There was a lot going on around kernradio.com this week and NEWSTALK 1180 KERN, and here are a rundown of some of the most-read, most interesting and fun things we posted during the last few weeks.
A WATER PARK DRAWS PLENTY OF DISCUSSION
We were the first to break the news that a group called Tortuga Bay was proposing a water park for Hart Park, and it drew plenty of reaction on our Facebook pages.
One group, the Tortuga Bay Water Park, is proposing building a large water park near Hart Park Lake between Canal and Lake roads. The group envisions a lazy river, water slides, a wave pool and has provided an artist rendering of the layout of the park via its Facebook page. The plan also envisions a restaurant, boardwalks, a surf shop and a spa.
On our Facebook the questions raged about how the project would work, but many found the idea favorable.
OUR MOST-READ STORIES OF JUNE
McCARTHY DEFENDS TRUMP
House of Representatives Majority Leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy was home in Bakersfield on Friday and said President Donald Trump should ignore the negative news media.
“The best thing you could ever do to somebody who is doing something negative, you watch “Morning Joe”, and you know they’re negative every day, but ignore them,” McCarthy said. “If you ignore them it will drive them crazy. This is exactly what “Morning Joe” would want, because what is going to happen? They’re going to get attention and what happens in today’s society when you get attention? You get more viewers.”
Here is the complete interview between Richard Beene and McCarthy:
CSUB PROFESSOR CHALLENGES TRUMP'S TWEETS
On the June 29 episode of “The Richard Beene Show,” the topic was hotly discussed between host Richard Beene and regular guest Dr. Jeanine Kraybill, a Cal State University Bakersfield political science professor, who called Trump’s attack “foul.”
DINING OUT with Richard Beene
PODCAST: AN INTERVIEW WITH CLAIRE URICCHIO
SHANNON GROVE NOT TAKING ANYTHING FOR GRANTED
After news broke earlier this week that former Assemblywoman Connie Conway had dropped out of the race for the state’s 16th District Senate seat it looked like it was a clear path of challenger Shannon Grove to win the seat, but Grove said Wednesday she’s cautiously optimistic.
During an appearance on “The Ralph Bailey Show,” Grove, also a former member of the Assembly, said she was going to still run her campaign because Conway could still re-enter the race. Conway announced she was going to focus her efforts on running for the state Board of Equalization.
“I have to just keep running,” said Grove, who held the 34th Assembly seat for three terms before term limits ended her Assembly career last year.
The 16th Senate seat is currently held by Sen. Jean Fuller, who is also meeting the end of her legislative career due to term limits. Fuller’s term ends in 2018 but the race between top Republicans Conway and Grove looked like it would be an expensive and competitive battle, but Grove refuses to take Conway’s departure for granted.
STAY HEALTHY WITH DR. RAJ PATEL
Each Friday at 1:30 p.m., Dr. Raj Patel visits “The Richard Beene Show” to discuss the latest in medical news. We provided a rundown of his podcasts for the month:
On Obesity:
The challenge with fatigue:
Medical marijuana:
AGM'S NEW BAKERSFIELD STUDIOS GET UNDER WAY
Just beyond the wall of the KERN studio, situated in an office complex off Easton Drive in west Bakersfield, workers began demolishing old offices to make way for new studios for six radio stations of American General Media. After more than a year of planning, AGM will double its studio size with the new studios, a performance space and offices for its program directors.
“We are excited to begin the work to build all new studios and a performance center for our station group here in Bakersfield,” said Rogers Brandon, AGM’s president and CEO. “When completed, the studios will be doubled in size and fully equipped to provide a complete video experience of all our station brands and personalities.”
Housed in the news studios will be radio stations Hot 94.1, Hits 93.1, ESPN Bakersfield KGEO 1230AM, 101.3 KGFM and 96.9 La Caliente. The new studios will also have improved video capabilities and a performance space that will allow the many musical acts that visit the studios to perform comfortably. The studio space will also be used for other community events associated with the radio programming.
“The performance center will allow our audience to experience and enjoy live performances from the many artist and musical groups that visit our stations,” Brandon said.
OUR MOST-VIEWED VIDEO OF JUNE
BARTENDERS SHARE THEIR STORIES
We featured a pair of interviews of bartenders, one a veteran of Bakersfield’s landmark Basque restaurants, while the other is helping put one downtown bar on the map.
On “The Richard Beene Show,” Richard had an extensive interview with Pete Lanathoua about his journey from France’s Basque regions to Bakersfield, where’s he worked as the bartender at the historic Wool Growers Restaurant for 35 years.
During the June 23 episode of “The Ralph Bailey Show,” Gabrielle Osdale of downtown Bakersfield bar Tiki-Ko visited the show to help celebrate the bar’s one-year anniversary by mixing some drinks for host Ralph Bailey.
“I actually can’t believe how this last year has gone by,” said Osdale, who is a bartender at the bar, which is located at 1919 K Street. “We’ve had a lot of fun.”
Osdale made Bailey a Mai Tai and the Zombie.
“It’s actually hotly debated about who started the Mai Tai,” Osdale said. The claim is that Los Angeles-area restaurants Trader Vic’s and Don the Beachcomber’s created the drink, and it’s contested.
ATTORNEY'S DEATH AMONG MOST DISCUSSED STORIES
When Bakersfield attorney Benjamin Greene died Tuesday evening after racing in a 5-kilometer run through 100-plus degree temperatures at Hart Park it set off serious questions about why the race was run during an excessive heat event.
On Thursday’s episode of “The Richard Beene Show,” Richard Beene interviewed Bakersfield attorney David Cohn about the potential liability associated with Greene’s death. The race was sponsored by The Bakersfield Track Club.
Many of the questions about the decision to run the race were raised by Greene’s wife, Michelle, during an interview with KGET Ch. 17.
“They should have never been out there,” she told the TV station. “They did not have a paramedic, a set of paddles, anything.”
The Bakersfield Track Club has pushed back against some of the assertions, repeating that competitors knew of the risk and signed waivers to compete in the race.
Cohn told Beene that the No. 1 factor in determining the liability is the cause of death. At the moment, the Kern County Coroner’s Office is early into its investigation in Greene’s death, and Cohn said it could take weeks to get conclusive results.
“Again you’ve got to figure out what was the cause of death in this case,” Cohn said. One of the things that I know his family has talked about, and what I’ve read in the paper, is that they should have had a defibrillator available. We have a case involving a young man that died during an exercise class at Delano High School, and there was no defibrillator available. If when you look at the cause of death you might determine even if there was defibrillator it may not have made a difference. That’s why determining cause of death is really important.”
AVILA BEACH MAC AND CHEESE FEST 2017
CARR SIGNS A HUGE DEAL, BROTHER PREDICTS WHAT HE WILL SPEND MONEY ON
Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr signed a $25 million per year contract extension Thursday morning that makes him the highest-paid player in the NFL, and keeps him with the Raiders for years.
The five-year, $125-million contract elevates Carr, 26, past all of the league’s top quarterbacks, but after three seasons the former Bakersfield Christian High and Fresno State star proved that he belonged in an elite class.
Carr has thrown 81 touchdowns in his first three seasons and helped lead the Raiders to their first playoffs appearance in 14 years last year.
During ESPN Bakersfield’s “The Greg Kerr Show,” brother Darren Carr predicted what his younger brother might spend the money on:
POLICE CHIEF TALKS WITH FIRST LOOK
During a segment on the Jun 28 episode of “First Look with Scott Cox,” Bakersfield Police Chief Lyle Martin appeared on the show to discuss how the department is combatting drugs, the challenges of working with body cameras and hiring new officers.
During the 10-minute interview, Martin said the department is still down dozens of officers, is making progress in hiring but that attracting and retaining qualified candidates is still a tough process.
“It’s a little bit disheartening when you have 700-800 show up for the original test but by the time you weed it all down, narrow it all down people can’t pass a background (test), can’t pass a drug test I offer 15 jobs and I still have 36 openings,” Martin said.
