Serving the community since 1922
Serving the community since 1922
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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 people. This calculate...
It was a year many of us will remember for all the wrong reasons. Never has there been so much change in so little time. The coronavirus took us all by surprise, never realizing how it would affect our lives. How could we have expected everyone to wear face masks and asking those close to us to stay away (well, at least six feet). Or the stock market to reach new records every day of the week the last week of a year in which we hit over-the-top levels of unemployment and spent trillions of dollars we didn’t have to keep the economy from s...
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 enforcement officials are sa...
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 Director Chuck...
As activities restart and businesses reopen, we will try to update readers on the status of events and activities throughout the area. Please contact Erica Soriano with additions and changes at [email protected] or call 661-292-5100 by Monday at 4 p.m. for that week’s paper.Ongoing Newspaper office hours -- The Shafter Press and Wasco Tribune office at 406 Central Ave., Shafter, will be open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday until further notice. Phone and email still can be used to reach the staff at 661-292-5100 or i...
Here's this week's challenge, courtesy of the Shafter Historical Society. If you know the location, circumstances, exact or rough date and/or people in the photo, send your educated (or semieducated) guess to The Press, 406 Central Ave., Shafter 93263, or e-mail it to mysteryphoto@The ShafterPress.com. Winners will be revealed here next week. LAST WEEK: At the 1966 SHS Dance, The Criterions' Danny Ramos....
Dec. 28 Maria Lourdes Mendez, 39, of Shafter, was arrested for inflicting corporal injury onto spouse. Dec. 31 Michelle Annette Orton, 32, of Shafter, was arrested for forgery, grand theft of property $950 plus and crimes committed in a state of emergency. Jan. 1 Israel Gutierrez, 28, of Shafter, was arrested for theft and extortion of a vehicle. Gustavo Adolfo Soto, 35, of Shafter, was arrested for burglary in the first degree, obstruction of a public officer, on an outside agency warrant and for conspiracy to commit a crime. Louis Anthony...
For the past couple of weeks there have been "dense fog" alerts on my phone's weather app. With that in mind, each morning I've looked out the window of my home to see if it's foggy or clear. Although many mornings have been clear, there have been a few with pretty thick fog for our area. As we look back on this past year it may feel like we've been living in a "fog" since the first changes happened due to covid-19. As many medical experts shared their insights concerning the pandemic, after awhile we probably all thought the same thing; they...
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 Luis Obispo-based...
Billy C. Martin, of Shafter, 80, passed away on Monday, Dec. 28, 2020, at Memorial Hospital in Bakersfield. He was born Sept. 29, 1940 in Lavaca, Arkansas, to Carroll Bradford Martin and Myrtle McCrae Martin. He is survived by his son. Billy B. Martin. and daughter in-law. Melissa Martin. and his grandchildren. Luke, Austin and Alyssa, all of Shafter. Billy also leaves behind his spouse of 22 years, Cecilia Hill. He was a bonus dad for Cecilia's children, Ashley, Kenny, Greg and Tommie Sue, all...
4 proved to be a devastating year for the Crawford family of rural Wasco. The day after Christmas the remaining twin son of CO and Dolly Crawford Deryl Layne Crawford died of heart failure. Back in March Deryl's twin brother Delbert died of the same cause. Deryl never married, living a happy life as a single man with all his nieces and nephews as his substitute children. Upon his discharge from the Army after serving in Korea, Deryl went to work in Southern California for Hughes Aircraft and...
Judy Faye (Marchman) Cates was born Aug. 30, 1931, in Quinton, Oklahoma, to Rachel Sarah (Basden) and Roy Marchman. She passed away peacefully on Dec. 30, 2020, into the arms of Jesus. She leaves behind her husband of 73 years, Lannis J. Cates, her daughter, Patricia (Cates) Funk and husband Howard, her son, Alan and wife Lori Cates, her granddaughters Jamie (Funk) Gonzales and Corey, Carly (Cates) Maxwell and Cody, Mallory (Cates) Reese and Justin, and grandson Ryan Funk. She also leaves...
Megan Rose Page went home to her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Dec. 25, 2020. Megan (Cossey) Page was born on March 4, 1983, the daughter of Tommy Fred Cossey and Terri Michelle Nixon. She grew up in Weldon until the age of 7, then moved to Bakersfield where she lived until the age of 9. She became the stepdaughter of Freeman Nixon at the age of 10 and spent most of the rest of her life residing in Shafter. In 2002 she had her first child, Isis, and in 2008 welcomed her second child, Colin,...
Kenneth (Kenny) Ralph Jameson born on March 19, 1956, passed away on Dec. 25, 2020. Kenny was a great man and will be missed by many. He leaves behind his beautiful wife, Annie Jameson, his children Cody Jameson (and Mayra Ornelas), and Eric Jameson, his grandson Ethan Jameson, his brother Ronald Jameson, sisters Vivian (and Richard) Bias, Alice (and Steve) Nelson, Shirley (and Freddie) Dunnahoe, brother in-law Herb Wood, sister-in-law Brenda Hurley and sister-in-law Maryilyn (Kenny) Petty,...
Ernest “Ernie” Bon Cabrera, 79, of Bakersfield/Delano, passed away Dec. 29 in Bakersfield. Geraldine Gayle Najera, 75, of Wasco, passed away Dec. 20 in Wasco. Basham & Lara Funeral Care, Shafter. Vincent Cruz Hinojosa Regalado, 23, of Wasco, passed away Dec. 26 in Wasco. Basham & Lara Funeral Care, Shafter. Hilario Botello Torres, 48, of Shafter, passed away Dec. 30 in Bakersfield. Basham & Lara Funeral Care, Shafter. Elise Bernice Warren, 93, of Shafter, passed away Dec. 24 in Los Angeles. Basham & Lara Funeral Care, Shafter. Felix Vil...
Sharon Elaine Whitworth, 73, of Wasco, passed away Dec. 27, 2020, at the family home in Arroyo Grande. She was born to the late Donald and Dorothy Galloway, July 31, 1947, in Wenatchee, Washington. Sharon graduated from Wasco Union High School and attended Federico Beauty College in Bakersfield. Sharon married James A. Whitworth in 1986, and they made their home in Wasco until moving to Arroyo Grande in 2019. She is survived by her husband, James Whitworth, children: Bart and Ann Wilburn of...
Euverto Narvaez, 98, of Wasco, passed away on Dec. 25 2020. Euverto was born in Buda, Texas to Fernando Narvaez Rocha and María Esther Moreno. In his early 20s, he met Maria Hiracheta and they fell in love in Los Rodriguez, Nuevo León. He is survived by his children Jacinto Narvaez, José Ángel Narvaez, Arturo Narvaez, Rogelio Narvaez, Consuelo N. García, Gloria Narvaez, Jesus Narvaez, Bertha Narvaez, 29 grandchildren and 67 great grandchildren. In addition to his parents, Euverto joins his belo...
Maria – or Ildonete – Graf was born July 31, 1949, in the small town of Camapua, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brasil, and passed away Jan. 1, 2021 in Bakersfield. She is preceded in passing by her parents Firmino Borges de Lima, her mother, Eunice Costa Vieira, three sisters Maria Jose (ZeZe) de Lima, Maria Ildonei de Lima Pedra, Angela Custodia de Lima, and a brother Carlos Diogo de Lima. She is survived by her husband of 42 years, Joe Graf of Wasco, and four children, Alex Graf of Paso Robles, Eri...
It’s 2021, and with 2020 in the rear view mirror, let’s all hope these vaccines, our social distancing, and our personal protective measures help eradicate this pandemic in the New Year. As we look back upon some of the heroes from 2020, I can’t help but recognize the work of the California Farmworker Foundation and their executive director, Hernan Hernandez, who has been working most of the year out of the spotlight making sure his farmworkers are protected and that the farmers have a healthy workforce. Were it not for the hard work of our f...
Asking someone their New Year’s resolution can be quite personal. A resolution is defined as a firm decision., and the changing of the year is the ultimate restart button. So, when asked what major life change are you determined to make, people tend to have a fight, flight or freeze approach. They fight for themselves. With a plan of attack, they speak of their approach to change with gusto, like the gentleman leaving True Value with quite a lot of pep in his step. “I will regain financial pea...
SARAH VALARDE For the Wasco Tribune The first City Council meeting of the year Tuesday night focused on the issue of public safety in Wasco. Council members hoped to shed light on rising numbers of gun crimes, and an apparent increase in general crime in the community. Thirteen community members attended the Zoom meeting. “It’s unfortunate,” said City Manager Daniel Ortiz- Hernandez. “But it’s important our residents know that the California criminal justice system is at fault.” Ortiz-Herna...
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Surrounded by loved ones, Henry Gonzales, 78, of Bakersfield, sadly passed away in his home on the morning of Dec. 31, 2020. Henry served as an inspiration for others throughout his life, and it was no different in his final years as he bravely battled with a serious heart condition. Despite the difficulties of his struggle, he never gave up on life but stayed strong to the end, continuing to love his family and his dogs, exercise, and care for his garden and citrus trees. Henry knew cars well,...
Ernest "Ernie" Bon Cabrera of Delano/Bakersfield was born on Dec. 5, 1941, and passed away Dec. 29, 2020. Ernie was born to the late Ernest and Mary Cabrera in Bakersfield. Ernie graduated from Delano High in 1960. After graduation he served in the U.S. Army for 3 years, 3 months and 3 days at Fort Ord, where he also played baseball for the Army team. Ernie also served 5 years and 3 months in the Army National Guard. In 1990, he met the love of his life, Janet. They met working at the same...
