Serving the community since 1970
Serving the community since 1970
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Fourth of July is upon us once again, and my blood starts to boil. No, not because of the 100-plus degree heat wave we are in, but it is the reemergence of my nemesis, the fireworks stands. I hate to see those contraptions scattered throughout the city, selling those balls of fire in a can. I really enjoy the fireworks show that the city puts on, with the awesome displays of color, done by professionals. It is the cardboard boxes filled with explosives that injure and maim hundreds every year...
I was so sad recently to hear of the passing of Pastor Jim Neal, of the First Southern Baptist Church, who passed away in late February. Pastor Neal was one of the first pastors I talked to when we were reviving the Pastors Corner section of the Shafter Press. Neal and Pastor Pat Coyle were the stalwarts in the city, never hesitating in sending in a piece when needed, which a lot of the time was pretty often. Pastor Neal sent in so many articles that inspired, touched, and taught the residents...
It is that time of year again. The weather is warming, trees and plants are needing to drink more water to keep that green hue, and there are the sounds of bombs bursting in air. No, you are not in downtown Baghdad. You are in Shafter coming close to the Fourth of July. Yes, the city seems to be under siege, and it’s not some terrorist organization, it is all friendly fire. This year seems to be a lot worse than any in recent memory. You can’t go one night without seeing a bunch of illegal firew...
On this Memorial Day, it seemed kind of surreal. In my lifetime, we have been involved in the Vietnam War, the wars in the Middle East and several events on our homefront, including government buildings in Oklahoma and a tragedy in New York City, in which we were attacked on a large scale with planes flying into the Twin Towers, resulting in the largest terrorist attack ever on American soil. With each occurrence, the patriotism and strength have shown in our military, our civilians and communit...
With this pandemic still in the headlines, and the Governor’s stay at home order still in place, people are getting antsy to get back outside, living their lives fully, without hinderances. Well, I think that we are a long way from that right now. Even when businesses start to open up, schools gear up to open back up in August, and our beloved sports teams are back in action, there will still be certain precautions and requirements in place for awhile. This really is just common sense. The w...
The coronavirus pandemic has affected not only the city's different businesses, the schools, and city office buildings, but it is also touching other phases of everyday life. For the individuals who pick up our garbage, there is an added challenge to their already demanding job, as they must navigate their way through the process of emptying our trash, not knowing if that household had been touched by the virus or not. Coupled with this challenge is the fact that so many residents are either...
It seems like there is a very fine line sometimes between preparation and panic. We are in the middle of a pandemic right now that is a perfect example. Is it crazy to be prepared for maybe an extended stay at the house? Maybe picking up a couple of extra rolls of toilet paper, or an extra bag of groceries to make sure you are covered. That seems pretty reasonable. But, if you go just a bit further down the road, there are plenty of people who seem to be preparing for Armageddon. I have heard a...
Another Colours Festival and come and gone, and it was a great time for those who appreciate the arts. There was something for such a wide variety of interests, be it music, painting, dance or theater. It is so nice to see a small town come together to put this event on, especially when there are a lot of communities have seen their arts programs disappearing. Despite of there being plenty of studies saying the fine arts help students develop as successful students, gain self confidence and a go...
Well, 2019 is in the rear view mirror, and the next decade is underway. This past year has been such a busy one for me. It has been full of some great times, like having a job that I just love, covering events, writing, taking photos and always learning. This job is really different every week, you never know what is going to happen. I am so thankful for this job, doing something that I love to do. It has also been a good one in our family, with everyone staying relatively healthy, safe, and...
I wrote an column last month that was really tough for me. We had lost our dog TJ, leaving a big hole in my heart that I didn't think would ever get filled again. When we first lost him, I didn't even want to think about getting another dog. People would tell me that getting another dog would be the best thing for me. I couldn't imagine ever having to go through that again. It hurt so much that I couldn't think about it. I would look around the house, or even do small things like taking out the...
I have had a really bad holiday season this year, one of the worst in a very long time. We had to put our dog down the day after Christmas. TJ was more than just a pet, but was a true member of our family, and I miss him so much already. I remember first seeing TJ at the Wasco Animal Shelter, shy and timid, not jumping up and down like a lot of the dogs who were fighting for attention, looking for that new home. He just looked at me with those big brown eyes, a little frightened and shaking a...
