Two Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Markets are opening in Bakersfield at 10 a.m. Wednesday.

One site is at Olive Drive and Jewetta Avenue, and the other is at Panama Lane and Stine Road. And more are in the pipeline.

The stores are smaller than typical grocery stores and feature national brands and private label items.

If you go to the Web site, you'll see a coupon for $6 off a $30 purchase. Woo!

Happy shopping, Bakersfield.

— Jenny Shearer, staff writer

It's true, the National Bureau of Economic Research says. And in fact, the bureau says, we've been in a recession since December 2007.

It seems like most average folks have believed that to be the case for quite some time.

So here's our question now: When will it end? Predictions?

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Our latest map for homes that sold in Bakersfield from Oct. 6 to 12 is ready for a peek.

We regularly publish single-family home sale transactions that occurred between individuals, as well as foreclosures.

Check out what homes are going for, color-coded by price, with information from First American Real Estate Solutions compiled by reporter Jenny Shearer.

Highlights for Oct. 6 to 12:

• 100 homes are new on the map.

• Priciest? One sold for $816,000 in the 93312 ZIP code. It was 1,103 square feet.

• Cheapest? One sold for $30,000 in the 93308 ZIP code. It was 675 square feet.

Comments on the prices?

— Christine Peterson

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Do you know what Timothy Ped, the man on the left, accomplished?

Read about him and others in this week's People in Business column.

Then send news of your own new jobs, promotions and work achievements for next week's column.

People in Business announces new hires, promotions, awards, professional achievements and other business “people news” in Kern County. Submissions can be mailed 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.

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Our latest map for homes that sold in Bakersfield from Oct. 1 to 5 is ready for a peek.

We regularly publish single-family home sale transactions that occurred between individuals, as well as foreclosures.

Check out what homes are going for, color-coded by price, with information from First American Real Estate Solutions compiled by reporter Jenny Shearer.

Highlights for Oct. 1 to 5:

• 65 homes are new on the map.

• Priciest? One sold for $650,000 in the 93312 ZIP code. It was 4,115 square feet.

• Cheapest? One sold for $37,000 in the 93309 ZIP code. It was 1,145 square feet.

Comments on the prices? Anyone trying to buy or sell?

— Christine Peterson

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Do you know what Regina Ng, pictured on the left, accomplished?

Read about her achievements and those of several other Kern County profesionals in this week's People in Business column.

Then submit yours.

People in Business announces new hires, promotions, awards, professional achievements and other business “people news” in Kern County. Submissions can be mailed 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.

The Californian and the Small Business Development Center are hosting a seminar on target marketing from noon to 1 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 3, at the Small Business Development Center, 2100 Chester Ave., room 107.

Read the details in the attached flier.

Then register by calling 395-7318 or writing to Mary Russo.

The changing bailout strategy is enough to leave anyone confused.

Bail out the banks? Help the auto companies? Prevent foreclosures? Who gets what, and how? Should any “bailouts” go straight to taxpayers?

We want to hear your ideas for solving the nation’s economic crisis.

Send your solution in 250 words or less to business@bakersfield.com. Be sure to include your full name and phone number, so we can consider your response for publication.

Bloggers, we need your real name to consider your response for the paper! Share your ideas!

Thanks!

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I was at the Vons in the Marketplace Saturday, powering through the dairy section, when a teenage employee asked whether I was finding everything I was looking for.

"Yes, thank you," I said, pushing my cart and nearly knocking over a display. I stopped at the deli counter, then moseyed to the fruit stands.

A second teenage employee asked if I was finding everything I needed. "What's the deal with all this customer service?" I thought. Did I look lost? Was there some dictate from on high at Vons for employees to be super pleasant to customers?

I asked the clerk, whom I'll call Billy, why all the questions. He was stacking bananas.

Billy said they were supposed to ask how customers were faring because if a "mystery shopper" came through the store and employees didn't ask him or her, that would be noted. As would the names of clerks the mystery shopper encountered. Uh-oh.

"Well, how do you know I'm not a mystery shopper?" I asked.

"They're pretty easy to spot," he said, adding these folks typically visit each department in the store while making their rounds.

Good to know. Has anyone else noticed more attentive employees these days?

— Jenny Shearer, staff writer

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Reporter Gretchen Wenner got to the bottom of the layoff news, finding out exactly how many people are losing jobs at Mervyns and other businesses in Kern.

When will it end?