Serving the community since 1922
Serving the community since 1922
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Mayor Cathy Prout released her State of the City this week; a speech that typically would be given at the annual Chamber Awards Banquet that was canceled due to the pandemic. Prout gave residents a look into the efforts made during the pandemic to keep the city strong financially and sociologically. Prout mentioned the strides Shafter has made in helping local businesses with a new program that temporarily reduces fees for existing and new businesses that are building or making improvements. She also mentioned how the city is helping its...
Mary Helen Vazquez was born on Sept. 6, 1940 in the Mexican Colony of Shafter to parents Pastor Vazquez and Maria Torres Vazquez. Mary Helen was a beloved and loving mother, daughter, sister and grandmother. She first drew breath and gave a loud cry at her birth, pronouncing her presence as the last-born child to a large Mexican-American family who had emigrated and were forming a new life for themselves in the United States. Helen was a fiercely proud American who completed high school in Shaft...
Born to Danny Lee and Carol Simpson Carroll, Daniel Carroll is survived by his mother Carol, sister Leslie and his favorite Aunt Deb. Daniel Issac Carroll "Dan the Man" was 52. He was preceded in death by his father, Danny Carroll. Daniel will be cremated, with no services at this time. Remember him and celebrate life....
Thomas Scott McDonald, whose lifelong quest to find, make, and share art to enrich the lives of family and friends, passed away on Feb. 5, 2021. Scott was a traveler who always sought out new experiences. He shared everything he loved - music, books, movies, ideas - with everyone he knew. His sincerity, sense of humor, and open-mindedness left a lasting impression with family and friends near and far. And to everyone who knew him, Scott was an artist. He started drawing cartoons as a boy, took...
The Shafter High School sports programs got the green light and are preparing for an abbreviated season, with the only exceptions being indoor sports such as basketball, volleyball and wrestling. The Kern High School District laid out a plan that will get the majority of the sports programs back in action beginning late this month. Practices have begun with safety measures and protocol in place including temperature checks, daily screening and social distancing when possible. The Shafter General...
As the pandemic continued, a group of Shafter High students were feeling disconnected with their peers as they left the school campus to learn at home. The group soon developed a solution to help better support their peers, starting a program called THRIVE. Audrey McPhetridge, Yesenia Gil, Jose Magana and Anthony Olivas wanted to find a way to get their peers together after so much time by themselves. "We could feel that the connectedness of the students was lacking we wanted to find a way to...
The city office will reopen its doors to the public on April 5, City Manager Daniel Ortiz-Hernandez reported during the recent council meeting. “The city’s offices have been closed for a year tomorrow (March 17, 2020) and the city has completed many of the facility updates required for a covid-19-safe return such as installing recommended barriers between the public and city staff, purchasing an air purifier to disinfect the work stations and upgrading the doors so handles won’t have to be to...
March 8 Juan Alberto Campos Galindo, 30, of Shafter, was arrested on the 400 block of N. Wall St on a felony bench warrant. March 10 Dirk Barton Underwood, 51, of Shafter, was arrested on the 500 block of James St. on an outside felony warrant and a misdemeanor bench warrant. Victor Arredondo, 35, of Shafter, was arrested on E. Lerdo Hwy. and Cherry Ave on a felony bench warrant, misdemeanor bench warrant and possession of controlled substance. Eduardo Alexander Juarez, 21, of Shafter, was arrested on the 400 block of Calloway for DUI 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 [email protected] or call 661-292-5100 by Monday at 4 p.m. for that week’s paper. Ongoing Bengals tryouts -- Bengals Football tryouts will be Week 2: March 18 and 19 at Westside Park (across from the skate park) from 5:30-7 p.m. Athletes must live in the Wasco School District and turn 7 years old/cannot turn 15 years old on or before Nov. 1...
Click on the pdf for this week's Classified Ads....
John Dobbs was born in Springdale, Ark., on Oct. 18, 1937. The family moved to Coalinga when he was 3 years old. John attended Coalinga schools, graduating from high school in 1955 and Fresno State in 1960. Following graduation he entered the Army, serving in Vietnam. He worked for California Planting Cotton Seed Distributors for 37 years, retiring in 2000. John's happiest days were spent in front of a barbecue wielding a spatula, a fishing pole in hand or traveling in search of a new fishing...
Shirley Geneva Hays went to be with her Lord and Savior March 10, 2021 at the age of 82. Shirley was a woman of principle and was always firm on what she believed in. She was also a woman of gentle smiles and a soothing voice. The Lord was number one in Shirley's life, and she was not shy to let you know that. Shirley was born in Red Hill, Okla., on Aug. 11, 1938 to Elmer and Mildred Burke. She attended Olka Union High School in Texas, where she was voted Most Beautiful and graduated in 1956....
Roger Weaver was born April 28, 1942 to Oran and Eunice Weaver in Parma, Mo. Roger took the hand of Jesus and walked through the pearly gates on Feb. 17, 2021. Roger loved the Lord with all his heart and will be greatly missed by his family, friends, church family and many others. Until we meet again. Roger was preceded in death by his loving wife, Judy, who passed away Jan. 25, 2019. He is survived by his children; Pamela Snyder (her husband, James -- deceased), Trina Lopez and Roger Dale...
Cullen Pressley, 49, of Bakersfield, passed away Feb 24 in Bakersfield. Peters Funeral Home, Shafter. Carlos Velasco, 63, of Elk Grove, passed away March 8 in Sacramento. Peters Funeral Home, Shafter. Albert G. Salazar, 67, of Wasco, passed away March 8 in Wasco. Peters Funeral Home, Shafter. Aguedita “Angel” Yanez, 74, of Bakersfield, passed away March 8 in Los Angeles. Peters Funeral Home, Shafter. Jonathan Rosales Montes, 21, of Shafter, passed away March 9 in Shafter. Basham & Lara Funeral Care, Shafter. Victor Manuel Sanchez Medal, 48,...
Allen Loyd Terry was born Feb. 6, 1945 to Vardaman and Joyce Terry in Oildale. Allen lived with his family in Lost Hills until they moved to Wasco. Allen grew up spending time as a young boy out at Holloway's Gypsum Mine with his dad, who worked there from its start. He grew up attending elementary schools in Lost Hills until they moved to Wasco, where he continued his education at Wasco Schools. After graduating from Wasco High School in 1962, he went to work at H.M. Holloway's Gypsum,...
Depression is something we never really want to confront, or discuss. However, at some point in our lives every one of us will experience, at the very least, some symptom(s) of depression. As complex human beings, we are capable of the highest highs, and the lowest lows. Some individuals experience minor depression that lasts only a few days or even a few months, but usually disappears with time. Others suffer long-term, or continual, depression and may even be a symptom of psychiatric or...
Phantom is a small, male, cream and white Spaniel mix that came in as stray. He is about 2 years old and is great with staff and other dogs. He has been tested with small and large breeds. It is unknown how he would react with children and cats. Phantom will be available for rescue/adoption on March 25. If this is your dog contact the shelter as soon as possible. Everyone is welcome to adopt from the facility. Adopters can be from out of town and/or local. Call the shelter on the day he is...
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: In 1987, Cathy Prout, Julia Escalante and Danncy Escalante stand with a wagon....
A project 50 years in the making for Shafter resident Barry Bongberg has finally come to fruition. Bongberg recently published "Dear Mom and Dad - Letters from Vietnam," a project which began for his daughter. The book is based on a series of letters that Bongberg wrote to his parents while he was overseas in Vietnam between 1967 and 1969. "I didn't even want to think about Vietnam once I got back home," said Bongberg, who also said that it wasn't very popular to let people know that you had...
The City Council approved an agreement with Kern County to open the Shafter Library for two days a week for the next three months, beginning in April. In March 2020, the library was closed due to the coronavirus and it remained closed because of budget constraints. A group of citizens wanted to reopen the library, stating that the library is necessary for children and adults. With a number of libraries in the county reopening, it was deemed not feasible to open the Shafter branch. The newly appr...
Sgt. Peter Martinez reported on the different crimes committed in Wasco March 16 at the City Council meeting, including reviewing the recent arrest of three repeat offenders. On Saturday, March 6, at approximately 8:50 p.m., a deputy from the Wasco substation stopped a car in the 2300 block of Camellia Street. The driver, Brian Henry, 37, from Wasco, was known to have an active felony arrest warrant and was a convicted felon. The deputy located several live shotgun shells in Henry’s pocket. D...
1 years ago: March 2, 2011 It has been 10 years since the Shafter Press office fire at 107 E. Lerdo Hwy. The fire destroyed all of the Shafter Press Archives. It took eight fire engines to calm the flames. This year (2021) will be 100th year since the Press has been established. 20 years ago: March 14, 2001 Shafter resident Nancy Grainger was given the Mother of the Year Award. It was presented by the Southern California National Multiple Sclerosis Society. 30 years ago: March 6, 1991 The...
Shafter High School and the rest of the Kern High School District schools are preparing to return to campuses in April. The district board approved a plan that would allow seniors to return to campus to finish their high school careers in the halls of Shafter High School. The plan gives students and their families a choice to get in-person instruction or remain in the distance learning program. According to Shafter High Principal Russell Shipley, the plan is a big step in returning to a sense...
A woman in a photo that ran in the March 11, 2021 paper should have identified as newly appointed Kern County Director of Public Health Brynn Carrigan....
State academic testing resumed for this school year, but the data will not be used the same way, Assistant Superintendent David Bowling said. “State academic testing (California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress or CAASPP) was entirely canceled last year,” Bowling said. “Testing has resumed this year with the majority of Wasco Elementary students taking the test remotely using their Chromebooks, and scores will be reported in the fall. Bowling also said that the California State Board of Education has applied for a waiver from...
