Articles written by Jamie Stewart
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A different kind of celebration
The Fourth of July weekend in Shafter was the first holiday in which the new illegal fireworks ordinance was in effect and the SPD issued 21 citations during the holiday weekend. Last month, the...
Gossamer Grove waste taxes set
The Shafter City Council held a public hearing on the subject of placing the rate schedule for sewage and solid waste service for the Gossamer Grove area on the property tax roll. A report was...
Going back a few steps in crisis
For the second time in less than a month, restaurants that offer dine-in service have lost that option, following Gov. Gavin Newsom’s order that made it necessary for all restaurants to close their dining areas. The move is the result of a spike...
Virus forces closures of BofA, DMV
The coronavirus continues to affect Shafter, with the closures of the local Bank of America branch and the DMV office. Customers at Bank of America were found waiting outside of the local branch a lit...
Apart, yet together
Amidst the Covid-19 pandemic, Shafter High School sent their senior class across the stage, ending what was an unprecedented school year where a graduation ceremony had seemed unlikely just a couple o...
Crackdown on illegal fireworks
The Shafter City Council held a special meeting this week to assist the Police Department in their fight against violators of illegal fireworks ordinances. On Thursday, June 25, the council voted...
Editor's Note: For fireworks, leave it to the pros
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 do...
Walmart distributon center raises its first flag
The Walmart Distribution Center in Shafter, which has seen its opening date pushed back into the spring of 2021, celebrated the Fourth of July with a flag raising and a fundraiser benefiting the...
A possible return to staying at home
With the governor of California reinstating the Stay at Home order for one county in the state, 12 more counties have been put on a watch list, creating the possibility that the order may be...
VBS kids learn of creation
In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the community of Shafter still held its annual Community Vacation Bible School, letting the kids delve into the mystery of creation. This event was the result of...
Video results in community support -- and arrests
An arrest was made over the weekend and three other cases were handed to the District Attorney’s Office for investigation regarding a rash of illegal fireworks activity in and around Shafter....
A tale of two budgets: Sales tax decline seen
The Shafter City Council held a special meeting on Tuesday night and approved the budget for 2020-21with a unanimous vote. The budget proposal was the same one that had been discussed over the past...
Illegal fireworks go viral
An arrest was made over the weekend and three other cases were handed to the Kern County District Attorney's Office for investigation regarding a slew of illegal fireworks activity in and around Shaft...
Chamber carries on despite pandemic
The Shafter Chamber of Commerce has been busy at work, even as the majority of city businesses were at a virtual standstill for the past couple of months. The organization has been a go-to source of...
Tigers roar back to the mats
Tigers' Taekwondo, with studios in Shafter and Wasco, were back in action as training sessions began on Monday June 15. The studios had been closed for almost three months due to the coronavirus...
Shelter resumes rescue operations
One group of the population that has been hit hard with the current pandemic is the animal residents of the county, with its shelters limiting their services, including suspending all adoptions and...
'Chilling' budget preview
The Shafter City Council got a sneak peek at the 2020-21 budget at a special meeting Monday night. The budget is very different than what had been projected in earlier discussions, primarily the...
Kindness to highlight Woman's Club year
After a hiatus due to the coronavirus, the Shafter Woman's Club met on June 10 to install new officers. President Angie Nelson's theme, "Fostering Kindness," will guide the club for two years. Social...
Shelbee Ramos Is Distinguished Young Woman
Shafter has a new Distinguished Young Woman, and her name is Shelbee Ramos. With the competition held online, including video interviews, taping their routines, including Self Expression and the...
Rebuilding beginning
The City of Shafter has reopened government buildings, including City Hall, with safety restrictions in place. At a recent City Council meeting, City Manager Gabriel Gonzales said, “We are opening o...
No Beech in roundabout, council says
The Shafter City Council voted last week to approve a plan to move forward on the engineering phase of the roundabout project that includes Santa Fe Way, Los Angeles Avenue, Highway 43 North and Highway 43 South. The council’s approval means that...
It's the Truth! Church marks 10 years in town
Truth Church, which began its journey conducting local home Bible studies, celebrated its 10-year church and pastoral anniversary. "We have a rich apostolic heritage, coming from Greater Bakersfield...
Mom to appear in child's death
Breanna Jimenez, 31, of Shafter, is scheduled to appear on June 24 for a preliminary hearing on vehicular manslaughter charges related to an accident in which one of her children was killed. The...
Responses lagging for 2020 Census
The 2020 Census has been in motion for months, and the response from this area has been well below the state average, leading Census Bureau staff to take action in attempting to increase the local...
The classes of coronavirus
It may have been a different type of ceremony, but the result was the same. Over 300 graduates from Richland Junior High made the transition from eighth-grade Trojans to Shafter High Generals last...
