Serving the community since 1922
Serving the community since 1922
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The latest in the Shafter Library and Learning Center's ongoing series of author appearances, featuring Saida Woolf, was a standing-room-only event. Woolf is a 19-year-old writer and graphic artist from Tehachapi. She began working on her book, "Soulstream," as a sophomore in high school. She finished it during her senior year, signed a contract with graphic novel publisher Scout Comics, and then took a year off so she could promote the book. In September 2022, she began attending San Jose...
A Shafter man was arrested when a simple traffic stop turned into more serious charges when a weapon was found in the vehicle. Kern County Sheriff's deputies stopped the man, later identified as Alexis Garcia, 22, of Shafter, at the intersection of Poso Drive and F Street on Monday night. Deputies suspected that Garcia was driving under the influence. Upon investigating, the officers found a loaded assault rifle and ammunition in the vehicle. After the traffic stop, deputies served a search...
Everyone who has lived in Shafter for any length of time knows about the man who had a real train on his property. Kids growing up would marvel at the machine as it chugged along through his orchard. Merrill Lehman passed away recently, leaving a large footprint in the history of Shafter. Lehman graduated from Delano High School and went to Fresno State University, where he studied agronomy. Armed with his degree, Lehman worked as an agronomist for the USDA Cotton Research Station for decades....
For fans of "The Man in Black," a treat is coming to Shafter on Saturday, Jan. 21, at 6 p.m., when James Garner and his band, The Tennessee Three, will be bringing a tribute show to Shafter's Ford Theater. Garner has been performing his tribute to Johnny Cash for the past 15 years. In the many positive reviews of the show, it is said that Garner and his band faithfully recreate the "boom-chick-a-boom" sound that was pioneered by artists such as Cash, Luther Perkins and Marshal Grant in the...
It has been a few years since the city of Shafter has been the site of the Colours Festival, which had been an annual event for a few years before that. The event, which started out very small, had grown to draw attendees and artists throughout the county and beyond, drawing nationally renowned artists to some of the events. Well, I just loved attending the events at the festival, from the art gallery, the coffee house music, the Shafter Symphony – all of the events were great. I don’t thi...
Golden Oak Elementary students returned from Christmas break with renewed enthusiasm and eager to learn. The school began the new quarter by recognizing scholars who excelled in achievement and attendance for the second quarter. They had 176 students in the 3rd through 6th grades who earned Honor Roll for the second quarter. Honor Roll is achieved by earning a 3.0 or higher GPA for the quarter. Those students who earned a 4.0 or higher were named to the Principal's Honor Roll. Those students...
The Wonderful Company has a new tenant for a million-square-foot commercial building at the Wonderful Industrial Park off of 7th Standard Road. The company's official announcement did not identify the new tenant, but, according to a real estate insider, it will be national retailer J.M. Smucker Co., which is known for fruit preserves and other food products. The source, who was not authorized to talk about the project, said the company is expected to begin operation in the first quarter of...
There is a new mayor in town and his name is Chad Givens. Givens has been on the City Council for the last five years, getting into local government to help better understand how the city runs and how it addresses residents' needs and voices. At an interview this week, he emphasized that economic development will be crucial to the city's growth and sustainability over the next 10-15 years. "The methods and logistics of how and where people shop has changed, the market and industries for this...
This is the second half of the 2022 Shafter year in review. The first part ran last week, and is available online at TheShafterPress.com The second half of 2022 was an eventful one in Shafter, with a historic playoff run by the Shafter Generals football team, a general election that ended with a new member on the City Council, and the return of July 3 Fireworks Show, put on by the Shafter Chamber of Commerce. New businesses opened in Shafter, too, including the first Starbucks location, as well...
The Sequoia Bears students had a very busy week before Christmas break, taking part in a number of fun activities, as well as teaming up to send the Shafter Generals off in style on their way to Orland for the State Championship game. Sequoia students worked hard making signs and posters wishing the Generals good luck as they took off for their long trip up north. The students lined the bus driveway, cheering and showing their Shafter pride with signs of encouragement. "This was a lot of fun. I...
Charlotte White, a local artist who has works in several buildings in Shafter, has two new pieces hanging at the Tin Cup. She created a painting of a field of grape workers in action, invited by the supervisor to watch them working so she could capture their images in paint. White has a vast experience of different mediums of painting and drawing, including oils, acrylic and watercolor, as well as charcoal drawings. In her most recent pieces, she gathered issues of The Shafter Press and painted...
The Shafter Police Department made two arrests in the last week involving drugs and weapons. On New Year's Eve at 11:03 p.m, a Police Department officer made a traffic stop in the 300 block of Jackson Avenue for a vehicle code violation. A search of the vehicle was conducted and two loaded firearms were found inside the vehicle, along with narcotics for sale. The occupants of the vehicle, Jesus Quintero, 24, of Wasco, Jose Sainz Camacho, 29, of Bakersfield, Priscilla Martinez, 33, of Lost...
There seems to be a light at the end of a long tunnel, the tunnel being the conflict that has been going between the city of Wasco and the High Speed Rail Authority. The Wasco City Council discussed an agreement that is being negotiated with the High Speed Rail Authority (HSR). In this agreement, the HSR would agree to five different agreements, each addressing a different phase of the contract. During the past decade, the HSRA and the city of Wasco have been in negotiations. Various project...
The city of Shafter had an eventful year this past 2022, full of positive accomplishments, as well as some losses and challenges. There were a first for Shafter High School, with its very first football team that played for a State Championship. Shafter also saw a new member join the City Council, while also keeping an old friend, with Mayor Cathy Prout retaining her seat on the council. Here's a sampling of the highs and the lows that were the year of 2022. Next week will cover the second...
The Shafter Kiwanis Club held their annual Food Basket Giveaway earlier this month, blessing 75 families with food baskets for the holidays. The club partnered with Shafter Healthy Start, which identified the families in need this holiday season. According to Ben Wilson, who was in charge of the event, each family received boxes of canned goods, as well as miscellaneous items, such as boxes of pasta and cereal. The baskets were filled with donations from the community. Food drives were held at...
The Shafter Kiwanis Club hosted the Shafter Generals football team and its coaches at a recent meeting. The team was treated to lunch and the players, in turn, shared some of their experiences throughout the season. Coach Jerald Pierucci talked to the members about the season, such as what it took for the players to prepare for the season and how they came together as a team to make that amazing run in the playoffs. The team also presented the club with a football, which had written Valley...
Come out to the Shafter Animal Shelter and meet this adorable guy named Aladdin. Aladdin is a 1-year-old German shepherd who is looking for a loving home. He is a little shy since coming to the shelter but would love to learn about toys and long walks. Aladdin has passed all of his Safer Dog Evaluations and is ready for his forever home. He would love to have a family with an active life and a big yard for him to run around in. If you would like to meet Aladdin, come down to the shelter, 18849...
The Shafter City Council certified the Nov. 8, 2022, election, welcoming the two candidates who won the two open seats that were available. Mayor Cathy Prout and Gustavo Olvera were the two top vote-getters in the election, beating out incumbent Cesar Lopez and candidate Rafael Zamudio. And Shafter has a new mayor for at least the next two year. After minimal discussion, veteran Councilmember Chad Givens was selected to lead the city. Resolution 2899 was approved, certifying the results of the...
The Shafter High Generals football team concluded an amazing season on Dec. 10 with a hard-fought State Championship game performance, showing the grit and determination that this team had played with the entire playoff run. The team became the school's first Valley Champion in football since 1955 and became Shafter's first Regional Champion, on their way to the State Division 5A runner-up. Coach Jerald Pierucci recently commented on the Generals' outstanding season, as well as following up his...
The Shafter Depot Museum hosted Santa Claus on Saturday, giving visitors a chance to get their picture taken with the jolly old fellow. Santa greeted the children and sat with them for a picture as he asked them what they had on their Christmas wish list. Attendees were also treated to an array of refreshments. The attendees also had a chance to wander the museum, looking at the variety of exhibits, as well as the entries in the museum's Christmas Tree Contest, where clubs and organizations deco...
A Coffee Collaborative event was held at Shafter's Tin Cup on Saturday, giving local shoppers a chance to get a variety of items all in one place. These events have grown in popularity in the last two years, being a big bright spot in the years of the pandemic. At the Tin Cup event, there were over 30 vendors on hand, selling a variety of items, including home décor, clothing, baked goods and homemade beauty products. Haley Plaza managed an active spot at the event. Her business has grown to be...
The Shafter Kiwanis Club held their monthly Terrific Kids luncheon last week, recognizing selected students for their outstanding performance in and out of the classroom. A different character trait is featured each month, with students exhibiting those traits honored for their achievements. Representing Richland Junior High at Wednesday's lunch, Dean of Students Mylum Nicholson presented awards to students Isaiah Madrigal and Brooklyn Allred. Students Mathias Torres and Sophia DeLeon were...
Mayor Cathy Prout and Gustavo Olvera have won the two open seats on the Shafter City Council, according to final numbers at the Kern Elections Office. The results will be made official by Dec. 16, 2022. Prout outdistanced her nearest competitor by 500 votes, getting 1,171 votes. Olvera narrowly beat incumbent Cesar Lopez by 35 votes, collecting 24.3% of the vote, 1,186 ballots, compared to Lopez's 1,186 votes, 23.6%. The race has been tight for the two candidates since election day, within 100...
ORLAND -- The clock struck twelve on the Shafter High Generals, ending their playoff run as they lost to Orland High in the State Championship game 20-7 on Saturday night. The game was played on Orland's home field, which was not a playing field as much as a mud bog. Shafter struck first in the game in the first quarter, with the offense struggling to move the ball on the soggy field. Christopher Espinoza put Shafter up 7-0 with a four-yard touchdown run. The Trojans answered immediately, with a...
Santa Claus flew into Minter Field in Shafter on Saturday, touching down in an airplane, giving his reindeer a rest before their big night. Hundreds of children and parents were on hand awaiting his arrival. They spent time looking at the antique airplanes that the Minter Field Air Museum has on display as they waited. They were also entertained by an appearance of KC the Bull from the Kern County Fair. KC visited with the children and took pictures with them. When Santa touched down, a big...
