Serving the community since 1922
Serving the community since 1922
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The Shafter Police Department is to keep the community of Shafter safe, be it on the roads or in their neighborhoods, working in eliminating dangerous situations, be they big or small. According to Assistant Chief of Police Diana Barnett, the SPD issued four citations for illegal fireworks this year, and they responded to a total of 97 reports and complaints of illegal fireworks use. This is compared to 150 calls last year and one citation given out. "This year was a lot...
The City Council Tuesday night approved a two-year deadline extension for CJ Development’s plan for two land tracts near the area of Fresno Avenue, Beech Avenue and East Tulare Avenue. A preliminary plan offered by owner Dennis Handel calls for a 430-home development on the land, creating the largest residential subdivision in the city aside from Gossame Grove. Members Chad Givens and Pete Espinoza recused themselves from the discussion, since they own property within 1,000 f...
The Shafter City Council, after several workshop, unanimously approved a budget with a modest surplus in 2022-23 The budget approved Tuesday night projects operations revenue of about $44.9 million, with expenses at about $44.4 million. This is a dramatic increase in the revenue from 2021-22, which saw the city still recovering from the pandemic. Sales tax is responsible for 43% of the city's revenue, giving the city a leg up on other comparable cities, led by the strong...
Shafter shoppers may be getting a new option – with budget prices. Listen to Shafter and the Mennonite Central Committee Thrift Shop Network plan to open a new thrift store in town, according to Nancy Neufeld and Katie Wiebe, organizers of the business. They revealed the project at last week's Community Task Force meeting. Customers of the thrift shop would get quality products at discount prices. Wiebe said that the store would focus on clothing and household products, s...
Steven Flores Garza, who killed two people and injured a third when his vehicle collided with a Honda sedan in 2018, was convicted of six charges, including two charges of second-degree murder in the case, the highest possible penalty involving a DUI case. Garza faces 35 years to life in prison. Garza, who at the time of the 2018 accident was driving on a suspended license, had five prior DUI convictions before the fatal crash. In this case, Garza was being chased by local...
[CLICK ON THE E-EDITION TO SEE PICTURES OF SHAFTER HIGH GRADUATES] Shafter High School's Class of 2022 walked across the stage at the newly renovated Shafter High Stadium on Wednesday night, saying goodbye to the rigors of being a high school senior and stepping into their new roles, be it a college student, a soldier or a part of the workforce. Principal Russell Shipley welcomed the graduates and their friends and families to the ceremony, giving credit to the dedicated...
The Richland Junior High Trojans spent their last day as 8th graders walking across the stage to celebrate the completion of their junior high careers, promoted to high school freshmen in the fall. Principal Monica Garza welcomed the graduates and their families to the festivities and told the students that even though they hadn't had a picture-perfect junior high experience, "it is one that you will never forget and that will shape you into who you are and are going to be."...
The North Kern School held their annual graduation ceremony recently, with the graduates receiving diplomas, certificates and other awards for their educational achievements. There were eighth graders who were being promoted to their high schools and also a few students who graduated and completed their high school educations. The school is a faith-based institution that provides one-on-one instruction, as well as giving the students a more than the three Rs. North Kern was...
Buttonwillow Raceway was the site of the Cal Club's Regionals this past weekend, with over 300 racers on the track competing for in the Regional Championships. There were six different classes in events, with drivers vying for places in the rankings in the season series that will culminate in the National Championships held in Virginia this year. The Nationals rotate sites, with the event last year held in Las Vegas. Cal Club is the organization that had the Buttonwillow...
Mary Ellen Rexius, a long time Wasco resident, will be remembered as a loving and giving woman who loved life and gave of herself, her time and passion for her hometown, a true and faithful Tiger. Rexius passed away last week, at the age of 102. In 1947, Rexius, who was teaching in Tennessee, answered an ad in a Memphis newspaper for a teaching position in Wasco,Ca. Soon after, Rexius boarded a train for Wasco. "I will always remember that day, stepping off that train in...
The residents of Gossamer Grove were able to meet the men and women in blue serving the city of Shafter as members of the Shafter Police Department on Saturday, with a Flight Park Saturday Coffee with a Cop event. Residents of the megadevelopment on Seventh Standard Road were able to meet with the officers, voicing any concerns they may have, as well as ask questions. The event drew a good crowd that expressed their satisfaction with the performance of the Police Department...
City users of solid waste collection will pay less – or more, if they have alley service now. And the alley service is going away, as of July 1. The Shafter City Council on the new rates, for service delivered by American Refuse. Public Works Director Michael James told the attendees at the public hearing Tuesday night that in 2021, the City of Shafter developed a three-cart system that would be utilized by the city for its residents, which is required by the State of C...
A local man who graduated from Shafter High School has returned to town and is operating the newest barber shop here. Phatboyz Barber Shop. Edgar Gonzalez has been operating his own barber shop since 2006, with a shop of the same name in Wasco building Gonzalez's clientele. Gonzalez's clients followed him to Shafter after the move, along with with a new group of customers. Gonzalez said that he started cutting hair when he was 13 years old. "Every summer, we would shave our...
Nick Godbehere of the Shafter High track and field team threw his way to a seventh place finish in the discus throw at the CIF State Track and Field Meet held at Clovis Buchannon High School on Saturday. Godbehere also captured 11th place in the shot put competition. Godbehere, who came into the meet ranked in the top 10 throwers in the state, led the field of 12 qualifiers after the first round in the finals with a throw of 189-feet-2. He had qualified on Friday in fourth...
The Wasco Lady Tigers softball team ended an outstanding season with a runner-up finish in the Division III Valley Championships, dropping the championship game to Monache High School, 2-0. Wasco came into the final contest riding a 2- game winning streak, going undefeated in the South Sequoia League. The Lady Tigers began the Valley tournament with a 5-4 victory over Kerman, the 15th seed, with Wasco the No. 2 seed. The Lady Tigers followed that win with another nail-biter...
Vacation Bible School season is just around the corner, with several churches gearing up for this special time of the year. But, with budgets tight, and attendance a challenge with so many different events, a community of churches in Shafter has decided in the past couple of years to combine their efforts, giving them the opportunity to reach more kids while still giving them the fun that they have come to expect at VBS. This is the fourth year for a Community VBS, which will...
Camp Hamilton, with its lush stand of trees among a desert of oilfields, held its annual Memorial Day Service on Monday, remembering all of the veterans who have served our country in all branches of the military. Visitors gathered from all over Kern County to be a part of this tradition and ceremony. Camp Hamilton is a veterans memorial park that serves as a respite for veterans and their families. The grounds harbor a grove of trees that have been planted to memorialize Kern...
Golden Oak second grade teacher Ashley Miriles had the opportunity to walk across the stage to collect her diploma from University of California Merced recently, with a little help from her class. Miriles grew up in Shafter and attended Shafter schools throughout her childhood, up to and including graduating from Shafter High School. She always wanted to come back to her community once she graduated and give back to her hometown. Miriles' graduation from UC Merced was...
After a two-year hiatus due to the covid-19 pandemic, the Shafter Cemetery held its annual Memorial Day service, honoring those local heroes who served in our Armed Forces and have passed away. The service was begun by Brian Smith, a Marine veteran, welcoming the crowd to the ceremony, followed by the invocation and the Pledge of Allegiance. Musician Gene Absher was on hand to play a couple of songs, one of which he wrote himself, after hearing stories of his father fighting...
A pickup truck was dragged nearly a half-mile to the Shafter Cemetery by an Amtrak train Friday evening, killing the driver and injuring three train passengers. Upon arrival, Shafter police officer officers discovered a pickup truck wedged underneath a southbound Amtrak train near the cemetery. It is believed that the collision took place near Cherry Avenue and Highway 43, and the vehicle was dragged nearly a half-mile to the cemetery site. Passengers were safely evacuated...
Shafter High seniors were in the spotlight on Tuesday night as over 100 students were honored with awards and scholarships at the annual Senior Night awards event. With a large crowd gathered at the Fred Starrh Performing Arts Center on the campus of Shafter High, seniors from Shafter High were rewarded for their hard work and efforts during their high school careers. There were scholarships given out totaling over $250,000 to outgoing seniors, enabling them to start their...
The Shafter High Drama Department put on their production of the Broadway hit, "The Drowsy Chaperone," on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights at the Fred Starrh Performing Arts Center on the campus of Shafter High. Directed by advisor Hal Friedman, the ensemble presented the parody of 1920s American musicals to crowds of over 100 each night. The play tells the story of a couple getting ready to get married, accompanied by his best man, the maid of honor, who is the title...
The Richland School District and its students had a busy week, with a visit from an acclaimed author, as well as an opportunity for some of their students to take a trip to the Shafter Learning Center. Author Greg Trine visited Redwood Elementary last week. He shared with students his inspiration for writing children's books. Trine shared tips for editing and revising with the students, who participated throughout a school assembly. Trine emphasized to students that being a go...
Helen Gaede, the long-time director of the Shafter Kiddie Kollege, will be retiring at the end of the month, closing out a 49-year career. Gaede began at the school when the Shafter Mennonite Brethren Church decided to open a preschool at the church. Gaede started helping out a couple of days a week with the kids. This grew into an every day commitment, then was taken up a notch when she went back to school to get her early education degree. She began teaching at the school...
The City of Shafter plans to spend about $27 million for capital improvements in the next next year. The City Council discussed the Capital Improvement Program and fleet equipment requests for 2022-23 at their meeting Tuesday night. According to Public Works Director Michael James, the amount of monies projected to be used for capital improvement projects is about $27 million. Fifty-four percent of this total is projected to be used for streets and road projects, with about...
