Bakersfield.com Herb Benham

Maj. Jason George: The death of a soldier, the life of a patriot

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 19:16:38 PDT

How long does it take to climb a mountain?

If it's White Wolf grade, the highway leading to the new Bakersfield National Cemetery, it takes five minutes in a car, 35 on a bike and, for Maj. Jason George, 38 years.

Herb Benham: 6-year-old says goodbye to hair, hello to altruism

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 18:12:52 PDT

Now that's some pretty hair.

Luckily for the hair-free world (and perhaps some young cancer patients),there was plenty of Niki Lynn Hallmark's chestnut mane to go around Saturday.

Herb Benham: Attack of the killer zucchini

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 11:17:23 PDT

A couple days ago, I fixed a squash medley. Medley sounded festive -- like a party with a family of colorfully dressed squashes as the honored guests.

Response to the squash medley was subdued. I fished for compliments, but the fish weren't biting. In order to hear a compliment, I would have to deliver one myself.

Herb Benham: Life after the lion finally sweet for Shannon Parker

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 17:21:35 PDT

Today is a different kind of anniversary for Shannon Parker. Five years ago, the beautiful 5-foot-3-inch Arvin High graduate was attacked by a mountain lion while hiking north of Kernville. The lion won round one, but in the spirit of happy anniversaries, Parker won the next 11.

Earlier this week, Parker, now 32, taped a segment of "Animal Planet," re-enacting the attack. She played herself. Actors from the UCLA film school played her three hiking companions. The episode, titled "Man Eaters," airs in December.

Molar express: When Army calls, local dentist goes

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 17:00:47 PDT

When someone volunteers to do the right thing for his country, it's never just one person's sacrifice. Consider the case of Steve Klein, a Bakersfield dentist and Army reservist, who goes wherever the military sends him to fill what needs filling, cap what needs capping and root canal what needs root canaling.

Klein does it because he loves his country, but his family is just as patriotic. They let him go and get along as best they can. There's his wife, Julie, his kids, Benjamin and Paige.

Greatest heroes are often the ones who raise us, teach us about life

Sat, 20 Jun 2009 21:21:05 PDT

Father's Day is normally second fiddle to Mother's Day because women are clever, have better press agents and have no problem being pampered, even if it's only for one day.

On the other hand men, suspicious of mud baths and pedicures, see Father's Day as a free pass, an opportunity to be even more male than they usually are.

Herb Benham: Shopping for a vacuum sucks the life out of you

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 14:04:31 PDT

The vacuum died. As poorly as it had been working in recent years it was hard to distinguish the death rattle from its actual death. To vacuum was to tread old ground again and again in an ageless present.

"It's time to do something about our vacuum," Sue said. "It's never worked well. Why don't you take it back to the store and maybe they'll trade it in or something."

Designer helps users make wheelchairs 'dance'

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 15:19:03 PDT

Thank his mother-in-law for it.

"It," in this case, is Dick Douglass' career of giving wheelchair users more mobility than they'd ever dreamed possible. Thousands of customers should thank him, and many already have.

Those were the days: Class of '39 looks back

Thu, 11 Jun 2009 22:04:35 PDT

After lunch, the serving staff at Stockdale Country Club brought a snowy mountain of white to-go containers.

"We don't eat as much as we used to," said John Kolstad.

Luigi's in Gino's genes

Mon, 08 Jun 2009 17:54:21 PDT

For the last 15 years, Gino Valpredo, ex-starting fullback for Arizona State as well as heir apparent to Luigi's, has been knee deep in more than 15 different kinds of olives, 70 types of cheeses and more than 200 brands of wine, most of which he has to taste -- tough job.

Valpredo was working after college as a bellman at the Biltmore Hotel in Santa Barbara, living in Carpinteria and surfing at Rincon Point when his father called and asked if he could come home and help. Two years of fun was apparently enough, and come home he did. For the next several years, Gino prepped in the kitchen.

The Grateful Dad: Son's rock concert ends on high note

Fri, 05 Jun 2009 15:31:09 PDT

What should I wear?

Shorts, jeans, a leather flight jacket? I didn't want to appear as if I were straining to be cool when I was as far from being cool as San Francisco was from Bakersfield.

Facebook friendship tests bond of families

Fri, 05 Jun 2009 11:25:05 PDT

Keandra Sandifer wants to be my friend. I am flattered. Ms. Sandifer and I have yet to meet, and we still may not, but if she is as friendly in person as she is on Facebook than I am sure she is delightful.

Recently, I joined Facebook. I haven't told my son Sam because he thinks joining Facebook is the sort of thing a fruitcake like me might do. He doesn't like the idea of asking someone to be his friend -- he would consider it playing defense -- and he doesn't want any new friends either. He's happy with the friends he has, but he's not above firing some of them on general principle.

Boys' can-do attitude takes them far

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 18:12:40 PDT

Message to kids: Don't grow up. We like you just the way you are. You might improve, but I'll require witnesses and signed documents to believe it.

I'm talking about Austin and Aaron Machado. Otherwise known as A&A Recycling. Aaron is 10 and Austin 11. But wait, it get cuter, although by the time a young man reaches 10 or 11, he may bristle at the C word.

When life throws up roadblocks, you just keep on truckin'

Fri, 29 May 2009 17:27:46 PDT

Sandy Oliver's world is shrinking as well as expanding. There may be universes like that, and if there are, hers could be one.

Shrinking because Sandy, 58, has ALS. She was diagnosed April 1, 2004. Sandy, her husband, Kenny, and their three adult children, Kari, Sara, and Matt, only wished it had been an April Fool's joke.

Can't-refuse offer turns Bakersfield success story into the goodbye girl

Thu, 28 May 2009 17:13:07 PDT

It was just a matter of time. She was too high powered, had too much talent and was too good at what she did.

I'm talking about Cindy Pollard. She's gone, as of Thursday. Packed a moving van and drove to Sacramento. Something about a job as manager of external communications for PG&E.