Serving the community since 1922
Serving the community since 1922
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Shafter High students put on formal best and had a night to remember on Saturday night, as they celebrated their prom, dancing to some of their favorite music. A DJ provided the tunes, a mixture of dance, Tejano and contemporary music, something for everyone. Students danced with their dates, by themselves, and in big groups, keeping the dance floor busy the entire night. One group who were having a blast were friends Riley Griffin, Marcus Rivas, Adrian Lomeli, Briley Clendeman and Arilia...
Shafter High students from Bronwynn Bowman’s freshmen English class were recently assigned the task of writing an Irish poem/reflection about their favorite “happy place.” “The kids wrote about places they love, and places that they find peace, a chill place,” Bowman explained. Two students decided to write about the city of Shafter as their happy place. Luna Quiroz wrote about the beautiful things that can be seen in Shafter, once you look under the rusty buildings and withering grass: I...
The Cinco de Mayo Festival has become one of the most popular events of the year in Shafter, complete with a parade and numerous activities downtown and at Mannel Park. The festival kicks off on Saturday, May 4, with the parade, which will be presided over by the Grand Marshal for this year's event, Diana Burnett. Burnett retired last year from the Shafter Police Department, ending her career with the rank of assistant police chief. Burnett said that she has always loved this festival and is...
In Shafter, there is a new barber in town, and he offers more than just your everyday haircut. Bert's Barber Studio and Salon has a variety of services, making it a one-stop shop for grooming needs. Albert Camargo and his wife, Evelyn, opened the shop, at 321 Central Ave., in December. Camargo had a barber shop around the corner, which he had opened in 2021. When the new property became available, he decided to take the chance and upgraded to a bigger space. "The space is big enough that we...
The Shafter High Generals baseball and softball teams both swept the McFarland Cougars last week, each winning a two-game series in the SSL. The baseball team outscored the Cougars in the series, 27-2. They won the opener on Tuesday, 16-2, and followed that with an 11-0 shutout. In the first game, Jaime Martinez was the standout, 2-4 at the plate, scoring two runs and stealing two bases. The Generals ended the game with 12 hits in the game, with Christopher Espinoza having a perfect 3-3 game...
At the Community Circle Church in Shafter, Easter Sunday was celebrated with a children's story. It was a familiar tale of the Three Little Pigs. Pastor Steve Dobbs told the story, complete with decorated houses on stage, as well as three pigs and, of course, the Big Bad Wolf. The service, attended by about 75 people, was held at the Fred Starrh Performing Arts Center in Shafter, now home to the church. There also was an Easter egg hunt for the kids and the adults immediately following the...
Shafter Depot Museum curator and local historian Stan Wilson gave an informative and entertaining lecture on the German POW camp that was stationed in Shafter back during World War II. Wilson was at the Shafter Library and Learning Center on Thursday evening and gave the attendees an informative recount of the prisoners who served as labor for the local cotton growers in the area beginning in 1944. He said local cotton growers were worried about a labor shortage on their farms, due to the number...
The Shafter Kiwanis Club held their annual Easter Sunrise Service at Mannel Park on Sunday, giving residents a chance to celebrate Resurrection Sunday together as a community. Over 100 attendees were met with hot coffee and donuts, taking the bite out of the very cold morning. They were welcomed with music by David Bleomhof, as well as an opening prayer by Kiwanis President Ben Wilson. Randy Toews sang a "He Arose" to open the service, then a scripture was read by Kiwanis member Arlie Smith....
A ceremony was held at Bakersfield High School in which 32 trainees received their badges in a pinning ceremony after the trainees completed an extensive training program. Of the 32 graduates, two of those were to become new members of the Shafter Police Department. Officer Herrera was pinned by Acting Chief Randy Milligan, as was Officer Escutia. They were among 47 trainees that started the program over six months ago that were sworn in by Judge David Zulfa. The officers also were welcomed by S...
The Shafter City Council Tuesday night approved a revised development agreement with Lennar Homes for the Marcona Preserve development off of Seventh Standard Road. This property would be the site of 395 residential lots, ranging in size from 5,508 square feet to to 23,345 square feet (a large corner lot). The minimum size of a residential unit is 1,400 square feet. The agreement includes environmental impact fees of up to $15,000. This agreement will eliminate any uncertainty and provide for...
Barry Braun, chairman of the Kern County Cemetery District 1, which includes Shafter and Wasco, has received the Trustee of the Year award from the California Association of Public Cemeteries. The award is given to a trustee who was nominated by their district for exceptional performance, including for their commitment of time and energy to working with others to improve and enhance their district, and to develop new approaches, methods and systems to improve organizational effectiveness. This...
The Shafter High baseball team opened their SSL campaign with a split against Chavez High School. On Tuesday, the squad dropped an 8-2 decision to the Titans, but bounced back on Thursday and beat Chavez, 7-5. In the victory, seven different Generals had at least one hit in the game, continuing the Generals prowess at the plate. The team is averaging over 7 runs per game this season. Matteo Martinez had a great series, going 3-4 at the plate and scoring three runs in the win. In the loss...
The Richland School District broke ground recently on a new building that will house a portion of its Expanded Learning Opportunity Program, servicing local elementary school students. The ELOP, explained Richland's Jaime Cherry, is an after-school program that gives students an opportunity to learn, as well as have fun after school. "The program allows parents to have a sense of peace while they are at work, knowing that their children are being provided extra opportunities to learn and pursue...
Camryn Eubanks was named the Distinguished Young Woman of Shafter for the Class of 2025 on Friday night. Camryn won $2,300 in scholarships, in addition to a medal and the opportunity to represent the city at the State DYW program to be held in July in Bakersfield. She was sponsored by Mashburn Transportation and is the daughter of Nick and Roya Eubanks. Winning the First Alternate title was Celeste Perez, and the Second Alternate was Adriana Moreno Bravo. The Shafter program is one of the...
The Shafter City Council Tuesday afternoon discussed the status of the city's budget for the fiscal year 2023-24, and also talked about the future numbers dealing with the fiscal year 2024/2025. The city saw an increase in the net position financially, with an increase of $8.1 million, giving the city a net position of $235 million in assets. This increase, according to Financial Director Roger Sanchez, is a result of an increase of sales tax and property tax revenue. Sanchez said that the city...
The Shafter Recreation Department will be installing a solar array with part of a federal grant for just over $230,000 for improvements at the Walker Senior Center. The grant also will fund an upgrade to the parking lot. According to District Manager Phillip Jimenez, the grant was a pleasant surprise. "We didn't know what to expect when we applied for the grant. We are pretty small compared to other organizations that got a similar grant from the same program. We are very thankful for it." It...
The students in the Richland School District have had a busy month of March, with several events and activities in each of the Shafter public elementary schools. At Golden Oak Elementary, they held their annual Open House event. Students had a chance to show their parents examples of their work and art, as well as the classroom environment that they spend so much of their days in. The parents also had a chance to meet with their children's teachers, getting to know them, as well as examining...
Gov. Gavin Newsom has appointed Shafter’s Timothy Sheldon to the California Corrections Peace Officers Commission. This position is a part of a commission that optimizes the well-being and performance of correctional peace officers. The commission’s mission is to prioritize the correctional peace officers’ well-being, resilience, and performance by elevating training through standards development, apprenticeship improvement, and training evaluation. Sheldon has worked in corrections for over...
At the Shafter Chamber of Commerce Banquet last week, the awards committee recognized Maria Martinez with the Health Award. Martinez has spent the last couple of decades dedicated to the health and happiness of Shafter's seniors. Martinez is the senior adult coordinator for the Shafter Recreation Department, heading up a variety of programs and activities that are geared to keeping Shafter's seniors moving. "I think that our seniors can be an active, productive members of the community....
The Shafter High softball team opened its SSL season with a 0-0 tie against Chavez High School. This game was a pitcher's duel, with both teams finding it hard to find some offense. The Lady Generals then competed in the Fowler Softball Tournament, opening with a game against highly touted Orange Cove. The Lady Generals fought hard, but came up short in the contest, dropping the game by a score of 5-2. The loss drops Shafter's season record to 9-4-1. Coached by Sharaya Durant and Julia Garcia,...
Shafter has been and is a city "where everything grows," Mayor Chad Givens emphasized in his State of the City address at the Chamber of Commerce Awards Saturday night. "Over 100 years ago, people found this land, and realized that this was land where everything would grow," Givens started his address to nearly 200 in the Ford Theater. "Today, the city is still that. Shafter is the city where everything grows." Givens was not just talking about crops, or the population, but also the financial...
The Shafter Chamber of Commerce held its annual Awards Banquet on Thursday night, celebrating select individuals and groups who have helped make Shafter the city it is. The evening at the Ford Theater began with a State of the City address by Shafter Mayor Chad Givens (see separate story) Before the regular awards, a special award was given to the late Helen Gaede, which was accepted for the family by Shafter Depot Museum Curator Stan Wilson. Gaede had worked tirelessly for the Shafter...
It has been a busy year for the Class of 2024's Shafter Distinguished Young Woman, Emily Mcguire. In addition to representing Shafter in the state competition, Emily had the opportunity to attend events such as the Cinco de Mayo Parade and the Christmas Parade. She also had the opportunity to lead the Pledge of Allegiance at the Fourth of July Celebration, cut the ribbon for a new caboose at the Shafter Train Depot, light the town's Christmas tree and sing carols with her DYW sisters. Emily...
Retired Assistant Chief of Police Diana Burnett will lead this year's Cinco de Mayo Festival. Burnett was delighted by the festival committee's announcement and thinks that it is a huge honor. "I am so surprised and really humbled by their decision," said Burnett. She said that she has always loved the festival and is looking forward to being a part of it. "I have worked it so many years, and I just love all of the colors, the dancing, music and the wonderful time that the community has at it."...
The city will spend up to $1.5 million for a new General Plan. The City Council approved a contract with Place Works, Inc., to create the updated document.. The agreement includes making a vision for the city for the next 20 years. This will include economic, business, retail expansion and education plans. The process is expected to take about two years to complete. The council also discussed regulations regarding the use of artificial intelligence in the city. This includes sophisticated...
