Serving the community since 1922
Serving the community since 1922
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Denny's has been a staple on Highway 46 for over 10 years and draws hungry travelers from Highway 5 headed both north and south. And outdoor diners have been stepping up to the plate. "Our most-popular meal is the Grand Slam Slugger," general manager Christine Sanchez said. Sanchez has been with Denny's for 15 years. A Bakersfield resident, she started out as a hostess and dishwasher at the Denny's on Buck Owens Boulevard and has been in Wasco for one and one-half years. She says her job is vari...
Raised in Wasco, Russel Prado knew from his freshman year in high school that he wanted to be a teacher and teach in his hometown of Wasco. Prado was forced to move out of Wasco in April of his freshman year at Wasco High School and finished high school in Bakersfield. Because of the decision he made during his freshman year, he always knew he was going to return to Wasco and teach. "I love Wasco," he said. "You knew everybody and that was great." After high school, Prado was offered a football...
Students in the Wasco Union Elementary School District will begin the school year with distance learning only because Kern County is back on the governor’s watch list, Superintendent Kelly Richers says. Richers said he had hoped the school would be able to include some in-person classes, but that under the watch schools, hair salons, in-dining restaurants and barbershops are restricted. The earliest school could provide in-person learning is 14 days after being placed on the watch list, Richers said. He added that “there would not be time to...
Shafter and Wasco residents are suffering from whiplash after learning July 17 they had been removed from the governor's Watch List and July 18 they were back on it again. The number of coronavirus cases are spiking in Kern County. As of July 20, 332 Wasco residents had tested positive for covid-19 with 137 recovered; Shafter had listed 328 positive cases with 207 recovered, according to the Kern County Health Department. Local businesses in Shafter are requiring all customers to wear a face...
Just when the city thought it was able to begin opening up and repair the declining economy, covid-19 placed Kern County back on the state’s restricted list. “The city offices are still closed to the public,” City Manager Daniel Ortiz-Hernandez said at the recent meeting of the City Council. “If anyone wants to make an appointment with staff, they need to call the city’s number (758-5411).” He added that the animal shelter is still closed. Much of the council’s action centered around the effects of the pandemic. The City Council agreed to ext...
Located in Lost Hills, PrimeX has been at the forefront of the news regarding the covid-19 pandemic. A July 17 story in Kern Sol News stated that one employee Jesse Rojas of the Redd Group, a Bakersfield business consulting firm hired by PrimeX to relay information to the media and work with their human resources department, said the company is working closely with the affected family of the deceased worker in order to maintain privacy. Rojas confirmed there has been one death at PrimeX; however, he said that until the autopsy is concluded,...
Wasco City Council member Alex Garcia has been appointed to the Kern Family Health Care board of directors, in which role he hopes to work on health care for rural communities and be a voice for the smaller cities in the county. Garcia says he felt he had the perfect experience to be a part of the board because he previously has been insured by Medi-Cal and has worked in the medical billing industry for the past three years. "50 percent of Wasco residents receive Medi-Cal," he said. "I want to...
Getting it right means a lot to AutoZone store manager Leo Joaquin. "I am most proud of being able to help people and ease their concerns when it comes to selling the correct parts for their vehicles," Joaquin said in an interview last week. "I am also proud of being able to train my employees with the right knowledge so that they can run the business. The store on Highway 46 in Wasco has been in its present location for over 20 years. "I've been the store manager close to 4 years," Joaquin...
The Wasco Union Elementary School District has yet to make a final decision regarding the 2020-2021 school year. However, the district has decided on several methods that will be used for teaching. In a nine-page document, the district outlined the school board's plans for the academic year. School will begin on Monday, August 10. The school year will be a combination of in-classroom teaching and distance learning in order to meet the needs of all students. Priority for on-campus instruction may be given to students with the highest need, such...
Anytime Fitness has reopened after being closed during the lockdown and is welcoming back its members and says it has plenty of room for newcomers. Owners Stacy Juarez and her sister, Ginger Skaggs, take turns manning the front desk. While practicing social distancing, Juarez proudly showed off how the gym has been able to maintain the required safe distance between treadmill and stairmaster machines. Every other treadmill has a large sign, so users don't have to worry about maintaining a safe...
Friday began as a normal day off for many because the Fourth of July fell on a Saturday; however, that changed once messages appeared on Facebook announcing the Orange Heart Foundation would lead a Fourth of July car parade downtown at 1 p.m. and, thanks to Wasco High School, the annual fireworks show would happen that evening. The Orange Heart Foundation organized the parade and many drivers participated, several with American flags on their cars and colorful messages on their windows...
PrimeX, a major grower and processor of fruits and nuts in Wasco, is dealing with a major outbreak of coronavirus among workers, with 31 positive cases reported by the company and double that reported by the union representing their workers. She said that PrimeX's early adaption to CDC guidelines and employee cooperation has resulted in about 50% less Covid-19 cases than other similar operations in California, according to Chief Operating Officer Mojhan Amin in an email. "We are one of the...
Cesar Daniel Marquez-Chavez, owner of Catrina's Cantina, came to Wasco and made it his own. He died June 28 from complications of cancer. Marquez-Chavez was born in Guanajuato, Mexico, and didn't learn to speak English until he was 16. He owned the restaurant with his wife, Marcela Bujorquez-Marquez, for the past 2 1/2 years. Their restaurant provided the meals whenever the High Speed Rail Authority hosted their quarterly presentations in town. Mayor Tilo Cortez praised his margaritas on a...
As tough as it has been for groups to get together with the quarantine and 6-foot social distancing, some activities in town have been able to move forward with a modified schedule. The Wasco Tigersharks Swimming Organization is now led by President Joaquin Castillo. He provided an update on the upcoming Tigersharks schedule. “Practice begins July 6 and ends July 30,” he said. “There are no swim meets this year, but we will be working with swimmers to improve their technique for the 2021 seaso...
hHarassment, no matter what kind, often leads to serious consequences. Students at Wasco High School (WHS) who are a part of Reform WHS are getting the word out that they demand to be heard and listened to by the powers that be. About 25 students were in front of the high school auditorium with signs declaring their intent to be heard and that action must be taken against anyone who bullies or verbally or sexually harasses students. The complaint is that they are tired of any type of harassment...
The City Council unanimously approved a budget for 2020-21 that includes a $1.3 million operating deficit. The city's biggest expense is for safety (contracts with the Kern County Fire Department and Sheriff's Office), accounting for nearly a third of the budget. The city will be paying more for the Kern County Fire Department contract to run for one more year and the contract for the Kern County Sheriff's Office will increase to almost $4.1 million for 2020-2021. The KCSO contract expires June...
Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, Wasco High and Wasco Independence High were able to hold live graduation ceremonies, although they looked different than in years past. In order to maintain social distancing, students were asked to follow a simple set of rules when stepping up to the podium to receive their diplomas. Only one administrator was at the podium at a time and did not shake graduates' hands when handing out diplomas. Everyone on the field had a mask on except the person at the...
Comments from City Council members and the public were discussed in detail regarding the use of illegal fireworks being lit, especially in the evening and at nighttime. At the meeting Tuesday, June 16, the council was joined by Public Information Officer Andrew Freeborn of the Kern County Fire Department, who assured the city that the KCFD was stepping up its efforts to catch those using illegal fireworks. Kern County Fire Department Deputy Chief Aaron Duncan was present at a council meeting...
There are three types of students who attend Wasco Independence High School, Principal Martin Lonza said as the school prepared its commencement ceremony for 105 graduates: students who have fared poorly at larger schools, adults who are seeking their high school diploma, and students studying from home. The first type of student, he said, are those who come to Independence High because they've fallen behind in their coursework, had spotty attendance "and need a smaller, more focused...
Comments from City Council members and the public were discussed in detail regarding the use of illegal fireworks being lit, especially in the evening and at nighttime. At the meeting Tuesday, June 16, the council was joined by Public Information Officer Andrew Freeborn of the Kern County Fire Department, who assured the city that the KCFD was stepping up its efforts to catch those using illegal fireworks. Kern County Fire Department Deputy Chief Aaron Duncan was present at a council meeting...
It’s clear that the next school year is still up in the air – both physically and fiscally – as the WUESD board discussed the status of the district post-pandemic Tuesday night In an email after the meeting, Wasco Union Elementary School District Superintendent Kelly Richers said that the district is unsure where it stands for the next school year financially. “If the cost of living adjustment is met (Legislature proposal), we cannot release any certificated employees,” Richers said. “If the cost of living adjustment is not reached (the governo...
It took over four years to open the newest restaurant in Wasco. Posts were spotted on Facebook last week asking Panda Express would open – not an uncommon questions the couple of years -- and finally, on Saturday , the restaurant saw a line of cars waiting in the drive-thru. Panda Express' application was brought to the City Council four years ago but several negotiations needed to take place before the restaurant could obtain its desired spot in front of the Walmart Supercenter on Highway 4...
A statue at St. John's Evangelical Catholic Church was vandalized last week. The statue that stood on a pedestal at the side of the church on 9th Place was disfigured after someone removed the head and arms. "There is no clear evidence as to who did this," Father Raul Sanchez-Flores said. "The church's camera only captured shadows, and the camera across the street was too far away." All Sanchez-Flores could verify was that someone saw a person cross the street but was unsure what weapon they use...
A one-on-one interview with staff at the Wasco State Prison was discouraged due to the COVID-19 virus pandemic; however, an online interview provided answers to many questions. Joshua Farley, correctional lieutenant, administrative assistant and public information officer at Wasco State Prison was able to answer several questions posed to the institution regarding how the prison has been handling staff and prisoners during the pandemic. "CDCR's number one priority is the health and safety of...
The city is experiencing mechanical issues of two of its five water wells, Mayor Tilo Cortez told residents on Friday. The city alerted the public by a message from Cortez via Facebook and a press release alerting the residents of the problem. “The mechanical issues will require immediate repairs, which will begin as soon as possible and may last for several weeks,” City Manager Daniel Ortiz-Hernandez said. “During this period, residents and businesses may experience below-normal water press...
