* … GROWTH: Bakersfield is a city of quadrants: most of us identify ourselves as living in the Northwest, Southwest, Northeast, Southeast or downtown. For the most part we spend our non working hours shopping, playing and driving in areas close to where we live. I was a Southwest resident for years and for the last five have lived downtown. Which is why I was stunned (that is not an exaggeration) when I spent some time in the Northwest earlier this week, amazed at the growth, the number of new businesses and restaurants and yes, traffic. Likewise, I returned from the coast the other day and entered the intersection of Gosford Road at Panama Lane precisely at rush hour. And once again, the sheer volume of new businesses, housing, schools (and yes, traffic) was amazing. We may feel like a small town, but that's now a nostalgic memory from the past.
* … KINDNESS: This note from reader Jacqui Sickles will be a tad long but it moved me in a powerful way. I will let her speak: "This past Monday afternoon I was coming home from town and turned off at Goodmanville Road and there was a young couple with a flat tire along side the road. I saw the young mommy with child in her arms trying to get cell reception. I stopped to ask if she was successful and if someone would be a long soon. She and her husband said they had left messages and hoped for the best. The young father had recently changed the tire and had no spare or anything to jack up the car with. I told them I would go get my husband and some tools. It was beginning to get cold outside, but they also had an infant in the car and wanted to stay with the vehicle. We were able to jack up the car and decided instead of waiting to see if anyone would show up to help we made the decision to drive to the tire store and buy a tire. Having nine grandchildren ourselves it was hard to see those babies out in the cold. My Husband said we might be closer to Oildale, but I said let's go to Clerou’s. We left the family about 3 p.m. We arrived at Clerou’s and Louie came out to meet us. My husband informed him that we were helping some kids out off Alfred Harrell Highway and they were waiting on us with babies too. Louie came out within minutes and said I found a tire for you. My husband went to pay for the tire and Louie said, no if you are doing a good deed for someone, then I can do it too! Moments later a young man at the tire shop brings out the newly mounted tire and off we went to deliver to the kids. I looked over and my husband had been crying. I'ts amazing how many wonderful people we have right here in our community. Thank you Clerou Tire Company. We will send all our business your way. The young family could hardly believe it either! They were all smiles as they drove away. Not too bad at all."
* … RETIREMENT: Hats off to Donna Hollingsworth, who is retiring after 23 years with the AltaOne Federal Credit Union. Donna has been active in a number of local organizations, including the Kern County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the American Lung Association. She is being replaced by two people, Christopher Lowe and Jessica Davidson at the Ming Avenue and Riverwalk locations.
* … CAR DEALERS: Geraldine Sproul wrote to add some names to the list of long gone car dealers. "If you really are an old timer you would think ofAdams Motor Co. (Pontiac) on 24th Street, S. A. Camp Motor (Dodge and Plymouth) on G Street, Kitchen-Boyd (Lincoln and Mercury) on Chester, Morris Motor Co. (Studebaker) on 24th, Motor Center (Chevy. Buick and Cadillac( on Chester, Thrasher Motors (DeSoto) on Chester. The Nash dealer was Kitchen and something on H Street."
* … BAKERSFIELDISM: You may be a Bakersfield old-timer if you"picked out your first Schwinn bicycle in the basement at Vincent's."
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