American Airlines brings back daily service between Bakersfield and Dallas, Action Sports celebrates 30 years in business and and bad optics with the citizen oversight committee

Monday, March 4, 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.

 * ... DALLAS FLIGHT: If you have lived in Bakersfield for any time, you know how fickle our air service is out of Meadows Field. Remember when we had daily flights to Houston, a true

convenience if you were headed anywhere on the east coast? For a brief time we had flights to Dallas as well, and then the recession killed that, or rather a slump in oil prices. Well, American Airlines has brought back daily, morning service to Dallas on an aircraft that seats anywhere from 72 to 79 passengers. Let's see how long it lasts, but enjoy it while it is here.

* ... OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE: The creation of the citizens tax oversight committee in Bakersfield has been a political mess. Women claimed they were under represented, people said the panel is a collection of insiders, and no one seems to be happy. And then there was the picture in the Californian of the committee being sworn in. Talk about bad optics: a predominately white male group of blue suits. Kind of reminded me of the old Soviet politburo members during the May Day parades during the Cold War.

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "The sole purpose of a child’s middle name is so he can tell when he’s really in trouble."

 * ... ACTION SPORTS: Congratulations to Kerry Ryan and his popular bike shop Action Sports which is celebrating 30 years in business. Kerry is one our community's most generous people, and over the decades he has provided service to thousands of residents at his store location on Brimhall Road. In addition, he has employed hundreds of young people, often providing first jobs for those just entering the work force.

 * ... BAD FORM: ABC23 showed some really bad form the other day (not to mention just poor judgment) in posting on its Facebook page an account about the CEO of the San Francisco Giants and his wife. The hook: apparently the Giants executive grabbed a cell phone from is wife's hand and she plumped back in her chair. Really? Have we reached a time where even the smallest of interactions among couples merit some kind of "breaking news" stature? I am betting people like my friend ABC23 anchor Tim Calahan were off duty and a low paid intern pulled this stunt. And you wonder why people don't trust the press.

 * ... MEMORIES:  Here is a fun old picture compliments of the Kern County History Fans Facebook page.