Serving the community since 1922
Serving the community since 1922
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Schools in the Richland School District celebrated the Reading Across America event last week, with classrooms filled with special guest readers of numerous Dr. Seuss books. The event encourages reading in and out of the classroom and shows that reading is an enjoyable event, not just an educational tool. Members of the Shafter community came to read to the students, including Mayor Chad Givens, Mayor Pro-Tem Cathy Prout, Shafter High Coach Jerald Pierucci, Pastor Mark Scialabba, Debbie Haley...
Elijah Sanchez, 21, will appear in court again on Monday, March 13, to get a trial date after pleading not guilty to an attempted murder charge.. Sanchez was arrested on Feb. 9, after the Shafter Police Department responded to a call of shots fired near the Starbucks in Shafter. Sanchez allegedly shot Javier Munoz of Shafter in the head. Both Sanchez and Munoz have gang tattoos, although Munoz told authorities that he had left the gang life years ago. According to court documents, Sanchez yelled a gang affiliation at Munoz before pulling the gu...
The Shafter Distinguished Young Woman program is getting ready to name a new title holder to represent the city. The program will take place on Friday, March 24, at the Fred Starrh Performing Arts Center at Shafter High School, beginning at 7 p.m. There are nine participants this year, each sponsored by local businesses. Here are the participants: Alyssa Calvillo is the daughter of Candy Gonzalez and is being sponsored by the Shafter Lions Club. She will be performing a dance routine at the...
Lower than expected labor costs will give the city a surplus in its operating fund this year, the City Council was told Tuesday night. In reviewing the midyear budget report for 2022-23, it was noted that one reason for the savings came from labor costs in the Shafter Police Department due to vacancies. There was a request for an increase of $30,000 for costs regarding the closed former correctional facility, including electricity and utilities.. Overall, the city is well within the budget...
Charlotte White, who has works of art hanging all over Shafter and Kern County, has two new pieces on display at the Shafter Library and Learning Center. Director David Frantz assisted White in hanging her new pieces, which illustrate different landscapes and an orchard. White has been painting for over 50 years and is an award-winning artist and educator. She taught at Oaks Valley Charter School for almost 10 years, with stints at Liberty High School and other institutions on her resume. White...
Mannel Park hosted the Ventura Circus last weekend, giving several performances of their new showcase. This circus had a host of different acts that amazed and entertained the crowds on hand. It was standing-room-only on opening night, with this year's themed "The Dream" show. Ventura Circus is a family-owned and-operated circus that relies on acrobatics, clowns, balancing acts, and high-flying tricks to keep the audience on the edge of their seats. "The Dream" follows a girl who is drifting...
The community came out on Friday to celebrate the life of a great man, Robert (Rob) Cobb. It was a moving tribute to a lifelong educator that contributed much to the city of Wasco. Pastor Dave Moorhead welcomed and prayed with those in attendance. "We want to celebrate him. It's an honor to Rob and an honor to his family. We are grateful we had him and how he touched our lives." He said of the service, "I think it is one of the most beautiful I have ever seen. It was special because it was...
On Saturday, a strategic planning workshop for the fiscal 2023-24 year was held for the City Council and city leaders to come to a consensus on priorities that will help the staff form the upcoming budget. At the workshop, the council and key staff members shared updates on their efforts, accomplishments and initiatives related to each department such as finance, public works, community development and human resources. The "impact categories" discussed were enhancing financial stability and...
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 esoriano@TheShafterPress.com or call 661-292-5100 by Monday at 4 p.m. for that week’s paper. ANNOUNCEMENTS History lecture – The Shafter Historical Society presents Shafter history lectures with Stan Wilson at the Shafter Library & Learning Center Thursday, March 9, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. This week’s talk: “The Carleton Watkins Photographs of Kern County....
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, CA 93263, or e-mail it to mysteryphoto@The ShafterPress.com. Winners will be revealed here next week. LAST WEEK: Otto and Regina Becker were married on July 9, 1922, at the Shafter Mennonite Brethren Church....
Feb. 27 Basel Khaled Ali, 20, of Shafter, was arrested in the 500 block of Fresno Avenue for false report of emergency. Feb. 28 Everardo Gomez, 37, of Shafter, was arrested in the 800 block of Central Avenue on a bench warrant/failure to appear on a felony charge and a misdemeanor charge. Omar Chavez, 33, of Shafter, was arrested in the 100 block of West Orange Avenue for possession of unlawful paraphernalia. March 1 Ramon Beltran, 29, was arrested in the 1500 block of Lotus Lane for hit and run and property damage. Martin Zamora, 26, of...
Many people reject the thought of a soul spending eternity in hell. Many churches consider the thought old-fashioned and too offensive. Many say God is too loving to banish people to such an awful place for eternity. God's love does not negate His justice, His righteousness or His holiness. God's love has provided a way of escape. John 3:16 says, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him would not perish but have everlasting life." To reject o...
Jose C. Trujillo, 74, of Shafter, passed away Feb. 28, in Los Angeles. Peters Funeral Home, Shafter....
Representatives from American Refuse attended the City Council meeting Tuesday night and gave a presentation on the recycling bag and information they are leaving residents, along with their new blue recycle cart. This is all in preparation for the introduction of the new recycling program beginning next week. "There is a brochure that lists what goes in every cart and a welcome letter," recycling coordinator Maria Medina said. The brochure includes information about what is expected, what is...
There was a house full of worshipers on Sunday at the Wasco Community Revival. The special event occurred at True Light Baptist Church in Wasco, with almost 100 people celebrating the power of prayer and unity. The message was one of love and joy where various churches in Wasco and from outside came together to pray for the town, including the recent violence. It was open to everyone, and it didn't matter what church you went to; all were welcomed. There was music in English and Spanish. Parishi...
A story last week encouraged parents to attend meetings of the the Wasco Union High School District board on the second Thursday of the month, and Acting Superintendent Kevin Tallon suggested that a Spanish version be run for spanish-language households: Superintendente invita a los padres a reuniones de la junta Estar involucrado en la educación de hijo hace una diferencia positiva en su éxito académico. Estar activamente involucrado demuestra que te preocupas y estás involucrado en su crecimiento académico. También le permite hacer oír s...
It was a busy morning for the Ross store at its grand opening on Saturday, with over 150 people walking through its doors in the first 10 minutes. Bri Villa was one of the shoppers. "I am here today to check out the new store because it's closer than Delano or Bakersfield. I wanted to be one of the first shoppers to have the first look at the merchandise. It's also a sign that the city is growing, adding new stores and expanding with all the new housing." Another shopper, Rosalina Ruiz, said,...
Wasco Independence High School held a mock interview workshop to provide seniors with a real job interview experience with local employers. "We decided to host this event as a continuum from the career fair we recently hosted and continue to expose students to diverse career opportunities within the community," Principal Rusvel Prado said. He said that it's important for students to have these types of opportunities to take what they are learning in the classroom and put it into practice. The...
Erik Christian Larson, 50, of Shafter, passed away on Feb. 21, 2023. Erik, born on Sept. 11,1972, was born in Wasco to Sandra Pieper Larson and George Harvey Larson. His grandmother was a nurse at the hospital where he was delivered. Erik grew up in Shafter with his sister, Kristin Larson Meranda, and graduated from Shafter High in 1991. His teachers recall Erik and friends skateboarding in their empty pools as teenagers. Erik's father, George, was also a teacher and coach at Shafter High....
Gwendolyn Ann Roberson, 65, was born May 2, 1953, and passed away March 4, 2023, surrounded by family. Gwendolyn was one of the original employees of the Wasco Kmart from 1991 until the doors permanently closed in 2016. Services will be held Friday, March 17, at 11 a.m. at the Truelight Church in Wasco,14th and Broadway. [CORRECTION 3/14/23: A previous version of this obituary had an erroneous date of passing.]...
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