News: Bakersfield.com

CSUB Alum and Teacher of the Year to give talk and book signing on May 24

On the heels of being named Kern County Teacher of the Year earlier this month, California State University, Bakersfield adjunct lecturer and alumnus Jeremy Adams will give a talk and book signing featuring his new memoir at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 24 at CSUB.

Adams’ book, “Full Classrooms, Empty Selves,” is about his experiences teaching government and macroeconomics at Bakersfield High School over the past 14 years. During that time, he went from optimistic to realistic, as it became apparent he was not going to be “that one teacher that made a difference” for every student, he said.

“I had to get over myself and realize that sometimes the magic isn’t going to happen for every student,” Adams said. “Now I have much more patience with my students and more faith in my fellow teachers to be the one teacher I wanted to be.”

Adams graduated from BHS in 1994 and obtained his bachelor’s degree in political science from Washington and Lee University in Virginia in 1998. After returning to Bakersfield, he began teaching at BHS and earned his social science teaching credential in 1999 and Master’s in Education in Curriculum and Instruction in 2000 from CSUB. He also teaches political science courses as an adjunct professor at CSUB.

One of his well-known accomplishments at BHS is founding the Earl Warren Cup in 2006. The annual competition quizzes students on government and civics trivia. Some of the questions are recorded by national figures such as former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and television news anchor Diane Sawyer.

As Kern County Teacher of the Year, Adams will represent Kern County in the California Teachers of the Year competition this year. He also is a recipient of the Jim Burke Rising Star Teaching Award and the Kern Reading Association Outstanding Student Teacher Award.

Through all of these accomplishments, Adams said he has experienced many frustrations, hopes and anxieties that he wants to share with other educators and teachers-in-training through his book.

“In this brilliant mid-career exposé, Jeremy Adams takes a brutally honest look at himself and the teaching profession as he guides his readers to a profound understanding of their place in the world of learning,” writes Kim Flachmann, an English professor at CSUB, in a review of the book. “The author fills our hearts with both hope and despair as he examines the future of education in this inspiring ‘teaching memoir.’”

The CSUB School of Social Sciences and Education and Department of Political Science present a reading, book signing, and dessert hour with author Jeremy Adams from 7 to 8 p.m. Thursday, May 24, in the CSUB Student Union Multipurpose Room. Books go on sale at 6:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. Parking is free in Lots K and L. For more information, go to www.authorjeremyadams.com.

CSUB to host conference on community service May 11

The public is invited to join CSUB students, staff and faculty along with representatives from several community organizations for the inaugural CSUB Community Engagement Conference from 1 to 5 p.m. Friday, May 11, in the Student Union Multipurpose Room. The event is free, as is parking in Lot L.

The conference is presented by CSUB’s Center for Community Engagement and Career Education (CECE) and will feature students, faculty and community leaders who will speak about service, the positive impact CSUB students have on our community, and the role of service in youth literacy development.

“Community service makes the academic content of students' courses come to life, as they apply what they've learned to real-world situations,” said Tanya Boone, faculty coordinator for CECE. “In addition, service provides students with professional development and networking opportunities that they can leverage in searching for a job upon graduation.”

During the 2011-12 academic year, 3,048 CSUB students have participated in 36,576 hours of service, which is an increase of 19 percent from 2010-11. They volunteer at such places as the Bakersfield Homeless Center, Police Activities League, American Red Cross, American Lung Association, and Alzheimer’s Disease Association of Kern County.

“Service allows students to experience the impact they can have, to make a difference in their community. Our community agency partners also benefit. In an environment of declining resources, student service helps community agencies to serve their clients and achieve their goals,” Boone said.

The program kicks off with opening remarks by CSUB President, Dr. Horace Mitchell. Keynote speakers include Della Hodson of the United Way of Kern County, Donna Hylton of Kern Adult Literacy Council, and Andrae Gonzales of Stewards, Inc. and a BCSD School Board member. Students and faculty will also give short presentations about the service projects they have completed. Awards will also be given to students recognized as service leaders on campus.

For more information, contact the Center for Community Engagement and Career Education at 661-654-3033.

CSUB seeks college grads for “Camp to Campus” documentary

A survey for prospective participants in the upcoming documentary project “Camp to Campus” is now available online. The project by California State University, Bakersfield will result in a documentary about first-generation college graduates who come from a migrant labor background. The project is being funded by a grant from Cal Humanities’ Community Stories Fund along with matching funds from CSUB.

Potential interview subjects for “Camp to Campus” can complete the initial survey from which a smaller pool of subjects will be chosen. The survey is available online at www.csub.edu/camptocampus. The deadline to complete the survey is May 31.

For more information about the project, see the attached press release or contact Marit MacArthur at 661-654-6503 or mmacarthur@csub.edu, or Aaron Hegde at 661-654-2495 or shegde@csub.edu.

CSUB’s annual Party in the Park provides great lead in to Bakersfield Jazz Festival

The CSUB Alumni Association will once again pop the corks and caps for its annual Party in the Park on Friday, May 11 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at CSUB’s Alumni Park. The evening will feature samplings of some of the world’s finest wines, hand-selected by Imbibe, in addition to tasty micro-brews, great food, music and fun.

Party in the Park precedes the annual Bakersfield Jazz Festival every year, which takes place Friday and Saturday, May 11-12, at the adjacent CSUB Amphitheatre. Jennifer Patino, interim CSUB alumni association director, says the event is a great pre-party for those attending the Festival later in the evening.

“Party in the Park is a great way to catch up with old friends while giving back to the university by supporting student scholarships before heading over to the Jazz Festival,” she said. “The two events have become a Bakersfield tradition for many, many of our alumni and community members.”

Attendees will experience offerings by 40 labels such as Mumm Napa, Charles Krug Chardonnay Napa Valley, Alomas Melbec (Argentina), Sterling Sauvignon Blanc Napa Valley, Beaulieu Vineyards, Santa Carlina Carmenere (Chile), Morgan Cotes du Crows, Mulderbosch Rose (South Africa), Antinori Peppoli Chianti Classico, Marc Bredif Vouvray (France), and Duas Quintas (Portugal).

For those who fancy hops over grapes, Lengthwise Brewing Company and Stella Artois will offer beer tastings. Guests will receive two complimentary glasses, one for wine and one for beer.

Between sips, guests can delight their palates with a variety of hors d'oeuvres such as mini sopes, pita shawarma, and a gourmet burger station, among much more. Musical entertainment will be provided by local band Elevation 406.

Proceeds from Party in the Park go to the Alumni Scholarship Fund, which Patino said is of increasing importance these days as more and more students have difficulty affording a university education due to ongoing budget cuts that have resulted in tuition increases.

Tickets for Party in the Park are $45 in advance and $55 at the event. Package prices for Party in the Park and the Bakersfield Jazz Festival are $75 for Friday night and $95 for the full weekend. (Visit www.bakersfieldjazz.com for more on the music festival.) For more information and tickets for Party in the Park, visit www.csub.edu/alumni or call 661-654-3211.

Party in the Park sponsors include Eagle Mountain Casino, Elevation 406, Imbibe, KGET-TV 17, Lengthwise Brewery, Mercedes-Benz of Bakersfield and Stella Artois.

Gender Matters focus of CSUB symposium Friday, May 4

CSUB will hosts its fourth annual interdisciplinary symposium “Gender Matters” from noon to 6:30 p.m. Friday, May 4 in the Student Union Multipurpose Room.

This free event focuses on student research on diverse subjects including women and religion, gender in art, literature, and film, gender and ethics, and gender in the media. There will also be student poster presentations and artwork displayed.

This year’s keynote speaker is Andi Zeisler, co-founder and editorial/creative director of BITCH magazine. Her presentation, which begins at 5 p.m., is entitled “Beyond Bitches, Bimbos and Ballbreakers – Why Media is Key to Moving Conversations About Women and Gender Forward.” A longtime freelance writer and illustrator, Zeisler’s work has appeared in numerous periodicals and newspapers, including Ms., Mother Jones, Utne, BUST, The San Francisco Chronicle, the Women's Review of Books, and Hues. She is the coeditor of “BitchFest: 10 Years of Cultural Criticism from the Pages of Bitch Magazine” and recently finished a book about feminism and popular culture for Seal Press.

The afternoon event also includes a community resource session featuring agencies that meet the diverse needs of women and men. These include the Alliance Against Family Violence and Sexual Assault, Bakersfield LGBTQ, Bakersfield PFLAG, California Latinas for Reproductive Justice, Democratic Women of Kern, and the Dolores Huerta Foundation, as well as various campus organizations such as CSUB Club GEN (Gender Equality Now!), CSUB Counseling Center, CSUB Safe Zone, and CSUB UNIR (United Now for Immigrant Rights).

“This event is an exciting opportunity for CSUB and the community to see what our students are learning about and how gender matters in various disciplines,” said chair of CSUB’s Women and Gender Studies Committee Debra Jackson.

Refreshments will be available throughout the symposium.

The event is free and open to the public. Parking is free in Lots K and L. For more information, call Debra Jackson at 661-654-6829.

RISK & SAFETY MANAGEMENT WORKSHOP

On Saturday, April 14, 2012, the Autism Society Chapter-Kern Autism Network presented a “Risk & Safety Management Workshop” in recognition of World Autism Awareness Day. Our speaker was Officer Brian Herritt, a sworn police officer with over ten years experience.

“People with disabilities are seven times more likely to have contact with law enforcement,” said Herritt. “The study says 1 in 88 now. I want to prepare you for that if it happens.”

Officer Herritt became involved in training police officers about autism and how to interact with individuals on the autism spectrum after his own son was diagnosed with autism. He shared his insight and experience with parents of autistic children during the morning session.

“I’ve worked with my son for seven years and I can’t control my son. How can I expect a cop with no training to deal with that?”

Police officers receive only 6 hours of training for all disabilities in the Academy and that’s the only training they get in their entire career. Officers that have been on the force more than 10 years have 4 hours.

“99.9% of cops don’t want to hurt your loved ones,” said Herritt. “They want to help them. They’re just not informed on how to do it.”

He encouraged parents to contact the police department and sheriff’s department and ask what programs are available to put their name in the system so officers know their loved one has autism. He urged parents to complete information sheets and have them easily available for first responders in the event of an emergency.

Crimes that are more frequently connected with autism cases include harassment, theft, and child endangerment. Issues of concern in the home include chemical storage; weapon storage; secure exterior fencing; locks and alarms on the house.

Methods of protecting your loved one include programs like GPS tracking, where law enforcement can activate a device to find your child; stickers in your home; temporary tattoos; laces of shoes; and medic alert jewelry.

Herritt said it’s vital to know what predators live in your area because your children are more vulnerable than most. Walk your community with your loved one to see what things might attract your child, such as a neighbor’s pool or a nearby lake.

He discussed working with schools on safety issues. Does the school have a de-escalation plan? Does the school have a restraint plan? Does the plan affect bus drivers? What training do aides have? Are restrooms integrated? Is the playground integrated? When do police get involved? Parents have a right to know these things about their child’s school environment.

He also emphasized the importance of having a disaster plan for emergencies such as fire, earthquake, or a parent going to the hospital. Who will take care of your child if you are not available? What will keep your child calm?

The afternoon session was designed for law enforcement and first responders.

Officer Herritt discussed effective communication. “You communicate with how your uniform looks. What you say. Your communication skills can be the difference between life and death. It’s the only job [where] communication is that important. Whether or not you are incarcerated or you are free.

“What is autism? Autism is a communication disorder. Autism affects communication skills.

“A good cop will drive a beat and look for things that don’t look right. Socially awkward behavior means being under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Society calls the police when they see someone acting that way.”

Individuals with autism may display socially inappropriate body language or actions. Stemming is how people with autism deal with their surroundings or cope with what is going on around them. It’s not somebody being under the influence.

Sensory issues can influence an individual with autism’s behavior. For example, lights and sirens can trigger meltdowns and escalate to violence as officers attempt to restrain the individual. Knowing how to talk with someone with autism can de-escalate a situation and keep everyone safe.

Training in developmental disabilities enhances the ability of law enforcement, EMS and first responders to help individuals with autism and their families. The Autism Society Chapter-Kern Autism Network was pleased to offer this free workshop as part of our commitment to the autism community and families.

Autism Society Chapter-Kern Autism Network
www.kernautism.org
kernautism@gmail.com
661-588-4235
FACEBOOK: Kern Autism Network

CSUB welcomes entire community to sixth annual open campus event

California State University, Bakersfield offers more than a top-notch education for tomorrow's leaders. It is a resource for community members of all ages – from children to senior citizens.

The entire community is invited to learn more about all of CSUB's offerings at its annual open campus event, Celebrate CSUB! The sixth annual event will take place from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, April 28. Parking and admission are free.

Families are especially encouraged to attend, as there will be art projects and games for children and a multitude of activities for prospective students and their parents. Local band Thee Majestics will provide musical entertainment. Educational components include science demonstrations, student research presentations, and tours of the campus labs. It is also freshman orientation day for incoming CSUB students for Fall 2012.

"Celebrate CSUB! has become a great tradition at the university. It allows us to highlight our academic programs and co-curricular offerings. In an environment of declining state support for higher education when it is so easy to focus on what’s wrong, the university continues to march forward, celebrating what’s right in higher education,” said Evelyn Young, coordinator of Celebrate CSUB!

The Chemistry Circus is back with chemistry students capturing interest in science by performing experiments that transform bananas into hammers, make pickles glow or otherwise make things go "boom!"

Family friendly events also include:

• 5K Fun Run and Pancake Breakfast (8 a.m. start time; entry fee $20)

• Spring Carnival and food booths by student leadership groups

• Circle Painting community art project

• Sierra Middle School Kids for Solar Energy

• Project Clean Air with Kern County’s Blue Sky Partners

• Judo Demonstrations

KGET, City of Bakersfield Recreation & Parks, Pepsi, and Walker-Lewis Rents are event co-sponsors.

"It’s an affordable family outing on a great spring morning,” Young said. “It’s academics wrapped in fun with something for everyone.”

For a full list of events, Fun Run registration form and more information about Celebrate CSUB!, visit www.csub.edu/celebrate or call 661-654-2175.

CSUB seeks college grads for “Camp to Campus” documentary

California State University, Bakersfield is embarking on an ambitious project to create a documentary about first-generation college graduates who come from a migrant labor background. The project, called “Camp to Campus,” is being funded by a $10,000 grant from Cal Humanities’ Community Stories Fund, along with $15,000 in matching funds from CSUB.

After the documentary is completed, the film will be shown in schools and other locations in and beyond Kern County in January, February and March of 2013. Local high school and community college students who view the video will have the chance to compete for scholarship money at CSUB in a corresponding essay and video-essay contest.

The project committee is currently seeking participants to share their personal stories and appear in the documentary. The goal is to interview a diverse group of subjects of varying ages who were the first in their families to attend college and who grew up partly in Central Valley migrant labor camps because their parents worked as migrant laborers. Stories will span as far back as the Dust Bowl era of the 1930s, to the Mexican Bracero Program of the 1940s to ‘60s, to more contemporary migrant labor trends.

“By gathering and sharing these stories, the documentary will offer insights about how people chose to leave the fields behind and attain higher education — and, more broadly, how first-generation college students negotiate different worlds,” said Marit MacArthur, project director and Associate Professor of English at CSUB. “What struggles have they faced? What were their motivations? And how have they succeeded?”

CSUB is enlisting multiple partners to reach out to potential participants and audiences, including the College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP), which supports migrant farmworkers or their children during their first year of college, as well as the CAMP Alumni Association. The interdisciplinary project committee involves CSUB faculty in English, digital media and art, history, economics, and library science. CSUB students will also participate in the project’s filming, editing and website production.

Community Stories is a competitive grant program of Cal Humanities, an independent nonprofit state partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Grants are awarded to projects that give expression to the extraordinary variety of histories and experiences of California’s places and people to ensure that the stories can be shared widely.

“With our state’s incredible diversity, fostering communication and connecting people to a range of ideas is vital for our general welfare,” said Ralph Lewin, president and CEO of Cal Humanities. “Our grant award enables awardees to pursue the important work of engaging new audiences in conversations around stories of significance to Californians.”

Since 2003, Cal Humanities has supported approximately 400 story projects and granted over $2.6 million to enable communities to voice, record, and share histories — many previously untold or little known. For more information on Cal Humanities, visit www.calhum.org.

Potential interview subjects for CSUB’s “Camp to Campus” will be asked to complete an initial survey from which a smaller pool of subjects will be chosen. To become involved in this project, contact Aaron Hegde at 661-654-2495 or shegde@csub.edu, or Marit MacArthur at 661-654-6503 or mmacarthur@csub.edu.

Visiting Sculptor project underway at CSUB; public lecture to be held April 19

During the next two weeks, international sculptor Jems Robert Koko Bi will be working with art students at California State University, Bakersfield to create a larger-than-life sculpture of Martin Luther King, Jr. Thanks to donors who contributed more than $4,000 to an online fundraising campaign, the project will take shape at full scale.

As part of Koko Bi’s visit to CSUB, he will give a public lecture about his artwork on Thursday, April 19. Details will soon be announced for a public unveiling of the sculpture to be held at the end of April.

Koki Bi is the 27th annual artist to come to CSUB through the Visiting Sculptor Program. His sculpture will be a portrait of Martin Luther King, Jr. in the form of a giant head constructed of wood. The piece is the second giant head sculpture in a series of four that the artist says he wants to construct around the world. The first, of Nelson Mandela, is on display in Germany.

“It’s great to finally meet Jems in person after all of the email correspondence,” said CSUB Art Department Chair Joyce Kohl. “He is from the Ivory Coast where there are 64 different languages and almost everybody has to speak French so they can communicate. Jems told me he thinks in French, dreams in German and listens in English. He also speaks fluent Spanish, which has been great for some of the students.”

The project would not have been possible to execute on this scale if it weren’t for the successful Kickstarter.com campaign. The visiting sculptor project has an annual budget of $2,000, which was not enough to cover the costs associated with this year’s project. The Art Department reached its goal before the end of the campaign and the leftover funds will be carried over for next year’s visiting sculptor project.

Over the years, the Visiting Sculptor Program has grown from bringing artists from around the United States to be an international affair. Koko Bi is the second artist from Africa; two previous artists have come from Korea and four artists have been from Germany.

“We’ve been very lucky to have artists coming from all over the world which gives our students an experience that’s really vital. They are able to work with somebody from another country and learn about the other country and culture. They also learn about the perspective of that artist as an international artist,” Kohl said.

The public is invited to attend Koko Bi’s free lecture at 10 a.m. Thursday, April 19, in the Albertson Room at CSUB. The presentation will include photos of the artist’s previous projects, more information about the current project and a chance to meet with the artist. Parking is $5. For more information contact Joyce Kohl at (661) 654-3095 or jkohl@csub.edu.

Jon Van Boening to be named CSUB’s John Brock Community Service Award Recipient

The prestigious John Brock Community Service Award will be presented to Jon Van Boening on Sept. 6, 2012 at Seven Oaks County Club. Van Boening is President and Chief Executive Officer of Bakersfield Memorial Hospital, and also serves as the Senior Vice President, Operations for the California central valley service area of Dignity Health.

Van Boening’s career at Bakersfield Memorial began in 1993, and since that time he has led the growth of the hospital in all general, professional and support services, including the successful affiliation with Catholic Healthcare West, prior to the recent evolution to Dignity Health.

Van Boening originally joined Bakersfield Memorial as Vice President, Operations and led several strategic and restructuring programs that have allowed Memorial to become and remain a cutting edge leader in healthcare services in its market. While in his role as Vice President, Operations, Van Boening also served as the Administrator for the Central California Heart Institute at Bakersfield Memorial. In this capacity, he developed the Catholic Healthcare West Central California Cardiac Center of Excellence, and directed the program to achieving national recognition by HCIA/Sachs as a “Top 100 Cardiovascular Hospital” nationwide for three consecutive years in 1998, 1999 and 2000. Prior to joining Bakersfield Memorial, Van Boening was Chief Executive Officer and Partner of Bakersfield Drug Company, Inc., a retail pharmacy chain with nine stores, and also worked as a pharmacist in Wyoming for several years.

Van Boening graduated from the University of the Pacific with a Bachelor of Science, Pharmacy. He also earned a Master of Science in Administration - Healthcare Management from California State University, Bakersfield. He has held pharmacy licenses in California and Wyoming, and is a Certified Healthcare Executive (CHE) with the American College of Healthcare Executives. In addition, Van Boening maintains many professional and community affiliations, including but not limited to Diplomat of the American College of Healthcare Executives, Pi Alpha Alpha (Honorary Society of Public Administrators), Healthcare Roundtable (Chief Executive Officers), Member of the National Board of Directors for the American Cancer Society, past President of the United Way of Kern County Governing Board, 25-year concurrent member of Bakersfield Downtown Rotary, and a member of the Board of Directors and past president of Bakersfield Country Club.

Van Boening lives in Bakersfield with his wife Phillis. He has four grown children, and has been blessed with seven grandchildren.

The sponsoring organization of this event is the Executive Advisory Council of CSUB’s School of Business and Public Administration. The Council is composed of approximately 25 business and community leaders who provide advice and support to the School.

Proceeds from the event help to fund the John Brock Endowment, which funds scholarships for students in CSUB’s School of Business and Public Administration. Scholarships will be presented at the dinner to this year’s four recipients.

Award recipients in the dinner’s 25-year history are Lou and Sheryl Barbich, Gregory Bynum, Jim Burke, Morgan Clayton, Joan Dezember, Ray Dezember, Dr. John Forney, Harvey Hall, Don Hart, Susan Hersberger, Bernard Herman, Jimmie Icardo, Bob Karpe, George Martin, David Parker, Robert Price, John Pryor, Rev. Glenn Puder, Vincent Rojas, Jr., Mary K. Shell, Jerry Stanners, Joe D.Stevenson, Gene Voiland, Ray Watson Sr. and the inspiration for the award, John Brock Sr.

Tickets for the event are $150 per person. Corporate table sponsorships are also available. For further information and ticket purchases, call the CSUB School of Business and Public Administration at 661-654-2157.

Student of Gandhi to give public lecture at CSUB on April 14

A man who spent his first 23 years of life in the presence of Mahatma Gandhi will give a public lecture at California State University, Bakersfield about his experiences growing up with the father of Indian independence and the non-violence movement.

CSUB welcomes Shri Nayaran Mahadev Desai for a lecture, “The Legacy of Mahatma Gandhi: A Personal Memoir,” from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday, April 14, in the Student Union Multipurpose Room. The event is free and open to the public. Parking is free in Lots K and L.

Desai’s father was Gandhi’s personal secretary, and brought Desai to live at Gandhi’s ashram in India when he was a baby. Gandhi himself would sometimes teach the boy his homeschooling lessons.

After Gandhi’s death, Desai continued living the principles of Gandhi. Desai was awarded the UNESCO prize for International Peace, has been the recipient of the Murtidevi Award, is an accomplished author and is the Chancellor of the university Gujarat Vidyapith Ahmedabad. He speaks to audiences of all ages around the world.

The event is sponsored by the India Association of San Joaquin Valley and the Institute for Religion, Education and Public Policy at CSUB. In addition to the CSUB event, Desai will also give three “Gandhi Katha” traditional storytelling presentations in Hindi at Chinmaya Mission of Bakersfield April 14, 15 and 16.

For more information about Desai’s appearances in Bakersfield, contact Naina Patel at (661) 333-7818.

Award-winning journalist to speak on the ethical implications of the Great Recession

How did it happen? Who is to blame? Why aren’t more people being thrown in jail? What lessons can we learn from it? These are the kinds of questions many of us have about the Great Recession, and there may be no one more qualified to answer them than award-winning journalist, James B. Stewart.

Stewart will discuss “Back from the Brink: The Causes and Ethical Implications of the Great Recession” at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 19, in the Doré Theatre at California State University, Bakersfield. Stewart’s talk is the 26th Annual Charles W. Kegley Memorial Lecture, presented by the Kegley Institute of Ethics at CSUB. The event is free and open to the public. Parking is free in Lots A, B, C, D, K and L.

“While we are seeing signs of economic recovery, there are still many people hurting and fearful about the future,” said Dr. Christopher Meyers, director of the Kegley Institute of Ethics and professor of philosophy at CSUB. “That so many people have suffered, while others were enriched, is a profoundly important moral question, one that gets at the ethical foundations of our economic system. Stewart’s reporting is incredibly first-hand; it is like he was in the room with the nation’s key decision-makers.”

Stewart has reported extensively on the financial crisis that hit the nation in 2008 and 2009, when the housing bubble burst, banks collapsed, and the government stepped in to stop the Great Recession from reaching the severity of the Great Depression of the 1930s. Ethical questions range from who was at fault for the collapse to who benefited most from the bailouts.

Government intervention “made a mockery of the notion of ‘moral hazard,’ a guiding principle of economics which posits that unless actors bear the consequences of their actions they will act recklessly,” Stewart wrote in the New Yorker article “Eight Days,” in which he detailed the economic collapse of 2008.

Stewart contributes to both the New York Times and New Yorker magazine and is the Bloomberg Professor of Business and Economic Journalism at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. He won a Pulitzer Prize in 1988 for his Wall Street Journal series on insider trading that led to his nonfiction novel “Den of Thieves.” He has authored several other books, including “Bloodsport,” about the Whitewater scandal, and “DisneyWar,” about Michael Eisner’s role as CEO of Disney. His most recent book, which he will sign at the event, is “Tangled Webs: How False Statements are Undermining America.”

The Kegley Memorial Lecture is sponsored by Mercy Healthcare Bakersfield, Bakersfield Memorial Hospital, San Joaquin Community Hospital and Kern Schools Federal Credit Union, with additional support from Peter Wollesen of Wells Fargo Advisors, Mestmaker & Petry Wealth Advisors, and Valley Public Radio.

For more information about the Kegley Institute of Ethics, call 661-654-2555 or visit www.csub.edu/kie.

Geologist to discuss potential of large Pacific Northwest earthquake

As the Juan de Fuca tectonic plate of the Pacific Ocean pushes under the North American continent in the Pacific Northwest, the potential grows for a large earthquake and tsunami off the coast of Washington, Oregon and Northern California. Geological Society of America Fellow Dr. Scott Burns will talk about how the region prepares and what it can expect after a large quake during a lecture at 4 p.m. Wednesday, April 11, at California State University, Bakersfield.

Burns’ lecture will focus on the hazards of and preparedness for ground shaking, liquefaction, landslides and tsunamis along the area between the Juan de Fuca and North American plates at the Cascadia subduction zone. He will also discuss how the chance of earthquakes affects building codes, emergency preparedness, siting of critical facilities, bridge construction, and transportation corridors in the region.

“His talk is very timely as we just marked the one-year anniversary of the devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan,” said Dr. Dirk Baron, professor of geological sciences at CSUB. “The Cascadia subduction zone is very similar to the situation in Japan and also has the potential to produce a magnitude 9.0 or greater earthquake. There is now overwhelming evidence that the last one struck in 1700, and it is only a matter of time before the next one happens. An earthquake that size could cause significant damage and loss of life in the Pacific Northwest which is not nearly as well prepared as Japan in terms of building codes and emergency preparedness.”

Dr. Burns is a professor of geology at Portland State University and the 2011-12 Richard H. Jahns Distinguished Lecturer of the Association of Environmental and Engineering Geologists. He has written or co-written two books, more than 80 articles and more than 200 published abstracts. He has researched such topics as landslides, debris flow, radon and earthquake hazard mapping, slope stability, soil development, and terroir – the relationship of geology, soil, climate and wine.

Refreshments will precede the lecture at 4 p.m., with the talk beginning at 4:15 p.m. in Science III, Room 104 at CSUB, 9001 Stockdale Highway. The talk is free and open to the public. Parking is $5. For more information, call the CSUB Department of Geological Sciences at 661-654-3027.

KIE and Downtown Rotary announce Ethics Award winner

The Kegley Institute of Ethics at California State University, Bakersfield and Downtown Rotary of Bakersfield are pleased to announce Colleen McGauley as the recipient of the first annual KIE-Downtown Rotary Community Ethics Award. McGauley is Executive Director of Court-Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Kern County.

The award honors community members who exemplify ethical values either over a lifetime or in a specific situation during the previous year.

“These are people who, day by day, reveal their character in their actions, people who truly stand out as consistently doing the right thing, even when no one is looking," said Christopher Meyers, director of the Kegley Institute of Ethics at CSUB.

The selection committee voted unanimously to choose McGauley for her longtime role in giving a voice to abused children in Kern County. She was a member of the first class of volunteers when CASA was established in Kern County in 1994. She joined the staff in 1996 and became the executive director in 2001. CASA volunteers advocate for children who are dependents of the court, many of whom live in foster homes. Under McGauley’s leadership, CASA has doubled the number of volunteers and children served annually.

Jarrod McNaughton, a CASA board member and member of the Community Ethics Award nominating committee, said McGauley is one of the most passionate and ethical people he knows.

“Over a decade ago, Colleen was my case manager when I was a CASA volunteer. It is such a joy to see that her mission for what she does hasn't changed a bit. Today, Colleen is recognized as one of the powerhouse nonprofit executives, always willing to go the extra distance to be sure the children of Kern County are never forgotten. She is the perfect choice for this year's ethics award,” McNaughton said.

The Community Ethics Award is also sponsored by local accounting firm Barbich, Hooper, King, Dill, & Hoffman, along with Robert Tafoya and Sandra Serrano.

McGauley will be honored during the 26th Anniversary Charles W. Kegley Memorial Lecture presented at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 19, in the Doré Theatre by the Kegley Institute of Ethics featuring Pulitzer Prize-winning business journalist James B. Stewart on “The Brink: The Causes and Ethical Implications of the Great Recession.” The lecture is free and open to the public. For more information, contact the Kegley Institute of Ethics at 661-654-3149 or www.csub.edu/kie.

FACT to host Baby Bird Shower and Open House

The Facility for Animal Care and Treatment (FACT) will host a free open house from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 7, in the Environmental Studies Area at California State University, Bakersfield. The event also includes a baby bird shower with a registry of gift items.

Visitors to the open house can see a variety of local birds of prey including red-tailed hawks, Cooper’s hawks, great horned owls, barn owls, and golden eagles as well as songbirds, turtles and frogs. CSUB biology students will give visitors the opportunity to make a recycled journal, go on a scavenger/Easter egg hunt and take tours to learn about FACT’s animal rescue program.

Right now is baby bird season, and FACT has several rescued babies that have been brought into the facility. Under the direction of FACT Coordinator Marlene Henlsey-Benton, CSUB students help raise the birds for release back into the wild once they reach maturity. Visitors are invited to participate in a baby bird shower by donating items from the “shower registry” (see attached). Examples of items include pans for bird food, shredded cardboard bedding and heating pads.

“Having items donated provides an opportunity for the visitors to be involved with the baby birds’ care. The donations help free up funding to be used on more specialized items that are needed when caring for wildlife,” Hensley-Benton said.

Additionally during the open house, volunteers from CSUB’s 60+ Club will sell educational gifts and souvenirs including zoo books, coloring books, cards and other educational materials to support FACT.

FACT’s mission is to serve as a wildlife rescue, conservation and education project for CSUB. FACT hosts an open house on the first Saturday of each month October through May.

To get to FACT, enter campus on Roadrunner Drive from Camino Media Boulevard. Turn right into Parking Lot I and, at the softball field backdrop, follow the dirt road over the bike path to the parking area.

For more information about FACT, call (661) 654-3167 or visit www.csub.edu/fact.

KMC & UCLA’s School of Medicine partner with CSUB and area schools to host Medical Career Conference

Hundreds of local high school and college students are slated to attend an all-day Medical Careers Conference at CSU Bakersfield on Friday, April 13. Presented by Kern Medical Center and the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, in partnership with CSUB, area high schools and community colleges, the conference offers students interested in health fields the opportunity to meet local health care professionals and learn about the opportunities through a variety of panels, presentations, and workshops.

“The idea is to get young people excited about health care early on as they start to think about what career path they would like to pursue,” said Eric vanSonnenberg, MD, Chief Academic Officer at Kern Medical Center. “The conference will give students access to learn about the many medical and health career pathways that are available.”

The morning session caters to high schools students, when they will hear from KMC and UCLA professionals about groundbreaking news in the world of medicine, in addition to success stories from Kern County residents who have gone on to successful medical careers. Doctors and medical professionals from fields such as nursing, dentistry, psychology, pharmacology, and physical therapy will present lectures and panels about health-related careers. The afternoon session provides similar content targeted to college students.

At noon, the Kern Medical Center/UCLA Medical Forum will help educate high school and college administrators, principals, and counselors on guiding budding medical and health students to opportunities at UCLA and other UC schools. A goal of the conference is to pipeline Kern County students to medical and health careers and to have them eventually return to practice at KMC and in Kern County.

During lunchtime break-out sessions, high school students can mingle through booths from UCLA and CSUB’s School of Natural Science, Mathematics, and Engineering to learn about CSUB’s nursing and pre-med programs. A number of CSUB’s student health and science clubs will also be on hand so prospective students can have peer-to-peer interaction.

The KMC Department of Radiology will be performing real-life ultrasounds for students to observe.

“We are pleased to be able to offer this exceptional conference on our campus,” said CSUB President, Dr. Horace Mitchell. “It represents a rare opportunity for local students to learn more about health careers directly from distinguished practitioners, in the convenience of one location.”

To register or for more information about the conference, contact Joan Buddecke at Kern Medical Center, 661-326-2896.

RISK & SAFETY MANAGEMENT WORKSHOP

In recognition of World Autism Awareness Day, the Autism Society Chapter-Kern Autism Network presents the “Risk & Safety Management Workshop” on Saturday, April 14, 2012, at University Square, 2000 “K” Street, Conference Room 101, Bakersfield. There will be two free presentations.

The morning workshop is specifically for families and is designed to address safety issues for parents of autistic children. The presentation begins at 9:00 a.m. and ends at 11:30 a.m.

The afternoon workshop is exclusively for law enforcement and emergency medical personnel. This training will teach how to recognize signs of autism, to deescalate situations, and to know where to look if an autistic child wanders away. The presentation begins at 1:00 p.m. and ends at 4:00 p.m.

Our speaker is Officer Brian Herritt of San Diego, a police officer with over ten years experience in the state of California. His son, Brian, is non-verbal and on the Autism Spectrum.

In 2011 Officer Herritt joined Autism Risk & Safety Management as a training consultant. He has taught numerous safety courses, is currently a Field Training Officer, and also presents to autism community audiences. (http://www.autismriskmanagement.com/brian_herritt.cfm)

Autism is characterized by impaired social interaction, problems with verbal and nonverbal communication, and unusual, repetitive, or severely limited activities and interests (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke).

According to the latest statistics, 1 to 1.5 million Americans live with an autism spectrum disorder. Autism is the fastest-growing developmental disability, with a 1,148% growth rate. (http://www.autism-society.org/about-autism/facts-and-statistics.html)

Admission is free, but seating is limited to 100 for each session. Registration is available only through: http://aprilautismawarenesssafetyworkshop.eventbrite.com.

Autism Society Chapter-Kern Autism Network provides support, awareness, information and education to families, professionals and the public throughout Kern County. We work towards cooperation, coordination and the creation of services between all individuals and agencies working with people with autism.

Ramona Puget, President
Autism Society Chapter-Kern Autism Network
www.kernautism.org
kernautism@gmail.com
661-588-4235
FACEBOOK: Kern Autism Network

CSUB-Chevron partnership offers free science courses to high school students

Application deadline for Fall 2012 cohort is March 23

Officials from CSU Bakersfield, Chevron and the Kern County High School District today announced the CSUB-Chevron High School Academy, a new program that will give Kern High School District students the opportunity to take free college-level courses in science, math and engineering at CSUB. The academy was made possible by a $200,000 grant from Chevron.

Through the new academy, high school students will be able to take free evening or early morning classes at CSUB to earn up to 15 transferable units. The one-year, three-quarter sequences will provide the foundation for a major in biology, chemistry, computer science, engineering, geology, mathematics or physics. An estimated 200 high school students will benefit from the program, which begins Fall 2012.

“Chevron is an essential partner in preparing local students to enter the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics – also referred to as STEM,” said Dr. Kamel Haddad, Associate Dean of the School of Natural Sciences, Mathematics, and Engineering at CSUB and coordinator of the program. “Through this new academy, qualifying high school students will be able to complete the beginning sequence of their subject of choice and be ahead of the game when they start their freshman year at CSUB or elsewhere.”

Chevron, whose San Joaquin Valley headquarters are located next door to the CSUB campus, has a vested interested in supporting the training of a future local workforce.

“It's critical for companies like Chevron to have a steady pipeline of young engineers and scientists in the places where we do business so we are continually expanding ways to stimulate that interest,” said Bruce Johnson, Vice President of San Joaquin Valley Chevron North America Exploration and Production Company.

To qualify, students must meet prerequisites such as completion of the last or second-to-last high school class in the subject. In some cases, a placement test will also determine readiness.

Applications must include the following:

• A statement of interest indicating a primary and an alternate sequence of interest

• A current high school transcript

• An application to CSUB (download from www.csumentor.edu/Support/pdfs/undergrad_12-13.pdf)

• An Early Enrollment Program form (download from www.csub.edu/academicprograms/undergrad)

Submit applications by March 23, 2012, in person or by mail to:

NSME Student Center

Attn: Dr. Kamel Haddad

CSUB 13 SC1

9001 Stockdale Highway

Bakersfield, CA 93311-9811

For more information about the CSUB-Chevron High School Academy, call the NSME Student Center at 661-654-6322.

“The Talking Stick” brings African folktales to life for children March 17-18

Audiences of all ages will learn what it means to be a true friend in CSUB’s upcoming production of “The Talking Stick,” an original play by theater faculty member Kamala Kruszka that brings African folktales to life through drumming, dancing and puppetry. The play opens to the public with five performances on March 17 and 18 inside the Arena Theatre (adjacent to the Doré Theatre) at California State University, Bakersfield, 9001 Stockdale Highway. Admission is just $5 for adults and free for children 12 and younger. The play is recommended for ages 3 and up.

“Through our productions for young audiences, I hope that local families see theatre as a viable entertainment option for not only their children but for themselves as well,” said Kruszka. “I look for plays that don’t rely only on dialog to tell the story – that require movement and action as well. I also try to find plays that children can relate to and that present them with important themes.”

“The Talking Stick” explores the themes of trust, honesty, humility and forgiveness in four traditional African tales. A cast of seven student actors utilize giant puppets to portray animals such as a lion, elephant, tortoise, monkey and hippopotamus. They also engage the audience with music and movement in the forms of African drumming and dance. The actors use the “talking stick” to guide them through each story they tell.

“The title refers to a stick found in African cultures used by storytellers,” Kruszka said. “According to my research, users believe that the talking stick has a spirit inside that brings power to the storyteller and helps the person speak the truth. Similar to Native American talking sticks, when the holder speaks, all others must listen out of respect.”

In addition to the March performances, CSUB students will take the show on a tour to local schools and day care centers during spring quarter in April and May. While the performances are already booked, Kruszka invites those interested to contact her at 661-654-6070 or kkruszka@csub.edu to be added to the notification list when the next production is scheduled.

Show times for “The Talking Stick” are at noon, 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. on March 17 and at noon and 2 p.m. on March 18. Parking is free in Lots B and C. Seating is limited; reservations are recommended by calling 661-654-6070.

CSUB’s High Speed Rail Speaker Series to culminate with town hall meeting

Congressman Kevin McCarthy and Chairman of the California High Speed Rail Authority Dan Richard to lead the discussion

For the past seven weeks, CSUB has hosted a free speaker series for the community centered on the hotly debated topic of the California High Speed Rail project. The series, which has offered students and community members a chance to hear multiple viewpoints, learn facts, and dispel rumors, will culminate with a town hall-style meeting Thursday, March 15 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at CSUB’s Icardo Center. The meeting is free and open to the public.

The discussion will be led by Congressman Kevin McCarthy and Chairman of the California High Speed Rail Authority Dan Richard, who will share their perspectives regarding the project’s business plan, financing, environmental impact, and potential benefits and consequences.

“It is important to note that the town hall meeting is not a debate. We don’t see a debate as a productive forum for this topic. Rather, it is a discussion which will present information and perspectives regarding the high speed rail from high level officials on both sides,” said Evelyn Young, executive assistant to the president of CSUB. “We will take questions from the audience on site as well as via Facebook and Twitter.”

Young added: “The speaker series has been very well received by the community, with each of the five sessions at near capacity and the discussions very rich and robust. The speakers have been knowledgeable and the information provided has been enlightening for all. The town hall meeting is sure to be equally informative and engaging.”

Those who wish to attend the town hall meeting are encouraged to RSVP at 661-654-2175. For those who cannot make the meeting, it will be streamed live at http://www.csub.edu/livestream/California_High_Speed_Rail/. Questions may be submitted in advance to hsr@csub.edu.

Parking will be free in parking lots E and I. Enter campus via Roadrunner Way from Camino Media.

CSUB presents springtime health program, St. Patrick’s Day 5K

The School of Social Sciences and Education at California State University, Bakersfield is taking a proactive role in enhancing the quality of life for Kern County residents by presenting a healthy living series and 5K run this spring.

The program includes a two-part lecture series on “Active Living for Health,” taught by the school’s dean, Dr. Kathleen Knutzen, as well as a St. Patrick’s Day 5K for people of all ages.

“Physical activity is essential for overall health,” Knutzen said. “In our society, transportation, environment and lifestyle can present barriers to physical activity. My lectures will focus on how we can incorporate activity into our daily living, to regulate our metabolism, control or prevent diabetes, and increase overall quality of life.”

Knutzen has extensive experience in promoting wellness activities in communities and on university campuses. She is a past director of a community-based strength program for older adults, past coordinator of a faculty-led community health center, and has experience establishing an employee wellness program. She joined the administration at CSUB in Fall 2010 and has a keen interest in working with the Kern County community on quality of life issues.

Her presentations will take place in the Bakersfield City Council Chambers, 1501 Truxtun Ave. They are free of charge and open to the public.

6:30 p.m. Thursday, March 8
Active Living for Health I: Health risks associated with inactivity, health benefits of physical activity, how lifestyle influences overall participation in physical activity.

6:30 p.m. Thursday, April 12
Active Living for Health II: The importance of maintaining strength and lean muscle mass for healthy aging, metabolism regulation, control or prevention of diabetes, and overcoming the “use it or lose it” phenomenon.

The St. Patrick’s Day 5K will take place on Saturday, March 17, at the Park at RiverWalk, 11298 Stockdale Highway. Check-in begins at 7 a.m. and the run starts at 8:30 a.m. There will also be a one-mile fun run/walk for those not wanting to participate in the 5K. Pre-registration is $20 due March 12 and guarantees a T-shirt. Day-of registration is $22. There will be awards for various age groups as well as a costume contest for “Most Green” and raffle prizes.

For more information about these events and for an entry form for the 5K, call 661-654-2210 or visit www.csub.edu/sse.

CSUB Guitar Arts Series presents guitar-vocal duo

The CSUB Guitar Arts Series is presenting guitarist Steven Walter and mezzo-soprano Kristen Walter at 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 2 in the CSUB Music Building, Room 127. The event features a dynamic program including music by Domenico Scarlatti, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and J.S. Bach as well as new music for the guitar composed by talented student composers in the music program at CSUB. Tickets are $12 for general admission, $8 for seniors 60 and older, and $6 for youth and students with ID. Tickets can be purchased at the door, or reserved by calling 661-654-2511. Seating is limited to 80 guests.

The evening will start with a handful of premier performances of music by CSUB student composers Jason Anthony Gomez, Peter Crawford and Fernando Montoya. The students were selected to participate in the Modern Guitar Composition Project - a grant-funded project for which the students were coached on composing for the guitar by CSUB music faculty members Jim Scully and Roger Allen Cope. The pieces are the final, published documents of their hard work and will also be presented at the American Guitar Society monthly meeting in April in Valley Glen, Calif.

Husband and wife team, Steven and Kristen Walter, will cover the rest of the program with a rich variety of music from some of the most wondrous composers in the history of Western art music. Steven Walter is one of a few individuals in the world to be widely known as both a classical guitar builder and performing artist. Among honors as a performer, Walter has been a major prizewinner in the prestigious Guitar Foundation of America International Solo Competition, and was invited to be a guest soloist for the inaugural concert of the San Pedro Sula Filarmónica in Honduras. In the U.S. he often performs concerts with his wife, mezzo-soprano Kristen Walter, and continues to perform solo recitals and as an orchestral soloist. Classical Voice North Carolina has described Walter’s playing as “…performance with cool intellect and a virtuoso technique ... a sound so appealing you have no idea how hard it is to create.”

Kristen Walter studied voice and conducting at Florida State University under the direction of Andre Thomas, Rodney Eichenberger, Larry Gerber and Judy Bowers, earning both an undergraduate degree and a master’s degree in Choral Music Education. She has also been a featured vocal soloist throughout the Carolinas and Florida, performing with the Asheville Lyric Opera, Carolina Concert Choir, the Hendersonville Symphony, and the Brevard Music Center.

For more information about the CSUB Guitar Arts Series, visit www.csub.edu/guitar.

CSUB hosts talk on careers in federal law enforcement

The public is invited to learn what it takes to enter federal law enforcement at a talk by Carl Beckett of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration at 3 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 16, in the Walter Stiern Library at California State University, Bakersfield.

Beckett’s lecture is part of a speaker series aimed at educating both the campus and the community about opportunities available through CSUB’s degree program in Global Intelligence and National Security. The program is designed to prepare graduates to apply for entry-level positions with federal agencies such as the CIA, FBI, Department of Defense and Department of Homeland Security, whose missions focus on intelligence gathering and analysis, threat evaluation, national security, and foreign affairs.

“This program offers a unique opportunity for students to prepare for either a post-graduate career in academia as a scholar or analyst, or to apply for entry-level positions in local or federal law enforcement or as first responders,” said Dr. Mark Martinez, political science professor at CSUB.

Beckett's professional career includes five years with the United States Probation & Parole Office and the past 14 years with the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). He spent six years in South America as the DEA's Special Agent in Charge of Specialized Units in Colombia. For the past two years Beckett has been the DEA's Resident Agent in Charge in Bakersfield.

Past speakers in the series have included retired CIA Intelligence Analyst Dr. Roger George, former National Security Advisor for Latin America Dr. Robert A. Pastor, and former Assistant Secretary of Defense Dr. Lawrence J. Korb. The speaker series is sponsored by the CSUB Department of Political Science, the Global Affairs Club at CSUB, and Associated Students, Inc.

The event is free and open to the public. Parking at CSUB is $5. For more information, call Tina Giblin at 661-654-2141 or email tgiblin@csub.edu.

CSUB to host open house for prospective science and engineering students

The School of Natural Sciences, Mathematics and Engineering at California State University, Bakersfield is hosting an open house for local high school seniors. The open house will take place from 6 to 9 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 9, in the CSUB Student Union Multipurpose Room, 9001 Stockdale Highway. The event is free and open to the public with free parking in Lot K.

The annual event is intended for high school seniors who are interested in a degree in science, technology, engineering or mathematics. Represented programs include biology, biochemistry, computer sciences, computer engineering, geology, mathematics, nursing, physics, pre-medical, and pre-engineering.

High school seniors and their families are invited to listen to faculty discuss the available programs, tour CSUB’s state-of-the-art teaching and research laboratories, and enjoy a dessert reception while interacting with CSUB staff, faculty and students. Students are encouraged to bring a high school transcript (unofficial is ok) so that they can apply for admission to CSUB and have their transcripts evaluated for admission that night.

“The NSME Open House is one of the many ways Kern County high school students can learn about the wonderful opportunities available to them at CSUB in the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. We hope that all students and their families will be able to take advantage of this opportunity,” said NSME Associate Dean, Dr. Kamel Haddad.

For more information about the event, contact Jennifer McCune, Student Services Coordinator, at (661) 654-2776.

CSUB ethics panel to focus on mortgage crisis

With one of the highest mortgage default rates in the country, Kern County is an epicenter of the national mortgage crisis. The effect reaches every segment of Kern County’s population – homeowners, lenders, business owners and taxpayers. To address the ethically-related impacts of the mortgage crisis, the Kegley Institute of Ethics at California State University, Bakersfield is hosting a panel discussion titled "Ethics, Justice and the Mortgage Crisis" at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 15, in the CSUB Student Union Multipurpose Room.

"This panel will address some of the causes of the mortgage crisis, as well as some of the personal and financial sector hardships the crisis has created,” said Dr. Christopher Meyers, director of the Kegley Institute of Ethics and panel moderator. “We are very fortunate to have true experts on the topic, including Louis Gill, director of the Bakersfield Homeless Shelter, who will speak to the direct impact on families who have lost their homes. We will also have Steve Renock, president of Kern Schools Federal Credit Union, speaking to the efforts the lending industry is undertaking to help keep people in their homes."

CSUB associate professor of economics, Aaron Hegde, will also join the panel discussion.

The event is free and open to the public. Sponsors include Mercy and Memorial Hospitals of Bakersfield, San Joaquin Community Hospital and Kern Schools Credit Union. Parking in Lot K will be free after 6:30 p.m. and light refreshments will be provided.

For more information about the Kegley Institute of Ethics, call 661-654-2555 or visit www.csub.edu/kie.

CSUB’s FACT to host open house on Feb. 4

A free open house at the Facility for Animal Care and Treatment (FACT) will be held at California State University, Bakersfield's Environmental Studies Area on Saturday, Feb. 4. The open house runs from 1 to 4 p.m.

Tours of FACT feature talks and demonstrations with live birds of prey, including hawks, owls and golden eagles. CSUB biology students will give visitors an opportunity to make a recycled journal and go on a scavenger hunt. Members of CSUB's 60+ Club will sell nature gifts, T-shirts, note cards, coloring books, zoo books, and other items.

FACT is a wildlife rescue and conservation education project founded in 1975 by Ted Murphy, CSUB emeritus professor of biology. FACT students and volunteers care for hundreds of injured or orphaned birds of prey and conduct tours of the facility and classroom programs for thousands of Kern County school children each year. FACT is supported by the annual barbecue, members of Friends of FACT, and the sale of gift items.

To get to FACT, enter the CSUB campus on Roadrunner Drive from Camino Media Boulevard. Turn right into Parking Lot I and, at the softball field backdrop, follow the dirt road over the bike path to the parking area.

For more information about FACT, visit www.csub.edu/fact or call 661-654-3167.

Author to bring California civil rights history to CSUB

The Walter Stiern Library at California State University, Bakersfield, is kicking off a new speaker series, “Walter Presents,” with an exhibit and author visit focused on the history of civil rights in California.

“Wherever There’s a Fight” is an eight-panel exhibit on display through Feb. 10 featuring the fight for civil liberties in California spanning from the Gold Rush to the post-9/11 era. The exhibit is based on a book by the same name by authors Elaine Elinson and Stan Yogi, both former staffers for the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California. The book tells the stories of individuals – many of whom may not appear in California history lessons – who stood up for their rights in fights against discrimination, segregation, and other injustices.

Co-author Elinson will give a talk and sign copies of the book at 3 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 25, in the Dezember Reading Room of the Walter Stiern Library. The event is free and open to the public. A limited number of reserved parking spaces will be available for free in Lot D behind the library; otherwise visitors may purchase a $5 parking pass.

“Libraries have always been at the forefront in the fight for civil liberties so it’s very appropriate that we launch our new lecture series with an exhibit about civil liberties and a talk by a speaker as distinguished as Elaine Elinson,” said Curt Asher, Interim Dean of the Walter Stiern Library.

Elinson is an author, journalist, and media consultant with legal and social justice organizations. She served as the communications director of the ACLU of Northern California and editor of the ACLU News for more than 20 years. She was named a Library Laureate by the San Francisco Public Library in April 2010. “Wherever There’s a Fight,” published by Heyday Books in 2009, was awarded a Gold Medal in the 2010 California Book Awards.

One example she cites in which Kern County played a key battlefield in a fight for freedom of speech was when the Board of Supervisors banned “The Grapes of Wrath” from schools and libraries after the book was published in 1939 – prompting Bakersfield’s chief librarian Gretchen Knief to fight back.

“I want to share with the students and Bakersfield community the stories of some unsung heroes who have fought for all of our rights,” Elinson said. “People we may not have heard of, but who stood up against injustice and inequality. I hope that their stories will inspire others to be vigilant about our civil rights and civil liberties, and to know that each of us has a role to play in protecting them.”

“Wherever There’s a Fight” is presented by the Walter Stiern Library, and sponsored by the CSUB Associated Students Incorporated and the CSUB Public History Institute. Copies of the book will be available for sale during the Jan. 25 event. Library hours for public viewing of the exhibit are 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday. The library is closed on Saturdays. For more information, contact the Walter Stiern Library at 661-654-3042.

Volunteers sought for Kern County Regional Science Bowl

California State University, Bakersfield is seeking volunteers for the 20th annual Kern County Regional Science Bowl. The competition is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 11, at CSUB from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. This year marks the 16th year the local Science Bowl has been hosted by CSUB.

The event features 32 five-member teams from 16 Kern County high schools competing in a question-answer quiz format that covers physics, math, computer science and astronomy. Matches consist of two eight-minute halves. Each match will have three officials in the room: a moderator, who will read the questions, a timekeeper and a scorekeeper.

The top two teams advance to the finals and compete in a double-elimination round, with the winner advancing to the National Science Bowl, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy in Washington, D.C., April 26 -30.

Event organizers are seeking volunteers to help run the event and local businesses to donate prizes for the students. All officials must attend one training session to learn about the various positions and competition rules. The sessions are offered from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Feb. 7, 8 and 9 in Science II Room 285. Volunteers will receive a T-shirt, morning snack and lunch, courtesy of event sponsors including Occidental of Elk Hills.

“Also, volunteers will get to watch Kern County's top science students compete,” said Thomas Meyer, professor of physics/computer science and coordinator of the event.

All volunteers are welcome, regardless of educational background. For more information or to become a volunteer, contact Dr. Thomas Meyer at (661) 654-2104 or e-mail plampkins@csub.edu. You may also go online to www.cs.csub.edu/Volunteer.html to sign up to volunteer.

CSUB to offer free high speed rail discussions for community, students

With the California High Speed Rail project being hotly debated from the local to the national level, CSUB is offering a chance for students and the community to hear arguments and learn facts from all sides.

A free, five-session speaker series beginning Jan. 18 will feature community experts, starting with Kern County Supervisor Ray Watson and Kern Economic Development Corporation Executive Director Richard Chapman, who will both speak about job creation.

The course continues every other Wednesday through March 14, hitting topics such as the project’s business plan, financing, environmental impact, consequences, and culminating with a town hall style meeting. The class meets in the evening from 5:45 to 7:30 p.m. in Science III, Room 213.

CSUB students who take the course will receive general studies credit. The free course is also open to the general public through CSUB’s Extended University program.

The registration form can be found on the Extended University Division website at: http://www.csub.edu/eud/. Click on "FORMS" in the blue bar on the left. Although the form indicates differently, the form can be faxed to EUD at (661) 654-2447.

The best access to campus for this location is via Camino Media. Park in Lot "E." Parking is $5.

CSUB presents the comical opera “Albert Herring”

Every three years, CSUB’s music department produces a cultural offering that is rare for Bakersfield: a live opera. This Feb. 3 and 4, community members are invited to enjoy this year’s opera, the comedic “Albert Herring.”

The opera was composed in 1946 by Benjamin Britten with a libretto by Eric Crozier and based on a short story by Guy de Maupassant. Britten’s idea was to write an opera that could be performed by a small company with modest means, said Peggy Sears, head of Voice Studies at CSUB and director of the production.

“It’s an ensemble opera with 13 characters, all with important parts, and 13 orchestra members, each playing a different instrument. This, plus the fact that it is a coming-of-age story, makes it perfect for our small, mostly undergraduate program at CSUB,” Sears said.

Set in England at the turn of the last century, the story pokes fun at a town tradition to select the most virtuous girl as Queen of May Day. Realizing there is no pure enough female in town to receive such an honor, the event organizers settle on crowning a King, a timid grocery boy who lives under his mother’s rule. But the award only serves to awaken the boy’s thirst for adventure, and scandal ensues.

The musical composition is challenging, Sears said. But the students learn the art of opera throughout their education at CSUB and enjoy the chance to inject their personalities into the music.

“The opera theatre is supposed to be for those students who want to be stretched to their fullest,” Sears said. “They must sing well while moving about the stage purposefully and creating a character. And with Britten, they must do all this while singing music that is as challenging as anything regularly performed on the opera stage. The audience will hopefully not even notice the difficulty of the music.”

After the resounding success of the musical production of “Chicago” last spring, “Albert Herring” will further demonstrate to the community that CSUB is a strong, vibrant player in the local performing arts scene.

CSUB presents the comedic opera “Albert Herring” by Benjamin Britten, directed by Peggy Sears and conducted by Ronald Kean, at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Feb. 3 and 4, in the Doré Theatre at California State University, Bakersfield, 9001 Stockdale Highway. A pre-performance lecture will be held in the Albertson Room at 7:15 p.m. on opening night. Admission at the door is $15 general, $10 seniors and students, and $5 CSUB students with ID. For more information, call 661-654-2168.

America Will Not Tolerate National Defense Authorization Act (2012)

We are facing the most dangerous threat to American civil liberties in our history as a nation, and it is receiving shockingly inadequate coverage by traditional media.

This bill passed through the Senate with a vote of 93-7. President Obama claims that he will veto it. However, if he changes his mind (as he has in the past) and this bill is signed into law, this is what it will mean for you, your children and future generations of American citizens:

1) If the government decides that you might be a terrorist or that you might be associated with terrorists (including eco-terrorists, cyber-terrorists, etc.) , then US Marines can legally break down your door, throw a hood over your head, kidnap you, interrogate you, and hold you indefinitely in a secret military detention center.

2) No trial will be required for this action and there will be NO legal recourse at all for anyone who is taken.

3) A “suspected terrorist” in this case, would be anyone the military or the government says is a suspected terrorist.

This bill is a perversion of the Constitution, a direct affront to our rights as outlined in the Sixth Amendment and it should never have come before Congress. It is appalling that it has passed through the Senate virtually unopposed. Potential future abuses of this bill are so horrifying and far-reaching that they would change the character of our nation forever. It MUST NOT not become law.

Take immediate action. Here are some simple, effective steps you can take to make your opinion count:

A) Sign the petition at: https://www.change.org/petitions/petition-national-defense-authorization-act-is-illegal-s-1867

B) Email the President. http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/submit-questions-and-comments, select "civil liberties" in the subject box, and then paste this in the body of the email: “America will not tolerate S. 1867.” Write any additional comments you wish and sign your name in the body of the email.

C) Go to http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/submit-questions-and-comments then select "civil liberties" in the subject box, and then paste this in the body of the email: “America will not tolerate S. 1867.” Write any additional comments you wish and sign your name.

D) Sign the petition on: http://act.demandprogress.org/sign/ndaa/?source=fb

E) Please forward and share this page with everyone on your email/FB lists or any other social media you use.

Here are links to additional reading material, if you wish to research this topic further:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/erikkain/2011/12/05/the-national-defense-authorization-act-is-the-greatest-threat-to-civil-liberties-americans-face/

http://loyalopposition.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/11/30/president-obama-veto-the-defense-authorization-act/

You can also simply run a web search for “National Defense Authorization Act.”

I thank you for reading through this, and for any action you take to defend our precious civil liberties. God bless America.

CSU Bakersfield appoints new Vice President for Student Affairs

After an extensive national search that generated a diverse, competitive pool of fourteen candidates, CSU Bakersfield today announced that Dr. Thomas Wallace has been named the university’s new Vice President for Student Affairs. Wallace will replace Dr. John Hultsman who has served as Interim Vice President for Student Affairs since 2009. Wallace’s appointment will begin on February 15, 2012.

A diverse search committee of faculty, staff, students, and administrators selected four finalists to bring to campus for day-long interviews. The committee recommended two finalists.

“When I met with the search committee to get their recommendation, it was clear that Dr. Wallace was their top choice. I agreed. He will bring a wealth of experience in student affairs and university leadership, and he will be a major contributor to the campus and community,” said President Horace Mitchell. “I am extremely pleased to have someone with his talents and experience joining our leadership team.”

In his new role, Wallace will serve as a member of the President’s Cabinet and will be responsible for campus programs, services, and activities that support the university’s educational mission by promoting student development, enhancing the quality of the student experience, and campus life.

Specifically, Wallace will oversee a variety of units on campus including Athletics, the Center for Community Engagement and Career Education, Children’s Center, Housing and Residential Life, Services for Students with Disabilities, Student Health Center, Student Rights and Responsibilities, Student Recreation Center, Student Involvement and Leadership, Student Union, Associated Students, Inc., Campus Dining, and the Runner Bookstore.

“I was very impressed by the university’s commitment to student development, its insistence on high-quality instruction and the desire to strengthen its presence as a student-centered campus,” Wallace said of his interest in the position. “This is a tremendous opportunity and I look forward to becoming an integral part of the overall strategic mission of CSUB.”

Wallace is a career educator, amassing 32 years of experience. Prior to becoming a professor of educational leadership and a student affairs administrator at the University of Mississippi where he served from 1990 to 2010, Wallace was a K-12 teacher and principal.

Wallace comes to CSUB from the University of Nebraska-Omaha where he has served as associate vice chancellor for student affairs, the campus' chief student affairs position, since June 2010. In this role, he oversees 14 departments and 210 employees responsible for enhancing the learning environment through student services, educational support programs, and experiences gained through co-curricular programs and activities.

Wallace earned a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education, a Master of Arts in Education Administration and a Doctor of Philosophy in Higher Education Administration/Educational Leadership, all from the University of Mississippi. He is married and has two daughters and one son (ages 13, 18 and 19). He enjoys jogging, tennis, basketball, board games, reading, and traveling.

“We are very pleased and fortunate to have recruited such a worthy candidate,” said Mike Neal, search committee chair and CSUB’s vice president for business & administrative services. “Dr. Wallace will add a new and exciting dynamic to the division and to the campus. We look forward to welcoming his family and him to Bakersfield.”

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Editor’s Note: Dr. Thomas Wallace will be on campus on Thursday, Dec. 8. Media interviews can be arranged by calling Rob Meszaros at 661-654-2456.

KERN AUTISM NETWORK AT THE BAKERSFIELD CHRISTMAS PARADE

The Autism Society Chapter-Kern Autism Network invites all families with individuals affected by autism to join us on Thursday, December 1, at the Bakersfield Christmas parade.

The Kern Autism Network will have reserved seating in Areas 1 and 2 on the north and south side of 21^st Street, west of Eye Street, along the parade route. Bring chairs and blankets. Dress in colorful Christmas colors as the viewing area is next to the media cameras and we will be on camera live!

Park in designated areas. Spectators should be seated in viewing areas by 5 pm. The parade starts at 5:45 p.m. Christmas Parade Vendors will be selling hot chocolate along the route.

Let’s fill the seating areas and show our spirit for the season.

The Kern Autism Network provides support, awareness, information and education to families, professionals and the public throughout Kern County. We are a chapter of the Autism Society of America. For more information, visit our website at www.kernautism.org.

Autism Society Chapter-Kern Autism Network
www.kernautism.org
kernautism@gmail.com
FACEBOOK link-Kern Autism Network
661-588-4235

Aera Energy employees support local communities with food drives

Aera Energy LLC and its employees in Kern County and Ventura are reaching out to support local families in need. Multiple Aera food drives will provide nearly 250 families with meals in time for the Thanksgiving holiday.

On Monday Aera culminated its 14^th annual Thanksgiving food drive when the Golden Empire Gleaners picked up nearly 200 brightly decorated boxes brimming with fixings for Thanksgiving meals for local families. The boxes were festively decorated by students at South High School and stuffed with enough stuffing, pie fixings and turkeys or hams to feed a family of six. Nonperishable items were donated by headquarters and Belridge field employees; a company donation topped off each box with a ham or turkey and fresh vegetables.

Meanwhile at Aera’s Midway Sunset location in Taft assembled another batch of holiday meal boxes for local families through their Adopt-a-Family program. Employees stuffed boxes with Thanksgiving feast fixings for 12 families and personally delivered them last week to Taft area families.

“For Aera and its employees this annual food drive has become an important holiday tradition,” explains Rochelle Howard, engineering technical associate with Aera. “All these boxes provide evidence to those capable of giving, that individually and collectively we can make a huge difference. These boxes alone will feed almost 200 families. It is our way of sharing the true meaning of Thanksgiving with those who are less fortunate and provide our neighbors in need the most basic necessity – food.”

“The Gleaners are so fortunate to have business partners like Aera Energy LLC who have a big heart for the hungry in our community,” says Pam Fiorini, executive director of the Golden Empire Gleaners. “For 14 years their employees have ensured an abundant Thanksgiving holiday for our families in crisis. Last year they helped nearly 700 people through this event alone. Their generosity puts our motto, ‘It Starts With Food’ into action.”

In Ventura, Aera employees donated nearly $1,000 to supply 25 families with complete Thanksgiving meals. Holiday meal certificates will be distributed to families at the Boys and Girls Club of Ventura through local non-profit Project Understanding.

Aera Energy LLC is one of California’s largest oil and gas producers. Company headquarters are in Bakersfield and most of its production is centered in the San Joaquin Valley. Aera also has oilfield operations in Ventura and Monterey counties.

CSUB Chemistry Department receives grant for youth education

Young people of Kern County, get ready for Chemical Circus, a traveling interactive program brought to you by the Chemistry Department at California State University, Bakersfield. In its first year of existence, and already a hit at the Boys & Girls Club and with local school science clubs, the program will now reach out to more youth thanks to a $10,000 grant announced Wednesday.

CSUB’s program is one of nine winners nationwide receiving funding from “Partnering for Excellence: Innovations in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Education,” a national competition hosted by Ashoka Changemakers, Carnegie Corporation of New York and The Opportunity Equation. For the U.S. to remain competitive in STEM fields, youth must be attracted early and retained until they complete college. The grant winners have come up with creative ways to bring STEM professionals into K-12 schools to use their talent, knowledge and real-world skills to engage students, particularly in high-need communities.

CSUB’s Chemistry Department received the Innovations in Life Sciences Prize, sponsored by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. The prize will allow the department to purchase materials, develop demonstrations, and pay senior undergraduate students to train and work as program leaders.

The Chemical Circus is a series of engaging, entertaining, and educational chemistry activities developed by the CSUB Chemistry Department to promote interest in chemistry among local youth. A Chemical Circus session consists of demonstrations performed by trained faculty and students, followed by a safe, hands-on activity. So far, demonstrations have been held at the Boys and Girls Club and at some science club meetings at local schools. With the grant, the program will expand into high school classrooms and elsewhere in the community.

Not only does the program inspire participating youth, but the experience also offers an opportunity for service learning for CSUB students which, in turn, increases retention and learning within the chemistry major.

“Students get the chance to teach and mentor K-12 youth about chemistry, reinforcing concepts they have learned in class and strengthening leadership skills and the importance of community-based work,” said Dr. Danielle Solano, assistant professor of chemistry at CSUB.

For more information about Chemical Circus, contact Dr. Danielle Solano at 661-654-2785 or dsolano@csub.edu. For more information about the Partnering for Excellence grant, visit www.changemakers.com/stemeducation.

Ancient Swords and a Copper Race Horse

This Thursday’s “LETHAL MIXER” is the closing event to celebrate the remarkable “LETHAL BEAUTY” exhibit at the Bakersfield Museum of Art. “Lethal Beauty” features ancient Samurai swords, ceramic and metal armor and paintings from a historic battle.

This is also your last opportunity to view the exquisite copper horse sculpture called “Holding Her Ground,” before it joins a private collection. “Holding Her Ground” is a 9 foot long by 5.5 foot high Mixed Media, Copper over Steel sculpture created this summer by Kernville artist, David Laughing Horse Robinson.

Mr. Robinson is one of the participating artists in the concurrent exhibit at the Bakersfield Museum of Art called: “CONVERGENCE.” "Convergence" juxtaposes work from twenty Art Faculty at California State University, Bakersfield and Bakersfield College and is presented by Occidental of Elk Hills, Inc.

Make it your destination to enjoy this wonderful art, Martial Arts demonstrations, Japanese beer, sake and a live DJ, all for just $5 at the door. This promises to be a fun event, 5:30 - 7 p.m, November 17, 2011 at 1930 R St., Bakersfield.

Both exhibits end Sunday, November 20.

CSUB Chamber Orchestra Concert set for November 13

The CSUB Music Program is pleased to announce the premier performance of the newly formed 40-piece CSUB Chamber Orchestra on Sunday, Nov. 13 at 4 p.m. in CSUB’s Doré Theatre. Inspired to showcase the talents of CSUB students, the first concert will feature works by Vivaldi, Weber, Grieg, Fauré, and Britten. Admission is $10; non-CSUB Student/Seniors are $5; and CSUB Students and children under 12 are free.

The concert opens with Antonio Vivaldi’sa famous Double Concerto in A minor from L’Estro Armonico, featuring student soloists Jason Gomez and Suzanne Botha. Vivaldi’s rhythmic energy and “bizarria” are clearly evident, but the gorgeous, melodic flow of the second and final movements has made this composition one of the most beloved works for two violin soloists ever written. The restrained elegance of Gabriel Fauré’s Pavane follows. The opening half of the concert concludes with Benjamin Britten’s four-movement Simple Symphony. Written at age 20, this work launched the career of one of the major compositional talents of the twentieth century.

The last half of the concert features gifted clarinet soloist Brock Christian in Carl Maria von Weber’s Concertino for Clarinet. The wide-range of both expressivity and virtuosic display made Weber’s composition a cornerstone of the clarinet’s repertoire from its premiere in 1811.

The concert closes with CSUB student Robert Morales conducting Edvard Grieg’s Peer Gynt Suite No. 1. When Norwegian dramatist Henrik Ibsen asked Grieg to write incidental music for a stage version of his verse poem Peer Gynt, it was the beginning of one of the most successful collaborations between a living playwright and composer of all time. Famous melodies and “trollish” fun abound in this Norwegian masterpiece.

For more information, call 654-3093.

Play, author visit address themes in CSUB's Runner Reader/One Book selection

Two men from similar backgrounds who make different choices with their lives and end up in different circumstances. This is the theme of “The Other Wes Moore,” CSUB’s current Runner Reader book and the coinciding read for One Book, One Bakersfield, One Kern – the author of which will visit CSUB on Nov. 8. It is also the theme of “A Lesson Before Dying,” a play based on a novel of the same name that CSUB’s theatre department is producing Nov. 3-6.

“Both ‘A Lesson Before Dying’ and ‘The Other Wes Moore’ touch on themes of responsibility, sacrifice, racial prejudice, and the vital importance of education,” said Mandy Rees, chair of the CSUB Theatre Department. “We selected this play because first, it is a beautiful and poignant piece, and second, we wanted to complement and enrich the experience of reading ‘The Other Wes Moore.’”

Adapted for the stage by Romulus Linney (who died in January 2011 of lung cancer) and directed by CSUB theatre professor Maria-Tania Becerra, the play is set in 1948 Louisiana. It is about two black men who face racial inequality – one sentenced to death for a murder to which he was a party but did not commit, and the other a plantation school teacher who visits him in jail to help him learn to be proud of himself as a man; his final lesson of life.

The characters echo those of the dual biography “The Other Wes Moore,” in which the author – who escaped the drug- and crime-infested streets of Baltimore through education and military service – visits a man by the same name who is sentenced to life without parole for being an accessory to a murder.

The play provides yet another lesson in how the choices we make, both personally and as a community, can affect two people’s lives in such a vastly different manner. The student actors are going so far as to learn about the racial issues of the late 1940s under the research of a student dramaturg who is researching the time period as part of her senior project. The students are also debating the merits of the death penalty, which is receiving scrutiny in the California Legislature as well as nationwide in the wake of Troy Davis’ execution in Georgia in September.

“The play wrestles with ideas beyond the death penalty,” Rees said. “How do you keep your dignity in the face of injustice? How do you find strength and courage when you want to give up? How can you find meaning and purpose in difficult circumstances?”

“A Lesson Before Dying” is at 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, Nov. 3-5, and at 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 6 inside the Doré Theatre at CSUB, 9001 Stockdale Highway. Admission is $10 general, $8 seniors/faculty/staff, and $5 students with ID. Due to adult language, the show is not suitable for children. Tickets are for sale one hour prior to the show or by calling the box office at 661-654-3150.

The author of “The Other Wes Moore,” Wes Moore, will visit CSUB at 7 p.m. Nov. 8 for a talk in the Student Recreation Center Gym. The talk is free and open to the public; a book signing will follow. Parking is free in Lot K. For more information, call 661-654-2144 or visit http://onebookonebakersfieldonekern.com.

Kern Valley Farmers Market wins USDA Grant

Tasty produce and fine weather brought the Kern River Valley community together Saturday, October 15, to celebrate the one year anniversary of the Lakeshore Farmers Market.

Herbs, Squash, Tomatoes, Eggs, and Oranges were just some of the selections available to shoppers. Customers could also purchase fresh bread, homemade facial scrubs, jewelry, fossils, crystals and gemstones and a variety of art, sculpture and crafts. Patrons relaxed with a massage or received a lesson from David Laughing Horse Robinson on the use of a ceramics wheel to make bowls and plates. There was also a free raffle.

The highlight of the day was an announcement by Kern Valley Growers Association (KVGA) President, Sharon Bonorden. The Association sponsors the Farmers Market and just learned that the USDA has awarded KVGA a grant of $53, 903. Nationwide, 149 of these grants were distributed across 42 states and this local award is one of only 19 granted in California. The USDA website says the grant is awarded to increase the use of fresh, locally grown food in meals prepared by local residents and to increase the size of the farmers market in Wofford Heights to include more farmers and offer more choices to customers.

This award celebrates the monumental efforts of the founding members of the Lakeshore Farmers Market who have grown the market in it’s first year. In addition to setting up their booths every Saturday morning, rain or shine, the market accepts EBT or SNAP benefits cards and the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program Checks distributed by the California Department of Food and Agriculture.

This summer, KVGA members also provided fresh produce for the valley’s Meals-On-Wheels program. The successes of this past year show that the Kern Valley Community can look forward to more food and fun as the Lakeshore Farmers Market begins it’s second year.

The Lakeshore Farmers Market is Kern County Certified and operates under the Rules and Regulations of the Kern County Board of Environmental Health. Local Kern Valley growers and the Organic Fruit and Produce are certified by Kern County.

The Lakeshore Farmers Market is open year-round on Saturdays, 9am to 1pm, across the street from St. Jude’s Catholic Church in Wofford Heights, at the Lakeshore Lodge covered pavilion. The Market is also the Abundant Harvest Box-pickup for the valley.

For more information visit the KVGA website:

www.kernvalleygrowersassociation.com/

CSUB announces first agricultural degree program to serve local industry

Local farming and ranching companies that want to hire CSUB graduates will join university administrators, faculty and students on Friday, Oct. 21, to announce the start of the new Ag Business program in the School of Business and Public Administration. A press conference will take place at 9 a.m., followed by giveaways and informational booths until noon in Runner Park, the lawn area between Science II and the Student Recreation Center. There will be free samples of carrots from Grimmway Farms and nuts from Paramount Farming Company and Tejon Ranch.

Located in the heart of the agriculturally rich Southern San Joaquin Valley, CSUB has long wanted to offer ag-related academic programming but has been unable to do so due to programs being offered at nearby CSU campuses Fresno State and Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. To better serve the local community, CSUB is taking the unique approach of offering a concentration in agricultural business within the bachelor of science in business administration.

The goal is to teach students the business of the agricultural industry so that local companies can hire qualified graduates to join their management teams.

“The local agricultural community has a need for qualified and educated employees,” said Jeff Green, general counsel for Grimmway Farms. “We, as an industry, have found that we have a better chance of hiring and retaining qualified employees if those employees are locally grown and educated. Through this agribusiness program, we are hopeful that local students will avail themselves of quality educations and internships and that local companies will have the opportunity to hire our homegrown talent.”

With the state continuing to slash funding to the California State University system, CSUB is utilizing existing resources to launch the Ag Business program. The five required courses are adaptations of existing classes and count toward any business administration bachelor’s degree. The new courses are: ag business law, ag accounting, ag marketing, ag economics, and a choice between ag trade and ag finance. One course will be taught each quarter by existing faculty as well as industry professionals as adjuncts.

Grimmway’s Jeff Green, who has taught business law at CSUB as an adjunct in the past, will teach the first course – ag business law – in winter quarter.

“From the students’ perspectives, there are many courses that, even if they’re not majoring in ag business, they will want to take. For example, ag business law will count toward the business law course, which is something all students in business have to take,” said CSUB professor Aaron Hegde, director of the Environmental Resource Management program and coordinator of the new Ag Business program.

Friday’s event aims to educate students as well as the community about the new program. CSUB is also aiming to attract transfer students from Bakersfield College’s agriculture and natural resources program, who typically transfer to Fresno or SLO to finish their four-year degrees.

For more information about the Ag Business program at CSUB, contact Aaron Hegde at shegde@csub.edu or call 654-2495.

CSUB to host ribbon cutting Tuesday for new bike path through campus

California State University, Bakersfield is hosting a Ribbon Cutting and Campus Bike Ride at 3 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 11, in celebration of the new East-West Bike Path that was recently completed through campus. The bike path was funded by a $66,350 grant from the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District and the university’s fines and forfeitures fund. It is part of a long-term project at CSUB to decrease vehicle traffic and air emissions on campus.

Tuesday’s event will take place at the Student Recreation Center and includes a short inaugural bike ride and free Maui Wowi samples from the new smoothie bar on campus. There will also be information about CSUB’s plans for a bike share program and public transit hub, part of a larger commitment to alternative transportation and sustainability at CSUB.

“CSUB is a commuter campus. With more than 8,000 students and 1,000 faculty and staff, driving to and from campus is a way of life,” said Evelyn Young, executive assistant to the CSUB president and the president’s liaison for environmental sustainability. “The university, however, has a growing culture of environmental responsibility and there is strong support for reducing single occupant vehicle travel to campus.”

CSUB has partnered with Bike Bakersfield, PG&E, and local bicycle shops to develop CSUB Cycles, a campus-wide bike share program. Still in the planning stages, when complete the program will provide 50 bicycles in self-serve, electronic bike racks on the campus that students, staff and faculty can borrow to make short trips on and off campus.

The university is also working with Kern Council of Governments and Golden Empire Transit to expand the bike share program into the community and to increase public transit schedules to the university. GET’s short-range transit plan, to be voted on at its December board of directors meeting, includes rapid routes and a new end-of-line terminal to be located on the CSUB campus with bus shelters, a bike storage facility, and an electric car charging station. The university also is enhancing its rideshare program.

“The new bike path and bike share program will solve one of the most cited barriers to carpooling or taking the bus to campus – how those who use alternative transportation can make short distance trips once they are on campus,” Young said. “Our goal is to make alternate transportation so attractive, convenient, safe, and enjoyable that vehicle use becomes a second or even third choice for transportation.”

For more information about CSUB’s sustainability programs, contact Evelyn Young at 661-654-2241 or eyoung3@csub.edu.

CSUB MUSIC DEPARTMENT PRESENTS MUSIC INSPIRED BY THE WORDS OF EMILY DICKINSON

Jennifer Burger, contributing writer

CSU Bakersfield’s Department of Music is pleased to host two artists based in New York for a unique day of masterclasses, talks and a recital. The day is a celebration of music inspired by the timeless words of Emily Dickinson. On Wednesday, Oct. 26, James Sproul (composer), Danya Katok (soprano) and Nana Shi (piano) will visit CSUB for a day of activities in support of their evening recital.

At 2 p.m., CSUB alumnus James Sproul will lead a talk about his composition “Dream Cycle” — which uses text by Dickinson — which will be presented by Katok/Shi later that evening. Additionally, Sproul will work with current CSUB student composers on their current compositional projects in an informal talk/presentation. This event is free to the public and will take place in Music Building, room 111.

At 3:30 p.m. in the Music Building, room 127, Danya Katok and Nana Shi will present a masterclass on contemporary vocal music and accompanying — including interaction with members of the CSUB Opera Theatre who are preparing to present the opera Albert Herring by composer Benjamin Britten. This event is also free to the public, and students interested in presenting music to our guest artists need to contact Jim Scully at 661-654-2511.

The highlight of this residency is the concert at 7:30 p.m. in Music Building, room 127. Katok and Shi will present a series of works inspired by the poetry of Emily Dickinson in a wondrous recital. In addition to the full performance of “Dream Cycles” by Sproul, music by Copland and others will be included in the program.

“These performers are building their careers in New York and this west coast visit is a treat to say the least,” said Jim Scully, CSUB Music faculty.

Tickets for the concert will be available at the door starting 45 minutes before the start time. Prices are: $10/general admission; $5/seniors; CSUB Students w/ ID FREE.

For more information, call 661-654-2511.

Kern County Jails

I just wanted to let the County and State know that our inmates are starving. The calorie count may be at a standard that the state approves of, but keep this in mind. A Whopper and Fries at Burger King have twice as many calories as what the state recommends ad sufficient for our inmates.

CSU Bakersfield announces two large grants to strengthen STEM programs

Jennifer Burger, contributing writer

October 6, 2011 — Rather than waiting for state funding to advance its academic mission, CSUB has been notably entrepreneurial, seeking federal funding, engaging unique partnerships, and making use of available resources that have allowed CSUB to move ahead in spite of massive funding cuts to higher education in recent years.

As the latest example of this, the university has announced it has received two sizable awards from the U.S. Department of Education to strengthen education programs in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. And while CSUB’s eligibility is due to its high Hispanic enrollment (37 percent), all student populations will benefit.

“CSUB is committed to increasing the number of underrepresented students in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. These grants will expand and enhance our efforts to do so,” said CSUB President Dr. Horace Mitchell.

The first award — $870,000 renewable for five years — will be used to develop a new engineering sciences degree with tracks in biological engineering and engineering management, with instruction slated to begin next fall. The award will also be used to develop a model transfer and articulation agreement with Bakersfield College to establish a seamless engineering sciences degree pathway.

Dean of CSUB’s School of Natural Sciences, Mathematics, and Engineering, Dr. Julio Blanco explained that many local students enroll first at Bakersfield College.

“The goal will be to remove identified obstacles so students who start their engineering studies at BC can successfully transfer to CSUB to complete their degrees,” he said.

Engineering sciences will become CSUB’s second engineering offering. The first is a computer engineering degree, which started this fall and was also funded by a large grant from the U.S. Department of Education.

CSUB has also received $734,000 over three years to increase the number of ethnic minorities, particularly ethnic women, studying in STEM fields. One of only 12 colleges and universities to receive the Minority Science and Engineering Improvement Program (MSEIP) award, CSUB will use the funds to address a common struggle for engineering students — calculus. Specifically, the grant will be used to start a new, high-quality calculus sequence for engineering programs.

“The project addresses the roadblock in the calculus sequence that leads to stalled degree progress and enriches the engineering pathway by creating engaging, hands-on projects and peer mentoring,” Blanco said.

In total, CSUB has received nearly $9 million in federal grant funding over the past 12 months — support that Blanco says has made engineering programs available at CSUB that would have otherwise been impossible.

Kegley Institute of Ethics lecture to illuminate the Palestinian story

Jennifer Burger, contributing writer

Oct. 4, 2011 — As a possible vote inches forward for the United Nations to recognize a Palestinian state, a daughter of the war between Israel and Palestine will visit California State University, Bakersfield in October to make the case for peace.

Susan Abulhawa, award-winning author of “Mornings in Jenin,” will present her talk, “Palestine: The People, the Story, and the Moral Flexibility,” as the 7th annual Kegley Institute of Ethics Fall Lecture at CSUB. The free event will take place at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 18, inside the Doré Theatre. She will also sign copies of her book following the talk. Parking is free in Lots B, C and D after 6 p.m.

The lecture is sponsored by Mercy Healthcare Bakersfield and San Joaquin Community Hospital with additional support from St. Philip the Apostle Church and Grace Episcopal Church.

“Susan Abulhawa’s visit to CSUB could not come at a more appropriate time, when the world is seeing the strongest move yet by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to achieve United Nations recognition for Palestinian statehood,” said Christopher Meyers, CSUB philosophy professor and director of the Kegley Institute of Ethics. “President Obama has already said he would veto this vote, should it make it to the U.N. Security Council. In order to consider this a wise move, we, the citizens of the United States, should be aware of all sides of this issue. Abulhawa’s visit will raise the local consciousness of the longtime struggle between Israelis and Palestinians – and share a lesser-heard point of view.”

Abulhawa was born to Palestinian refugees of the Six Day War of 1967, when Israel seized what remained of Palestine, including Jerusalem, her ancestral home. She grew up in several places, including Jordan and occupied East Jerusalem, before coming to the United States. She began a career in medical science after completing a master’s in biomedical science at the University of South Carolina.

Since then, her career has turned into that of an author, starting with newspaper essays about the plight of Palestinians, to her recent debut novel, “Mornings in Jenin” (Bloomsbury USA, 2010), an international bestseller. The historical fiction novel illuminates the effect of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through the eyes of one family over four generations.

“‘Mornings in Jenin’ is a story for anyone who wants to know what the creation and expansion of Israel has meant to the native Palestinians,” Abulhawa said at the Boston Book Festival in 2010. She also remarked that, “Literature is a place where we can all meet to discover our common humanity.”

For more information about the Kegley Institute of Ethics and the Fall Lecture by Susan Abulhawa, visit www.csub.edu/kie or call 661-654-2555.

PathPoint Celebrates National Employer Disability Awareness Month

Bakersfield, CA---- October is National Employer Disability Awareness Month. In order to further promote awareness and expand opportunities for career exploration, PathPoint is partnering with Kern County employers and professionals for the month-long celebration. Founded in 1964, PathPoint is a local nonprofit organization that provides comprehensive training and support services that empower people with disabilities to live and work as valued members of our communities.

As part of the month-long series of activities, PathPoint is collaborating with employer partners to host events in the community. These endeavors include the Bakersfield Mayor’s Annual HIRE Luncheon on Tuesday, October 4, the HIRE Job Fair and Workshops on Thursday, October 27, and Job Club-Restaurants on Friday, October 28. All of these events provide career exploration and networking, which are two critical aspects of preparing for and finding a job. In 2010-2011, PathPoint served over 111 individuals with a myriad of disabilities or disadvantages in Kern County. Of that number, 88 individuals are either employed or in employment training programs.

Marielle DeFazio, VP/Director of Kern County operations, noted “PathPoint is so pleased to have the opportunity to recognize local employers who have a commitment to employing people with disabilities in our programs. We salute Home Depot, Sizzler, ADS, Inc., and Mercy Hospital for partnering with us.” Other employers who are interested in this option are welcome to call our office on Stockdale Highway, recommended DeFazio.

This year PathPoint also joins in the celebration of the 36^th Anniversary of National Disability Mentoring Day on October 19^th. The year 2011 also marks the 20-year Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Mentoring Day is a way to combine aspects of job-shadowing with career exploration and also familiarizes the existing workforce to the potential and wide array of interests of people with disabilities. PathPoint will be highlighting this special day with a series of opportunities to learn more about employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities in Kern County. Tours and meet and greet luncheons with Wal-Mart and Olive Garden are also being scheduled.

PathPoint provides comprehensive training and support services that empower people with disabilities or disadvantages to live and work as valued community members. PathPoint serves more than 2300 people in Kern, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Ventura, and Los Angeles counties.

To participate or to receive more information, please call Richelle Moland at 661-617-6170 or richelle.moland@pathpoint.org. To learn more about PathPoint or to make a donation, please email info@pathpoint.org or visit www.pathpoint.org.

KERN AUTISM NETWORK PRESENTS THE 2011 RIDGECREST MINI AUTISM CONFERENCE

On Saturday, October 15, 2011, the Autism Society Chapter-Kern Autism Network will present a 2011 Ridgecrest Mini Autism Conference at the Kerr McGee Center, 100 California Avenue, Ridgecrest, CA. This event is for families and educators in Bishop, Ridgecrest, Lancaster, Tehachapi, Lake Isabella, Boron and surrounding areas.

Come join us for a day of useful autism information presented by four speakers. The day will consist of morning check-in, light morning refreshment, two morning speakers, lunch catered by Hodel’s, and two afternoon speakers. The conference ends at 4:00 p.m.

The cost is $50 per person. Lunch is included in the registration fee. Seating is limited to 200 people on a first come first served basis. Registration deadline is October 10. The registration form is available at www.kernautism.org, or one can be requested by email at kernautism@gmail.com.

Doors open with registration sign-in at 8:30 a.m. KRC clients must contact their Service Coordinators for reimbursement to attend.

For further information contact: Ramona at 661-588-4235 or 661-342-6566 or by email: kernautism@gmail.com.

Autism Society Chapter-Kern Autism Network
www.kernautism.org
kernautism@gmail.com

FACEBOOK link-Kern Autism Network
661-588-4235

Lightning Strike starts fire

Fire in mountains south of the Kern Canyon, looking from Rio Bravo

Californian's: "GOT HOPE?" Are You tired of all the "Doom & Gloom" Bad News about California?

If there has ever been a time in history when Californian's needed some good old fashioned Hope, it is now. California is & always has been "The Golden State"!

What if California was NOT broke & in financial distress?

What if the best of the best days for California are still yet to come?

What if California is the Golden State that leads the Nation of The United States of America that leads the Nations of the world?

If you are sick & tired of hearing the "doom & gloom" news about California's future,this meeting is for you.

If you are a business, educational or governmental leader & you want to be encouraged about the future of the City of Bakersfield, Kern County, California, America &/ or the Nations of the world, this meeting is for you.

If you are a Pastor & need to hear about 'The California Contribution" to global outpourings & the endtime harvest, this meeting is for you.

If you are interested in hearing about the history of California, this meetings for you.

If you have been wondering whether to leave or stay in California, this meeting is for you.

If you are worried about your future & the future of your loved ones, this meeting is for you.

If you need your heart to be refreshed & revived by encouraging Good news, this meeting is for you.

If you are in need of new strategy on how to pray & how to believe your prayers will be answered, this meeting is for you.

If you would like to receive the ministry of Jesus for healing in your body, this meeting is for you.

If you are not sure if you believe that there is a God that loves you, this meeting is for you.

If you want to connect with others & you enjoy being in the Glorious & Miraculous Presence of God, this meeting is for you.

Come & hear & decide for yourself if this message rings true for you.

The real heart of "The Golden State" will be revealed..

Come & hear how California is "ground zero" to more worldwide moves of God than any other place on earth.

• God’s mighty hand in the early history of California

• How California’s natural features reveal God’s plans

• California’s Apostolic mantle as the global leader in worldwide ministries

• The prophecies confirming California as an end-time revival leader

• How you can help bring California and the world into its prophetic destiny
Come & be encouraged & amazed by incredible plan & destiny for Calofrnia that has been revealed to Henry Falany in his newly released book titled "God, Gold & Glory"

You will be astonished as you hear all the lies that have been said about California dispelled by the Truth & really Good News of The Golden States bright & shining future.

September 23rd, 24th & 25th
GOD, GOLD & GLORY ! Bakersfield

(Breakers-field) California
REVIVAL GATHERING!
with Apostolic Revivalist, Historian & Author
Pastor Henry & Grace Falany

cohosted by Eaglerock Ministries & The Kern Region Prayer Watch

For locations, dates, times, more info and/or to register for free click on this link:

http://www.terijohnson.org/freshfire-falling-in-the-fall--bakersfield-revival-gatherings.html

A Garden Raises A Community

Hello Friends!!
We're competing for a $25,000 grant to build a Community Garden & Canning Kitchen!!
After several months, our idea had made it through to the final stage: voting!!
We can do it with your support!! Kern County needs this!!!
http://refresheverything.com/Idea/19779

... For an extra vote each day you can
text this code: 108577 to 73774 (Pepsi)

*Also, Pepsi products have specially marked 'power vote' codes which multiply your vote from 5 to 100, if you can find em!!!

Please vote every day until September 30th!!
Thank you!! See you @ the garden!!!

News: Bakersfield.com

CSUB Alum and Teacher of the Year to give talk and book signing on May 24

CSUB to host conference on community service May 11

CSUB seeks college grads for “Camp to Campus” documentary

CSUB’s annual Party in the Park provides great lead in to Bakersfield Jazz Festival

Gender Matters focus of CSUB symposium Friday, May 4

RISK & SAFETY MANAGEMENT WORKSHOP

CSUB welcomes entire community to sixth annual open campus event

CSUB seeks college grads for “Camp to Campus” documentary

Visiting Sculptor project underway at CSUB; public lecture to be held April 19

Jon Van Boening to be named CSUB’s John Brock Community Service Award Recipient

Student of Gandhi to give public lecture at CSUB on April 14

Award-winning journalist to speak on the ethical implications of the Great Recession

Geologist to discuss potential of large Pacific Northwest earthquake

KIE and Downtown Rotary announce Ethics Award winner

FACT to host Baby Bird Shower and Open House

KMC & UCLA’s School of Medicine partner with CSUB and area schools to host Medical Career Conference

RISK & SAFETY MANAGEMENT WORKSHOP

CSUB-Chevron partnership offers free science courses to high school students

“The Talking Stick” brings African folktales to life for children March 17-18

CSUB’s High Speed Rail Speaker Series to culminate with town hall meeting

CSUB presents springtime health program, St. Patrick’s Day 5K

CSUB Guitar Arts Series presents guitar-vocal duo

CSUB hosts talk on careers in federal law enforcement

CSUB to host open house for prospective science and engineering students

CSUB ethics panel to focus on mortgage crisis

CSUB’s FACT to host open house on Feb. 4

Author to bring California civil rights history to CSUB

Volunteers sought for Kern County Regional Science Bowl

CSUB to offer free high speed rail discussions for community, students

CSUB presents the comical opera “Albert Herring”

America Will Not Tolerate National Defense Authorization Act (2012)

CSU Bakersfield appoints new Vice President for Student Affairs

KERN AUTISM NETWORK AT THE BAKERSFIELD CHRISTMAS PARADE

Aera Energy employees support local communities with food drives

CSUB Chemistry Department receives grant for youth education

Ancient Swords and a Copper Race Horse

This Thursday’s “LETHAL MIXER” is the closing event to celebrate the remarkable “LETHAL BEAUTY” exhibit at the Bakersfield Museum of Art. “Lethal Beauty” features ancient Samurai swords, ceramic and metal armor and paintings from a historic battle.

Make it your destination to enjoy this wonderful art, Martial Arts demonstrations, Japanese beer, sake and a live DJ, all for just $5 at the door. This promises to be a fun event, 5:30 - 7 p.m, November 17, 2011 at 1930 R St., Bakersfield.

Both exhibits end Sunday, November 20.

CSUB Chamber Orchestra Concert set for November 13

Play, author visit address themes in CSUB's Runner Reader/One Book selection

Kern Valley Farmers Market wins USDA Grant

CSUB announces first agricultural degree program to serve local industry

CSUB to host ribbon cutting Tuesday for new bike path through campus

CSUB MUSIC DEPARTMENT PRESENTS MUSIC INSPIRED BY THE WORDS OF EMILY DICKINSON

Kern County Jails

CSU Bakersfield announces two large grants to strengthen STEM programs

Kegley Institute of Ethics lecture to illuminate the Palestinian story

PathPoint Celebrates National Employer Disability Awareness Month

KERN AUTISM NETWORK PRESENTS THE 2011 RIDGECREST MINI AUTISM CONFERENCE

Lightning Strike starts fire

Californian's: "GOT HOPE?" Are You tired of all the "Doom & Gloom" Bad News about California?

September 23rd, 24th & 25th GOD, GOLD & GLORY ! Bakersfield

(Breakers-field) California REVIVAL GATHERING! with Apostolic Revivalist, Historian & Author Pastor Henry & Grace Falany

A Garden Raises A Community

September 23rd, 24th & 25th
GOD, GOLD & GLORY ! Bakersfield

(Breakers-field) California
REVIVAL GATHERING!
with Apostolic Revivalist, Historian & Author
Pastor Henry & Grace Falany