Scientists are predicting a strong El Nino year in 2019, the effort to repeal the gas tax seems to be falling short and who knew that the original diet soda Tab had a cult-like following?

Monday, October 22, 2018

 Welcome to Bakersfield Observed. Our mission is to celebrate life in Kern County by focusing on newsmakers and events and the local characters who make this such a special to live. Send your news tips to rsbeene@yahoo.com.

 * ... GAS TAX REPEAL: It looks like the attempt to repeal the gas tax (Proposition 6) is failing to

win broad support. That's the word from a new USC Dornsife/LA Times poll which revealed that 17 percent of California voters are undecided and nearly half are not familiar with the initiative. With the election just a couple weeks off, 41 percent of likely voters said they support Prop 6 or are leaning toward supporting it, while 42 percent are in opposition.

* ... EL NINO: The west, and California in particular, got some good news this week when the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicted a bearish El Nino is in our future. If the El Nino arrives, we should experience some major storms and snowfall in the Sierra that California needs to replenish our aquifers. Harry Starkey, general manager of the West Kern Water District, said the El Nino effect will be "full blown" in 2019.

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "Don’t you wish karma was like pizza and could be delivered in under 30 minutes?"

 * ... MAGGARD VERSUS HEINLE: One of the more interesting local races this year pits Supervisor Mike Maggard against city fireman Jeff Heinle. It started out ugly, things turned civil, and here in the stretch it is getting ugly again. I will be interviewing Heinle on KERN NewsTalk 96.1 FM on Tuesday and Maggard on Friday. Tune it to hear their closing arguments. The Richard Beene show runs from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. daily on weekdays.

 * ... TAB SODA: Who remembers Tab, one of the original diet sodas introduced by Coca-Cola back in 1963. I thought the brand died years ago, but it turns out the soft drink as a cult-like following by people who will drive hundreds of miles to buy a six pack. After a major bottler discontinued it in a 14-state territory, Tab drinkers took to social media to demand that Coke make it available. Coca-Cola said it continues to bottle Tab, but it just isn't available everywhere.

.

 * ... MEMORIES: How cute is this? Thanks to the Facebook page Kern County of Old.