Firsts

Written by Bakersfield Magazine

A kiss. A job. A broken bone. Seemingly unrelated things (heaven help the person who doesn’t think so) but there is one common link for all three: there was always the first time.

While there are important milestones in our lives, each and every first we live through shapes how we view the world, how we interact with others, and even how we approach our second kiss.

That’s why we sought out some pretty nifty people in Bakersfield to share with us an integral first in their life.

But don’t worry...we didn’t ask about anyone’s first kiss. We’re of the mindset that those stories shouldn’t be shared!

My First Storm Chase

Miles Muzio, Meteorologist, Channel 29

At the tender age of 5, I beheld for the first time a Texas tornado. Equally as massive and unstoppable as the ocean, it imprinted such a mark on my persona that it remains to this day—more than 50 years later. Not long afterward, my family was transferred to Okinawa, near Japan. Our plane landed at Naha in “Condition 2,” a weather status of the time that meant a typhoon was within 24 hours from hitting the island. The storm pummeled Okinawa with ferocious winds and blinding rain. Then, at the height of the violence, it came to an abrupt end, vanishing on the horizon. The sun came out revealing a strange calmness amidst the muggy surroundings. Nonetheless, my parents told me that this was only a temporary respite—not to be embraced. About a half hour later the fury of nature returned, this time even louder.

I remember the tremendous noise, the musty smell of rain and humidity, the surprise false ending and then the continuation of a tropical siege. What did I learn? That a typhoon is something completely different from anything I had experienced before in my young life. It is a package of sensations not found elsewhere—that can damage or kill. Plus, there is this little surprise if the cyclone drives right over the top of you—the eye of the storm.

Coming on the heels of my first tornado a few months before, it changed my life. I would become a weather forecaster. When told they were called “meteorologists,” I liked the idea even more. Virtually my entire life has become a quest to understand the atmosphere; to both predict its movements while appreciating its beauty. My wife and I just returned from our latest storm chase to Nebraska in search of more tornadoes. But this passion of mine would never have developed had it not been for the collection of natural events that crossed my path at a very young age.

My First Hole-in-One

Joe Haggarty, PGA Director of Golf, Seven Oaks Country Club

It happened when I was 17 years old and I was playing with my dad at North Kern Golf Course back in 1976. He had two of his friends playing with us in a foursome, and we were playing in a money game. I hit a five iron, 186 yards, on hole 11. When I took the ball out of the hole, I remember the two other guys saying I was going to buy them dinner that night at Woolgrowers. So I worried the rest of the round because I only had $2 in my pocket. How was I going to buy them dinner with only $2? I had to ask my dad to help me, and in the end it all worked out. He paid for their drinks and dinners. This is how I found out that it was customary to buy everyone drinks when you make a hole-in-one. To date, I have had 2 Albatross’, 41 par four eagles, and 3 hole-in-ones since, and enough money in my pocket to pay for the drinks.

My First Day Driving a Bus

Karen King, CEO, Golden Empire Transportation

On my first day after completing training, in the summer of 1976, when I was driving “solo,” I was assigned to drive a route in a part of town (Salt Lake City) with which I was only vaguely familiar. I made a wrong turn and ended up on a dead-end residential street. In training, they taught us to never go off route and never back up a bus unless you have someone outside who can watch your clearances. The street was much too narrow to do a U-turn and I was afraid to back up onto the major arterial I had turned off of. A nice young woman who was riding my bus and who happened to be very pregnant, volunteered to help spot my clearances while I tried a three-point turn around. Needless to say, turning a 40-foot-long bus around on a narrow residential street took more than three maneuvers. So, there we were, she and her very large belly standing in the street waving and yelling while I inched the bus backwards and forwards to get it turned around. The other passengers on the bus all lined up at the windows with their faces pressed against the glass to make sure I didn’t hit any parked cars. It was quite a sight. It even drew out a few of the residents from the neighborhood who hadn’t seen a bus on their street before. When I was finally turned around and my spotter finally reentered the bus everyone inside and outside let out a loud cheer. As I pulled forward to turn back on route, I knew everything was going to be OK.

My First Downtown Street Faire

Cathy Butler, President, Downtown Business Association

Most people think of the Downtown Street Faires on Chester Avenue, but the first Street Faire was actually called Fall Harvest Festival held in October of 1984 on 20th Street, between Chester and Eye.

We coordinated a BBQ cook off between Ken Reed, the then DBA president, and KERO’s new weatherman Rusty Shoop. It was a fun event; we held an old fashion western shoot-out in front of Korb’s Western Store, located at the northwest corner of 20th and Chester. But, this event needed to grow, therefore we traveled to San Luis Obispo to learn from their successful Street Faires. We learned that when SLO added farmers to their event it grew into the faire so many people enjoy today.

Charles Drew, head of the Kern County Farmers’ Market, was serving on the DBA Board and at that time was holding the Farmers Market on Eye Street, between 18th and 19th on Saturday mornings.

Mr. Drew wanted to strengthen what DBA started on 20th Street, therefore expressed the need to hold our event on Chester. We were told by the city there was an ordinance against closing our main street for such an event. Mr. Drew searched and found there was no such ordinance. Therefore, Mr. Drew appeared before the City Council (back then council meetings ran into the wee hours of the morning) around 1 a.m. The DBA’s request came before the council. The Bakersfield Police Chief spoke against closing Chester for fear there would be security problems. Mark Salvaggio, at that time a new City Councilman, spoke up and asked the council to approve on a trial basis to see what happens.

It was approved and we promoted the Faire, drawing 10,000 people to our first Chester Avenue Street Faire. The Police Chief sent out the SWAT team because, surely with that many people downtown there would be problems. Of course there were none—just families having a good time on Bakersfield’s main street.

My First Day Teaching

Larry Reider, Retired Superintendent of Schools

My first day in education was on the first Tuesday after Labor Day in 1965. I was a 5th grade teacher and junior high coach at Meridian School in the Arvin Union School District. Meridian was located at the corner of Wheeler Ridge and David Road and was a K-8 school of about 250 students. It closed in 1974; but I have wonderful memories of Meridian.

I came to Arvin as a 22-year-old farm boy, fresh out of college in Washington State, to begin my career in education. I was immediately attracted to Kern County because of the agriculture; the willingness for people to get things done; and, above all, the people in Kern County.

My first class was about 35 students, virtually all of them children of farm workers or farm owners. I am sure they were unsure about having their first “man teacher.” I was prepared because one of the things I learned during my student teaching days was to always be over-prepared in the classroom. To this day, I still “over-prepare.” We spent time telling each other about ourselves; and then I had them write a paper on what they hoped to learn from 5th grade. This was my version of the “What I Did Last Summer” paper which many teachers used the first day of school.

Forty-four years later, I have just retired from a wonderful career in Kern County education. The first day in 1965 was just as much fun as my last day was, on June 30, 2009. I owe that first class (many of whom are successful contributors to Kern County today) a great deal for giving me such a great start in Kern County. >>

My First Shooting,

Donny Youngblood

Kern County Sheriff

On February 6, 1973, I was about to complete the Reserved Deputy Academy. I was also employed as a Correctional Officer for the Kern County Sheriff’s Department. As part of the academy, I was assigned on this day for my first time ever in a patrol car. I was put with Deputy Danny Ahl who was also a K9 handler. We cleared briefing and within a couple hours had handled a couple small disturbances. As we approached California Ave., northbound on Union, we heard Deputy Wayne Perry get assigned to a burglar alarm at El Tejon Drugs on North Chester. Dan let me know they were always false alarms. We heard Wayne arrive on scene. A minute or two later as we turned eastbound on California we heard, “attention all units shots fired at El Tejon Drugs. ”The lights and siren came on and after a quick U-turn we were headed to Oildale at 100 m.p.h. As we got closer we heard, “999 officer down.” This was broad daylight, the siren was wailing, and the dog was howling as I tried to process what I had heard. Dan released the shotgun and gave me a five-second class on how to use it. “Holy crap!” went through my mind as the adrenalin rushed through me. I was really having a hard time gathering in my emotions. We had just left Wayne in briefing a couple of hours earlier. Was he dead? This was real! We found Wayne sitting down and leaning up against a house just southeast of the old El Tejon Drugs. He had chased the escaping burglar around the corner of a house where the burglar laid in wait, shooting Wayne three times. The CHP had arrived and, with Wayne, returned fire on the suspect who was lying in the yard about 15 feet from Wayne. I was assigned to watch him. He was being treated by a nurse as we watched him leave this earth. Wayne fully recovered and eventually returned to work. I knew from that day forward what my calling was. But more importantly it was ingrained in my head, always expect the unexpected. I have used that incident hundreds of times in my career.

My First State Court Case

Milt Younger, Lawyer

When I first saw pretty little Cynthia she was three years old. She could kick her feet—that was all. She was otherwise paralyzed, blind, and deaf. It was one of those heart-wrenching cases you never forget. And one I haven’t forgotten to this day.

When Cynthia was just one month old, her mother was driving home from a “well baby check.” She was a healthy baby. Her mother had carefully placed her in an “Infantseat,” a product manufactured by a large corporation which primarily made children’s furniture. Her mother wore a seat belt and her two siblings were also belted in the back of the car. Cynthia was strapped into the infant seat with the passenger seat belt fastened around it—just as shown in the picture which accompanied the product. The caption on the picture said “baby is safe and secure.” What a false security this portrayed.

At a rural intersection, a car violated the right of way of Cynthia’s car. Her mother swerved and avoided the collision, but struck a cement culvert. Mom and the two other children in the back seat were fine, but the “Infantseat” came out of the seatbelt. Cynthia’s head struck the glove compartment causing serious, life-altering injuries. Unfortunately, the manufacturer had failed to provide for a safe integration of the “Infantseat” and the car seatbelt.

The “Infantseat” was a defective product as were thousands of other similarly-designed baby carriers at that time. The manufacturer had never tested the baby carrier under crash conditions. It claimed no other manufacturers did this and that it made the product as safe as other manufacturers did. No law or regulation required such testing.

The case was tried and lost. However, I prevailed on appeal. The court said it was no defense that other manufacturers made baby carriers the same defective way. The case was then retried. Not long after, I had an opportunity to testify at the California state legislature which then adopted the law requiring baby carriers to be dynamically tested. No doubt this law has saved many other babies and spared their families the anguish that little Cynthia’s experienced.

I am proud of what I was able to accomplish with this case. But I will never forget little Cynthia.

My First Solo Exhibit

Edward Reep, WWII War Artist/Painter

It was Hollywood, 1946. I had just come back from World War II, after serving as a war artist and painting 100 pieces for the government depicting life as a soldier. Incidentally, those paintings are all at the Pentagon. And in 1946, I won the Guggenheim Fellowship which paid me to paint for a year. I shuffled around Hollywood and Los Angeles and painted everything from the downtown scene to San Pedro to Farmers’ Markets to railway stations. While I had been a part of other galleries, this was my first solo art show. I showed about 20 of these post-war paintings from April 20 to May 10 of that year at the American Contemporary Gallery. And wouldn’t you know, I didn’t sell a damn one. Sure, there was interest. I had people telling me they were great and some people wouldn’t say a thing. I was petrified the whole time! Later, I’d get people who had attended the exhibit call and ask to buy a paining from me personally. They just didn’t want to pay gallery fees! After a long life of painting, even being commissioned by Life magazine in 1956 to travel the world and paint international airports under the headline of “New Gateways to the World,” I was involved in my last exhibit in 1980 with other famous painters. Wouldn’t you know, I didn’t sell a damn thing there either. I suppose it was a nice way to bookend my career!

My First Fire

Nick Dunn, Kern County Fire Chief

As a rookie firefighter (in 1981), I was assigned to Station 52 Greenfield. It was mid-afternoon and our crew was finishing the second round of business in-service inspections when we received a call of a vehicle accident involving a truck and trailer loaded with fuel on Highway 99. Upon arrival, we found the truck and first trailer in upright position with the second unit on its side and on fire. After a quick evaluation of the scene, the captain ordered us into action. He relayed to the crew there were no injuries and for us to check our personal protection equipment, get our masks and helmets on, and he briefed us with his plan. We were to lay a protective layer of foam on the ground on and around the vehicles and then lob the foam into the opening of the damaged trailer that was burning. While we protected the truck and first trailer with foam, the driver was able to pull away from the damaged trailer as the captain released the hitch. I must admit, as a rookie firefighter, my mind was flashing back to every movie or television show of a gasoline tanker explosion causing a huge fireball in the air. However, at an early age, I had learned to trust the training, knowledge, and experience of my captain to make the right decision to protect not only his crew, but that of the public.

My First Jury Trial

Edward Jagels, Kern County District Attorney

No one knows for sure if he has the makings of a trial lawyer until he has gotten a jury trial under his belt. A newly minted lawyer walking into a courtroom to begin jury selection is usually terrified, and I was no exception in 1975.

The experienced defense attorney scared me, the judge really scared me, the bailiff didn’t look all that friendly, and I was certain I was going to lose in an embarrassing manner.

The accusation, driving under the influence, seemed horrendously important to me. I was convinced that if the defendant was acquitted, public safety in Kern County would be a thing of the past.

Training in those days consisted of watching someone else put on a jury trial. I did that, but didn’t learn much. During jury selection, a perspective juror said that she was attending a school of cosmetology. I wasn’t sure what that was, but it sounded pretty bad. So I kicked her off, figuring she was probably an adherent of some nutty religion.

The evidence unfolded in a relatively straight-forward manner: late at night, a two-man highway patrol car stopped the defendant because his vehicle was weaving over the center line. They gave him a field sobriety test, which he flunked. He then refused to do any more. At the jail, he refused to submit to a breath, blood, or urine test. I rested my case.

The defendant then took the stand. He told a completely different story, and finished up by claiming that the officers had picked on him because he was Hispanic. I had no idea how to deal with this bombshell. I cross examined him a bit, probably rather ineffectively, but did establish that either he or the officers had to be lying.

During the closing argument, it finally occurred to me that the defendant’s story didn’t make a lot of sense. It seemed inherently unlikely that highway patrol officers Gutierrez and Ramirez had picked on the defendant because he was Hispanic. I tried to get that point across to the jury.

When the jury came back with a 10-minute guilty verdict, I was shocked, then elated. Hey, I can do this! Bring on every criminal in Kern County!

I can’t remember that first defendant’s name, but I’d like to thank him. His trial persuaded me that I could be a competent prosecutor and was the first milestone in a career which I have loved.

My First Surgery

Amir Berjis, Surgeon

The first time I held a needle in my hand, I knew I was destined to be a surgeon. The year was 1997 and I was a third-year medical student at Saint Louis University. My chief resident asked me to close an incision at the conclusion of a gallbladder surgery. I was petrified as I took the needle driver. My heart was racing and perspiration began to form, but I closed that incision the best I could. One month later, I participated in a heart/double-lung transplant as a medical student. Even though I only held retractors, I was fascinated by the operation. I knew immediately that I wanted to be a thoracic surgeon. What other profession can provide such a thrill and satisfaction at the same time? Several years later, I performed my first lung resection as an attending. My heart was racing and I was anxious, but the surgery went well. Over the years, every time I close an incision I am reminded of that day as the thrill and excitement of surgery live on.

My First Time Getting Involved with Bakersfield Homeless Center

Darlene Molkhe, VP Sales and Marketing, Castle & Cooke

There are many first in one’s life if they are fortunate enough to grow old, or rather mature nicely. I was a young married mother and had the wonderful support of a hardworking husband who said “raise our children to make a difference in their world and, in turn, a difference will be made in the world.” So when I was ready to start a career some 18 years after having our first child, I looked for something that would make a difference in my life and my community. I believed, and continue to believe, that Castle & Cooke would fulfill both of these visions.

My position has provided me the opportunity to continue my involvement in charitable giving by supporting many organizations, but I hold one most dear and can remember the first time I met the new director of the Bakersfield Homeless Center, Louis Gill; a young man, with a degree in nonprofit development who came to meet me, a board member.

He started off telling me about how the face of homeless has changed and how we were not serving children and families, and we needed to get prepared as an organization, as a community, and as a nation to what was headed our way. I was a little stunned and thought “this guy is too young and way too smart to stick around,” so I bluntly asked him how long he planned to stay in Bakersfield, my much loved community, having such a big vision that would surely take him elsewhere. I think I floored him and he said “long enough to make a significant difference in the future of homeless children.”

Roll forward a few short years and I was out at the homeless center and I walked for the first time to our “free” licensed day care facility, Discovery Depot, and saw the 10 or so preschoolers and babies taking their naps, safe and snug, well-fed, and cared for, and knew for the first time the vision of Louis Gill, our steadfast board of directors, and most importantly, the support of our community, was achieved. I will never, ever stop raising money so that homeless parents can find jobs and know their children will be taken care of while they learn self-sufficiency. This first not only forever changed me, but changed my family as they work side by side with me to ensure the safe and loving environment is maintained for our homeless members of Bakersfield.

My First Time Meeting Buck Owens

Casey McBride, Disc Jockey, KUZZ Radio

I was so excited as I told my husband of three months, “I got a job!” After being turned down almost everywhere in Bakersfield, I could finally say: I got a job! When I told him it was at Buck Owens Enterprises, he let go one of those low whistles that said he was impressed.

To this day, I can’t understand why Dorothy Owens even hired me. I told her my favorite music was rock and roll and classical (a strange combo but it works for me) and she still hired me! Anyway, on the second day at my job in the publicity department, a tall, sandy-haired man walked up to my desk, shook my hand, and called me by name. “Nice to meet you,” I said politely. “And you are?”

The whole office went dead quiet, but he smiled and said, “Honey, I’m Buck.” Despite my gaffe, 30 years later I can still say “I got a job.”

My First Memorable Glass of Wine

Jeramy Brown, Sommelier/Co-owner, Valentien

As a Bakersfield native, and having family roots in the Basque community, you can say I enjoyed my first glass of wine at a young age. However, the moment when I actually had my first true experience with wine was during my second trip to Europe back in 1992. At the age of 19, I was given the privilege to help coach a youth boys soccer team traveling through Europe during the month of July. Our last stop was in Verona, Italy and the city was hospitable, warm, and the most gracious that we had encountered during our entire trip. The mayor of Verona had requested that our coaching staff meet with him and some of the local youth soccer coaches to share a meal and create some international camaraderie. We arrived at noon with our tour guide who was elated to be dinning with us. Little did we know, the mayor had reserved our meal at what was considered the finest restaurant in Verona.

We journeyed down two flights of stairs to the historic private dinning room. An incredible meal was served with fresh and delicious food that would not stop coming from this delightful kitchen. I remember so much from that day, but nothing stands out like the first glass of red wine I had from the carafe sitting on the table. It was a 1990 Valpolicella Red Table Wine and it made me stop in mid-speech. My eyes became very focused and everyone sitting at the table next to me slowly stopped their conversation and waited for me to speak. Finally, the mayor cleared his throat and asked me in broken English if I liked the wine. All I can remember saying was that I have never tasted anything like this before and may I have more. As you can image, everyone in the room burst into laughter. I was by far the youngest person at the table by a good 10 years. After my profound statement, it seemed everyone was at a little more at ease and enjoyed themselves more. To this day I cannot remember who the producer of the wine was; sadly I never got to see the bottle. Nevertheless, whenever I drink a Valpolicella, it is like going back in time. I can close my eyes and see, smell, and taste that wonderful day. From that day forward, wine became my first choice of drink when enjoying a special occasion, or a well-prepared meal. Ultimately, that meal lead me to a profession in the restaurant and wine industry.

My First Sold House

Leslie Walters, Realtor, Walters & Associates

I was 19 years old when I entered the real estate business. That was in 1978. My very first transaction was for $226,000 on an old home in Oleander with a tri-plex set of apartments behind it. So naïve was I to what it takes for a lender to underwrite it and close it, I had to be in daily phone contact with the lender. I learned a lot fast, and I earned $8,000 in income during my first 60 days. That was a lot of money back in 1978! I just knew I’d be a millionaire within a few years...

Then came the next four months—they were a complete bust! I didn’t earn a cent! That’s when I learned the consequences of going from a 5 percent mortgage interest rate market to a 12 percent market, seemingly overnight. But I was still optimistic, if naïve, for didn’t people still have to buy and sell real estate? That’s when I decided I should pay attention to how the real pros in our industry practiced the trade. I was fortunate that my first crop of sales were with some of the top Realtors in our market...Gary Belter, David Gay, Cleta Bird, Goldie Loveland. They were not only knowledgeable, but they made the business look fun and easy.

The most significant advice I ever got was to simply take care of my customers. And to get customers, I needed to become known in the community. It was up to me to be tenacious about both.

My First Visit to Bakersfield

Richard Chapman, President, Kern Economic Development Corporation

On the foggy evening of October 2, 2006, I arrived in the glistening new William M. Thomas Terminal at Meadows Field. Although the airport was relatively quiet, the facility was bright and polished and extremely welcoming.

Up to that point, my perceptions of Bakersfield were colored by Google searches that failed to provide an accurate view of the community. The Wikipedia entry said that Bakersfield was one of two major cities without a major interstate running through it. And the City-Data site prominently featured a photo of telephone wires, brown grass, and traffic on Rosedale Highway.

After a relaxing night’s rest, I was off on a whirlwind tour of the area. Even though the interview process is inherently stressful by nature, I was immediately calmed by the hospitable demeanor of everyone that I met in Bakersfield. (Kern EDC’s staff even treated me to root beer floats around one of Guy Chaddock’s room-sized tables.) Lunch was spent at Frugatti’s with enormous calzones, and we finished off with a superb dinner at Café Med. Fortunately for me, I got a call from Kern EDC’s chair bright and early the next morning offering me the position.

My family and I are proud to call Kern County home.

Article appeared in our 26-3 Issue - August 2009