Serving the community since 1922
Serving the community since 1922
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Gilroy's city administrator is the City Council's selection as the next Shafter city manager. The 4-1 vote Tuesday night ended a four-month search after the controversial resignation of Scott Hurlbert. Gabriel Gonzalez has 15 years of experience in the city manager role for three other cities, including Arvin and Mendota, and is excited to come to Shafter. "Even when I was in Arvin, when John Guinn was the city manager for Shafter, I could tell that the city was growing and...
The Shafter High winter sports teams had several of squads make the post-season, with the Shafter boys varsity soccer team making their way into the Valley Championship Division IV game at Garces High School. After receiving a bye in the first round, the Generals, seeded No. 3 in the tournament, beat sixth- seeded Lindsay, 4-3, to reach the semifinals. In that game, Shafter went up against a Woodlake team that had upset second-seeded Chowchilla. The Generals had no trouble in...
Scenes from the 2020 Colours arts festival. Photos by Jamie Stewart of The Shafter Press...
A 6-year-old boy died in rollover accident in Shafter on Friday afternoon. Jaden Jimenez was airlifted from the scene and later succumbed to his injuries. The two other occupants of the car, including the driver, had not been identified as of Tuesday night. At about 3:30 p.m., the Shafter Police Department was dispatched to the mishap in the 30000 block of West Tulare Avenue. Upon arrival, the officers found three occupants in the vehicle . Police said the vehicle left the roa...
New pastor Steve Dobbs and his wife, Robyn, have found a "place to belong" in Shafter and believe it to be a perfect fit. Since August 4, Dobbs has held church services at the Shafter Senior Center Sundays at 11 a.m. The church, Community Circle Church, has grown a congregation of around 30 parishioners by drawing those in the community that are looking for a place to belong. "We really believe it is important to feel a sense of belonging before you believe," said Dobbs. The...
It's showtime as the 2020 Shafter Colours Festival begins this weekend, kicking off with the Spaghetti Dinner put on by the Shafter Community Chest. The event is from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Shafter Veterans Hall. There will be live music at the venue as you dine or you can elect to get your meals to go. Thursday is also opening night for Larry Starrh's new creation, "The Big Secret," a play filled with toe-tapping music and plenty to think about. For fans of the days of...
The California Air Resources Board held a meeting on Feb. 13 at the Shafter Veterans Hall to vote on the proposed Community Emissions Reduction Program for the city of Shafter. The AB617 Steering Committee has been working on the program for the past year. The committee has met 17 times to create a plan that would reduce emissions in a seven-mile radius around the city. The committee was created by the San Joaquin Valley Air District and CARB with the passing of Assembly Bill...
Gilroy’s city administrator is the City Council’s selection as the next Shafter city manager. The 4-1 vote Tuesday night ended a four-month search after the controversial resignation of Scott Hurlbert. Gabriel Gonzalez has 15 years of experience in the city manager role for three other cities, including Arvin and Mendota, and is excited to come to Shafter. “Even when I was in Arvin, when John Guinn was the city manager for Shafter, I could tell that the city was growing and w...
Typically, alcohol comes to mind when thinking about a liquor store. But Los Amigos Liquor has much more than beer, wine and spirits. The store carries the usual alcohol selections, including "the coldest beer in town," as is boasted on their storefront. However, they also carry a variety of grocery items, with staples like bread, cold cuts, milk and coffee, as well as health and beauty products and party supplies. Store owner Bharpur Singh Brar opened the store in 2005. Brar...
The Shafter Colours Festival is taking place later this month, hosting a variety of mediums, including music, theater, an art gallery and tours of the historic museums in town. The festival also brings back the golden era of movies, before dialogue was an option at the cinema. Then, the story was told through physical actions, facial expressions and the accompanied organ music that set the tone for the movie and did an important part in telling the story. The festival will...
The Shafter PRess"The Big Secret" will be coming to Shafter later this month. No, the "secret" is not that Shafter is full of talented individuals – that secret has been out ever since a group of Shafter residents decided to celebrate the arts with an annual weekend festival. The secret that is coming is the latest play by Shafter resident, farmer and playwright Larry Starrh. The play will lead off this year's Colours Festival at Shafter's Ford Theater Feb. 20-23. All performa...
Have you ever wondered who is responsible for all of the work that is being done on the city's streets, as well as the sidewalks and buildings in town? The answer is the Shafter Public Works Department. Director Michael James and his department are responsible for all of the infrastructure in the city, guided by the recommendations of the City Council. The latest example of their work is the major project just finishing up on James Street. The road was repaved, as well as...
It has been over 60 years that Arly's Appliance first opened their doors for business, and today they are still the go-to repair men when it comes to appliances and small motors Back in 1959, Arly Feil moved to Shafter and worked for Witham's. Arly would spend his spare time servicing his neighbors and other customers in the Shafter and Wasco area. He finally asked his bosses if he could work in Bakersfield three days a week and spend two days a week servicing the Shafter/Wasc...
Photos by Jamie Stewart | The Shafter Press...
The Shafter Generals winter sports teams are having a great season as a school, with both boys and girls basketball and soccer teams at or near the top of their league standings. The varsity boys basketball team has a 17-7 overall record, with a 6-2 record in the SSL. The Generals have dominated the majority of their league opponents, with wins of 20 or more points in all but three of their games. Their only two league losses have been to Chavez High School, with a...
The Shafter High School Booster Club held their annual Reverse Drawing and Dinner on Saturday night, raising funds that will benefit the Athletic Department at Shafter High School. Headed by Brian Feaster, athletic director at the school, and Mindy Sanchez, the event drew a crowd eager for a chance at some big money. The evening kicked off with a social hour complete with a bar. Attendees mingled and viewed the different auction items up for bid. The silent auction portion...
Giovannis Italian Eatery has been a part of the Shafter landscape for decades, and the restaurant didn't miss a beat after the change of ownership when Noy Soutchay took over the business started by Ralph and Anne Fruguglietti in 1986. Giovanni's was known for its pizza, calzones, pasta and its house-made bread with balsamic dressing. About eight years ago, Soutchay decided that she would take a leap and try adding a few Thai dishes to the menu. Soutchay's husband's family...
The Shafter Rotary Club held its annual Bingo Night last week at the Shafter Veterans Hall. The event is one of the main fundraisers of the year, drawing a crowd to compete for prizes donated by a variety of local businesses. There were several gift baskets put together for the event, such as a movie night package and a city of Shafter basket with several Shafter-themed items. Rolland Van De Valk was the bingo caller for the evening, providing a great deal of hilarity. Food...
The City Council are in the final stages of hiring a new city manager. They met in closed session after Tuesday's regular meeting on negotiations with a candidate for the position left open after Scott Hurlbert's controversial resignation last year. A special council meeting had been held last week, with the purpose of a second round of interviews with candidates for the position. At this week's meeting, agenda items for a closed session included "Public Employee Appointment"...
The City Council are in the final stages of hiring a new city manager. They met in closed session after Tuesday's regular meeting on negotiations with a candidate for the position left open after Scott Hurlbert's controversial resignation last year. A special council meeting had been held last week, with the purpose of a second round of interviews with candidates for the position. At this week's meeting, agenda items for a closed session included "Public Employee Appointment"...
Each year at the Shafter Chamber of Commerce Community Service Awards Banquet, the State of the City Address is given. This speech gives highlights of the previous year and tells of the projects that the city has planned and the progress that it has made. The address was given by Shafter Mayor Gilbert Alvarado, and is presented here: Good evening. Congratulations to all who are being honored tonight. Because of you and all the good people of Shafter, the state of our city is...
The Shafter Chamber of Commerce held their annual Community Awards Banquet for the 72nd year last Thursday night, honoring those in our community who have made an impact. Nominees are selected for their contributions in the past year or their lifetime contributions to the city. Debbie Haley was the mistress of ceremonies for the event, which was held for the second year at Shafter's Ford Theater. The evening began with a silent auction and social hour. Gift baskets up for bid...
The cafeteria staff at Redwood Elementary School and Richland Junior High were recognized recently for their efforts in helping clean the environment with a Special Recycle Award from the Shafter Chamber of Commerce. Long gone are the days of seeing a trash can full of uneaten food, bound for the local landfill. With regulations and requirements being imposed by the state, schools are being challenged to find ways to clean up and reduce their waste, especially organics that...
There is always a lot of news about the actions of the Shafter City Council, the governing body of the city. Comparatively little is heard about the operating of the city behind the scenes when it comes to the inner workings of planning and developing. The Shafter Planning Department is responsible for the land use of the city, and making sure it adheres to the city’s General Plan. The General Plan includes the maps for Shafter, with areas zoned residential, commercial and i...
City residents voiced concerns about the hiring process for a new city manager at a special meeting of the City Council Tuesday morning – then the council went into closed session to interview seven candidates for the job. The day began at 7:30 a.m. with the special council meeting at City Hall. Residents were given a chance to voice any concerns they may have had. It was then on to Closed Session where the Council interviewed seven candidates for the position of City Manager....
