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Bakersfield Observed with Richard Beene - The Podcast

Bakersfield Observed with Richard Beene - The Podcast

By Kern Radio

Welcome to Bakersfield Observed - The Podcast with Richard Beene. A podcast for and about Bakersfield and Kern County. Richard's guest are politicians, newsmakers, influencers and personalities who address topics of interest to you and your neighbors and your community. The discussion is fast, informative and always civil. Join us every week for new episodes.
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Currently playing episode

Episode 8 - Jeremy Adams

Bakersfield Observed with Richard Beene - The PodcastJul 24, 2021

00:00
01:17:31
Episode 35 - Russell Johnson

Episode 35 - Russell Johnson

Political Consultant Russell Johnson breaks down all the moving parts for important local elections: Congress, Supervisor, Assembly and State Senate. Plus asks... Who is advising Louis Gill and what were they thinking? 

Jan 14, 202251:51
Episode 34 - Robert Peterson

Episode 34 - Robert Peterson

Robert Peterson brings some of our community's most notorious stories - crimes, earthquakes, personal dramas - to light in the Notorious Bakersfield podcast. Remember the "Killer Santa and Denny's," or the day of "Terror on Panorama?" Tune into this terrific podcast to learn more about our shared history.

Jan 07, 202235:52
Episode 33 - Dr. Ravi Patel

Episode 33 - Dr. Ravi Patel

Dr. Ravi Patel talks about how studying the immune system has led to important new cancer therapies, and he also has some good news: Kern County is no better or worse than the rest of the country in terms of incidences of breast, colon and lung cancers.

Dec 30, 202134:53
Episode 32 - Tim Calahan

Episode 32 - Tim Calahan

Ciinica Sierra Vista has been around for 50 years and now the medical cooperative charged with providing health care to the most needy unveiled a new comprehensive health care facility in Bakersfield, across the street from Memorial Hospital. 

Dec 29, 202121:58
Christmas Special - Guitar Masters: Christmas with The Cranktones

Christmas Special - Guitar Masters: Christmas with The Cranktones

Rick Kreiser of Guitar Masters brings back his wildly popular Christmas with the Cranktones at the Crystal Palace on Wednesday, Dec. 29.

Dec 22, 202126:00
Episode 30 - Joelle Casteix

Episode 30 - Joelle Casteix

A survivor of sexual abuse as a teenager, Joelle Casteix has now devoted her life to exposing sexual abusers of all stripes, be they priests or Scout leaders. Listen as Casteix talks about the Catholic Church priest scandal, the case against a former priest Craig Harrison and why getting to the priest personnel files is all important to expose abuse.

Dec 20, 202150:53
Episode 29 - Rob McCarthy

Episode 29 - Rob McCarthy

Rob McCarthy grew up in Bakersfield, graduated from Garces and USC, worked for both Jean Fuller and Kevin McCarthy (no relation) and is now living in Austin, Texas and is running for the Texas State House. Listen as this Bakersfield-bred man talks about being a California transplant in a liberal city while avowing conservative principles.

Dec 15, 202136:33
Episode 28 - Pastor Robin Robinson

Episode 28 - Pastor Robin Robinson

Churches in at least 12 other states have copied the model of Bakersfield's own City Serve, a non profit umbrella group for churches and organizations that serve the needy in Kern County. Listen to Pastor Robin Robinson track the remarkable growth and success of this institution and pay attention to what it says about our community, faith and hope.

Dec 13, 202148:47
Episode 27 - Oildale The Movie

Episode 27 - Oildale The Movie

Brant Cotton is a Bakersfield native, a graduate of both West High and CSUB, and he has a role in the independent movie Oildale, the story of three homeless veterans who find family while getting their lives on track. The movie airs Sunday (Dec. 6) at 2 p.m. at the Fox Theater. Door open at 1 p.m. and the cost is just $10. Part of the proceeds benefit the Wounded Heroes Fund.

Dec 03, 202146:01
Episode 26 - Supervisor Leticia Perez

Episode 26 - Supervisor Leticia Perez

Supervisor Leticia Perez has made it clear: she will run for the 32nd Assembly District being vacated by Rudy Salas assuming the district map is not radically altered. Perez revealed her intentions in a wide ranging interview on this podcast in which she addressed a period of depression after being charged with a conflict of interest by the District Attorney, her upbringing by farmworker parents, success and her vision of a "purple America" where red and blue voters come together on common issues.

Nov 24, 202101:04:58
Episode 25 - Jeremy Adams

Episode 25 - Jeremy Adams

BHS history and government teacher Jeremy Adams pens a new essay in Newsweek warning of the state of our schools: from permissive discipline policies to teaching a generation of students ill equipped for the classroom.

Nov 18, 202142:38
Episode 24 - Pastor Angelo Frazier

Episode 24 - Pastor Angelo Frazier

Are school boards the new ground zero in America's culture wars? Pastor Angelo Frazier takes on critics you blame racism on opposition to CRT in our schools.

Nov 04, 202147:31
Episode 23 - Rick Kreiser

Episode 23 - Rick Kreiser

How are is Bakersfield from seeing live music return? Rick Kreiser, founder of the popular Guitar Masters concert series, says it looks like his shows will be returning in November. Listen to Kreiser talk about our love of music, our changing tastes and the special Bakersfield welcome his performers receive when they play in town.

Oct 28, 202144:15
Episode 22 - Ryan Alsop

Episode 22 - Ryan Alsop

Kern County Chief Administrative Officer Ryan Alsop reacts to the “devastating” news by Gov. Newsom of new setbacks for oil production and says he is working on plans to clear the streets of the homeless.

Oct 22, 202146:28
Episode 21 - Chad Hathaway

Episode 21 - Chad Hathaway

Chad Hathaway is a oil company CEO who spends a lot of his time thinkin about "climate alarmists," people who have almost a religious aversion to fossil fuels. If green energy is the future, why is the world rushing to put coal fired power plants back on line to satisfy surging demand?

Oct 14, 202137:10
Episode 20 - Coach Rod Barnes

Episode 20 - Coach Rod Barnes

Coach Rod Barnes calls the CSUB basketball program the "front porch" of the university, and with play about to begin, he is hoping for huge home crowds as the Roadrunners compete in the Big West Conference. Listen to Barnes talk about how Covid and the lockdown have affected the program.

Oct 07, 202145:17
Episode 19 - Lauren Skidmore

Episode 19 - Lauren Skidmore

Lauren Skidmore is smart, accomplished and well versed in what moves the political agenda in California, but can she make an impact on homelessness in Kern County? She takes over today as head of the Bakersfield Homeless Center.

Oct 04, 202148:50
Episode 18 - Lois Henry

Episode 18 - Lois Henry

Make no mistake that California is in the midst of a serious drought that is leaving some rural communities without drinking water and imperiling farming operations. Lois Henry of SJVWater.Org lays out the drought that is growing progressively worse.

Sep 30, 202131:57
Episode 17 - Julie Johnson

Episode 17 - Julie Johnson

Why is it that so many dogs and cats are discarded like garbage in Kern County? What is it about us that makes us treat pets as disposable items? Julie Johnson of the SPCA and the city Animal Control Services comes on to talk about full shelters and a woeful disregard for our pets.

Sep 22, 202142:30
Episode 16 - Christian Romo

Episode 16 - Christian Romo

Kern County Democratic chairman Christian Romo says to keep an eye on the race for Congressman David Valadao's seat, deemed a top priority of the national party. Romo also talks about the growing progressive movement in Kern County and speculates on the county eventually becoming Democratic.

Sep 16, 202141:23
Episode 15 - The Moneywise Guys

Episode 15 - The Moneywise Guys

The new owners of the historic Woolworth’s building downtown share their plans and vision for the iconic landmark and talk about their core belief in downtown revival.

Sep 09, 202141:21
Episode 14 - Carlos Baldovinos & Jim Wheeler

Episode 14 - Carlos Baldovinos & Jim Wheeler

 If you are frustrated by our homeless problem, prepare for it to get worse. That's the word from two local experts, Carlos Baldovinos of the Mission of Kern County and Jim Wheeler of Flood Ministries who warn the pandemic and the end of the ban on evictions could send the homeless numbers soaring.

Sep 02, 202101:05:36
Episode 13 - Samuel Van Kopp

Episode 13 - Samuel Van Kopp

Bakersfield’s Samuel Van Kopp, a West Point grad who was gravely injured by a suicide bomber in Afghanistan in 2012, argues America has an obligation to evacuate all Afghans who stood with the U.S. during the war. “We got the war we paid for,” he says.

Aug 27, 202149:35
Episode 12 - Supervisor Leticia Perez & Dr. Richard Gearhart

Episode 12 - Supervisor Leticia Perez & Dr. Richard Gearhart

The 2020 Census is out and it shows a less white, more diverse America, a country where races are blending together to create a multi-racial society. Will the values that helped America succeed endure, or is the America we know gone? You decide as Supervisor Leticia Perez and Professor Richard Gearhart tackle the issue.

Aug 19, 202159:02
Episode 11 - Patrick Wall

Episode 11 - Patrick Wall

Former Roman Catholic priest Patrick Wall takes us inside the Diocese and explains the secrets and records so important to the Catholic priest abuse scandal.

Aug 12, 202145:16
Episode 10 - Dr. Richard Gearhart

Episode 10 - Dr. Richard Gearhart

CSUB economic professor Dr. Richard Gearhart predicts Biden will be a one term president and he has some predictions on the Gavin Newsom recall.

Aug 05, 202148:28
Episode 9 - Doc Victor

Episode 9 - Doc Victor

Doc Victor, founder of Summit Bible College, talks about being born Jewish, playing professional basketball and the moment he accepted Jesus in his life. And he also does a great Sinatra cover.

Jul 29, 202101:04:15
Episode 8 - Jeremy Adams

Episode 8 - Jeremy Adams

An award winning High School Teacher warns we are losing a generation of students to loneliness, isolation and disengagement.

Jul 24, 202101:17:31
Episode 7 - Alex Garcia

Episode 7 - Alex Garcia

Wasco Mayor Alex Garcia is under fire for suggesting the LGBTQ flag be flown over city hall and some fellow council members are demanding he resign over a recent DUI arrest. Is it a political witch hunt as he calls it? You decide.

Jul 12, 202136:35
Episode 6 - Bill Gentile

Episode 6 - Bill Gentile

Bill Gentile, Author of "Wait For Me, True Stories of War, Love and Rock & Roll," discusses the decade of war in Central America.

Jul 01, 202101:09:51
Episode 5 - Pastor Angelo Frazier

Episode 5 - Pastor Angelo Frazier

Pastor Angelo Frazier of Riverlakes Community Church sits down to talk woke culture, critical race theory and how society is dealing with the new norms.

Jun 24, 202146:00
Episode 4 - Joelle Casteix

Episode 4 - Joelle Casteix

We chat with Joelle Casteix, a prominent advocate for sexual abuse victims, about how communities react when a popular priest is accused of sexual abuse.

Jun 17, 202159:33
Episode 3 - Jeremy Adams

Episode 3 - Jeremy Adams

Bakersfield High School history and civics teacher Jeremy Adams helps us understand Critical Race Theory, an idea that has divided America.

Jun 10, 202101:07:37
Episode 2 - Carlos Baldovinos

Episode 2 - Carlos Baldovinos

Reminiscent of the “Hooverville” shanty towns of the 1930s, homeless camps are becoming larger and more permanent throughout Kern County. We talk to Mission of Kern County Director Carlos Baldovinos about what the next year will bring.

Jun 03, 202127:44
Episode 1 - Lois Henry

Episode 1 - Lois Henry

Lois Henry on water, drought and sinking farmland. Lois reviews her story in The New York Times on how land near Corcoran is sinking because of pulling too much water out of the ground. To read the story got to www.SJVWater.org

May 29, 202140:14