Bakersfield Observed with Richard Beene - The Podcast

Political Consultant Russell Johnson breaks down all the moving parts for important local elections: Congress, Supervisor, Assembly and State Senate. Plus asks... Who is advising Louis Gill and what were they thinking?

Robert Peterson brings some of our community's most notorious stories - crimes, earthquakes, personal dramas - to light in the Notorious Bakersfield podcast. Remember the "Killer Santa and Denny's," or the day of "Terror on Panorama?" Tune into this terrific podcast to learn more about our shared history.

Dr. Ravi Patel talks about how studying the immune system has led to important new cancer therapies, and he also has some good news: Kern County is no better or worse than the rest of the country in terms of incidences of breast, colon and lung cancers.

Ciinica Sierra Vista has been around for 50 years and now the medical cooperative charged with providing health care to the most needy unveiled a new comprehensive health care facility in Bakersfield, across the street from Memorial Hospital.

Rick Kreiser of Guitar Masters brings back his wildly popular Christmas with the Cranktones at the Crystal Palace on Wednesday, Dec. 29.

A survivor of sexual abuse as a teenager, Joelle Casteix has now devoted her life to exposing sexual abusers of all stripes, be they priests or Scout leaders. Listen as Casteix talks about the Catholic Church priest scandal, the case against a former priest Craig Harrison and why getting to the priest personnel files is all important to expose abuse.

Rob McCarthy grew up in Bakersfield, graduated from Garces and USC, worked for both Jean Fuller and Kevin McCarthy (no relation) and is now living in Austin, Texas and is running for the Texas State House. Listen as this Bakersfield-bred man talks about being a California transplant in a liberal city while avowing conservative principles.

Churches in at least 12 other states have copied the model of Bakersfield's own City Serve, a non profit umbrella group for churches and organizations that serve the needy in Kern County. Listen to Pastor Robin Robinson track the remarkable growth and success of this institution and pay attention to what it says about our community, faith and hope.

Brant Cotton is a Bakersfield native, a graduate of both West High and CSUB, and he has a role in the independent movie Oildale, the story of three homeless veterans who find family while getting their lives on track. The movie airs Sunday (Dec. 6) at 2 p.m. at the Fox Theater. Door open at 1 p.m. and the cost is just $10. Part of the proceeds benefit the Wounded Heroes Fund.

Supervisor Leticia Perez has made it clear: she will run for the 32nd Assembly District being vacated by Rudy Salas assuming the district map is not radically altered. Perez revealed her intentions in a wide ranging interview on this podcast in which she addressed a period of depression after being charged with a conflict of interest by the District Attorney, her upbringing by farmworker parents, success and her vision of a "purple America" where red and blue voters come together on common issues.

BHS history and government teacher Jeremy Adams pens a new essay in Newsweek warning of the state of our schools: from permissive discipline policies to teaching a generation of students ill equipped for the classroom.

Are school boards the new ground zero in America's culture wars? Pastor Angelo Frazier takes on critics you blame racism on opposition to CRT in our schools.

How are is Bakersfield from seeing live music return? Rick Kreiser, founder of the popular Guitar Masters concert series, says it looks like his shows will be returning in November. Listen to Kreiser talk about our love of music, our changing tastes and the special Bakersfield welcome his performers receive when they play in town.

Kern County Chief Administrative Officer Ryan Alsop reacts to the “devastating” news by Gov. Newsom of new setbacks for oil production and says he is working on plans to clear the streets of the homeless.

Chad Hathaway is a oil company CEO who spends a lot of his time thinkin about "climate alarmists," people who have almost a religious aversion to fossil fuels. If green energy is the future, why is the world rushing to put coal fired power plants back on line to satisfy surging demand?

Coach Rod Barnes calls the CSUB basketball program the "front porch" of the university, and with play about to begin, he is hoping for huge home crowds as the Roadrunners compete in the Big West Conference. Listen to Barnes talk about how Covid and the lockdown have affected the program.

Lauren Skidmore is smart, accomplished and well versed in what moves the political agenda in California, but can she make an impact on homelessness in Kern County? She takes over today as head of the Bakersfield Homeless Center.

Make no mistake that California is in the midst of a serious drought that is leaving some rural communities without drinking water and imperiling farming operations. Lois Henry of SJVWater.Org lays out the drought that is growing progressively worse.

Why is it that so many dogs and cats are discarded like garbage in Kern County? What is it about us that makes us treat pets as disposable items? Julie Johnson of the SPCA and the city Animal Control Services comes on to talk about full shelters and a woeful disregard for our pets.

Kern County Democratic chairman Christian Romo says to keep an eye on the race for Congressman David Valadao's seat, deemed a top priority of the national party. Romo also talks about the growing progressive movement in Kern County and speculates on the county eventually becoming Democratic.

The new owners of the historic Woolworth's building downtown share their plans and vision for the iconic landmark and talk about their core belief in downtown revival.

If you are frustrated by our homeless problem, prepare for it to get worse. That's the word from two local experts, Carlos Baldovinos of the Mission of Kern County and Jim Wheeler of Flood Ministries who warn the pandemic and the end of the ban on evictions could send the homeless numbers soaring.

Bakersfield's Samuel Van Kopp, a West Point grad who was gravely injured by a suicide bomber in Afghanistan in 2012, argues America has an obligation to evacuate all Afghans who stood with the U.S. during the war. “We got the war we paid for,” he says.

The 2020 Census is out and it shows a less white, more diverse America, a country where races are blending together to create a multi-racial society. Will the values that helped America succeed endure, or is the America we know gone? You decide as Supervisor Leticia Perez and Professor Richard Gearhart tackle the issue.

Former Roman Catholic priest Patrick Wall takes us inside the Diocese and explains the secrets and records so important to the Catholic priest abuse scandal.

CSUB economic professor Dr. Richard Gearhart predicts Biden will be a one term president and he has some predictions on the Gavin Newsom recall.

Doc Victor, founder of Summit Bible College, talks about being born Jewish, playing professional basketball and the moment he accepted Jesus in his life. And he also does a great Sinatra cover.

An award winning High School Teacher warns we are losing a generation of students to loneliness, isolation and disengagement.

Wasco Mayor Alex Garcia is under fire for suggesting the LGBTQ flag be flown over city hall and some fellow council members are demanding he resign over a recent DUI arrest. Is it a political witch hunt as he calls it? You decide.

Bill Gentile, Author of "Wait For Me, True Stories of War, Love and Rock & Roll," discusses the decade of war in Central America.

Pastor Angelo Frazier of Riverlakes Community Church sits down to talk woke culture, critical race theory and how society is dealing with the new norms.

We chat with Joelle Casteix, a prominent advocate for sexual abuse victims, about how communities react when a popular priest is accused of sexual abuse.

Bakersfield High School history and civics teacher Jeremy Adams helps us understand Critical Race Theory, an idea that has divided America.

Reminiscent of the “Hooverville” shanty towns of the 1930s, homeless camps are becoming larger and more permanent throughout Kern County. We talk to Mission of Kern County Director Carlos Baldovinos about what the next year will bring.

Lois Henry on water, drought and sinking farmland. Lois reviews her story in The New York Times on how land near Corcoran is sinking because of pulling too much water out of the ground. To read the story got to www.SJVWater.org