As a meat-and-potatoes guy (double meat, double potatoes whenever possible), I’m no expert when it comes to healthy dining. I am, however, keen on flavor.

The month of July is all about the harvesting of tomatoes.

The mission of the Kern County Beauty Pageant for the past 10 years has been “furthering the educational goals of women in Kern County.”

Izzy and the Fins is a band that almost never was.

Kern County’s 20 Under 40 People to Watch are trailblazing paths for a bright future. These spirited individuals seem to make all the right moves. Life’s decades tend to dictate the moves we should make, especially when it comes to money. If you had a map of the financial moves you should ta…

Following a knee injury in October, which sidelined me from cycling, my good genes weren’t enough to prevent tight jeans.

Do you know your cholesterol levels? Do you know what your cholesterol levels mean to you and your health?

As the sun set behind the hills alongside Breckenridge Road, bursts of laughter interrupted the sounds of grazing cattle.

When it comes to food and mood, you really are what you eat.

One of the oldest adages when it comes to food is that breakfast is the most important meal of the day.

My husband is the chef in the family.

July is typically the slowest month of the year for local sports in Kern County. The 30-plus high schools in our area, along with Bakersfield College, Taft College and Cal State Bakersfield compete in their last athletic competitions of the school year by the end of June and don’t begin agai…

That we are a training program for our men and women in recovery. That we offer upscale resale men’s and women’s clothing and accessories at affordable prices. That we have home decor at Encore II at Timeless Furnishing. That any proceeds from our sales help to support our ministries.

She isn’t among this year’s distinguished crop of “20 under 40” – although her husband is – but I’d like to make the case for Anna Smith as the “21st under 40,” or certainly a candidate for the class of 2019.

Charitable giving is alive and well in the United States.

Jiujitsu doesn’t build character. It reveals it.

It’s the golden hour in the middle of the Sequoia National Park. I’m cruising along a languid lake with a canoe paddle in my hands and loved ones behind me. Pink clouds and tall pine trees look back at me from the water like an ethereal Van Gogh painting. My smartphone is nowhere to be seen …

Revisiting that good ol’ Bakersfield sound with a hint of folk music is Americana husband-and-wife duo Birds of Chicago.

Zach Williams has a multidimensional approach to hitting that has a contradictory aspect to it.

Should you receive a phone call from retired local consultant and Bakersfield Californian columnist Steve Flores, answer it. And whatever he asks of you, by all means, say yes.

Honey, habanero, peach, sweet and sour, and lemon pepper.

As temperatures rise, it’s no surprise that San Luis Obispo County is a popular destination for Kern County residents. We, after all, share a border with our seaside neighbors and with cool ocean breezes just hours away, it’s a convenient way to beat the summer heat.

Summer can mark the beginning of traveling.

Phillip and Terry Derouchie don’t often have a chance to get away or go on vacation, but they regularly escape through the pages of a book.

Today, social media acts as journal documenting life’s highlights and vacations to places near and far are some of the most shareworthy posts.

Dogs and their humans are invited to the 9th Annual H.A.L.T. 5k/10k Fun Run taking place June 2 at Yokuts Park.

The annual Teen Challenge BBQ Fundraiser and Special program will take place June 1 at the Kern Teen Challenge Men’s Ranch & Women’s Campus in Shafter, 650 Riverside St.

California Living Museum will hold its first-ever Wine in the Wild fundraiser June 14, from 5 to 8 p.m., on the grounds of the zoo, 10500 Alfred Harrell Highway.

New grandfather stories tend to be sweet, syrupy memories fondly attached to the miraculous dawn of a new generation.

A montage of planes, trains and automobiles flash through my head. Images of world maps, luggage and passports dance along right behind them.

Among the women who are innovators at Bakersfield College, Liz Rozell is a hidden treasure who has been making significant contributions to the school for more than 30 years. She has taught mathematics and engineering and served as department chair in both subject areas. In 2013, Rozell beca…

Air travel is often met with a feeling of dread over long security lines, cramped seating and frequent delays. Catching a flight for work or vacation is common in our modern era. The existence of frequent flyer programs reinforce that fact.

Relaxation is something that many chase, but few obtain.

The feeling is indescribable.

Good food that’s good for you is in season and there’s no shortage at The Hens Roost’s downtown micro market and Brimhall and Haggin Oaks farmers markets.

Summer is upon us, and if you couldn’t already feel it, so is the heat.

Location: The Padre Hotel

Forty-one hours, fifty-eight minutes.

A cafe with a catchy name and a comfortable diner feel, it’s easy to walk into The Broken Yolk Cafe and feel welcome.

In May, Jackson Vaughan delivered his valedictorian speech to the Bakersfield High School class of 2018.

How about a little song and dance to go with your Sunday brunch?

We all want to build a thriving economy, safe neighborhoods and a vibrant culture. And we recognize that our success depends on preparing students for the workforce.

Breckenridge Road is a seldom-traveled route that starts in east Bakersfield, south of Foothill High, and winds to the top of 7,500-foot-tall Breckenridge Mountain and down into Walker Basin. Catch it on a clear spring day and you are surrounded by poppy-covered hillsides, tall oak and pine …

This summer, turn your vacation into a tax deduction. In light of recent tax reform, this angle still works for the self-employed. However, if you are an employee seeking this tax perk, you’ll need to convince your employer to cover the costs directly.

The responses were unexpected and eye-opening.

The certificates are displayed proudly on windows, walls and offices like badges of honor earned after countless hours, days, weeks and years serving the community.