Bakersfield College athletics gets big boost with fund raiser at the Campbell home, and another lesson in bad form

* ... BC ATHLETICS: Hard to beat the spring-like weather we enjoyed this weekend, and it proved to be a perfect setting for the annual fundraiser for Bakersfield College athletics at the beautiful home of Joe and Jana Campbell near Bakersfield Country Club.  Gino Valpredo and his crew from Luigi's provided the steak dinner (Big Mike Ariey was helping on the grill). I chatted with Gerry Collis and football coach Jeff Chudy there and left impressed with the wide and deep community support Bakersfield College enjoys. Among those I spotted were Tom and Cindy Anspach, Chad Manning, Vernon and Janis Varner,  newlyweds Michael and Jan Tivnon, Steve and Terri Haupt, Kevin and Tess Antongiovanni, Carl Bowser, Patti Houchin, Jack and Byron Campbell, Bruce and Jane Haupt with daughter Elyse, Steve Holloway and so many more.

* ... BAD FORM: Today's lesson on bad behavior comes from Brian Foster, a businessman who works on Patton Avenue. He found what appeared to be a dead cat in front of his business and called Kern County Animal Control, who responded promptly by sending a truck out several hours later.  "The officer got out of the truck, inspected the situation, got back in the truck and drove off. I assumed he would be back later to do the 30 second job. The next morning, the mess was still there. Wednesday morning came to work and it was still there. I called KC Animal Control and informed them of what I witnessed on Monday and the dispatcher commented, 'I hate when they do that.'" Foster eventually cleaned up the mess himself. "My wife and I are animal lovers, rescue our share of strays and find them homes. I know that Animal Control is taxed and stretched thin but this came down to sheer laziness and disregard. Jeers on the KC Animal Control worker!"

  * ... DONATION: Hats off to the law firm of Chain, Cohn and Stiles for its $200,000 donation to the Grossman Burn Center at San Joaquin Hospital. Managing partner David Cohn told me he is impressed "with this world class burn center right here in Bakersfield. They do so much good and now victims don't have to go out of town to get first class care."

 * ... CAL RADIO: State Sen. Michael Rubio is proposing putting a limit on the percentage of out of state students allowed in the University of California system. It's no secret that universities are catering to out of state students who pay much higher tuition, and in California the percentage of non-resident students is skyrocketing. Rubio will be my guest of Californian Radio KERN 1180 on Monday. Later in the hour we will talk about the obesity epidemic with Dr. Raj Patel of Preferred Family Physicians. Join me at 9 a.m. when we discuss his proposal. (Los Angeles Times photo of the Berkeley campus.)

 * .... MINTER: Sentimental Journey is one of only five flying B-17s left in the world, and the fully restored Flying Fortress will be at Minter Field over the Memorial Day weekend. This Saturday, the Air Museum will hold a deep pit beef dinner in the evening, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., at the museum hanger. Tickets are $20 per person and proceeds will benefit the museum's operation and projects.

 * ... SHOPLIFTING: Will Winn writes that he dropped into a dollar store recently and was welcomed by a security guard.  "The store manager said the shoplifting had become so bad they had to take extreme measures! At the 99 cents store!  This seems to be going on all over town, including a convenience store in the south where the owner was forced to defend himslf and killed two alleged shoplifting thieves."