ON THE WEB
E D I TO R ’ S N OT E
Kids’ Artwork
C O N T R I B U TO R S Jennifer Olague is a summer intern with Bakersfield Life Magazine. She will be studying journalism at San Francisco State University in the fall. Olague enjoys meeting new people and many forms of writing, along with music. She aspires to be a music journalist. Some of her favorite magazines that influence her writing are: Under the Radar, Mojo, NME and Nylon. Street parking – or parking in general – is her kryptonite. Raised in the small city of Dinuba in the Fresno County area, Oscar Miranda came to Bakersfield five years after his journey to the state of Washington, where he met his high school sweetheart, Alyssia. Two of his favorite weekend activities are spending time with his youngest sibling Brian and making spontaneous trips to random California cities. Miranda enjoys meeting new people as well as writing fictional stories. The next step in his career is attending Cal Poly San Luis Obispo by January where he plans to achieve a bachelor’s in communications and computer engineering. Tyler Goucher, a Bakersfield College student, has been studying journalism for three years now. Originally from Antelope Valley, he moved to Bakersfield to continue his education and achieve success in a field that mirrors his thirst for knowledge and truth. Upon finishing his degree, he plans on moving closer to Los Angeles and working for a publication that blends his interests in journalism and technology. Outside of school and work, he is very passionate about music and film and spends much of his time shooting video and producing music for himself and local artists. His influences include Elon Musk, Michio Kaku and Steve Jobs.
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Bakersfield Life Magazine
August 2015
REDISCOVERING KERN COUNTY
W
elcome to the Kern Life edition. In this annual edition, the magazine highlights different themes and parts that capture the essence of Kern County. As someone who has grown up here and has had the opportunity to visit various locations of Kern County through my years covering issues as a reporter or visiting friends or events as part of a family or friend trip, I have a sincere appreciation of our vast county that significantly relies on agriculture and oil. Speaking of farming, Bakersfield Life staffer Laura Liera catches up Eli Espericueta, who talks about keeping up to date and bracing for agricultural challenges in running the family business, Espericueta Farms Inc., in Shafter started by his father, Leroy. Read about his family’s story inside. Kern County freelance writer Julie Plata takes us on the journey of Kern County’s past by visiting Randsburg during its gold rush heyday. Plata explores how Kern County’s most profitable gold rush began in 1895 in the Rand Mountains of the Mojave Desert. Plata points out how Randsburg was home to the most productive gold mines. Cheryl Scott writes about how she acquired a whole new perspective on Kern County’s natural beauty as a teenager growing up locally. Today, Whiskey Flats Trail in Kernville and Wind Wolves Preserve in the Bakersfield area are among her favorite spots. Writes Lois Henry, “Little Petroglyph Canyon lies in the volcanic badlands between the Coso mountains and the Sierra Nevada and holds one of the bestpreserved displays of Native American rock art in the country.” Aside from these contributions, the magazine profiles a number of communities and people to give you
an idea of what makes their character so special. For community spotlights, Delano, Wasco, and Frazier Park are among those highlighted. And for the diversity of people, writer Diana Greenlee introduces our readers to Donna Anderson, who works as a quality laboratory superintendent for U.S. Borax in Boron. U.S. Borax is part of the Rio Tinto Corporation, which is the second-largest mining company in the world. On another front, food is always a great way to get a taste of a community. Laura Liera headed over to Lamont to catch up with Luis Aguilar of the famous El Pueblo Restaurant. I have known Luis for many years and he sure knows how to dish out great food and conversation. And writer Anna Smith takes us on a tour of some restaurants to explore, both in town and within driving distance. They include Crest Bar and Grill and Woolworth’s Diner in Bakersfield, Petra Mediterranean Restaurant in Tehachapi and Cheryl’s Diner in Kernville. We hope you enjoy learning about the various facets of our county in this issue.
PHOTO BY TANYA X. LEONZO
From the day those chubby little fingers can get a hold of crayons, most moms begin a collection of their kids’ artwork. Whether it's the finger-painted heart he/she gave you for Valentine’s Day or that macaroni necklace that now has changed colors more than once, it’s art that can't seem to be tossed. We want to see what art you still cherish! Just share a photo of your little Picasso’s art and tell us what the occasion was! Send photos and comments to bakersfieldlife@bakersfield.com.
Olivia Garcia Editor 395-7487 • ogarcia@bakersfield.com