Articles written by Toni Derosa
Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 527
Cases continue to rise; county at a standstill
The covid-19 virus changed the landscape of education in the country in 2020 and the school districts are sticking to their previously stated positions. There are now two new vaccines available by...
Wasco neighbors give back
Wasco Union Elementary School Board President Richard Reding was struggling to mow his lawn one day after a knee surgery when a tap on his shoulder by a neighbor changed everything. Reding and his...
2020 Wasco High grad running her own business
Another in a series of articles highlighting Wasco High School graduates. Graduating from high school at 18 years old can sometimes be a stressful time when deciding on the next move. Rayanna Plazola, a 2020 Wasco High graduate, almost took a two-wee...
Palm Avenue recognizes students
Palm Avenue announced through Facebook their October Students of the Month and Principals’ List of students from sixth through eighth grade. “During these unprecedented times, it is important for...
Court ruling clears way for indoor church services
The state ruled Dec. 10 that excluding churches from holding indoor services goes against Freedom of Religion. California Superior Court Judge Gregory Pulskamp issued an injunction against Gov. Gavin Newsom’s planned covid-19 restrictions,...
Holiday events canceled due to pandemic
In early December Gov. Gavin Newsom stated that Kern County was back to the most restrictive purple tier and the pandemic is becoming a fact of daily life for residents. Because it’s an...
Man dies after head-on collision; woman charged
A man died last Tuesday after a head-on collision on Highway 46 and North Leonard Avenue. Donald Frank Steinhaus, 43, was pronounced dead Dec. 15 after being struck by a vehicle driven by Margaret...
Virus cases surge; county closed down
The number of positive covid-19 tests continues to rise in Wasco and Shafter. Schools remain the same as they were prior to the most-recent closure with only those students already in school ...
Richers: 15 teachers may get laid off
In a meeting before the district’s board meeting, Wasco Union Elementary School District Superintendent Kelly Richers said that the district doesn’t know what type of funding will be available...
City ready to begin work on former farm labor camp
The City Council is ready to begin work on the former farmer labor camp by creating an agreement with Anderson Integrated Services for the labor camp asbestos testing project. The council also...
Lavender Garden shop offers array of soothing items
Sundays are usually a lazy day for those who work five days a week; however Dec.13 several Wasco friends drove out to the Lavender Garden to browse the little gift shop and take a walk in the field....
Maple School girl gives back to the community
Intelligent, mature and engaging are words often used to describe third-grader Jacquelyn Isabelle Silva from Maple School. Only 9 years old, Jackie displays a maturity beyond her young years. She...
Streets full of holiday spirit with lights, decorations
Families have their homes lit up bright as they entered the Recreation and Parks District competition. Most of the houses had blow-up decorations such as snowmen, candles, the nativity scene and...
Cortez, Martinez, Valadao win after final results certified
The November election was a nail biter for many candidates and constituents. In the District 4 City Council race, current Mayor Tilo Cortez kept his seat by one vote with candidate Eddie Saldana...
Newsom issues new lockdown
Last week Gov. Gavin Newsom issued another lockdown in the state, citing the numbers of hospital beds being utilized are increasing in numbers too large for facilities to keep up. Newsom said that by...
Wasco High student releasing original music
A Wasco High School girl's voice will be heard around the world Dec. 20 when her original music is released. Natalia Crane, 14, is a freshman and has been a force in whatever she attempts. Her latest...
Westside ushers in Christmas with boutique
The Christmas spirit arrived early in Wasco on Saturday, Dec.5. Westside Family Fellowship held a Christmas boutique, bringing together a variety of vendors to sell holiday gifts. Many attendees...
Planet Dance keeps on dancing virtually
Planet Dance may be closed due to the pandemic, but some students are taking virtual classes. Located at 641 F St., owner Corine Matera also owns Planet Dance boutique in Bakersfield at 4909...
State officials send cell phone alert for pandemic
State officials sent out an alert via text message through the Wireless Emergency Alerts system to all cell phone users across Southern California and the San Joaquin Valley on Dec. 2. The virus is...
Cortez wins council seat by 1 vote
Incumbent Mayor Tilo Cortez won by one vote over City Council candidate Eddie Saldana in the District 4 race. For most of the race, Cortez has led. As of Nov. 25, both were tied at 434 votes until Cor...
Cobb steps up as superintendent in January
Beginning on Jan. 1, Assistant Superintendent Rob Cobb will officially become superintendent. Current Wasco Union High School District Superintendent Laurie Albrecht is retiring at the end of this...
New principal knows what it means to be a Tiger
Everyone in Sunni Dobbs' family bleeds "orange and black" and now Dobbs is the school's principal. Both Dobbs and her husband and their two daughters are graduates of Wasco High School. Dobbs...
Teacher: Distance learning not working for some
Distance learning has been bad for some students, teacher Eddie Crane said. Distance learning has allowed teachers to observe which students are lazy by not turning in their work, Crane said....
Governor threatening curfew
The number of covid-19 cases continues to rise in Wasco and Shafter, much like those of the state. Gov. Gavin Newsom said that the numbers have surged to their highest level since the pandemic began...
Violent crimes increase in county
There has been an increase in crime in 2020 over 2019, said Sgt. Pete Martinez to the Wasco City Council. Citing statistics from Wasco, Bakersfield and Kern County overall, Martinez said that violent...