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The Shafter City Council approved a portion of the James Street project that will see the Regional Transit Bus Stop relocated from the corner of the City Hall location to Stringham Park, right off of James Street. The project is made possible by cooperation between the City of Shafter and the Kern County Public Works Department. Shafter Public Works Director Michael James said that the project is part of the approved 2022/2023 budget, which earmarked monies for the project. Although...
There are going to be two open City Council seats at the end of the year, with elections in November. Mayor Cathy Prout and Councilmember Cesar Lopez's terms are expiring in December. Each of the longterm council members has said they will run for re-election. Anyone who wants to run for one of the seats must be a US citizen, must be 18 years of age or older, and be a registered voter in the city at the time nomination papers are issued. The City Council serves as the legislative and...
The Shafter Police Department welcomed a new addition recently, with the swearing-in of Officer Mallory Serjeant. Serjeant has over 10 years experience in law enforcement, starting her career as a detentions deputy with the Kern County Sheriff's Department. Officer Serjeant was officially welcomed by the City Council at a recent meeting. She was thanked by council members, as well as Police Chief Kevin Zimmerman. Serjeant was hired on July 11. She rose in rank to a detentions sergeant for the...
A Wasco man is under investigation after being involved in a traffic accident that resulted in the death of a 1-year-old child and the injury of five others. Irving Rodriguez-Barraza was reportedly driving a Dodge Ram eastbound on Burbank Street when it collided with a Jeep Cherokee driven by Bakersfield resident Jesus Tejada Sanchez, 29. Rodriguez-Barraza had a passenger with him, Cruz Carrillo Olvera, 48, of Wasco. Sanchez had an adult passenger, Joanne Figueroa, 34, and two children, 1 and 4...
The Tin Cup in Shafter recently unveiled its new menu, with the addition of a few new items, keeping up with trends, while staying true to its roots that made them one of the go-to places in town. The eatery is offering a variety of wraps, along with a few new drink options, with a handful of refreshers now on the menu. With the summer heat, these "refreshing" options hit the spot. Over the last few years,, the Tin Cup has added acai bowls, with its super oxidant qualities, giving the local dine...
Kern County Public Works will host their Shafter-Wasco One-Day Household Hazardous Waste Collection Event on Saturday, Aug. 13, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Shafter-Wasco Sanitary Landfill, 17621 Scofield Ave., in Shafter. It is a free event. Residents will be able to properly and safely dispose of their hazardous waste. Types of hazardous waste accepted include automotive products and fluids, batteries, household cleaners, over-the-counter expired or no-use-for medications, fluorescent bulbs...
The Wasco Recreation and Parks District has an exciting summer lineup of fun activities with open registration for their soccer and cross country youth programs. The soccer season will begin on Sept. 17 and will run through Nov. 5. Enrollment is active now and closes on Aug. 5. Those participating will learn the soccer fundamentals, agility, different drills and skills, footwork, rules and sportsmanship. There are different divisions for as young as 3 up to 14. All divisions are coed. The cost...
United Against Covid-19, in partnership with the City of Wasco and St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, is back with another free covid-19 vaccination clinic on Sunday, July 31. Through the leadership of Mayor Gilberto Reyna and the City Council, the City of Wasco will again provide all Wasco residents vaccinated at this clinic with a $50 Visa gift card. "I anticipate a bigger crowd will show up to get their Visa gift cards. Because of the new Omicron BA.5 subvariant infections increasing,...
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 NEW: SNIP – Mobile Spay and Neuter (Wasco residents only/solamente). Free spay/neuter clinic, clinica de esterilización/castración gratis/1 pet/household/1 mascota por hogar. Aug. 5 at 810 8th St., Wasco. DHPP/FVRCO vaccines each $15, meds $10, micro...
July 17 Alexis Osorio, 21, of Shafter, was arrested in the 200 block of West Los Angeles for driving without a driver’s license, proof of financial responsibility and unregistered vehicle. July 18 Stephen Mohamed Nagi, 42, of Shafter, was arrested in the 100 block West Orange Avenue for contempt of court: disobeying a court order. Gabriel Longinos, 74, of Shafter, was arrested in the 100 block of East Tulare for driving without a driver’s license. Matthew Orlando Salinas, 31, of Shafter, was arrested on Vultee and East Lerdo Highway on an outsi...
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: Shafter Library in the background of this 1960 photo....
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Ray C Cotter, Jr. was born on Tuesday, Jan. 1, 1929, in Viola, Ariz. He was the first child of Ray C Cotter, Sr. and Filey Mable Cotter (Shirley). He died July 21 at Kern River Transitional Care in Bakersfield,. after several years of declining health. He was 93. Ray was a resident of Wasco since the 1930s, with periods of living elsewhere. He was a graduate of Wasco High and a veteran of the U.S. Coast Guard, having attained the rank of seaman. He married Gracie Ava Lee June 2, 1955, and lived...
Phillip Dean Hightower was born to Leonard and Elreatha Hightower on April 21, 1947, in Tulare. Phil was at home, where he passed away peacefully at the age of 75, on July 21, 2022, in Wasco. He was a retired employee of the Wasco Union School District. A Celebration of Life will be held in Pixley on Thursday, Aug. 4, at Friendship Baptist Church....
Margarita Soto, 90, of Shafter, passed away July 17, in Shafter. Basham & Lara Funeral Care, Shafter. Charlie Donald Ellison, 79, of Wasco, passed away July 15, in Wasco. Basham & Lara Funeral Care, Shafter. Rosemary Sigala Hernandez, 73, of Wasco, passed away July 18, in Wasco. Basham & Lara Funeral Care, Shafter. Lois Maxine, 89, of Bakersfield, passed away July 20, in Bakersfield. Peters Funeral Home, Shafter. Antonio Arellano, 82, of Wasco, passed away July 25, in Wasco. Peters Funeral Home, Shafter. Francisco J. Nevarez Sanchez, 93, of...
My wife and I just returned from two weeks in the Frazier Park mountains for our church organization’s youth camp. The kids arrived at camp with anticipation of seeing friends they haven’t seen in a year, all the activities that have been planned and, of course, the amazing food at the camp snack shack. As campers and workers have all returned both tired and refreshed, it reminds me that the end of youth camp is the unofficial sign that summer is soon to be over. Back to school shopping wil...
Addison Tatum is a 22-year-old student born and raised in Wasco. On July 13, she won the 2023 Kern County Miss United States Agriculture title, which made her eligible to compete at the state level next year in January. If she wins this, she will go on to represent the state at the national pageant. The role of a queen is to promote the agriculture industry through the pageant's motto of "teach, inspire and advocate." Queens attend events, including fairs, festivals and conventions. They create...
Your Valley Builder celebrated the grand opening of phase one of their Wasco housing development, Palmas del Sol, earlier this month. There was music, tacos, raffles and face painting for the families that came to see their newly built homes. "It was a great turnout, and we sold out all 54 homes in this phase one. Now we are promoting the sale of our homes in phases two and three," said Sales Manager Claudia Sandoval, a 23-year veteran of the company. All the homes in the development phases are...
Since 2009, Wasco Families Wrestling has empowered young people through the sport. Thousands of students have benefited from the program, instilling in them the importance of education and inspiring them to work hard at their goals. Vice President Juan Gallardo started his career as a wrestler at the early age of nine in elementary and later as a junior and senior in high school. In his first year of college, he became a coach. "I have been a coach going on 27 years, most of my time in this...
Since 1946, the Wasco Rotary Club has provided service to the community through funding many city organizations and causes. The local club aims to improve the quality of life for residents. They sponsor the VFW, Wasco High School sports, the Wasco Recreation and Parks District, Toys for Tigers, the Salvation Army, the Orange Heart Foundation and neighborhood clean-up events, to name a few. Every year they give thousands of dollars to support community-wide efforts like scholarships for...
2 years ago: Aug. 28, 2002 One of Shafter's busiest intersections got a new 4-way stop light added at the intersection of James Street and Lerdo Highway. 40 years ago: Aug. 4, 1982 Wasco rose company Jackson & Perkins promoted Shafter resident Fidel Gomez to foreman, and Wasco resident Jessie Vega became the new irrigation supervisor. Jackson & Perkins was one the country's top rose-growing companies. --Compiled by Erica Soriano...