Serving the community since 1970
Serving the community since 1970
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The Wasco Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture is on its way, with Tilo Cortez, co-owner of California Home Pros, leading the effort. Inspired by his previous experience on the City Council and recognizing a void in the community that a local chamber could fill, Cortez said last week, "I felt that I am the right person to get it started because I am familiar with the needs of the business community as well as the city's regulatory requirements. I believe I can be a good liaison between those...
The City of Shafter will pay Chief of Police Kevin Zimmermann a $245,203 12-month severance settlement, provide COBRA benefits for 12 months and pay out his accrued vacation in exchange for his resignation, which was effective Nov. 20. This agreement was announced in a statement read by City Attorney Marco Martinez after a closed session in the middles of Tuesday night's City Council meeting. Martinez stated that all terms are pursuant to Chief Zimmermann's employment agreement. In return, the c...
Wasco High head football coach Chad Martinez resigned on Friday, saying in his resignation letter he "was informed the program needed new direction." The leadership shift seemed to be a surprise to most everyone, including the coach, who said in resignation letter posted on the Wasco High Football page on Facebook that "he fully intended on returning and had begun preparations for the 2025 season." He said in the letter that did not want to "stand in the way of progress," and wished whoever the...
Incumbents appear to be the winners in most local races, with enough partial results of the Nov. 5 election to make calls ahead of the 30-day deadline for final results. Kern County, as well as Shafter and Wasco, bucked the state and followed the winner in voting for President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance. Rep. David Valadeo took a close contest from perennial opponent Rudy Salas, in a district seen as critical for Republicans to hold. Dr. Jasmeet Bains held a healthy lead to return to the Assembly. In local races, Pete...
Sean Medley, a Wasco High School alumnus of the Class of 2013, was inducted into the Wasco Union High School Athletic Hall of Fame last month, a honor following a remarkable athletic career. Sean's high school years were filled with accomplishments in both wrestling and football, where he excelled and left a lasting impact. Originally from Los Angeles, Sean moved to Wasco after his father started working in Bakersfield quite often and he had a cousin in Wasco. Then, they met the Johnson family...
The Teresa Burke Elementary School Student Council hosted its 10th annual Veterans Day program, honoring all who have served our great nation. Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps members attended, creating a memorable morning for the school's 503 students as they gathered to show their gratitude and respect. Drew Raney, one of the Student Council advisors, was the master of ceremonies, with his father, Michael Raney, a trumpeter with 34 years of experience in the Bakersfield Symphony...
The City of Wasco unveiled the Veterans Memorial Park with a celebratory ribbon-cutting ceremony, honoring the courage, dedication and patriotism of those who have served and continue to serve our nation. This event also marked downtown improvements, showcasing a revitalization of the city center. Councilmember Gilberto Reyna thanked Caltrans for awarding the city a $5 million Clean California Local Grant, which funded the park's construction and the downtown beautification efforts. "This...
The City of Wasco, Wasco Police Department and other law enforcement agencies from across the area are inviting residents to celebrate National Night Out and enjoy a fun evening with local safety officials. Featuring free hot dogs (while supplies last), food vendors, music, emergency vehicles on display, demonstrations, and engaging programs and activities, the event aims to promote strong relationships between residents and law enforcement and strengthen neighborhood spirit. Its goal is to...
The Wasco Rotary Club held its annual Fall Festival fundraiser last week at the Wasco Elks Lodge, featuring a steak dinner, silent auction, 50/50 drawing and a reverse raffle with a $5,000 grand prize. The last five ticket holders, Greg Lane, Itze Rodriguez, Kenneth Newman, Ross Shafer and Clara Acosta, each received $1,000 after choosing to split the pot. US Bank Manager Rodriguez shared, "It's exciting. Especially tonight when the energy in here was so special. I'm going to take out my team...
The 8th Annual Jesse Acebedo Memorial Golf Tournament took place on Saturday, with 34 teams gathering to celebrate the life of Jesse Acebedo, who dedicated much of his life to serving in law enforcement, empowering Wasco youth and actively contributing to the community. Proceeds from the event benefited the Wasco Community Scholarship Association. Jesse's sons, Keith, Ben, and Jeff created the memorial golf tournament as a tribute to him. Ben shared, "When we first started, it was just my brothe...
Shafter Teen Challenge is a free, one-year residential, faith-based program for men ages 18 and older who suffer from any addiction. The goal is to transform lives, offering hope and a brighter future. Greg Hill, a Shafter native, has been a kitchen manager and teacher advisor for five years. He is a testament to the impact Teen Challenge can have on an individual. "I'm a product of the program," he said in an interview last week. "In 2017, I came here broken and homeless. I had a rough...
Minter Field Air Museum hosted its 7th Annual Wings 'N' Wheels event on Saturday, showcasing a variety of aircraft, tractors and custom vehicles. The event featured vendors, a beer garden, raffles and a wide selection of food, offering a fun-filled day for families and enthusiasts of airplanes and cars. Thousands of spectators attended the museum's biggest fundraiser of the year, admiring nearly 75 private aircraft from across California and almost 200 custom cars, motorcycles and trucks on...
The Friends of the Shafter Library have launched the Book Bench project to inspire a love of reading across the community. This initiative combines art and literacy by placing benches designed to look like books, each painted with unique artwork, throughout town, promoting their mission to make literacy accessible and valued by all while beautifying public spaces with creative designs. Modeled after a public art installation by the Bakersfield Museum of Art, the project began with its first...
Kern County Public Works hosted a bulky waste collection event on Saturday in Shafter. Residents could drive in and drop off their unwanted residential bulky waste for free. More than three tons of waste were collected, with 43 people dropping off items, most of which were appliances. (Photo courtesy of Kern County Public Works)...
It was a night of community and fellowship at the Kiwanis Club of Shafter Foundation Fall Scholarship Dinner, dedicated to raising funds for Shafter High School students. The event featured a lively reverse raffle, drawing guests together to support the mission of empowering local youth in their pursuit of education. The club's biggest fundraiser collected $10,000. Club President Phillip Jimenez, now in his second term, expressed his enthusiasm about the dinner's success: "We sold all our...
The Shafter Woman's Club will host its annual fundraiser, A Holiday to Remember, on Wednesday, Nov.20. Tickets are $28, including a Chicken Cordova lunch and a door prize ticket. This year, attendees can explore a special vintage ornament sale. Over the years, the Shafter Woman's Club has gathered handmade ornaments crafted by past members. Each unique ornament, priced at $2, carries a tag with the maker's name and donation year. "Come pick up a piece of history!" invites Kathy Gamboa. A $5...
It was a joyous occasion for local students at the monthly Shafter Kiwanis Club luncheon recently, honoring Terrific Kids for the enthusiasm they brought to the classroom and their academic endeavors. Parents and community members were in attendance to celebrate the students nominated by their teachers for demonstrating the character trait of enthusiasm. In addition to the delicious lunch enjoyed among their peers from other schools, each student received a certificate of recognition, a pencil,...
The Shafter Press and Wasco Tribune encourage local organizations to let the public know about coming events and activities through this column. Drop off or mail items at the office, 455 Kern St., Suite E, in Shafter, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday, call 661-292-5100 or email [email protected]. Deadline is 4 p.m. Thursday prior to publication. Updates will be on TheShafterPress.com and WascoTrib.com. ANNOUNCEMENTS Christmas Parade & Festival – Shafter’s Christmas Festival is Friday, Dec. 6, beginning at 4:30 p.m. in Mannel Park wit...
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 [email protected]. Winners will be revealed here next week. LAST WEEK: Wasco Army soldiers at Camp Luis in 1914....
Nov. 4 Davis Armendariz, 76, was arrested in the 700 block of F Street on a misdemeanor bench warrant. He was cited and released on the scene. Jesus Hilario Perez Santos, 29, was arrested at 748 F Street on a misdemeanor bench warrant. He was cited and released on the scene. Adan Rojas Mejia, 33, was arrested at 2010 3rd Street for assault with a deadly weapon and exhibiting a deadly weapon. He was booked into the Lerdo Justice Facility. Nov. 5 Justo, Hernandez, 41, was arrested at the intersection of Poso Drive and Broadway Avenue for disorder...
The Wasco High Tigers football team saw its season come to an end in the opening round of the Central Section Division IV playoffs with a loss to McLane High. The 13th-seeded Tigers already were facing a tough task, with the #4 ranked Highlanders in Fresno, and when you throw in playing that game without your best player, it was too tall of an order. Hammie Lopez was hit with two personal fouls in the loss the previous week to the Shafter Generals, making him ineligible for the game at McLane....
The Shafter High Generals did not fall into the trap that so many teams fall into after having a week off when it comes to the playoffs. Head Coach Jerald Pierucci said that he was proud of the way his guys came out to take care of business on Friday night, dominating the eighth-seeded North High Stars, 56-7, setting up the Generals in a semifinal matchup with the fifth-seeded Immanuel Eagles of Reedley. "Sometimes you worry about being a little rusty after a bye week in the playoffs," said...
The Shafter High Lady Generals volleyball team advanced to the semifinals in the Central Section Division IV playoffs last week, but they lost their seminal match with the third-seeded Immanuel from Reedley in three straight sets. Shafter, seeded number two in the playoffs, had little trouble in the first round, dispatching Hanford West in three straight games. Led by the hitting of Sydnee Macias and Rylyn Hanner, the team was aggressive from the beginning and never let up. In the quarterfinal...
After a remarkable run, the Shafter High varsity girls tennis team competed at the Valley Championship in Delano on Tuesday, though they lost to Chavez 4-5. "Our season ended with a great battle for Valley. We fell short, but we are super proud of our hard work that led us here," player Ellen Esquivel said. Pictured are Yessica Gil, Katie Avila, Coach Jorge Maldonado holding their second-place plaque, Elissa Muñoz, Ellen Esquivel and Jayna Pierucci. {Photo courtesy of Ellen E...
The Shafter High Generals got a bye for the first week of the Central Section Division IV playoffs as top seed in the division, and with the ranking ensuring a home game throughout the gamers leading to the championship. The North High Stars, the number eight seed, defeated Templeton, setting up the quarterfinal against the Generals. Shafter has had another outstanding season, having the top ranking in Division IV throughout. It has been a challenge, though, with the loss of quarterback Ezekiel...
