Many of us are raised with two basic rules: Don’t talk to strangers and don’t go down dark alleys. So when I heard about a restaurant that I had to try that was down a dark alley in downtown Bakersfield, I had to break some rules.

Improving the musical culture in town and encouraging more people to play was the inspiration behind Bakersfield Sound Co.

The past month was an extremely fruitful one for local athletes and sports teams. Kern County athletes shined in a variety sports, winning championships and earning numerous accolades.

When Michael Del Mundo first started playing water polo at the age of 9, he was less than enthusiastic.

Jerry’s Pizza has been the go-to spot in Bakersfield since its founding in 1992 by Jerry Baranowski.

Connections among the community can make for stronger bonds and allow for deeper discussions on hard topics.

Bakersfield’s list of successful “homegrown” businesses rivals most cities.

For the last 31 years, I’ve had the privilege of connecting with people who are broken and hurting for many different reasons. Most of them have let their life circumstances keep them from living an intentional life that was intended for them. But I’ve had the opportunity to give some of them hope.

For the past three years, Valley Achievement Center has provided its clients the chance to experience a school tradition that they may otherwise miss out on.

The Kern Environmental Education Program – better known as Camp KEEP – is celebration its 50th anniversary this month.

With the exception of a few, the 36 locals featured in Bakersfield’s latest best-seller are not household names. But their passions are – Smith’s cookies, organ donation, art, tennis and ta-ble grapes, to name a few.

Hunger lives next door.

Civil rights activist Audre Lorde’s most famous quote is “Caring for myself is not self-indulgence; it is self-preservation and that is an act of political warfare.” The world demands too much of all of us with too little time to do everything required, so it is a radical change in behavior …

Nine cities. One oasis. Endless experiences. That’s Palm Springs’ tagline and rightly so. It’s an international destination filled with fashionable hotels and restaurants, chic shops and boutiques, a vibrant artist community, fun entertainment options and a dynamic downtown. There is somethi…

For the past five years, the Plein Air Painting Festival has captivated the best painters from around California to capture Kern County through the eyes of an artist.

Plant-based diets offer a wide variety of health benefits including preventing the risk of certain cancers and weight-related chronic diseases and can even prolong life, according to Harvard Health.

“The living presence of Jesus awakened joy and set people free.”

The air inside Valley Children’s Ice Center of Bakersfield is frigid and piercing, amplifying the sounds bouncing off the venue’s walls. On the north end of the rink, skates and sticks scrape and clank against the frozen surface as hockey players skate in circles.

A couple of months ago, I had the privilege of being a member of a panel for the Kern Economic Development Foundation’s first-ever Aspire Conference, speaking to about 220 high school juniors and seniors who were on track to graduate high school and head off to college – some of them being t…

One in three. That’s the price women pay for cardiovascular disease. While nearly 80 percent of cardiac events can be prevented, cardiovascular diseases continue to be a woman’s greatest health threat, claiming the lives of 1-in-3 women.

I was fortunate enough to spend a chilly Friday morning at the Marley’s Mutts Rescue Ranch in Tehachapi recently, surrounded by a synergistic community of people rescuing dogs and dogs rescuing people.

Unconditional love that often goes unseen and without words is a commitment made by a pet to its owner. It’s more than enjoyment; it’s an offering of a selfless healing presence.

Pizza joints in Bakersfield are not hard to find. With strong Italian culture and influence in the Bakersfield community, pasta and pizza needs are never more than a stone’s throw away. Though the traditional Italian pie covered in fresh mozzarella is always a winner in my book, I was on the…

Heart disease is the No. 1 cause of death in the world.

Known for providing high-quality artistic entertainment, Cirque Du Soleil has introduced the world to 41 unique creations that push the boundaries of performance and imagination.

The great Michael Jordan once said, “It doesn’t matter if you win as long as you give everything in your heart.”

Most everyone likes a good riddle and on Dec. 2, 1969, Californian reporter Bob Jones asked readers, “What has four legs, blue-grey eyes, is just like an 1,800-pound cuddly puppy, has a digestive tract like a king-size garbage disposal, but still has to worry about constipation?” The answer:…

Don’t be embarrassed to ask. If you are thinking it, you are likely in good company. Just when you got used to the annual chore of gathering your tax information, the rules had to change. Understandably, folks have a lot of tax questions. Here are just a few.

Imagine a coastal destination packed with waterfront restaurants, boutiques, art galleries and entertainment venues without the nuisances of a coastal destination packed with waterfront restaurants, boutiques, art galleries and entertainment venues.

Last month, Highland High sophomore Nico Razo stood in amazement inside the Bakersfield Racquet Club. The first-year tennis player had never seen so many racquets in one place at one time.

Liam and Norman first met on May 7, 2018.

Painting the town gold, purple and green is Mento Buru’s annual Fat Tuesday party March 5 at Buck Owens’ Crystal Palace. Fat Tuesday is a tradition that is usually synonymous with two things – the Christian faith and New Orleans.

Local nonprofit Children to Love International was founded in 1993 as an outreach of Laurel Glen Bible Church to the orphanages in Romania, but over the past 25 years, it has grown and evolved into something much bigger than its humble beginnings.

At an early age, Gracie Lyons felt the impact Lauren Small left on the community, inspiring her to help sick children in any way she can as she grew older.

In honor of Women’s History Month, a Bakersfield College committee will host a series of events that are centered around the theme of women and war.

Like a moth to a flame, some of us just gravitate toward bright lights and big cities. Whether it’s a lifelong dream to make it as an entertainer or just a love for the performing arts, nearly 7,000 people converged in New York City for the fourth annual BroadwayCon this winter.

Support local artist and indulge on some of this town’s best eateries at Bakersfield Museum of Arts’ annual ARTMIX on March 21. ARTMIX is BMoA biggest fundraisers, with exposure and admiration of local artists. This cocktail party has been an intricate part of BMoA for over five years. Each …

The month of March marks a transitional time of year when it comes to the local sports calendar.

One weekend in 2006 resulted in Daniel Robinson facing four life sentences without the possibility of parole, plus 160 years.

A successful fitness program involves more than exercise. Conventional logic would suggest that if some exercise is good for you, more is better, and this is true – to a point. Long, strenuous workouts, whether that is pumping iron, pounding out miles on the pavement or pedaling for hours on…

   From the rolling hills and beautiful views in the northeast, to the sprawling parks and shopping centers of the southwest, Bakersfield is a growing, diverse city. Many locals live, work and play in one section of town, seldom venturing out and experiencing the dining, shopping, entertainm…

A year ago, Bakersfield’s Arts District founder and champion of all things downtown, Don Martin, sat at a crossroads. The man, whose popular Metro Galleries had become the centerpiece of First Fridays, making it cool again to venture downtown after dark and enticing other establishments to r…

Fifteen years ago, I was a happy, average and somewhat ordinary work-from-home Bakersfield mom. I was working as a life coach, specializing in working with writers and creatives. I also had a weekly radio show, so, when I went on a tour of a local performing arts academy to sign my children …

Tax season officially starts on Jan. 28 – the first tax return filing since the largest Federal tax code overhaul in 30 years. With numerous changes, prepare early. The new law is packed with both positive and negative implications, and many folks are still trying to figure out what it all m…

Living in California has many perks, but storage in homes is not one of them. Most homes don’t have basements, ample closet storage or finished attics. It’s important to use every bit of our homes for optimal storage. Top clutter culprits include: kitchen counters, bookcases and shelves, ent…

Adding an inclusive spin on a famous Broadway play is The Empty Space’s production of “The Last Five Years.”

“Just take those old records off the shelf,

Japanese pop culture will be on full display at the Kern County Fairgrounds, with colorful characters plucked straight from your television, when Bakersfield’s premier anime convention returns Feb. 2-3.