Essentials: KernLife.com

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.

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.

Where and how to recycle

Recycling household trash such as newspapers, cardboard, junk mail, cans, bottles and plastic containers can be done in several ways in Kern County. Curbside recycling is available in some areas of the county. In some cities, curbside collection of recyclables is part of the standard garbage service. In others, like Bakersfield, there’s an additional charge for curbside pickup.

Recyclables can also be taken to community drop-off sites, located in church and school parking lots. Or, they can be redeemed for cash at one of the many recycling businesses around town that pay for materials such as metals, paper and beverage containers.

Curbside recycling

Bakersfield: A curbside recycling program is available to Bakersfield residents living in city and county areas for a fee. Those who sign up for the program receive a blue trash bin that is picked up every other week. Materials accepted include glass, aluminum, tin, steel, cardboard, paper, junk mail, newspapers, magazines, beverage containers and plastics No. 1 and No. 2. The rate for curbside recycling is $12 per quarter for city residents and for county residents living in the Bakersfield metro area.

To sign up for curbside recycling, call:
• City of Bakersfield Solid Waste Division, 326-3114
• Kern County Waste Management, 322-6863
Arvin, Delano and McFarland: Curbside recycling is part of the regular trash service.
Eastern Kern County (Tehachapi, Rosamond, Mojave, California City and unincorporated areas): Recyclables can be thrown out with regular trash. Recyclable material is sorted out after collection.
Western Kern County (Wasco, Shafter and unincorporated parts of western Kern County except metro Bakersfield): No curbside recycling is offered.

Drop-off locations

Recyclables can be taken to large recycling bins located at several churches, schools and parks throughout Kern County. These groups redeem the material and use the money for programs and projects. For drop-off locations in Bakersfield and around the county, see the accompanying map.

Materials accepted at most locations include:
• glass containers
• aluminum, tin, steel, bi-metal cans, aluminum foil and pie pans
• white paper, cardboard, magazines, newspaper, phone books, mixed paper, junk mail
• plastic (No. 1 and No. 2)

Recycling for cash

There’s money to be made by recycling. Numerous recycling centers throughout the county will pay cash for your cans, bottles, scrap metal, appliances and paper.
Beverage containers (bottles and cans): To find a location, call 1-800-RECYCLE or visit www.bottlesandcans.com and click “Where to Recycle.”

Scrap metal (ferrous and non-ferrous), paper and appliances: Refer to the Kern County Recycling Guide, found under “recycling” in the yellow pages of a local AT&T phone book, or on Kern County Waste Management’s Web site at www.co.kern.ca.us/wmd. The recycling guide contains names, addresses and phone numbers for local facilities that accept recyclable materials.

Special items

Household hazardous waste
The following items are accepted at Kern County Special Waste facilities, in Bakersfield at 4951 Standard St. , and at the Mojave Airport, 17035 Finnin St. The Bakersfield facility is open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday; the Mojave site is open 9 a.m. to noon the first Saturday of each month. To contact a facility, call 862-8922. They accept:
• automotive products
• batteries
• fluorescent light bulbs
• cleaning products, pool chemicals
• home generated “sharps” (injection needles)
• thermometers or other items containing mercury
• fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides
• paint and paint products
• televisions and computer monitors (19” or smaller)

Motor oil and oil filters
Accepted at many service stations, auto parts stores, recycling centers and most Kern County landfills. To locate a used oil collection center near you, visit www.ciwmb.ca.gov/UsedOil/Centers.

Appliances (large, nonworking)
• Golden State Metals, 2000 E. Brundage Lane, Bakersfield, 327-3559
• Kern County Waste Management Department Disposal Sites, 862-8900
• Sierra Metals, 1620 E. Brundage Lane, Bakersfield, 327-7073
• Midway Recycle/Western Scrap, 7200 Downing Ave., Bakersfield, 589-5712
• Appliances are accepted at all Kern County landfills and transfer stations. The county will also provide free curbside pickup of these items. Call 322-6863

Electronic waste
In general, this includes computer monitors and CPUs, laptops, computer accessories, televisions, answering machines, camcorders, CD and DVD players, copiers, electric typewriters, electronic games, fax machines, modems, pagers, printers, radios, remote controls, scanners, stereos, tape players, telephones, televisions, two-way radios, VCRs and word processors.
• Goodwill Industries (8 stores in Kern County)
• St. Vincent De Paul (3 stores in Kern County)
• Bakersfield Association for Retarded Citizens, 2240 S. Union Ave., Bakersfield, 397-3622
• Fortune Metals, 19421 Quinn Road, Bakersfield, 387-1100
• All Kern County landfills and transfer stations (see below), 862-8900

How do I register to vote?

You can register to vote any time of year, but you must be registered for 15 days before an election to vote in it. (Provisional ballots, which will be issued to anyone whose name doesn’t show up on the voter roster on Election Day, are counted only if you’re already a registered voter.) Registration forms are available online through the California Secretary of State at www.ss.ca.gov/elections. The state voter assistance hotline is 800-345-8683 for English, 800-232-8682 for Spanish and 800-833-8683 TDD.

Paper forms are available locally at fire stations, libraries, post offices, Department of Motor Vehicles locations, some utility offices and the Kern County Elections Division, located on the first floor of the County Administrative Center, 1115 Truxtun Ave. For details, call the elections department at 868-3590 or 800-452-8683, or go to elections.co.kern.ca.us/elections.

If you have never registered to vote before, you are eligible to do so if you meet the following criteria:

You are a United States citizen
You are a resident of California
You are at least 18 years old, or will be by the date of the election
You are not in prison or on parole for the conviction of a felony
You have not been judged by a court to be mentally incompetent to register and vote

If you were registered to vote at your previous address, you’ll need to re-register if any of the following conditions apply:

If you have moved from the address where you were registered
If you change your name
If you change your political party

Registering to vote is a fairly simple process. It can be done at any time of the year, but you do need to be registered a minimum of 15 days before an election in order to be able to vote in it. (Provisional ballots, which will be issued to anyone whose name doesn’t show up on the voter roster on Election Day, will be counted only if you’re already a registered voter.) Registration forms are available online through the California Secretary of State.

The state voter-assistance hotline is available to answer additional questions you may have regarding voter registration:

1-800-345-8683 for English
1-800-232-8682 for Spanish
1-800-339-2857 for Chinese
1-800-339-8163 for Vietnamese
1-800-339-2865 for Japanese
1-866-575-1558 for Korean
1-800-833-8683 TDD for deaf callers.

Paper forms are available locally at fire stations, libraries, post offices, Department of Motor Vehicles locations, some utility offices and the Kern County Elections Division, located on the first floor of the county administrative center, 1115 Truxtun Ave. For details, call the elections department at 868-3590 or 1-800-452-8683.

DMVs and driver's licenses

Department of Motor Vehicles

Driver’s license and registration appointments can be made by calling the DMV at 800-777-0133 or going online to dmv.ca.gov.

Arvin DMV: 317 Campus Drive

Bakersfield DMV: 3120 F St.

Bakersfield Southwest DMV: 7000 Schirra Court

Delano DMV: 631 Jefferson St.

Lake Isabella DMV: 5520 Lake Isabella Blvd., Suite G1

Ridgecrest DMV: 540A Perdew Ave.

Shafter DMV: 548 Walker St.

Taft DMV: 165 Center St.

Tehachapi DMV: Veterans Hall, 125 E. F St. Open 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Mondays and Fridays. Driver’s test is appointment only; Vehicle registration and driver’s license renewal are walk-in only.

If you are new to California

Adults who are visiting California may drive in this state without getting a California driver’s license as long as their home state or country license is valid. People who become residents in the state must get a California driver’s license within 10 days.

Driver’s license applicants will need the following information:
• Social Security number
• Verification of birth date and citizenship or legal residency
• Payment of $28 application fee
• Pass a vision exam
• Pass a traffic laws and sign test. You have three chances to pass.

To determine commercial driver’s license requirements, visit dmv.ca.gov. If you need a commercial license, please visit the DMV web site for more information.

The DMV has a list of frequently asked questions to assist all new residents in finding the answers to their questions quickly and easily.

If you are a current California resident:

If you were a resident of California prior to moving to Bakersfield, California laws states that you must inform the DMV of an address change within 10 days of your relocation. You may choose to notify them in any of the following ways:

• You may call 1-800-777-0133 and ask for a change of address form to be mailed to your home.

• You may download the change of address form, complete it and mail it to the location listed at the top of the form.

• You may visit the DMV office, complete a change of address form and give it to the technician.

Don’t forget to register or reregister your car while you are doing business with the DMV!

Smogging your car

To register a vehicle in California, it must pass a smog check from an appropriate station. For residents in the Bakersfield area, these tests must be done at stations that have the BAR-97 Emissions Inspection System, which the state says is the most modern type of testing equipment.

Residents of other communities in the county may go to any certified smog check station. Generally in Kern County, cars must be tested every two years or before they’re sold. A vehicle must pass the test and be issued a smog check certificate for it to be legally registered. Most certificates are electronically transferred to the DMV.

For more information about smog checks, go to the Bureau of Automotive Repairs Web site at smogcheck.ca.gov or call the Department of Consumer Affairs at 800-952-5210.

Recycling Hazardous Materials

If you have hazardous household materials or motor oil you wish to recycle, these locations can be of assistance:

Household Hazardous Waste

Kern County Special Waste facilities

Bakersfield: 4951 Standard St., 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday
Mojave Airport: 17035 Finnin St., 9 a.m. to noon the first Saturday of each month.

To contact a facility, call 862-8922.

They accept:
• automotive products
• batteries
• fluorescent light bulbs
• cleaning products, pool chemicals
• home generated “sharps” (injection needles)
• thermometers or other items containing mercury
• fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides
• paint and paint products
• televisions and computer monitors (19” or smaller)

Motor Oil Recycling

In Bakersfield, you can call 326-3114 for curbside motor oil and filter pickup.

There are more than 90 Certified Used Oil Collection Centers in Kern County. For the Certified Used Oil Collection Center nearest you, visit www.ciwmb.ca.gov/UsedOil/Centers.

Garbage Services

Within Bakersfield:
City of Bakersfield: Solid Waste Services
4101 Truxtun Ave., Bakersfield
326-3114
www.bakersfieldcity.us
To find out what day your garbage will be picked up, call the number listed above. Their web site also contains a host of information about solid waste programs currently in place in Bakersfield.

Kern County Dept. of Waste Management
2700 M Street, Bakersfield
862-8900
www.co.kern.ca.us/wmd
If you live outside the greater Bakersfield, private haulers are contracted to provide garbage pickup. To find out who picks up the garbage in your area please check with a neighbor, check nearby trashcans or look up “garbage collection” in your local phone book. Kern County’s Department of Waste Management also provides information about reducing the waste going to landfills.

Kern County landfills, transfer stations and bin sites

They accept household and municipal trash only; no hazardous wastes.

Bena Sanitary Landfill: At Bena and Tower Line roads, 17 miles east of Bakersfield, open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.

Boron Sanitary Landfill: Half-mile south of Boron at 11400 Boron Ave., open noon to 4 p.m. Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Thursday; 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.

Mojave Sanitary Landfill: 400 Silver Queen Road, five miles south of Mojave, between Rosamond and Mojave, open 8 a.m. to noon Sunday, Wednesday and Friday; 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday and Saturday.

Ridgecrest Sanitary Landfill: 3301 Bowman Road, five miles southwest of Ridgecrest, open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.

Shafter/Wasco Sanitary Landfill: 17621 Scofield Ave., 8 miles west of Shafter, open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday; 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday.

Taft Sanitary Landfill: 13351 Elk Hills Road, four miles north of Taft on Highway 119, open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday; noon to 4 p.m. Sunday.

Tehachapi Sanitary Landfill: 12001 Tehachapi Blvd., between Cement Plant and Sand Canon Road, open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday; 8 a.m. to noon Sunday.

Buttonwillow Transfer Station: 41751 Sullivan Road, one mile north on Buttonwillow, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday and Sunday.

Glennville Transfer Station: 9301 Highway 155, one mile east of Glennville on Highway 155, open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday and Wednesday.

Kern Valley Transfer Station: 7800 Sierra Way, 2 1/2 miles south of Kernville, open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.

Lebec Transfer Station: 300 Landfill Road, 1/2 mile south of Lebec off Lebec Road, open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.

McFarland-Delano Transfer Station: 11249 Stradley Ave., one mile south of Delano, open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Thursday, and Friday.

Caliente bin site: Bealeville and Caliente Bodfish roads, open 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. Monday; 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday; 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday.

Keene bin site: Half-mile east of Keene Store on Woodford-Tehachapi Road, open 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday; 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.

Loraine/Twin Oaks bin site: Behind Sand Canyon Store on Caliente Creek Road, open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Sunday and Wednesday; 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.

Randsburg bin site: Goler Road and Staley Avenue, open 6 a.m. to noon Tuesday; 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday; 8 a.m. to noon Saturday; 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.

Internet Providers

With a host of Internet providers to choose from, you'll be up and surfing in no time!

Antelecom Inc.: 204 S. Green St., Tehachapi, 823-6935, www.antelecom.net.

ARRC Technology: 1600 Mill Rock Way, 281-4000, www.arrc.com.

Applied Technology Group Inc.: 4440 Easton Drive, 322-8650, 800-481-0007, www.atginternet.com.

AT SecureNet: 2001 Columbus St., 872-1100, www.atsecure.net.

AT&T California: Residential service 800-288-2020, business service 800-288-3199, www.att.com.

Bakersfield Net: P.O. Box 21196, Bakersfield, CA 93390, 322-2201, info@bakersfieldnet.com, www.bakersfieldnet.com.

Bright House Networks: 3701 N. Sillect Ave., 323-4892, www.bakersfield.mybrighthouse.com.

Level 3 Communications: 800-276-2394, www.level3.com.

Coastal Web Online: 916-231-1680, support@cwo.com, www.cwo.com.

EarthLink: Technical support and customer service, 800-327-8454, www.EarthLink.net.

Electronic Towne Crier: 330 Chestnut Ave., 327-1172, www.etcrier.com.

Frazier Mountain Internet Service: P.O.Box 5295, Pine Mountain Club, CA 93222, 242-5500, dsl@frazmtn.com, www.frazmtn.com.

Global CTIGroup: 222 S. Union Ave., 323-7553, www.gcti.com.

Nationwide Internet: 888-271-9672, www.nationwide.net.

NetEase: 800-580-0932, support@neteze.com, www.neteasedialup.com.

USA Connex: 9530 Hageman Road, Suite B, No. 137, 888-281-5565, www.usaconnex.com.

Verizon Online Internet Services: 800-567-6789, www22.verizon.com.

Energy, water, telephone service

Depending on where you live, your providers for these services may vary:

Energy

Pacific Gas & Electric Co.: 1918 H St., Bakersfield, 800-743-5000, www.pge.com. Call for information about hooking up your gas and electricity in most of Bakersfield and western Kern County, except Delano. PG&E provides some services to Arvin, Bear Valley Springs, Boron, Buttonwillow, Edwards Air Force Base, Ford City, Golden Hills, Lamont, Lost Hills, McFarland, Maricopa, Mojave, Oildale, Ridgecrest, Shafter, Taft, Tehachapi and Wasco.

Southern California Edison: Call 800-655-4555 for information about hooking up electricity in Delano, Lake Isabella, Tehachapi and all of eastern Kern County.

The Gas Company: Call 800-427-2200 for gas service to Arvin, parts of Bakersfield, Buttonwillow, Delano, Frazier Park, Lamont, McFarland, Oildale, Shafter, Taft, Tehachapi and Wasco.

Water

California Water Service Co.: 396-2400, 3725 S. H St., Bakersfield.

Telephone

AT&T: 800-310-2355, www.att.com.

MCI: 800-950-5555, www.mci.com.

Cable and satellite TV providers

Providers listed below offer an array of packaging options, including local channels, to satisfy your viewing desires. For more information, please call the numbers listed, or visit their respective web sites.

Bright House Networks: 3701 N. Sillect Ave., 323-4892, www.bakersfield.mybrighthouse.com.

DishNetwork: new service, 888-825-2557, current service, 888-284-7116, www.dishnetwork.com.

DirecTV: new service, 888-777-2454, existing service, 800-494-4388, www.directv.com.

Post Office Locations

Bakersfield post offices

1. Bakersfield Main Post Office
3400 Pegasus Drive, 93308
Info Line: 800-275-8777

2. Brundage Station
2525 E. Brundage Lane at Washington Street, 93307

3. Downtown Station
1730 18th St. at G Street, 93301

4. East Bakersfield Station
727 Kentucky St. at Baker Street, 93305

5. Edison
12299 Edison Highway near Walter Avenue, 93307

6. Hillcrest Center Station
1436 Crestmont Drive at Niles Street, 93306

7. Ming Station
4705 Wilson Road at New Stine Road, 93309

8. Oildale Carrier Annex
7229 Dole Court at Snow Road

9. Oildale (Minner Station)
118 Minner Ave. at North Chester Ave., 93308

10. South Station
3200 Larson Lane at Planz Road, 93304

11. Stockdale Station (retail unit)
5601 Stockdale Highway, 93309

12. Camino Media Station
10001 Camino Media at Old River Road, 93311

Contract Postal Units (CPU)
These Bakersfield locations are available for people to mail packages, buy stamps, and are often located in stores.

A. Wise Buy Drugs
2 H St., 93304

B. The Marketplace Station in Russo’s Books
9000 Ming Ave., Suite 1-4, 93311

C. Pumpkin Center
3107 Taft Highway, 93313

D. Columbus
3737 Columbus St., 93306

E. Affordable Cleaners
8110 Rosedale Highway, Suite B, 93312

Kern County post offices

Arvin
140 N. Hill St. at Bear Mountain Blvd., 93203

Bodfish
1 Miller St., 93205

Boron
26990 Anderson St., 93516

Buttonwillow
121 N. Main St., 93206

Caliente
27750 Caliente Bodfish Road, 93518

California City
21100 Hacienda Blvd., 93505

Delano
1800 Garces Highway, 93215

Earlimart
300 N. Church Road, 93219

Edwards
1000 Kincheloe Ave., 93523
20 W. Popson Ave., 93524 (retail unit)
13015 Claymine Rd., 93523 (CPU)

Fellows
36 Midway Road, 93224

Frazier Park
512 Monterey Trail, 93225
16331 Askin Drive, 93222 (CPU)

Glennville
10686 Highway 155, 93226

Inyokern
6504 Locust Ave., 93527

Johannesburg
515 Broadway Avenue, 93528

Keene
30235 Woodford Tehachapi Road, 93531

Kernville
45 Big Blue Road, 93238

Lake Isabella
6441 Lake Isabella Blvd., 93240
12604 Mountain Mesa Road, Unit A, 93240 (CPU)

Lamont
11940 Main St., 93241

Lebec
2132 Lebec Road, 93243
49744 Gorman Post Road, Suite 3, 93243 (CPU)

Lost Hills
21155 Highway 46, 93249

Maricopa
345 California St., 93252

McFarland
633 2nd St., 93250

McKittrick
23263 2nd Ave., 93251

Mojave
2053 Belshaw St., 93501
28111 Jawbone Canyon Road, 93501 (CPU)

Onyx
8275 Easy Street, 93255

Randsburg
26741 Butte Avenue, 93554

Ridgecrest
101 E. Coso Ave., 93555

Rosamond
1950 W. Rosamond Blvd., 93560

Shafter
322 State Ave., 93263

Taft
427 North St., 93268

Tehachapi
1085 Voyager Drive, 93561
25101 Bear Valley Road, 93561 (CPU)

Tupman
337 Emmons Blvd., 93276

Wasco
800 E St., 93280

Weldon
5765 Vista Grande Drive, 93283

Wofford Heights
6336 Wofford Blvd., 93285

Farmers markets and fruit stands

The Downtown Street Faire
From 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. the third Thursday of the month from April to June 2009, Chester Avenue from 18th to 21st streets, 325-5892.

First Friday
From 5 to 8 p.m. the first Friday of the month, 19th Street between Chester Avenue and G Street, 325-5892. Shopping, dining, art shows, entertainment, wine-tasting, farmer's market.

Kern Farmers Market Association
Year-round Markets
Bakersfield: 8 to 11 a.m., Saturdays, Golden State Mall, 3201 F St.
Ridgecrest: 8 to 11 a.m., Fridays, 1631 N. Triangle Drive.
Summer Markets
Delano: 2 to 5 p.m., Tuesdays, 1508 Garces Highway.
East Bakersfield: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Thursdays, 815 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Kern County Public Health: 3 to 6 p.m., Thursdays, 1800 Mt. Vernon Ave.
Lamont: 9 to 11 a.m., Tuesdays, 8787 Hall Road.
Shafter: 9 a.m. to noon, Wednesdays, James St. & Central Ave.
Rosedale: 3 to 6 p.m., Wednesdays, Valley Feed Store, 12905 Hageman Road.

Tehachapi City Farmers’ Market
4 to 7 p.m., Thursdays,May 29 to Aug. 28, Railroad Park at East Tehachapi Boulevard.

Tesch Farm Stand
Bakersfield: 8 a.m. to noon, Saturdays, year-round, east parking lot of Golden State Mall, 3201 F St.
Delano: 2 to 5 p.m., Tuesdays, May to August, 1508 Garces Highway.
Earlimart: 3 to 5 p.m., Tuesdays, May to August, Washington Avenue and State Street in the park.
Lamont: 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., Tuesdays, May to August, 8787 Hall Road.

Fruit stands
Minetti’s Anxious Acres: 1220 Park Drive, Bakersfield, 366-5226. Open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, November through March. Citrus, pistachios, orange blossom honey, specialty products.

California Fruit Depot: 10850 Redbank Road, Bakersfield, 366-6303. Open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, year-round. Citrus, Medjool dates, almonds, pistachios, flavored nuts, olives, dried fruit, and candy.

Murray Family Farms: General Beale Road at Highway 58, 18 miles east of Bakersfield, 339-0296. Open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, year-round. Seasonal cherries, blueberries, pluots, blackberries, apples, pomelos, peaches, melons, squash, okra, specialty products. Fruit stand: Interstate 5 at Copus Road, 858-1100. Open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

Housing and building resources

Bakersfield Association of Realtors: 4800 Stockdale Highway, Suite 100, Bakersfield, 635-2300, www.bakersfieldrealtor.com. Trade association for Realtors and affiliate members, offers multiple listing service and a list of member real estate agents.

Bethany Services and Bakersfield Homeless Center: 1600 E. Truxtun Ave., Bakersfield, 322-9294 (call 322-0426 after hours), www.bakhc.com. Provides one-stop help for the homeless, including food, clothing, shelter, medical and employment services.

Home Builders Association of Kern County: 1701 G St., Suite 2, P.O. Box 1848, Bakersfield, 93303, 633-1316, www.kernbia.com. Members of builder trade association can receive information about other association members and building related services, new policies and updates on fees.

California Department of Fair Employment and Housing: 800-233-3212. Housing Unit Office: 1515 Clay St., Suite 701, Oakland. Bakersfield office: 4800 Stockdale Highway, Suite 215, 395-2729, www.dfeh.ca.gov. Handles complaints about discrimination in housing or employment.

California Rural Legal Assistance, Inc.: 629 Main St., Delano, 725-4350, www.crla.org. Offers legal services for low-income clients. Handles complaints about labor, pesticides, housing conditions and evictions. Also provides legal assistance for school matters such as suspensions and expulsions.

City of Bakersfield Fair Housing Program: 1600 Truxtun Ave., Suite 300, 634-9245 (call 661-862-5299 outside of Bakersfield). Operates a hotline for fair housing issues, mediates complaints of discrimination in housing and provides training for property managers.

Delano Community Connections Center: 1842 Norwalk St., Delano, 721-7036. Family resource center provides free rental assistance when funding is available on emergency basis only, medical aid, nutrition, parent education classes, clothing, food baskets and links to other agencies and services.

Franchise Tax Board homeowner and renter assistance program: 800-868-4171, www.ftb.ca.gov. Program offers an annual payment on a portion of property taxes for homeowners and renters who qualify.

Greater Bakersfield Legal Assistance, Inc. and Seniors Law Center: 615 California Ave., Bakersfield, 325-5943, www.gbla.org. Provides free civil legal advice and counsel on a wide variety of landlord-tenant disputes for low-income clients and seniors over the age of 60 who meet federal guidelines. Files suits to improve habitability, provides information about health care, elder abuse and neglect, and domestic violence.

Habitat for Humanity: Golden Empire HFH, 1500 E. 19th St., Bakersfield, 861-8449, www.habitatbakersfield.org. Indian Wells Valley HFH, 1201 N. China Lake Blvd., 760-446-4151, www.habitatiwv.org. A Christian ministry that works with low-income families to build their own homes with volunteer labor and donated materials.

Housing Authority of the County of Kern: 601 24th St., Bakersfield, 631-8500, www.kernha.org. Public housing authority funded by HUD offers low-income housing assistance and affordable housing programs.

Housing and Urban Development Department: 855 M St., Suite 970, Fresno, 93721, 559-487-5033, www.hud.gov.

Income Property Association of Kern: P.O. Box 809, Bakersfield, 93309, 322-3288, www.incomepropertyassociationofkern.com. Provides advice, aid and lobbies for income property owners and managers.

Kern County Builders’ Exchange Inc.: 1121 Baker St., Bakersfield, 324-4921, www.kcbex.com. Nonprofit contractors' association provides information about and access to upcoming commercial construction projects.

Kern County Fair Housing: 2700 M St., Suite 250, Bakersfield, 862-5299, www.co.kern.ca.us/cd/cdfh.asp. Takes housing discrimination complaints from outside Bakersfield city limits.

Kern Minority Contractors Association: 1330 E. Truxtun Ave., Bakersfield, 324-7535, www.minoritycontractors.info. Nonprofit membership organization of minority construction and building trade companies offers a variety of services. Association produces a news bulletin and a daily posting of project bids.

The NEEDS Center: 110 Asher St., Taft, 763-4888. Provides food, rental and utility payment assistance.

Organizations for Visitors & Newcomers

City Hostess and Bakersfield Welcome Center: Sharon Martinez, 1005 El Serno Drive, 396-7266, MARTINEZS@bak.rr.com. Tours, lunches, information, relocation information, newcomer’s packet and more.

Bakersfield Convention and Visitors Bureau: 515 Truxtun Ave., 325-5051, www.bakersfieldcvb.org. Free visitor’s guide and information.

Delano City Hostess: Juanita Gallagher, 5121 Belcrest Ave., Bakersfield, CA 93309, 398-1639. Welcome, information and gift books for newcomers.

Frazier Park Visitors Center: 3538 Mt. Pinos Way, Frazier Park, CA 93225, 245-3438, shopoutdoors.com/activities.html. Information, shopping and recreation supplies.

Ridgecrest Area Convention & Visitors Bureau: 139 Balsam St., Suite 1700, Ridgecrest, CA 93555, 800-847-4830, racvb@filmdeserts.com, www.visitdeserts.com. Information and free visitors guide.

Got questions? We've got answers

Where can you get a good plate of fish ‘n’ chips in Bakersfield?

What preschools do local parents recommend?

What bands are playing this weekend?

When you have local questions, Bakersfield.com and its sister Web sites have answers! Here’s where you would go for the above:

Answer 1: Visit the Inside Guide business reviews at Bakersfield.com.

Answer 2: Post your question on a journal at RaisingBakersfield.com.

Answer 3: Check out the events calendar at Bakotopia.com.

The Bakersfield Californian and its affiliates operate nine local Web sites, which offer not only news and community information, but also a social networking platform for you to create your own profile, meet people with similar interests, and post blogs, articles, events, photo galleries and videos.

And the best part about our Web sites is participation is free!

Which sites fit your interest?

Bakersfield.com: News, information and opinion about Bakersfield and beyond.

RaisingBakersfield.com Parenting and family life.

MasBakersfield.com: Hispanic culture and community.

NorthwestVoice.com: Northwest Bakersfield neighborhoods.

SWVoice.com: Southwest Bakersfield neighborhoods.

Bakotopia.com: Music and counter-culture.

KernLife.com: Everything about living in Kern, with expanded listings from Kern Life magazine.

BakersfieldLife.com: Features from Bakersfield Life magazine.

Tehachapinews.com: News and events in Tehachapi.

What other advantages do these sites offer?

Think of our sites like MySpace or Facebook, just with a local twist. We already have thousands of registered users across all of our sites.

If you are involved with a club or organization, you can create a profile with information about your group and how to join. You can then post articles and photos about your organization, and events for the events calendar.

If you are new to the area or looking to meet new people, you can search the sites by “interests” to find others who are into the same things as you.

If you own a local business, you can “claim” your profile on Bakersfield.com’s Inside Guide and offer special deals to your fans.

If you like to blog, write articles, take photos or make videos, you can post them to our sites for publication. Or use your profile as an online scrapbook to keep friends and family updated on your life.

What’s new?

We are constantly adding more features to our Web sites, so be sure to check back often!