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 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...
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...
The Shafter Generals basketball and soccer teams have flexed their muscles in the first half of the SSL season,with each team at or near the top in the league standings. The Shafter High boys basketball team are 3-1 in South Sequoia League play, with their lone loss a tough one on the road to Chavez, 63-51. Domnik Torres ended the game with a team high 14 points. The wins were against Taft, 65-41, McFarland, 65-32 and Arvin76-41. In the Taft game, the Generals had three...
The Shafter Kiwanis Club held their Terrific Kids Luncheon recently to celebrate and honor those students who have exhibited the character traits outlined in the program's mission statement. Each month, there is a different trait that students are recognized for. Those traits that the Kiwanis Club and the school's teachers are looking for include Thoughtful, Enthusiastic, Respectful, Responsible, Inclusive, Friendly, Inquisitive and Capable. Golden Oak Principal Anamarie...
A contingent from Walmart got a tour of the Minter Field Air Museum last week, continuing their education on the area prior to joining the new distribution center opening here later this year. On Jan. 15, the group met Ronald PIerce at the museum and was led on an informational tour that lasted about 90 minutes. According to Pierce, the group consisted of 15 Walmart employees from throughout the state of California who will be relocating to Shafter when the Walmart...
The Shafter Chamber of Commerce will be holding their annual Awards Banquet and State of the City Address on Thursday night, Jan. 23, beginning at 5:30 p.m. at Shafter's Ford Theater. The evening will begin with a social and h'ors deuvres hour, followed by a dinner at 6:30 p.m., with the awards presentation to follow. Honorees this year include The Cinco de Mayo Festival, which won the Arts Group Award, Basham & Lara Funeral Care, for the Commercial Remodel Award, and Rosa...
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....
Shafter will be celebrating its annual Colours Festival Feb. 20-23 with a variety of events to showcase talent in the community. The festival will kick off with the annual Spaghetti Dinner put on by the Shafter Community Chest. The event includes a full spaghetti dinner and entertainment throughout the evening. Takeout meals will also be available. Also opening on Thursday night are the Silent Movies. The movies will feature Charlie Chaplin in A Night in the Show and Buster...
Richland students are improving overall, but still are testing below state averages in every category, according to the latest scores. At the recent Richland School District board meeting, a presentation was given on the most recent Dashboard numbers for the district when it comes to classroom performance. These reports break down the results for students in third to fifth grades, as well as by student groups, such as English Learners, students with disabilities and students...
A special City Council meeting is scheduled for Tuesday morning, Jan. 21, at 7:30 a.m. focusing on the city’s search for a new city manager. There will be a time of public comment before the council members meet in a closed session. During that time, seven candidates will be interviewed. No candidate names have been released. The council is set then reconvene in open session, with time to report on what happened behind closed doors – or not. The regular City Council mee...
In the competitive sport of wrestling, there are fierce rivalries amid the different leagues and divisions, making the season full of hotly contested matches, be it in duals or tournaments. But those competitive wrestlers came together recently when one of their own found out that he was facing a daunting challenge off the mat. Nickolas Garza, a junior at Shafter High, was diagnosed with leukemia and is fighting the disease with several rounds of chemotherapy. When the local...
With the recent opening of the assistant superintendent's position, there were several teachers and administrators who put their name in the hat for the job. Ultimately, the Richland School District welcomed back Annette Blacklock, former principal at Golden Oak Elementary. When Rocio Munoz left that job to take a position in a Bakersfield School District, the former principal of Redwood Elementary School was selected for the position. But, after approximately a week at the...
