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Newspaper
Shafter Press
Location
Shafter, California, United States of America
Date
Jun 08, 1944
Page
1
The Shafter-Wasco Irrigation District board approves a petition by Poso Creek landowners to withdraw. Local growers testify groundwater is strong yet-depths 588 to 600 feet show water remains finite. The paper urges solving water supply issues and keeping the district intact to protect land value and productivity.
Shafter residents face a Monday deadline to back the invasion effort by surpassing a $360,000 Fifth War Loan target, 20 percent above the Fourth Loan. Officials note past shortfalls and urge strong turnout as the community supports national mobilization. Nay outlined final C bond plans for Shafter’s role.
Shafter High School principal H. W. Kelly lists 33 girls and 19 boys rewarded for the last six weeks of the Spring semester. Read names include Claudine Albright Joanne Becker Jimmie Bishop Billie Blizard Donna Beese Elsie Brown Barrie Burns Allen Dahl Everett Elms Norma Doyld Arnold Enns Barbara Fox Don Gaede John Hamlin Gene Harless Gerene Hatcher Leroy Henderson Charles Hitchcock Freda Holsenbake Margar et Kattenhorn Barbara Kinman John Klassen Elaine Klaudt Wanda Little Dixie Mathis Jerry Mathis Corrine Mettler Pat Mettler Betty Merz Donna Neufeld Beulah Neuman Harvey Neuman Johnny Nickel Katherine Nikkel Gregory Channeson Marjorie Olson Betty Parks Jack Nikkel Ray Reimer Ollie Scaggs Georgia Rowland Bonnie Scales Jean Schreiner Lola Smith Lela Terry Billie Turney Alice Veach Mack Wilcoxon Thelma Woolf Zelma Woolf and Joel Wiebe.
A car sleeper on a train escaped a long ride when the car was sealed and ready to depart. A worker woke the car and yelled, his screams heard by passing trainmen as the situation unfolded.
Mr and Mrs F B Annis report a message from their son Lt Durward Annis on patrol in the South Pacific asking for Shafter fried chicken. The note reflects family mail from wartime service overseas.
Local police arrested eight men on drunkenness charges in Shafter. All appeared before Judge Frank Shaw and were fined. Dink Burks was fined for intoxication again and sentenced to 180 days in the county road camp.
Twelve girls and twelve boys at Shafter High School earned membership in the California Scholarship Federation by meeting grade requirements in the spring semester. Qualified students include Joanne Becker Barrie Burns Norma Doyle Allen Dahl Everett Elms Don Gaede Charles Hitchcock Freda Holsenbake Leroy Henderson John Klassen Jerry Mathis Betty Merz Pat Mettler Donna Neufeld Johnny Nickel Katherine Nikkel Gregory Channeson Ray Reimer Marjorie Olson Lela Terry Joel Wiebe and Mack Wilcoxon. Davied, secretary to H W, published the list and Amelia Cornell, advisor of the Shafter Chapter, supervised the record compilation.
P D Enns a prominent Shafter resident and Mennonite Brethren Church choir leader for years died after a long illness aged 65. He had lived in Shafter since 1919. Funeral services set for Saturday at 2 p.m. in the Mennonite Brethren Church with Rev H D Wiebe officiating.
William C Ralston pays one million dollars for the long on which San Francisco's Palace Hotel stands. The transaction anchors a major real estate deal shaping the hotel's future development and city skyline.
Substantial gifts of potatoes and cash are coming in to the Shafter Mannell park maintenance fund. John Lachenmaier, park fund chairman, says the big park fund day is set for Thursday, June 14 when local growers are asked to deliver potatoes whose proceeds will support Shafter's new public recreation center.
John Reily learned from his sons, Sgt. John and T/5 James, both in the Army, that they finally met in New Guinea. The brothers had not seen each other for three years while serving in the Pacific theater.
Shafter Rotary Club held a lunch meeting at the Shafter Hotel with a moment of silent prayer for the American invasion effort. Wm. Lachenmaier led songs, Walter Ebee of Washington introduced as a pioneer potato seed producer, and Ernest Panero shared a tale of a trout caught at Buttonwillow.
Neuman's Cafe is now under the management of Jack Crawford and Walter Essley. Crawford, a well known Shafter restaurant operator, has managed Neuman's cocktail lounge and Spud cafe. Essley, from San Diego, has partnered with Crawford in cafe enterprises in other cities. Under new management the cafe will stay open from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m.
Sixteen girls attended the first meeting of the Summer in Town Program sponsored by Camp Fire Girls. The sessions run Tuesdays 9:30 a.m. to noon at the Women’s Club, with activities including folk dancing, a library story, and outdoor lunch. Mrs. Beryl Stotts attended from Bakersfield, and Mrs. Phil Channeson supervised. Mothers are urged to help plan and supervise and may call Mrs. Dan Loewen at 4541 for details.
All retail outlets including service stations garages appliance repair shops shoe and implement repairs blacksmith shops or any business serving the public must register with the local ration board before June 15.
Alan Anderson reports that Coin Machine Review editor P. W. Blackmore praised Shafter potatoes after receiving three sacks. The magazine will feature a Good Eating piece on the local spuds in its next issue.
Bob Knight head of Bakersfield Police narcotics bureau told Shafter Kiwanis members that wartime conditions will raise narcotics abuse. He cited a 30 year opium war chest by the Japanese and warned of rising opium and marijuana use, urging individuals to help stop the dope traffic. Alan Anderson introduced Knight at the Shafter motel meeting.
The Officer's Club in the Presidio of San Francisco stands as the city’s oldest standing structure, highlighting its historic role and preservation status.
Welfare youth guidance agencies receiving contributions from the Shafter area are being contacted by H W Kelly secretary of the new community chest. They seek last year’s receipts and this year’s expectations. Orvin Mettler, chairman, says the best organization will be chosen in a few days and locals are asked to withhold donations until full drive details are announced.
Orville Bryan arrested March 21 for stealing gin from Justesen's store. He received 120 days in the road camp and a 30 day suspended sentence on the condition he not return to Shafter. He later trespassed in Shafter and violated parole, and was sent back to the road camp.
For five years prior to 1924 the University of California football team did not lose a single game, finishing with an unbeaten streak that stood as a prestigious collegiate record.
Shafter Mayor proclaims June 12 as Civilian D-Day to mobilize home front support for the Fifth War Loan. He ties Civilian D-Day to military D-Day, urges residents to boost resources and morale for the fight against Nazis and Japs.
Directors of the Shafter-Wasco Irrigation district granted the petition of a large group of land owners in the Poso Creek area for exclusion of their lands from the district. Petitions protesting the exclusion, signed by property owners and electors, were presented by James K. Abercrombie. Questioning of land owners was conducted by Donald G. Kendall for the district.
Adrian Bellinger Kern County scout commissioner commends Shafter Cub Pack for growing from a tiny unit in one year to a leading pack in Kern. J W Gwin earns high praise as cubmaster along with committeemen den mothers and den chiefs. Several members receive certificates and two lion cubs advance to Boy Scouts.
Children stage a dress up parade with wagons tricycles and pets as judges and parents prepare four prizes for the best exhibit. Preparations and rehearsals keep the children busy all week with rally planned.
The Santa Fe railway restores full diversion service at the Shafter depot to handle midseason potato shipments. Shafter peaks at 247 cars, Wasco 152, Cawelo 58, with season totals reaching 2368 by Tuesday and forecast to surpass last year’s pace by week’s end.
Mrs John Lachenmaier returns to Shafter after visiting son Billie and wife in Alexander Louisiana.
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