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Fresh on the heels of the second homicide in the city in a one-week period, a roundtable discussion was held to address the issue. Hosted by council members Tilo Cortez and Vincent Martinez, the Zoom meeting had over 20 people in attendance including community members Hector Moreno, Orquida Ocampo, Elizabeth Maartinez and Tracy Clendanan of the Orange Hearts Foundation. Martinez, who is a former sheriff’s deputy with the Kern County Sheriff’s Department, gave the group an update on the cases in question and what law enforcement officials are sa...
The first City Council meeting of the year Tuesday night focused on the issue of public safety in Wasco. Council members hoped to shed light on rising numbers of gun crimes, and an apparent increase in general crime in the community. Thirteen community members attended the Zoom meeting. “It’s unfortunate,” said City Manager Daniel Ortiz- Hernandez. “But it’s important our residents know that the California criminal justice system is at fault.” Ortiz-Hernandez prepared a lengthy Powerpoint presentation to help educate the public about the recent...
Primex, the Wasco nut processor, was fined over $77,000 for violations related to the coronavirus outbreak that took place at the company in June. The violations state that the company failed to adequately protect employees during the outbreak and didn't have a plan to protect employees from contracting the virus. On Dec. 11, the Department of Industrial Relations issued $27,500 in penalties against the plant's Los Angeles-based owner, Primex Farms LLC; $27,500 against San Luis Obispo-based...
4 will always be referred to as the Year of the Virus, but the city managed to thrive during the pandemic. Here is a brief look at the year. January In January, at a City Council meeting, three people said they were concerned on the increase of crime. They cited instances of drug-related crimes, as well as instances of shots being fired. They questioned the council on how often deputies patrol the streets and how many deputies are on shift at one time. Deputy Public Works Director Chuck...
Asking someone their New Year’s resolution can be quite personal. A resolution is defined as a firm decision., and the changing of the year is the ultimate restart button. So, when asked what major life change are you determined to make, people tend to have a fight, flight or freeze approach. They fight for themselves. With a plan of attack, they speak of their approach to change with gusto, like the gentleman leaving True Value with quite a lot of pep in his step. “I will regain financial peace! Thanks to Dave Ramsey.” This young man will...
The city is still being bombarded by new coronavirus cases, as there were 127 new cases last week. This brings the total of confirmed cases in Shafter to 2,450. This figure is very high on a case per population graphic. For example, in the Bakersfield 93308 area code, which includes Oildale and northern parts of Bakersfield, they have a population of over 50,000 people and have just 600 more confirmed cases of the virus than Shafter, with our population of just over 20,000 people. This calculate...
It was a year many of us will remember for all the wrong reasons. Never has there been so much change in so little time. The coronavirus took us all by surprise, never realizing how it would affect our lives. How could we have expected everyone to wear face masks and asking those close to us to stay away (well, at least six feet). Or the stock market to reach new records every day of the week the last week of a year in which we hit over-the-top levels of unemployment and spent trillions of dollars we didn’t have to keep the economy from s...
As activities restart and businesses reopen, we will try to update readers on the status of events and activities throughout the area. Please contact Erica Soriano with additions and changes at esoriano@TheShafterPress.com or call 661-292-5100 by Monday at 4 p.m. for that week’s paper.Ongoing Newspaper office hours -- The Shafter Press and Wasco Tribune office at 406 Central Ave., Shafter, will be open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday until further notice. Phone and email still can be used to reach the staff at 661-292-5100 or i...
Dec. 29 Peter Beltran Lerichi, 37, of Wasco, was arrested in the 2300 block of 7th Street for felony and misdemeanor obstruction of an officer, and misdemeanor disorderly conduct while under the influence of drugs. He was booked into the Kern County Jail. Christopher Perez, 46, of Wasco, was arrested at the intersection of 5th Street and Griffith Avenue for misdemeanor possession of burglary tools. He was cited and released at the scene. Jesus Antonio Rocha, 30, of Wasco, was arrested in the 1200 block of Poplar Avenue for misdemeanor driving...
For the past couple of weeks there have been "dense fog" alerts on my phone's weather app. With that in mind, each morning I've looked out the window of my home to see if it's foggy or clear. Although many mornings have been clear, there have been a few with pretty thick fog for our area. As we look back on this past year it may feel like we've been living in a "fog" since the first changes happened due to covid-19. As many medical experts shared their insights concerning the pandemic, after awhile we probably all thought the same thing; they...
Ernest “Ernie” Bon Cabrera, 79, of Bakersfield/Delano, passed away Dec. 29 in Bakersfield. Geraldine Gayle Najera, 75, of Wasco, passed away Dec. 20 in Wasco. Basham & Lara Funeral Care, Shafter. Vincent Cruz Hinojosa Regalado, 23, of Wasco, passed away Dec. 26 in Wasco. Basham & Lara Funeral Care, Shafter. Hilario Botello Torres, 48, of Shafter, passed away Dec. 30 in Bakersfield. Basham & Lara Funeral Care, Shafter. Elise Bernice Warren, 93, of Shafter, passed away Dec. 24 in Los Angeles. Basham & Lara Funeral Care, Shafter. Felix Vil...
Euverto Narvaez, 98, of Wasco, passed away on Dec. 25 2020. Euverto was born in Buda, Texas to Fernando Narvaez Rocha and María Esther Moreno. In his early 20s, he met Maria Hiracheta and they fell in love in Los Rodriguez, Nuevo León. He is survived by his children Jacinto Narvaez, José Ángel Narvaez, Arturo Narvaez, Rogelio Narvaez, Consuelo N. García, Gloria Narvaez, Jesus Narvaez, Bertha Narvaez, 29 grandchildren and 67 great grandchildren. In addition to his parents, Euverto joins his belo...
Maria – or Ildonete – Graf was born July 31, 1949, in the small town of Camapua, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brasil, and passed away Jan. 1, 2021 in Bakersfield. She is preceded in passing by her parents Firmino Borges de Lima, her mother, Eunice Costa Vieira, three sisters Maria Jose (ZeZe) de Lima, Maria Ildonei de Lima Pedra, Angela Custodia de Lima, and a brother Carlos Diogo de Lima. She is survived by her husband of 42 years, Joe Graf of Wasco, and four children, Alex Graf of Paso Robles, Eri...
It’s 2021, and with 2020 in the rear view mirror, let’s all hope these vaccines, our social distancing, and our personal protective measures help eradicate this pandemic in the New Year. As we look back upon some of the heroes from 2020, I can’t help but recognize the work of the California Farmworker Foundation and their executive director, Hernan Hernandez, who has been working most of the year out of the spotlight making sure his farmworkers are protected and that the farmers have a healt...
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Ernest "Ernie" Bon Cabrera of Delano/Bakersfield was born on Dec. 5, 1941, and passed away Dec. 29, 2020. Ernie was born to the late Ernest and Mary Cabrera in Bakersfield. Ernie graduated from Delano High in 1960. After graduation he served in the U.S. Army for 3 years, 3 months and 3 days at Fort Ord, where he also played baseball for the Army team. Ernie also served 5 years and 3 months in the Army National Guard. In 1990, he met the love of his life, Janet. They met working at the same...