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inside
contents 06.2016
CULTURE M
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Publisher Jeremy Zachary Editor-In-Chief Evan Senn associate Editor Ashley Bennett managing Editor Victoria Banegas
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Photographers Steve Baker, Kristopher Christensen, John Gilhooley, Joel Meaders, Duncan Rolfson
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Art Director Steven Myrdahl
The Next Step Initiative to legalize medical cannabis collectives in Bakersfield drafted by local attorney. Bakersfield Cannalebrity Merle Haggard and Robert Beltran are among the many celebrities who have called Bakersfield home, and love cannabis.
14 By the Numbers
production manager Tommy LaFleur Graphic Designers Tanya Delgadillo, Meilani Darby bakersfield Jon Bookatz sales manager Account Executives Eric Bulls, Kim Cook, Cole Garrison, Gene Gorelik, Teddy Helms, Emily Musser, Beau Odom, Justin Olson, Jim Saunders, Chris Thatcher
departments 12 News Nuggets
Editorial Contributors Benjamin Adams, Sheryll Alexander, Marguerite Arnold, Jake Browne, Cole Garrison, Jasen T. Davis, Alex Distefano, David Downs, Natasha Guimond, Addison Herron-Wheeler, Anthony Herrold, Pamela Jayne, Heather Johnson, Joe Jatcko, David Jenison, Kevin Longrie, Emily Manke, Tyler Markwart, Meital Manzuri, Sandy Moriarty, Madison Ortiz, Denise Pollicella, R. Scott Rappold, Paul Rogers, Joy Shannon, Lanny Swerdlow, Simon Weedn, Zara Zhi
18 Strain Reviews 28 News of the Weird
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general Manager Iris Norsworthy Office Assistant Angelina Thompson director of digital media Brian Gingrich digital media Editor David Edmundson Ctv Contributors Quinn Marie Distribution Manager Cruz Bobadilla
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CULTURE速 Magazine is printed using post-recycled paper.
ON THE COVER: p h o t o c o u r t e s y o f T o t a l Gu i t a r M a g a z i n e
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NEWS
nuggets City and County Officials Unconvinced of Cannabis’ Economic Benefits
Although medical cannabis collectives are technically banned in Bakersfield, Bakersfield Now reports that both the city and Kern County have been collecting sales taxes from these establishments. The California Board of Equalization reports that the Kern County ranked in the top 15 California counties with the most medical cannabis sales in 2014, hitting $5,789,158 in cannabis sales and getting a payout of $54,000 in sales tax. Sadly, this has not changed the perception of city or county officials when it comes to legalizing the plant. “I’m not in the mood to regulate medical marijuana dispensaries, and I would regulate them to zero,” stated Chairman Mick Gleason of the Kern County Board of Supervisors, adding that the costs to regulate cannabis collectives outweighs any gain, as reported by Bakersfield Now.
Springtyme Faire
Tehachapi’s City Council Recently Created a Medical Cannabis Committee In order for the city of Tehachapi to determine if and how it will regulate medical cannabis, the City Council has appointed two of its members to act as a “Medical Marijuana Committee.” The committee, consisting of council members Kim Nixon and Dennis Wahlstrom, will work with city staff to study the effects of medical cannabis regulations and how the city may approach the matter in the future, according to Tehachapi News. When asked exactly what the committee plans on doing to study options for medical cannabis regulations Wahlstrom stated, “That kind of depends on how much leeway we get with it. I’d like to do some workshops. I’d like to hear what everybody says, take four or five hours. It’s an important issue to them.” Nixon also expressed that she would like to obtain input from the public to report back to the council and move on from there. 12
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We live in a time where mass produced objects are easily available and uniqueness and quality is often overlooked. To celebrate handmade arts and crafts, the Springtyme Faire will have over 45 booths of handcrafted goods for guests to choose from. Whether you’re looking for a new painting to hang in your home or a random trinket to add to your collection of curious items, the Springtyme Faire is the perfect place to find unique treasures that are made with love and care by local artists and craftsmen. Other festivities included at this free two-day event are live music and delicious local food. Just in time for Father’s Day, this is an event you may want to attend to find the perfect gift for dad. WHAT: Springtyme Faire. WHEN/WHERE: Sat, June 11-Sun, June 12. 10 pm-5 pm . Railroad Park, 105 Tehachapi Blvd., Tehachapi. INFO: Visit www.galleryngifts. org for additional information.
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NEWS
The number of people, out of 60 applicants, that the state of Hawaii for opening cannabis collectives: (Source: The Inquisitr)
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The highest percentage of THC allowed in cannabis oil products in Alabama as a result of its new (Source: Times Daily medical cannabis law: Newspaper)
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Bakersfield Wing Festival The number of votes, out of 97, that were in favor of passing an Ohio House bill that would legalize medical cannabis: (Source: NBC4)
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The percentage of patients taking part in a study at the University of Alabama that saw “sustained improvement in seizure control” after using cannabis: (Source: Times Free Press)
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Laughs and Drafts
250,000
WHAT: Laughs and Drafts. WHEN/WHERE: Thurs, June 16. Doors open at 7pm . Temblor Brewing Co., 3200 Buck Owens Blvd., Ste 200, Bakersfield. INFO: Visit www.temblorbrewingco.com for more details.
Temblor Brewing Co. has had a number of comedians hit its stage at its Laughs and Drafts events. This event will feature writer, actor and comedian Rick Gutierrez, a San Antonio native who won over the hearts of audiences with his hilarious outlook on family life and marriage. While Gutierrez has a way with a live audience, he has made various television appearances and had major success with his 2014 special I’m Not Mad, I’m Just a Parent. Currently, Gutierrez co-stars in Gabriel Iglesias’
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The number of signatures that advocates supporting New Approach Missouri collected in order to get a cannabis initiative on the ballot in November: (Source: The Missouri Times)
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reality TV show, Fluffy Breaks Even, which aired an episode that highlighted Iglesias’ comedic start in Bakersfield as well as some of the city’s best local eateries. Come out and get in some laughs and drafts at Temblor Brewing Co. with one of the hottest comedians on the scene.
Wings, one of the best finger foods known to mankind, are being celebrated in Bakersfield at the city’s first annual Wing Festival. Savory selections of wings will be available for wing fanatics and will be cooked in a variety of different ways. Smoked, spiced, grilled or sauced, the wings at this event will be like nothing you have ever tried in your lifetime. So, if you’re 21 and over head over to the Bakersfield Wing Festival and treat your taste buds to an array of delicious food and drink. As an added bonus to this already amazing festival, there will be live music, raffles, prizes and more! Don’t miss out and get your tickets today for the tastiest event to hit central California. WHAT: Bakersfield Wing Festival. WHEN/WHERE: Sun, June 26. 1 pm . The Gardens at Mill Creek, 712 19th St., Bakersfield. INFO: Visit bakersfieldwingfest. com for tickets and details.
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REVIEWs
strain Available at: Organic Caregiver Center in Bakersfield.
Glu-Bert When we first got these dense, crystallized, little beauties, we had one of those moments where the light bulb over our heads suddenly clicked on. Upon lighting freshly rolled joint filled with the precious Glu-Bert that the Bakersfield Gas Company provided us, the signature characteristics of Glu-Bert’s parents, Gorilla Glue and Orange Sherbet, made their way to the front of the pack. As the smoke began to fill our lungs, we were hit with a sudden sense of euphoria and clear-mindedness that is familiar with a high grade hybrid. The pungent aroma that filled the air started to sting our nostrils and quickly invigorated us, lasting a good long while—eventually the heady effects left us, but we were still energized and supremely relaxed. The potency of this awesome hybrid is heavy on the sativa effects, inspiring us to get up and get at ‘em—a great euphoria paired well with energy to clean, organize or create. We would definitely smoke the GluBert again, not just to get things done, but for the pure enjoyment of it.
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Big Al's Diablo OG Straight out of the Devil’s stash, this Diablo OG sample from Organic Caregiver Center in Bakersfield has some hybrid effects and potency than is unrivaled. As the effects of Big Al’s Diablo OG began to take hold of our brain, the “munchies” became a life-threatening urge. The hunger-inducing strain made us want to ravage a mini mart in search for anything edible, but the indica effects of this flower kept us grounded enough to hold back, and to sit calmly and watch videos of people being bitten by rattlesnakes while also eating everything in sight. Though this potent strain made it very difficult to keep track of time—hours went by without us noticing—but it also made us forget about our chronic pain and anxiety, which is great. Needless to say, Diablo and his OG are some pretty heavy fellows. We’d save this strain for a time where you just want to stay at home and relax away the day. Don’t let the name fool you, Big Al’s Diablo OG is a very caring and strong friend to have—soon to be a definite staple in our repertoire.
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Available at: the Bakersfield Gas Company in Bakersfield.
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Larry OG This piney, lemon-scented indica made our mind quiet down and calmed our psyche into a meditative state of bliss. With a genetic cross of OG Kush and SFV OG, Larry provides a sense of relaxation, while allowing you to still be productive. Dense and covered in orange hairs, this strain was smooth on the inhale, and a creeper, Larry comforted us like a good friend—relieving worries and pains, and keeping us all warm-and-fuzzy inside. This is a great strain for some Netflix-and-Chill time. Kudos to Rosedale Remedies for their fine flower, Larry OG. The effects made us feel very happy and care-free, with a bit of the traditional OG couch-lock, which resulted in a nap lasting more than a couple hours. Larry OG is a great flower for anyone looking to relieve pain, aches or anxiety, or for anyone with insomnia.
Available at: LEAF in Bakersfield.
Gifted OG Gifted OG might actually be the best gift we’ve received in a long time. Our sample of this amazing gift was from Harborside Express in Southwest Bakersfield. Although the lineage of Gifted OG is unknown, the orange haired and dense nug resembles a classic OG Kush strain. The smell was earthy on two notes—both woody pine and a lighter black pepper spice. While the pine scent was heavy, the taste was smooth with hints of that wonderful terpene forest. The cultivators of this strain did a fantastic job, and the potency and duration of the effects from Gifted were extremely strong. When smoked in a glass water pipe or rolled into a joint, we experienced some sativa energy, with motivation to get up move, while also feeling the body effects of the OG creep in, relaxing all of our muscles and relieving our chronic pain. For seasoned patients, three or four inhales might be just right, but for newbies, we suggest only a couple inhales to start.
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REVIEWs
Available at: Rosedale Remedies in Bakersfield.
Girl Scout Cookies We have been craving cookies since we got word of this Girl Scout Cookie (GSC) sample coming to us. This pristine sample of Girl Scout Cookies from LEAF dispensary in Bakersfield was covered in glistening white trichomes, as if it had been rolled in white sugar. This strain mixture of a few parts OG Kush and a dash of Durban Poison is perfect. The buds we were blessed with smelled of an earthy bitter-sweetness. Out of a glass pipe, with a hemp wick, I was able to release the sweetness from the bitter. Of all the different GSC strains we have tried, this one provided us with the addictive glucose flavoring we crave. Like the freshly baked cookies from my grandmother’s oven, this GSC herb put me in a euphoric state of comfort that is not easily replicated.
Available at: Harborside Express in Bakersfield.
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“It gives the city the framework to implement regulation . . . ”
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Legal Hope on the Horizon
Initiative drafted by local attorney could legalize medical cannabis collectives
Local attorney Phil Ganong
by Victoria Banegas
Since Bakersfield banned cannabis collectives in 2004 there has been an everlasting battle to keep such establishments out of the city—but collectives keep popping up, preventing officials from getting their way. To help the city and the collectives within it from fighting any further, local attorney Phil Ganong has proposed an initiative, titled Medical Cannabis Initiative, that would legalize and regulate medical cannabis collectives in Bakersfield once and for all. Finally, action is being taken by those who support cannabis and hope to create a safe and regulated market within the city. With the initiative, Ganong hopes to replace Bakersfield’s ban with regulations set forth in the Medical Marijuana Regulations and Safety Act (MMRSA), a state law created to promote a more stringent and safe medical cannabis market. “It gives the city the framework to implement regulation,” Ganong said about the initiative. According to Deputy City Attorney Richard Iger, the initiative will require the city to issue local licenses to cannabis collectives which will then qualify the businesses to obtain a state license. Currently, supporters of the initiative are collecting
signatures to get the measure on the ballot for November elections. According to Bakersfield Now, advocates will have to gather 15,400 signatures by the end of this month but plan on presenting the city with 20,000 as they are confident that they will receive support from the city’s residents. Iger stated that if residents decide that they want to legalize medical cannabis in Bakersfield his office would have to conduct an impartial analysis of the initiative. This is a surprising change of events, cannabis advocates in Bakersfield have been rather dormant when it comes to taking action and finding a solution that sits well with city officials. If approved, the initiative will not only create an effective medical cannabis market, it will help bring the city an estimated $500,000 to $1 million in sales tax revenue. It will also give the city’s medical cannabis patients a convenient way to legally obtain their medicine. Because there is currently a moratorium on medical cannabis collectives in Kern County, the Medical Cannabis Initiative will only apply to collectives located in Bakersfield. c
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CANNALEBRITY 2016: Bakersfield Edition Many celebrities all over our country are beginning to look at cashing in on the growing cannabis industry, while entrepreneurs hope the well-known names will help their products stand out in a crowd. Cannabis advocates and supporters in headlines are from all over the place, with major headlines from Los Angeles and New York. But, what about Bakersfield? Well there are plenty of well-known Bakersfieldians in entertainment, but let’s take an inside look at some of the cannabis-supporting famed Bakersfieldians!
One of the most famous Bakersfieldian was Merle Haggard. Haggard was one of the greatest country musicians to walk this earth, playing with the likes of Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson, who he stayed good friends with up until he passed away this past April. Although Haggard was against cannabis back in the late ‘60s he changed his tune after a doctor recommended cannabis as a substitute for his valium addiction. In 2011, CULTURE was lucky enough to sit down and talk with Haggard about his extraordinary life, music and cannabis. “I think the marijuana problem—or I don’t even want to call it a problem—I think marijuana is just over-noticed. It’s what it is. It’s not anything harmful. It can be used as medicine. It’s good for some people,” Haggard told CULTURE. The dreadlocked front man of Korn, Jonathan Davis, was born and raised in
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Bakersfield starting what he thought would be his career as a mortician at a local coroner’s office at the age of 17. Back in 2014, Davis told The Examiner that he turned to cannabis to help with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) that came with working such a grim job at a very young age. Not only did cannabis help Davis overcome his PTSD, it has also helped him deal with anxiety and depression, and allowed him to change his prescription from Xanax and Prozac to cannabis. In his interview with The Examiner, Davis stated “I smoke medical marijuana for my depression and anxiety. I take two hits (of cannabis) before I go to bed, and I haven’t had an anxiety attack in over a year. I’m the happiest I’ve ever been in my life, being off all those chemicals.” Bakersfield native Robert Beltran is an actor best known for his roles as Raoul in Eating Raoul and Commander Chakotay in Star Trek: Voyager. In a 2014 Reddit AMA, Beltran was asked if
any of the cast would imbibe in recreational cannabis at conventions in states like Colorado where the plant is legal and responded, “The abuse of alcohol was rampant on the set. The red eyes at five thirty in the morning I don’t believe were just caused by lack of sleep . . . Colorado is a state of mind.” Helping create the “Bakersfield sound,” Buck Owens is a memorable country singer who produced 21 number one hits on the Billboard Country Music Charts. While Owen’s experiences with cannabis smoking hippies in the ‘60s are mentioned in his book, Buck Owens: The Biography, there is no evidence the singer ever imbibed in the plant himself. Actress Kellie Garner has played a wide range of characters during her career as a young movie actress and can be seen in films like The Aviator, Lars and the Real Girl and Bully—pretty impressive for coming from a humble city like Bakersfield. In 2002,
Bully won “Best Psychedelic Scene” at the 2002 High Times Stoney Awards. Giving Garner a cannabis-related accomplishment to add to her resume. Another Hollywood hitter hailing from Bakersfield is stunt man Derek Mears. Although Mears has appeared in films like the 2010 reboot of Predators and The Hills Have Eyes 2, his most prized role to date is that of Jason Voorhees in the 2009 remake of Friday the 13th. In this film, a group of teenagers search the woods for a hidden patch of cannabis plants but are met with the villainous wrath of Jason, a role that earned Mears a nomination for “Best Villain” at the 2009 MTV Movie Awards. Actor Brandon Cruz has done a number of projects since the days of T.V. series The Courtship of Eddies Father, including a cooking/talk show that included Tommy Chong as the special guest in its pilot episode. In this show Cruz and Chong talk of many things including special brownies and cookies. c
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Chuck Shepherd's
News of the
Weird
LEAD STORY–THE INTERNET’S PROMISE FULFILLED (FOR MEN, ANYWAY) u Japan’s Tenga toy company appears to be first on the market with a virtual reality bodysuit (for use with the Oculus Rift “Sexy Beach Premium Resort” 3-D game) containing a genital stimulator and the sensation of “groping” breasts–sending “impulses all over the wearer’s body to make it feel like another human being is touching them,” according to one reviewer (who expressed dismay that the bodysuit might put sex workers out of business). Said Tenga’s CEO, “In the future, the virtual real will become more real than actual real sex.” Because of societal pressures, women are expected to be a lessrobust market for the device than men. GROWN-UPS u In March, one District of Columbia government administrative law judge was charged with misdemeanor assault on another. Judge Sharon Goodie said she wanted to give Judge Joan Davenport some files, but Davenport, in her office, would not answer the door. Goodie said once the door finally opened, an enraged Davenport allegedly “lunged” at her, “aiming” her thrust at Goodie’s neck. u Tennessee state Rep. Jeremy Durham has such a reputation as a “dog” around women working at the capitol that the house 28
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speaker issued a directive in April relocating Durham’s office to a less-populated building across the street. Further, Durham is allowed access only to certain legislative meetings and to certain staff (i.e., no freeranging among female staff members). After interviewing 34 people, the state attorney general said he believed that Rep. Durham’s unwanted sexual approaches and commentaries were impeding legislative business. AWESOME GOVERNMENTS! u (1) Chinese courts (according to figures reported by Amnesty International in March) dispense justice so skillfully that more than 99.9 percent of cases result in convictions (1,039 acquittals in 1.2 million cases last year). (2) During its first 33 years (through 2012), the U.S. government’s applications for secret search warrants to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court have been approved all but 11 times out of 33,900 cases. (FISC defenders say that is because all requests are finely honed by guidance from the judges, but of course, both the Chinese and U.S. numbers, and reasoning, are, by designation, unverifiable). LEADING ECONOMIC INDICATORS u “Who’s a Good Dog?”/”Yes, You Are”: Some are just blessed with doggy charisma, say owners who showcase their pet’s charm on “personal” social media accounts, and now specialized marketers scour those sources to match the most popular pooches with advertisers seeking just the right four-legged companion for their image. As The Wall Street Journal reported in April, entrepreneurial dog owners have rushed to create popular Instagram
accounts and Facebook posts (and now, even to put their photogenic pups on a live-streaming app called Waggle) to catch agents’ eyes (and, they hope, lead to four- and five-figure paydays from such advertisers as Nikon, PetSmart, Residence Inn and Heinz). u New Jersey is a big state, but when just one man decided to move away, the state legislature’s budget office director warned that the loss of that man’s taxes might lead to state revenue problems. Billionaire hedgefund manager David Tepper evidently pays a bundle, and the budget office director pointed out that the state’s reliance on personal income taxes means that even a 1 percent drop in anticipated tax could create a gap of $140 million under forecasts. u Among the names chosen for Internet start-up ventures (although–face it– the more sensible names are already taken): Houzz (home design and remodeling), Kabam (online interactive game company, formerly “Watercooler Inc.”), Klarna (e-commerce company that pays the store for your purchases and then collects from you), MuleSoft (makes software to integrate applications) and Kabbage (makes small-business loans online). Wired magazine reported in February that those ventures, and two dozen other inexplicably named startups, are all “unicorns”–with investors pledging at least $1 billion to each one. THE JOB OF THE RESEARCHER u Researchers already knew that masked birch caterpillars “rub hairs on their rear ends against a leaf to create vibrations,” according to an April National Geographic report, but a forthcoming article by Carleton University
biologists describes that “drumming” as actually part of their “sophisticated signaling repertoire” to attract others–not for mating but for assistance in spinning their protective silk cocoons. The researchers’ “laser vibrometer” detects sound likely inaudible to humans, but when the caterpillars feed, it’s clearly, said one researcher, “Chomp, chomp, chomp, anal scrape. Chomp, chomp, chomp, anal scrape.” POLICE REPORT u Micro-Crime: (1) According to surveillance video, a man broke into a Five Guys restaurant in Washington, D.C., in the middle of the night on March 18, cooked himself a cheeseburger and fled. (2) Ellis Battista, 24, was arrested for the February break-in at Bradley’s convenience store in Las Cruces, New Mexico, in which he took only a pack of cigarettes–for which he left $6 on the counter. (However, he also damaged the door getting in). UNDIGNIFIED DEATHS u (1) A 69-year-old man was killed on March 17 while awaiting emergency care at Vidant Medical Center in Greenville, North Carolina. He had been seriously injured in an earlier accident and was in the waiting room when a 59-year-old driver’s car crashed through the hospital doors and fatally struck him. (2) A 55-year-old man was killed in Memphis, Tennessee, on March 23 when a 15foot trailer came loose and crashed into him on a sidewalk. The deceased, who had a lengthy criminal record for sexual assault, might have avoided the trailer if he had not been distracted by watching pornography on his phone as he walked. LEAST COMPETENT CRIMINALS u Amanda Schweickert, 28, was charged with a felony
and three driving offenses in March in Springville, New York, when deputies noticed that her rear license plate was just a piece of cardboard painted to sort of resemble a New York plate (but more likely suggesting the work of an elementary school art class). (New York also requires a front plate, but Schweickert had not gotten around to that yet). u Britain’s annual Boring Conference (this year, July 5 at Conway Hall in London) brings together those who celebrate the mundane (previous topics include sneezing, toast, vending machine sounds, yellow lines, barcodes), and in anticipation, a BBC News commentator interviewed Peter Willis of the Letter Box Study Group. Willis, 68, was excited at having recently acquired access to a database of all 115,000 mailboxes served by U.K.’s Royal Mail and hopes, with the help of “splendid” mapping software, to visit and photograph each one, to examine the different styles. No doubt speaking for all members, Willis said the lay version of “boring” implies inactivity, but the obsessives in his study group (and in attendance at the Boring Conference) lead active lives, with a wide range of interests. (The conference, by the way, is sold out). A NEWS OF THE WEIRD CLASSIC (FEBRUARY 2012) u Sri Lanka has, as an “unwritten symbol of pride and culture,” the world’s highest per capita rate for eye donation, according to a January (2012) Associated Press dispatch from Colombo. Underpinning this national purpose is the country’s Buddhist tradition that celebrates afterlives. “He’s dead,” said a mourning relative of a deceased eye donor, “but he’s still
alive. His eye can still see the world.” Doctors even report instances in which Sri Lankans consider giving up an eyeball while still alive, as a measure of virtue. A new state-of-the-art clinic, funded by Singaporean donors, is expected to nearly double Sri Lanka’s export of eyeballs. GROWN-UPS u In March, one District of Columbia government administrative law judge was charged with misdemeanor assault on another. Judge Sharon Goodie said she wanted to give Judge Joan Davenport some files, but Davenport, in her office, would not answer the door. Goodie said once the door finally opened, an enraged Davenport allegedly “lunged” at her, “aiming” her thrust at Goodie’s neck. u Tennessee state Rep. Jeremy Durham has such a reputation as a “dog” around women working at the capitol that the house speaker issued a directive in April relocating Durham’s office to a less-populated building across the street. Further, Durham is allowed access only to certain legislative meetings and to certain staff (i.e., no freeranging among female staff members). After interviewing 34 people, the state attorney general said he believed that Rep. Durham’s unwanted sexual approaches and commentaries were impeding legislative business. AWESOME GOVERNMENTS! u (1) Chinese courts (according to figures reported by Amnesty International in March) dispense justice so skillfully that more than 99.9 percent of cases result in convictions (1,039 acquittals in 1.2 million cases last year). (2) During its first 33 years
(through 2012), the U.S. government’s applications for secret search warrants to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court have been approved all but 11 times out of 33,900 cases. (FISC defenders say that is because all requests are finely honed by guidance from the judges, but of course, both the Chinese and U.S. numbers, and reasoning, are, by designation, unverifiable). LEADING ECONOMIC INDICATORS u “Who’s a Good Dog?”/”Yes, You Are”: Some are just blessed with doggy charisma, say owners who showcase their pet’s charm on “personal” social media accounts, and now specialized marketers scour those sources to match the most popular pooches with advertisers seeking just the right four-legged companion for their image. As The Wall Street Journal reported in April, entrepreneurial dog owners have rushed to create popular Instagram accounts and Facebook posts (and now, even to put their photogenic pups on a live-streaming app called Waggle) to catch agents’ eyes (and, they hope, lead to four- and five-figure paydays from such advertisers as Nikon, PetSmart, Residence Inn and Heinz). u New Jersey is a big state, but when just one man decided to move away, the state legislature’s budget office director warned that the loss of that man’s taxes might lead to state revenue problems. Billionaire hedgefund manager David Tepper evidently pays a bundle, and the budget office director pointed out that the state’s reliance on personal income taxes means that even a 1 percent drop in anticipated tax could create a gap of $140 million under forecasts.
Challenge the Bear Bike Ride
Whether you’re new to biking or a hard-core rider, Tehachapi’s Challenge the Bear Bike Ride is the perfect outdoors event for everyone. In its fourth year, the Challenge the Bear Bike Ride will allow riders to enjoy the beautiful communities of Bear Valley Springs and Stallion Springs through a series of courses that range in level of difficulty. For those looking for a bit of a challenge, simply choose a challenging course. For those looking to take some time to enjoy the lovely summer weather, choose the Family Fun Ride. All riders will receive a medal and lunch coupon at the end of the ride and will also get the opportunity to participate in the Bear Valley Springs Fourth of July Festival. WHAT: Challenge the Bear Bike Ride. WHEN/WHERE: Sat, July 2. 6 pm-3 pm . Bear Valley Springs, 25101 Bear Valley Rd., Tehachapi. INFO: To register, visit active.com.
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