Nick 2.0

Video: Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market Shoppers Go Nuts

noreply@blogger.com (Nick Belardes) — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 23:04:00 +0000

Fresh & Easy Launches Hip New Grocery Look For Bakersfield
Supermarkets say they’re not copying them — though they likely are. Some people complain the budget-friendly small family portions are too small. They don’t appear to be. The overall simplicity of the market with its skylights and friendly green trim is all-too inviting. You can feel the openness.

And more: The green carts look inviting like they could fit an entire produce section. There’s even a mysterious head chef who often pokes his head out of a Manhattan Beach location to share new creations and listen to what kinds of foods people want concocted in his secret kitchen.

And now they’ve invaded Bakersfield.

Full article

Caution: Locals Of Eastern Indian Descent Targeted By Fake Police

noreply@blogger.com (Nick Belardes) — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 05:59:00 +0000

The Bakersfield Police Department said there have been three incidents over the past two days where people of eastern Indian descent have been targeted by at least one person in a car impersonating a police officer and performing fake traffic stops.

The Bakersfield Police Department said they are requesting the community’s assistance in identifying and locating the the people and the vehicle involved in the occurrences in southwest Bakersfield.

full article

Take A Ride On Bakersfield’s New Electric Trolley

noreply@blogger.com (Nick Belardes) — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 05:56:00 +0000

The trolley gave a lurch as it pulled onto Truxtun Avenue from where it sat parked outside the Borton & Petrini building. Don’t blame the driver. Trolley cars haven’t been seen in downtown Bakersfield in 30 years.

The grey November drizzle couldn’t damper the inauguration of Bakersfield’s renovated 1994 electric trolley. Even Mayor Harvey Hall’s snapping of the trolley bell chain after an initial ringing couldn’t put a dent in the happy ending to a 30-year local absence of trolley cars.

And there was fanfare too. City officials gathered as well as PG&E dignitaries Cindy Pollard and Brent Rush, Downtown Business Association Chairman Bob Bell, BARC representatives and others. They spoke about the difficulties of string-pulling involved in getting a trolley for Bakersfield.

Full article

While City Wraps Trees, Just How Many Beavers Live Near Riverwalk?

noreply@blogger.com (Nick Belardes) — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 05:53:00 +0000

Take a walk down the Kern Recreational Bike Path near the Park at Riverwalk and you will feel like its Christmas already. In fact, take a walk through the park itself. There are so many trees wrapped like candy you might feel like you’ve slipped into a Willy Wonka dream.

It’s all to prevent damage from a family of beavers who live in a creek just east of the park.

While the creek isn’t currently filled with water, it is filled with muddy beaver trails, weedy water-borne ivy-like plants and a home of logs and sticks protruding from the side of the creek bed.

Full article

Police: Boy Shot In Head With BB Gun, 4 Other Juveniles Fired On

noreply@blogger.com (Nick Belardes) — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 00:38:00 +0000

A group of boys between the ages of 11 and 13 were shot by a 26-year-old man with a BB gun outside of Howard's Mini Market on Monday. He was assisting a youth who had argued with the group, according to the Bakersfield Police Department.

Police said they received a report of a juvenile shot at the Howard’s Mini Mart at 4201 Belle Terrace around 1:11 p.m. After a brief investigation they found 5 juveniles, ages 11-13, who had been shot by someone with a BB gun.

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Kern County Election 2008: Flash Pass

noreply@blogger.com (Nick Belardes) — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 18:41:00 +0000

NOTE: 2008 KERN COUNTY, CALIFORNIA, U.S. PRESIDENT ELECTION RESULTS: Tuesday, Truxtun Avenue will post up-to-the-minute updates on all the races, propositions on this page.

Many people don’t want to waste time in reading all the propositions candidates, et al regarding the Nov. 4, 2008 election. Here at Truxtun Avenue, we don’t pretend to have all the answers. So we're offering you a flash pass. We feel the need to provide you with a little information on the Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2008 election. We salted them a little bit for fun. Refer to your voter guides and google searches for more info.

CLICK FOR ELECTION FLASH PASS AND RESULTS

Bakersfield Farmer's Market Report: The Bread Guy

noreply@blogger.com (Nick Belardes) — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 14:36:00 +0000

He's like an artist, but with bread. And he loves his subject. This week's Farmer's Market report features the bread guy from Great Harvest Bread Co. If you never thought baking could be romantic, think again. You haven't met the bread guy.

Jeff Cornelius spends long hours baking bread in two giant ovens prior to each weekend's Farmer's Market at Golden State Mall on F Street. He not only offers great-tasting unique breads, but also offers some of the most exciting bread conversation you can ever have in Bakersfield. It's part of the reason Truxtun Avenue flocks to his table every Saturday morning between 8 a.m and 12 p.m.

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Pit Bull Bites Face During Attack On Bassett Hound

noreply@blogger.com (Nick Belardes) — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 14:34:00 +0000

On Day of the Dead it was nearly the same for a local bassett hound and its owner, who were both attacked by a 50-pound pit bull in Bakersfield, according to the Kern County Sheriff's Department.

Sheriff's officials said just after 12 p.m. Saturday deputies went to the 1100 block of Blossom Street. They said a 50-pound pit bull escaped from it's backyard and attacked a bassett hound that lived across the street from the pit bull's home.

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Mento Buru, Skeletons Dance, In Music Filled Day Of The Dead Bash

noreply@blogger.com (Nick Belardes) — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 14:31:00 +0000

Minus the skeleton face paint and dancing devil puppets, it was dancing as usual at the annual Day of the Dead show in Bakersfield featuring music from Mento Buru. Musical guests the Iron Outlaws, L.A.’s the Underground and a guest jam with members of the band Fishbone also livened up the night.

In 2007, the annual Day of the Dead show in Bakersfield was at the Nile Theater and featured local Dia de los Muertos artwork, cultural dancing and life-sized skeleton musicians. Mento Buru had been hitting the stage in past years with painted skeleton faces. But not this year as the 2008 event was held at Fishlips, also in downtown Bakersfield.

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Mohawk Street Extension: Just Another Bridge To Nowhere?

noreply@blogger.com (Nick Belardes) — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 14:30:00 +0000

Sources have told Truxtun Avenue that Granite Construction just bid on a new Bakersfield bridge over the Kern River. It's just part of a huge new roadway project that proposes to ease the traffic burden on existing roadways in the area.

But will this be a Bakersfield bridge to nowhere?

Take Mohawk Street for its short curving drive from California Avenue past apartments and commercial buildings. A lone restaurant called Woody's sits on the corner where Mohawk meets Truxtun Extension. While coming up to the intersection a driver can look straight ahead to strip of grass where frisbee golf courses are frequented by hardcore disk tossers. They can be seen playing any day of the week.

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Man Caught Carrying Two Bags Of Stolen U-Haul Goods

noreply@blogger.com (Nick Belardes) — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 14:28:00 +0000

Early Monday morning a man walking down an Oildale street was caught carrying two bags of stolen U-Haul property, according to the Kern County Sheriff's Department.

At 4:37a.m., deputies went to a burglary in progress at the U-Haul store located at 107 North Chester, in Oildale.

Officials said deputies arrived within two minutes and discovered Stephen Orsburn, 22, of Oildale, walking in the 100 block of Beardsley Avenue carring two bags of stolen property.

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Twitter Novel 'Small Places' Gets Nod For Innovation In Christian Science Monitor

noreply@blogger.com (Nick Belardes) — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 21:55:00 +0000

The novel in microform. Not a new concept. That's called flash fiction. But the use of the social media tool Twitter for original literary fiction landed me a nod for literary innovation in an article appearing in both print and online versions of Friday's edition of the Christian Science Monitor.

The article, "The Novel By Tweet: The microblogging site, Twitter, launches into serialized fiction for bored cubicle dwellers," is by Matt Shaer, formerly of the Boston Globe.

Shaer writes, "Nick Belardes believes in brevity. He hews close to that hallowed maxim, beloved by middle school English teachers and old-fashioned newsmen alike: Keep it simple, stupid."

Well, I do believe more in brevity than ever. And in a twitter novel, you have 140-character limits. So I have to pay attention to constraints.

It's an artform that I started learning in college in the mid-1990s. My writing was too long-winded. So a professor had me writing 150-word summaries of entire history books. That was tough going. But those exercises paved the way to my success today in writing a short-form continuous-thread twitter novel.

I asked Matt Shaer why he was interested in writing about Twitter books. "I write a good deal about books – for the LA Times, for the Globe, for the Monitor – and in the face of seriously sinking readership, it's always a happy thing to stumble upon a hopeful trend," he said.

Read the full article

"Small Places" Twitter: www.twitter.com/smallplaces

Easy Read: First 200 Tweets

Related article: "The Novel By Tweet: The microblogging site, Twitter, launches into serialized fiction for bored cubicle dwellers,"

Related podcast: Nick Belardes, magic realism, bugs and 9/11

Related article: A Bug’s Life on Twitter - Interview with Twitter Novelist Nick Belardes

Related article: A Discussion Of My Twitter novel, 'Small Places'

MySpace site: www.myspace.com/twitterbook

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Get Truxtun Avenue updates via cell phone: www.twitter.com/nlbelardes

True Bakersfield Horror: Terror at the Preventorium

noreply@blogger.com (Nick Belardes) — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 19:01:00 +0000

I heard the story about a year ago. I saw the battered people from the car wreck. There was still fear in their eyes. They’d become victims of their own storytelling, their own curiosity of a maddening place in the hills.

People who want to be scared sometimes step too far over the edge. A midnight drive can turn into a midnight car chase or shooting. A late night dip into the wrong alley can lead to nightmares for years to come.

John startled himself when he blurted it out. Three others sat on the couch nearby. They’d been telling spooky stories—true tales about Bakersfield and the surrounding hills. “We can go up to that insane hospital,” John had said to his girlfriend, Sherry, and friends, Matt and Beth. They didn’t know they spoke of the old Kernville Preventorium and Dark Creek Sanatorium. While Dark Creek was a tuberculosis hospital that opened in 1917, the Preventorium was a place where men, women and children with tuberculosis got some healing, or care while dying. One doctor had said the lack of foggy air was good up in the rocky hills for patients.

Read the full terrifying article

Man Surrenders In Connection With Niles Mini Mart Robbery

noreply@blogger.com (Nick Belardes) — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 23:14:00 +0000

If you didn't think people who may have committed crimes never surrender, think again, Thursday the Bakersfield Police Department said detectives arrested one of two men wanted in connection wanted for the Oct. 20 robbery of the Niles Mini Mart at 1134 Niles Street.

Police said Orlando Serrano, Jr., 22, of Bakersfield, surrendered to detectives at theBakersfield Police Department.

VIDEO: Simpson's Underwear Artist? Bakersfield Comic-Con 2008

noreply@blogger.com (Nick Belardes) — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 16:42:00 +0000

Does this Simpson's artist draw while in underwear? Watch:

Read related article: Bakersfield Comic-Con Pleases Local Comic Book Lovers

Mojave Woman Kidnapped, Stabbed With Screwdriver, Burned With Cigarette

noreply@blogger.com (Nick Belardes) — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 00:41:00 +0000

A woman was terrorized in the small desert town of Mojave by a man officials said, kidnapped, stabbed her with a screwdriver and burned her with a cigarette, according to the Kern County Sheriff's Department.

The accused man, parolee Roque Larios, was arrested Wednesday.

Officials said on Oct. 26, deputies from the Mojave Substation responded to an assault-with-a-deadly-weapon call at 16171 I Street in Mojave.

Full story

'Witch Hunt' Film About Bakersfield Mean Justice, 1980s Child Molestation Trials

noreply@blogger.com (Nick Belardes) — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 18:23:00 +0000

Sean Penn narrates a movie about Bakersfield justice?

It's true. There's a new documentary film in the spirit of the book "Mean Justice" and national television news shows like 48 hours, depicting the Bakersfield witch hunts, or, child molestation trials of the 1980s that were eventually overturned.

According to the official movie site, the documentary film, 'Witch Hunt' chronicles the unraveling of a Bakersfield's justice system in the 1980s. The site claims the main characters in the documentary are:

working class moms and dads who all were wrongly convicted of child molestation. They served lengthy prison time and were ultimately exonerated. All of the convicted were recklessly pursued by the same District Attorney who remains in office today.

The film by Dana Nachman and Joe Hardy of KTF Films is narrated by Sean Penn. Music is by Fresno's Joe Rosato.

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Former Bakersfield Jam Big Man O’Bryant Suits Up For Celtics Opening Night

noreply@blogger.com (Nick Belardes) — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 05:42:00 +0000

It's NBA action and there's a little, or should we say, a lot of Bakersfield flavor involved. Former Golden State Warrior and Bakersfield Jam center Patrick O’Bryant suited up for a game against the Cleveland Cavaliers Tuesday night. The Celtics won 90-85.

The Bakersfield Jam said in a press release they provided O’Bryant with exactly what he needed during his two stints with the Jam between 2006 and 2008.

“My time in Bakersfield offered me the chance to get some valuable minutes, be game-fresh and stay in basketball shape”, said O’Bryant after a recent Celtics practice. “I was also able to work on my defensive rotations, pick-and-roll applications and basically keep my game from diminishing.”

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More Than 200 Inmates Battle At Lerdo Prison

noreply@blogger.com (Nick Belardes) — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 05:40:00 +0000

Last Sunday more than 200 male inmates housed at the Lerdo minimum security facility fought with homemade weapons in a racially motivated attack, according to the Kern County Sheriff's Department.

In order to stop the fight, a Sheriff's officer fired two warning rounds from a shotgun, officials said.

Bakersfield.com reported that officials are allowed to make warning shots.

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New Desert Trails: BLM, Sheriff's Officials Also To Monitor Off-Roading In Ridgecrest Areas

noreply@blogger.com (Nick Belardes) — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 05:36:00 +0000

In an effort to battle off-roading in undesignated high desert conservation areas, the Kern County Sheriff's Department issued a press release saying, they, along with the Bureau of Land Management will be patroling the Rand Mountain area.

Official Press Release:

Beginning November 1, 2008 The Kern County Sheriff’s Office Off Road Vehicle Team, will be assisting the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) with patrols of the Rand Mountains Management Area.

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Stranger Danger: Watch Your Kids At Bus Stops, Especially In Ridgecrest

noreply@blogger.com (Nick Belardes) — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 05:33:00 +0000

As it gets closer to Halloween, it's important to remind children of "Stranger Danger," especially those with kids who frequent bus stops.

According to the Kern County Sheriff's Department, there's still possibly some weird activity going on at bus stops in Ridgecrest that people should be aware about.

But that doesn't mean there isn't stranger danger fears at Bakersfield bus stops.

While one Oct. 16 case in Ridgecrest has been determinded as miscommunication between a Spanish-speaking individual and two children, another incident from that same day is still being investigated.

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Officials: Two Men In Stolen Truck Crash After Chase, Driver Escapes

noreply@blogger.com (Nick Belardes) — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 05:31:00 +0000

Two men in a stolen truck got pulled over for vehicle code violations, then led officers on a chase before crashing into a fence. The driver ran, according to Kern County Sheriff's Officials.

Monday evening, near Union Avenue and Terrace Way, officials said a deputy attempted to make a traffic stop of a blue Chevrolet pickup for several vehicle code violations.

The truck was driven by Ernie Machado, 30. Luis Ramos, 27, was the passenger.

Full article

Bakersfield Man Accused Of Attempted Child, Baby Abductions

noreply@blogger.com (Nick Belardes) — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 05:25:00 +0000

Bakersfield officials finally announced the near-abductions of a 7-month-old baby and a nine-year-old girl were attempted by the same man already in custody.

KBAK reported that Stanley Tomlin, 38, who was foiled in both kidnapping attempts was arrested for both crimes.

“She says it is him,” said Alberto Davila, the uncle of the 9-year-old girl to Bakersfield.com. “I didn’t get a look, but she did.”

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Commentary: Will The Real Dow Please Stand Up!

noreply@blogger.com (Nick Belardes) — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 05:22:00 +0000

Tuesday's massive 889-point Dow surge is just another reminder that the Dow Jones is on its own strange roller coaster of ups and downs.

If the Dow were a person, it seems to be acting as strange as some of the people whose live revolve around it. Oh wait, isn't that all of us?

The American people, on the verge of a vast mental episode and beer-drinking binge, has to be cross-eyed over the latest giant market surge. Should they drink a 12-pack tonight or not? And what does it all mean? Certainly the latest surge means the American and possibly the global economy is far from stable -- but not dead.

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The Moment Of Adoption: Becoming Craig's Mother

noreply@blogger.com (Nick Belardes) — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 05:18:00 +0000

Would he love me? This time last year, while waiting for my son to be born, I worried that he wouldn’t return my love. I was certain that when he was a toddler he would, but as a newborn? Would he sense my love for him as I pulled him close or would he strain to hear the song and sounds of his birth mother instead? Would he feel fear and heartbreak and have to keep it locked tight in his body, unable to communicate anything more than a cry?

I also wondered about myself and if I possessed a mother’s sense with this child who was not biologically mine. At night when the baby whimpered or cried, would it be his birth mother, fifty miles away, instinctively waking up to reach for him while I slept?

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