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Newspaper
Shafter Press
Location
Shafter, California, United States of America
Date
Dec 31, 1953
Page
1
Agricultural community anticipates changes in 1954 amid a sliding economy cotton acreage limits and national trends shaping growth. The region highlights the Valley Highway initiative and elevated storage bins as symbols of progress and modernization in a time of adjustment.
Miss Coleen MacNeill the California National Maid of Cotton receives an invitation to the seventh annual Shafter Potato and Cotton Festival announced by Chairman Jack Fleming. The UC junior tours Shafter and then heads to Memphis to compete for top national honor.
H. W. Schwalm projects a major shift to hybrid field corn in Kern county as a substitute for cotton due to heavy slashes. An Em. H. Mettler and Sons facility near Shafter is already built to process part of the anticipated crop, with the region featuring the largest bins and elevator in the area.
San Joaquin Valley Firemen Association members from communities south of Fresno will meet January 13 at Veterans Memorial Hall. About 50 to 100 firemen and guests are expected, with Kern County Director of Civil Defense Charles Pierce as speaker. Leaders from Bakersfield Fresno and Kern County will attend. A civil defense crash equipment display will run for 10 days.
New members of the Shafter Community Chest for the 1954 season were announced by secretary Whitson. Named were Dr. Grant Jensen, Pete Neufeld the only holdover from last year, Margareth from the Maple district, and Harold Greene. Members include Mrs Retiring Whitson, Bill Siemens, Frank ONeill and Jack Wilcoxon.
Shafter families begin New Year observances on New Year’s Day as residents plan events and Mardi Gras themed dance by the Dance of the Month Club marks January activities. Rose Bowl traffic spills south as fans head to Pasadena while radio broadcasts cover the game. Police prepare for heavy celebrations and CHP units monitor for drunk driving.
Bann calls for an adequate continuous water supply to support Shafter and its farming districts. He says the chamber will back water initiatives while the agricultural division led by Harlin P. Wilson studies irrigation and water legislation for the region. Bruce Crawford will head a community development division addressing housing parks education and beautification with plans for housing for teachers and a possible community cleanup week.
Shafter High School will convert its football field for a track meet with a $50,000 project. Westside bleachers will be raised for better visibility and new lights will improve night viewing of events. In January bids open for an administrative unit library and study hall on campus. Preliminary studies continue for a new auditorium and home economics classroom unit.
Leslie R. Williams, North Shatter market operator, will be installed as Kiwanis president in a Wednesday ceremony under Lt. Gov. Howard Kyter at Room in Wasco. Other officers slated include Dr. Grant W. Jeniken as president, Ralph Gribble as treasurer, and board members Robert Bann, Joe Harrington, Fred Hemingson, Jack Toews, and H Wilson as outgoing president.
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