Serving the community since 1922
Serving the community since 1922
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I’ve been putting off retiring for over a year; however, now it is time for me to say goodbye. I’ve come full circle since my first job out of Cal State Bakersfield as I was the editor for the Wasco Tribune beginning in November 2005. Fred West was the mayor with council members Tilo Cortez, Larry Pearson, Danny Espitia and Cheryl Wegman. Gary Bray was the superintendent of the WUESD. I believe Elizabeth McCray was superintendent of the WUHSD at the time. In 2006 I left Wasco for Tehachapi for...
On the way out to church the other day the old song “What a friend we have in Jesus” played on the radio. I began to sing along with the man on the radio. When the song was over I thought, Jesus you are my friend. In John 15:15 Jesus said I have called you friends… Some friends can let you down, but Jesus is a friend that will never let you down. You are always on his mind and he cares for you like no other person. Jesus is my friend, he took my sins away. 1st John 1:9 says if we confess our s...
Whenever I think of the month of July I tend to think of the word "freedom" due to the July 4th holiday (fireworks too). We certainly enjoy and hopefully appreciate the many freedoms we have in the United States, not just on July 4th, but I'm sure throughout the year. The Bible speaks of freedom too, but not so much in the political sense as we recognize with our holiday. The freedom found in Jesus is in many ways much deeper and more freeing. For example, the Bible tells us that through faith in Jesus: • We are free from the penalty of sin w...
Is it safe to say that for the past year and a half we have been on an emotional rollercoaster? A year and a half ago we had never heard the word covid before. Since then it has changed lives around the world. Just like everything else in our lives it seems that there are at least two sides to this problem. We as a society can’t seem to come to a consensus on the correct plan of action. Do we wear masks or not wear masks? Do we open restaurants or leave them closed? Do we allow kids back to s...
Farmworker Institute of Education and Leadership Development enjoyed participating in the Wasco C.A.R.E event this past Friday and wanted to pass this on to share a little more about our organization. As we strive to develop a replacement workforce to continue supporting California's economy, the Farmworkers Institute of Education and Leadership Development is committed to uplifting the economic prospects of our underserved populations in poor, minority communities. Whether it is developing...
Time is a present. As King Solomon wrote in the book of Ecclesiastes, “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die” (Ecclesiastes 3:1-2, KJV). The book of James, states, “Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes” (James 4:14, ESV). Time is the most valuable commodity we possess, yet we do not own time. The time that has passed,...
Last year, state and local governments nationwide encountered a once-in- a-generation global pandemic. Our community remained resilient, and the Kern County Department of Public Health ensured combating the virus was a top priority with the successful implementation of the state’s vaccination schedule and outreach to our most vulnerable communities susceptible to covid-19. In March of 2020, the CARES Act Coronavirus Relief Fund provided Kern County the ability to invest relief dollars in a fiscally responsible way that kept Kern residents h...
Encourage – To give someone courage, hope or confidence. Discourage – To deprive courage, dishearten, or be disapproving. Life, itself, will discourage us at times. People will discourage us at times. We, ourselves, will discourage ourselves at times. Many years ago, there was a young lawyer who suffered such deep depression that his friends thought it was wise to keep all knives and razors from him. During this time, he wrote, “I am now the most miserable man living. If what I feel were equal...
One of the most rewarding experiences of serving as Fourth District supervisor is working with young adults that share an idealism and belief that no limits can stop what they can accomplish. I was reminded of this when I met with some of the youth leaders at Transitional Youth Mobilizing for Change, a local nonprofit that creates opportunities for young people 16-24 years of age to identify and take on issues of concern in their community. Back in the fall of 2019, these youth were inspired to do a “ball drive” for Sunset Middle School in Wee...
Let me start by saying that the Christian life in the greatest life there is. It is so much better than my old life. I praise God that He rescued me from a life of hopelessness and misery. You gain by being a Christian, and you lose by not being one. Let’s look at somethings you lose by not being a Christian. You lose peace. There will be a continual uneasiness in man’s soul until he finds peace with God. Romans 5:1 therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through Jesus Chr...
I am saddened to see the demolition of the Wasco Amtrak station. I was the editor when the Wasco Amtrak station held its ribbon cutting ceremony, and I remember how proud City Manager Larry Pennell and Mayor Fred West were. Larry Pearson, Tilo Cortez, Danny Espitia and Cheryl Wegman were on the council at that time. I remember local dignitaries attending the ribbon cutting because we were very proud of the new facility and wanted to have a celebration. The building was brand new and would...
How can one live in peace in a hostile world? 1 Peter 3:10-12: For “He who would love life And see good days, Let him refrain his tongue from evil, And his lips from speaking deceit. Let him turn away from evil and do good; Let him seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their prayers; But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” The genuine Christian life is difficult because when Jesus enters your life you are challenged to...
Have you ever had a problem so big only God could fix it? You may be going through a storm right now and you see no way out. All of us have storms in our lives. You are either in a storm, coming out of a storm or headed into the storm. You are in good company. The 12 disciples faced a storm only Jesus could rescue them from. Matthew 14:22-24 “Immediately Jesus told his followers to get into the boat and go ahead of him across the lake. He stayed there to send the people home. After he had s...
I love it when Ag and energy work together in Kern County to show the world how to do things better and this week, it happened again. The two industries worked together in Arvin at Tasteful Selections, a pioneer producer and distributor of the world’s bite-sized potatoes. On March 24, District 4 staff was on hand to attend the groundbreaking ceremony for an innovative microgrid energy technology created by Concentric Power, Inc. that will help Tasteful Selections maintain production while weathering any disruptions in grid power. The t...
With special thanks to so many who have worked to get the vaccines out throughout Kern County and in particular, District 4, this week I am pleased to announce a couple more hard-to-reach District 4 communities will be able to get their vaccine shots this week. On Friday, March 26, the community of Lost Hills will have a vaccine clinic at Wonderful Park from 5-7 p.m. Vaccines are limited so call to make an appointment. Walk-ups are welcome as supply allows. Special thanks to the West Side Health District for bringing this to the...
Spring is one of those times of year that has a certain "fresh start" to it, perhaps similar to the New Year feel in January. It's a time of year when we begin seeing more flowers, bees, longer days, time change and a general feeling of newness. In a far greater way, the Lord provides a "spring-like" newness anytime someone places their faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior. For example, in John 3:3 Jesus speaks about the need to be "born again" in order to see the Kingdom of God and in II Corinthians 5:17, the Apostle Paul writes about how we...
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...
Spring is around the corner, and with it, spring cleanups. That’s why I’m pleased to announce that this month the Board of Supervisors approved the bylaws and the formation of the Keep Kern Beautiful Committee, of which you can be a part. With the official formation of this committee on Feb. 9, the county becomes an affiliate of Keep America Beautiful, the national organization, in its effort to increase awareness of the problem of litter and the need for beautification, but it also connects us and all of the communities of Kern County int...
In Acts 20:35, Paul says, “I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Many people would rather receive $1,000 than to give away that same amount. In a more practical scenario, many individuals would rather sell old possessions in a yard sale than to simply give them away. What does it mean, “…It is more blessed to give?” An individual can read this scri...
One good thing leads to another. While we are anticipating a navigation center for the homeless in Delano to be opening soon, the progress we made in Delano is helping us get programs in other rural communities going as well. Progress in Arvin, Lamont, Taft, McFarland and Wasco are the direct result of what we’ve been able to do in Delano and bodes well for Kern County’s long-term approach to homelessness in the rural areas of Kern County. Already much funding and additional services and beds have been added to Bakersfield with two new nav...
I have lived almost my entire life here in rural Wasco one mile away from where I was born at the peak of the “Dust Bowl.” In the last 25 years a problem has become of epidemic proportion – the dumping of city waste onto roadsides of our valuable farmland. The cities of Wasco and Shafter do a good job of keeping the waste hauled to our county dump and recycling center located within a few miles from both cities. The dumps are well run and have a staff of very helpful employees to assist you when you take your load to the dump, and the hours the...
“For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps…” I Peter 2:21 I was watching the Heisman trophy presentation on TV the other night. Coach Saban, of the University of Alabama, had two players nominated for the award. It was only the 6th time that two players were nominated from the same team in the prestigious history of the award. Quite an honor for any coach; but it is what he said about the players that I would like...
As they rush me to the emergency room in the ambulance, I wondered how bad my situation was. The fear of not knowing was killing me. How serious was covid affecting me? We get to the emergency room and it was a scene of organized confusion. A doctor asking each patient their condition and she starts pointing where to take each person. “Take Mr. Gomez to the secondary E.R.” What does that mean? I thought. As they wheel me into the square shaped room I am surrounded by other sick patients, lined up like sardines against the walls and a woman in a...
Covid-19 isn't something to take lightly. From personal experience, it can be terrifying when you continue having new and different symptoms on a daily basis. I am one of the lucky ones who did not experience a high fever to give me an idea I had it. The fever is what let me know I still had the virus; however, what I got was a horrible headache before I knew I had been exposed and infected. Regular Tylenol wasn't doing the job. One can go through the list of covid-19 symptoms and checkmark...
This week I want to share a program available in north Kern that may be just the thing your family needs to deal with an adult family member experiencing a substance-abuse crisis. If you have an adult family member or know someone who is acutely under the influence of alcohol and/or other substances and willing to accept services on a voluntary basis, the Delano Recovery Station may be just the thing your family, and this adult individual needs. Opened recently at 629 Main St. in Delano, this facility is open seven days a week, 24 hours a day...
