Council honors state wrestling champs

The Shafter City Council honored members of the Salvation Training Ground girls 11u basketball team that traveled to San Diego in mid-July to compete in the California State Games. The team went undefeated and brought home the State Championship trophy. This team has been practicing and playing in tournaments throughout the year and have taken away three first place trophies.

The team, coached by Fabian Jimenez, Angel Acosta and Mike Watts, have been playing together since the second and third grades. Team members recognized were: Kamani Coleman, Evie Acosta, Lila Puiser, Breanna Jimenez, Ellie Govea, Brooklyn Garcia, Madison Cox, Alexa Jimenez, Kennedy Watts, Amayah Escalera, Jocelyn Pelayo, Tianna Zavala and Alyassah Torres.

They received a proclamation and certificates from the council.

In the Public Comment phase of the meeting, Lynnda Martin of American Refuse updated the council on the introduction of the new three-cart system for trash collection. "We rolled out to over 1,700 households last week, with a lot of positive feedback from the customers. We brought useful information about what goes in what cans, and also offering plastic food baskets that can be used for organic waste."

Martin also said that they have opened a Shafter office that will be open on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Company staff will be there to help answer customers' questions, as well as supply them with supplies as needed.

Martin said that the rollout will continue into the first part of 2023.

In other council action, a bid was approved for Bowman Asphalt to complete the work on the 2022 Street Improvement Project at East Euclid Avenue, between Nickel and James Streets. The project will reconstruct the pavement and sections of curbs, gutters and sidewalks between James and Nickel streets. Bowman Asphalt's low bid was $479,189.