The eternal flame at Union Cemetery in east Bakersfield, built in 1967 in honor of Kern County's military veterans, has not burned eternally or otherwise for many years.

The ever higher cost to sustain the natural gas flame was the first problem. Later, weather and wear made the torch unsafe to operate.

Soon all that will change. The Junior ROTC at Bakersfield High School, in partnership with several local businesses, veterans and an army of volunteers, has taken on the task of restoring the light source that stood for more than four decades atop a tall three-legged monument just west of the cemetery's main office.

But this time they're "going green."

"In recent years, the ROTC organized a fundraiser to purchase 5,000 new American flags for use at Union Cemetery," said Jan Black, the mother of 17-year-old Jonathan Black, an ROTC cadet at BHS.

"They did such a great job that the people at Union Cemetery asked if they could begin an effort to reignite the eternal flame," said Mrs. Black.

"What ROTC did with the flags was absolutely awesome," said Ruthe West, cemetery manager at Union. "Now this effort to restore the eternal flame is again being spearheaded by our future veterans, our future leaders."

This morning, volunteers from area businesses removed the large bowl from atop the aging monument for refurbishment. A solar collector will be added and the gas flame will be replaced by energy-efficient LED lighting.

With help from the community in the form of donations and a planned fundraiser, organizers hope to have the new light ready before Memorial Day.

To help offset the cost to volunteer businesses, a chili dinner fundraiser will be held from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Feb. 7 at American Legion Post 26, 2020 H St. in downtown Bakersfield.

For more information, call Jan Black at 837-1704.

Remember the good old days when teens driving allegedly stolen cars actually tried to AVOID coming in contact with police?

Maybe that's "old school."

Earlier this month Bakersfield police got into a high-speed chase with a 17-year-old driver, police said, after the teen veered toward an officer who was impounding a vehicle.

And it turned out, police said, the teen had stolen the black Kia sedan with the intention of finding an officer and starting a pursuit.

Yes, you heard right. Police said the boy told them he wanted to be in a car chase with the cops.

The youthful driver, who police said reached speeds of 100 mph, eventually lost control and landed the Kia upside down in an irrigation canal in the 9000 block of South H
Street.

Because the DA's office has charged him with serious felonies, including assault with a deadly weapon on a police officer, felony evading and possession of a stolen vehicle, we were able to get the juvenile's name: Eduardo Garcia.

He had his first court hearing today in Juvie court.

DEADBEAT DRIVERS
Some 4,680 citations in town have gone unpaid since 2007

BY STEVEN MAYER
Californian staff writer
smayer@bakersfield.com
1/26/2009

Nobody likes paying a parking ticket. That's a given. But who knew that thousands of Bakersfield residents and millions of Californians simply don't pay when a municipal souvenir is tucked under their wiper blade?

From December 2007 through November 2008, 10,941 parking citations were issued in Bakersfield, according to the Bakersfield Police Department. Of those, 504 were dismissed and 5,757 were paid in full by law-abiding motorists for a grand total of more than $305,000 in fines.

But wait. What about the 4,680 tickets -- more than 4 out of every 10 -- that motorists either forgot to pay or tore up with no intention of ever paying?

The rest of the Golden State is not exactly free of sin, either. According to the Department of Motor Vehicles, nearly 1.2 million delinquent parking tickets were paid at DMV offices last year after motorists discovered they couldn't register their cars until they ponied up the bucks for their outstanding parking fines.

The total paid to the DMV last year in overdue parking fines? A cool $107 million.

If you live, work or shop downtown, chances are you've earned a citation for overstaying your welcome in your favorite parking zone.

"Sometimes it's kind of a cat-and-mouse game," said Beth Walters, who's worked parking enforcement for the Bakersfield Police Department for three years.

Some motorists actually try to wipe the chalk marks off their tires, Walters said.

"It's a little frustrating," she added, "but it's all part of the job."

Parking tickets are not moving violations, so they won't boost your auto insurance premiums or count against your driving record.

But overtime parking will cost you $20, and violating colored curb zones will set you back $35, according to the BPD.

Expect to shell out $75 for parking in a fire lane. And pulling into a disabled space -- or the cross-hatched blue-painted lines adjacent to the space -- could sting you for $285.

To find out how to beat a parking ticket, go here to read the full story AND scroll down to the infographic

Workers all across the country are losing their jobs as companies cut costs in an effort to survive the nation's worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.

In Kern County last month, the unemployment rate rose to 11.8 percent, up from 10.4 percent in November and 9.4 percent at the same time last year.

But people aren't numbers, so let us know how the economic mess has affected your job and your family.

And if you've been downsized and you're willing to talk about it on the record, send me an e-mail at smayer@bakersfield.com.

Steven Mayer, Staff Writer

We reported last week in The Californian that construction work on a planned Target store at Valley Plaza Mall has come to a screeching halt, sparking demands from several contractors for millions of dollars for work that has gone unpaid.

The $7.8 million project was set to replace the now-demolished Robinsons-May store with a new, 147,000 square-foot Target center.

According to a lawsuit filed in Kern County, the work has been on hold since late November -- and inquiring minds want to know WHY and HOW LONG it will be stalled.

Saturday's story certainly included some strong evidence pointing toward a possible cause, but wouldn't it be better for all concerned if those involved just laid it all out for Bakersfield residents? After all, we're the ones who may have to live with yet another unfinished construction project languishing for who knows how long (Remember the infamous Clarion Hotel project that blighted the downtown skyline for years?).

Unfortunately, Target Corp. says it can't comment. The same holds true for General Growth Properties, the financially troubled owner of Valley Plaza. General Growth also owns the real estate under which the Target was set to be built, so they may be the best hope for getting answers.

If the fenced and abandoned construction site is going to remain in Limbo for some time to come, don't Bakersfield residents deserve some answers?