Last summer, I took a trip to the Galapagos Islands, where sustainability is key to the area’s preservation and wildlife survival. During my trip, when I wanted to order a coffee to go from a local shop, I was advised that “to go” was not an option, as they did not use disposable paper or pl…

Michael Girgis was born and raised in Bakersfield – and he wouldn’t have it any other way.

You may have seen us riding around town on the morning of Sept. 29. Mostly old guys on old motorcycles wearing what by most accounts would be considered completely improper attire for motorcycling. Preposterous! At least for today.

“And she loved a little boy very, very much, even more than she loved herself.” – Shel Silverstein

Temblor is known for two things: being independent and using traditional ingredients. What started off as a passion for beer drinking left an inquisitive local wondering how he could push the concept of homebrewing.

Baseball has been an American institution since the mid-1800s and became the country’s first organized professional sport with the founding of the National League in 1876. Beyond the peanuts and Cracker Jacks, there is nothing quite like the excitement of watching your favorite player make a…

A 2003 episode of “The Simpsons” featured a fictional Epcot ride called the “Electric Car of the Future.” The car could speak, proclaiming in a pained voice, “I can’t go very fast or very far.”

A year into Mark Witsoe’s tenure as head of the Kern County Airports Department, he has a lot to be proud of.

For local artists Ryan Holdcraft and Jesus Rodriguez, art is about more than just self-expression, it’s using their gifts to create a better community.

Self-care is not feminine. Self-care is necessary.

With a location on every block, chains pose a threat to locally owned businesses with their cheap prices and accessibility. But barbershop owners in Bakersfield are not afraid of chains putting them out of business because they are confident that customers will keep coming back for a unique,…

It’s time to show your beard off for a good cause because That Beard Stuff is hosting its third annual event, the Bakersfield Beard Bash. For Tawnee Shelton and her husband, Ty, it started off as a personal obstacle with their daughter. Bikers Against Child Abuse helped the Shelton family th…

Jocelyn SanduskyPresenting sponsor Dignity Healthy joins local and corporate business sponsors to put on one of the largest events of the season. Runners from all over the country and the world have attended the past three events. Mexico, Canada and even Ethiopia have experienced a jaunt thr…

In school, I remember hearing some girls I hung out with talking about their dads.

For the past six years, hundreds of cyclists have gathered at the mountain community of Tehachapi to take part in the Tehachapi Gran Fondo, a cycling event that is unlike any other.

The Edible Schoolyard at Buena Vista Elementary is a hands-on learning experience that teaches students where their food comes from while creating a sense of appreciation and respect for nature and the gardening and cooking processes. The program aims to empower students by encouraging them …

Ever since I was young, I’ve made a conscious effort to not be “that guy.”

It’s hard to believe, but November is already upon us. It’s a special time of year for a lot of people because it’s when the United States celebrates Thanksgiving and kicks off the beginning of the holiday season. For most Americans, Thanksgiving centers around three things: food, family/fri…

If you’re looking for a sweet escape in October, Donut Fest is the place to be. Donut Fest is the first event of its kind in Bakersfield and Temblor Brewing Company is the first to host it on Oct. 13, from 1 to 5 p.m.

Throughout my food journey in Bakersfield, I’ve noticed that the variety and diversity of the food scene here is growing, especially in Asian fusion cuisine. Though I love seeing this growth with a spike in poke spots and pho shops, still being somewhat new in town, I still hadn’t tried some…

Entering its sixth year, the Valley of Hope gala is a night of entertainment, auctions and philanthropy, honoring the lives taken and survivors of the disease that knows no gender, race or socioeconomic background – cancer.

With a heart toward serving their community and a mind toward activism, both Kimberly Kirchmer and Robin Walters walk the walk, not only in their day jobs, but even after they’re off the clock.

When friends Lucy Gallardo, Maryann Martinez, Lupe Mesa, Arlou Reyes, Janet Martin and Susie Mesa Flores got together to form a bunco group, they had a feeling it was the start of something that would stand the test of time. In fact, Arlou said they should invest in a rest home so by the tim…

Throughout time, people jump from diet to diet, on to the next trend. Because social media is at the fingertips of society, the issue with body image becomes more present every day. But what about the role people and social media play in the way we see ourselves? Body image and self-esteem s…

It was a normal day. I was messing around on Instagram stories, like usual, when something unexpected happened. I got a DM from a male business owner in town and he was mad about me and what I was doing.

The new school year has recently started and there are numerous local athletes currently competing collegiately in fall sports.

When it comes to luxury vehicles, there’s comfort and there’s performance.

Ashleymarie Sey Lively, the curator and founder of Bubble Pop Gallery, wants you to know that the Bakersfield art scene is not just alive and well, but thriving.

Do you remember drawing with chalk on the pavement when you were a little kid? You may have covered yourself in dust and felt so excited that you had so much space to work with. Bakersfield Museum of Art’s Via Arte Italian Street Painting Festival on Oct. 19 and 20 takes that wonderful feeli…

Sometimes you find the strongest support in people whom you never would have thought you’d ever meet. That’s part of the magic behind Links for Life’s local services. The organization delicately knits a beautiful tapestry of support services for breast cancer survivors from all walks of life…

Kern County has a reputation for supporting its veterans, so it’s not surprising there are so many organizations that have been created to serve them. What you may not know is that many of them were started by and are run by women.

If Los Angeles is the entertainment capital of the world, then Hollywood is its heart and Hollywood Boulevard is the main artery pumping life into it.

Women are at no loss of accomplishments throughout history. At the same time, each influential woman required a spark of inspiration and support to begin the process of becoming a positive force for good.

An idea hatched by one of CSU Bakersfield’s very own, the WINGS program is designed to advocate and improve the education of female scholar-athletes while preparing them for the shift from college to workplace through the mentorship they receive. The idea of the program was to not only provi…

Upon her retirement from Bakersfield College in 1977, Dr. Ruth Maguire reflected upon the reason she accepted a position there in the first place.

Five years ago, one of my dearest friends suggested that we get mammograms since we had both recently celebrated our milestone 40th birthdays.

One of the “seasoned” CPAs in our office loves to tell the story of the ugly statues. This story is dredged up whenever someone asks her a question about hobby-loss rules.

Last spring, as guests at the Bakersfield Museum of Art’s annual fundraiser ArtMix walked through the dramatic and colorful entrance, little did they know it was the work of the event’s chairwoman, a former renowned costume designer.

Are you carb-conscious? Tracking your sodium intake? Are you simply interested in what you are putting into your body? The nutrition label is a great place to start when you want to be more mindful of the foods and beverages that you are consuming.

Trends come and go so often in the food industry that authentic experiences are hard to come by. But when it comes to the current “farm to table” restaurant trend, a new restaurant in downtown Bakersfield is giving us the real deal.

To hear his music, you wouldn’t know that he was different than any other up-and-comers posting tracks to YouTube and SoundCloud. But Jeff Metz, who goes by the stage name Grimstyles, is not your average artist.

September typically marks the end of summer and as temperatures start to drop, outdoor events begin to rise. There are many outdoor events that take place during the month and below are our picks.

Strata Credit Union is celebrating 70 years of locals helping other locals with 70 gifts of love, granting the wishes of 70 deserving Kern County residents and organizations for each year of Strata’s service to Kern County.

When it comes to pastimes, roller-skating is one of the few that has lasted the test of time.

A busy life can get the best of us, but not for the few good men and women behind the Kern County Sheriff’s Activities League, a free program dedicated to at-risk youth in the community.