Summary of our last meeting

Greeters this warm Wednesday morning were Jacque Alexander and Erick Bautista. Stephanie Baker delivered the invocation, Willie Gordon handled the Flag Salute, and Denise Haynes led Take Me Out to the Ballgame in honor of baseball’s mid‑season mark. We continue to send well wishes to Carol Smith as she recovers from her fall.

We welcomed guest Dr. Adam Kline, introduced by Charmene Vega, after a Rotary‑pin‑sparked conversation at a Farmers Market. No visiting Rotarians were present.

Guest Speaker – Captain Destiny Tafoya, CHP Area Commander

Introduced by Pete Leveroni, Captain Destiny Tafoya shared her journey from corporate controller to CHP officer at age 30. Her career has taken her through Santa Fe Springs, Indio, Modesto, and Sonora before arriving in Bakersfield. She highlighted the challenges women face entering CHP due to the six‑month live‑in academy, but emphasized their strong communication skills and excellent performance once in the field. Women make up 5% of CHP statewide, including 3 Captains and 22 officers above that rank.

Locally, 102 officers serve Bakersfield. She outlined CHP’s three pillars:

Enforcement: DUI checkpoints, Maximum Enforcement Periods, and increased staffing contributing to a 25% rise in DUI arrests (1,427 so far in 2026) but a 23.25% decrease in DUI fatalities.
Education: Designated Driver program, Start Smart, car seat safety, CHiPs for Kids, Special Olympics, senior volunteers, and Explorers (who supported Thousand Flags).
Engineering: Collaboration with road departments, school bus driver testing (Bakersfield has 1,600, the largest in CA), tow truck inspections, and safety programs including the Alert system and High‑Speed Rail.

She also noted an ongoing study on THC impairment (“Yes, we actually give people marijuana on purpose”). CHP has issued 19,908 citations this year, a 5% increase. She closed by recognizing Officer Black, who earned the Medal of Honor for stopping an out‑of‑control DUI driver at a checkpoint.

President Sandra thanked Captain Tafoya with a mug, chocolates, and a Polio Plus donation.

Club Business & Service

President Sandra praised Temo Lopez for “the best newsletter ever” and reminded members of the Pet Food Pantry service project. She announced November 7 as the first San Miguel Grove clean‑up day and shared photos from the June Aspiranet project, where Donna Schwartz, Marti Sanders, and Denise Haynes assembled six full baskets for foster youth transitioning to independent living. A postcard arrived from Past President Kay Pitts, writing from Fort Worth.

Celebrations

Kristine Hertin – Birthday (celebrating in Italy)
Sally & Brett Selby – 40 years
Tony & Cheryl Castiglione – 32 years
William & Nicole Gordon – 5 or 6 years

Happy Dollars

Jackie Maxwell: $80 happy for her Alaska trip and a custom chocolate bar for Sandra.
Denise Haynes: $10 happy for attending the Dodgers’ July 4th game + $5 self‑fine for forgetting her Rotary pin.
Ron Nelms: $16 happy for his new 16‑ft trailer + $5 per tire, returning from travels through Idaho, Oregon, and the Tetons.
Brian Wooster: $100 happy for a major new contract, a new office location, and hiring two new techs (including one female).

Looking Ahead

Next week’s speaker: Kern County Sheriff Donny Youngblood.

50/50 Winner: Jennifer Henry, ticket #1075613.