Monday's Bakersfield Observed: Could you forgive someone who tried to kill you? Tom Morgan talks about this this week, more on the death of former KGET anchor Chris Burrous and Goose Loonies readies to open a second location

Monday, February 25, 2019

 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 tips to rsbeene@yahoo.com.

 * ... THE POWER OF FORGIVENESS: Twenty-two years ago Tom Morgan was a young Kern County Sheriff's deputy when he responded to a call off Planz Road. Within minutes, he was ambushed by a young gang member and shot point blank in the neck with a 410 gauge shotgun

derringer. Left for dead, he miraculously survived, left street patrol, became a lawyer and set about putting his life back together. Today, more than two decades later, Morgan is on a new mission: to forgive the man who shot him and to testify on his behalf at an upcoming parole hearing. Morgan will share his story of setbacks, pain, challenge and forgiveness on my radio show (KERN NewsTalk 96.1 FM) this Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. He will be joined by his wife, Christy, who will share her own journey of facing the man who tried to kill her husband, of her own struggle to forgive and move on, and how baking has helped her face the daunting task of moving on.

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "I skipped CrossFit today after spending a few hours trying to wrestle a duvet cover onto a comforter."

 * ... SPOTTED ON FACEBOOK: "My friend's newborn baby is allergic to their dog. I told him there are plenty of places that will take in a baby."

 * ... PICKLE BALL: Good news for all you fans of pickle ball, the fastest growing sport in the country. City Manager Alan Tandy told me the city is renovating the tennis courts at Jastro Park and converting some of the courts into dedicated pickle ball courts, which are narrower and shorter. In the end there will be six pickle ball courts and three tennis courts.

 * ... GOOSE LOONIES: Good news for foodies about town. The popular tavern Goose Loonies is opening a second location on Truxtun Avenue in a space once occupied by the failed Craft Tap House (and formerly the old Salad Bar). The original location on 18th Street will remain open, and I am betting the new location will be a big hit.

 * ... BURROUS: The coroner has released the cause of death of former Bakersfield TV anchor Chris Burruos, who died at a Glendale hotel two days after Christmas. The cause: methamphetamine toxicity. Burrous did time in Bakersfield at KGET and later ended up in Los Angeles. In addition to methamphetamine toxicity, other contributing factors included hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Burrous was at the hotel with a male friend apparently engaging in sex and dabbling in drugs.

 * ... MEMORIES: Soak up the richness of this photo of the post 1952 earthquake downtown.

 * ... MORE MEMORIES: And then there was the old Topper Motel on Union Avenue. Who remembers it?