Serving the community since 1922
Serving the community since 1922
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City of Shafter buildings will be closed to the public again beginning Friday, July 24. City offices will still be open and customers will be served using the alleyway behind the building, much like a drive thru service. The Shafter Building Commission will still be serving the public with building inspections and other essential services. City Manager Gabriel Gonzales said at the recent City Council meeting that with Kern County being put back on the watch list, there will also be closures of...
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...
In an about-face, the Richland School District will begin their school year with students learning from home. Last week, the district put out a reopening plan that would see two groups of students attend school in person for two days, while distance learning the rest of the week. But with Governor Newsom’s announcement of stricter guidelines for reopening, the Richland district had to rethink their plan. “Unfortunately, with the new statement by the governor, we don’t qualify to reopen for in-person sessions, leaving us no choice but to start...
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...
ONGOING Cooling off -- Shafter’s cooling center will be open at the Walker Senior Center, 505 Sunset Ave., from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. Residents using the center are encouraged to bring their favorite nonalcoholic beverages, snacks, reading materials, games, etc. Face masks are required. Emergency food pantry -- The food pantry is a one-time food service that is provided to families in need on an emergency basis. A food basket can be provided when the church is notified of the need, and if any further assistance is needed. Griffith Avenue Baptist C...
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: A view of the old Maple School....
2 years ago: Aug. 8, 2000 Sonic Drive-In was in the planning stage of being built at 777 Central Valley Hwy., in Shafter. 30 years ago: Aug. 8, 1990 Shafter had a ribbon cutting at Five Points, for new stoplight signals. Five Points is where West Lerdo Highway, Shafter Avenue and Central Avenue meet. 40 years ago: Aug. 8, 1980 John Johnston became a Shafter police officer. He was a member of the Air Force Reserves. --Compiled by Erica Soriano...
No arrests reported in Shafter and Buttonwillow. WASCO As reported by the Kern County Sheriff's Department, Wasco substation: JULY 13 Victor Manuel Ordaz, 32, of Wasco, was arrested in the 800 block of Redwood Avenue for disorderly conduct. He was booked into the Kern County Jail. JULY 14 Deandre Wayne Mack, 44, of Marysville, was arrested in the 1300 block of Highway 46 for conspiracy to commit a crime, attempted theft, dissuading a witness and receiving stolen property. He was booked into the Kern County Jail. Adriana Rodriguez, age 40, of...
Ignacio Dominguez lived a full life both in El Salvador and California. He was born in Olocuita, El Salvador, on April 1, 1939, to parents Miguel Mendez and Antonia Mendez and passed away on July 16, 2020, at age 81 from Covid-19. He was deeply loved and leaves behind his spouse, Dora Emilia Gonzalez De Mendez, as well as five of their children, 15 grandkids and five great grandkids Rest In peace, Papá Beto....
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,...
Shafter and Wasco have more than the threat of the coronavirus to worry about this summer as two disease-carrying species of mosquito have been found in Kern County. The Aedes aegypti mosquito, which can infect people with yellow fever, Zika, and dengue fever, was first noticed in northern Kern County last year. The culex mosquito, which can carry the West Nile virus, has also been found in the county. Entomologist La Khang, who is with Kern Vector and Mosquito Control, said the Aedes aegypti...
A local World War II veteran was honored last week at Carrington House, where he resides. Danny Escalante was presented with a number of mementos for him and his family. Escalante, who served in the Army, and his family are part of Shafter's rich history, with Danny being known throughout town for his kindness, generosity and character. Escalante's daughter said her father was chosen to be a part of the Honor Flight of Kern County, which helps veterans visit the World War II Memorial in...
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...
June E. Rodriguez, great-granddaughter of Christian Bohna (early settler of Bakersfield), passed away peacefully on July 20, 2020. Born June Elaine Dooley on June 2, 1926, she lived in Delano where she graduated from Delano High School in 1944. June worked as a girls counselor at Camp Chabot in Oakland, the Fresno YWCA and Camp Lake Sequoia YWCA. From 1944-1947, she attended College of the Sequoias in Visalia, receiving her associate of arts degree. She attended Fresno State College as an...
The nomination period for candidates running for the Shafter City Council began on July 13 and will run until Monday August 7, 2020. Residents interested in running for a seat on the City Council must be a registered voter and otherwise qualified to vote for that office at the time that nomination papers are issued. You must be registered to vote in Shafter, be 18 years of age or older, and live within the boundaries of the city of Shafter. In an effort to protect constituents, City officials,...
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...
This last Sunday we heard the parable of the mustard seed; “the smallest of all the seeds, yet when full-grown it is the largest of plants… and the birds of the sky come and dwell in its branches” (New American Bible Matt 13:31-32). Perhaps this parable may help us understand how the Word of God may grow in a world thirsty of hope. These are difficult times for everybody; lots of people losing their jobs, we are afraid of visiting family and friends due to COVID19, and above all and sadly, so many others losing their lives. This quara...
Daniel Ynostroza Escalante, known to friends as "Danny," passed away peacefully on July 19, 2020, in Shafter, at the age of 93 years. Daniel was born April 22, 1927 in Los Angeles to Juan Escalante and Nestora (Ynostroza) Escalante. He moved to Shafter with his parents and siblings at a very young age, where they settled in the Mexican Colony, just south of town. He spent his childhood helping his family pick cotton, grapes, potatoes and more. He also spent countless hours playing with his...
Sebastian Liam Ramirez, infant, of Shafter, passed away July 13, in Bakersfield. Basham & Lara Funeral Care, Shafter. Kenneth Lee German, 90, of Lancaster/Shafter, passed away July 12. June Elaine Rodriguez, 94, passed away July 20. Peters Funeral Home, Shafter. Adelaida R. Montes Terrazas, 75, of Shafter passed away July 22. Peters Funeral Home, Shafter. John Max Howard, 88, of Shafter, passed away July 19. Peters Funeral Home, Shafter....
John Max Howard, 88, died on July 19, 2020, at Mercy Hospital. John was born on Aug. 10, 1931, in Clairmore, Okla., to Roy and Georgia Martin Howard, their fourth of six children. John moved with his family to Shafter when he was 7 years old. He was quite athletic and played football, basketball and track at Shafter High School and graduated in 1951. John worked as a truck driver for most of his working life. He loved to fish, but mostly he enjoyed drinking McDonald's coffee with his friends...
