Serving the community since 1922
Serving the community since 1922
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Shafter Police veteran officer Eric Diaz has been named the department's new community service officer. The City Council approved a resolution a few months ago to add the new position. He has five years experience with the department and is eager to begin this new venture into the community, making the connection between the Shafter Police Department and the community at large stronger. Chief Kevin Zimmermann believes that Diaz is uniquely qualified for this position because...
The City of Shafter closed its offices to the public last week and they stay closed with no end date on the policy. There have been a few updates on their policies as the virus situation has evolved. The city announced this week that they have closed all restrooms at the parks in the city for the health and safety of the residents. They also are recommending not using the playground equipment at the parks in town. If you do go to the parks, they are recommending you bring...
Funeral homes in Shafter have seen a change in services offered due to the current COVID-19 situation and the precautions recommended. Basham & Lara Funeral Care still is serving the community while modifying some of their practices to align with the recent policies recommended by the Public Health Department and the federal Centers for Disease Control. Kevin Lara, one of the partners of the facility, said the virus has not affected their business financially, just the service...
Due to the COVID-19 virus pandemic that Shafter and the rest of the country are facing, Toni Frantz of the Distinguished Young Women of Shafter program has announced a postponing of the program that had been scheduled for Friday, March 20. “After weighing the options and going back and forth, we are postponing the DYW program,” she said Monday. Frantz said they are following state and local guidelines and will be rescheduling the program in May or June. “We are working on finalizing a future date.” For over 45 years in Shaf...
In a special meeting held on Tuesday night, the Shafter City Council unanimously ratified a declaration of a local state of emergency as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. The action's main goals, according to new City Manager Gabriel Gonzalez, are to allow him, in the position he began just that day, to activate and direct the efforts of the city's emergency response and to coordinate efforts with other agencies and partners with responsibilities for the health and safety...
Kern County Superintendent of Schools Mary Barlow announced that all public schools in Kern County will be closed beginning Wednesday, March 18, following recommendations of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Kern County Public Health Department. Shafter High Shafter High Principal Russell Shipley said that the move makes sense and is the best action to keep our students and staff safe and healthy. "This is something that we have never had to deal with before, but...
All of the spring sports in Kern County High Schools have been suspended at least until April 14. The California Interscholastic Federation says that there is still a possibility of the sports programs saving the remainder of their seasons if it is deemed safe to do so according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and the Kern County Public Health Department. Principal Russell Shipley said that they are still waiting on word from the CIF of any updates to the situation....
With the schools, libraries, Learning Center and the majority of gatherings being cancelled, restaurants in Shafter are still open for business. There have been a few modifications, as the fast food restaurants, including McDonalds (bottom), Taco Bell (top) and Del Taco, have closed their dining areas and have only their drive-thrus open. This situation is a fluid one, as is the majority of the circumstances in town are, and will be updated weekly....
Shafter High School recognized their Students of the Month recently, with those students named receiving a free lunch and bumper sticker for their vehicles. For a select few, out of this list, they are chosen to be on the Principal's List, which entitles them to a special lunch with Principal Russell Shipley. Students are nominated by their respective teachers who have noticed the students display outstanding work and work ethic for that month. Students who were selected are...
The risk of exposure to the coronavirus, or COVID-19, has closed the vast majority of schools, offices and businesses in town. The Kern County Superintendent of Schools Mary C. Barlow released a statement saying that they were following the recommendations of the Kern County Office of Public Health and are recommending the temporary closures of all county schools as officials continue to step up the fight against the spread of the disease. This applies to all public schools,...
Consumers in Shafter have made it difficult to find staples that are normally readily available. With the residents' growing concern over the COVID-19 pandemic, local stores are working to keep shelves stocked. A trip to Apple Market found no regular bread on the shelves, leaving only some packages of buns and rolls. It was the same result in the aisles containing cases of water. There were no cases of water left, just a very few single bottles available. One customer, Maria...
The risk of exposure to the coronavirus, or Covid-19, has closed the vast majority of schools, offices and businesses in town. The Kern County Superintendent of Schools Mary C. Barlow released a statement saying that they were following the recommendations of the Kern County Office of Public Health and are recommending the temporary closures of all county schools as officials continue to step up the fight against the spread of the disease. This applies to all public schools,...
The annual Distinguished Young Woman competition is nearing, with Shafter ready to name a new representative that will compete at the state competition in Bakersfield in July. Kristen McGuire will present her title to the new winner on Friday, March 20, at the Fred Starrh Performing Arts Center at Shafter High School. This year, the program has 14 participants looking to grab the title. The Distinguished Young Woman program, originally the Junior Miss program, is the oldest...
Amanda Kirschenmann was wanting something to do about three years ago, recently relocating from the Santa Cruz area with her husband, Elliot. She noticed that there was some ground at her place and wanted to plant something in it. She read an article about sweet peas and thought, "I would love to do that!" She researched a bit and that first year was a "learn on the job" experience. She ended up with some beautiful flowers, and she decided that it was something that she would...
Captain Diana Burnett of the Shafter Police Department was honored by the Kern Council of Governments with this year's Richard A. Maxwell Public Safety Award. Burnett has been with the Shafter Police Department for over 27 years and has blazed the way for women in the department with a host of firsst to her credit. The Kern Council of Governments recently held their annual regional awards event at the Seven Oaks Country Club in Bakersfield. Burnett was the first Shafter Police...
Hitchcock's has been serving the residents of Shafter and all of Kern County for over 96 years, and according to owner Jesse Escobedo, the business is going strong and will have no problem getting to its centennial celebraton. "Business is really good right now," Escobedo said recently. In addition to his loyal customers, there's plenty of individuals who saw their grandparents shop in Hitchcock's through the years. "Yeah, it seems funny when I have a customer who will tell...
For those who were wondering about the heavy police presence on Saturday in Shafter, it was due to a probation compliance check on local probationers and parolees. The operation was a result of a concerted effort between over 50 officers and deputies from seven different law enforcement agencies in Kern County. In addition to the Shafter Police Department, there were officers from the Ridgecrest Police Department, Kern County Sheriff's Department, Delano Police Department,...
The Shafter City Council approved $15,000 to have a security company patrol the city’s parks at night. Concerns had been raised recently about the traffic that has been seen in the local parks, especially in the restrooms. There have been reports of illegal activity going on as well as people staying in the restrooms overnight. Public Works Director Michael James said that the job of locking up the bathrooms at night, which close at 10 p.m., had been bounced about through the...
The Shafter High Lady Generals softball team opened their season with a tournament championship on their own turf, defeating the Chavez Titans in the Shafter Slugfest's title game, 8-3. The tournament, held Wednesday through Saturday last week, attracted eight teams divided into two pools, playing a round-robin system, with each team facing the other three teams in their pool. The top team in each pool played for the championship. The Lady Generals were joined in their pool by...
The Shafter Symphony, led by conductor Stephen Penner, performed for audiences throughout the weekend with the final events of this year's Colours festival, with concerta that took listeners from Mozart to Beethoven. Saturday evening, Penner acknowledged Concertmaster Julia L. Haney, and the concert began. The ensemble is made up of several local players in around Shafter and Kern County, and has played at the last few Colours Festivals, featuring everything from Hollywood...
Golden Oak Elementary School was the site for their annual Father/Daughter Dance on Friday night, with over 100 fathers and daughters in attendance. The couples came decked out in their best party wear for a bonding opportunity that included dinner and some great music on the dance floor. According to Principal Annemarie Mendez, this was one of the most popular events of the school year. "We held the Mother/Son Dance for the first time last year, but the Father/Daughter Dance...
Acting City Manager Jim Zervis has submitted his resignation, effective Friday, March 13. Zervis has been in this position since the resignation of former City Manager Scott Hurlbert in August. He reportedly has taken the job of chief operations officer with the County of Kern. The administrative services director for the city since 2011, Zervis was responsible for accounting, financial management and reporting, investing, risk management, banking and various administrative...
The music was the star at the event at Shafter Veterans Hall on Friday night as part of the Shafter Colours Festival. Several local singers put their talents on display at the Live Music Night. There was some great music in addition to good food and drink. One singer of note was Shafter boy Devon Ford, who was playing one of his last local performances. Ford is moving up into the mountains, limiting his performance schedule in the area. Ford sprinkled his playlist with a...
Larry Starrh's newest production, "The Big Secret," took center stage at the Shafter Colours Festival and drew sellouts for the tale of a poor farmer and his family. The play was full of lively music that paired up with the story that made you think as well as enjoy the acting and music. The production was directed by Brent Starrh. Starrh has a bachelor's degree in theater arts from Westmont College and put his knowledge to good use with a play that blended intricate musical...
Mannel Park was the site for a variety of activities during the 2020 Shafter Colours Festival this past Saturday. Even the appearance of rain couldn't dampen the spirits of the participants and the crowd that enjoyed the festivities. The morning started just down the street from Mannel Park with the Shafter Colours Fun Run/Walk. This event has been one of the most popular of the festival since its inception, with the participants running or walking a course of stations in...
