Tehachapi's Online Community News & Entertainment Guide
Tehachapi's Online Community News & Entertainment Guide
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Our recent snow storm was unusual for several reasons: we seldom have a White Thanksgiving, so that in itself was remarkable, and three days of snow in a row is also a rare occurrence these days. But is it typical of Tehachapi winters? I'm glad you asked. . . Technically, December is more of an autumn month than a winter month, at least according to the calendar – winter doesn't officially start until December 21, meaning that December has 20 autumn days and only 11 winter days in it. In the T...
Public Safety Power Shutoffs: a topic swirling in controversy. There are many opinions about why they are necessary, whether they are necessary, whether they prevent fires, whether the power companies are profiting from these outages, or whether the safety outages are happening as fallout from PG&E filing for bankruptcy. According to many sources, it is indisputable that PG&E and the other electric utilities do bear responsibility for many of the wildfires which have plagued California in...
My parents used to own a store called Gil's Rock Shop on Tehachapi Boulevard (near the current location of Sheridan's Consignment). "The Rock Shop," as most locals called it, carried rocks and minerals, but also a variety of jewelry, fossils, lapidary tools and Indian artifacts. The store also had enormous vintage oil paintings of Western scenes hung high on the walls. The store was the dream of my Dad, Chet "Gil" Gilbertson, who was born in South Dakota and went to mining school in Minnesota...
Ever since I was a little kid, I've been interested in old objects and artifacts from earlier eras, especially if they were used in the Tehachapi Mountains. These are tangible remnants of our history, and though the people who once used them are gone and the places have changed, these humble items have traveled through time and are physical reminders of the past. I joined the Tehachapi Heritage League when I was 11 years old, when the museum was housed in the little old Chamber of Commerce...
"If you're wanting to see trains in Tehachapi or watch a train go around the Loop, don't try it on a Monday, or at least if you do wait until late in the afternoon – Monday is UP's designated minor maintenance day, and the tracks are often closed to rail traffic until the end of the workday." – Ed Gordon Ed is an extremely knowledgeable rail enthusiast and was for many years the helpful and informative owner of Trains Etc. on Tehachapi Boulevard....
Tehachapi Treasure Trove is planning a special First Friday on Oct. 4, as the store's downtown location will be celebrating seven years of making friends and fun, as well as art and of being a continuing major player in the Tehachapi art community. The Treasure Trove began as a nugget in the mind of Mel White with help from Sandy Thoman, and after a couple of exploratory meetings, Susanna Monette and Janet Meabon joined them in the planning and implementation of the new adventure. The initial...
Tehachapi continues to drive conversation in Kern County, especially among visitors and those that spend time in our community as a quick weekend getaway. The GranFondo, completed a few weeks back, was a great example. Over 1,000 riders, their supporters and community members flooded Downtown on an unseasonably warm September day to enjoy the festivities and the physical challenge. Many of these riders were returning to our community as they have made the ride an annual tradition. GranFondo,...
This crazy incident happened one winter in 1980, when I was in high school. One of my older brothers worked for my family's business, Ricker Motors (on Tehachapi Boulevard where Haddad Automotive is now). He went into B & B Liquors in the morning to get a soda and some kids in two cars asked him to buy them some beer. He thought that they were friends of mine, so he did – he bought them two cases of beer. They were actually from Arvin and I had no idea who they were. Then before lunch, a classma...
From Sea to Shining Sea; new Downtown Tehachapi Trucking Company moves goods across the United States If there were a road map to starting a small business in your home and transitioning into a major player in an industry, then K.M. Payton Trucking certainly fits that mold. The newest business residents of Downtown Tehachapi, K.M. Payton recently opened their new and first office at 118 S. Robinson Street. The business, founded by Mike and Kendra Payton, handles shipping of frozen seafood and...
The streets of downtown Tehachapi were bright with color after the 2019 Chalk on the Walk on Aug. 10. Artists of all ages began claiming their 4 by 4-foot section of sidewalk canvas along Tehachapi Boulevard and Green Street at 7:30 a.m. It didn't take long for beautiful art to appear. Judging began at 1 p.m. While some of the artists were new to Chalk on the Walk, others, like Best in Show winner Krista Link, have participated before. Krista was the 2018 TVAA Pick. TVAA says a big thank you to...
When Monica Nadon began her quest to bring Louisa May Alcott's "Little Women" to the TCT stage in 2006, she read through several adaptations to decide which one she would choose. The problem was, Nadon really wasn't happy with any one version. "None of them seemed to hold completely true to the novel's soul," said Nadon. "Much of the emotional depth you experienced in her novel, was simply missing. I wanted to highlight Alcott's amazing skill in showing how each 'little woman' morphed into her o...
A few weeks back I was asked to speak to a crowd at the Friends of the Depot meeting. They wanted me to tell them about riding the passenger trains that used to come through. Many folk say to me, "You rode trains?" Actually, it was very simple. Just walk a block from where I lived, enter the depot and buy a ticked. A polite man would hop off the passenger car with a step stool and a helping hand as I got aboard. Nothing to it. But now, it's a thing of the past except for AmTrack but they don't c...
Tehachapi has one of the prettiest downtown areas in Kern County, and it keeps getting more attractive, thanks to ongoing efforts by the City of Tehachapi and local business owners. There are pocket parks, landscaping, benches, vintage-style street lights, brickwork, top quality signage, tastefully painted buildings and more. There is an overall forward momentum, and a feeling that higher standards have been established. Both residents and visitors alike appreciate the welcoming and picturesque...
While the City of Tehachapi was watching the country attempting to pull itself from the Great Depression, which had begun with the 1930s, there was a new look appearing in the downtown section. Green Street was paved for the first time in 1936 and two former Tehachapi mayors, Louis Kanstein and Frank Baumgart, built a movie theater which they named after themselves! Bee for Baumgart and Kay for Kanstein. Local contractor Vince Ninteman, was the construction superintendent. The theater closed in...
What kind of weather can you expect in Tehachapi during each month? Here's a first look In the last issue of The Loop, I mentioned that I would give a little month-by-month look at weather in the Tehachapi Mountains. So this is the first installment of that monthly summary. Our weather is varied and over the years has often defied accurate prediction, but here's what you can reasonably expect from the first four months of the year. Bear in mind that Tehachapi weather is not always reasonable....
During World War II, the Marine Corps put an anti-aircraft gun in a field right by where the Tehachapi News office is today, near the corner of North Mill Street and Highway 58, though neither of those roads were there at that time. They figured that if the Japanese were going to attack the Marine Corps Base that was in Mojave then, they'd have to come through Tehachapi Pass. There was a crew stationed there with that gun all the time – they called it an "ack-ack gun" [for the phonetic a...
In 2012, the City of Tehachapi introduced a sponsorship program that allowed businesses, organizations, families or individuals to sponsor an American flag in downtown Tehachapi. The sponsorship program, known as the "Adopt-A-Flag" program, gives Tehachapi and its residents an opportunity to show off their pride and patriotism for America. The City has approximately 100 decorative light posts on Tehachapi Boulevard, Green Street, F Street, Curry, Robinson and the Mill Street corridor right off...
Mountain Tales are accounts and recollections of life in the Tehachapi Mountains, collected over decades by Jon Hammond. "I (Jim) started school in Tehachapi in 1932 when I was 7 years old. For awhile we lived up in Antelope Canyon at the old lime kiln camp, staying in the main cook shack. I joined the Navy when I was 17, and when I got out, I went to work for my friend Bud Lutge, who owned the Newhall Dairy. In 1953, Bud bought the Antelope Valley Dairy and my wife Teri and I moved to...
A dedication ceremony will be held in Centennial Plaza on Green Street to commemorate the installation of a series of plaques pointing out historical facts about Tehachapi. The dedication on Tuesday, May 7 at 11 a.m. will introduce the public to a short walking tour along Green Street that gives interesting facts about local history. The project is the result of a partnership between the Tehachapi Heritage League, Main Street Tehachapi and the City of Tehachapi. Research for the plaques was...
My favorite Tehachapi area back roads for you to explore I often get asked to recommend pleasant drives for people who are newer to the area and I'm happy to do so, since the Tehachapi Mountains have an assortment of picturesque country roads that wind their way through the foothills, valleys, canyons and mountains of this California range. These two-lane back roads are relics from an earlier time – some were even dirt roads for horses and wagons before the arrival of autos and asphalt. S...
Sometimes when writing about people I find myself including little vignettes from their past; interesting little pieces that give a glimpse into a person's life as they lived it. Beth and Tony Anthony were childhood acquaintances. They dated all through high school and also after graduation. He graduated in 1946 and she, in 1947. Both were honor students. They were to marry in 1952 and Tony, a member of the U.S. Army at that time, would be shipped to Germany just one week after their wedding....
Kieffe and Sons Ford dealership is closing its doors on its two locations in Mojave and Rosamond after 59 years in business in Kern County, according to Owner Rick Kieffe. He confirmed the rumor going around that the iconic and longstanding dealership that has been selling cars and trucks for 59 years is in fact closing for good. He stated the cause by simply saying "the Future has arrived." By that he explained that the modern means of purchasing automobiles has changed so drastically that the...
It is important both in our personal and professional lives to really focus on what matters. Often we're distracted with the imperfections around us, the bumps in the road, the details of the journey, that we forget about the moments, the defining moments that make us, that make our community. In our personal lives those moments could be things like our first day of school, our first car, first job. Graduating high school, leaving for college, marriage; all these moments woven together provide...
The Treasure Trove is having a mini Renaissance Celebration on November's First Friday. Renaissance clothing is encouraged, but definitely not required. Enjoy period arts and crafts including brooms, wands, woodwork, jewelry, pottery and more. Get a Henna tattoo by Catherine. Listen to Music by the Celtic Band, "Mayde in Ireland" and also music by Art Larson on clarinet. Taste a bite of food along with a nip of cider, mead or wine. Enjoy the company of friends and artists. Say "Hello" to Karen...
Who will sit on the City Council after Nov. 6? Malibu attorney Kevin Shenkman accomplished what he set out to do when he sent a letter to the Tehachapi City Council demanding that it slice up the city into electoral districts to balance a supposed racial and ethnic inequality in voting. The City Council, fearing a multi-million-dollar lawsuit if they refused, said OK, we'll do it. They decided to jettison the at-large election system and hired a consultant to divide the city into voting blocs. T...
