More memories of the devastating 1952 Kern County earthquakes, and lamenting about those motorcycle lane splitters

* ... QUAKES: Christy McGuire was just an infant when the 1952 earthquake hit but she has a vivid memory of that day. She was living in Taft where her father, Tom Gross, was a young exploration geologist working for Standard Oil (now Chevron).  "I have a vivid memory of dad quickly coming into my room to take me out of my crib, calmly saying there was an earthquake, and carrying me into the living room to stand in a doorway with my mom. In looking back at the dates of the quakes, I was amazed to realize I was less than a year old, my birthday being in October 1951. Christy grew up with a love of geology, and remembers her father "dancing excitedly into the house, when we had later moved to Bakersfield, with Scientific American's iconic cover story on plate tectonics in his hands.  It was like he was carrying the Holy Grail, and it felt more momentous to me than experiencing the earthquakes themselves!"

* .... MORE EARTHQUAKE: Another memory of the 1952 earthquakes, this one from Harry Love. "I was an eight year old, living in Los Angeles (Westchester, by the airport). I remember waking up as my bed was hitting the wall. I thought my sister was shaking it to get her little brother upset (her usual ploy). I starting living in Bakersfield in 1967 and still remember the other ones that hit here. In 1970, my wife of one year and from Minnesota, experienced her first earthquake."

 * ... SPOTTED: A younger woman driving a black BMW is busy texting on her cell phone as she blows through a red light at Brimhall and Calloway, narrowly missing a white SUV that wisely slowed to allow her to pass.


* ... PR GROUP: Marlene Morales is head of communications for the law firm of Chain, Cohn, Stiles and dropped me a note to tell me about a group of local executives (most of them in public relations) that meet quarterly to discuss issues in our community. "Not only are they leaders in the community, they participate in many non-profit organizations to raise money for Kern County," she said. "Members of the PR group include: Susan Hersberger, Jarrod McNaughton, Amber Chiang, Marlene Morales, Rob Meszaros, Carla Musser, Darlene Mohlke, Steve Gabbitas, Michele Bresso, Barry Zoeller, Colleen Dillaway, Brent Rush, Beth Pandol, Cal Rossi, Rob Duchow, Selena Ingram, Gina Hayden, Jim Varley, Katie Harlan Allen, Leslie Golich, Rhonda Smiley and Susie Geiger. "

* ... LANE SPLITTERS:  How do you feel about motorcycle riders who ride between the car lanes, a maneuver that is perfectly legal (at least in California) if executed correctly? Reader Phyllis Smith was recently stopped at a double left turn with a motorcyclist rode up next to her. "He hit my side mirror forcing it backwards.  He pushed the mirror back into position and took off doing his left turn, again between the two car lanes. When I got home I checked the mirror and the paint was chipped off where he hit it. I have never understood why they have this privilege of driving between the lanes."

 * ... MEMORY: Reader Wyatt Ross is looking for a little help from old timers who remember an old house on Myrtle Street. "Around 1961, at about the age of 4, I would walk with my very young Aunt Molly and Uncle Todd from 308 Cypress to Beale Park for a day of swim and play. Walking on Palm, we could look north on Myrtle and see what I remember as a huge, weathered old mansion, sitting ominously on a raised lot, at least 15 feet higher than the surrounding grade. To me, it was the 'House on Haunted Hill' from the 1959 Vincent Price movie.  I clearly recall covering my eyes as we walked by it!  Ironically, 15 years later I would live across the street from the still-elevated vacant lot, which still had remnants of the red brick foundation.  It was soon thereafter excavated and subdivided with several new homes. Any old timers out there recall the history of that place?   Seems I've heard it may have housed nuns or orphans at times........or am I confusing it with Sinaloa?"

Nicole Parra takes a shot at the local paper, Irma Carson bows out and remembering the big 1952 quake

 * ... NICOLE IS OUT: So Nicole Parra is out of the race to succeed State Senate bound Michael Rubio on the Kern County Board of Supervisors.  "I have lived in Fresno for the past two years, I am president of Parra Consulting, and never considered a move or appointment to the Kern County Board of Supervisors," she wrote in a terse email to me and others. " I was flattered that some community leaders in Kern County did approach me three months ago, but I politely declined.  All your staff had to do was check the requirements for the appointment and see I was registered and voted in Fresno County. As far as your coverage of the appointment process in the Bakersfield Californian, it has been compared to 'tabloid material.'  It is obvious you, your staff support Wendy Wayne and have tried to discredit my father Pete Parra in the process." Don't you just love local politics? Turns out our staff did its work while Nicole was being coy and evasive about her intentions. I wonder if Nicole, as president of Parra Consulting, advises her clients to be more forthcoming.

 * ... GOODBYE IRMA: One local politician who rarely played games is Irma Carson, who is stepping down from the City Council after a long career. As Gretchen Wenner wrote in a Sunday profile in The Californian, Irma broke many barriers in Bakersfield and can look back proudly on doing a lot for her ward. With Irma, you always knew where she stood, even if you didn't agree. Good luck, Irma.

* ... OUR TRASH: Sick of hearing about the trash in our town? Well so am I but Marilyn Wilson offered an ingenious way to dealing with litter. "In traveling to various cities and towns in North Dakota, Iowa, Minnesota, North and South Carolina and Florida, one of the things that I most noticed was how clean their highways, roads and cities were compared to California and particularly Bakersfield.  Many people in these states take pride in how their cities and states look as it is a reflection on them who live there. I had read where one of these cities had a program called:  Will Work for Pay.  Why couldn't the city of Bakersfield establish a program like this where there would be no liability or benefits but would give people an opportunity to earn cash in keeping Bakersfield clean? I could see that it might start with 1) those who are on the street corners asking for donations, 2) people in front of stores and in malls asking for change to get on a bus, 3) people at gas stations asking for money for gas, 4) young people in juvenile hall, those at the Lerdo facility and those in half way houses 5) and people who are living at the Homeless Shelter, Rescue Mission and Salvation Army Mission. These people could earn money, self respect and dignity and at the same time contribute to the community in which they live.  I see this as a win - win situation for all who would participate." Nice thought.

 * ... 1952 QUAKE: Reader Joseph Harper was just 11 years old when the big 1952 earthquake shook Bakersfield, but he remembers it as if it happened yesterday. He was asleep and when the quake hit, "my bed did a jig clear across the room almost to the other side. Then as the house started to settle the second shock hit... When the second shock hit I went up and as I came back down I hit just to the edge of the bed, enough to slip it upside down right on top of me. Talk about a rude awakening!"

 * .. TAKEOVER: Heard the other day that the popular cable show "Salon Takeover" with Tabatha Coffey may be filming in Bakersfield this week. The show, in which Coffey gives salons tips to improve their business, is supposed to be filming at Serenity on Coffee Road. The show runs on the Bravo network. (Photo courtesy of Bravo TV)

 * ... CRABFEST: Mark January 21 on your calendar for Crabfest, the annual fund raiser for St. Francis Parish School. This year it will return to Harvest Hall at the Kern County Fairgrounds. This is a wonderful fund raiser featuring outstanding crab an all for a good cause. Table sponsorships are available for $1,000.

 * ... BAKERSFIELDISM: From regular contributor Jack Kelley: You know you're a Bakersfield old-timer if you "remember the rodeos at the old fairgrounds at what is now Sam Lynn Park on North Chester."

More feedback on the power of union contributions and a survey shows some loss of confidence in marriage

* ... UNION POWER: More reader feedback on my musings about how Meg Whitman and the unions that fought her could have better spent their money by donating to charities. From Roger Jones: "Yes the unions did spend money to get Brown, Boxer elected and defeat Whitman and Fiorina. If you want to be able to limit the money unions spend then it should work both ways. Stop corporate contributions to elect those that benefit corporations. We do not cry and we do not give away anything. So at least before you and others make such uneducated comments please contact these unions as to how those contributions were made." Thanks for your comments, Rog, but I never suggested limiting union contributions. Rather, I simply wondered aloud how much good could have come if the unions and Whitman had steered some of those millions toward charitable causes.

 * ... GHOST STORY: Heard the other day about a short film that was filmed on location here in Bakersfield featuring a lot of local talent. It's called "Ghost" and it is portrayed as "a stunning portrait at the underground hardcore scene of Bakersfield." It was written and directed by Bakersfield native Caitlin Bond Murray, who attends the Art Institute of Los Angeles in Santa Monica. A graduate of Bakersfield High School, she is the daughter of local residents Patrick and Deanna Murray.  Some of the scenes were shot at Jerry's Pizza downtown.

 * ... DIVORCE: Did you see the story saying that four in 10 people now feel that the institution of marriage is becoming obsolete? Not sure what to make of it but the numbers speak for themselves: almost 30 percent of children under 18 now live with a parent or parents who are unwed or no longer married. I am personally astounded at the number of long-term marriages that are ending once couples become empty nesters, for a variety of reasons. I recall hearing one woman argue that every person should be married three times: once in our 20s and 30s, another time in our 40s and 50s and a third partner for the last final run to the end. Here's my take: Why not approach marriage like we do home mortgages? You could opt for a 15-year marriage, or 20 or 30 years if you're more confident. Then, if things are going swimmingly at the end of the term, you could always "refinance" and extend the marriage, but you are under no obligation to do so. And if the parents of your potential partner are a bit nutty, you might want to opt for the 5-year "variable term" marriage that will be reassessed just a few years down the road. 

 * ... LAURA WOLFE: Some good news for the local arts community. Laura Wolfe, who left Cal State Bakersfield as a fund raiser, is taking over the Arts Council of Kern as its executive director. Laura will become interim director in January for six months at which time the board will reassess the position. My bet is the board will hire her full time after that. Laura is deeply ingrained in this community and active on a number of boards. She replaces Jeanette Richardson.

  * ... PAPER BOYS: Dr. Wil Flickinger dropped me a note sharing his own memory of that terrible 1952 earthquake that caused so much destruction around town. In his words: "Other 'old timers' were at the Bakersfield Californian rolling papers for delivery while my brother and the paper boys had already taken to their street corners. When the brick Californian building that still stands as it was to this day, started to jump and shake, a bunch of the guys panicked and  ran for the open bay door. As they saw the curtain of brick dust pouring off the top of the building, they returned and joined me in ducking under the nearest stainless steel work bench they could find. As we had numerous smaller after shocks from the first big one in July, some of us kept our heads. As the magnitude of the 30-second quake subsided,  I was able to peer out through the big bay loading dock door as the quake settled, I saw the top of the Tegeler Hotel pour off like a waterfall into 19th street. What an indelible sight that was. That sight capped the second big quake and memories of the hundreds of aftershocks of 1952!

   " I and some of my friends then meandered out to observe the damage. As I quickened my step down to 19th street I moved toward  K Street and to the Kress building where my brother's corner was located. There was debris in the streets. I went by Lerner's Dress Shop on the south side of the street between Chester and K and noted it being completely collapsed where I believe there was the one other fatality of that quake. My brother and the Kress building were okay, and unbelievably my mother, who had been at work in our family business, Flickinger's Farm and Garden store (also  in a brick reinforced building ), at 18th and O streets was already there. I  was assured they were okay and then returned to work. The Californian building itself was undamaged except for the little library and private office brick building at the north side.  Since we had pretty well finished our route preparation, numb as the experience left me,  I think I remember we took to the road to deliver our 2,400 papers to South Bakersfield, and Greenfield south past Schweitzer's corner that day, or did we?

 * ... BAKERSFIELDISM: You know you're from Bakersfield if "you long for the minestrone soup at Woolgrower's once the weather turns colder."

Green Frog Market looks to expand and remembering the 1952 earthquake

* ... GREEN FROG: Ran into Scott Hair, owner of the Green Frog Market, over at his "little Frog" market at the corner of Alta Vista and Bernard Street. I'm a big fan of the smaller, more intimate "little Frog" and running into Scott gave me a chance to run down some rumors that he was thinking about opening a location downtown. He said he has always been interested in the downtown/Westchester area and in fact had a piece of property picked out, but decided later against it when the numbers just didn't add up. But Scott said he's not giving up on downtown and is actively looking for ways to expand Green Frog's footprint with smaller "neighborhood" stores that focus on fresh meats and vegetables and more healthy foods. He'd also like to open a Green Frog to serve the growing Northwest and Southwest corridor and has people actively looking for locations. Green Frog was first established in 1934. The "little Frog" on Alta Vista is 18,500 square feet and the larger market on Columbus is a full 34,000 square feet. (Californian photo by Felix Adamo)

  * ... LUIGI'S: Speaking of iconic Bakersfield institutions, stopped by Luigi's on 19th Street Saturday for a birthday lunch in honor of Thomas Johnson, a Liberty High School physics teacher. (It's always nice to hear people like Tom tell me how much they love their work) Saturday lunches at Luigi's are a Bakersfield institution and you're bound to run into at least a half dozen people you know. When the college kids come home for Thanksgiving and Christmas, Luigi's will be the preferred venue to reconnect with old friends. (painting below by Larry Jason)

 * ... UNION POWER: Reader Thomas Harmon took me to task for wondering aloud how Meg Whitman might have spent that $140 million on charitable causes instead of her failed gubernatorial campaign. Harmon asked why I didn't ask the same question of the powerful unions who also spent millions to defeat Whitman. "What a joke," he wrote. "These unions cry about their pensions and give away millions to put people like Jerry Brown and Barbara Boxer back in office." Harmon is absolutely correct, of course. The unions never think twice about flexing their political muscle to defeat those who dare to oppose the feather-bedding of their pensions and salaries when there are other ways to spend that money.

 * ... 1952 EARTHQUAKE: Reader Gene Bonas wrote to share his memories of the 1952 earthquake which changed the look and feel of Bakersfield forever. "Al Gutierrez reminded me I'm an old timer because I vividly recall the collapse of the roof of the Kern County Equipment Company building.  I remember this well because I was standing on the southwest corner of Baker and 18th Streets selling The Bakersfield Californian to passing cars and people waiting to board the city bus. I was leaning against the stop sign when the shaking started. I thought, at first, the shaking was caused by a train passing by on the tracks just 30 feet south of where I was selling. The shaking intensified to a point that I literally hugged the stop sign to keep from falling down. As I looked toward where Woolgrowers now stands, I saw a large cloud of dust and later found out about the collapse of KCEC's roof and the unfortunate death of a KCEC salesman." (photos courtesy of the Kern County Museum)

 * ... HONORING A VET: For a little inspiration you might want to head over to Frontier High School tomorrow evening (Tuesday) for a special (and free) presentation to honor all veterans, and specifically the Tuskegee airmen. The school band, the Marching Titans, will perform at 7 p.m. At 6 p.m. there will be an All-American hot dog dinner with chips and a drink for a $3 donation.

 * ... BAKERSFIELDISM: From reader Patsy Sadler: You know you're a Bakersfield old timer if
you "saw Sonny and Cher perform at the Civic Auditorium before they were really known, around 1965."