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Serving the community since 1970
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Gov. Gavin Newsom has proposed a $15 million grand cash prize split between 10 vaccinated Californians. Newsom wants the economy to safely reopen on June 15. He is proposing a multi-faceted initiative about the value of vaccinations for all Californians, especially those in communities hardest hit by the pandemic. Newsom is also planning on $50,000 Friday cash prizes for 30 vaccinated Californians and $100 million in $50 cards for the next 2 million new fully vaccinated residents. Californians who have received the vaccine...
New Generation Church on Central Avenue passed out 500 barbecue chicken meals on Monday evening. Church volunteers assisted in the food preparation, served up the take-home boxes and spread good will to everyone who drove up or walked up to the church entrance. Pastor Frank Sanchez and Marcus Ballard were greeting attendees and chatting with guests as they picked up their meal. One of the younger volunteer high school freshman Izabella Heredia said this was the first event...
The new 2021 Wasco Reserve baseball players will be at Sam Lynn Ball Park in Bakersfield on June 10 at 10 a.m. for their first official practice. Manager Nic Ray has been busy assembling the team, and it's down to the last minute when some players drop out and new ones are added to the roster. Chase Stacy A new player this year is Chase Stacy. He was born in Los Angeles and currently lives in Victorville. Stacy was homeschooled and began his interest in baseball at 10 years...
Two vendor popup events were held in Wasco over this past weekend, offering a variety of items for residents. With the temperature in the low 100s, masks disappeared quickly as attendees visited booths and declared their vaccination status. Saturday's event began promptly at 10 a.m. on F Street, across from Del Norte Bakery. Vendor booths were set up throughout the lot with a variety of items for sale such as clothing, hair bows, metal works, food and hats to ward off the hot...
Students, staff and family from Thomas Jefferson and Palm Avenue middle schools joined together to celebrate the eighth grade class. This is the second year that the Wasco Union Elementary School District has had to utilize covid-19 protocol to hold its annual graduation ceremony. Everyone was required to wear a face mask and maintain social distancing. There was no formal gathering after the ceremony due to the pandemic. The ceremony includes an introductory by Palm Avenue...
There were nearly 300 graduates at the Wasco High School graduation ceremony on Friday, marking the end of their academic careers in Wasco. Student greetings and messages of thanks were relayed through speakers to the attendees at the beginning of the ceremony and the graduation officially began with the singing of the National Anthem by Polly Hughes, Dessie Claffy and Stephanie Wymer. Superintendent Robert Cobb and Director of Special Programs Kevin Tallon presented special a...
Wasco Independent High School seniors gathered Friday on the football field to celebrate commencement, marking the end of an unusual year. The ceremony opened with the National Anthem sung by Polly Hughes, Desie Claffy and Stephanie Wymer. Principal Rusvel Prado told the attendees he was proud to be hosting his first graduation ceremony at Wasco Independence High School. "This has been an extraordinary class due to an extreme year," Prado said. "What you have done is...
While there was nothing officially planned for the Wasco Cemetery on Memorial Day, the Shafter/Wasco VFW Post 6742 continued its tradition of decorating and greeting guests. Gravesites were decorated with small flags that had been placed on each grave by cemetery Grounds Supervisor Denny Carender and grounds employees. Due to the pandemic, the cemetery district decided that there would not be a ceremony at the Wasco Cemetery. Wasco VFW members Camilo Vasquez, James Madrone,...
Former Shafter City Manager Scott Hurlbert will be taking on a new set of challenges when he becomes Wasco's chief operating executive next month. The Wasco City Council voted Tuesday night to hire Hurlbert as the new city manager, replacing City Manager Daniel Ortiz-Hernandez, who resigned last month. Hrlbert was immediately named assistant city manager, to work with Ortiz-Hernandez in the transition. Hurlbert was the city manager for the City of Shafter from March 2014 to...
Former Shafter City Manager Scott Hurlbert will be taking on a new set of challenges when he becomes Wasco's chief operating executive next month. The Wasco City Council voted Tuesday night to hire Hurlbert as the new city manager, replacing City Manager Daniel Ortiz-Hernandez, who resigned last month. Hrlbert was immediately named assistant city manager, to work with Ortiz-Hernandez in the transition. Hurlbert was the city manager for the City of Shafter from March 2014 to...
Distance learning will not be an option for students this fall in the Wasco Union High School District. Superintendent Rob Cobb outlined a number of changes for the 2021-22 school year in a letter to parents and students last week. Cobb said all students will return to campus for full, five school days a week. Independent study will be offered on a limited basis when necessary. He explained schools are considered to be safe places because it has shown to be a low rate of positive cases or transmission. The district will...
The 12 candidates vying for 2021 Rose Queen have been named. As the pageant committee begins the long process of preparing the young ladies for the Sept. 9 Miss Wasco/Rose Queen pageant, talent tryouts have been taking place. Sponsors for each candidate have not been announced yet. “The girls have been working hard to prepare their individual talent performance for the talent portion of the pageant,” Pageant Committee members stated. The committee expects a live, in-person pageant this year, so additional information wil...
Rose Queen and 2019 Wasco High graduate Victoria Bernal utilized the Wonderful Ag College Program while in high school, shaving off two years of undergraduate work. Now Bernal is attending Azusa Pacific University and will graduate this fall. Bernal is majoring in cinematic arts and said her experience entering a four-year university as a junior was no different than entering as a freshman. "I had the same opportunities to mingle, attend first-year student events and make...
Wasco FFA held its Friends and Family Awards program recently, honoring its students and welcoming in a new officer board. Due to Covid, the event took place on the Wasco High football field. Mr. Farao, Mrs. Morales and Ms. Shew were dressed in their red carpet best. FFA members dressed in the official FFA uniform could be seen on stage and in the crowd. This year's celebration marked 90 years of the Wasco FFA members' success and was memorable to the over 400 guests that...
Memorial Day is observed on the last Monday in the month of May. It was formerly known as Decoration Day and remembers all men and women who have died in military service for the United States. Memorial Day is also celebrated at cemeteries throughout the country with flag raising and the reading of names of military personnel who have died in the line of duty. The Wasco Cemetery will be holding a drive-thru Memorial Day event on Monday, May 28. Everyone is invited to join...
Wasco High School held its annual Winners' Circle for graduating seniors who were recognized by receiving awards and scholarships for their achievements. Students will be featured in the the coming weeks' editions of the Wasco Tribune....
A Wasco family held a candlelight vigil to honor their recently deceased father on May 12. On Friday, April 30, Wasco Donuts to Go owner Lon Mam, 64, was driving to Hanford to visit an uncle. A 29-year-old unidentified man driver from Tulare sped into Mam's lane and the vehicles collided. Both drivers died at the scene. The Mam family set up a GoFundMe to help toward the cost of funeral expenses and they organized a candlelight vigil to honor their father by inviting the...
The Wasco City Council called for a special meeting May 13 with one agenda item; city manager. The meeting was closed session and once the council reconvened, the city attorney announced there was no reportable action. There has been no word on a selection process for a new city manager. Prior to Daniel Ortiz-Hernandez’ hiring in 2018, the city used an interim city manager, Larry Pennell. After Ortiz-Hernandez had been with the city for one year, his contract was renegotiated for an additional two-year extension beyond the or...
The 2019-20 Wasco Rose Queen Elissa Flores has managed to keep herself busy during the pandemic. Between her several part-time jobs, she has managed to maintain a full college class schedule. Flores was spotted working behind the counter at Pizza Factory right after the restaurant held its official grand opening in 2020. She was also employed at Starbucks part time as well as cheerleading for California State University, Bakersfield. Flores will graduate from CSUB in 2024 and...
Graduating Wasco High seniors celebrated during the annual Winners' Circle presentation held outside this year because of pandemic restrictions. Principal Sunni Dobbs expressed her pride in the achievements of the class of 2021 during the difficulties presented this past year. Tigers of the Year The 2021 Tigers of the Year are Crystal Raya and Kevin Chavez. The decision was based on GPA, leadership, recommendations by coaches and counselors, sports activities and clubs. Tiger...
A 24-year-old Wasco man was stabbed to death May 3. Two men have been charged in the murder. Kern County Sheriff's Office deputies responded to the 800 block of Broadway. When they arrived, deputies found a man suffering from stab wounds. The victim was later identified as 24-year-old Jose Aleman. Aleman was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced deceased. On May 8, homicide detectives arrested Aaron Garcia, 22, on a felony murder warrant. Garcia was booked into the Kern County Sheriff’s Office Central R...
The Wasco Union Elementary School District will have all students studying in-person for the next school year, Superintendent Kelly Richers reported during Tuesday's board meeting. Richers said under the current guidance and rules in place, all students are expected to report to school and attend in person beginning Aug. 2. "It has been 14 months since some students have been in school, and returning will be a transition that may take some effort," Richers stated. He was referring to the March 2020 orders that sent students...
Wasco High School will return to classes in-person this fall on Aug. 12 for only in-person instruction, Assistant Superintendent Kevin Tallon said. Currently students attend in-person instruction part time Tuesdays through Fridays for three periods a day. Students attend in-person in the mornings and the others attend distance learning in the afternoon. "The number of students that continued with distance learning is 1,160 while 598 are in attendance," Tallon reported. Tallon...
The county is slightly rising in covid-19 cases and is backsliding on its progress to reach the yellow tier, Kern County Public Health Director Brynn Carrigan said. After restaurants and movie theaters have reopened, there has been a surge in the number of cases and hospitalizations. “As of Monday, May 10, there were 28 people hospitalized and 9 are in the ICU,” Carrigan said. While Gov. Gavin Newsom is planning California’s reopening plan, Kern County remains conservative in its efforts to reopen completely. While some resta...
City Manager Daniel Ortiz-Hernandez presented his resignation to the City Council Tuesday night. He is expected to begin duties as city manager of Webster City, Iowa -- a city of about 8,500 where is he held the same post from 2016 to 2018 -- at the end of July, according to a press release posted by that city. Wasco city officials would not comment on the resignation, but aside from an email from Mayor Alex Garcia, it was obvious they were surprised coming out of the...
