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It seems obvious in retrospect: If you want to treat patients locally (and keep Kern County health-care expenditures in Kern County), it helps if local practitioners know who each other are.

But it's the obvious things that often elude us. No longer. On Wednesday, Comprehensive Blood & Cancer Center is hosting a networking dinner to kick off a get-to-know-you effort being headed up by Kern Economic Development Corp.

The free event is to run from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the center, 6501 Truxtun Ave. Scheduled to make presentations are KEDC President and CEO Richard Chapman; the center's business developer, Gitesh Patel; Trevor Townsend, co-manager of the Valley Institute of Prosthetics & Orthotics; Mike Bartell, vice president of marketing and business development at Bakersfield Heart Hospital; and Houchin Blood Bank's community relations manager, Tracy Hunter.

Here's a report I got last week from the Center for Economic Policy Research and the National Low Income Housing Coalition -- both out of Washington D.C.

"The bubble that developed in the U.S. housing market from the years 1996 to 2006 pushed prices in many markets far out of line with fundamental values," the report begins.

The study goes on to compare rental and ownership costs in the 100 largest metropolitan statistical areas, and to look at the potential for accumulating equity in each market -- assuming a homeowner stays in the same home for four years.

Here's the stats on Bako:

In the Bakersfield MSA (a census designation including all of Kern), the middle figure for monthly ownership costs is $1,398, according to the report. Monthly cost for a three-bedroom rental? $981.

The report's equity projections (Bako is on page eight) are almost too bad to mention. The report says some local homeowners will be in a 51,322 equity hole by 2012. Yikes.

The whole report is attached (blue icon).

-Vanessa Gregory, staff writer

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DFA_memberletter.pdf

Dairy Farmers of America recently alerted members that two (former) top executives spirited away $1 million. Unauthorized, like.

This happened in 2001, when the trade group's former CEO, Gary Hanman, allegedly had the cool mill transferred to former board chair Herman Brubaker, without board approval.

The money has been returned, the group's letter to members says, but they're investigating. It's not clear when they learned about the deal.

I'm not sure where to post this but since we have lots of local dairy farmers I thought someone might like to know if they haven't already seen the letter. You should be able to download the PDF by clicking on the blue box.

-- Gretchen Wenner, staff writer

Downtown has two new businesses--a bridal boutique for the recently bethrothed and an all ages nightclub for any kids who come later.

Little White Dress has left the Haberfelde building, where it occupied 600 square feet, for fancy new glass and corrugated steel diggs at 1800 21st Street. The new site is 2,000 square feet, with a loft and skylight. The owner eventually wants to put a rooftop garden on top for bridal parties and other special occasions.

Speaking of which, there's a ribbon cutting 4:30 p.m. Wednesday May 14, followed by a private party with a D.J., hors d'oeuvres and cocktails.

Not far from there is Screwy's, 902 19th St., a new all ages club that serves coffee, energy drinks and smoothies to anyone who shows up for the local bands or D.J.s offering up music Friday and Saturday nights.

There's no age limit, but anyone age 14 and younger must be accompanied by an adult.

Some day, you might be accompanied by a dog, too. The owner wants to convert some space near an outdoor patio into a private dog park, charging admission that he'll donate to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

--Courtenay Edelhart

Kern County had the nation’s ninth riskiest residential mortgage market during the first three months of the year, according to a Monday report by First American CoreLogic, a Santa Ana-based real estate data company.

At the end of 2007, the county ranked No. 8 among the 100 large metropolitan areas reviewed in the quarterly report.

Eight of the top 10 high-risk markets, defined as those where home loans are most likely to become delinquent, were in California, the report states.

Risky mortgage markets are typically characterized by double digit home price declines and deteriorating labor markets, CoreLogic reports.

Kern home prices depreciated 20 percent in the first three months of  2008 compared with the same time period a year ago, according to CoreLogic.

Foreclosures and risk of fraud are also factored into the report’s ranking system.

The report is attached (click on the blue icon).

-Vanessa Gregory, staff writer

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Reporter Vanessa Gregory headed up to Tehachapi this morning to catch up with residents of Alta Estates.

The developer of their new subdivision, Empire Land (aka Prestige Homes and numerous other entities) filed for bankruptcy April 25. The Ontario homebuider's attorney told us the company will be liquidated although it's currently a reorganization case.

Folks who bought homes in the tract this fall wonder what will happen with little things that need fixing and whether they'll have home warranties they were counting on.

Here's the full story, along with links to our other coverage of the troubled market.

-- Gretchen Wenner, staff writer

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Talk about a good cause.

Ginger Boyd is a 32-year-old Bakersfield mother of five children, three of whom are adopted. She's single, having been recently divorced, and she works for a living.

Until this week, Boyd had no car of her own.

So her mother nominated her for the annual Mini-Van for Mom event. Every year since 2001, Auto Shopper America at 911 Oak St. in Bakersfield has given away a minivan to a single mother, preferrably one without a vehicle.

On Thursday, Boyd drove away from Auto Shopper with a silver 2000 Dodge Caravan Sport. She also took home a computer donated by San Joaquin Bank.

"We want to come alongside a working mother and help her with transportation challenges," said Tina Miller, who heads up the event.

A similar event, organized by the same people, takes place near the holidays in December.

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If stay-at-home Moms were paid for all the incredible work they do — raising children, doing laundry, shuttling kids to sports and activities, offering counseling — they'd make $116,805 annually.

A lot of that pay is driven by overtime, says the study released by Salary.com and reported on by the Associated Press, because Moms, as we know, sure don't work just 40 hours a week.

And for moms who work outside the home too, they'd get $68,405 if they were paid for their work as mothers, the Associated Press reports.

Salary.com has a cool Mom Salary Wizard that let's you plug in number of children by age, ZIP code and hours worked doing various tasks so you can personalize what your Mom is "worth." It ends with a fake paycheck. Sigh.

And what about Dad? Well, there is a calculator for him too.

Or do the right thing and deem your Mom "priceless."

— Christine Peterson

Here's a "raw report" press release from the state's Department of Housing and Community Development:

CalHome Program Workshop to be Held in Visalia

Sacramento, CA – California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) will hold a workshop in Visalia on Wednesday, May 14 to educate developers, non-profit organizations, cities and counties about the CalHome Program.

CalHome provides grants to local public agencies or nonprofit corporations for first-time homebuyer downpayment assistance and owner occupied housing rehabilitation.

The workshop will help CalHome applicants answer questions about the funding and awards process.  Approximately $60 million is available for this round of funding.  Applications are due on June 25, 2008. 

Wednesday’s Visalia workshop will be held at Self-Help Enterprises, located at 8445 West Elowin Court.  The workshop will run from 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.  For more information, visit www.hcd.ca.gov or call (916) 327-3646.

HCD provides leadership, policies and programs to preserve and expand safe and affordable housing opportunities and promote strong communities for all Californians.  The Department also supports increasing the supply of housing, especially affordable housing and works to improve the state’s housing conditions and the health and safety of its residents.  As the lead housing department, HCD is part of the state Business, Transportation and Housing Agency.

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Do you know the person to the left?

Find out what she accomplished in this week's People in Business column.

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You can also mail contributions to The Bakersfield Californian, business editor, P.O. Bin 440, Bakersfield, CA 93302; faxed to 395-7519; or e-mailed to business@bakersfield.com. Sorry, photos that are submitted cannot be returned. For information, call 395-7345 between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m.