Serving the community since 1922
Serving the community since 1922
Sorted by date Results 901 - 925 of 1554
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...
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...
It came as no shock last week when it was announced that the annual Shafter Christmas Store had been canceled, but it was still a disappointing one for many families who had shopped online for their children in the program that allows families to buy toys for their children at discounts. This program was started a few years ago by a group of volunteers, giving families the satisfaction of buying their own presents for their kids. Toys are donated by local businesses and...
The city has received over $96,000 in Community Block Development grant funds from the Kern County Board of Supervisors to use toward covid-19 public service and facilities improvements. The project consists of personal protective equipment, sanitizing equipment, public outreach, and other measurements to provide prevention from the covid-19 virus for frontline Public Works employees and the community at large. Covid-19 response activities include new office and warehouse air...
Over 50 families received an early Christmas present as they were given a box full of food. The Shafter Kiwanis Club organized the event and were assisted by volunteers and other organizations that came together to help the community. Phillip Jimenez, district manager of the Shafter Recreation and Park District, and his crew helped prepare the boxes. The boxes contained beans, rice, canned goods, as well as potatoes and other items going toward a holiday meal and helping the...
The city has seen its confirmed cases of covid-19 increase despite a mask covering campaign and safety guidelines in place. Last week there were 133 confirmed cases in Shafter, bringing the total confirmed cases in Shafter to 1,832. City officials say that the most important thing is the health and safety of its citizens and they are encouraging everyone to do their part in keeping all of its residents safe. This means adhering to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s stay-at-home order, w...
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...
Due to the pandemic, the community is facing a holiday season filled with uncertainty and caution. Thanks to the community spirit alive and well in the city, this holiday season will still be merry and bright. Headed up by Margaret Ramirez, Shafter Healthy Start has its hands in several events this holiday season. One event is the Hams to the Needy event that will take place on Dec. 17. A number of hams were purchased with funds donated by Bank of the Sierra. In addition to...
Harvey Havins was a young soldier from North Shafter, one of three brothers who were serving in the United States Military. On that fateful day in 1941, Havins was serving aboard the U.S.S. Arizona when it was hit by eight armor-piercing bombs, which sunk the Arizona, trapping over 1,100 soldiers with it under the Pacific Ocean, which is still visible to this day at Pearl Harbor. It is believed that Havins was the first Kern County soldier killed in the World War II conflict....
Santa Claus helped bring some cheer to children this past weekend as he touched down at the Minter Field Air Museum. Although the pandemic has been tough on children, with no in-person school memories or vacations planned, the event at Minter Field brought out smiles and laughter. Along with Mrs. Claus and elves, the children received stuffed animals courtesy of Petsmart in Bakersfield. The group gave out over 600 of the toys. Over 200 vehicles participated in the event. The...
During this current pandemic, it is a challenging time for residents to make it feel like the holiday season. For the seniors here in Shafter, there is a group of volunteers that care enough to give them a holiday season to remember, no matter the circumstances. Headed up by the ladies at the Shafter Women's Club, a contingent of residents gathered at the Valley Bible Church recently and put together a bunch of gift baskets that is distributed to the Carrington House in Shafte...
In comparison to similar cities in Kern County and the state, the city is a little ahead of the curve when it comes to mid-year report cards financially, according to Business Development Director Bob Meadows. Meadows was featured on a local radio show recently, where he told the listeners how the city is fairing better than the majority of cities in Kern County. "We have done a good job in the past in saving funds and preparing for a rainy day, and we are storming right...
