Serving the community since 1922
Serving the community since 1922
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Kern County is full of a variety of animals, be them on four legs, eight legs, or even no legs at all, with a good many of them found throughout the area. Representatives from the Wind Wolves Preserve, located in Eastern Kern County, visited the library, teaching the children about the many varieties and species of animals that can be found right in our own backyard. Wind Wolves Preserve is in an ecologically unique region where the Transverse Ranges, Coast Ranges, Sierra Neva...
The Richland School District is offering sessions in the fall, spring and summer in its pre-school programs. These sessions are intended to prepare incoming transitional kindergartners and incoming kindergartners, ages 4-5, offering preschool education, health and social services. The programs also include case management, baby items and referrals to other local agencies for family resources. This program is available to all Shafter residents. There are no income restrictions...
The Shafter Kiwanis Club held their annual New Teachers Luncheon recently, welcoming the newest additions to the Shafter schools' staffs with a lunch held at the Shafter Veterans Hall. Members of the Kiwanis, as well as members of the community were on hand to give the new teachers a big thank you for their dedication to our children. Golden Oak had just one new addition for this year, with James Zontek starting with the school as a third grade teacher. For the Sequoia...
The Shafter High Generals football team will bereturning to their home field after spending a season on the road while their stadium was renovated. With a brand new state of the art scoreboard, track, press box and concessions, the Generals will open their season with a nonleague game against the West High Vikings on Friday, Aug. 19. According to Head Coach Jerald Pierucci, this year's squad should be a fun one to watch. On a roster of 27 players, the team will have 13...
GROW Academy is holding its Back to School Nights this week, welcoming back their teachers and staff, as well as introducing a new administration to students and parents. Lacie Harris is the new principal at GROW Academy, leading the school into another year of growth after graduating its first classes last year. Harris is a graduate of Point Loma University. She has focused on reading and literacy, state and federal program management, instructional design, curriculum...
Rosa Romero, superintendent of the Richland School District, was recently named an honoree of the Latinas Lead the Way of Kern County for 2022. Romero has been leading the Richland School District for years now, with her outstanding leadership qualities that make this honor one that is well deserved. The awards and dinner banquet is LLKC's annual fundraising event, honoring local outstanding Latina professionals in Kern County. The group also salutes and supports its Youth...
The Shafter City Council approved procedures that will be used to fill two open seats on the Planning Commission. The council will invite residents to submit a letter of interest, then will interview the candidates at a council meeting. The council will then cast ballots, with the two highest vote-getters filling the open seats. The council also heard a presentation from the Latino Coalition for a Healthy California. Paola Ilescas and other members of the coalition talked...
The Shafter Depot Museum has a new exhibit on display as it had a 1942 Flying Caboose land on its train track at the Museum as part of a new display. The antique rail car came from Terra Bella, courtesy of the J.R. Francis estate. On Aug. 2, the caboose was flown in and dropped into its new home at the museum. The funding for the move came from the John and Jean Ohanneson Trust. The museum is open on Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. --Jamie Stewart...
The elementary schools in the Richland School District had their first day of school on Wednesday, beginning the year with a minimum day for the first day of the school year. Each elementary school saw lines outside the school, with parents and students looking for their child's homeroom assignment. Some of the parents were just trying to hold on just a little longer before letting them go for the school session. "I told myself that I wasn't going to cry," said Darlene...
The community of Shafter can be counted on to support the students in Shafter, be it buying candy to raise funds for trips to providing school supplies for the school year. On Aug. 6, a Stuff the Bus event collected backpacks, pencils, paper and other supplies that the kids will need. Assemblymember Rudy Salas, partnering with Shafter Healthy Start and several local clubs and organizations, were at the Dollar General Store in Shafter, filling a big yellow school bus. Isabel...
One person was killed Aug. 3 when a Toyota Camry was traveling in the area of Highway 99 and Lerdo Highway turned over and burst into flames. The tan Camry flipped over several times before it became engulfed, according to the account given by one of the passengers to the CHP. At around 8:30 p.m., officers from the California Highway Patrol were dispatched to the area of Southbound 99 and Lerdo Highway. Upon arrival, the officers found a vehicle engulfed in flames. According...
The Freewill Baptist Church in Wasco will be providing a free hot meal to anyone in need on Friday evening Aug. 19 at 7 p.m. This is a Matthew 25:35 Ministry, which serves those in need. The scripture expresses the compassion and servitude of Jesus Christ. “For I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat. I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink. I was a stranger and you invited me in.” According to Mike Miller, of the Wasco Freewill Baptist Church, the idea cam...
At least two new candidates will challenge incumbents for two City Council seats this November. Mayor Prout and Councilmember Cesar Lopez have turned in paperwork for another term, along with Gustavo Olvera, Jr. and Rafael Zamudio. Olvera, a local real estate agent, served for 12 years as a member of the Shafter Police Department. He retired as a sergeant. Olvera said that he had to have a backup plan after retirement, and real estate was the perfect fit. Zamudio ran...
The Shafter Children's Summer Theater had a perfect medicine for you if you were in need of a dose of entertainment this past weekend with their production of "Seussical" at the Shafter Ford Theater. The play was put on with performances on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Headed up by Cris Starrh, the theater group is in its 27th year, and has developed a reputation for great shows with performances that showcase the kids' singing, dancing and acting skills. A new wrinkle in...
I had the privilege of covering the Childrens Summer Theater production of “Seussical” over the weekend. It was a great show, and the kids did such a great job with it. It reminded me of a few years ago when I covered Dr. Seuss’s “Horton Hears a Who” at Shafter High School. It really hit me in a way that I didn’t expect. I ended up writing an editorial about it a couple of weeks afterward. Unfortunately, the sentiment still seems the same today, as it was a few years ago....
The Shafter Recreation and Parks District has been busy this summer with a variety of programs, whether if you are 8 years old or 80. The Rec has just finished their summer baseball season, crowning champions in several divisions. Next up for the district is their fall baseball and softball seasons, with over 20 players signed up to participate so far. For the seniors in the community, the district offers Zumba classes to keep them active, as well as other exercise classes....
ABOVE: The Rising Starrhs opened the show. RIGHT: Maggie and Hudson O'Brien are a part of the Rising Starrhs. BELOW: Emma Gonzalez and Micah Neufeld as the Mayor and JoJo....
The Bakersfield Republican Women, Federated, made a donation of value-rich books to the Shafter Library last Thursday. Linda Kissack-Watkins and President Annette Londquist visited the library and gave the large collection of books to Samantha Saldana, Shafter's librarian. "We usually give the books to a school, but this year, we heard about the challenges that the city of Shafter and its library went through, and we had to give the books to them," said Kissack-Watkins. "I...
The Shafter City Council honored members of the Salvation Training Ground girls 11u basketball team that traveled to San Diego in mid-July to compete in the California State Games. The team went undefeated and brought home the State Championship trophy. This team has been practicing and playing in tournaments throughout the year and have taken away three first place trophies. The team, coached by Fabian Jimenez, Angel Acosta and Mike Watts, have been playing together since...
The Shafter City Council approved a portion of the James Street project that will see the Regional Transit Bus Stop relocated from the corner of the City Hall location to Stringham Park, right off of James Street. The project is made possible by cooperation between the City of Shafter and the Kern County Public Works Department. Shafter Public Works Director Michael James said that the project is part of the approved 2022/2023 budget, which earmarked monies for the project....
The Tin Cup in Shafter recently unveiled its new menu, with the addition of a few new items, keeping up with trends, while staying true to its roots that made them one of the go-to places in town. The eatery is offering a variety of wraps, along with a few new drink options, with a handful of refreshers now on the menu. With the summer heat, these "refreshing" options hit the spot. Over the last few years,, the Tin Cup has added acai bowls, with its super oxidant qualities, gi...
A Wasco man is under investigation after being involved in a traffic accident that resulted in the death of a 1-year-old child and the injury of five others. Irving Rodriguez-Barraza was reportedly driving a Dodge Ram eastbound on Burbank Street when it collided with a Jeep Cherokee driven by Bakersfield resident Jesus Tejada Sanchez, 29. Rodriguez-Barraza had a passenger with him, Cruz Carrillo Olvera, 48, of Wasco. Sanchez had an adult passenger, Joanne Figueroa, 34, and...
The Shafter Police Department welcomed a new addition recently, with the swearing-in of Officer Mallory Serjeant. Serjeant has over 10 years experience in law enforcement, starting her career as a detentions deputy with the Kern County Sheriff's Department. Officer Serjeant was officially welcomed by the City Council at a recent meeting. She was thanked by council members, as well as Police Chief Kevin Zimmerman. Serjeant was hired on July 11. She rose in rank to a detentions...
There are going to be two open City Council seats at the end of the year, with elections in November. Mayor Cathy Prout and Councilmember Cesar Lopez's terms are expiring in December. Each of the longterm council members has said they will run for re-election. Anyone who wants to run for one of the seats must be a US citizen, must be 18 years of age or older, and be a registered voter in the city at the time nomination papers are issued. The City Council serves as the...
The City Council recognized Captain Jeff Bell of the Shafter Police Department for his 23 years of service Tuesday evening. Bell retired recently, starting a new chapter in his life and career. Bell began with the city 23 years ago, after serving as a law enforcement officer in the Los Angeles County area, where he was involved in tactical teams during the Rodney King riots and the 1994 Northridge earthquake. Bell became the first Shafter police officer to attend the FBI...
