A Celebration of Life is being planned for the man who was Bakersfield’s 25th mayor and its biggest cheerleader. Hall Ambulance spokesman Mark Corum says four-term mayor Harvey Hall worked for nine years to make a good impression on people as they drove through the city in his Keep Bakersfield Beautiful campaign, and was out with volunteers every Saturday morning cleaning trash from the freeway ramps. Hall also mentored local youth and fought to end chronic homelessness, and his work in the EMT community won national acclaim. Hall was also known for his colorful suits that were donned at nearly every occasion. Corum says Hall was surrounded by his “loving family and three dogs” when he died of a “sudden and untreatable” illness early today at 77.

Suzanne Grant