Serving the community since 1922
Serving the community since 1922
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A Shafter woman was found guilty by a jury of murdering her newborn son in 2015. Jurors must now determine whether Elvira Farias is legally insane at a trial beginning Jan. 3. Farias had pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. According to the public defender's office, if Farias is found insane, she will be taken to a state hospital for treatment. If the jury deems her sane, then her guilty verdict stands. Farias was convicted of first-degree murder and assault leading to...
Be it having some good candy, jumping in an inflatable, or partying with friends, Nancy Guardado is there to help you out. Guardado just opened a Candy Land location in Wasco, joining the existing location in Shafter. Located near the Rite Aid store in Shafter, Guardado specializes in all kinds of candies, inflatables, party supplies, and pinatas, just about everything you would need to throw a great party. Guardado said she gets her candies and the majority of her other...
5 was a year that challenged everyone and also saw residents coming together like no other time in decades. With the covid-19 pandemic seemingly waning, residents, along with the rest of the nation, were trying to get their lives back to some sort of normalcy. Schools were opening back up, allowing the students to return to the classroom in person. Later in the year, as the omicron variant reared its head, a new threat loomed to threaten the progress that had been made in t...
The Shafter Brass Band continued its joyful season on Christmas Eve, giving residents a mini concert in downtown Shafter, right next to the big Christmas tree. The band, made up of local musicians, played some traditional holiday favorites, making shoppers and residents smile. They also lent their talents earlier in the holiday season when they played at the Shafter Depot Museum, adding to the festivities of the Christmas trees on display, and the arrival of Santa...
William Jack Hopkins was sentenced to multiple life sentences recently for a crime spree in 2019. Hopkins was sentenced by Superior Court Judge John R. Brownlee to life with a minimum eligible parole date of seven years, plus 15 years to life, plus 60 years and four months. At the time of his arrest, Hopkins had already served seven prior prison terms and had violated parole 24 itmes. Hopkins, 46, was convicted of kidnapping to commit rape, forcible rape, assault with the...
The Shafter Kiwanis Club recognized some Terrific Kids at their recent luncheon, honoring those students who best display the trait of the month for the Terrific Kids program. This month, the trait was responsibility. From Richland Junior High, the Student Council was honored for their responsibility they show as they lead the students during the school year. Those honored were President Marley Munoz, Activities Director Layla Ortega, Vice President Tatania Anfulo, Treasurer I...
The Shafter Kiwanis Club held their annual Food Basket Giveaway this past week, doling out over 135 boxes of food to the community. There was enough food collected this year for 75 families to receive food boxes. The organization has been holding the event for the past few years, giving families the ingredients for a holiday meal. This year saw a record-breaking amount of food that was donated for the event. Canned food was collected by the local schools, with the classes...
The students at Golden Oak Elementary School are highlighted this month in the Richland School District Spotlight. Fifteen students were chosen at random from a group of Golden Oak students who had a perfect attendance record for the quarter. They were chosen to a "Lunch on the Stage," getting a chance to dine with staff on the stage of the cafeteria. This was a blast for students, among them Alexa, a third grader, who said, "This is the best day of my life!" This event was...
The Shafter Woman's Club held their annual Christmas for Seniors event this past weekend, brightening up the holiday for local seniors. The organization prepared 137 bags filled with gifts, necessities, and other items that were handed out. The club visited the Carrington House, Shafter Convalescent, and a number of local homes that had seniors identified by Richland's Healthy Start Program. Donations were collected by the Woman's Club members. "The community was so generous...
The Shafter Depot Museum is celebrating its annual Christmas Tree competition, running through Jan. 8 with a number of events for the community. This past Saturday, in addition to displaying an array of trees, the museum, in partnership with the Shafter Library, were handing out free books to children. The Shafter Library is spreading the message of literacy to the city, encouraging everyone to pick up a book and read. The theme of this year's tree competition is Merry and...
Longino "Kino" Gonzales recently celebrated his 90th birthday, surrounded by family and friends, reminiscing about a life that has been filled with love, laughs, and plenty of great memories. Anyone who lived in Shafter during 1965 and 1990 remembers Kino as he delivered mail to residents all over town, with a smile on his face and a quick wit that rivaled none. That wit is still sharp today, along with a memory that allows him to recall names and addresses from almost anyone...
The Shafter Lions Club annual Christmas Parade made its return on Friday night, after a hiatus because of the health and safety restrictions in place last year. Gilbert Alvarado and the Lions members organized the event. The evening was filled with lights, music, and an array of entries that dazzled the crowd. The Richland Junior High Trojan Band provided a musical number including a performance from their Drill and Flag team, as well as the musicians marching through...
The City Council ratified agreements reached with the labor unions representing the employees of the Shafter Police Department and the Public Works Department. Employees in the Public Works Department will received a 2.5% increase in pay for the 2022 fiscal year, as well as an additional increase for the 2023 fiscal year. They will also receive an increase in the cell phone budget. Essential employees who were working during the pandemic period from March 2020 to September 202...
GROW Academy students can now get a firsthand experience of what is involved bringing food to the table with a new edible schoolyard. According to Principal Brook Webb, edible schoolyards are an important and useful tool in educating students on what is involved in getting food produced and to residents' dinner tables. Students at Grow Academy - formerly known as Grimmway Academy - participate in every phase of the edible garden, from planting, watering, harvesting, and...
The Shafter Chamber of Commerce will be holding their annual Awards Banquet and State of the City address on Thursday, Jan. 27 at the Shafter Ford Theater, at 5:30 p.m. The event starts with an hor d'oeuvres hour, followed by dinner, and then the presentation of the awards. There will also be a State of the City address given by Mayor Cathy Prout. The winners of the 2022 awards banquet have been announced. Peters Funeral Home is receiving the Architecture Contributing to...
Max Hanner, a pilot who died during a crash Nov. 3, was recently remembered at a memorial service at Minter Field. Max Hanner was a long-time pilot for Inland Cropdusters, Inc., flying for them for over 30 years. Hanner was tragically killed on Nov. 3, near the Minter Field Airport, in a field across from The Grapery. Hanner lost control of the aircraft and crashed, bursting into flames upon impact. While Hanner flew as an occupation, it was also his passion. When he was in...
The City Council approved a proposal by American Refuse for the company to service the city residents for trash collection. Earlier this month the council had agreed to use American Refuse for trash collection, but did not formally approve the resolution. With the enacting of SB 1383, the state of California requires all residents to move to a three cart system that is aimed at reducing the amount of waste that gets taken to local landfills. With the new regulations that will...
The Shafter Generals traveled to Boron on Friday night to take on the Bobcats with a trip to the Division V semifinals on the line. Shafter gave the Bobcats a battle but Boron was too dominant when it counted to beat the Generals 50-33. The Wasco Tigers also lost in their playoff game to Frontier this past week. Boron scored early and often in the first quarter, with the Bobcats' offense scoring at will on a Shafter defense that struggled to keep the Boron offense off of the...
Authorities responded to the report of a downed aircraft in Shafter on Wednesday at approximately 12:45 p.m. Off of Driver Road and Lerdo Highway, officers located a downed aircraft in the middle of an empty field. Emergency personnel were dispatched to the site. It was not immediately known what type of aircraft it was or the condition of the pilot....
In the 94th battle between the Shafter Generals and the Wasco Tigers, Wasco used a hurry-up offense that eventually battered the injury-riddled Generals into submission with a 46-20 win. The game was a hard-fought one that saw the Generals stay in the game up to the very end, battling their way back each time they fell behind. Shafter spotted the Tigers a 16-0 lead just minutes into the game. Wasco scored on their first drive of the game on a 9 yard run, followed by the...
A Shafter man has been working hard to make sure that World War II veterans are remembered in a special way. The Kern County World War II Memorial will be built in Bakersfield at Jastro Park, at the site of the outdoor theater arena. Ed Gaede, a Shafter High graduate, is the director of the committee that is heading up the memorial effort. Gaede has been involved in local veterans' causes for years on the committee that operates the Portrait of a Warrior museum in downtown...
The Minter Field Air Museum will be holding their annual Wings 'n Wheels event this year, after a one year hiatus due to health and safety concerns last year. The event is the major fundraiser of the year for the museum. "We rely on this event for a big portion of our monies throughout the year," said President Ronald Pierce. "We are so excited to be able to bring this event back to the people. It is going to be bigger and better than ever." The event will open its gates on...
The City Council approved a resolution to accept American Refuse as its franchise hauler to service the city and its trash collection. The contract begins in March 2022. The city needed to sign a contract with a hauler because of a state mandated order that all residents have a three cart system for trash collection. Public Works Director Michael James said the public will be notified about the new requirements that will be taking place. Information will be sent to residents...
The Shafter/Wasco Rivalry, one of the oldest and fiercest in the county, resumed last week as the schools went head-to-head on the football field Friday. Wasco won this year, 46-20. Before the game, students held rallies to build school spirit. The rivalry was on hiatus last year because of the health and safety restrictions, but the rivalry picked up without missing a beat this year. The Generals had different Dress Up Days during the week, including one day in which they...
