Serving the community since 1970
Serving the community since 1970
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Palm Avenue Middle School hosted an "Evening with the Panthers" to showcase the innovative after-school programs they offer students. "This is our first year. I think it's a great new tradition. It's wonderful to see so many students and their families here on campus," academic coach Isabel Juarez said. Some of the programs and activities offered include technology, cooking, nutrition, Bible study, gaming, physical education, music and AVID, which supports students by helping them to build...
The City of Wasco's Code Compliance Department, Public Works Department, American Refuse, local groups and businesses partnered to beautify Wasco with a community-wide clean-up day Saturday "We have put on this event going on over ten years now. It's a great way to interact with the community and provide a needed service. It helps with keeping our city beautiful and keeping illegal dumping down," Sergio Gonzalez of Code Compliance said, Gonzalez believes it creates an avenue for the citizens to...
A county deputy shot an armed suspect allegedly running from a car chase near Palm Avenue and Gromer Avenue Sunday night, according to the Kern County Sheriff’s Office. The suspect, described as a 21-year-old male, was treated at a hospital. His identity and condition was not reported. The incident began at approximately 1:08 a.m., with deputies near the site said they heard gunshots nearby, the Sheriff’s Office report said. While investigating the shots heard, deputies arrived and located fou...
Planet Dance Studio will host its annual December recital, "'Sleigh Ride," on Saturday, Dec. 3, at the Shafter High School auditorium. There will be 65 dancers ranging in age from 4 to 17 performing 19 dance routines made up of tap, ballet, jazz and hip-hop genres. Studio director Jacob Hernandez said, "Dancing is not only an art but also a sport, and these young athletes train hard." It is the studio's 20th anniversary, and the recital will be a celebration in honor of that. "We have touched...
Orange Heart Foundation and the Rose Festival Group will present a Christmas parade, vendor fair and tree lighting on December 3. It will be full of enjoyment and fun for the whole family. "It is just really exciting to bring it back the 2nd year. We thank our partners, Wasco High School and the City of Wasco. Nothing happens without them. We are thrilled to be able to do it again," Rose Festival Group member Sharon Sharp said. The festivities kick off the holiday season. "It's amazing and sets...
Due to the pandemic, rising costs of living and other factors, hunger in areas such as Wasco is a challenge for some residents. One young man, Joshua Cooley, is spearheading an initiative to address this problem. Cooley is a Wasco High School senior and part of the Wonderful AG Prep Student Leadership Club. He is the activities and community coordinator for the club. For several years, he has played an instrumental role in launching and executing a holiday food drive for the needy. Once again,...
Wasco High School will host their annual powder puff fundraiser on Thursday, December 8, at 7 pm. It promises to be a spirited celebration full of excitement and friendly rivalry. "The event has been going on for as long as I can remember. I played back in 2002. I know my mom played back in the 80's. It's a fun tradition that has been around for many years," class of 2023 advisor Amanda Rodriguez said. The tradition of powder puff games was created in the 1940's as women began filling in to...
Miguel Leyva, 35, and Karina Gutierrez, 32, both of Wasco, were arrested on Thursday in an alleged credit card fraud scheme neting them nearly a million dollars. A federal grand jury indicted the couple for conspiracy, bank fraud, access device fraud and aggravated identity theft in connection with a long-running credit card fraud scheme, according to a press from the US Attorney's Office, Eastern District of California. Both stole individuals' personally identifiable information, KGET.com said. According to the report, Gutierrez allegedly...
The Wasco High School varsity girls cross country team has had an outstanding year, winning back-to-back South Sequoia League championships. They qualified for the Valley Championship, where they again took the runner-up award, which made them eligible for the State Championship. Omar Garcia is one of three head coaches, along with Rafael Gonzalez and Leo Sanchez. Garcia has coached cross country since 2016 and has been a physical education teacher at WHS since 2015. "I've been coaching since I...
Wasco Toys for Tigers will bring extra cheer this holiday season with their Christmas Tree Spectacular Family Fun Night. The festive event will take place on Monday, Dec. 5. The event promises a memorable evening of enjoyment for both young and old. Admission is free, including five activity tickets. Candy Wilson of Toys for Tigers emphasized that this is not a fundraiser. "We do this for the community. There will be lots of things to do and Christmas music. It should be a good time for all."...
Three local churches, True Light Baptist Church, New Generation Church and Grace Community Church, came together to host a special Thanksgiving lunch for the community. "Our intention was to try our best to make Wasco a nice place to live. It has always been that way, and we want to keep it that way, " Pastor Carlos Harrison of True Light Baptist Church said. He said it was more than just a meal. "We also wanted to nourish spiritually." "With bringing the three churches together, it was special...
On Tuesday at the regular City Council meeting, the appointment of Mr. Charlie Fivecoat as Transitional Chief of Police was unanimously approved. City Manager Scott Hurlbert was au-thorized to finalize and execute the contract and proceed with the hiring process. According to a press release, this comes after earlier in the fall this year that the City Council di-rected staff to begin the process of starting up a local police department. As part of that, the first step was establishing a...
With local election results still incomplete, the latest tallies released Tuesday showed no changes in the leaders. According to the Kern County Elections Department, the numbers will be made official on Dec. 9. The department has 30 days from the Nov. 8 vote to count all of the ballots. and with the extensive use of labor-intensive mail-in ballots, the count requires much more effort – and time. For City Council, District 1, Mayor Gilberto Reyna ran unopposed and has received 185 votes in t...
Wasco Union High School hosted a college and career fair on Thursday. Various organizations attended to share more about what they have to offer students post-graduation. Universities, non-profits, the military and the City of Wasco, to name a few, were there to provide valuable insight into opportunities available to upcoming graduates. Representatives were on hand to answer questions and provide advice and guidance. This was particularly important to those students who would be the first in...
The City of Wasco's Code Compliance, American Refuse, local groups, and businesses are partnering to keep Wasco beautiful. A community clean-up day will take place on Saturday, November 19, at Barker Park from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm. Residents can drop off their bulky waste items at the event, like old furniture, home appliances, TVs, mattresses, e-waste and water heaters. Trash, commercial waste, construction or remodeling scraps, hazardous materials and green waste cannot be accepted. If one...
Teresa Burke Elementary School hosted its 8th annual Veteran's Day program to honor the great men and women who have served our country through their time in the US military. Those recognized included Rodolfo Castillo, Steven Reveles, Tyler Perkins, Arnold Delgado, Rafael Macias, Bernardo Palacio, James Medrano, Gabriel Diaz, Tony Stout, Marlene Monarrez, Analeya Tinoco, and the late Danny M. Rueda. His wife, Petra, represented him. Wasco Union Elementary School District board member Richard K....
The Wasco Elk Ladies hosted a special fundraiser for the Bakersfield Ronald McDonald House. The money raised will support local families with sick children, providing them shelter while seeking treatment. The 'Tab Night' was in memory of Eddie Johnson, who was a loyal member of the Elks. "I think it is a great way to remember him," RMH of Kern County director Scarlett Sabin said. To raise funds, Elk members collected aluminum tabs/pop tops. Over 200 pounds were collected and donated. One pound...
It was a tight race for candidates in local elections. As votes continue to be tallied Wednesday night, Valentin Medina appeared to win out against incumbent Mayor Pro Tem John P. Pallares for a seat on the Wasco City Council in District 3. Medina said he feels good about winning because he will give back to the community. "What I look forward to most is being able to engage with the community of Wasco and be a leader representing the people." He added, "I appreciate the support of all of those...
It was a busy day of voting on election day. Poll workers in Wasco reported a busy flow of voters throughout the day, with an even bigger stream of people that came to drop off their mail-in ballots. Many expressed that they voted for numerous reasons, mainly sharing that they thought it was their duty to do so as Americans. Jacky Moreno said it was her second time voting. "I was motivated to vote because of Proposition 1, which would affect women's reproductive rights. I know people it would...
Wasco Independence High School participated in the Bakersfield Museum of Art's annual Via Arte event, an Italian street painting festival where students demonstrated their artistic skills. Art and English teacher Monica Adams selected six of her top art students to attend. "My art teacher at Wasco High, Mr. Art Sherwyn, took me years ago, and as a teacher, it was something I wanted to do with my students," Adams said. "I've been taking them since 2016." Artists from all over the county used...
Toys for Tigers held its annual chicken lunch fundraiser on Saturday. Many residents supported the organization's effort to brighten the holiday season for those less fortunate in Wasco. Dale Nicol was part of the barbecue crew. "Today, we give back to the community. We got here at 7 a.m. to light the grills and cook some chicken," Nicol said. He has been doing this volunteer work for the last ten years. "It is special because we are making money for Toys for Tigers, which in turn buys toys and...
The Wasco Recreation and Parks District, the City of Wasco and Bike Bakersfield hosted a morning bicycle ride for the community Saturday. It was a day of fun while learning about bike riding safety. "Bike riding is good for your health, but it can be dangerous," said Mayor Gilberto Reyna, who spearheaded the initiative. He said he was motivated to organize the event due to recent incidents in which two riders collided with two vehicles. One resulted in the death of one of the riders. "I want to...
The Wasco Recreation and Parks District held its first annual 2022 Art Festival at Barker Park. Guests enjoyed a jam-packed day of creative activities and performances in all artistic genres, including dance, music, live painting and singing. Vendors also sold an array of arts and crafts and tasty food like pastries, tacos, bacon-wrapped hot dogs, aguas frescas (fresh Mexican cold drinks), kettle corn and funnel cakes. Alice Meyer said it was a great event. "The art was amazing, and the music se...
Wasco High School held its Athletic Hall of Fame induction ceremony on Saturday. It was a night of celebration honoring some of the best sports players and teams in the school's rich history. Seven individual alumni were recognized for their superb athletic skills, while students at WHS, leaving their mark on the school. They were Lawrence Demery (class of 1971), Jose Luis Medina (class of 1986), Christina Munoz Salinas (class of 1990), Greg Romo (class of 1993), Tracy Burns-Lusich (class of...
As a young pastor in a small tribal village in Guatemala, I was always amazed at both the deep faith and the profound generosity of the Kaqchikel people I served. For what seemed to me even the smallest favor, they responded by filling my pantry with baskets filled with handpicked fruits and vegetables or fresh eggs. One dear brother insisted on gifting me with his prize pig, possibly his most valuable possession. In this month, when we are most likely to focus on being grateful and giving thanks, it reminds me of the great truth that true grat...