Serving the community since 1922
Serving the community since 1922
The city Wednesday morning announced the resignation of Police Chief Kevin Zimmerman, who has been on medical leave for over a year. At press time Wednesday. here is the official release: Kevin Zimmermann has voluntarily stepped down from his position with the City of Shafter today. He has been a valued member of the Shafter Police Department since September 2016. Mayor Chad Givens expressed his appreciation for Chief Zimmermann's leadership, noting, "Chief Zimmermann's dedication to the...
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...
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...
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 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 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...
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 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...
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,...
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 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 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...
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,...
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...
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 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...
We’re counting down to the end of the year, and we’re in what should be the best two months of the year! November and December have the most holidays, generally excellent weather (in our area anyway) and great food. What’s more, everything from school lesson plans to community activities in November are focused on gratitude, and in December on joy and peace. It should be amazing! Yet many of us are too stressed out and exhausted to take a walk in the cool, crisp air or to enjoy the great opportunities to gather with friends and family....
Armando Gutierrez Jr., 47, of Bakersfield, passed away Nov. 5, in Wasco. Peters Funeral Home, Shafter. Gabino Carrillo Rivera, 51, of Shafter, passed away Oct. 18, in Shafter. Basham & Lara Funeral Care, Shafter. Edward Horn, 89, of Shafter, passed away Nov. 10, in Shafter. Peters Funeral Home, Shafter. Rose L. Sanders, 78, of Bakersfield, passed away Nov. 10, in Bakersfield. Peters Funeral Home,...
Byron Allen "Bob" Brown was born on May 5, 1956, in Bakersfield, the youngest of four children to Annie Beatrice Lyons Brown and Sam Brown. From an early age, he was affectionately known as "Bob," a nickname given to him by his older brother Larry who couldn't quite pronounce "Byron." Bob embraced the name and never looked back. Growing up in Wasco, Bob was always drawn to music. He sang in the choir at Truelight Baptist Church, and in his early teens he learned to play the drums. He was a...
Nov. 4 Ryan Todd, 46, of Shafter, was arrested at Community Drive and Cobble Creek Drive for possession of unlawful paraphernalia. Nov. 9 Ali Mahmood Yassingazem, 23, of Shafter, was arrested in the 18600 block of Beech Avenue for kidnapping and conspiracy: commit crime. Joe Luis Ramirez, 58, of Shafter, was arrested in the 100 block West Orange Avenue for inflicting corporal injury onto a spouse/cohabitant, obstruction, robbery, damage to a wireless communication device and false imprisonment with violence. Teresa Vance, 57, of Shafter, was...
This adorable little lady is Peanut, a spunky, affectionate Chihuahua with the softest chocolate-brown fur. About 3-5 months old, she's ready to fill your life with love and snuggles. Peanut was found as a stray but has shown how sweet and friendly she is with staff and other small dogs. While we don't know if she's house/crate trained, she's likely a quick learner. Her compatibility with kids hasn't been tested, but if you're looking for a loyal, cuddly companion, Peanut might be your perfect...
Here's this week's challenge, courtesy of the Shafter 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 Press, 455 Kern St., Suite E, Shafter, CA 93263, or e-mail it to mysteryphoto@The ShafterPress.com. Winners will be revealed here next week. LAST WEEK: The 1973-74 Winter Queen of Shafter High, Esther...
30 years ago: Nov. 16, 1994 The owner of Floyd Stores Inc., Floyd Burcham, sold all three of his locations. Today, the recently remodeled store remains at 555 Walker St. --Compiled by Erica...
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