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1. OLIVIA GARCIA: Local teens step up to Devil Pups Challenge

   By Olivia Garcia

   Monday, May 21 2012 07:17 AM

   On Saturday, about 45 local teenagers participated in the 2012 Devil Pups Challenge in hopes of being selected as a finalist for an upcoming summer program that will take place at the Marine Corps Camp Pendleton base. The name "devil pups" is derived from "devil dog," a popular nickname for U.S. Marines today and a name once used by enemy troops to describe the Marines they were fighting in World War I.

   The name was given due to the Marines' "accomplishments on the battlefield and 'never give up' spirit," said Richard "Dick" Taylor, Kern County liaison representation for the local Devil Pups Inc.

   He organized the Bakersfield challenge, which he explained is not a Marine Corps boot camp but instead, part of the nonprofit Devil Pups. The Devil Pups targets youth, boys and girls between the ages of 14 to 17, who are selected to participate in its program that runs from July 19 to July 28 at Camp Pendleton near San Diego. While at the base, the youth learn about the values of leaderships, good citizenship, self-control, confidence, personal discipline, teamwork and respect for others, their family and their country, Taylor said.

   "Devil pups live in actual Marine Corps quarters, comply with hours and eat Marine Corps food," Taylor said, noting that the youth will also attend educational lectures. "They will be in contact with only Marines who have been screened and assigned as camp escorts as well as Devil Pups leadership staff. (The youth will) observe various military exercises depending on what training the Marines are having on a particular day."

   A graduation ceremony will be held July 28 at the base.

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2. Book opens up history of valley's farm labor struggles

   I recently finished reading "Dark Sweat, White Gold: California Farm Workers, Cotton, and the New Deal," by UCLA history professor Devra Weber, and I was reminded of the times I spent interviewing Spanish-speaking farmworkers and listening to their stories of struggles, dreams, fears and hopes.

3. OLIVIA GARCIA: Community responds in donations for Fremont track runners

   We often come across surveys -- on air, obesity, you name it -- that put Bakersfield to shame. Yet these observations cannot measure a community that gives unconditionally. Last month, I wrote about a group of Fremont School runners in serious need of uniforms and track shoes. The elementary school is a few blocks away from Union Avenue and East Brundage Lane and school staff mainly runs its PTA, which raises the funds for the school track team, because parental involvement is simply not there.

4. OLIVIA GARCIA: Elementary track coach starts drive for student running shoes

   Marcel Guerra is a young but energetic track coach and physical education activity leader for the Fremont School Magnet Program, which is tucked away in a working poor neighborhood a few blocks away from Union Avenue and East Brundage Lane.

5. Black History Month highlights need to have more conversations about race

   One of the most life-changing moments in my life occurred almost 20 years ago in a Dallas hotel, which was hosting a national newspaper association conference. I was about 22 years old, a junior at Fresno State and among a group of about 15 diverse college students from parts of the South, Midwest, East Coast and West Coast.

6. OLIVIA GARCIA: Nonprofit offers free tax help for eligible residents

   INCOME TAX: Tax season has arrived, and if you are still trying to make sense of the new rules or what information you need to file your return, there's help -- free help, especially if you make less than $50,000 a year. The nonprofit Mexican American Opportunity Foundation is currently scheduling appointments for individuals or families to process their tax returns at no charge. The free service is available only to those of low to moderate incomes, said Magda Menendez, MAOF administrator. The nonprofit is able to offer this service through its involvement with the Kern VITA Partnership, a coalition led by United Way of Kern County.

7. Rio Bravo Rumble offers lots of fun

   RIO BRAVO RUMBLE: I started my Saturday morning by attending the Rio Bravo Rumble, organized by Brian Monroe and Glinn & Giordano Physical Therapy. I have to say it is one of my favorite runs to do each year, and I'm not saying this because I have gone to Glinn & Giordano for physical therapy in the past and been pleased with its staff (great people there).

9. OLIVIA GARCIA: Honoring thy parents

   CHILDREN PRIDE: We often hear about the prideful parents bragging about their children's achievements. But did you know that many children are just as proud of their parents? Just recently, I heard from two local adult children praising their parents' for their hard work and dedication. James Garces, a student athlete at California State University, Bakersfield, sent me a nice note about his mother, Jerri Dawn Garces. She is a district manager for Starbucks Coffee Company and in charge of the Starbucks near Laval Road and I-5 at the base of the Grapevine, which happens to be one of the leading stores in net sales in the U.S., said the son.

10. OLIVIA GARCIA: Nonprofit group reaches at-risk youth

    A local nonprofit group is once again gearing up for its annual event that will treat foster care and at-risk youth with plenty of holiday love and spirit.

11. OLIVIA GARCIA: FBI agent to discuss crime affecting borders

    DRUG EXPERT: Laurencio "Larry" Brito, an FBI unit chief, will travel to Bakersfield Tuesday Nov. 1 where he is likely to discuss gangs, drugs and other crime affecting both sides of the border. Brito will serve as the keynote speaker of the annual the Fall Forum Luncheon and Administrator of the Year Award hosted by the nonprofit Kern County Law Enforcement Foundation.

12. OLIVIA GARCIA: Media music jam raises money for youth

    MEDIA MUSIC JAM: A couple of years ago, I was invited by my friend and fellow musician, Steve Flores, to participate in the Media Music Jam, a fundraiser that generated support for a high school band in east Bakersfield.

13. OLIVIA GARCIA: Professor, author discuss book on Chicano movement

    HISTORY FORUM: I recently spoke with Alicia Rodriquez, a history professor at Cal State Bakersfield, who shared news about the university's upcoming History Forum on "Blowout! Sal Castro and the Chicano Struggle for Educational Justice," that will feature Mario T. Garcia, a history and Chicano studies professor at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and Sal Castro, American educator and activist.

14. Youth running for the right reasons

    A while back, I wrote about Anthony Moronez, a local youth dedicated to running. I recently heard from his grandmother Sylvia Burciaga, who told me that Anthony traveled to New Orleans a few weeks ago and competed in the Junior Olympics for track. He placed first in the 1,500 meter, second in the 800 meter, third in the 3,000 meter and fourth in the relay.