Serving the community since 1922
Serving the community since 1922
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The region has seen a decrease in the amount of new coronavirus cases this past week, giving Kern County hope for a cautious return to the red tier in the near future. As of Tuesday, Feb. 23, Kern County Public Health Director Brynn Carrigan told the Board of Supervisors at its morning meeting that “the state will announce today that the county has an unadjusted covid-19 case rate of 16.8 per 100,000 people with a state-adjusted rate, closer to 18.5 and the county is inching closer to the red tier. The red tier is a less restricted tier, which...
Mayor Alex Garcia has been appointed to serve a second term. When Garcia was interviewed about two years ago, he stated that he felt the position of mayor should be more than just a one-year term. He often commented that "It would be nice if the mayor could serve two years instead of one because it takes almost a year to get your feet wet in the leadership position." Garcia said that he feels like he has had a two-year term being selected mayor once again so close to his last term. "Alex cares...
Father Raul A. Sanchez-Flores has been relocated to St. Joseph's Church in Selma. Sanchez-Flores joined St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church six years ago as parish priest. When asking Sanchez-Flores whether or not he had a choice in accepting a new assignment, he said when a parish priest is asked to change locations, the priest usually agrees to the move. "On Tuesday Feb. 19, I received a phone call from Father Sal Gonzalez, Vicar General, who was calling on behalf of our bishop, Most...
Wasco residents are like everyone else, they love their pizza and wings and an occasional ice cold beer or soft drink. That's exactly what owner of Pizza Factory Russ Adkins was hoping for when he made a career move from teaching to owning a franchise. Due to family illness, Adkins was forced to close Pizza Factory; however, CEO Mary Jane Riva and her husband, Bob, from Oakhurst decided to rescue the Wasco Pizza Factory. The restaurant reopened its doors Feb. 11. "Russ did such an outstanding...
The High Speed Rail recognized a total number of 5,000 workers on the project to date and celebrated that number by placing a banner in Wasco at Jackson and Highway 43. In August 2008, the California Assembly approved the measure known as 1A to create a High Speed Rail system to run from San Francisco to San Diego. However, in February 2019, Gov. Gavin Newsom scaled back the project to run from Merced to Bakersfield. Meanwhile, the HSR continues to hire workers and request additional funding in...
Wasco High School is the first school in the area to hold an athletic event. On Thursday, Feb. 11 the school hosted its first cross country meet against Bakersfield Christian High School and again on Friday, Feb. 12, it hosted Garces High School. Wasco Coach Omar Garcia was happy to be out on the field with his athletes. He shares coaching duties with coaches Leo Sanchez and Rafael Gonzalez. Twenty-five athletes competed on Thursday. Everyone wore a mask for protection against the virus, even...
It's been almost a year since the country closed down due to the pandemic and with it, events like the Rose Queen pageant, Wasco Festival, Christmas parade and other events were canceled or operated virtually. The Rose Queen pageant for 2021 is still on. [There is] "still no update on Rose Queen. I will get back to you as soon as we have everything finalized," said Activities Coordinator Hailey Coyle. "We know we will be able to do it, we are still just working out the details." Traditionally,...
The rate of infection of covid-19 has slowed compared to a week ago. In the last week, 140 new covid-19 cases were confirmed for a total of 5,189 cases since the beginning of the pandemic. The number of recovered cases on Feb. 16 is 1,480 up from 1,447 from the week of Feb. 11, which means that there were 33 newly recovered cases within the past week. The number of presumed recovered has increased from 1,553 to 1,878 or 325 presumed recovered since Feb. 11. In Shafter, the city had 77 new cases...
The Reserve will be back in Wasco for a summer team, Director of the Pecos Baseball League Andrew said, but not under Coach Bill Moore. "We will return to Wasco for the 2021 season assuming California will allow spectators at games," Dunn said. "We'll name a manager in April and the season is scheduled to start June 1." Long-time manager and coach, Moore said that he is retiring for health reasons. He hopes to be able to coach a summer college team closer to his home in Arizona. During last...
The Kern County Sheriff's Office is asking for the public's assistance in locating a missing 14 year old from Bakersfield. Caidance Williams was born Oct. 15, 2006. She is 5'4" and weighs 150 pounds. She is white, has hazel eyes and scars on her left cheek and right index finger. Williams was last seen on Jan. 20. It is unknown what she was wearing. If anyone has any information regarding her whereabouts, they are asked to contact deputies at 661- 861-3110 or the Secret Witness Line at...
City Manager Daniel Ortiz-Hernandez told the City Council that the city has been proposed to be a vaccination site. The site would be at the Veteran's Hall at Barker Park. More information will be coming soon, Ortiz-Hernandez said. Ortiz-Hernandez said the reopening of the city depends on the availability of vaccinations. "It's been challenging following and adjusting to the changes the state makes or the fluctuation of availability of vaccines," he said. Tina Newman, who serves disabled adults...
The number of new positive cases of the covid-19 virus continues to rise quickly in one week in Wasco. On Feb. 2, there were 4,724 cases and on Feb. 9, there is an increase of 325 new cases up to 5,049. The number of recovered is 1,444 up from 1,427 for the week of Feb. 2., which means recoveries have increased by 17 people. The number of presumed recovered for the week of Feb. 9 is 1,745 above last week’s recovered of 1,557, therefore 188 are presumed recovered from last week. Shafter’s numbers are more stable than Wasco’s with 3,268 cases...
Wasco State Prison was fined $16,360 for the way it handled its employees during the coronavirus pandemic. Cal/OSHA fined several California prisons over the issue of employees and the coronavirus in the workplace. The state website reported that the prison was fined for three violations, including two serious infractions. The website also states that the prison did not have an adequate plan in place to protect workers from viruses transmitted through the air. “They also did not fit employees properly for face masks requiring a filter,” the...
Mayor Alex Garcia pushed the High Speed Rail Authority Board on the topic of the farm labor camp hazard. He delivered public comments at the board meeting Feb. 9 via Zoom. “I will not apologize for past leadership. I will; however, be headstrong in our efforts to hold the HSR accountable for any and all adverse impacts the project has on the community they chose to build through,” Garcia said. “Our city has bent over backwards to accommodate the authority’s contractors every step of the way. We...
One of the first things you notice about Vickie Hight is her smile and the lightening streak of white that frames her bangs. A former Shafter General, Hight has become a Tiger because of the many years she and her husband, Scott, have lived in Wasco and the many years she has served the Wasco community. Now the community is bidding her ado as she retires from the Recreation and Parks Department. Hight began her career in Wasco working part time at the Chamber of Commerce in 1993. She then...
Wasco High School FFA students recently participated in the South Valley Speaking Competition. Shafter High School FFA hosted the competition on Jan. 23 and 30. Students spent two weekends competing. "This year it was different compared to prior years," said Recorder Sofia Reyes. "Each competition was online, which was new to a lot of us. It was divided into two different weekends. The first weekend was Creed, Prepared, and Job Interview." The Creed Recitation's purpose is to get members to...
The superintendent of the Wasco Union Elementary School District presented a bleak picture regarding the reopening of school for the current school year. "The WUESD is waiting for two things to occur before reopening," Superintendent Kelly Richers said. "1. The infection rate needs to drop below 25/100,000 and 2. The staff needs to have the opportunity to be vaccinated." In his speeches, Gov. Gavin Newsom states that schools need to reopen as soon as possible; however, teachers are not on his...
Vaccination efforts are continuing in the region as Bakersfield College has been designated a vaccine site. It is unclear whether there is enough of the vaccine to give everyone. As of Tuesday, Feb. 2, Kaiser Permanente is only giving the vaccine out to health care workers and adults over the age of 75. There is also a large vaccination center at the Kern County Fairgrounds. Vanguard in Wasco has been giving out vaccinations during the past week; however, Wasco’s Adventist Health does not have the vaccine. Omni Health in Shafter is open for v...
The City Council is considering a feasibility study to determine if the city can sustain its own police department. At its Feb. 2 meeting, the council discussed the city's investigation of an alternative to using the Kern County Sheriff's Office in the future. The city's contract with the sheriff's office expires this year. The annual cost for the fiscal year 2020-21 was $3.98 million, which is a 5% increase over the previous year. The last contract with the sheriff's office was a five-year...
Wasco Union High School District Superintendent Rob Cobb addressed all students, parents, families, teachers and staff members about the difficult year everyone has encountered with the pandemic. Cobb shared the district's reopening plan and what the district is doing to keep students and staff safe from the spread of covid-19 and what everyone can anticipate as the district looks forward to the end of this school year. "I first want to emphasize that our district considers the covid-19...
Maria's Ultimate Look, 822 5th St., is tucked back from the sidewalk and if it wasn't for the sign in the front, you would think the small cottage was someone's home. Maria Sanchez has been in the beauty business for 30 years and has owned her own salon for the past 18 years in several different locations in Wasco. The salon offers the cuts, perms, colors and also airbrush tanning. There is a tanning bed upstairs for those who want that summer glow all year round. You must be at least 18 years...
The Wasco Tribune recently welcomed Sarah Velarde as our newest reporter. Velarde was born in Bakersfield and was raised in Smith's Corners in Shafter. She is a 2005 graduate of Shafter High and understands the importance of a small community. Velarde was cheer captain and known as the class clown. After high school she attended Taft Community College. "After high school graduation, I quickly realized a car equaled freedom so I worked at Generals Headquarters and saved for my first car - a 2006...
The Wasco Community Scholarship Association is now accepting applications for 2021 awards. “The application is available on the Wasco High School website,” Wasco Community Scholarship Committee member Sharon Sharp said. “All Wasco High graduates attending a 2-year college, 4-year college or university, or trade school are encouraged to apply.” Sharp added that the four-year university and college scholarship award is $1,500. The two-year college, trade or technical school scholarships will be...
On Monday, Jan. 25, Gov. Gavin Newsom released the state from the curfew and placed 54 counties back in the most-restrictive purple tier. Newsom also lifted his stay-at-home order. According to Newsom, the San Francisco Bay Area, San Joaquin Valley and Southern California counties are in the purple tier now. While still restrictive, this change will now resume outdoor dining and hair and nail salons are allowed to be open. Bars that only serve beverages are still closed. On Monday, 4,569 Wasco residents have tested positive for covid-19 while...
Peters Funeral Home in Arvin was one of several businesses damaged after a number of fires in the area. The funeral home at 600 Tucker St., two abandoned buildings and an antique boutique off Bear Mountain Boulevard sustained damage after four fires ripped through the area. Mayor Olivia Trujillo visited the sites of each of the fires and expressed her concern about the large number of fires in such a short period of time. The Kern County Fire Department reported that the two businesses were...
