New Zach Galifianakis comedy series is set in Bakersfield, the Heart Hospital hires Margaret Scrivano Patteson and Taft College gets ready for a huge fund raiser

 * ... BASKETS: A new comedy on cable starring Zach Galifianakis will have a strong Bakersfield storyline. The series is called Baskets, it starts Jan. 21, and it features Galifianakis as an aspiring

clown who is forced to move back to Bakersfield because of financial difficulties. Hollywood has always depicted Bakersfield as a quirky, backwards place populated by amusing rustics, so it will be interesting to see how they portray us here. Said one promo: "Chip Baskets (Zach Galifianakis) wants to follow his dream of being a French clown—however, reality keeps interfering. Saddled with financial difficulties and facing an impenetrable language barrier, he moves back home to Bakersfield with high hopes. There, he is forced to confront his past while working as a rodeo clown and competing with his siblings for his mother's approval and affection."

* ... SPOTTED ON FACEBOOK: Marriage is repeatedly texting your spouse "Do we need anything at the grocery store?" until one of you dies.

 * ... ANGELS: Erica Weigel Langston wrote to thank three "angels" who were there when her pregnant daughter fainted at the Goodwill store on Olive Drive. The first angel was a woman named Janet who found her daughter's phone and called her family, the second a nurse at Memorial Hospital named Roberto and the third a security office named Nyack who comforted her when she was rallying the family. "Heartfelt thanks and very much love to these and many more everyday angels who walk among us," she said.

 * ... PATTESON: Congratulations to Margaret Scrivano Patteson who has been hired as manager of business development at the Heart Hospital. A former pharmaceutical salesperson, Patteson credits Heart Hospital cardiologists like Dr. Brig Bhambi with helping her recover from a heart attack she suffered two years ago. She has been a volunteer speaker for the Heart Hospital and is currently a WomenHeart champion.

* ... TAFT COLLEGE: If you are a supporter of Taft College, mark Jan. 22 on your calendar for the school's Athletic Triple Play dinner at the Historic Fort in Taft. The guest speaker is Charlie Hough, a former major league pitcher who played for the Dodgers, the Texas Rangers, the Chicago White Sox and the Florida Marlins. He currently serves as the Dodgers' senior advisor of player development. Hough ended his career having won 216 games along with an ERA of 3.75 with 2,362 strikeouts.
Contact Sheri Horn-Bunk for sponsorships and tickets. (661) 763-7936.

 * ... BAKERSFIELDISM: You may be a Bakersfield old timer if you "remember stopping for a train at Banducci's Corner, Fairfax, Sterling or Oswell and watching each open boxcar to see if a 'bum' was inside."