Serving the community since 1970
Serving the community since 1970
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A common thread runs through discussions of Wasco's housing stock: a need for more housing beyond low-income residences. And it seems like the core issue is much like others in the region: a lack of water. Resident Sukie Martinez emphasizes the community's struggle to retain families like hers. Real estate expert Tilo Cortez points out that builders primarily focus on entry-level homes, often overlooking the demand for larger, move-up houses. This stagnation in development is compounded by a...
Luke and Jasmin Malone met at the age of 15 at Wasco High School and have two daughters, Hailie, 12, and Andy, 7. This year, they will celebrate 12 years of marriage. Together, they own Malone's Photography and share a passion for the art form. Jasmin had always loved photography, and five years ago, Luke bought her her first camera. "I'm impatient and tried learning it but let it go. Two years ago, he picked it up, and that's where it all began. He's always had an eye for it," Jasmin said in...
Dr. Kelly Foster Blanton served as Kern County's 18th Superintendent of Schools. Born on January 12, 1937, he passed away at 87 on Dec. 17. A dedicated educator, his work had a lasting impact on education in Kern County and beyond. Raised in Buttonwillow and Wasco, Blanton's life and career were profoundly shaped by his early experiences in the area. Blanton lived in farm labor camps and picked cotton alongside his family. Despite the challenges his family faced, his love for learning set him...
Wasco Elks Lodge 2419 is gearing up for its Leading Knight and Secretary Challenge Dinner, benefiting the “Purple Pig,” on Friday, Jan. 24. This event is a major fundraiser for the California-Hawaii Elks Association, which supports a wide range of programs for disabled individuals, children, veterans and youth. "The Purple Pig is one of our club's most prominent charities because most of the funds raised go to support significant projects in our community,” said Erik Brown, the event chair...
Part of a continuing series highlighting local leaders, including members of the Wasco Recreation and Parks District board. Other stories can be found on WascoTrib.com. Oscar Luna is in his second year serving on the Parks and Recreation board, bringing to the role his experience as the assistant superintendent of the Wasco Union Elementary School District since July 2022. He also has nearly 15 years of experience in school administration. In addition, he has served as the president of the...
In March 2023, the City of Wasco received a $288,000 grant from UC Davis to partner with the SNIP Bus to expand the city's spay/neuter capacity. The partnership allows the SNIP Bus to hold free spay/neuter clinics monthly for three years, completing an estimated 1,800 surgeries. "Last year, we treated 210 dogs and 171 cats for a total of 381 animals, saving residents approximately $300 a piece per surgery," Public Works Director Luis Villa explained. The Spay Neuter Imperative Project is a...
Colours: A Celebration of the Arts has been a tradition in the city for over 10 years, bringing creativity and inspiration to Shafter. This festival has become a cornerstone for showcasing artistic expression that uplifts and inspires. At the heart of the event lies its guiding mission statement: "It is our desire to help other people discover, create and enjoy transformed art. Transformed art is art that reflects what is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, of good repute and worthy of praise....
The Kiwanis Club of Shafter held a special luncheon on Dec. 11 to honor local students selected as Terrific Kids for demonstrating exceptional responsibility in the classroom. Teachers nominated the students whose achievements were celebrated alongside their families and community members. Guests enjoyed lunch, and each student received a certificate, pencil, bumper sticker and t-shirt in recognition of their efforts. "We love acknowledging people who are responsible at all ages, but...
Here are second-half highlights of Wasco's year. Last week's first-half review can be seen on WascoTrib.com. July The second half of the year began with the grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony for Central Avenue Park. The new park, designed to be a vibrant hub for families and visitors, offers a variety of recreational activities and green spaces. Semitropic Elementary School welcomed a new addition to its leadership team with the appointment of Dr. Wendy Castañeda-Leal as...
Catrina's Mexican Grill celebrated its 10th anniversary on Dec. 17, and owner Marcela Bojorquez couldn't be prouder of this milestone. In 2014, she and her husband, Cesar Marquez, pursued their American dream by starting the business, trusting that with hard work and dedication, they could persevere. They immigrated from Mexico 28 years ago and met in Bakersfield in 2007. Marcela is a Spanish professor, and Cesar had always wanted to open a restaurant because his family owned restaurants in...
Rene Gutierrez is a rig welder who works in the oil fields and makes custom gates. Last year, he lent his welding talents to the Wasco Downtown Beautification Project. "After this job, I transformed myself into an artist. I never saw myself as one until Art Sherwyn gave me the assignment. He showed me the design picture, and I brought it to life." He built a 19-foot steel archway inspired by camera lenses and squares symbolizing camera bodies. The varying sizes and shapes of the rings and...
The Kern County Coroner’s Office has identified the 18-year-old driver from Wasco involved in a fatal crash on Kimberlina Road on Dec. 7. Luis Jesus Rios was killed after his vehicle collided with a piece of farm equipment. The incident occurred about 7:30 a.m. when Rios was driving a GMC Sierra pickup truck eastbound on Kimberlina Road near Root Avenue. Despite the dense fog that reduced visibility, Rios was traveling at an unsafe speed, according to the California Highway Patrol. At the same t...
The Shafter Kiwanis Club honored Barbara Gladden with the 2024 Community Service Award last month in appreciation of her nearly 50 years of dedicated community service. A Shafter native, Barbara is a selfless servant who works not for recognition but out of a genuine passion for helping others, club members said during the ceremony. Her deep commitment to making Shafter a better place for families and a special community for everyone to call home is truly inspiring. Arlie Smith, a longtime...
Gary Rodriguez joined the Shafter Recreation and Park District board in 2008 and considers one of his greatest accomplishments to be overseeing the process of acquiring state grant funding for the new Wonderful Sports Complex. "A big thank you to the other board members who played a significant part in making that process a success, including Phillip Jimenez and his staff, as well as our grant writer and consultant, Gilbert Garcia," he said in an interview last week. Rodriguez is enthusiastic ab...
Mariyon Sloan, a junior at Shafter High School who has played football since he was 4 years old, participated in the U.S. Army Bowl National Combine in Frisco, Texas, from Dec. 19 to 21. "It was a great experience meeting the top 160 high school juniors from across the nation, showcasing my talent and competing against everyone else," he said. At the combine, football players were tested on their 40-yard dash, pro shuttle, broad jump and L-drill, and competed one-on-one. Offensive and defensive...
This was another year of activity in Wasco, and was full of highlights. Here are some of the top stories for the first half of 2024. The second half will be covered next week. January The year kicked off with a groundbreaking ceremony for the Wasco Downtown Rehabilitation Project, funded by a $5 million grant. The initiative aimed to revitalize the downtown area with green spaces and public art installations. Alex Garcia assumed the role of mayor for the third time after previously serving in...
The North Kern Chapter of Líderes Campesinas hosted CampesinXmas at the Wasco Woman's Club on Friday, featuring a traditional Mexican posada. Over 250 toys were distributed, bikes and gift cards were raffled, and members of the organization prepared a homemade birria dinner. "It was a packed house, and the room was full of joy," Líderes Campesinas Executive Director Suguet Lopez said. "We were blessed to have had the support of all our sponsors, and we are so happy we could share this special ti...
Kern County Public Works invites residents throughout the county to participate in its Christmas Tree Recycling Program, running from Thursday, Dec. 26, through Monday, Jan. 6. This program offers an eco-friendly way to dispose of one of the holiday season's most beloved symbols – the Christmas tree. By recycling their trees at designated county and partnering locations, residents can contribute to a cleaner environment and ensure these festive centerpieces are disposed of responsibly. The i...
Sherry Peckhoon Sim, the District 5240 Governor, visited the Shafter Rotary Club on Wednesday, December 18. As part of her official duties, she meets with each club in the district. Her visit was a special occasion, allowing club members to learn about her extraordinary career serving the Rotary organization. "She represents local, our district and international exceptionally well. For her, Rotary is love, care and family. She genuinely cares about people, which is important for a District...
The City of Shafter hosted a bench dedication ceremony at the Skate Park on Friday. The Lions Club led the effort to raise the money and provide the bench for the community to use and enjoy at the skate park. Created in the shape of a skateboard, the bench adds an artistic touch to the park's modern design and features a plaque naming all 15 sponsors who contributed to funding the skateboard bench. The sponsors include SoCalGas, Glam Salon & Spa, Shafter Transmission & Smog, Candyland Party...
Wasco Independence High School celebrated the grand opening of The Falcon Closet recently with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Thanks to a $5,000 community grant from Kern Family Health Care, this long-awaited project became a reality. The Falcon Closet was created to address a critical need within the student community by providing free access to essential items such as clothing, personal hygiene products and household supplies. WIHS staff recognized that students' success is often hindered by a lac...
Wasco city employees will get one-time payments of $2,000 after the City Council voted the allocation from American Rescue Plan funds. Part-time employees will get $1,000 payments. City Manager Scott Hurlbert said that over the last couple of years, city employees have been operating under memorandums of understanding and a wage structure defined more than two years ago. He added that there has been some correction recently, but during that time, there was substantial inflation in the energy...
Wasco Toys for Tigers held its annual toy distribution event on Saturday at Grace Community Church, serving 220 families for a total of 650 children. The organization provided children ages up to age 12 with new balls, games, stuffed animals, blankets, stocking stuffers and toys. "The event was an incredible success. We feel very blessed by the community that helped us put this together," event chairman Donna Ward said. "We couldn't do it without our partners, which this year included the Wasco...
The Wasco Union Elementary School District Wasco Winter Classic Robotics Tournament at Palm Avenue Middle School on Saturday brought together 29 teams from 15 different schools from as far as Lancaster, Santa Paula and Torrance. The teams competed in a six-match round-robin and then chose partners to compete in a single-elimination bracket championship round. The winning teams were the Knight Hawks from Fulton and Alsbury Academy of Arts and Engineering in Lancaster, along with the Cyber...
The annual Christmas Celebration at the Depot at the Shafter Depot Museum took place on Saturday, featuring the Shafter Brass Band playing traditional holiday carols and songs. Attendees enjoyed a visit from Santa, along with stuffed animals for the children , courtesy of PetSmart. The event showcased a selection of decorated Christmas trees, with community members voting for the best design. The museum was adorned in a festive theme, and guests indulged in homemade cookies and hot cider. It...