Serving the community since 1922
Serving the community since 1922
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It has been over 60 years that Arly's Appliance first opened its doors, and today they are still the go-to repair men when it comes to appliances and small motors. Back in 1959, Arly Fiel moved to Shafter and worked for Witham's. Fie; 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 and Wasco...
The Public Works Department will be holding a household hazardous waste collection on Saturday, Feb. 13 for anyone needing to dispose of hazardous materials. Due to the coronavirus outbreak and inclement weather, the last event was canceled. The containers of waste accepted are those that are too toxic for the regular trash. Among the accepted materials are batteries, motor oil, paints, light bulbs, sharps (needles), pool chemicals, automotive products, cleaning products and...
New Mayor Cathy Prout has some goals for the city as Shafter continues to grow during the pandemic. With a 5-0 vote, the council selected Prout to serve as the city's mayor for the next two years. Prout said there are some challenges facing the city and she is looking forward to working with the council and discussing the ways Shafter can move forward. "We are discussing having a strategic planning meeting that will give the group a chance to voice concerns and ways that...
The Richland School District has recently implemented a return to classroom plan that has the board, as well as the community, at odds. The district has started a hybrid return to school plan that has students in the classroom for in-person instruction. Small cohorts are in classrooms, with no more than 16 students in one class. Not all teachers and students are on board with the new plan. With the invitation out there for students to return to the classroom, about 20% of the...
he City Council approved an ordinance change that would allow the sales and repair of firearms in the city. A zoning change was required to make this possible. A proposed business, which will sell firearms, as well as repair them and sell ammunition, is slated to open on Central Avenue in downtown. The location would also sell other sporting goods equipment. There is a requirement that goes with the ordinance, which states that the business would have to get a permit approved...
Richland schools have been utilizing distance learning since the beginning of the pandemic and it has not been easy. Several instances of trouble with connectivity has hindered the process, according to some parents. “I have had a lot of trouble with the internet, either logging in or sometimes with getting a good connection,” said Maria Ocana, who has two grade-school-aged children attending Richland schools. “Otherwise, the teachers are doing a great job and my kids love the classes.” Each school site has its own staff t...
The Homestead Series by Lennar Homes is now available, as Lennar Homes invites prospective homebuyers to tour the houses through virtual tours, self-guided tours or personal tours by appointment. The Gossamer Grove area of Shafter has been growing steadily, with new homes becoming available and prospective commercial areas ready for development. Included in the plans for the future for the community are more parks, schools, retail stores and businesses, and a variety of...
The city has seen the number of new cases of covid-19 increase last week, despite campaigns to slow the spread. Last week, there were 237 new cases, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 2,698 since the start of the outbreak. Of those cases, there have been over 800 cases confirmed as recoveries and over 500 cases assumed recovered. Shafter has had a face covering campaign in place for over two months now, with the aim to slow the number of cases in the city. As...
The Shafter Colours Committee has announced that the 2021 festival has been canceled. "We are sorry that we have had to come to this conclusion, but we will see you all in 2022," said Larry Starrh, one of the founders of the festival. Starrh, along with several other community members, wondered a few years ago what would happen if they brought together a group of events, all related to a form of transformed art. They welcomed theater, an art gallery, movies, sculptures,...
Highway 43 between Los Angeles and Galpin streets may be expanding after the City Council approved a survey. Shoulder work will be done along this route, increasing the safety of the roadway. The work has been discussed for months, with studies being done to compare the feasibility of the project to the needs of the project. The city has turned to companies to complete the survey in a timely manner so they will be able to use the funds available. In 2019, Shafter received...
4 will always be referred to as the Year of the Virus, but the city managed to thrive during the pandemic. Here is a brief look at the year. January In January, at a City Council meeting, three people said they were concerned on the increase of crime. They cited instances of drug-related crimes, as well as instances of shots being fired. They questioned the council on how often deputies patrol the streets and how many deputies are on shift at one time. Deputy Public Works...
Fresh on the heels of the second homicide in the city in a one-week period, a roundtable discussion was held to address the issue. Hosted by council members Tilo Cortez and Vincent Martinez, the Zoom meeting had over 20 people in attendance including community members Hector Moreno, Orquida Ocampo, Elizabeth Maartinez and Tracy Clendanan of the Orange Hearts Foundation. Martinez, who is a former sheriff’s deputy with the Kern County Sheriff’s Department, gave the group an update on the cases in question and what law enforceme...
Primex, the Wasco nut processor, was fined over $77,000 for violations related to the coronavirus outbreak that took place at the company in June. The violations state that the company failed to adequately protect employees during the outbreak and didn't have a plan to protect employees from contracting the virus. On Dec. 11, the Department of Industrial Relations issued $27,500 in penalties against the plant's Los Angeles-based owner, Primex Farms LLC; $27,500 against San...
The city is still being bombarded by new coronavirus cases, as there were 127 new cases last week. This brings the total of confirmed cases in Shafter to 2,450. This figure is very high on a case per population graphic. For example, in the Bakersfield 93308 area code, which includes Oildale and northern parts of Bakersfield, they have a population of over 50,000 people and have just 600 more confirmed cases of the virus than Shafter, with our population of just over 20,000 peo...
After your Christmas tree has lost its luster, county residents have options to dispose of their tree. Christmas trees can be composted by cutting up the tree and using a compost pile. Make sure before putting the tree in your compost pile that it is free of flocking or other contaminants. The other option is to drop off your tree at the landfill before it becomes a hazard and fire risk. There are 24 locations in Kern County in which you can drop off your tree. One of them is...
Veronica Carmona, of McFarland, was working at the Boot Barn in Bakersfield. With the virus making the job market uncertain, a lot of people have had to find ways to support themselves and make ends meet. Carmona, who enjoyed working at the store, especially selling the different kinds of western jewelry offered, has found a way to thrive. Carmona now sells western jewelry at various events throughout Kern County, being her own boss. "I love western jewelry and working with my...
The state ruled Dec. 10 that excluding churches from holding indoor services goes against Freedom of Religion. California Superior Court Judge Gregory Pulskamp issued an injunction against Gov. Gavin Newsom’s planned covid-19 restrictions, following a similar injunction was placed in New York, in favor of a Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn on behalf of Father Trevor Burfitt. The ruling stated that the governor’s restrictions failed to treat houses of worship in a manner equal to the favored class of entities which wou...
The covid-19 vaccine has arrived in the city and healthcare workers will be the first to receive it. The vaccine is being given out in tiers, with the first tier beginning with those persons most at risk, including workers in acute care facilities, skilled nursing facilities, and EMTs, paramedics and dialysis centers. They are also giving vaccines to residents in long-term care facilities, who have existing conditions that could make the contraction of the virus especially...
The annual Christmas Tree display at the Shafter Depot Museum is in full swing and has attracted hundreds of residents to see this year's collection of decorated trees. This year's theme is the Colors of Christmas and businesses and organizations in town have put their own spin on the theme, from everything from a gold and silver display to a tree that had just about every color of the rainbow. According to Stan Wilson, curator at the Shafter Depot Museum, the event has adhere...
The city is seeing an increase in confirmed cases of covid-19, despite a face covering campaign and businesses adhering to safety guideline designed to stall the spread of the virus. City buildings have been closed to the public, with customers being serviced through a window at the back of the city building, as well as serving customers by appointment only that require an in-person interaction. There have been a total of 2,017 confirmed cases in Shafter, with almost 800 of...
The Shafter Depot Museum holds a Christmas tree decorating contest every year, with businesses, organizations and people decorating their tree with a different theme in mind each year. This year the theme was the Colors of Christmas. Each entrant displayed their idea of the different colors of Christmas, with trees ranging from gold and blues, to trees that included every color of the rainbow. The Shafter Press took the colors of Christmas theme to heart and had a tree that...
The holiday spirit was in the air as a brass band played in the downtown square. The group, headed by former judge and local musician Gary Ingle, played a medley of holiday favorites. The tradition has lived on for several years, even though the location has moved around in recent years. This year, they played at noon on Saturday in the square by the fountain, giving the residents a chance to enjoy the holiday season. This year with the precautions and restrictions brought on...
This year was full of challenge and change for the city as the world battled covid-19. Here is a round-up of some of the top stories from the year: January The year started off with a bang in Shafter, with the city on the hunt for a new city manager. The recruiting process started with the city putting out a brochure and advertising for an experienced person that could lead the city in the right direction. On the sports front, the Shafter High Generals followed their...
A man has died after being shot on Poplar Avenue. This is the second deadly shooting in Wasco in a week, the Kern County Sheriff's Office reported. Officers responded to a report of shots fired Dec. 27 at 4:40 p.m. in the area of the 1500 block of Poplar Avenue. Officers found a man suffering from gunshot wounds to his upper body on the sidewalk, the report said, and the man was pronounced dead at the scene. Detectives are investigating and there are currently no details on...
Gilbert Alvarado, Chad Givens and Pete Espinoza were sworn into the City Council at its recent meeting. Council member Espinoza took his seat on the council, replacing outgoing council member Manuel Garcia. The next matter at hand was the selection of the position of mayor. Alvarado nominated Cesar Lopez. Givens nominated Cathy Prout. After taking a vote for the mayor’s position, Prout was unanimously selected as mayor for the next two years. Givens was selected as mayor p...
