Photo by Amy Rymer
Photo by Maria Ahumada-Garaygordobil
Patrick Stoliker
sales tax.” That includes the current Super Walmart project in town, which hopes to break ground soon and the secondary businesses that help boost local retail. Ahle said these projects will help keep sales tax revenue local. “We really feel that Ridgecrest’s best days are ahead of it,” Ahle said. “There is a lot of opportunity here.”
Patrick Stoliker, works at Edwards Air Force Base, lives in Tehachapi Patrick Stoliker loves to talk about aeronautics, including making better, faster and greener aircraft, and supporting NASA’s space program. This is a perfect fit for his job as Deputy Director of NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center, at Edwards Air Force Base. He assists the center director in the management of the NASA field center, focusing
on strategy, business processes and institutional management. Stoliker’s “aha moment” occurred on a playground as a fourth-grader. “A Mach 3 bomber flew over the playground, and watching that helped put me on my path as an aerospace engineer.” After 10 years working for Northrop, he contacted Dryden officials and started working at the research center in 1992. He wrote computer codes that help control autonomous airplanes. “I love being part of the cutting edge technology in flight research and aeronautics,” Stoliker said. “And I can influence how we are changing that here.” Of course, Stoliker mentions the importance of NASA’s Space Shuttle program. Edwards Air Force Base had the secondmost shuttle landings, 54 active missions, along with 5 test missions. There are challenges, especially with the government spending less money overall, and that includes NASA. “Aeronautics has seen lots of cuts,” he said. “The science of planes is not as mature as some think, and there is lots of room for advancements, just like cars every year.” “NASA is like a big book, and the Space Shuttle program is just like Chapter 3,” Stoliker said. “And Chapter 4 will have an emphasis on commercial usage interest, with Virgin Galactic and the Sierra Nevada Space Systems Dream Chaser.”
The future includes exploring the moon, asteroids, Mars and beyond, Stoliker said. “Dryden continues to be engaged in space,” he said. “And I love my job. I truly have the best job in America!”
Toni Evans, California City Not only is Toni Evans city’s chamber of commerce administrative assistant, she is involved in the Little Miss, Junior Miss and Miss California pageants. Through the California City Community Club she is the pageant director for the younger girls’ pageants, and through the Chamber, she is one of the directors for the Miss pageant. The Miss California City winner goes on to compete for Miss Antelope Valley. Along with her husband, David, they have raised three girls in California City where they make their home. Her pilot husband telecommutes and works once or twice a week in the Bay Area. As far as her work at the Cal City Chamber, she’d like to see the membership, currently at around 50, continue to grow, and the chamber do more things. But with a down economy, she sees the difficulty in recruiting new members. “Right now, we are taking a hit. It’s tough to collect that $100 annual membership fee,” Evans said. “We will grow. But the economy is holding everyone back. So until it picks up, Continued on page 78 www.BakersfieldLife.com
77