Fort Tejon State Park

Fort Tejon State Historic Park: Fort Tejon, established by Gen. Edward F. Beale on Aug. 10, 1854, was abandoned about a decade later. The regimental headquarters of the First U.S. Dragoons later became part of Beale’s Tejon Ranch until it was given to the state Department of Parks and Recreation in 1939. Restoration began in 1949, including several restored adobe buildings from the original fort and exhibits on army life and local history.

Living history lessons are presented the first Saturday of every month and Civil War re-enactments are frequently held. Group tours are available. The park is open sunrise to sunset and park buildings are open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. 36 miles south of Bakersfield off Interstate 5; take the Fort Tejon exit. 248-6692.

Col. Allensworth State Park

Col. Allensworth State Historic Park: In 1908, a group of black Americans led by U.S. Army Col. Allen Allensworth, a former slave, established a small farming community on the Santa Fe Railroad line next to what is now Highway 43, seven miles west of Earlimart. Several of the town’s buildings have been restored since its demise after World War II. The park is open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. The visitor center is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Campground contains 15 campsites for $10 per night. 45 minutes northwest of Bakersfield; take Highway 99 north to Cecil Avenue exit in Delano, go west to Highway 43. Daily fees are $4 per vehicle entering the park. 849-3433.

Hungry Valley State Vehicular Recreation Area

Hungry Valley State Vehicular Recreation Area: Challenging courses for off-road enthusiasts using motorcycle, four-wheel drive and other all-terrain vehicles. Nearly 140 miles of scenic trails wind between 19,000 acres of hilly terrain between 2,600- and 4,500-foot elevations. There is also a marked open riding zone. Safe hiking is available on a 60-acre oak preserve, which is closed to vehicles. More than 2,000 acres are available for open camping including nine semi-developed campgrounds with restroom and refuse facilities containing 150 designated campsites. The park is 55 miles south of Bakersfield near Gorman off Interstate 5. 248-7007.

Sequoia National Forest

Sequoia National Forest: The national forest stretches from the Sequoia Kings Canyon National Park in the north to Breckenridge in the south and encompasses Isabella Lake and much of the Kern River. There is camping, hiking, backpacking, mountain biking, boating, fishing, waterskiing, swimming, whitewater rafting,kayaking, downhill skiing, snowboarding, summer campfire programs, off-highway vehicle use, horseback riding, wilderness areas and the Giant Sequoia National Monument. Day use parking in signed lots is $5.

Camping in Golden Trout Wilderness requires a permit, issued free, at the ranger district or supervisors office. No overall fee is required unless in a designated area. The Greenhorn Ranger District Office is in Lake Isabella, 760-379-5646. The Cannell Meadow Ranger District Office is in Kernville, 760-376-3781.

3rd Annual Kid’s Safety Carnival

The Kiwanis Club of South Bakersfield, with help from First 5 Kern, the Bakersfield Californian, and FKM, has been busy with preparations for their annual Kid’s Safety Carnival.

The purpose of the Carnival is to educate children about safety in a fun filled atmosphere. Many have learned about safety while participating in Bike Bakersfield’s Bike Rodeo; sat in a Hall ambulance to hear what the paramedics do during transport; and watched the Sheriff’s K-9 dog demonstration.

We have a full day planned again this year. As well as the activities already mentioned, we have a bike raffle every 30 minutes; a fire truck to explore; free admission to CALM for kid’s up to age 12; Child ID’s; and much more!

Members of the South Bakersfield Kiwanis hope to see you there having fun, playing games, and winning prizes!

Kid’s Safety Carnival

Saturday, October 11, 2008

10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

@ CALM – 10500 Alfred Harrell Hwy

FREE ADMISSION

The All I Want For Christmas Event

We are inviting all businesses to the All I Want For Christmas Event on Nov. 15 and 16, 2008. This event will allow business to showcase unique ideas for Christmas. Parents and grandparents are now looking for gift ideas that is not the same old thing. We want children's gyms, karate lessons, homemade items or anything that would make a great gift. We are also looking for ideas for those men out there who need a little help in the shopping department. We want to help them become the hero this Christmas morning. So if your business has gift certificates or gift ideas this Christmas you will not want to miss this great event.

For more information check out www.baby-fest.com or call
661-319-1226

A few business who will be there
Babies R Us
Costco
MomEnetwork
Mary Kay

It will also be a fun day, we will have Santa there as well as Bounce Houses and give-a-ways.

Each booth at this event will have a 3 to 4 foot Christmas tree that the vendor will decorate and place at least $50 in gifts under. We will raffle these trees on Sunday.

Victory for Homeschoolers

Victory for Homeschoolers

Yesterday we learned that the CA Court of Appeals, in a rare, unanimious decision, agreed that homeschooling IS legal in California. Homeschoolers all over the state and country are doing the happy dance today. No one can object to homeschooling on legal grounds in California anymore!

If you have ever thought about homeschooling your children, but were afraid to because of the legaliites involved, you may now confidently pursue the possibilities.

All About Homeschooling

Did you know that homeschooling is legal in all fifty states, and is now the fastest growing educational movement in the world? It’s true. Families are choosing to teach their children at home in the UK, Australia, Japan, Korea, France, Mexico, and many other countries around the world. Here in the US, it is estimated that 2.2 million children or more being educated at home by their parents. Why? Because homeschooling works.

Homeschooling is a family lifestyle that allows parents to teach their children according to their own religious and moral beliefs. Homeschooling promotes family unity, sibling bonding, and positive socialization while providing children with individualized education and personalized curriculum. Homeschooling gives children a high quality education that is proven and unsurpassed. In fact, in a long-term study recently completed, children who were home educated were studied for more than twenty years. (www.nheri.org) The results showed that, compared to the general population (public and privately schooled children), homeschool graduates were:

-More likely to attend college

-More likely to vote

-More likely to be civically involved and do volunteer work, and more likely to believe that their involvement could make a difference in the world.

-More likely than the general population to say that they are “very happy”.

-Less likely to go on welfare

-More likely to keep their faith: 94% of homeschool graduates keep their faith, and 93% of them continue to attend church after high school graduation. But a shocking 75-85% of children from Christian homes who graduate from public schools “drop out” of church, and do not hold a Christian worldview after graduation.

Additionally, consider these statistics:

-Homeschoolers score on average 15-30 points higher than public school students do on standardized tests, without spending the year studying the test. This is true no matter the income level or educational level of their parents.

-Homeschoolers score higher on the SAT/ACT than public school children do

-Homeschoolers are now actively recruited by most colleges, and routinely accepted into UC’s, private colleges, and even Ivy-League schools.

-A large majority of homeschool graduates say that homeschooling was a positive experience for them, and plan to homeschool their own children (84% or more).

Homeschooling used to be unusual or trendy. But nowadays, almost everyone knows someone who is homeschooling, and society has become homeschool friendly. Homeschooling has truly come of age, and Bakersfield is no exception to that. Here in Bakersfield, there are several homeschool support groups, the largest two being CHECK (Christian Home Educators in the County of Kern, www.checkca.org), and HERC (Home Educator’s Resource Center, www.hercbakersfield.org ). Together they serve more than 300 families, and offer mentoring, support, curriculum counseling, meetings for moms, meetings for dads, park days, field trips, co-ops/classes for children, many different clubs for the children (chess club, 4-H, Beta and Veritas Honor Societies, among others), sports/PE, a homeschool fair (like a science fair but for all subjects), testing, used curriculum sales, a promotion ceremony, a formal high school Baccalaureate/graduation, an online chat group and more.

If you would like to learn more about homeschooling and how it works, you are invited to attend our “Thinking About Homeschooling” meetings, which are held the second Tuesday of every month. Our next meeting’s topic is “Teaching Preschool and Kindergarten at Home”, and it taught by a former preschool teacher who holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Child Development. This is an experienced homeschooling mom who has already graduated one child from homeschooling, and still has three more to go, including little ones (ME!) For more information please call me at 661-827-0540, or email me at mentormom@bak.rr.com.

Disc Golf

Kern River Parkway: Truxtun Avenue and Commercial Way. 9 holes, 2,584-foot course length, first tee is north of the volleyball courts near the bike path.

Riverview Park: 401 Willow Drive, east of Oildale Drive. 18 holes, 2,188-foot course length, mostly grass course.

Silver Creek Park: Harris Road and Reliance Drive, Bakersfield. 9 holes, 2,300-foot course length, flat with small trees in a new park, easy course.

Vocational schools

Bakersfield Adult School
Bakersfield Campus
501 S. Mt. Vernon Ave., Bakersfield
835-1855
www.kernhigh.org/bas
Principla/Bakersfield campus director: Susan Handy
Programs: Medical Training, Computer Education, Business Education, Auto Body, and Welding.
Cost: Varies by program; contact an admissions advisor for costs and financial assistance for specific programs.

DeVry University Bakersfield
Bakersfield Campus
3000 Ming Ave., Bakersfield
866-726-9388
www.devry.edu
Center Dean: Barry Bailey
Programs: The college offers Associated Degree programs in Accounting, Electronics & Computer Technology, Health Information Technology, Network Systems Administration and Web Graphic Design. The college also offers Bachelor Degree programs with Business Administration with emphasis in various fields (see website for the complete list of Business fields). Master Degree programs and certificates are available in Educational Tech., (MSET), Education Tech., (Certificate), Electrical Engineering (MSEE), and Keller Graduate School of Management.
Cost: Varies by program; contact an admissions advisor for costs and financial assistance for specific programs.

John William University-School of Law
Bakersfield Campus
1527 19th St. #400, Bakersfield
326-9500
www.johnwilliamuniversity.org
Administrator/Public Relations: Sharon Kinney
Programs: The university has a Paralegal Progam and a four-year program which offers a Juris Doctor (J.D.) Degree. In addition to the degree, students will meet all requirements that are needed to take the Bar Exam to become licensed and practice law in the state of California.
Cost: Tuition is $5,500 per year. Other expenses include books and materials which run between $300 to $500 per year. There is no student aid office at John William University and no student aid is offered or available.

Maric College
Bakersfield Campus
1914 Wible Rd., Bakersfield
836-6300
www.mariccollege.edu
Bakersfield campus director: Becky Anderson
Programs: The college offers programs in Art & Design, Computer, Health Care, and Legal studies.
Cost: Varies by program; contact an admissions advisor for costs and financial assistance for specific programs.

Santa Barbara Business College
Bakersfield Campus
211 S. Real Rd., Bakersfield
835-1100
www.sbbcollege.edu
Bakersfield campus director: Cory Doxey
Programs: Medical, Legal, Business, Wellness and Technical.
Cost: Varies by program; contact an admissions advisor for costs and financial assistance for specific programs.

San Joaquin Valley College
Bakersfield Campus
201 New Stine Road, Bakersfield
834-0126
www.sjvc.edu
President: Mark A. Perry
Bakersfield campus director: Nick Gomez
Programs: The college offers health, business and technical programs. The Bakersfield campus offers associate of science degrees in medical assisting, dental assisting, surgical technology, pharmacy technology, respiratory therapy, health care insurance specialist, corrections, refrigeration and air conditioning, business administration and emergency services and safety management. Online programs are available. For information on available programs, call 877-FOR-SJVC (367-7582).
Cost: Varies by program; contact an admissions advisor for costs and financial assistance for specific programs.

Boxing

Police Activities League: PAL Youth Center, 301 E. 4th St., 283-8880. The PAL-sponsored program is year-round and open to anyone between the ages of 8 and 17. Beginners train from 2:30 to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday in the summer and from 4 to 5:30 p.m. the rest of the year. Advanced boxers train from 4 to 5:30 p.m. in the summer and 5 to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. PAL sponsors an annual boxing show — the Mid-State Slugfest — the last weekend in July. Participants are from the western United States.

Eric Nolan’s Xtreme Martial Arts and Kickboxing: Two locations: 4510 Stine Road and 4000 Fruitvale Ave., Suites 10-11. Offers cardio kickboxing, kids’ kickboxing, kids’ kung fu, Brazilian kiu jitsu and free weights. Ages 4 and up. 833-3367, 588-KICK(5425).

Special Olympics

Kern County Special Olympics offers year-round training and competition opportunities for individuals with disabilities ages 8 and older. Sports include swimming, bowling, volleyball, floor hockey, soccer, softball, basketball, gymnastics, bocce, tennis, golf, track and field, roller skating and cycling.

For more information, call 322-7598, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Mailing address, P.O. Box 2544, Bakersfield, 93303; fax, 322-7599; e-mail here.

Bakersfield Libraries

Kern County Library System

868-0700

www.kerncountylibrary.org

The Kern County library system has more than two dozen branches, plus two bookmobiles. The system offers more than 1 million volumes and borrows books from other libraries nationwide. Services include microfilm and microfiche, duplicating, typewriters, databases and other electronic reference, audiovisual material, computers, Internet access, books on tape and CD, DVDs and audiovisual listening stations. Web site offers library catalog, databases member accounts, magazines and newspapers. Library cards are free to county residents. Late fee for books is 25 cents per book per day.

Main Branch
Beale Memorial Library
701 Truxtun Ave.
868-0701
The county’s main branch features an auditorium, atrium and two meeting rooms. It also has a computer training lab and rooms on local history, genealogy, geology, mining and petroleum.
10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mon. and Tue.; noon to 9 p.m. Wed. and Thu.; and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Fri. and Sat.

Baker Branch
1400 Baker St.
861-2390
10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wed., Fri. and Sat.

Holloway-Gonzalez Branch
506 E. Brundage Lane
861-2083
10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tue. and Thu.

Olive Drive Fire Research Center
5642 Victor St.
391-7106
8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mon. through Fri.

Northeast Branch
3725 Columbus St.
871-9017
Noon to 8 p.m. Tue. and Thu.; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wed., Fri. and Sat.

Rathbun Branch
200 W. China Grade Loop
393-6431
Noon to 8 p.m. Mon. and Thu.; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tue. and Wed.; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sat.

Southwest Branch
8301 Ming Ave.
664-7716
Noon to 9 p.m. Mon. and Tue.; 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wed. and Thu.; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Fri. and Sat.

Wilson Branch
1901 Wilson Road
834-4044
10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mon. and Thu.; noon to 8 p.m. Tue. and Wed.; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sat.

County Library Branches

Arvin Branch: 201 Campus Drive, 854-5934. Noon to 8 p.m. Tue.; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wed, Thu. and Fri.; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sat.

Boron Branch: 26967 20 Mule Team Road, 760-762-5606. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mon., Wed. and Thu.

Buttonwillow Branch: 116 S. Buttonwillow Drive, 764-5337. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tue., Wed. and Thu.

California City Branch: 9507 California City Blvd., 760-373-4757. Noon to 8 p.m. Tue. and Thu.; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wed., Fri. and Sat.

Delano Branch: 925 10th Ave., 725-1078. 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mon. through Thu.; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sat.

Frazier Park Branch: 3015 Mount Pinos Way, 245-1267. Noon to 8 p.m. Tue.; 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wed. through Sat.

McFarland Branch/Clara M. Jackson Branch: 500 W. Kern Ave., 792-2318. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tue., Thu. and Sat.

Kern River Valley Branch: 7054 Lake Isabella Blvd., 760-549-2083. Noon to 8 p.m. Tue.; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wed. through Sat.

Kernville Branch: 48 Tobias St., 760-376-6180. Noon to 6 p.m. Mon. and Wed.

Lamont Branch: 8304 Segrue Road, 845-3471. Noon to 8 p.m. Tue. and Wed.; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thu., Fri., and Sat.

Mojave Branch: 16916 1/2 Highway 14, 824-2243. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mon., Wed. and Sat.

Ridgecrest Branch: 131 E. Las Flores Ave., 760-384-5870. Noon to 8 p.m. Tue. and Wed.; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thu. and Fri.; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.

Rosamond Branch/Wanda Kirk Branch: 3611 Rosamond Blvd., 256-3236. Noon to 8 p.m. Tue. and Wed.; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thu., Fri. and Sat.

Shafter Branch: 236 James St., 746-2156. 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mon. through Thu.

Taft Branch: 27 Emmons Park Drive, 763-3294. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tue., Fri. and Sat.; noon to 8 p.m. Wed. and Thu.

Tehachapi Branch: 1001 W. Tehachapi Blvd., Suite A-400, 822-4938. Noon to 8 p.m. Tue. and Wed.; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thu. and Fri.; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sat.

Wasco Branch: 1102 Seventh St., 758-2114. 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mon. through Thu.

Wofford Heights Branch: 6400-B Wofford Heights Blvd., 760-376-6160. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tue. and Thu.

Bookmobiles

Visit www.kerncountylibrary.org for latest routes and schedules, which can change seasonally.

Bookmobile 1: Bakersfield area, 868-0755
Bookmobile 2: Kern River Valley area, 760-549-2083

Kern County Veterans Services

Kern County Veterans Service Department
1120 Golden State Ave.
868-7300
www.co.kern.ca.us/veterans

Provides veterans and dependents with referrals for educational and employment benefits and assistance with filing for service-related disability, pension and burial benefits.

Senior Volunteer Program

Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP): 1400 Chester Ave., Suite J, 395-9787, www.volunteercenter.info. Program by the Volunteer Center of Kern County provides opportunities for adults 55 and older to offer service to the community. Various sites are available to place senior volunteers in governmental, nonprofit and health-care agencies.

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