Bakersfield.com State News

Groves abuzz this year

jcox@bakersfield.com (JOHN COX) — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 22:33:00 PDT

To call it a honeybee glut might be an exaggeration, but this year the ever-shifting balance between Kern's almond groves and the bees that pollinate them does seem to have tilted in favor of the trees.

That may raise a few eyebrows, given what appeared to be an industrywide crisis last year as bees died by the tens of thousands, victims of a mysterious affliction called colony collapse disorder.

West teams sweep high school all-star games

Sun, 29 Mar 2009 22:43:00 PDT

Trailing in the fourth quarter Sunday in the first Kern County High School boys basketball All-Star game, Travon Wesson received a little encouragement from his West squad teammate Caleb Coleman from Liberty.

"He told me to just get open and I'll get you the ball," said Wesson.

Out of work? Some strike out on their own as entrepreneurs

cedelhart@bakersfield.com (COURTENAY EDELHART) — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 12:00:00 PDT

After more than a decade with a home builder, Russ Johnson found himself out of work.

It was 2007. The real estate market had gone belly up, and his employer didn’t need a vice president of land acquisition anymore.

97 years of the Girl Scouts

lmedina@bakersfield.com (LOUIS MEDINA) — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 21:57:34 PDT

It’s very possible that some of the original Girl Scouts of America went on to become the nation’s first women voters when the 19th Amendment granted them that right in 1920.

The organization, now for girls 5 to 17, was founded on March 12, 1912, and today, 97 years later, continues to teach girls such values as self-development, growth, confidence and independence, according to Girl Scouts of Central California South spokeswoman Joanne Wolaridge. “It just shows how powerful us women are in this world,” said Jolie Brouttier, 20, a supervision aide at Ronald Reagan Elementary School who was a Brownie and later a Girl Scout for most of her elementary school years. “And it obviously says the cookies are good,” she added.

Quotes about the former president

Wed, 27 Dec 2006 17:26:34 PST

Comments about former President Gerald R. Ford, who died Tuesday at 93:

“The American people will always admire Gerald Ford’s devotion to duty, his personal character and the honorable conduct of his administration.” — President George W. Bush.

Ford’s tenure as president rocked by 2 assassination attempts

Wed, 27 Dec 2006 17:21:38 PST

EDITOR’S NOTE — This account is based largely on the written remembrances of Howard Benedict, who covered the Ford presidency and was in the White House pool when the attempts on President Ford’s life were made. Benedict died in April 2005.

WASHINGTON — In the fall of 1975, Gerald Ford’s presidency was rocked by two assassination attempts within less than three weeks.

Schedule of funeral plans for President Ford

Wed, 27 Dec 2006 17:10:31 PST

Funeral plans for President Ford (all times are local):

Thursday, Dec. 28