Back to Bakersfield
Gold’s article was one of the more interesting, not to mention sympathetic, articles I have read about Bakersfield in some time. Unfortunately, there were some gaffes.
He described driving to Bakersfield: “You bear left toward California 99 as it splits off the 5--which shoots you through Arvin and Pumpkin Center into town.” I would like to point out that 99 doesn’t go anywhere near Arvin and only skirts Pumpkin Center.
This is the first time I have heard that the owner of the Padre Hotel was protesting “threatened downtown redevelopment.” Actually, he started out protesting city demands that he bring his hotel up to modern fire standards.
The writer stated: “Around the train station lies one of Bakersfield’s oldest neighborhoods.” He neglected to mention that he was referring to the old Southern Pacific station in East Bakersfield, while the map accompanying the article pinpointed the Amtrak train station in downtown Bakersfield.
JOHN SWEETSER
Bakersfield
Jonathan Gold replies: I should have written that the 99 run s past Arvin and Pumpkin Center, not through them . The map should not have pinpointed the Amtrak station.
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