Spoke Corespondent Profile:

Ashley Vorhees

Ashley Vorhees is the Executive Director for Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Kern County. A native to Kern County, Ashley graduated from Cal State, Bakersfield where she earned her BA in Communications. Go Runners! Ashley is an active Rotarian of the Bakersfield Downtown Rotary Club and volunteers in other capacities as she understands the power of giving back. She is inspired daily by her two children, Grace and Noah. In her free time, Ashley likes to take up a good novel, golf and travel.

Greeter: Jordan Kaufman

Invocation: Jerry Fliger

Song: Jeff Gutierrez

Roving Mic: Ivan Carrasco

Guests:

• Robert Hunt and Maria Ramirez (Mike McCoy)
• Sandro Davalos and Mike Allen (Patrick Beck)
• Leslie Friend (Jim Damian)
• Gary Allen (Jason Cater)
• Dr. Sindhuja Pavuluru (Toni Harper)

Good News & Announcements:

Shellena shared that Bakersfield resident Kevin Reeve is a potential contender for the 2028 Los Angeles Paralympic Games in fencing. To support his journey, the Kern Athletic Fencing Foundation will host its annual gala, Parry on the Pacific, on September 12. For more information, visit kernaff.org/2026-gala/.

• Ken Carter proudly announced that he recently became a grandfather. Congratulations, Ken!

• Jerene Battisti shared that The Bargain Box was voted Best Thrift Store in Kern County. Congratulations on this well-deserved recognition!

• Clinton Trimmer reported that the Donut Day fundraiser raised approximately $5,000 through the sale of 124 dozen donuts. Thank you to the Kern County community for its incredible support!

• Nik Boone shared that he was honored with the Business Person of the Year award at the Beautiful Bakersfield Awards. Congratulations, Nik, on this outstanding achievement!

DEMOTION DAY THIS THURSDAY

Auction Fund Raiser- Bring your checkbooks!

• Kristen Watson reminded everyone that this Thursday is Jeff’s demotion at Luigi’s. They are still collecting auction items, so if you have something to donate, contact Kristen.

President Jeff cleaned out his garage and is putting the following items up for auction:

Tandam bike ride with Jeff- then you have to store a bike you'll never ride again in YOUR garage. Other crap Jeff will be auctioning:

Program:

Rotarian Jason Cater, Economic & Community Development Manager for the City of Bakersfield, provided an insightful update on the city's growth, economic development efforts, and vision for the future. Jason highlighted Bakersfield's remarkable growth over the past four decades, noting that the city has expanded from approximately 105,000 residents in 1980 to more than 423,000 today, making it the ninth-largest city in California and among the top 50 largest cities in the nation.

While acknowledging challenges facing Kern County's traditional industries, including agriculture and oil and gas, Jason emphasized the resilience and optimism that continue to define Bakersfield. He pointed to the city's affordability, available land, strong workforce, and quality of life as competitive advantages that position Bakersfield for continued growth and investment.

Jason also shared several exciting economic development projects underway, including California Dairies' major investment in a state-of-the-art processing facility that could eventually become the largest of its kind in the world. He discussed emerging opportunities in healthcare innovation through planned clinical research operations, as well as the development potential of the 1,600-acre Rosedale Ranch industrial site. Looking ahead, the City is focusing on attracting new businesses, supporting workforce development, expanding manufacturing and logistics opportunities, and strengthening Bakersfield's role as a leader in agriculture, energy, and innovation.

The presentation concluded with a message of confidence in Bakersfield's future—one that honors the community's heritage while embracing new opportunities for economic growth, investment, and prosperity.