury is adding to the confusion. This year is more about an inner journey and possibly remembering or wanting to relive a time when love was wild and wicked and you want more of the same. The eclipses in Pisces and Virgo this year shake up the status quo if you let them as they rattle the houses of Me and You. Libra September 23 - October 22 Your ruler Venus is pushing you this year, as she scoots through all of the twelve signs and then some, waking up old dreams, forgotten talents, and stirring new ambition. By mid-October she’s right back where she started in the house of communication along with sometimes prissy Saturn, who behind the scenes is quietly refining your everyday chatter. Venus ends the year in the house of love and December could be that important month that sees you making an important change. Jupiter lends a helping hand and takes the form of an angel whispering in your ear, and you’ll seem to intuitively know all the right words and moves. In September he moves into your own sign of Libra and you enjoy the limelight fully. Jupiter in Libra opens the door to the good life, and lightens up your personal life as well as your relationships -- both personal and professional. This cosmic gift giver is increasing your self-confidence, your sex appeal, and your charm... and it shows, Libra. You’re magnetic this year. Scorpio October 23 - November 21 Always a force to be reckoned with, Scorpio, you aren’t in the mood to settle in any of the areas of your life this upcoming year. Whether it’s your lover’s intentions, career issues, or that shoved under the carpet family secret everyone’s been whispering about for years, with your ruler Pluto in the Third House, you are aiming for clarity. Never really chatty, you do definitely this year adopt a “take no prisoners” attitude surrounding communication. The wily but wise Pluto literally pushes you to shed light on matters that have been buried. Neptune brings a touch of mystery as well as spice to the Fifth House of the light love affair, or the one-night stand. Here, you bring passion and intensity and could turn a short love story into a 500-page novel. Mars, co-ruler of

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