Serving the community since 1922
Serving the community since 1922
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After a four-year absence, the Colours Festival made its return to Shafter last weekend, with a host of activities. The traditional Spaghetti Dinner was put on by the Shafter Community Chest, with a drive-thru event this year. On Friday, the Art Gallery opened at the Ford Theater, with the works of 13 local artists on display. There were sculptures, paintings, sketches and photographs, as well as floral arrangements created by the Shafter FFA. There was also a visit from author Jennifer...
David Couch is running for reelection as the Supervisor in the 4th District. Couch is a lifelong resident of Kern County and has served as a city councilman and county supervisor for over 20 years. He has over 25 years of private sector experience working in the financial services and energy industries. Couch has said that he has done much for the communities he represents and looks forward to the chance to serve them for another term. A big issue for Couch is making sure his constituents are...
Third in a series profiling candidates for 4th District county supervisor, representing the Shafter and Wasco areas. Other stories can be found at TheShafterPress.com or WascoTrib.com. Veronica Vasquez has a bachelor's in human development from Cal State East Bay, with a minor in political science and women's studies and a master's in social work with an emphasis on mental health. She has interned with Sen. Barbara Boxer in San Francisco with a role to help veterans and mental health constituent...
Salvador Solorio-Ruiz has thrown his hat into the ring for the District 4 Supervisor race, looking to change the path of the county from status quo to a more involved community. “The way things are now, there seems to be a disconnect between the community and its leadership. We need to change that, and I would be the perfect candidate to bring about that change.” Solorio-Ruiz is Delano’s vice mayor, after becoming one of the youngest city council members in the county at the age of 24 when elect...
The Shafter High girls basketball team saw their season and Head Coach Shawn Pennell's tenure end with a loss to the top-seeded Eagles of Bakersfield Christian on Wednesday night, 70-47, in the semifinals of the Central Section Division III playoffs. The Lady Generals, seeded number four in the tourney, came out firing in the first quarter, using a smothering defense to force a few Eagle turnovers and turning them into easy points. After leading after the first quarter, the teams traded baskets,...
When you think of art in Shafter, Charlotte White, Deanna Nelson and Lorena Castillo would naturally come to mind. These artists have given the community many pieces to admire, from White's depictions of local landmarks to Nelson's touching portraits of people and landscapes. There is an artist in town who presented some of her creations at the Colours Festival that you may not have heard of. Martha Maynard, whose daughter, Stephanie Benito, is Stan Wislon's right-hand person at the Shafter...
Julianna Gonzalez, who came into the State Wrestling tournament last weekend at Mechanics Bank Arena as the number three seed, fell short of making it to the medal rounds, falling in the quarterfinals, suffering her first pin of the season. Gonzalez won her first two matches by pins. Her first match she pinned her opponent just 45 seconds into the match. She had no more trouble in her second match, securing the pin to make it to day 2 of the season-ending event. After the loss, Gonzalez was...
The Shafter Press and Wasco Tribune encourage local organizations to let the public know about coming events and activities through this column. Drop off or mail items at the office, 455 Kern St., Suite E, in Shafter, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday, call 661-292-5100 or email esoriano@TheShafterPress.com. Deadline is 4 p.m. Thursday prior to publication. Updates will be on TheShafterPress.com and WascoTrib.com. ANNOUNCEMENTS Wasco Bulky Waste Collection Event–Sponsored by the Kern County Public Works on Sat. March 9 Barker Park 1218 Poplar Ave 8...
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, 455 Kern St., Suite E, Shafter 93263, or e-mail it to mysteryphoto@The ShafterPress.com. Winners will be revealed here next week. LAST WEEK: Early 1950s La Colonia children following the potato harvest in Nipomo, in northern California. Left top: Yolanda Rivers, Eva Mar...
Feb. 11 Sara Leon Campos, 45, of Shafter, was arrested at Allen Road and Rosedale Highway for DUI, driving with a suspended license and making an unsafe turn. Feb. 15 Monica Vargas, 39, of Shafter, was arrested on West Los Angeles Avenue and Poplar Avenue for DUI and driving without a license. Yamilett Regaldo, 39, of Shafter, was arrested at West Los Angeles and Poplar on a bench warrant/failure to appear on a misdemeanor charge. Fernando Garcia Jr., 37, of Shafter, was arrested in the 200 block Central Valley Highway on a bench warrant/failur...
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Shafter lost a great friend recently, with the passing of Longino (Kino) Gonzalez, at the age of 92. Gonzalez is best known around town for his cheerful disposition and caring attitude, working for the U.S. Post Office for over 36 years. Gonzalez hadn't even thought about the Post Office for the first half of his life, toiling in the fields and making a living for him and his family, until one day someone asked him if he had ever thought about trying for a job there. Gonzalez had found his...
Francisco Rodriguez Jr was born into this world on April 16, 1956, to Francisco Rodriguez Sr. and Estefana Rodriguez. He was born in Lubbock, Texas, and lived there for some years. His father would take the family to California to work at a young age. This would be the foundation of the hard worker he would become in life. They would eventually move to Shafter, where he would continue to help and work with his family to build a better life together. The family would only get bigger. His family...
Darlene Ivie Heil, born Dec. 10, 1944, in Denver, Colo., to Charles Gilbert Ivie and Thelma Turner Ivie, passed away on Aug. 2, 2023, at the home of her daughter in Long Beach, after a brief battle with lung cancer. She was a resident of Los Alamitos, Calif., and Molokai, Hawaii, at the time of her passing. Darlene spent her formative years in Lakewood, Calif., graduating from Lakewood High School in 1964. She pursued higher education at California State University Long Beach, earning a...
Pamela Kay Garcia was born on Jan. 8, 1952, to John E. and Marjorie Dell Siemens. She grew up in the Shafter/Wasco area, attending Maple Elementary and then Wasco High School, where she graduated in 1969. Pam passed away in Bakersfield on Feb. 29, 2024. Pam was baptized in 1965 at the Mennonite Brethren Church. She was a member at Wasco Mennonite Brethren church until they closed, and then transferred membership to the Shafter Mennonite Brethren Church. Pam met Americo "Med" Garcia in 1969 in...
Rafaela Lara Arroyo, 75, passed away at her home on Feb. 13, 2024, surrounded by her loving family. She was born in May of 1948 in Sinaloa, Mexico. Fondly known as "Fala" and "la Güera," her greatest joy was spending time with her family and friends. Upon immigrating from Mexico, she settled in Shafter, where she began her career as a "mayordoma." She then transitioned to become a very skilled forklift driver for The Garlic Company, where she not only excelled in her role but also served as a...
North Kern Christian School, founded in 1978 by the Wasco Mennonite Brethren Church, is dedicated to delivering high-quality education within a Christian setting, employing a curriculum rooted in Christian principles. Sandy Armstrong has been the advisor for the Home Study Program since 1990. She started as a junior high teacher in 1980. "People here are like-minded and focused on providing the best Christian education," she explained. "It's a pleasure to go to work every day." "It's a safe,...
The Orange Heart Foundation is a nonprofit organization with a mission to enhance the community of Wasco. The organization aims to instill optimism through educational and recreational initiatives, uniting through events, and focusing on the betterment of the local area. The goal is to elevate the quality of life in the community by establishing constructive and inspiring customs that represent the entirety of residents. The OHF was founded in 2015 following the organization of the Centennial...
Shafter police officers made an arrest on Thursday morning, at approximately 4 a.m., when they found weapons, ammo and drugs in a vehicle in the 100 block of West Orange Avenue in Shafter. According to the SPD's Joshua Stephens, officers were patrolling in the area and began talking with three individuals inside a car parked on the street. Stephens said that one of the individuals, later identified as 35-year-old Victor Ordaz, of Wasco, was found to have an outstanding misdemeanor warrant for...
One person was dead and four others injured after a four-car accident off of Zerker Road in Shafter. The accident occurred on Tuesday morning, at approximately 6:40 a.m., according to the Shafter Police Department's Joshua Stephens. One of the drivers, 74 year old Eric Hoffman, of Bakersfield, was fatally injured in the accident a mile north of Seventh Standard Road in Shafter. Two other people suffered minor to moderate injuries and were taken to a local hospital for treatment. Shafter Police...
Planet Dance Studio opened its doors in 2002, providing the art of dance to thousands of students in tap, jazz, ballet and hip-hop. Regionally and nationally, it has garnered multiple championships and accolades and received scholarships at the highest level of competition. Jacob Hernandez is the director and founded the school with his mother, Corine Matera. "Our studio has been within Wasco and Shafter for the last two decades, and we absolutely love being in these communities. There was nothi...
Shafter High Principal Russell Shipley recently announced the Generals of the Month, those students who have exemplified the characteristics of a General in and out of the classroom. The students were chosen by teachers and staff. They are selected based on their classroom performance, as well as their character traits away from the classroom. Shipley presented the students with a certificate, as well as a special lunch in their honor. ."It is great to recognize those students who not only wear...
Karl F. Clemens Elementary School announced its weekly Super Students. Criteria for selection were based on significant math improvement, showing kindness to all friends, respect and hard work, following class procedures, helping other students understand new concepts and improving learning English. From left are school mascot Whiskers, Ethan Rodriguez (1st grade), Victor Prado (2nd grade), Guillermo Miranda (3rd grade), Andres Nava (kindergarten), Leticia Cruz (4th grade), Norma Martinez (5th...
Vicky came into the Wasco Animal Shelter as a stray. She is approximately a 3-4-year-old female husky mix. She is great with staff and other dogs. At the time, it is unknown if Vicky is house/crate trained. Dogs are not tested with children. Her behavior toward children is unknown. Vicky will be available for adoption on Tuesday, March 5. Everyone is welcome to adopt from our facility, and we like to give everyone the same opportunity to adopt. Adopters can be from out of town and/or local. We...
Photos from Colours -- A Festival of the Arts in 2024....
