WOFFORD HEIGHTS, Calif. — The stage was set at the Elks Lodge in Wofford Heights for a piping hot race for the Mayor of Whiskey Flat.
The Mayoral Race kicked off on Friday and the Elks Lodge and is a tradition that dates back to the first Whiskey Flat Days 67 years ago
The first candidate is River Rat Ryan, a rapscallion running from the law - and for Mayor.
The race serves as a fundraiser for the both Kernville Chamber of Commerce and a local organization chosen by the candidates.
“I am running for mayor to help raise funds for the Probation Auxiliary County of Kern. We support at-risk-youth in Kern County,” said River Rate Ryan, “All the funds that we raise are going to help our boys at Camp Owen and other at-risk-youth around Kern County”
Some mayoral candidates are running as characters they’ve created.
“So glad to accept your nomination as Mayor,” said a confused Mad Miner Zuber, who is on the ticket with Powder Packin’ Powers.
“You see he’s got a touch of the mercury muddles,” Powers added in explanation of his colleagues' frenzied disposition.
Now until Whiskey Flat Days, candidates will be collecting “Bribes” which function as donations.
“Each bribe is a dollar and each bribe is a raffle ticket for a shopping spree in the Kern River Valley. In addition to that, each campaign can run their own raffles, their own Go-Fund-Me’s. There are a few different ways we are raising money,” Powers said.
The sales of these bribes will go partially to the Kernville Chamber of Commerce and partially to the charitable organization the candidate has chosen.
Powers and Zuber are raising money for Powers’ non-profit Sierra Shared Spaces, which aims to build a community hub in Lake Isabella.
“This community hub is going to have event space, office space, it’s going to have ongoing programming to help jobs and to build more community within the town of Lake Isabella. The idea is to create a new way of economic development in our rural community,” said Powers.
The final Mayoral Candidate is Robert Gomez, Chairman of the Tübatulabal Tribe.
“The reason we are raising money is for our operational costs in terms of getting our land situation straightened out,” Gomez said.
Gomez is referencing the roughly 1,200 acres of land the Tübatulabal Tribe took ownership of in August of 2023. During his speech he talked about his goals for the land as an educational and communal space, but said the tribe first needs to assess the land.
River Rat Ryan and Deputy Doug are holding their first fundraiser breakfast Sunday January 14th, which is a ten dollar breakfast at the Elk Lodge. For powers and Zuber you can follow their Facebook page for fundraising events.
You can donate directly to the Tübatulabal tribe on their website Tubatulabal.org.
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