Serving the community since 1970
Serving the community since 1970
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This week our District 4 staff had the pleasure to visit three facilities in Kern County that are trying to address our local homelessness problem. Homelessness is on everyone’s mind these days as the problem seems so intractable but the good news is that work is being done to correct this. The three facilities we visited were the M St. Navigation Center, the Brundage Lane Navigation Center, and the Recycling Lives facility. All of these are relatively new and are part of t...
You know that moment in the movies... someone who's terrified of heights must climb out on a ledge or jump between two high buildings. And they look down and the fear that overwhelms them almost makes them lose their grip and fall. We live in uncertain, scary times and the last thing we need to do is look down. If you look down... at your problems and your worries for too long, you'll soon be depressed and afraid to go on. If you look down... at your cell phone or tablet and read all the contradictory opinions, hatred and...
I was so sad recently to hear of the passing of Pastor Jim Neal, of the First Southern Baptist Church, who passed away in late February. Pastor Neal was one of the first pastors I talked to when we were reviving the Pastors Corner section of the Shafter Press. Neal and Pastor Pat Coyle were the stalwarts in the city, never hesitating in sending in a piece when needed, which a lot of the time was pretty often. Pastor Neal sent in so many articles that inspired, touched, and...
You know that moment in the movies... someone who's terrified of heights must climb out on a ledge or jump between two high buildings. And they look down and the fear that overwhelms them almost makes them lose their grip and fall. We live in uncertain, scary times and the last thing we need to do is look down. If you look down... at your problems and your worries for too long, you'll soon be depressed and afraid to go on. If you look down... at your cell phone or tablet and read all the contradictory opinions, hatred and...
As a child in Sunday school when the teacher said quote a Bible verse and you will get a candy bar every student quoted John 11:35 Jesus wept. Every time Jesus wept it was connected with the effects or consequences of sin. No wonder he was known as the man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. Jesus stood over Lazarus and he wept. The strongest manhood has its roots in tender feeling. The ancient Stoics would conceal and hide their tears, but not Jesus. As he wept over Lazarus people said, O how he loved him. His tears are a...
Next Tuesday, March 8, at 7 p.m., the Kern County Sheriff’s Office Crime Prevention Specialist Lorie Meza will be presenting at the Old Courthouse Building in Wasco, 810 8th St. She will be discussing community oriented policing to members of the community. I will be joining her to speak at this event. District Attorney Cynthia Zimmer has been invited as well. Representatives from the Sheriff’s and the District Attorney’s Office will be there to speak. With the recent shoot...
Have you ever had an argument? Most of us have. It may have been with your kids, a co-worker or your spouse. It is unfortunate that arguments have become a way of life. There are actually people living around us who can’t communicate unless they elevate the volume of their voice. They have to be heard no matter what, so they talk over everybody. If we are to be honest with ourselves, is anything really ever solved or accomplished by arguing, except maybe in a courtroom. I h...
Kern County has many jewels, places and things for which we can be proud. Two of them are the Buena Vista Aquatic Recreation Area (BVARA) and Kern River Parkway Bike Trail. Back in 2013, when I was a new Supervisor, BVARA was in District 4 as was much of the bike trail. It seemed appropriate to try to connect them and to enhance both assets. So I discussed this with the Public Works Department, they started the conversation with the other stakeholders, most notably the Kern...
The story of the Old Testament patriarch Joseph is one of the most dramatic in the Bible. With a couple of interruptions this story runs in Genesis from chapter 37 to the end of the book (chapter 50). During that time, Joseph's brothers first planned to kill him and then decided to sell him into slavery instead. Once in Egypt he was imprisoned as a result of a false accusation. A prisoner whom he helps forgets all about him for a long time. Joseph's story for a very long time is one of undeserved suffering. However, that...
I attended the grand re-opening of our little jewel of a library on Jan. 18 and I am so proud of this town, and of the people who made this happen. I won’t try to name all those folks who are responsible, certain they’ll be found in other coverage of the event. The city of Shafter, in partnership with Bakersfield College, now supports this municipal institution, the Shafter Library and Learning Center, first of its kind in Kern County. It took vision and leadership, and the determination of concerned people here and in Bak...
I’ve been putting off retiring for over a year; however, now it is time for me to say goodbye. I’ve come full circle since my first job out of Cal State Bakersfield as I was the editor for the Wasco Tribune beginning in November 2005. Fred West was the mayor with council members Tilo Cortez, Larry Pearson, Danny Espitia and Cheryl Wegman. Gary Bray was the superintendent of the WUESD. I believe Elizabeth McCray was superintendent of the WUHSD at the time. In 2006 I left Wasco for Tehachapi for what I thought was greener pas...
On the way out to church the other day the old song “What a friend we have in Jesus” played on the radio. I began to sing along with the man on the radio. When the song was over I thought, Jesus you are my friend. In John 15:15 Jesus said I have called you friends… Some friends can let you down, but Jesus is a friend that will never let you down. You are always on his mind and he cares for you like no other person. Jesus is my friend, he took my sins away. 1st John 1:9 says if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just...
Whenever I think of the month of July I tend to think of the word "freedom" due to the July 4th holiday (fireworks too). We certainly enjoy and hopefully appreciate the many freedoms we have in the United States, not just on July 4th, but I'm sure throughout the year. The Bible speaks of freedom too, but not so much in the political sense as we recognize with our holiday. The freedom found in Jesus is in many ways much deeper and more freeing. For example, the Bible tells us that through faith in Jesus: • We are free from t...
Is it safe to say that for the past year and a half we have been on an emotional rollercoaster? A year and a half ago we had never heard the word covid before. Since then it has changed lives around the world. Just like everything else in our lives it seems that there are at least two sides to this problem. We as a society can’t seem to come to a consensus on the correct plan of action. Do we wear masks or not wear masks? Do we open restaurants or leave them closed? Do we a...
Time is a present. As King Solomon wrote in the book of Ecclesiastes, “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die” (Ecclesiastes 3:1-2, KJV). The book of James, states, “Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes” (James 4:14, ESV). Time is the most valuable commodity we possess, yet we do not own time. The time that has passed, we cannot take back and will ne...
Last year, state and local governments nationwide encountered a once-in- a-generation global pandemic. Our community remained resilient, and the Kern County Department of Public Health ensured combating the virus was a top priority with the successful implementation of the state’s vaccination schedule and outreach to our most vulnerable communities susceptible to covid-19. In March of 2020, the CARES Act Coronavirus Relief Fund provided Kern County the ability to invest r...
Farmworker Institute of Education and Leadership Development enjoyed participating in the Wasco C.A.R.E event this past Friday and wanted to pass this on to share a little more about our organization. As we strive to develop a replacement workforce to continue supporting California's economy, the Farmworkers Institute of Education and Leadership Development is committed to uplifting the economic prospects of our underserved populations in poor, minority communities. Whether...
Encourage – To give someone courage, hope or confidence. Discourage – To deprive courage, dishearten, or be disapproving. Life, itself, will discourage us at times. People will discourage us at times. We, ourselves, will discourage ourselves at times. Many years ago, there was a young lawyer who suffered such deep depression that his friends thought it was wise to keep all knives and razors from him. During this time, he wrote, “I am now the most miserable man living. If what I feel were equally distributed to the whole...
I am saddened to see the demolition of the Wasco Amtrak station. I was the editor when the Wasco Amtrak station held its ribbon cutting ceremony, and I remember how proud City Manager Larry Pennell and Mayor Fred West were. Larry Pearson, Tilo Cortez, Danny Espitia and Cheryl Wegman were on the council at that time. I remember local dignitaries attending the ribbon cutting because we were very proud of the new facility and wanted to have a celebration. The building was brand...
One of the most rewarding experiences of serving as Fourth District supervisor is working with young adults that share an idealism and belief that no limits can stop what they can accomplish. I was reminded of this when I met with some of the youth leaders at Transitional Youth Mobilizing for Change, a local nonprofit that creates opportunities for young people 16-24 years of age to identify and take on issues of concern in their community. Back in the fall of 2019, these...
Let me start by saying that the Christian life in the greatest life there is. It is so much better than my old life. I praise God that He rescued me from a life of hopelessness and misery. You gain by being a Christian, and you lose by not being one. Let’s look at somethings you lose by not being a Christian. You lose peace. There will be a continual uneasiness in man’s soul until he finds peace with God. Romans 5:1 therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through Jesus Christ. Without Christ in a heart the...
Have you ever had a problem so big only God could fix it? You may be going through a storm right now and you see no way out. All of us have storms in our lives. You are either in a storm, coming out of a storm or headed into the storm. You are in good company. The 12 disciples faced a storm only Jesus could rescue them from. Matthew 14:22-24 “Immediately Jesus told his followers to get into the boat and go ahead of him across the lake. He stayed there to send the people h...
I love it when Ag and energy work together in Kern County to show the world how to do things better and this week, it happened again. The two industries worked together in Arvin at Tasteful Selections, a pioneer producer and distributor of the world’s bite-sized potatoes. On March 24, District 4 staff was on hand to attend the groundbreaking ceremony for an innovative microgrid energy technology created by Concentric Power, Inc. that will help Tasteful Selections maintain p...
Depression is something we never really want to confront, or discuss. However, at some point in our lives every one of us will experience, at the very least, some symptom(s) of depression. As complex human beings, we are capable of the highest highs, and the lowest lows. Some individuals experience minor depression that lasts only a few days or even a few months, but usually disappears with time. Others suffer long-term, or continual, depression and may even be a symptom of psychiatric or physical illness. Depression is a...
Spring is around the corner, and with it, spring cleanups. That’s why I’m pleased to announce that this month the Board of Supervisors approved the bylaws and the formation of the Keep Kern Beautiful Committee, of which you can be a part. With the official formation of this committee on Feb. 9, the county becomes an affiliate of Keep America Beautiful, the national organization, in its effort to increase awareness of the problem of litter and the need for beautification, but...
