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The Shafter Kiwanis Club held their monthly Terrific Kids luncheon, honoring local students who display the character trait that is featured for that month. This month, the focus is onFriendliness. Those being recognized included Maple School's Noah Lopez, Viana Fuentes, Amber Gonzalez and Sophia McCuan. They were presented awards by their principal, Christy Nelson. For Sequoia Elementary, Principal Janeane Morrison gave awards to students Auctavia Espinoza and Ashton...
Helen Gaede passed away recently, leaving the city without one of its treasures. Gaede was beloved by so many in town, touching lives throughout her life. Gaede moved to Shafter in 1968, coming with her husband, Dennis, a Shafter native. Gaede was always active in her church, the Shafter Mennonite Brethren Church, eventually getting involved in the Shafter Kiddie Kollege in 1972, where she worked as a Teachers Aide. Gaede continued her education and became program director....
On a light agenda Tuesday night,, the Wasco City Council approved a couple of residents as new members of the Wasco Sales Tax Oversight Committee (Measure X). John Pallares and Rosalio Armendariz were appointed to serve for an unexpired term ending Dec. 31, 2025. The council had sent a recruitment notice that was published in the Wasco Tribune advertising for interested candidates. Pallares and Armendariz were both interviewed by Mayor Alex Garcia, City Manager Scott Hurlbert...
While the Shafter High girls wrestling team has had unprecedented success this year, their feeder program has also shined this season. The Shafter Youth Wrestling team, the Shafter Spartans, has a young wrestler that is on his way to the State Tournament at Selland Arena in Fresno this weekend. Nehamiah Salcido, who is in just his third year of competitive wrestling, will be competing in the 2nd/3rd division in the 77 lbs. weight class. Salcido has already captured a Valley...
David Couch appears to be headed to another term as in his race for re-election, according to the Kern County Elections office, with results as of early Wednesday morning. In the race for supervisor of the 4th District, Couch has amassed a big lead, with 52% of the vote, enough to return him to office without a runoff. Candidate Veronica Cruz Vasquez has received a little over 17% of the vote, with Wasco Mayor Alex Garcia with 16% and Salvador Solorio-Ruiz with 14%. If the per...
Shafter police officers made an arrest on Thursday morning, at approximately 4 a.m., when they found weapons, ammo and drugs in a vehicle in the 100 block of West Orange Avenue in Shafter. According to the SPD's Joshua Stephens, officers were patrolling in the area and began talking with three individuals inside a car parked on the street. Stephens said that one of the individuals, later identified as 35-year-old Victor Ordaz, of Wasco, was found to have an outstanding...
One person was dead and four others injured after a four-car accident off of Zerker Road in Shafter. The accident occurred on Tuesday morning, at approximately 6:40 a.m., according to the Shafter Police Department's Joshua Stephens. One of the drivers, 74 year old Eric Hoffman, of Bakersfield, was fatally injured in the accident a mile north of Seventh Standard Road in Shafter. Two other people suffered minor to moderate injuries and were taken to a local hospital for...
Shafter lost a great friend recently, with the passing of Longino (Kino) Gonzalez, at the age of 92. Gonzalez is best known around town for his cheerful disposition and caring attitude, working for the U.S. Post Office for over 36 years. Gonzalez hadn't even thought about the Post Office for the first half of his life, toiling in the fields and making a living for him and his family, until one day someone asked him if he had ever thought about trying for a job there. Gonzalez...
Salvador Solorio-Ruiz has thrown his hat into the ring for the District 4 Supervisor race, looking to change the path of the county from status quo to a more involved community. “The way things are now, there seems to be a disconnect between the community and its leadership. We need to change that, and I would be the perfect candidate to bring about that change.” Solorio-Ruiz is Delano’s vice mayor, after becoming one of the youngest city council members in the county at the a...
David Couch is running for reelection as the Supervisor in the 4th District. Couch is a lifelong resident of Kern County and has served as a city councilman and county supervisor for over 20 years. He has over 25 years of private sector experience working in the financial services and energy industries. Couch has said that he has done much for the communities he represents and looks forward to the chance to serve them for another term. A big issue for Couch is making sure his...
Photos from Colours -- A Festival of the Arts in 2024....
Julianna Gonzalez, who came into the State Wrestling tournament last weekend at Mechanics Bank Arena as the number three seed, fell short of making it to the medal rounds, falling in the quarterfinals, suffering her first pin of the season. Gonzalez won her first two matches by pins. Her first match she pinned her opponent just 45 seconds into the match. She had no more trouble in her second match, securing the pin to make it to day 2 of the season-ending event. After the...
When you think of art in Shafter, Charlotte White, Deanna Nelson and Lorena Castillo would naturally come to mind. These artists have given the community many pieces to admire, from White's depictions of local landmarks to Nelson's touching portraits of people and landscapes. There is an artist in town who presented some of her creations at the Colours Festival that you may not have heard of. Martha Maynard, whose daughter, Stephanie Benito, is Stan Wislon's right-hand person...
The Shafter High girls basketball team saw their season and Head Coach Shawn Pennell's tenure end with a loss to the top-seeded Eagles of Bakersfield Christian on Wednesday night, 70-47, in the semifinals of the Central Section Division III playoffs. The Lady Generals, seeded number four in the tourney, came out firing in the first quarter, using a smothering defense to force a few Eagle turnovers and turning them into easy points. After leading after the first quarter, the te...
After a four-year absence, the Colours Festival made its return to Shafter last weekend, with a host of activities. The traditional Spaghetti Dinner was put on by the Shafter Community Chest, with a drive-thru event this year. On Friday, the Art Gallery opened at the Ford Theater, with the works of 13 local artists on display. There were sculptures, paintings, sketches and photographs, as well as floral arrangements created by the Shafter FFA. There was also a visit from...
The Shafter High Lady Generals basketball team won two games last week to earn their spot in the Central Section Division III playoffs. Shafter, the number four seed, will take on the Bakersfield Christian Eagles in the semifinals, with a trip to Fresno's Selland Arena and the Valley Finals on the line. Shafter opened the playoffs with a 53-32 win over Ridgeview High on Wednesday, with the Lady Generals sprinting out to a 20 point lead before the first half was over. Shafter...
The Shafter City Council welcomed a new economic development director Tuesday night. Fernando Guerra comes to Shafter after more than two decades working in the economic development field in some of the largest markets in the world. Guerra has worked for the Los Angeles Economic Development Agency, as well as a city agency in New York City and a stint in Chicago. Guerra is a graduate of USC and received his masters in economics and international business from John Hopkins...
There is a new artist with works on display at the Shafter Library and Learning Center. Mark Engelien has had a passion for art for decades, beginning with watercolors and sketches. An architect by trade, Engelien has used his artistic side even when at work designing buildings, using his keen eye and deft hand with a pencil. With his watercolors on hold because of his career, having a family and other of life's challenges, Engelien found them again in 2020, painting 100...
On Saturday, local artist Charlotte White was putting the finishing touches on a piece featuring museum curator Stan Wilson standing outside the Shafter Depot Museum, with the museum's sign proudly displayed out front. White has painted several local landmarks, as well as art piece featuring workers in the fields and paintings of local landscapes. She also finished a series of works based on iconic landmarks in Bakersfield, including the historic Luigi's Restaurant. "I really...
The Wasco City Council approved its last year's financial report, detailing the results from the actual operations compared to the projected budget. The city has been in compliance within its projected budget and has even had an increase in revenue that was above projected numbers. This was due to a conservative projection that took into account the efforts of the city and the public in recovering from the pandemic, financially and economically. The only bump in the road on th...
FRESNO – Sophomore Julissa Gonzalez keeps making history in the world of Shafter High sports as she hit another milestone, becoming the first female wrestler to win a Central Section Masters title with a win at Selland Arena in Fresno on Saturday. Gonzalez won the 132 lbs. championship a week after losing in the final of the 132 lbs. match at the Divisional tournament. There, Gonzalez came into the tourney as the top seed and fell to Sage Reyes of Justin Garza in the final, c...
Colours – A Festival of the Arts – is making its return to Shafter this weekend, Thursday-Sunday, Feb. 22-55, full of fun events and activities for the entire family. After COVID and four years, it is time to celebrate the arts in Shafter once again. Colours will start with its traditional Shafter Community Chest Spaghetti Dinner on Thursday, followed by a weekend of talent and art. Featured this year will be an Art Gallery and a Meet the Artist event with wine tasting, wit...
The Richland School District is on track with their budget so far this year, according to the LCAP report that tracks educational and financial goals. The district's Board of Trustees received the midyear report Tuesday night, The budgetary evaluation was "satisfactory," with the only difference from the budget and the actual spending so far is the money which was used as part of the emergency covid funding that every district received. On the educational front, the district i...
The Shafter Police Department recognized several officers and employees at a welcome ceremony recently. Police officers and dispatchers took their new oaths at the event on Tuesday, making their entry onto the force official. The SPD welcomed dispatchers Jannete Denis, Emanuel Gomez and Joshua Ryan, who replaced a number who joined the new Wasco force.. Also honored were Animal Control Services Worker Kelly New and extra help administrative assistant Hermila Aleman. Acting...
Colours: The Shafter Arts Festival is back and there's something for everyone. Just look at the schedule. The festival goes from Thursday, Feb. 22, through Sunday, Feb. 25, starting with the traditional Shafter Community Chest drive-thru Spaghetti Dinner on Thursday, followed by Coffee House Strings music at the Tin Cup. On Friday, take a history tour of the Minter Field Air Museum, then the Art Gallery at the Ford Theater, and end the day at The Tin Cup with an evening of...