This column is brought to you by our broken washing machine.

Strike one. Strike two. Strike three. You are out, valley fever!

In 1988, I was asked to be a very small part of several of the Rev. Jesse Jackson’s visits to Kern County.

In my opinion, it should be called the “International” Christian Youth Film Festival.

Jackie Fisher should write a book about growing up in the 1960s in Kern County’s 93307 ZIP code. The 07 generally encompasses a wide swath of southeast Bakersfield. Fisher, I and many of our friends who are 07 alumni went to Casa Loma Elementary School, Golden State Junior High School and So…

Several years ago, in one of the most unlikely places, timed perfectly for the holidays, I received an unexpected lesson in humility, gratitude and happiness. As sad and happy as this true story makes me, I often repeat it during this time of year to my children. I also share it with anyone …

“To give one’s very self — to think only of others and to bring the greatest happiness to others is the true meaning of Christmas.” So wrote author Millie W. Carpenter in her story “The Little Tear Gatherer,” published in 1889. For many, the secular meaning of the holidays has shifted from g…

Christy Leyvas and her husband, Larry, dreamed one day they would be holding their son’s child. A year ago on Oct. 6, that parental dream was shattered when their 20-year-old son Lawrence James, affectionately known as “L.J.,” was killed while leaving a Bakersfield house party. His killer wa…

As football season began, my grandnephew Josh Yubeta wrote a timely Facebook post about his memory of Tata, his grandfather, coming to watch him play sports.

To financially assist Kern County families on their cancer journey, this year’s 12th Annual Kern Run/Walk and Festival will be held Sept. 20 at The Park at River Walk in Bakersfield.

Around this time of year, I am frequently asked, “Has your family gone on your annual camping trip?”

If a picture is worth a thousand words, I think this one of me and my 8-month-old great-grandbaby Levaeha Ortiz is worth a gazillion. It was taken by my son Sean on Father’s Day in my son Aaron’s backyard. Sean isn’t a professional photographer, but he should be. Like many of you, I am bless…

My son Aaron approached me and nonchalantly asked me to keep Memorial Day weekend open. He knew how busy I would be with producing the Media Music Jam at the Crystal Palace on June 28. So, he knew it was a big ask. I kept my word and left Memorial Day weekend open.

The Valley Fever Institute at Kern Medical invites the community to come out to raise awareness and funds to help fight valley fever while having family fun. The 11th Annual Valley Fever Walk will be held Saturday, April 12, Beach Park, 3400 21st St. The fun starts at 9 a.m. and individuals,…

It rained all night but at about 6:45 that Monday morning, a bright sunrise was breaking through the thick Kern County clouds. It was going to be a Chamber of Commerce weather day in Bakersfield. I left home a little earlier to pick up my daughter Brenna so I could dry off my car at the park…

Renowned author Ernest Hemingway and I have one thing in common: a love for nurses. Hemingway’s "A Farewell to Arms" depicts his experiences during the First World War, which included him falling in love with his nurse. I have researched and have not yet been able to locate an adjective that…

"Kern County showed up for me during my cancer journey. I want to show up for Kern County," said Veronica Placencia, KERO TV 23 news director, who a year ago was diagnosed with endometrial cancer.

The longest running film festival of its kind, the Christian Youth Film Festival is back for its 31st anniversary at the Fox Theater on March 9.

One of my early high school ambitions included being an interpreter at the United Nations. Conveniently, South High School offered three language classes which included Spanish, French and Russian. I picked Spanish and Russian because of the girls enrolled who I hoped would eventually become…

The headline in the June 28, 2013, Las Vegas Review-Journal read, “Unassuming park named for man who wouldn’t have wanted huge accolades.” The man was my dad’s brother, my uncle Nicholas E. Flores. Known as Tio Edmund in our large family, he is one of 15 siblings born to my grandparents.

Amador Galvez and Nancy Hopkins are examples of the hundreds if not thousands of Kern County people who give without any expectation of recognition or who quietly achieve inspirational milestones which, if shared, may motivate others to a higher level of ourselves.

There were three signs that marked the official beginning of the holiday season for me when growing up.

“Must one have a reason to help those in need?”

Many say the greatest joy a mother has is the birth of her child. Many believe the greatest sorrow is the loss of her child.

The headline read: “Last Major Kmart Store Closes.”

If you have read my columns over the years, you know how important my family is to me. But I’m not the kind of columnist who takes advantage of this forum to continuously brag about my family.

Many people consider trees to be the lungs of our world.

Some 207 cancer survivors were among about 1,523 people who attended the 11th Annual Kern Cancer Run/Walk Festival at The Park at River Walk on Sept. 14. They were the guests of honor and easy to identify because of their red Annual Kern Run/Walk Festival T-shirts.

Does anyone have connections with Steven Spielberg, Quentin Tarantino or Tyler Perry?

Did your cell phone alert you to Tuesday’s 5.2 magnitude earthquake? Ours did. In doing so, it awoke the sleeping “seismophobia” in many of us.

I have no way to validate, confirm or authenticate to you the details of this Buck Owens story. It seems incredible, even to me, every time I share it. All I can say, as best as I can, every word is as true as I remember it to be.

My brothers, Willie, Andy, Ralph and Bobbie and I could have been swamp cooler installers, repairmen and technical advisers in the 1960s. Including my four brothers, there were 10 of us living in our small 900-square-foot Watts Drive home. Those included my three sisters, Rachel, Espie, Nanc…

Sitting in our hallway closet for more than 12 years was a large clear storage case full of Susie’s sewing fabric. That’s how long it’s been since we lost Susie, my bride of 40 years, to cancer.

Danay Gonzalez and I sat alone in the conference room of the prestigious Rodriguez & Associates law offices where she is an attorney. During our 15-minute conversation she was very professional and lawyerly. She was cordial, always friendly and to the point.

My daughter Brenna and I recently attended Magda Menendez’s retirement party. After 43 years, Menendez retired as the administrator of the Mexican American Opportunity Foundation. According to its website, “MAOF provides social services for infants through seniors and is one of the largest n…

I believe we inherited it from my dad’s side of the family. It’s the need for all our family to be together.

It started as a normal non-football Sunday morning at my home. I had just returned from church. My daughter Nikki, her husband, Carlos, and Brenna were in the living room relaxing and playing movie roulette on the television. Movie roulette is where you spend as much time looking for and dec…

I don’t remember which lame excuse I used to get my adult daughter Nikki to ride with me last Sunday morning. I think the pretense was to grab her favorite extra hot sugar-free Annihilator coffee from Dutch Bros.

It wasn’t anyone’s birthday, or someone’s anniversary, or, thank goodness, a funeral. It wasn’t a Super Bowl party, or even a World Series game.

The usual grammar, composition and literature would not be taught in English class that April day in 1968. When Mr. Miller, our South High School English teacher, walked into his classroom full of soon-to-be graduating seniors, his usual jovial approach was replaced with a somber and palpabl…

I always thought the red Santa Express mailbox in our entryway was only one of many Christmas decorations that filled our home. To my joy this mailbox would serve to be like a family time capsule that would offer a unique peek into the growing personalities of my children and grandchildren.

I have one. I know my memory isn’t accurate, but this is how my heart remembers it.

“I don’t know very many good men. But Nino was one of them,” said a friend at Nino Macias’ graveside services last week.