Serving the community since 1970
Serving the community since 1970
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Vinson Callahan was arrested Saturday for weapons violations, including prohibited person possessing a firearm, ammunition and suspected fentanyl. According to a press release from the Kern County Sheriff's Office, at about 10 a.m., Wasco and north area substations deputies were dispatched to the 1900 block of Gaston St., responding to a subject in possession of a firearm. Once there, they encountered Callahan. During a search, deputies located an unserialized handgun, or "ghost gun." They also...
Pedro Gutierrez was born in 1922 in Mercedes, Texas. On Saturday, over 150 family and friends attended a birthday party in his honor. Shortly after his birth, Gutierrez moved to Burgos, Tamaulipas, Mexico. One of 10 children, he started working at age eight, tending to the family's sheep and goats. After a family tragedy when his father was killed, he returned to Mercedes at 10. At 13, he started working at a restaurant. When he was 18, he moved to Detroit, Mich., and worked on railroad tracks...
The council moves one step closer in the formation of the Wasco Police Department with the approval to purchase body cameras and Taser equipment at a total cost of $116,772. Through Axon Enterprises, 23 body-worn cameras, 23 Tasers, multibay docking charging stations, replacement cartridges, and software and licensing will be purchased. There also will be on-site training in the package. "Body cameras are a crucial component to ensure accountability and full transparency of our policing...
The regular meeting of the Shafter City Council was canceled Monday night; instead, a special meeting approved a new pay schedule for city employees. The raise includes a budgeted 15% cost of living increase and new benefits. The pay raise covers all city departments. Under the new pay schedule, police sergeants will be paid between $3,749 and $4,229 biweekly. Police captains will receive between $5,107 and $6,207 biweekly. Dispatchers receive up to $2,504 every two weeks. Shafter police...
When it was announced a few years ago that Walmart and Amazon would be locating distribution centers in Shafter, a question was put to Business Development Director Bob Meadows about the opportunities for employment at the facilities. Wondering if there were enough qualified people in Shafter to fill the positions, Meadows said that he didn't know what percentage of the jobs would end up going to Shafter residents. Thanks to a partnership between Shafter High School, the Wonderful Company and...
The Shafter Library and Learning Center has been growing ever since it was a glimmer in the eye of David Franz and the rest of the staff that make it such a valuable tool for the community. There was a Vision Committee back in 2011, when a group of participants said that education is one of the main focuses that the city should aim for. The city brought in David Franz as director of Shafter's Education Partnership that involved the city and its school districts. Together, they have formed an...
The Shafter Kiwanis Club held their monthly Terrific Kids luncheon on Sept. 13, recognizing some local students who have demonstrated a character trait that is featured during that month. This month, the trait was Thoughtful. The traits included in this program are T (Thoughtful), E (Enthusiastic), R (Respectful), R (Responsible), I (Inclusive), F (Friendly), I (Inquisitive), and C (Capable). The Terrific Kids program has been honoring students for decades, giving them positive reinforcement...
Our reunion weekend is drawing near. But, there are still a few things that need to be done before events can begin. The weekend starts on Friday, Sept. 29, with a reservation-only dinner at Don Pepe’s Restaurant at 5 p.m. Contact Susan Grisham by phone or text at 818-629-6498 by Tuesday, Sept. 26, to reserve your seat at the table. At 7:30, the SHS Generals take on McFarland at Shafter High football stadium for the annual Homecoming game. There will be a special reserved section for the Class of ‘68. Contact Susan Grisham at the above number,...
As activities restart and businesses reopen, we will try to update readers on the status of events and activities throughout the area. Please contact Erica Soriano with additions and changes at esoriano@TheShafterPress.com or call 661-292-5100 by Monday at 4 p.m. for that week’s paper. ANNOUNCEMENTS Community Workshop – City of Shafter will be having a Fiber Optic Expansion workshop on Sept. 26, 6-9 p.m., at the Shafter Veterans Hall. Cooling center – Kern County Cooling Center (Centros De Enfriamiento Condado De Kern) at 505 Sunset Ave.,...
Here's this week's challenge, courtesy of the Wasco Historical Society. If you know the location, circumstances, exact or rough date and/or people in the photo, send your educated (or semieducated) guess to the Tribune, 455 Kern St., Suite E, Shafter, CA 93263, or e-mail it to mysteryphoto@WascoTrib.com. Winners will be revealed here next week. LAST WEEK: Digging potatoes in 1942 with Mr. Walden's digger....
Sept. 14 Robert Gonzalez, 58, of Wasco, was arrested near the intersection of Griffith Avenue and Highway 46 for misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance and possession of controlled substance paraphernalia. He was cited and released at the scene. Nancy Gutierrez, 41, of Wasco, was arrested in the 1300 block of F Street for misdemeanor possession of controlled substance and on a felony bench warrant. She was booked into the Kern County Jail. Rodrigo Angel Gutierrez, 37, of Wasco, was arrested near the intersection of D Street and 12th S...
Dutch Bros Coffee opened its doors to the public on Monday with a ribbon cutting commemorating the occasion. Members of the community and Wasco leadership attended the celebration. Morgan Rapp is the regional operator. "We are so honored to serve the community that is just as excited to be here and part of what we do." He said they decided to come to Wasco because the community is so loving. "We are thrilled to bring Dutch love to this city and thought we'd be a perfect fit." Rapp shared that...
Raciel Mendez of Tint Cartel has served the Wasco community for the last year. He comes from Madera, where he owned Sin Cal Glass and Tint for eight years. He prides himself in offering high-quality work at reasonable prices. His is a mobile business, and comes to residential, commercial or automotive clients. Mendez is from a Hispanic family, with his parents originating from Oaxaca and Durango in Mexico. He said they taught him Spanish and instilled in him the value of hard work and a...
Delta Kappa Gamma Society International Beta Zeta chapter is an organization for active or retired women involved in education. This year, the chapter is celebrating its 74th year. The Beta Zeta chapter makes a difference in the community by supporting teachers. In the past, they have also given annual grant-in-aid scholarships to college students pursuing a teaching credential, raised money to contribute to the Ronald McDonald House and donated toiletries to the Alliance Against Family Violence...
Drake came into the Wasco Animal Shelter as a stray. The 2-3-year-old male husky is great with staff and other dogs. It is unknown if Drake is house/crate trained at the time. Dogs are not tested with children. His behavior toward children is unknown. Drake will be available on Thursday, Sept. 21. Everyone is welcome to adopt from our facility, and we like to give everyone the same opportunity to adopt. Adopters can be from out of town and/or local. We do not place holds for adoptions. Adopters...
Karl F. Clemens Elementary School announced its weekly Super Students for the week. Criteria for selection were based on significant math improvement, showing kindness to all friends, respect and hard work, following class procedures, helping other students understand new concepts and improving learning English. Whiskers, Vice Principal Mrs. Devin, kindergartener Oscar Padilla, 1st grader Carlos Sotelo, 2nd grader (not pictured) Lorenzo Hernandez, 3rd grader German Jarquin-Garcia, 4th grader...
Should faith be a public or a private matter? That question comes up in several contexts, but the basic answer is that faith must be both. We can illustrate that point from the practice of the Lord’s Supper. Since there are only two sacraments, the Lord invested each one with an astonishing depth and richness of meaning. In the instructions given by Paul about the Lord's Supper, it's clear that there is a strongly individual element. Each one is supposed to examine himself (1 Corinthians 11:28). The Table draws each believing participant i...
Gene Oliver was born June 14, 1955, in Wasco, to parents Jack and Nelda. He passed away peacefully on Sept. 16, 2023, after bravely battling many health issues. From childhood and throughout his life, Gene enjoyed playing sports, hunting, fishing and truly living life with family and friends. After graduating from high school, Gene attended Taft Junior College and Cal State Stanislaus to pursue a degree in education, as well as continuing his baseball career. He was very instrumental in helping...
On Sept. 12, 2023, at approximately 10 p.m., Jessie Lee Rosales, brother, father and grandfather, passed away at age 74 from prolonged health complications and surviving a stroke that left him partially immobile and further complicated his health. Jessie was born on Sept. 13, 1949, in Bakersfield, to Floyd and Maxine Rosales. He was the fifth of 12 siblings reared in Shafter, where he attended school and helped with farming chores and pursued ranching cattle. He was a cowboy ranch hand for various large cattle companies such as Harris Ranch...
Robert Mettler died peacefully in his sleep on Sept. 16, 2023, after years battling cancer. Born in Shafter in 1936, Robert grew up on his dad’s farm. After graduating from Shafter High, he attended Stanford University and Bakersfield College before moving to Los Angeles in the 1950s, working in the fledgling semiconductor industry. During his early career, he supervised semiconductor assembly operations in Hong Kong. By the mid-1960s, he’d settled in Belmont Shore, where he lived for the rest of his life. After more than two decades in sem...
Visitation: Monday, Sept. 25, 2023, 3-7 p.m., Peters Funeral Home, Wasco. Graveside service: Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2023, 1 p.m., Wasco Memorial Park...
Raquel Acosta, 46, of Shafter, passed away Sept. 7, in Bakersfield. Basham & Lara Funeral Care, Shafter. Linda Moody, 51, of Shafter, passed away, in Shafter. Basham & Lara Funeral Care, Shafter. Ricardo Olivo, 67, of Shafter, passed away Sept. 7, in Shafter. Basham & Lara Funeral Care, Shafter. Angel Acosta, 58, of Shafter, passed away Sept. 9, in Shafter. Basham & Lara Funeral Care, Shafter. Carolina Garcia Ramirez, 90, of Bakersfield, passed away Sept. 14, in Bakersfield. Peters Funeral Home, Shafter. Manuel Enriquez Zarate, 59, of Wasco,...
The Wasco High Tigers football team opened its SSL season with an impressive win over the McFarland Cougars, 49-8. Due to the wide margin, the game was played with a running clock the entire second half, with each team only having one possession before time ran out. The Tigers started the night by recovering an onside kick on the opening kick off. They scored four plays later when Noah Lopez ran for a 25-yard touchdown. This would be the first of seven scores the Tigers would have in seven...
Veronica Jacuinde Wasco Tribune The Wasco Recreation and Parks District youth soccer league launched on Saturday. Kids ages three to 14 participated in a morning of athletics and fun. The season runs through the end of October. Player Oracio Martinez said, "It was very competitive. We won. I feel good because I gave it my all." Another youth, Fernando Ramirez, said, "I played really good. I scored three goals. We won. The first half was okay, but the second half we dominated." "I love playing...
The Shafter Generals opened up the SSL season with a 33-7 victory over the Chavez Titans, proving that a great team can win even when it is not playing its best football. The Generals' offense on Friday night never got in sync fully, getting enough done to get the win, but the team as a whole united and came up with a victory. The Shafter defense, despite a couple of blown coverages in the secondary, came up big, giving the offense the ball with turnovers when really needed. To the point, after...
