Monday's Bako Bits: A resident warns of a security scam, the Kern County Nut Festival is coming up this Saturday and Tim Lemucchi remembers St. Joseph's School

 * … SCAM: Heads up on a new scam going around town. The other evening Janice Rivera, who lives out near Jenkins Road, said a man showed up at her door saying he was there to upgrade her security panel. Her husband let him in, but Janice was wise enough to ask for his identification. "I

looked at the man and said 'You have a Vivant employee badge on.'  He told me that Vivant bought out Monitronics. I said, 'No they didn't, I would've received an email.' I told him no thanks and goodbye. He then left without saying another word. A few minutes later, I remembered that I did receive an email from Monitronics, quite a few months ago, warning of this happening…. Beware and be alert!"

 * … MOVE: I spent the last week moving into a new home, and I could not have done it without some superior customer service from a few local companies. Jesus and Ryan of Hansen's Moving and Storage were quietly efficient and friendly, and Rich Johnson of Johnson's Painting squeezed me into his schedule to spruce the place up. Also kudos to local Realtors Dutch Toews and Gary Gibson who made the process seamless. These are times when you welcome those local connections in a town like Bakersfield.

 * … BELMONT: This is the week of the Belmont Stakes when California Chrome will be going for the coveted Triple Crown. The California-bred colt is the darling of the nation, and all eyes will be on the New York race park when he races at 3:30 p.m. PST on Saturday. Steven Mayer, the Californian's senior writer, will be at the Belmont covering the story.

 * … SPOTTED: I spotted this bit of humor on Twitter: "Twitter is like the fridge. If you're bored, you keep opening it."

 * … MEMORIES: Ronal Reynier shared this memory" "I was reading BakersfieldLife (magazine) and memories of my youth came launching back to me. There on page 142 was a photo of
someone named Richard Lemucchi, a real gentleman." Reynier said he was not sure if it was the same man, but he recalled working for Richard Lemucchi and his family during his junior and senior years in high school at the Tejon Theater. "I remember Richard not only as one of the finest athletics to come out of Bakersfield but also as one of the classicist  dressers in town at the time and all the girls that worked for him, fell in love with him. He had a big problem at the time with pigeons. They would roost and break the neon lighting. The city would not let you spray a chemical that would burn their little feet and then they would fly away to roost somewhere else. So Richard and I on some nights, during the last show, would go up on the roof and shoot them. We would drop them into a dumpster in the alley from the roof. I think that he may have helped me attain expert marksman when I entered the Army."

 * … LEMUCCHI: And speaking of the Lemucchis, Tim Lemucchi wrote to say he is among the proud alumni of St. Joseph's School. "All the Catholic kids who lived in East Bakersfield went there. We assembled by class in line each morning in the yard in front of school. Sister Mary Imelda, the principal, would lead the flag salute and morning prayer and then we would march to our classrooms. If you were an unruly student, which I was occasionally, the sisters of Mercy who ran the school would provide little mercy. A good rap across the knuckles with a ruler would usually end problems immediately. Mrs. Wonderly, my fourth grade geography teacher instilled in me a love and fascination for geography that I retain today."

 * … NUT FESTIVAL: An update on the upcoming Nut Festival set for this Saturday at the Kern County Museum from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. One of the features will be folks sharing the Nuttiest Thing That Ever Happened to Me, a live story-telling event where people can tell a true, family-friendly story about something nutty that happened to them.  Among those sharing stories will be Californian executive editor Bob Price, radio talk show hosts Scott Cox and Ralph Bailey and Californian heath reporter Courtenay Edlehart. Too bad this is scheduled right when California Chrome will be running in the Belmont Stakes.

A local kindergarten teacher warns of online home rental scams and who exactly were the Bakersfield Buffaloes?

 * ... SCAM ALERT: Local kindergarten teacher Jolie Brouttier shared this story of almost being scammed on a "too good to be true" rental property. She was on the popular real estate website Zillow.com when she spotted a three bedroom, two bath home with a pool that was renting for just

$700 a month. "It wasn't until the third email, in which he explained all utilities would be paid for as well as an application form requesting my credit history that I started to think hmmm.... too good to be true. So I Googled his name and his phone number and was immediately sent to a forum warning me about this exact scenario."

* ... BAKERSFIELD BUFFALOS? Ted James was at a bar in Maui recently when he noticed a man wearing a T-shirt that read: Bakersfield-Buffalo-State Football Champs, 1971, Kern County, CA. It turned out the man was from Newcastle, Australia, and "had absolutely no idea what country Bakersfield was in. My wife and I, in our brief conversation with him, were able to give him a new meaning for his shirt and where Bakersfield was located. Ha! He was quite impressed that Bakersfield was in California. Mayor Hall would appreciate my efforts! My only question is were the Bakersfield College Renegades called the Buffaloes in the past?"

 * ... BICYCLISTS: In response to an earlier blog about bicyclists riding against traffic, Stephen A. Montgomery submitted this comment: "Sadly there is a strong motive for bicyclists to violate the California Vehicle Code by riding against the current of traffic," he said. "A friend who rides with the local chapter of the AIA group witnessed a motorist seen laughing as he made sport swooping in as close to bicyclists as he could. He got too close to one causing him to go down. Despite a pack of witness who saw the driver laughing before the impact the judge accepted the tale spun by his girlfriend passenger that he had dozed off! A late friend repeatedly had an all too common experience where morons think it's sport to come up behind a bicyclist so a passenger can smack him in the back of the head with a shoe! The combined speed of the perp's swing and the momentum of the vehicle make for a hard blow that can and has often caused the bicyclist to go down. The bottom line? It's simply too easy for irresponsible and just plain bad people to behave this way without consequence. While bicyclists should comply with the vehicle code they and all of us need a more assertive and positive response from the law enforcement sector."

 * ... MORE CYCLISTS: And finally there is this from reader Pam Martinez: "I just wanted to comment on your blog about the bicyclists riding against traffic.  I just happened to hit a bicyclist doing that exact same thing on Ming Avenue.  Praise God, he was not injured seriously, (only) scraped elbows. He did not have a helmet, but did not hit his head!  I was making a right turn onto Ming and did not see him.  Thanks for sharing your article."

 * ... NUT FESTIVAL: The Kern County Nut Festival could not have been a success without all the volunteers, but Annette Londquist wanted to thank a special group of young workers. "I am the Kids' Activities Chair for the Kern County Nut Festival.  Our area required many helping hands all day.  We received that help from the Boys and Girls Club of Bakersfield. What an impressive group of young men and women!  Every one of them had a positive attitude, gracious manners and worked tirelessly... I wanted to thank them publicly and let your readers know the outstanding job the leaders of this organization are doing in helping these wonderful young people develop into productive, successful adults. Life is good in Bakersfield with these young people in our midst."

 * ... BAKERSFIELDISM: Randy Martin says you may be from Bakersfield if you remember "Bob's Burger a hidden dive on Kentucky. Bob's served great burgers and a massive burger beast called the Belly Buster."

More Americans than ever now have college degrees and retired Lt. Col. Joe Drew is inducted in the ARMY OCS Hall of Fame, along with his son

 * ... COLLEGE: There has been a surge in the percentage of Americans who how hold a college degree. That's the word from the National Center for Education Statistics, which reported that 33.5 percent of Americans aged 25-29 how hold at least a bachelor's degree. That compared with 24.7 percent in 1995. Locally, according to Scarborough Research, just 14.8 percent of Kern County adults hold a college degree.

 * ... DREW: Hats off to Joe Drew, a Tejon Ranch executive who recently was inducted into the Army's Officer Candidate School Hall of Fame at Fort Benning, Ga. Drew served in Vietnam and retired as a lieutenant colonel. And to keep it all in the family, his son Col. Thomas R. Drew also was inducted into the OCS Hall of Fame at the same time. The Army OCS Hall of Fame honors infantry officer graduates who have distinguished themselves in military and civilian pursuits. This is believed to be the first time a father and son have been inducted together. And to make it truly a family affair, Fred Drew (Joe's brother and himself also a Vietnam veteran) was inducted in the Army OCS Hall of Fame in 2007. As for Joe:  his military awards include the Legion of Merit, two distinguished Flying Crosses (V Device), Three Bronze stars (V Device), Twenty Two Air medals (V Device) two Purple Hearts, and the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry.

 * ... BAD FORM: A driver spotted two bicyclists (one on Brimhall and the other on Old River) riding against the traffic in clear violation of traffic laws. Both were almost hit by cars taking right hand turns. Remember: if you are on the bike, ride with the flow of traffic.

 * ... FESTIVAL: The first Kern County Nut Festival is in the books, and organizers should be happy about how it all went. Some 9,000 people showed up at the Kern County Museum to celebrate the almonds, pistachios and other nuts that are so important to our local economy. These events are always good venues to meet and greet, and the Nut Festival did not disappoint. Hats off to some of the organizers and volunteers I spotted there, including Sheryl Barbich, Beth Pandol, Tracy and Brian Kiser, Nancy Chaffin, Coleen McGauley, Brian Burrow, Cynthia and Gary Icardo, Jim and Patrice Black, Pat Collins, Linda Hartman, Kimberly Ward Graham, Mimi Audelo, Chris Frank and so many more. 

* ... REUNION: If you are a graduate of West High, heads up: there is a reunion of the West High classes of 1967, 1968 and 1969 set for August 31 at Stockdale Country Club. It will run from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. Contact Jane Cormier (661) 332-5581.

 * ... GRANT: Hats off to the employees of the Von's on Coffee Road, who awarded a grant of $2,500 to the Assistance League of Bakersfield. The money will go to help fund Operation School Bell, which provides new school clothing to elementary age children locally.

 * ... NON PROFIT: The Society for Disabled Children is preparing for its annual camp in which 42 kids will spend 10 days fishing, swimming, riding horses and staying in cabins. Patricia Henson, the group's executive director, is looking for sponsors to help offset the costs. If you are interesting in helping, contact the society at (661) 322-5595.

RIP Graham Downes, an architect whose vision helped restore Bakersfield's Padre Hotel, and here comes the Kern County Nut Festival

 * ... RIP: I was devastated to learn of the death of Graham Downes, one of the original investors and chief architect of the recently renovated Padre Hotel downtown. Downes died in San Diego after he suffered a severe beating in front of his historic Bankers Hill home. Police have arrested a 31-year-old man who worked for Graham in connection with the death. I met Graham more than three years ago

when he and partner Brett Miller were refurbishing The Padre, now one of the jewels of our downtown. He was South African by birth and was a visionary architect, known for projects like The Padre where historic old buildings are brought back to life. I remember asking him if there was any doubt the Padre could get a second chance at greatness. He gave me an incredulous look, motioned his hands toward the then-gutted interior and said - if I remember his words correctly - "Are you kidding? This is the type of project I live for." He was 55 years old. (photo of Graham Downes (right) along with Brett Miller, owner of The Padre Hotel)

 * ... NUT FESTIVAL: The inaugural Kern County Nut Festival is just two months away, and I am a bit surprised there hasn't been more chatter about it. Organizers have high hopes that the June 15 event will put Bakersfield on the map, in a positive way. The idea: a full day celebrating local food products (centered on nuts) that will brand Kern County as a nut capital in the way that Gilroy has its garlic. Among the more than 40 food vendors are Valentien's, Village Grill, Cafe Med, Chef's Choice Noodle Bar and the Delano Elks Club. Tickets are available at the Kern County Museum, Valley Republic Bank, Farm Credit Bank and Vallitix locations.

 * .... FATHER CRAIG: Monsignor Craig Harrison won some praise recently when he offered the invocation and blessing at a recent meeting of the Kern County Bar Association's charitable foundation. Said local attorney Patrick Jennison: "In addition to the uplifting comments, invocation and blessing from Father Craig, he challenged those there to help our foundation fulfill its mission to encourage, assist and educate students with an appreciation and respect for the legal and judicial system. Without fanfare, Craig wrote a check to our foundation for five hundred dollars, and encouraged all those judges, attorneys and others in attendance to contribute for the good work of our foundation. What a terrific example he is for all of us."

 * ... GOOD FORM: This happy note from local food critic Pete Tittl: "This morning while driving to work on Jewetta Avenue I saw an older couple walking south from Brimhall who had plastic bags. They were picking up trash as they went along, trying to clean up the neighborhood. Didn’t get their names, but it’s another cool way of citizens taking action to keep Bakersfield clean."

 * ... FAN MAIL: Occasionally I receive a nice hand written note from a reader, sharing some memory or concern about our community. And occasionally I receive an embittered anonymous mail like the letter from a woman who only identified herself as a "vintage wife of a career Navy pilot." Clearly no fan of this blog, she described me as a "toofy-faced doofus, and a peculiar male yenta." Yikes. Apparently she felt that I was angling for a free meal when I mentioned how delightful Luigi's Restaurant and Delicatessen is on a spring Saturday. Sorry "vintage wife," but my late departed mother frowned on that kind of behavior, and I suspect Gino and Tonia do as well.

* ... MEMORIES: Reader Sigrid Peasha wrote that she grew up in Bakersfield in the early 1970s and fondly remembers shopping with her mother at Dunlap's department store in the College Center Shopping Center on Columbus Street. "Dunlap's was a wonderful department store, and had a beautiful bridal section, which was very impressive to a little girl!  My mom has since passed away, but I have very fond memories of our shopping trips there together."