Five Guys tops In-N-Out as the nation's most popular burger, the Bynum family breathes new life into an industrial area and Bill Thomas masters the art of a short speech

 * ... BLVD: You have to hand it to local developer Greg Bynum and his sons - Don and David - for spearheading the re-development of an area of town that could have fallen into disrepair. The area off

Buck Owens Boulevard was once home to Costco, Home Base and other big box retailers, but after being purchased by the elder Bynum it is now home to a bustling and growing entertainment complex. It now consists of Don Bynum's Temblor Brewing Co., Rush Sports (one of David's projects), Bakersfield Karting, the DMV court and soon BLVD, the new entertainment center (coordinated by David Bynum,) that will feature a restaurant, three bars, a bowling alley, laser tag, billiards and bocce ball, a ropes course and meeting center.

 * ... STERLING SILVER: The Bakersfield College Foundation held a dinner this week to celebrate the passage of Measure J, which will provide the college with some $500 million in capital improvements. The Sterling Silver dinner honored former House Ways and Means Committee chairman Bill Thomas, former Mayor Harvey Hall and others who worked to win passage of the measure, which won a remarkable 65 percent of the vote. My take away from the dinner: both Thomas and Hall are masters at giving short, concise and thoughtful remarks. Through the years, they have learned no one is disappointed in a short speech.

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "Nothing is better when 'the one that got away' becomes "whew so glad I dodged that bullet!'"

 * ... SPOTTED ON FACEBOOK: "If I cancel Comcast, I’ll have enough money to retire in five months."

 * ... WALKING TOUR: If you are a history buff, you might want to join a walking tour of historic downtown Bakersfield this Saturday. The tour is free and will be led by Bakersfield High teacher Ken Hooper, starting at the Woolworth's building at 10 a.m. and ending around 12:30 p.m.

 * ... TRASH: I read in the Californian the story about the annual "Community Appearance Survey" in which Mayor Karen Goh, Cathy Butler and others drove around town and rated areas on the appearance of trash. On a scale of one to four, with one being "no litter" four being "extremely littered," they gave Bakersfield a rating of 1.6. Really? What kind of blinders were the mayor and Cathy Butler wearing that prevented them from seeing the litter the rest of us see?

 * ... CSUB: Congratulations to the nearly 2,000 undergraduates and 450 master's degree candidates who will be graduating from CSUB this year. This is the largest graduating class in the history of the local university.

 * ... BURGER WARS: Has our beloved In-N-Out burger lost its crown as the world's best hamburger? That is the word from a recent Harris Poll that found, for the first time ever, In-N-Out has been toppled in a poll of the country's best burger. The new winner? The signature burger from Five Guys, a Virginia based company that is making inroads in the West. Five Guys has outlets in Valencia and Visalia and is planning on opening its first Bakersfield location on Calloway Drive.

 * ... MEMORIES: According to the Kern County of Old Facebook page, the building housing downtown's Tiki-Ko cocktail bar was originally built to house the Windsor Hotel.

Rodriguez and Associates drop off $200,000 at Bakersfield Memorial Hospital to support the Grossman Burn Unit, get ready for The Iguanas at Temblor Brewing Co. and the ongoing debate over climate change

 * ... RODRIGUEZ: Hats off to local plaintiff's attorney Daniel Rodriguez and his team over at Rodriguez and Associates for donating $200,000 to Bakersfield Memorial Hospital and its expanding services. The gift will support the opening of the Neuro ICU and the establishment of the S.A. Camp Companies Burn Unit at the Grossman Burn Center, both of which will bring advanced technology and outstanding patient care to the people of Kern County.

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "I’ve enjoyed giving presentations at work a lot more since I started communicating exclusively through interpretive dance."

 * ... IGUANAS: One of the hottest musical venues in town these days is the Temblor Brewing Co. off Merle Haggard Drive. The popular brew pub has been blowing up since opening its doors to musical acts, and Monday night the brassy New Orleans sound of the Iguanas will be appearing on the Temblor stage with its big sound. If you see just one concert this summer, this should be your top pick. Doors open at 6 p.m. and tickets are just $25.

 * ... BIKE RACKS: Have you noticed the appearance of colorful new bicycle racks popping up around town? Manufactured out of sturdy steel and in the shape of a road bike, the racks are the work of the city of Bakersfield and Bike Bakersfield to promote active transportation and active lifestyles. Bike Bakersfield director Adam Kahler said 29 racks have been placed around town, all funded via the Bakersfield Californian Foundation and public grants and funding.

* ... FEEDBACK: My piece on an anti fossil fuel activist drew this note from reader Harry Love: "In today's column you placed the words global warming in quotes. That is an indication that you find it to be questionable at to being true. Ninety-eight percent of scientists who study the
climate find that climate change caused by human activity is true. First, the correct term is climate change. Second, using your logic, if you had to use the word evolution in a column, you would have to place quotes around it. Some people believe it to be a hoax." Thanks for your note, Harry, and you might be surprised to learn that I do indeed believe in global warming, or climate change as you call it. What we might disagree on is its cause, and how societies respond to it.

 * ... TRAVEL TIP: Sharing this travel tip from Michael Horne and Ann Marie Duquette: "We just got back from a three week whirlwind road trip that took us to Yellowstone, Little Big Horn, Mount Rushmore and Mesa Verde to name a few of the 15 sites visited. We took a day of rest in Pueblo, Colorado, and discovered a must see site: The Center for American Values which is along the River Walk.  This Center honors and has pictures of those veterans that have received the Medal of Honor from World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War and Iraq/Afghanistan. It was a moving, awesome and very inspiring visit. If anyone ever stops  or drives through Pueblo, Colorado, we urge them to stop there for a short visit."

 

Midnight North will appear at Temblor Brewing Co. this Sunday and some random acts of kindness around town

 * ... MIDNIGHT NORTH: What happens when combine an incredibly talented young band with the hottest musical and eating venue in town? You wind up with the San Francisco-based band

Midnight North appearing at Temblor Brewing Co. this Sunday at 6 p.m. If you haven't heard this band, this description about sums them up: "For this band, it’s all about the song. When you come to a Midnight North show, you’ll find Elliott Peck, Grahame Lesh and Alex Jordan sliding into three part harmonies that are as comfortable as an old pair of jeans. You’ll hear bassist Connor O’Sullivan and new drummer Alex Koford making themselves at home in any groove from a stomp to a slow-burn or boogie. Settle in and you might find Midnight North writing a new page in the American songbook." Tickets are $25 at the door. Come enjoy amazing craft beer, great eats and can't miss music.

* ... GEESE: Local attorney Katy Raytis shared an adorable picture of a family of geese (seven little ones led by, presumably, their parents) crossing a busy Mohawk Street and California Avenue while traffic came to a stop during rush hour. It's about the only time traffic slows down around here.

 * ... GOOD FORM: Michele Garrison sent this shoutout to Derek Carr who was in town this past weekend for a good cause. "A sincere thanks to Derek Carr of the Oakland Raiders for his heartfelt ministry at the Upper Room on Sunday night and thanks for signing one last football. Thank you, Richard Beene, for giving us Bakersfieldians a personal format that is always interesting to read. " And thank you, Ms. Garrison.

 * ... MORE GOOD FORM: And here's another uplifting nugget to start your day, compliments of reader Doris Thometz: "I was getting gas intending to use the ATM at the pump but it wasn't working," she wrote. "I use a walker and I have trouble getting around so I asked the young lady at the next pump if she would go into the store for me if I gave her $5. She came back and chatted with me while I pumped the gas. When I was done, she handed the $5 back and said she wanted to pay for the gas. There's so much negative in the world today. I just had to share a positive. Thanks, Laura, you made my day!"

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "What if dogs bring the ball back because they think you enjoy throwing it?"

 *  ... ROSE PARADE: Local attorney Barry Rosenfeld has been selected to serve as a director of the Rotary Rose Parade Float Committee through 2018. Said Rosenfeld: "All of the directors are from the six Southern California districts that sponsor the float. We are all either past club presidents (I served 1992-1993) or past district governors. The these of this year's Tournament of Roses theme is Echoes of Success." 

 

American cyclists more likely to die in bike crashes, Temblor Brewing Co. opens its doors to the public and good news for the Boys and Girls Club of Kern County

 * ... CLCLING: There are few better forms of exercise than cycling - the benefits to the

cardiovascular system are well known - but there is a dark downside to the explosion of recreational cyclists on our roads. I have chronicled numerous cycling accidents in this blog, and almost invariably they involve inexperienced or "beginning" cyclists riding beyond their talent level. Surprising? Not really according to The New York Times, which reports that "per kilometer and per trip cycled, American bicyclists are twice as likely to get killed as German cyclists and over three times as likely as Dutch cyclists." Why? American motorists are largely intolerant of cyclists, bike lanes here are rare and often inadequate and American riders are simply going too fast or not paying attention.

* ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "The first 80 years of adulthood are always the toughest."

* ... TEMBLOR: I stopped by the new Temblor Brewing Co. to see what all the buzz was about in the community. This new local craft brewery is located in a cavernous building off Buck Owens Boulevard and is run by founders Thomas Maxwell and Don Bynum, two 30-somethings living the dream of owning their own brewery. (Maxwell is the son of local restaurateur and city councilman Terry Maxwell and Bynum the son of local developer Greg Bynum). Maxwell told me there are about 30 local investors and on the Sunday I visited, the place was busy with folks tasting Temblor's line of craft beers and enjoying entrees from the kitchen. Temblor is undergoing a soft opening with the official "grand opening" set for mid October.

 * ... RESCUE DOGS: Last week I wrote about a new thrift store that has opened to benefit the HALT (Helping Animals Live Tomorrow) rescue organization. Liz Keogh wrote to remind me that some 40 years ago, the Kern Humane Society opened its own thrift shop (aka "The Antique Store" as one client at a clinic referred to it). It is located at 2111 Brundage Lane, and the proceeds from the sales are used to fund their much-needed and successful programs for spay/neuter and limited medical assistance vouchers. Good luck to both these worthy organizations.

 * ... GOOD FORM: Jason Cohen is a financial adviser who spends hours volunteering as the president of the Boy and Girls Club of Kern County. He is understandably proud of this organization,  which was named the best Boys and Girls Club in the nation recently in several categories, and he shot me a note to remind me of all the good it does. In his words: "The Boys and Girls Clubs of Kern County now has 535 incredible employees who day in and day out work tirelessly to give our 8,000 kids a day tools to be productive and caring citizens. We started this school year with 62 sites making us the largest club in California. All really amazing facts we should be proud of as residents."

 * ... NORIEGA: Longtime business attorney Rob Noriega is joining the Young Wooldridge law firm in its business law department. Noriega, who serves as legal counsel for TBC Media, has been carrying on the practice of his late father, Joe Noriega, since his retirement 20 years ago.
"I did so with a wonderful partner, Eric Bradshaw, for many years. After Eric left the firm to join the Kern County Superior Court in 2009, I became interested in joining a larger law practice. A few months ago, I was approached by the Young Wooldridge firm about joining the firm’s Business Law Department and we appeared to match up well from the beginning. I was attracted to the firm’s long history in this community, the firm’s culture, and its excellent reputation in some core areas of legal practice."