Some restaurants make the cleanliness grade and some fail, more on officer-involved shootings and Facebook suspends the account of conservative commentator Candace Owens

Monday, May 20, 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.

 * ... SHOOTINGS: Did you read the front-page Californian story Sunday saying that most of the

officer involved shootings in town involve people of color? It is an oft-repeated story that offers absolutely no solutions, because the issues are complicated and have long confounded experts. It speaks to  segregated neighborhoods, poverty,  drugs, crime and gangs. It is really surprising that more shootings occur on one side of town other than, say, Seven Oaks? (Shootings follow crime and drugs, not skin color) Stories like this make for provocative headlines, while casting doubt on our police officers, but do absolutely nothing to add to the dialogue of where we go from here.

 * ... PERFECT KITCHENS: On the other hand, Bob Price's Sunday story on how some restaurants keep their kitchens spotless (even in century old buildings more prone to infestations) offered a look at how some restaurant owners are frankly more diligent about keeping their kitchens clean than others. People like Jaclyn Allen of the Hen's Roost (one of my favorite vegan eateries in town) routinely score a perfect 100 on their restaurant inspections while others are cited repeatedly for rat infestations and other misdeeds. It's another reason to pay attention to the health department grade ratings posted in the windows.

* ... LOCALE: Meanwhile, it was good to see that the restaurant Locale Farm to Table is back open after being shut down by the health department because of rat droppings. It was the second time the popular organic restaurant had been cited for rat droppings, but the place is now cleaned up and back open for business across from the downtown post office.

 * ... FACEBOOK BAN: Did you sewed that Facebook suspended the account of conservative commentator Candace Owens? Owens, who last week spoke in Bakersfield at a fund raising event for state Sen. Shannon Grove, is the latest conservative commentator to face the wrath of Facebook. This time, she was suspended for saying white supremacy is not a threat to black Americans. And that was enough for a suspension? You be the judge.

 * ... GOOD FORM: What did you do this weekend? Whatever it was, I bet it pales in comparison to what a group of young people did to help beautify our community.  Thanks to a generous grant from the Virginia and Alfred Harrell Foundation, the Tree Foundation of Kern planted 45 potted trees in Downtown Bakersfield Saturday morning. City Councilman Andrae Gonzales joined the effort and had this to say: "This project- over a year in the making- could not have been possible without the support from General Tree Inc., Conway Lopez and John and Enriquez and the Tree Foundation board members, and volunteers from Arvin High School, the Carpenters Local 661, among others. Special thanks goes to Melissa Iger for coordinating the effort!"

 * ... MEMORIES: Some old photos from Bakersfield compliments of the Facebook page Kern County of Old.