Serving the community since 1970
Serving the community since 1970
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Lifehouse Church in Wasco experienced joy as it held its first Easter celebration as a new church in town Saturday in Barker Park. The church, at 1441 7th St., held its first-ever Easter celebration and egg hunt for local families. The community was invited to celebrate Easter with the church. Kids were entertained by face painting could participate in a bicycle raffle -- and had plenty of hot dogs to eat. Among those enjoying lunch together in the warm weather were Eric Acosta, Angelica Flores...
The city will have a new permanent Public Works director, but it won't be a new face around City Hall. With unanimous approval of the City Council Tuesday night, City Manager Daniel Ortiz-Hernandez appointed Biridiana Bishop as the new Public Works director. "Biridiana Bishop has been working in the position as acting public works director since Jan. 2019," Ortiz-Hernandez said. "She will coordinate the activities of the department. Public Works is the largest area of the city's departments and...
Over 140 people participated in the Wasco's Spring Community Clean-Up at Barker Park Saturday morning. Code Compliance Officer Mathew Maldonado coordinated the cleanup and had prepared instructions for all group leaders, plenty of garbage bags and enough pairs of gloves for everyone. Oldsters and youngsters alike worked together picking up trash and debris while walking alleyways within the city. Helping out with the cleanup were City Manager Daniel Ortiz-Hernandez, Director of Public Works Biri...
One of two suspects in an assault and kidnapping of a dog was arrested last week, and the other man is still at large. On Sunday, April 7, at about 11:30 p.m., two adult male suspects encountered a male walking a friend's dog. According to deputies, the two suspects began to punch the victim in his face, head and upper torso. The incident occurred at Beckes Street and Flower Street, and the two suspects fled with a 5-to-6-month-old blue nose female pit bull. The victim was treated at a local...
Code compliance officers are what keep the city adhering to the municipal codes that have been adopted by local government. Sergio Gonzalez is one of two Code compliance officers for the city of Wasco; the other is Matthew Maldonado. The two work closely together and were instrumental in the recent Community Clean-up held Saturday at Barker Park. Gonzalez is a born-and-raised Wasco resident, as is his wife, Isabel. They live in town with their two children, a boy and a girl. After graduating...
Shoppers at Walmart and visitors to Starbucks were questioned by Editor Toni DeRosa as to what their plans were for Easter Sunday....
The eldest Philanthropic Education Organization (P.E.O.) member to grace the doors of Shafter's Carrington House is a Wasco resident. Ninety-nine-year-old Mary Ellen Rexius recently moved into Carrington House's Assisted Living because she was no longer able to get to all the meetings. The P.E.O. is well known for holding great meals and teas, so on March 22, Carrington House and the P.E.O., Chapter JT, partnered to hold a tea for Rexius and all the residents at Carrington House. The P.E.O....
Jose Aspericueta Silverio wants you to come into one of his two used car lots and leave with a shiny, highly polished and mechanically sound vehicle. He's had the Wasco lot for eight years and the one in Delano for four, and he's got a wide variety of cars to meet every budget. The least-expensive car he has sold is a 2012 Ford Fiesta for $3,900 and the most-expensive one was a 2016 Z71 Chevy pickup for $45,000. "The oldest car I have on the lot is a 2005," he says. In order to qualify for a...
There are several Easter weekend events in Wasco beginning Friday through Easter Sunday. On Friday at 6 p. m., St. John’s Evangelical Church at 1129 9th Place will have its annual Passion of the Cross play on the schoolyard. Easter masses will be held Saturday at 6 p.m. and Sunday at 8 a.m. (Spanish), 10 a.m. (English) and noon (Spanish). On Saturday, Westside Family Fellowship, 2150 Palm Ave., will be having Easter Prep Day, where there will be activities for the entire family beginning at 10 a.m. The church also has a special Easter s...
The WUESD board agreed to extend contacts and give raises to its top administrators, and moved forward in negotiations with unionized teachers and staff, at its meeting Tuesday night. The Wasco Union Elementary School District renewed its contract with Superintendent Kelly Richers to the end of the 2021 school year. His salary will increase from $165,100 to $172,166 beginning July 1, 2020 In addition to reemploying the superintendent, the board also renewed Assistant Superintendent J. Bradley...
One of the earliest meetings in the morning in Wasco is the Wasco Community Coalition meeting held at 7 a.m. the first Wednesday of each month at the old courthouse. This month, Wasco Volunteer Coalition member Camilo Vasquez shared the Cook Book Project with the members of the coalition, and he demonstrated how to make almond milk. The Cook Book Project provides information on nutrition guidelines and healthy foods that can be consumed for all ages. Vasquez will also be doing food...
A local barbershop in town caters to its clientele by keeping up to date on the newest haircuts. Mario Fernandez has owned Mario's Barbershop, located at 1336 F St. (near Expres Collision), for the past 11 years. Originally from Michoacan, Mexico, Fernandez's family moved to California for a better life. "My father felt there were more opportunities here," Fernandez said. "Most of my family lives in Delano, but I do have a brother in Shafter." "My customers are about 50 percent children and 50...
It's time to introduce another new Reserves baseball player. This time, he has Wasco ties. Kelvin Guzman, originally from Wasco, moved to Corona, N.Y., with his family because his grandparents lived there and his mother got a head security guard position at La Guardia Airport in 2001. He graduated from Newtown High School in nearby Elmhurst in 2014. Some highlights during his high school years included three-time Gold Glover as catcher in high school. He was named a Silver Slugger in 2014,...
There is no need to drive into Bakersfield for specialty cupcakes or cookies any longer. Daun (Katie) Chong and Hyung Kim have opened up a new sweet shop called Sweet Seventh Street at 715 7th Street, where the original Blue Sushi Restaurant was located. The original restaurant, owned by the same two, experienced a devastating fire a year ago, and it’s taken them this long to reopen the location. Instead of waiting to re-open, they obtained another location at 915 7th Street for Blue Sushi and because of Chong’s passion for cupcakes and coo...
Athletes come from all over the United States to compete with the Pond Running Club. "They compete first in the Central California area, and after qualifying, then compete in the regional, which could be the East Coast, West Coast or Midwest," says founder and coach Humberto Vargas. Students from McFarland, Delano, Wasco, Arvin, Lamont, Richgrove and Shafter compete for the local club. "There are a few kids from Bakersfield who also participate," he says. "Last year's nationals were held in...
Two of the three Wasco Union Elementary School District's main construction projects will be completed in time for school in September 2019. The third construction project, the Maintenance Operations and Transportation project, won't be done until spring 2020. Here's the status of the district's projects: James Forrest Elementary School Superintendent Kelly Richers provided a walking tour of all the construction sites. The last stop was the site of James Forrest Elementary School, where one of...
Superintendent of the Wasco Union Elementary School District Kelly Richers shared his passion with pre-k and kindergarten students at a special assembly at John Pruitt Elementary School during the last week in March Richers' passions are butterflies and moths. As a result of a classroom assignment in junior high, he began collecting them. Due to several moves, his collection was lost. When he moved from Pennsylvania to California, he discovered that activities such as hunting and fishing that...
Saturday was a beautiful, sunny day to hold a ceremony at the Veterans of Foreign Wars facility on East Street. It was a day to respect officially honor flags to be officially retired. The official ceremony is structured in a series of steps that must be taken prior to the completion of the procedure. The flags are first fully opened up and then refolded according to military protocol. Prior to setting the flags into a fire, they are once again fully opened up and then gently laid down into the...
The Wasco Reserves baseball team is adding additional players to its roster, and according to Manager Bill Moore, there will be about 25 players ready to begin practicing in May. The most recent signing is 24-year-old Alex Clayton from Johnstown, Colo. Clayton's career highlight was hitting a 3-run home run 460 feet on Senior Day. Clayton is a utility player, playing second base, third base and shortstop. "I loved being a utility player. I'd play three or four positions in one game," he said....
"Football is alive and well in Wasco." That's what Bengals President Juan Bernal feels. A minicamp was held at Wasco High School on Saturday, and the Bengals kicked off their 46th season. Athletes for ages 7-14 were encouraged to come out and see what being a Bengal is all about. "Our minicamp is designed to encourage athletes and parents to learn about who we are, and what they can expect by joining our organization," Bernal said. "We have a great culture and history." He added that the...
Fashion and more fashion was the name of the game on Saturday afternoon as the Shafter Woman's Club held a fundraiser for the Heifer Project, one of the many projects the club sponsors. According to Heifer International and The General Federation of Women's Clubs, both share the goal to make life better for neighbors by providing nutritious packaged milk to be given to students in other countries in order to help them focus on learning instead of hunger. Many women's clubs have the Heifer...
A historic building at Thomas Jefferson Middle School may be going home again. Kelly Richers, superintendent of the Wasco Union Elementary School District, talked about an old building located at the middle school that has been called "The Barracks." He said that for the 16 years he has been with the district, he never knew why it was called that. "I talked to TJ history teacher David Vaughn, and he advised me the building was an original barracks during World War II that was located at Minter F...
La Nortena Bakery in Wasco is like no other bakery around. Along with fresh baked goods, the bakery also provides a variety of items to its customers such as aspirin, toilet paper, cold beverages, hot coffee, homemade tortillas (both corn and flour), El Guapo spices, household items and, of course, freshly prepared desserts. Upon entering the bakery, customers are immediately greeted with a smile and asked if you would like a cup of coffee. There is a small table with barstools nestled in the...
Local educators from Shafter, Wasco and Lost Hills got together to celebrate their sorority's 70th birthday celebration on March 19 at Teresa Burke Elementary School. Beta Zeta Chapter members received a brief history of Teresa Burke from member Judy Myers. While most of the sorority members have retired, there are still a few teaching. The members sat at decorated tables with their friends and coworkers and enjoyed catching up. Area VII Director Mary Ellen Woodcock thanked everyone for joining...
The rain didn't dampen anyone's spirits on Saturday as the Wasco Little League officially held its opening day festivities. People milled around the park on Popular and Poso holding their umbrellas and wearing their warmest jackets in order to fend off the chill in the air. However, the Little League teams were ready and eager to get out on the field and toss some balls around, and maybe even bat a few. The games went on even in the rain. Booths were set up around the perimeter of the park ,with...