Serving the community since 1970
Serving the community since 1970
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[BEGIN ITAL]This second-half review follows last week's summary that also is available online at WascoTribune. com[END ITAL] Veronica Jacuinde Wasco Tribune The 2022 year started on a high note, with the Wonderful Company awarding $1.2 million in grants to 32 nonprofit organizations in the Central Valley. In Wasco, the Kern County Library received a grant to provide residents with books, resources and literacy programs. In addition, money was allocated to convert a sprinter van into a library...
As the citizens of Wasco applaud moving forward with a police department, the leader chosen to bring this to fruition, Charlie Fivecoat, is passionate about empowering the community through a sense of security and trust. "I am very excited to re-establish a police department for the citizens of Wasco. Law enforcement has always been my calling, and having the city's trust to build a police department from the ground up is truly a once in a career opportunity." It will be a large undertaking...
The 2022 year started on a high note, with the Wonderful Company awarding $1.2 million in grants to 32 nonprofit organizations in the Central Valley. In Wasco, the Kern County Library received a grant to provide residents with books, resources and literacy programs. In addition, money was allocated to convert a sprinter van into a library on wheels for outreach events. Also, in January, the City Council began preparations for redistricting due to the 2020 census. At a special meeting, City...
Campesinxs a Campesinos, in collaboration with the United Farm Workers union, sponsored a fresh fruit and vegetable food drive to benefit the farmworkers in Wasco and nearby communities. The project's founder, Carmen Obeso, has a special connection with the farmworkers, as she is one, too. "Like many others, I work picking strawberries. We hosted this event on the weekend because we all work during the week." She said that during covid, the food drives were held on a weekday or early morning, ma...
The Wasco High School AG Prep Leadership Club hosted a food drive to benefit those in the community affected by food insecurity. The students practiced hard work, responsibility and caring for others. These values are key to the APLC. The president of the club, Emily Moldenhauer, said the experience was an opportunity to take action and advocate for your beliefs. "For me, it gives me a sense of joy." Club members also receive school credit, which makes them more competitive when applying for...
LifeHouse Church hosted a toy giveaway and helped make Christmas special for the little ones in Wasco. Over 200 toys were distributed. "Our goal next year is to give away 500 toys and be able to reach more children and their families," Pastor Manuel Cantu said. The best part for him was seeing the kids walk away with big smiles. "You could feel the joy in their hearts." He said he wants to make it a tradition and that an important message goes along with it. "We want to continue blessing the...
The Wasco Recreation and Parks District hosted a "Light up Wasco" event where guests were treated to a tour of the best Christmas-themed, decorated homes. Santa made a special appearance, and there was gingerbread, life-size characters, hot chocolate and cookies. A Dial-a-Ride bus transported families around Wasco, where they had a chance to view and vote on their favorite homes, which were colorfully lit with lights and adorned with Christmas characters like Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Sa...
The City Council welcomed the new chief of police, Charlie Fivecoat, and its recently elected councilmembers, city clerk and treasurer at an installation ceremony on Tuesday. All of them took the oath of office, where they promised to lead the city with integrity and commitment to service. It was a special occasion where the CDC Honor Guard presented the flag, and Lily Lopez sang the national anthem. Councilmember Vincent R. Martinez was appointed the new mayor, and councilmember Alex Garica...
Westside Family Fellowship held its monthly farmers market on Thursday. Over 1,000 people came for free produce and other food essentials. "Today was a great day. We gave away a lot of produce like potatoes, romaine lettuce, red onions, spinach, oranges and kiwis. The goal is to provide healthy foods," Pastor Johnny Martinez said. "We are happy we can help our community during these difficult times and ease their pocketbooks. It lets them save money for Christmas." He gets a lot of...
A "Light the Night" community bike ride was held on Wednesday at Barker Park to promote community engagement and bicycle safety. Councilmember Alex Garcia coordinated the special affair. "If even one young person had a good time and walked away with a new sense of bike safety, then I consider that a success," he said. He added that the turnout was great. "We had riders of all ages that came out and took advantage of the free bike wear made available by the City of Wasco, and it was a fun new...
The Wasco Elks Lodge hosted their annual party for the clients of Community Support Options. There were gifts, cookies, Santa and lots of dancing. CSO is a program for adults with disabilities to help them realize independence within the community and with themselves. CSO head Melissa Stockton said they service about 60 clients in Wasco. "Our mission is to provide service and support for developmentally disabled adults," she explained. She said the goal is to assist them in living full lives...
Bakersfield College Rural Initiatives will begin classes on Jan. 14. They will offer students a variety of courses to help them prepare for careers in nursing, education and as emergency medical responders. Program director Jaime Lopez said the mission of BCRI is to bring college closer to home in rural communities. "Our goal is to close equity gaps and increase educational attainment for those in rural areas like Wasco," he said. "We are a community college open to all students anywhere from...
For many, Christmas is all about the gifts, and that's not altogether a bad thing. The truth is that there is a spirit of love, generosity and sharing, the very spirit that triggered the first coming of Jesus Christ. We are about to celebrate the incarnation of Christ, the gift of God's presence among men, the best gift he could give us. John 3:16 says, "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, so that everyone who believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." Our God gave His gift in a spirit of grace, a bless...
A man was killed and his wife injured and a family was left homeless after a fire shortly after midnight Sunday. The house fire occurred in the 800 block of Filburn Street at around 12:45 a.m., the Kern County Fire Department reported. Firefighters arrived to find the front side of the home burning, with flames shooting through parts of the roof. Crews searched the home for trapped individuals. They rescued Mireya Lopez, who was taken to the hospital for treatment. Her husband, Juan E. Lopez, Sr...
With the City Council's approval to launch a Wasco Police Department and with the hiring of the new chief of police, Charlie Fivecoat, efforts to move forward are progressing rapidly. According to City Manager Scott Hurlbert, the typical timeline for starting a police department from scratch is 18-24 months. "We have a few advantages in starting the Wasco Police Department, such as a cooperative partner in the Kern County Sheriff's Office and an experienced chief of police. This may allow a...
United Against Covid-19 (UAC), in partnership with the City of Wasco, sponsored their monthly Covid-19 vaccination clinic. Once again, Wasco residents who were vaccinated received a $50 Visa gift card. The UAC coalition includes the Dolores Huerta Foundation, South Kern Sol and Lideres Campesinas, organizations that aim to empower underserved communities like Wasco. Mayor Gilberto Reyna said, "I think these clinics are making a positive difference by increasing the number of vaccinated people...
Toys for Tigers held its annual toy giveaway for needy children Saturday. Over 380 families were served, with over 1,000 gifts distributed. "We purchased the toys through donations we raise all year long," said Toys for Tigers treasurer Pat Ketcherside "Every year we have a lot of sponsors like the Wasco Rotary Club and the Wonderful Company; they are a big supporter of us. We have over 40 sponsors." She added that many volunteers work to make the toy distribution a success. "We are all...
Wasco High School hosted its annual 'Powder Puff' flag football game, where senior girls went head to head against girls from the junior class. Activities coordinator Hailey Coyle said it was a great turnout. "Both classes had a lot of fun. Overall, it was a success." The game is a long-standing tradition for WHS. "It's been happening ever since I can remember," Coyle said. The senior girl football players came out on top with a final score of 20 to zero. The girls played with heart and...
Planet Dance Studio celebrated its 20th anniversary in grand with a Christmas-themed 'Sleigh Ride' recital for an audience of over 500 people. The event took place at the Shafter High School auditorium. There were 65 girls ages four to 17 that performed 19 different dance routines in the genres of tap, jazz, ballet and hip hop. Five instructors trained the girls and choreographed the numbers, which the girls pulled off seamlessly with great technique and presentation. They danced to classic and...
LifeHouse Church will host a toy giveaway for needy children next week. The church expects to distribute 500 toys for boys and girls ages three to twelve. Families will drive up and pick an age-appropriate toy for their children. It will be on a first-come, first-served basis. The church will try to give away as many gifts as they can. Pastor Manuel Cantu is spearheading the event. He said in addition to distributing the toys; it will be a nice way to spread the mission of their church which is...
Former Shafter chief Charlie Fivecoat is the first modern-day Wasco chief of police, after the City Council unanimously approved his hiring Tuesday night. He was to start planning the formation of the city's new police department Wednesday. Fivecoat comes to Wasco with 33 years of law enforcement experience, 11 years of private sector security management and over 14 years teaching political science at the Kern Community College District and the University of Phoenix. He is a US Army Airborne...
Wasco Toys for Tigers held its annual "Christmas Tree Spectacular Family Fun Night" last Monday. It was a festive occasion ringing in the holiday season. The event was jam-packed, with kids and adults enjoying activities, treats and beautiful Christmas trees decorated by local organizations such as the Orange Heart Foundation, Wasco Recreation and Parks District, Union Bank and Wasco VFW. There were carnival-style games, crafts, hot cocoa, cookies, face painting, building a snowman out of ice...
The Wasco Woman's Club hosted its annual Christmas dance for special needs students from Wasco High School. Almost 35 students attended, enjoying music, pizza, cookies, gifts and Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus. Diane Waterhouse said, "It's hands-down the best thing the Woman's Club does." Club Ppresident Jill Drescher stated, "We've been doing this since 2014. It has evolved over the years." Ahead of the party, the students made a wish list of what present they wanted, and the Woman's Club provided...
The Wasco holiday festivities last Saturday were a gathering of community, with a vendor fair, Christmas parade and tree lighting ceremony. The Orange Heart Foundation and the Rose Festival Group organized all of the activities. Much effort was involved on their part to make it a success. The planning began right after the Rose Festival. "We look forward to this all year long. We love it, and it's just so special, from the vendors to the parade to the Christmas tree lighting in front of our...
A "Light the Night" evening community bike ride will take place at Barker Park from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec.14. It will be a fun event focused on bike safety education while bringing the community together. Participants will be provided with glow lights to decorate their bicycles. Volunteers will be on hand to help with this. "It will be cool to see a big group of bikers light up the park," said Councilmember Alex Garcia. The event is organized by Garcia and is made possible through...