Tat High School

Independent The Taft

January 18 - 24, 2013

www.Taftindependent.com

TAFT INDEPENDENT

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Publisher@Taftindependent.com

January 18 - 24, 2013 • Volume 7 Issue 27

“Serving the West Kern County Communities of Taft, South Taft, Ford City, Maricopa, Fellows, McKittrick, Derby Acres, Dustin Acres, and the Cuyama Valley”

Book Review: McCabe Reviews Vietnam War Memoir by John Rixey Moore

Ron Orrin Appointed to Taft Planning Commisison

Blue Jeans & Bling

Hats, Jewelry, Purses & More

Miss Me • LA Idol Nicole Lee • Grace In LA

A Message From Interim Superintendent Dr. William McDermott

Westside Watcher Column Page 4

FALL SPECIAL 3 IN 1 SERVICE SEE US FOR YOUR AUTOMOTIVE NEEDS

Transmission & Cooling Flush Plus Oil Change All 3 Services for $350 plus tax*

Women’s Sizes 0-21 Women’s Plus Sizes Children’s Jeans & Shirts

Offer good 11-30 to 12-31-12 Up to 5 quarts of oil, up to 12 quarts trans. fluid *Most makes and models

Monday - Friday 11am to 6pm Saturday 10am to 5pm Host a party 401 Center Street Visit us on Facebook sales@bluejeansandbling.com

763-9100

SENIOR & MILITARY DISCOUNTS

531 Center Street (661)763-1123 MONDAY - FRIDAY Over Different Craft & -Imported Beers 8:00am 5:00pm WE SERVICE MOST50 MAKES AND MODELS *Must ask for discount

2 TAFT INDEPENDENT

January 18 - 24, 2013

Shop Taft

Ten Percent Firearms

Passion For Nails Nail Services:

HOLIDAY SPECIAL 10% OFF $20 SERVICE OR MORE. OFFER GOOD UNITL 12- 31-12.

acme jewelry co.

F i n e

Small town, family owned, low overhead.

We can save youFine money on •quality Jewelry Candles jewelry!

• Gifts

Fine Jewelry • Gifts 14K Gold • Sterling Silver 14K • Sterling Silver Black Hills GoldGold • Jewelry Repair • Watch Batteries Candles • And More!

Black Hills Gold • Jewelry Repair WatchWatch Batteries Batteries Replaced Most $4.00 426 CENTER STREET • 661.763.5451 Some $8.00

Men & Seniors & Diabetics Welcome CHECK-IN TO OUR FACEBOOK PAGE AND GET $1 OFF

1277 Kern Street (661)765-6899

Geiger Construction & Plumbing Residential • Commercial

Cement & Asphalt Cutting

(661)745-4913

Personal Style

Lic # B-721903

(661)763-5451

The New 2013 bikes are here! Start your Christmas shopping now with our lawaway plan.

Spring Fashions Arriving Now!

20%...30%...50% OFF 423 Center Street • 763-3527

421 & 423 Center (661)763-3527

A Hint of Class

610 Center Street • 661-745-4954 Prepaid Phones, Accessories & Cards

426 Center Street

Used to be Paul’s Boutique Bike Shop !

E L SA Winter Clearance Going On Now!

661-765-4377 Fast • Friendly • Affordable Se Habla Espanol 661-301-4660 24 Hours/ 7 Days a Week

Store Hours: Tuesday to Friday 9:30am - 5:00pm Saturday 10:00am - 2:00pm Closed Sunday and Monday

1014 6th Street • Taft In the Save A Lot Shopping Center Monday to Friday

10am-7pm and Saturday 9am-6pm

J e w e l r y

Inside The Historic Fort • 623-1783 • 763-1700 915 N. 10th Street Suite 34

New years sale!

608 Center St.

745-4919

Ten Percent Firearms

FREE phone with new activation.

Androids as low as $79.00

Gifts for Valentines or Any Occasion

Jackson’s Automotive

Blue Jeans & Bling Hats, Jewelry, Purses & More

Miss Me • LA Idol Nicole Lee • Grace In LA

FREE

Tire Rotation & Brake Check Plus We will check all fluids & tire pressure

Women’s Sizes 0-21 Women’s Plus Sizes Children’s Jeans & Shirts Monday - Friday 11am to 6pm Saturday 10am to 5pm Host a party 401 Center Street Visit us on Facebook sales@bluejeansandbling.com

763-9100

1277 Kern Street (661)765-6899

*Most Cars & Light Trucks Up to 5 Qts.

Tire & Automotive Service Center

Oil & Filter Special 95* $

39

Plus Tax

$3.50 Oil Disposal Fee Exp. January 30, 2013

Must Present Coupon at Time of Purchase

523 Finley Drive • 765-7147 • Mon-Fri 8am-5pm Sat 8am-1pm

Smog Test and General Repairs Front End Repairs Transmission Service Brake Service Tune Ups and Fuel Injection Service and Repairs Call Today for an Appointment 763-1055 Corner of 3rd and Center Street 110 3rd Street - Taft, CA. (661) 763-1055

January 18 - 24, 2013

Inside

Calendar

Taft California “Home of the Taft Oilworkers Monument” “Gateway to the Carrizo Plain National Monument”

Community Events.........3

Have a community event that you would like to include?

Email us at Publisher@Taftindependent.com

News Briefs......................3 Recreation Report..........4 Westside News.................5 Westside News.................6 Westside News.................7 Movie Review...................8 Classified Ads.................10 Opinion and Feature....11 Shop Taft........................12

The Taft Independent 508 Center Street P.O. Box 268 Taft, California 93268 (661) 765-6550 Fax (661) 765-6556

Email: Publisher@taftindependent.com Website: www.TaftIndependent.com Locally and Independently owned since 2006 The Taft Independent is a locally owned community newspaper published weekly on Fridays for your enjoyment and reading pleasure. We publish 3,500 issues and distribute to over 225 locations in the city of Taft and the neighboring communities of Cuyama Valley, McKittrick, Maricopa, Fellows and Western Kern County, California.

The Independent is available free of charge, limited to one copy per reader. Additional copies are $1 each. The contents of the Taft Independent are copyrighted by the Taft Independent, and may not reproduced without specific written permission from the publisher.

We welcome contributions and suggestions.

Our purpose is to present news and issues of importance to our readers.

SUBSCRIPTIONS. Subscription home or businessdelivery of the Taft Independent is available for $6.50 per month or $78.00 per year. To subscribe to please call 765-6550.

LETTERS-TO-THE-EDITOR. Send us your letter to Taft Independent at the above address. Limit it to 300 words and include your name, address, and phone number. Fax: (661) 765-6556. Email your letter to: Publisher@taftindependent.com.

ADVERTISING. Display Ads: Rates and special discounts are available. Contact our advertising representative at (661) 765-6550, or email to Publisher@taftindependent.com.

Classifieds: Call 765-6550 or fax us at (661) 765-6556. Phone orders are taken. Visa and Master Card accepted.

Publisher and Editor-in-Chief Michael J. Long taftindypublisher@bak.rr.com

TAFT INDEPENDENT

Local Motorcycle Enthusiasts Putting on Ride/Event in Wake of TUHS Tragedy

By Trent Unruh Local riders from Taft want to invite all of Kern County’s motorcycle community to participate in a ride that will show support for the victims affected by incident at the high school and to honor the heroes that saved many lives that day. The goal of the ride is to promote awareness of the situation in hopes that an incident like this will not happen again.

The ride will be on Saturday, January 26th, 2013.

Cost is $20 per bike, $5 per passenger. The funds collected will be allocated towards the heroes and families involved via donations, scholarships, and charities.

After the run, the ride committee will meet with those involved with the tragedy and as a group will decide where best to disperse the money. This event is COMPLETELY non-profit to those putting it on.

Signups: 8:00am to 10:00 am at: Chilled and Grilled, 621 Center Street Taft, CA. Kick Stands Up: 10:05 a.m.

Route:

1) Taft Union High School – Prayer and Send Off – (15 min) 2) KMC – Kern Medical Center – Deliver Care Package to the Cleveland family. (15-30 min) 3) Ethels – (45min – 1hr) 4) Trouts – (45min – 1hr) 5) BV Inn – (15-30 min) 6) Chilled and Grilled – (50/50 Drawing) Total: 100 Miles

In order to increase the amount donated to help those affected by the tragedy, food and drinks will be the responsibility of the rider and/or passenger. Chilled and Grilled, Ethels, Trouts, and BV Inn sell food.

Grandma’s Attic Resumes at Taft Libraray Grandma’s Attic Storytime resumes at the Taft Branch Library on Saturday, January 19, 2013 and will continue every Saturday morning at 10:30 a.m. through April 20.

Aimed at 5 to 8 year-olds, Grandma’s Attic offers an old trunk full of surprises and stories presented by a different volunteer reader each week.

Children who participate will receive a form to return to their teacher for credit in their school reading program. Parents are always welcome to attend, or may enjoy some library or computer time while their child is occupied.

Also starting on Thursday, January 17 at 11:45 a.m. is Preschool Storytime, for 3 to 5 year-olds. Join us for stories and fun for the younger set.

For more information, call 763-3294 or visit the library at 27 Emmons Park Drive.

Contributing Writers Kent Miller, Wesley Morris, Nicole Frost Columnists Randy Miller Jane McCabe, Dr. Harold Pease

Member California Newspaper Publishers Association Printed in California

Sportsman Club Annual Awards Banquet Saturday, January 19, 2013, is the date set for the Taft Sportsmen’s Club Annual Awards Banquet. This event will be held at OT’s Cookhouse, 205 North 10th Streets, and will get under way beginning with the doors opening at 5:00 and dinner at 6:00 p.m. Dinner is FREE for life members and their spouses.

Tickets for adults are $20 adults and $8 for kids 16 years and under. There will be lots of raffle prizes, a 50/50 drawing, gun raffles, and many great fishing and outdoor sporting prizes. There’s a lot of exciting events and awards throughout the evening as well as naming the Sportsman of the Year for the year of 2012. The evening should prove to be a lot of fun for everyone, and the public is cordially invited to attend this banquet as well.

The 2013 membership drive is underway and Taft Sportsmen Club accepts all applications to join for a fee of $40 per year. Any business that would like to have their business card published for a year in the newsletter and on the website can do so for $70/year. Anyone interested in joining can do so by contacting Tom Brown, President, at 765.2704 or going to the website at www.taftsc.com.

Thank You From Taft Union High School We wish to extend a sincere heartfelt thank you to all of the support that we have received over the last several days. Your kindness, generosity, and willingness to be helpful in anyway will not be forgotten. We are extremely proud to be in a community that is so charitable, thoughtful and supportive.

We apologize in advance for any names that may have been omitted.

Taft Union High School District

Advertising

Subscriptions\Delivery Tim Webb, Patrick Harget

News Briefs

Visit Us Online taftindependent.com

Community College Counseling National Assoc School Psychologist (NASP) Dr. Norman Wright – Counseling Services New Vision Recovery Center – Scott Huhn

Taft City School District Taft Community College All Law Enforcement Agencies Taft City Police Department Chief of Police - Ed Whiting Kern County Sheriff Department Sheriff - Don Youngblood California Highway Patrol F.B.I. and F.B.I.- Victim Unit Albertsons Dominos Pizza-Bob & Tina Leikam Hall Ambulance Kern County Fire Department Kern High School District

Taft Community Resource Department -Sandy Koening Little Caesars Pizza Mercy Southwest/Dignity Healthcare Optimal Hospice – Sherry Davis /Frank and their fellow dog handlers of Tiger Woods and Stoney Pizza Factory Project Linus (blankets) Red Cross Salvation Army Starbucks Subway

It’s not too late!

West Side Health Care District Flu Vaccine Clinic Wednesday, January 23, 2013 218 6th Street 9:00am-4:00pm $15.00 each cash price day of Clinic only.

Ages 4 and up.

Questions? 765-7234

4 TAFT INDEPENDENT Editorial The Taft

Independent

Westside Watcher

Restaurant and Entertainment Guide

Your Guide To The Best Restaurants and Entertainment on the Westside Tumbleweed Café Asian Experience and Steakhouse Asian Food and Pizza

Steak, Seafood, Wild Game, Full Bar Monday – Friday 6 am to 2 pm Saturday – Sunday 7 am – 2 pm Dinner Hours Friday and Saturday 6 pm to 9 pm 24870 Highway 33, Derby Acres 768-4655

Paik’s Ranch House Where Everybody Meets Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner Open 7 Days Mon. Tues. Wed., Thur. 6 am-8:30 pm Sun. Fri. & Sat. 6 am - 9 pm 765-6915 200 Kern St. Taft Sagebrush Annie’s Restaurant and Wine Tasting Wine Tasting and Lunch Sat. & Sun. 11:30-5 pm 4211 Highway 33, Ventucopa (661) 766-2319

Lunch and Dinner Tuesday - Friday 11 am - 2 pm 4 pm - 9 pm Saturday 4 pm - 9 pm 215 Center Street, Taft 763- 1815

Black Gold Cafe & Deli Pastas - Sandwiches Espresso - Beer - Wine Craft Beers Open Monday to Friday 6:30am to 8pm Saturday 7:30am to 8pm Sunday 10am to 2pm 508 Center Street 765-6556

514 Center Street • (661)765-7469 LIKE us on Facebook: Fox Theatre Taft TAFTFOX.COM Week of Friday, January 18, 2013 through Thursday, January 24, 2013 Mama (PG-13) No Passes Allowed Fri & Sat: (5:30), 7:30 Sun: (3:00), (5:30), 7:30 Mon: (5:30), 7:30 Tue - Thu: 7:30 PM This Is 40 (R) Fri & Sat: (5:15), 7:45 Sun: (2:45), (5:15), 7:45 Mon: (5:15), 7:45 Tue - Thu: 7:00 PM Life of Pi (PG) Fri & Sat: (5:00), 7:30 Sun: (2:30), (5:00), 7:30 Mon: (5:00), 7:30 Tue - Thu: 7:15 PM

A Message From Interim Superintendent Dr. William McDermott We are fortunate and thankful that the courageous actions of students, staff and law enforcement prevented last week’s event from being a greater tragedy. Still, everyone in the District community is committed to taking steps to prevent such an event from happening again. So we are reviewing this incident to see what lessons can be learned to further improve our practices and procedures going forward. In this effort, we will work closely with law enforcement, other local officials, mental health professionals, parents and others committed to providing a safe learning and working environment for our students and staff. We have also brought in Dr. Erik Hickey, a national-recognized school safety expert, to assist us.

I can also assure you that the District has taken appropriate steps for the protection and safety of students and staff, and will continue to do so. In addition, we are focused on providing support for students and staff with the resumption of classes. Counseling services are still being made available to students and staff. We are deeply appreciative to our counselors and the following agencies who have provided specially trained counselors and services this last week: Taft College, Taft City School District, Kern High School District, College Community Services, New Vision Recovery, Optimal Hospice, Hoffman Hospice, Therapy Dogs International and the Linus Project. We would also like to thank Dr. H. Norman Wright, a nationally-recognized trauma specialist and grief counselor, who has been working with staff and students to deal with the tragic events. He has assisted schools throughout the country in providing grief and trauma counseling and will be continuing to assist us for the foreseeable future.

Missed athletic contests are being rescheduled and we desire to meet the full schedule of events and activities to further help students re-engage in learning. Additionally, in the very near future, the District will hold community forums on this event and the many issues and concerns resulting from it. Information about the forums will be posted on the District’s website and at the school.

The District is aware of stories and rumors about past events involving the suspect. We also understand the community’s desire for information. We are fully cooperating with law enforcement, including providing them with information relevant to last week’s event. However, student information maintained by the District is highly confidential and protected from public disclosure under both state and federal law. As a result, we are obligated to protect the confidentiality of student information, even under the present circumstances. Please know that the District is working closely with law enforcement to timely provide appropriate information to our community as permitted by law and in consideration of the ongoing criminal investigation and process.

We are grateful that our students have returned to their classrooms with the support of their parents, teachers, staff and countless others. The Taft Union High School District again extends our deepest gratitude to everyone who has given support and expressed concern at this critical time. It is nothing short of amazing to see how closely our community has come together along with those from outside the area to offer their care and assistance. Certainly, our work is not done and there may still be challenges ahead. We are, however, working to meet them and will continue to do so.

Thank you.

William McDermott, Ph.D. Interim Superintendent

Visit Us Online taftindependent.com

January 18 - 24, 2013

TUHS Holds Parent Meeting Tuesday, January 22 The Taft Union High School District will be holding a parent meeting on Tuesday, January 22, 2013, at 5:00 p.m., in the Taft High School I.R.C. Lecture Hall, located on the South Side of the campus.

This meeting is for Taft High School parents to come and talk with Dr. William McDermott and Board members to receive general information and answers to questions they may have regarding the changes that are currently taking place on our campuses.

The District has been dealing with the immediate needs of the students and staff and wants to communicate with the parents.

The Taft Union High School District Board of Trustees want to provide an opportunity to share what has been happening on the campus to move us forward.

TUHS Offers SAT Prep Taft Union High School is offering a free, 20-hour class to students who want to prepare for the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT).

Many colleges require that applicants take the SAT as part of the admissions process.

Similar classes in Bakersfield cost between $100 and $150. All participants receive the book, The Official SAT Study Guide: For the New SAT. Students may use the book, valued at $21.99, to continue to prepare for the test after the course ends. Snacks will be provided during all sessions.

Also, several scholarships awarded through the TUHS local scholarship program give special consideration to students who have above-average SAT scores. More than $200,000 in scholarships was awarded to seniors at the annual Honors Night last May. Instructors are: counselor Claude Bradford, English teacher Jim Carnal and math teacher Josh Tofte.

Classes begin Monday, Jan. 28, and end on Monday, March 4.

Classes will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday, Jan. 28; 6 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 12; Wednesday, Feb. 27; and, Monday, March 4; and from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Saturdays, Feb. 2 and March 2.

All classes will meet in room 136 in the main building.

The SAT test will be given at Taft High on Saturday, March 9.

For more information or to register your Taft High student, call the Guidance Center at 763-2324.

Paik’s

Ranch House Restaurant “Where Everybody Meets” Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Open 7 Days

Mon, Tues, Wed., Thurs - 6 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Fri. Sat. and Sun. 6 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

765-6915

200 Kern Street, Taft, Ca.

Find Us On Facebook

January 18 - 24, 2013

TAFT INDEPENDENT

West Side Recreation Report Check us out online!

Need more information on programs, classes or facilities?

Visit us on the web: www.wsrpd.com www.facebook.com/wsrpd www.quickscores.com/wsrpd www.twitter.com/wreckerwsrpd steph@wsrpd.com

by Stephanie House

COMMUNITY THEATRE AUDITIONS “Altar Egos: The I Do’s and Dont’s of an American Wedding” Monday, January 21 Wednesday, January 23 6:30 p.m.

Community Center Activity Building (Crafts Room), 500 Cascade Place, Taft Director Debbie Potaczala is looking to fill a cast of approximately 16 adults and 1 high school/jr. high shool age girl in this comedy spoof. The show is tentatively scheduled to take place March 21-24.

Please attend one night of auditions for further information. If you are interested in auditioning and cannot make it to one of the times listed above, please contact Stephanie in the District Office at 7634246.

FATHER DAUGHTER DANCE Saturday, February 2 7:00-10:00 p.m.

Community Center Auditorium, 500 Cascade Place, Taft Girls ages 4 and up $30 per couple ($10 each additional daughter) Don’t miss out on the 5th Annual Father Daughter Dance – this year with a rainbow/candy theme.

Girls ages 4 and older may be accompanied by their father, guardian or adult relative. The special evening includes DJ music, photographs, sweet treats and more fun surprises. Ticket purchase deadline is Friday, January 25. **Tickets are limited and not guaranteed; buy yours before they sell out!** ICE CREAM & MOVIE Wednesday, January 23 3:00-4:30 p.m.

Community Center Assembly Room, 500 Cascade Place, Taft Grades K-8 $3 per person Need to get out of the house for a few hours? Bring a friend and join us for an ice cream social. We will make sundaes and watch the movie “Ice Age: Continental Drift.”

FAMILY PJ STORYTIME Thursday, January 24 6:30-7:00 p.m.

Recreation Center Preschool Room, 500 Cascade Place, Taft Ages 3-7 FREE! Join us for an evening of family fun. We will have a variety of stories, songs and participation activities for kids and their parents. Children are encouraged to come in their pajamas.

CANDY BAR BINGO Wednesday, January 30 3:00-4:00 p.m.

Community Center Assembly Room, 500 Cascade Place, Taft Grades 1-8 FREE! Join us for an hour of Bingo fun with candy prizes.

PLAY & GROW WITH ME When: Tuesday Mornings 8:45-9:15 a.m., 10-20 months 9:30-10:00 a.m., 21-30 months Where: Community Center Assembly Room Fee: $25 per month Instructor: Adrienne Cloud This class is designed specifically for interaction between mothers (father, grandparent, guardian or other adult) and their babies. Children need to learn how to play with each other and socially interact with others. They will learn through play and learn from each other. Children should be walking to participate. Classes will be held on a monthly, ongoing basis.

WEST SIDE RECREATION AND PARK DISTRICT 500 Cascade Place, Taft, CA 93268 (661) 763-4246 info@wsrpd.com www.wsrpd.com

CHEERLEADING When: Tuesday Evenings Ages 3-5, 4:00-4:30 p.m.

Grades K-3, 4:30-5:00 p.m.

Session: January 22 – February 26, 2013 Where: Community Center Assembly Room Fee: $25 per person ** no shirts and poms in winter session Registration deadline: Friday, January 18 Instructor: Nicole Cleveland AEROBIC KICKBOXING Who: Ages 14+ When: Monday, Wednesday & Friday Time: 8:00-9:00 a.m.

Where: Community Center Assembly Room Fee: $25 per month Instructor: Amy Steers This fun fast-paced class will include kicking, punching and the use of hand weights. The objectives are to increase cardiac health, improve muscle tone and learn some self defense. Classes will be held on a monthly basis and new students are welcome as space permits.

YOGA & PILATES Who: Ages 14+ Morning Flow Yoga – Monday, Wednesday & Friday, 5:15-5:45 a.m.

Pilates – Tuesday & Thursday, 7:00-8:00 p.m.

Yoga – Tuesday & Thursday, 8:00-8:45 p.m.

Where: Community Center Assembly Room Fee: $25 per month ** register prior to attending class Instructor: Valerie Taylor, R-HYI Pay one low monthly fee and have access to all three classes! Students should bring a yoga mat and wear comfortable clothing. Class space is limited – registration is REQUIRED prior to attending class.

ZUMBA FITNESS Who: Ages 17 + When: Wednesday Evenings Time: 6:30-7:25 p.m.

Where: Community Center Auditorium Fee: $20 per month Instructor: Chelsea Dickard This fun fitness class focuses on Latin-inspired dance and dance exercise to Latin music: Salsa, Merengue, Cumbia, Raggaeton, Hip Hop and Mixed Music. Classes operate on an on-going basis. New students are welcome at any time. Fees must be paid prior to attending class.

WEIGHT LOSS CHALLENGE When: February 1 – August 1, 2013 Fee: $30 per person Registration deadline: January 31 at the Recreation Center Join us in our goal to lose 500 pounds collectively! Come in to the Recreation Center during designated weigh-in times – a certified personal trainer will “log” your progress. Individual with the highest percentage of fat lost will win! Your exercise and eating regimen is totally up to you. For more information, or to register, please visit the Recreation Center or give them a call at 765-6677.

S.T.O.P. PROGRAM SCHOLARSHIPS (Strive To Optimize Participation) Did you know that the District has a youth scholarship program? Children in low income, single parent or multiple participant households are eligible! For more information, or to find out how your child can take advantage of reduced program fees, give us a call in the District Office at 763-4246.

BOWLING PARTY RENTALS Make your reservation now!

Reservations are now being accepted for party rentals at West Side Lanes in the Recreation Center.

Parties may take place on Friday evenings, Saturday or Sunday. Rental fees start at $100 for 2-lane rentals. Rental prices include shoes, balls and use of the party room. Please phone 765-6677 or 7634246 for more information or to make a reservation.

PARTY PACKAGES Make your reservation now!

Need help planning a birthday party, bridal shower or baby shower? We can help! For one low fee, we will provide a room, plates, napkins, forks, cups, balloons and invitations – all to match your theme or colors. And for a little extra, we can help with activities, too! Package prices start at $130. For more information, or to make a reservation, please call the District Office at 763-4246.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

BINGO Thursday Afternoons Games start at 1:30 p.m.

Community Center Assembly Room Ages 21 and older Buy-in varies, $10-15 average Cash pots! Pull-tabs also sold.

HUNTERS SAFETY COURSE Monday, Feb 4 – Wednesday, Feb 6 6:30 – 9:30 p.m.

Community Center Auditorium $5 per person **Register the first night of class** (next class: May 6-8, 2013)

6 TAFT INDEPENDENT

Westside News & Business Briefs

Taft Prayer Gathering in Wake of Tragedy

Council Delays Hillside Estates Housing Approval, Warns of Possible Staff Layoffs, Renews County Fire Agreement

By Trent Unruh

By Kent Miller Very soon, work will begin to build hundreds of mediumincome houses in Taft.

Or, very soon, a project to build hundreds of medium-income houses in Taft will be abandoned.

The first step towards starting or abandoning the plans will be taken Wednesday evening at a special meeting of the Taft City Council.

The council at its meeting Tuesday went on record 5-to-0 to support plans for the Hillside Estates residential subdivisions project.

But the council delayed its decision on the project until Wednesday to allow Occidental of Elk Hills Inc., the mineral rights owner; and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to have input on the project.

Representatives of the proposed subdivision who attended the meeting asked the council to adopt a Final Mitigated Negative Declaration and a Mitigation Reporting and Monitoring Program, subject to DF&W concerns. But they stated that they would not proceed if Oxy insists on having drill sites in the tract.

An Oxy spokesperson asked the councilmembers to delay their decision until February and the city received a letter from DF &W requesting a delay.

The developers stated that they have been working with the project for nearly a year and investors might turn to other projects elsewhere if a decision by the city isn’t made soon.

Local businessman Bob Colston asked the city council for quick approval on the Hillside Estates Housing Project. The Council, which indicated support the project, delayed approval for one week to allow additional public comment.

R-1 zoned area The proposed tract is in the western portion of the city: east of Hillard Street, south of the Lassen Street alignment, north of Mallory Court and west of the Kristin Street alignment.

There will be phased construction of the nearly 400 detached single-family homes in the two tracts, with nearly nine acres in Sandy Creek Estates and nearly 16 acres in Hillside Terrace Estates

OT

Cookhouse & Saloon Happy New Year!!!

OT Cookhouse has launched a NEW Lunch Menu. Come in and check out our delicious creations!!!

Lunch Hours: Tues-Fri 11:00am - 2:00pm OT Cookhouse also features an Outstanding Seafood Menu!!!

Come in and join us for some Charbroiled Oysters Teriyaki Salmon Alaska Cod

Availability of items varies week to week.

Please call us or check with your server.

Ron Orrin was appointed by the Taft City Council to a vacancy on the Taft Planing Commission. Orrin is a local contractor and businessman. deeded to the city and maintained as open space. The area is zoned R-1 (single-family residential).

The about 127-acre project includes: * Sandy Creek Estates, 126 home sites on 32.4 acres, minus the nearly nine acres for open space, or an average of about .20 of an acre per site; * Hillside Terrace Estates, 271 home sites on 87.4 acres, minus the nearly 16 acres for open space, or an average of just over a quarter-acre per site; * A portion of the city’s Rails to Trails bikeway and pedestrian trail, on 6.4 acres.

Sewer and refuse fees The council heard a sewer and solid waste rate study presentation by NBS Government Finance Group that recommended an increase in fees for Taft property owners.

For nearly the last 20 years, owners of single-family residences in Taft have paid $20.57 a month sewer rates, through their property taxes. The study recommended a new rate of $23.23 a month per single-family residence for the 2013-14 fiscal year. Rates are different for multi-family sites, and for various types of businesses, said Greg Clumpner, a director for NBS. Continued on Page 11

HAYDENS HOPE THRIFT STORE

“We can keep our Teens off the streets!”

New School Hours Mon. & Tues.

9am - 2pm Closed Wednesday Thur. & Fri. 9am - 5pm Saturday 10am - 2pm Closed Every 2nd Sat. of the Month

Shirts .25 each Pants .50 each All pictures 1/2 Off

God Bless!

428 Center Street • TAFT

745-4963

HOOKER’S AUTOMOTIVE Complete Automotive Service

Dinner Hours: Tues-Sat 4:00-9:00pm Closed: Sunday and Monday www.otcookhouse.com find us on facebook 205 N. 10th Street 661.763.1819

January 18 - 24, 2013

218 HARRISON STREET (661) 765-2437

On a frigid Friday night, one day after the campus shooting, the Christian community of Taft gathered at A Street Park for a Prayer Gathering.

Hundreds of people turned out for the event including high school employees, students, citizens, politicians, and local/national media outlets. The purpose of assembly was so that individuals directly and indirectly affected by the tragedy could congregate, pray, and uplift one another through fellowship and song.

Most discussed sorrow for the victim of the attack, 16 year old Bowe Cleveland. People could be seen holding signs expressing care and love for Bowe, while also wishing him a speedy recovery.

Class mates of Bowe performed songs written in his honor in front of the audience to show their caring for their injured peer.

Cleveland still remains at Kern Medical Center undergoing surgeries for the harm done from the attack. Bowe received damage to his lungs, liver, and stomach after receiving a single 12 gauge shot gun blast to the chest. Doctors still have Cleveland in a medically induced coma. He is expected to have more operations soon to help fix the remaining damage. Doctors say that Cleveland has a long road of healing ahead of him. A social media campaign has been started in honor of Cleveland and was being heavily advertised throughout the prayer gathering. Many know that Bowe is a huge fan of Spiderman and its creator Stan Lee. Students took to Twitter and Facebook trying to get Lee’s attention in hopes that he would come and visit Cleveland in the hospital.

On Tuesday, January 15, Stan Lee’s Twitter account was asking for any contact information for the Cleveland family. On Thursday, January 16th, Stan Lee made a video for Bowe and put it on you tube Many also expressed gratitude for the heroism displayed by three men: Ryan Heber, Kim Fields, and Seth Faagau. Ryan Heber was the teacher in the classroom where the shooting took place.

Kim Fields, was the campus supervisor who responded to the classroom when the attack started. Heber and Fields, together, engaged the shooter in conversation and eventually convinced him to put the weapon down. Seth Faagau, 17, was the student who rushed to the injured Cleveland’s aid during the attack. Faagau pulled the injured Cleveland to the back of the classroom, while Heber and Fields engaged the shooter. He kept pressure on his wounds until EMS could arrive. Faagau, who was in attendance Friday night at the gathering, received tremendous applause from the crowd. By the quick action from these three individuals, no lives were lost in the attack. These men are heroes and deserve the city of Taft’s gratitude.

The Prayer Gathering was a great example of how united the city of Taft really is. All in attendance were able to share their heartache and woe with one another in an environment that enveloped those there support and understanding. The overall atmosphere from the event was to promote understanding, acceptance, and unity across the city of Taft. As a result, most left the gathering with a sense of peace and empathy which was greatly asked for throughout the night’s prayers.

If you are wondering what you can do to assist those affected by the tragedy, Houchin Blood Bank, located at 5901 Truxtun avenue in Bakersfield, is taking donations now. Bowe Cleveland has gone through approximately 16 pints of blood throughout his whole Continued on Page 11

Visit Us Online taftindependent.com or find us on facebook

January 18 - 24, 2013

BOOK REVIEW

Hostage of Paradox—a Qualmish Disclosure

By John Rixey Moore, Published by Bettie Young Book Publishers Reviewed by Jane McCabe

TAFT INDEPENDENT

reconnaissance missions into the Viet Nam jungles. He was sent to Forward Observation Base 4, which was located on the eastern shore at the bottom of Marble Mountain, a mountain that rose from the shore like those in Oriental paintings. This was a strange place for the US Army to place a camp since the mountain was ribbed with Buddhist caves (some carved with elaborate pagodas) that were inhabited by the Viet Cong and thus was at all times in harm’s way.

On his very first night at the camp it was attacked in what was the worst military engagement John Moore was to experience during his Viet Nam stay, including the insertions into the jungle where the enemy was sometimes within touching distance. Much of the camp was destroyed. Americans and Viet Cong were killed or severely wounded. Moore himself suffered shrapnel in his hip, leg and foot.

The mayhem was appalling and instilled a fear that remained with him during his entire tour of duty.

Author John Rixey Moore signs his book at the Black Gold Brewing Company during interview with Taft Independent writer Jane McCabe.

The Viet Nam War was the most unpopular war ever fought by the United States. It was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from November 1, 1955, to the fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975. The U.S. government viewed involvement in the war as a way to prevent a communist takeover of South Vietnam as part of their wider strategy of containment. Twenty years after it started, it had claimed 52,000 American lives and the lives of over one million Viet Namize.

Protests across the United States in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s brought the war to an inconclusive ending; troops that survived the bloody ordeal staggered home to less than a hero’s welcome—American soldiers who had risked their lives fighting for this country were subjected to derision and shame—many developed post-traumatic stress syndrome, became unemployable and were homeless. The war that had served no good purpose was a blot on the national psyche…

Fifty years is a given length of time for a nation to come to grips with its ghosts—it took 50 years for the people of Germany to begin to acknowledge its Nazi past, and it has taken these past 50 years for us to reconcile the waste of a war fought on the territory of an extremely poor nation, where we had wreaked considerable damage without realizing anything value in return…

Sgt. Moore in 1969 while in Vietnam on what turned out to be his last mission before returning to the US. At the time, Moore was the only team leader who had survived four missions. This mission was his sixth.

John Rixey Moore, a 21 year-old, philosophy major who had graduated from the University of Virginia, was drafted in 1967 and was sent to Viet Nam to be part of a Special Force of Green Berets to do

It took Moore twenty years to write Hostage of Paradox. He began writing it for his brother’s children. That gave him the focus he needed. Early on when he got to the description of that first night at FOB4, he found the memory too painful to proceed. So, he turned his attention to the second volume of his memoir, which is an account of what happened when he returned home the war. That volume is called Company of Stone; it is also published by Bettie Young Books and will soon be available through Amazon. Once he completed Company of Stone he was able to proceed with his account of that horrible night and with the rest of his Viet Nam memoir.

What strikes the reader about Moore’s writing is his phenomenal memory, the detail with which he recalls events that happened 25 years ago. Moore says that fear is a great driver, and that’s why he remembers the events he endured in such detail. Another notable thing is his vocabulary, which greatly exceeds the common person’s. This he attributes to all the essays he was required to write when a student at Woodbury Forest Prep School.

Soon enough Moore was made the captain of his unit, which contained himself, another American, and half a dozen Nungs, or Chinese mercenaries. A usual mission consisted of being air lifted by helicopter to a pre-determined location in the jungle with orders to search for troops who had captured prisoners of war, to do surveillance of helicopter crashes, or to survey battle scenes. Being responsible for the lives of seven or eight other soldiers heightened his sense of responsibility and accentuated his fear.

Once they were dropped, they usually spent four or days crawling around the damp jungle, their nerves on end, lest they be discovered, their clothes soaked through and through, being assaulted by armies of insects, eating only rice balls (they could never do the civilized thing of setting up a camp) and sleeping half-awake on their backs with their guns released lest they suddenly be assaulted by the enemy.

On one mission, while making his way through a dense jungle, Moore encountered a ten-pound orange centipede, something sure to haunt his dreams to the end of his life.

Moore usually carried a fifty-pound radio, which he used to signal headquarters as to their location and any other relevant information.

When thoroughly exhausted to the point that they could no longer function, he would request an extraction. Then they would wait until at last they heard the sounds of the helicopter wings coming to lift them from their location into the helicopter and back to headquarters.

Here is his description of coming across an enemy camp where Agent Orange (napalm) had been dropped: The complex salad of rancid odors grew as we worked our careful approach the next morning. Grayish light through the trees ahead soon gave way to open sky and a great sagging canopy of coming rain, plump and low. As we emerged, beneath the clouds was revealed a landscape of the Last Judgment. It required a long minute to grasp the scene and the implications of what it contained. The earth was churned, torn, scorched, layered over with still smoke, and strewn with the blackened remains of dead humans. Parts of bodies protruded from the furrowed ground amid the skeletons of shattered trees, some shivered off at the base of the trunk, many others with a single grotesque and hopeless branch left. Nothing moved. The place still radiated heat and had been swept clean of living things by a tempest of orchestral death. There were no birds. Even the air was stilled.

Yearly monsoons assault Viet Nam with a particular fury—every day a deluge of rain tears at the jungle and made progress by enemy forces or our own nearly impossible.

Moore proved to be very good at what he did. Though he attributes his survival to luck, intelligence seems to have also played its part. As he observed the statistics—lucky soldiers often survived two or three missions. He had survived four. He then became paranoid, sure that he would not survive another. But, survive he did, and we are richer for it because of his narrative. When he was discharged, he was reluctant to surrender his rifle because he felt safe as long as it was in his possession, When asked what happened to Viet Nam after the fall of Hanoi in 1975, Moore answered, “In the immediate aftermath of the American withdrawal the Communists took over the whole country and changed the name of the old southern capitol from Saigon to Ho Chi Minh City. The whole united country then sort of fell back into its thousand-plus year decline until the US manufacturers began to invest in its labor pool. A lot of clothing is now assembled in Vietnam, and I understand it’s coming back as a tourist destination.

It does have great swimming beaches.

Sgt. Moore in his dress uniform in 1969 after returning to the United States from Vietnam.

“On a recent episode of BBC America’s ‘Top Gear’ program, the presenters took a motor scooter ride all the way up the coast from the old Saigon to Hanoi along old Route One (The Highway of Tears, when we were there). I like the program and watched it all. I was astonished to see major cities and high-rise buildings all along the route where there used to be a warren of dirt streets and shanties with corrugated tin roofing. So, it seems the country, like so many others, has gained a great advantage for having hosted another American war.”

Producer Tom Perry writes, “John Moore fills this memoir with craft, immediacy, and authenticity. Simply the best Vietnam narrative I have ever read.”

My understanding of the Viet Nam War is scant—I often read to fill in the gaps of my knowledge of certain periods of history. This was the only Vietnam narrative I’ve read. I got from it what I was looking for—descriptions of what it was like being a soldier in the jungles of Viet Nam.

8 TAFT INDEPENDENT

Liberty Under Fire “Comprehensive” Gun Control the Constitutional Way

By Dr. Harold Pease

Forget Democrats! Forget Republicans and Liberals and Conservatives!! These are labels to cause someone else to do your thinking for you. This is about the Constitution that all elected officials, when elected, swore to uphold. This is not even about guns but about following the Constitution until authentically changed by amendment. This issue is so serious that it is a certain litmus test to political parties and individuals differentiating those who respect this document from those who do not!

The Second Amendment could not be made clearer: “A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.” Militia, in their day, consistently referred to the people. I have read every version of this sentence as it was formulated, principally by James Madison, as the second most important freedom next to the expression freedoms of the 1st Amendment. The Bill of Rights was arranged in order of preference with the exception of Amendments 9 and 10 as they dealt with the concept of general powers retained by the people and those reserved to the states, not specific freedoms as are Amendments 1-8. It is important because it protects the 1st Amendment.

I too weep for the children at Newtown, Columbine, Virginia Tech, and now my own city of Taft, California, where I too was “locked down” while police resolved the gun violence of a 16-yearold student with a shotgun in the classroom. Last summer I had a two-year-old grandson die from an accidental gunshot to the head but these losses cannot, and need not, be resolved by violating the Constitution.

Mr. President, neither Congress, nor you, has any authority to do anything on “the right to bear arms” outside of changing the Constitution by an amendment. It is well to remember that the 2nd Amendment exists because the states would not support the new Constitution without a guarantee that you would never deprive their citizens of their right to bear arms. The language was as strong as they knew how to make it. No sentence in the Constitution was stronger. The amendment was specifically addressed with the federal government in mind. What is it that you do not understand about “shall not be infringed?” Congress, you may not legislate the 2nd Amendment away by giving authorization to some types of weapons over others or approving some types of ammunition and denying others. Nor may the President go into the Oval Office and unilaterally make an executive order limiting or denying these things as Congress alone is constitutionally empowered to make law (Art. I, Sec. I). Your making law should be an impeachable offense. Unfortunately, Congress is too weak to

stop the Executive Branch from usurping its authority and that of the people—even that specifically denied them as in this case.

I know of the bogus argument that the 2nd Amendment applies only to the National Guard but anyone reading anything on the subject by the Founding Fathers knows otherwise. The militia was defined in the Second Continental Congress as every able bodied male 17 years of age and older—the citizens. The National Guard was created in 1903 by the Dick Act, which divided the militia into the organized and unorganized militia with the definition retained for the unorganized. I have taught the Constitution long enough to know all the arguments attempting to give place to the federal government over the guns of its citizens; none of them pass muster from the Founders’ perspective. These arguments attract only the less informed.

So times have changed, one might argue, and we now need federal involvement. If so, why not do it constitutionally as required by the Constitution? Don’t just ignore the Constitution or twist it to mean something never meant, of which Washington warned us not to do, “Let there be no change by usurpation; for though this, in one instance, may be the instrument of good, it is the customary weapon by which free governments are destroyed” (Farewell Address).

Instructions for change in the Constitution are provided in Article V and can be proposed by either Congress or “on the application of the legislatures of two thirds of several states.” Once proposed the federal government is removed from the picture altogether—it cannot empower itself. The states are given two ways in which they can pass their power to the federal government (remember, all power not listed in the Constitution belongs to the states and the people as per Amendment 10) but it requires 3/4th of the states to do so, either way. Notice that there exists zero power of the office of president to make change. Veto power does not exist.

The federal government does not like Article V because it requires permission from the states to enlarge its jurisdiction. That is precisely why this Article exists; still, it remains the proper and only constitutional way to change the 2nd Amendment of the Constitution and anyone trying to do it in any other way should be removed from power as quickly as the Constitution allows— whether Democrat or Republican, conservative or liberal. The biggest fatality in this gun debate is irreparable damage to the Constitution, and to freedom, if we do not insist on change the only way authorized.

Dr. Harold Pease is an expert on the United States Constitution.

He has dedicated his career to studying the writings of the Founding Fathers and applying that knowledge to current events. He has taught history and political science from this perspective for over 25 years at Taft College. To read more of his weekly articles, please visit www.

LibertyUnderFire.org.

January 18 - 24, 2013

Miller Time

Sticks and Stones

By Randy Miller “Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me”.

Remember that old adage. It seems on the surface that one of our students at Taft High felt that words do hurt and he went home and found an equalizer and returned to school where he knew the person that used those words would be. I don’t believe that he thought of the national coverage and debate that his actions would cause, he only knew for sure where his victim would be at a certain time of the day. That put Taft on the map for reasons that many of us in the community would rather not had. We are striving for positive things in our community, trying to showcase the advantages of living here, attracting new retail and industrial businesses to come and be a part of something good. In some ways the tranquility that we have enjoyed was somewhat shattered by a senseless act of violence.

I do want to commend and say that with the onslaught of media coverage that Taft held up very well. I sometimes cringe when the man-on-the-street interviews catch some of our residents with very negative views about our community. They think that they are speaking with authority and knowledge and or backing of the rest of us when they don’t know what the heck they are talking about.

In all, the TV coverage that I saw, I can say you did very well. You talked about the close knit community that we are, the positive response to this tragedy by all involved, the coming together to offer support. There were many kindnesses given and in the glare of the national spotlight, you did us all proud. While there could have been many of the “could haves” and “should haves” and “why didn’ts” we held those thoughts in check.

There were many extraordinary circumstances that all came together that morning that averted more folks from being injured or dying. The teacher and supervisor that risked everything and that had the admiration of the shooter to put his weapon down; the quick response by the Taft PD to have him arrested and out of the building within 5 minutes of the first shot; the training just that morning by TUHS staff for these kinds of situations; the happenstance of the FBI being in Taft on an unrelated matter; the quick response by the Sheriff SWAT Team due to coordination by Chief Whiting and the SWAT Commander a month ago; Representative Kevin McCarthy being in the air over Kern County and diverting his plane to Taft; all just amazing. I appreciate our Mayor being on the scene and offering support and coordination and representing our city. I purposely stayed away because I knew I’d just be in the way. Sheriff Donnie Youngblood leading the press conferences at the request of Chief Whiting due to his vast experience on handling the press on pressure packed circumstances such as this did a great job. In the final analysis, no one died and there was not an assault weapon involved. It could have been so much worse.

My old alma mater will never be the same after 100 years of existence. It was sad driving by the campus Tuesday morning after the shooting when classes reopened to see all the gates closed and police presence out front like an armed fort. The days of the science building door being open will be at thing of the past. Coming and going by parents and community members that was encouraged by the school, because after all it is our community’s school, will now be more thoroughly scrutinized and monitored. Parents are going to lose some of their freedoms that they have had in the past, because when you drop your kids off at school, it is going to be taken far more seriously by school administration to protect and teach your children. Just don’t be upset, our world as we know it has changed in the last month or so with these tragic shootings back east and here. Our shooter has taken the national debate to new levels and the cost to the nation of protecting our children at school will be in the billions. I’m sure in his fit of anger he never thought about any of the outcomes that will be brought to bear, he only felt in his mind he wanted to get even however outrageous that may sound to the rest of us.

New York State and at the national level are rushing to judgment that the gun is the problem. Looking at the last several shooters nationally, they were all loners, disturbed, and showed Continued on Page 11

January 18 - 24, 2013

TAFT INDEPENDENT

Black Gold

Cafe & Deli The Only Mortuary On The West Side Where All Arrangements And Funerals Are Personally Directed By

Double Gold Medal Winner and Best Cabernet Sauvignon of Show at the San Francisco International Wine Competition

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MARICOPA QUILT COMPANY FABRIC • NOTIONS • GIFTS WED.-FRI. 10:00-5:30 SAT. 10:00-2:00

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License # 0707137 • (661) 765-7131 531 Kern Street - P.O. Box 985 (661) 765-4798 FAX Taft, CA 93268 • (661) 203-6694 Cell E-Mail: Richrmia@bak.rr.com Your Hometown Insurance Store

Yates’ Detailing 600 Center Street Taft, California

(661) 623-0827 (661) 765-1171

All your detailing needs!

Wash, Wax, Shampoo, Buffing and Window Tinting.

Call for Appointment Today!

Monday - Friday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Ice Blended Mocha Fat Free and Sugar Free Available in Most Flavors

Open 7 Days - 765-6556 508 Center Street • Taft TAFT UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 630 North St. 765-5557

“Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors” Pastor Cindy Brettschneider Sunday Morning Worship 10:00 AM Adult Bible Study and Sunday School 11 AM Adult Bible Study Monday 6:00 PM Wednesday Night Service 6:00 PM Praise Team meets on Thursday at 6:00 PM

St. Mary’s Church 110 E Woodrow Street • Taft 661 765-4292 Mass Schedule Tuesday-Friday 8:00 A.M. Sunday 8:30A.M. English 11:00A.M. Spanish

501 Lucard St., Taft • 765-4111 FD756 FDR50 FDR595 FDR618

Gateway Temple

First Baptist Church Pastor Scott Pearson

Sunday School 9 a.m.

Worship Celebration 10:30 a.m.

Evening Service 6 p.m.

Awana Childrens Program Wednesday 6 p.m.

220 North Street - Taft 661 763-3138

Advertise In

Independent Call Today!

765-6550

Community Christian Fellowship

604 Main Street • P.O. Box 578 Maricopa, CA 93252 • (661)769-9599

Sunday Morning Worship 9:45 Sunday Evening Worship 5:00 Monday Evening Mens Prayer 7:00 Wednesday Evening Worship 6:30 For a ride: Call Dorine Horn 427-9722 Pastors Charle (Tommy) and Mary A. McWhorter

New Hope Temple “Connecting Lives” 308 Harrison Street 765-4572 Sunday Morning Worship Service 10 a.m.

Sunday Evening Worship Service 6 p.m Bible Classes All Ages Wednesday 7 p.m.

631 North Street Sunday School 9:30 a.m.

Morning Worship 10:30 a.m.

St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church

Sunday Service - 10 a.m.

Rev. Linda Huggard

703 5th Street - Taft (661) 765-2378

NEW LIFE COMMUNITY CHURCH Sunday Services 10am 1000 6th St. Weekly Classes Mon - Thurs Please call 765-7472 for info

The Taft

Visit Us Online taftindependent.com

Licensed Funeral Directors

For a ride to church call 765-7472 before 9am on Sunday

Pastors Shannon N. and Shannon L. Kelley

Trinity Southern Baptist Church 400 Finley Drive We invite you to join us each week as we worship

Sunday Bible Study 9:45 am Sunday Morning Worship 11:00 am Sunday Evening Worship 6:00 pm Wednesday Prayer & Bible Study 6:00 pm

www.nlctaft.org or nlctaft@bak.rr.com

Peace Lutheran Church- LCMS Taft- A caring community under Christ We welcome you to worship with us at peace lutheran church, 26 Emmons Park Drive (across from the College). Worship service begins at 10:00 a.m.

Communion will be offered 1st and 3rd Sundays Sunday School for all ages at 9:00 a.m.

The Pregnancy crisis center is now open and available for support and assistance.

For information, call 763-4791 If you have a prayer request please call (661)765-2488.

Leave a message if the pastor or secretary is not available

WANTED: BULKY WASTE PICKUP

Ford City Tuesday

South Taft & Taft Heights Friday

City of Taft Wednesday

• REFRIGERATORS • MATTRESSES • WATER HEATERS • STOVES • WASHERS & DRYERS • SOFAS If Missed… Call Office at 7635135

All green waste must be bagged.

Tree Limbs cut in 6’ length, and bundled.

ITEMS NOT ACCEPTED Construction/Demolition Waste/Used Oil/ Hazardous Waste/Tires Westside Waste Management Co., Inc.

10 TAFT INDEPENDENT

Classifieds

Classified Adsare are$3.00 $2.00per perissue line. for Phone, fax, maillines, or drop off Classified Ads up to three $5 per issue ad for to upthe to Taft 5 lines, and $7 per issue for up to 10 lines. Yard your Independent.

Sale ads are free. Phone, fax, mail or drop off your ad to the Taft your Independent.

Ad photograph for $5. Ad your company logo for $5.

Boxed ads are $5 additional. E-mail us (or bring to our Boxed\outlined\bolded classified ads start at $12.00 for 8 office) a for photo of your home, car, truck motorcycle and lines, $16 12 lines, $20 for 15 lines, $25 for 20orlines. we’ll do the rest.

Photo Ads. Car, truck or house for sale ads are $5 per week, Yard Sale ads are $2 for 3 lines, lines $2 each. or $10 with a photo.

Email us (oradditional bring to our office) a photo of your home, car, truck or motorcycle and we’ll do the rest.

Classified ad deadline is Wednesday at 12 p.m. (noon) Classified ads deadline is now Wednesdays at 2 p.m.

Phone: 765-6550 Phone: 765-6550 Fax:765-6556 765-6556 Fax: E-mail: Taftindypublisher@bak.rr.com Email: Taftindypublisher@bak.rr.com Payment can made by cash, check, or card. credit card.

Payment can bebe made by cash, check, or credit Taft Independent 6thCenter St., Taft,St., CA Taft, 93268.

Taft Independent210 508 CA 93268 YARD SALES Advertise your yard sale ad. 3 lines for $2, additional lines after that $2 each. Fax your ad to 765-6556 or call and leave message at 765-6550 by 12 p.m.

Wednesday.

306 Easter St. In the house. Fri. and Sat.

ANNOUNCEMENTS New AA meeting just started in Taft at the Chevron Valley Credit Union Community Room. 7:30 am every Saturday morning. We read a topic from As Bill Sees It. 9-19.

Grief Support Group, offered as a community service by Optimal Hospice Care. Meetings held Thursdays 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. At Chevron Valley Credit Union, Community Room, 1092 W. Kern St., Taft. Enter by outside entrance – Albertson’s Shopping Center. Free and open to the public.

Info call 716-4000. 3-27.

Alzheimer’s Disease Association Of Kern County is offering Respite Care here in Taft. Call-Cathy Perkins at 760-379-0848 for RESPITE CARE info.

Respite Care is available every Thursday At the First Baptist Church located at 220 North St. from 9:00am—3:00pm.

Both Homes with Lots Will Be Sold Live Auction on Tuesday, January 22nd 10:00 A.M. Live Auction on Site at the Homes Auction No. 1 326 Asher Avenue Auction No. 2 516 Asher Avenue This Auction will be held by Aucion Team West on behalf of JPST LLC and will be made in accordance with the provisions of California Civil Code Section 1988 and Government Code 6066.

LAND FOR SALE ROOMS FOR RENT

YARD SERVICES

Rooms for rent.

Maricopa. Private home, furn. or unfurn. Call for info. 745-4211. 2-26

HELP WANTED

HOMES FOR SALE

Cosmetologist Station Available in well established salon. In business 34 years.

Come by 423 Center St.

CHILD CARE SERVICES

Secretary/ Accounting Technician II

WANTED

Taft City School District is accepting applications for a Financial Secretary/Accounting Technician II to work under the direction of the Chief Business Official for 8 hours per day/12 months per year with a salary range of $19.47 to $21.47 in six steps. The benefit package provided includes medical, dental, vision and life insurance. Employment process includes written exam, application screening, interview, DOJ fingerprint clearance, and physical exam with drug screen.

Application and Job Description may be picked up at the District Office, 820 Sixth Street, and must be returned by Monday, February 4 at 4:00 p.m. EOE Now accepting applications for mechanics and mechanics helpers.

Apply at 27908 Tank Farm Rd.

NOW HIRING MACHINIST.

Candidates will be required to successfully complete a preemployment physical and drug screen.

Established Since 1983 B License 442018

Public Auction for Two South Taft Homes on Lots

Junk Cars Wanted.

Cash Paid. 805-0552.

FOR SALE

AUTOMOBILES PETS

Real Estate eBroker Inc.

By Appointment Karri Christensen LIC# 01522411 & #01333971 661-332-6597 www.BuyTaft.com Real Estate Sales & Purchase Can’t make payments call me!! I can help direct you to a loan modification or assist you in your short sale!

Wondering how buying a house works? Set an appointment with Karri to watch a FREE video on the process.

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PROPERTY MANAGEMENT Taft Property Management 1,2,3 and 4 Bedrooms now available in good areas.

CRIME FREE HOUSING Brokers Licence 01417057 661-577-7136

LAND FOR RENT

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2/1. FSBO. Fixer. Half way done. Owner will carry. Down payment req.

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MOBILE HOMES

2-7.

2bd 1 ba. New carpet and paint. $675 mo plus $500 dep. No pets. Call Jeff 661 348-6788 or Betty 805 550-0565.

1-28.

Derby Acres. 2bd. 1 ba.

1/2 acre w/horse corrals. $700 mo plus dep. 661 805-2245. 2-1.

House for rent. 2bd. 1 ba. 661-747-6968.

3bd. 1 ba. 310 Kern St. $800 plus dep. 661-7655000.

429 Rose. 2/1 with Garage and laundry. $730. mo plus dep. 661 765-5000.

House for rent. 2bd, 1 ba. Very nice. $800 mo. plus dep. 203 Lucard.

765-4644 or 363-3005.

APART. FOR RENT 1bd. 1ba. Upstairs. $475 Mo. plus $475 dep. 155 1/2 North Street. (661) 477-9636. 1-30 Creekside Apartments.

1 BD and 2 BD. Pool, AC & Appl. 661.765-7674.

420 Finley Dr. Center Street Apartments. 1 bed room 1 bath. $99 move in special. No Pets Allowed. 765-7678.

January 18 - 24, 2013

Ken Shugarts

Air Conditioning & Heating

Plumbing • Septic • Rooter Framing • Electrical • Concrete We Do All Phases of Construction Kitchen and Bathroom Specialists Ken Shugarts (661) 343-0507 30 Plus Years in Construction License No. 927634

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HOMES FOR RENT

West Valley Real Estate (661) 763-1500.

Lic # 01525550 FOR RENT West Valley Real Estate (661) 763-1500 Lic # 01525550 For Rent 400 Woodrow St 1 & 2 Bed units available $625/$725 435 B St 2/1 $700 205 W Ash #B 2/1.5 $700 203 W Ash #A 2/1.5 $700 605 4th St 2/1.75 $750 122 Franklin 3/1 $825 514 Grant Terrace 2/1 $900 709 Kern St 3/1 $900 306 Taylor 4/1.75 $900 426 D St 3/1 $1,000 114 Franklin 3/1 $1,000 103 Pierce 3/1.75 $1,000 211 E. Lucard 3/2.75 $1,200 2 houses for rent. 2 and 3 bd. laundryroom.

English 661-321-9636.

Espanol 661 577-7041.

FLEET MECHANIC Local industry leader has an immediate opening for an experienced fleet mechanic.

Qualified candidates must have a minimum of 3 years’ experience in fleet services.

Candidate must have own tools and be experienced in routine maintenance and DOT inspections for heavy duty trucks and trailers.

They must demonstrate the ability to trouble shoot, understand process flows, communicate effectively with team members and be willing to work in the shop and the field. Must be able to be on call and travel when needed.

Applicants must possess a valid California driver’s license and be able to pass a pre-employment DOT drug screen and random drug screening and DOT physical.

We offer a competitive salary and benefits package including medical, dental, vision and 401K. Please send resume & salary history to: Fax: (661) 763-2555 or Email: Djones@inergyservices.com

Writers Wanted At the Taft Independent Experience Required.

Please call 765-6550.

Visit Us Online at www.taftindependent.com

Taft College hosts “Art in Touch” Greater Taft Economic Development Kern County Traveling Exhibition Authority Planning Meeting Tuesday of Tactile and Interactive Art The first meeting of the GTEDA ad hoc economic development The Taft College Art Gallery is pleased to host a unique exhibit organized by the Arts Council of Kern and partially funded by a grant from the Black Rock Arts Foundation.

The exhibit will open to the public on Monday, January 14th, 2013 and will run through Friday, February 8, 2013. The works will appeal to all ages, but blind and visually impaired community members might especially enjoy the exhibit as it is designed to be touched. Visually impaired individuals will also be able to listen to an audio recording of artists’ statements to enhance their enjoyment of the exhibit.

The exhibition consists of thirteen (13) works of art in different media. An exhibition committee consisting of members of the art community, including Margaret Nowling, curator of the Bakersfield College Jones Gallery and Vikki Cruz, curator at the Bakersfield Museum of Art, selected the works earlier this year from the submitted artist proposals.

The exhibition includes tactile and interactive art works by Eileen Ettinger, Iva Fendrick, Enemerio Galvan, Justin Jennings, David Leitch, Marcy Holbrook, Bill Malis, Brian Stanton, Dan Slayton, Marlene Tatsuno, and Hank Washington.

“Taft College is thrilled to be selected as one of the venues for this innovative exhibit in Kern County,” says Dr. Dena Maloney, Superintendent-President of Taft College. “This exhibit is particularly unique in that the art is meant to be experienced both visually as well as through touch, bringing the art to all who wish to enjoy it.”

The exhibit will also be on display at other venues in Kern County including the Maturango Museum in Ridgecrest during the month of September 2013 and the Independent Living Center of Kern County in October 2013.

The Taft College Art Gallery is located on the Taft College campus at 29 Emmons Park Drive, Taft California. Gallery hours are 9:00 am – 4:00 pm Monday – Friday. For more information about the Art in Touch exhibit, please contact Taft College at 661.763.7700 or 763-7982.

Miller Time, Continued from Page 6

planning meeting will be held on Tuesday, January 22, from 5:007:00 p.m. in the Taft College Cougar Room.

GETDA is a joint power authority created by the City of Taft and the County of Kern to explore, develop and stimulate economic growth on the westside.

The ad hoc committee is composed of 25 community members appointed by the authority and the city to focus on the tasks and challeges of economic development and establish a strategic plan for developing the local economy.

The study, which will be led by the Fresno State Rural Economic Development Program is co-sponsored by Taft College, the Taft Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau, the City of Taft and Kern County.

This first meeting is an orientation of the tasks the committee will undertake for the next eleven meetings.

The meetings are on the second and fourth Tuesday evenings of the month, from 5-7:00 p.m.: • • • • • • • • • • •

Feb. 12: Session 2: City of Taft Administration—How the City Operates and Why Feb. 26 Session 3: Business Attraction, Retention, Expansion, and Start-up Mar. 12 Session 4: Financing Economic Development Mar. 26 Session 5: Workforce Development Apr. 9 Session 6: Development Fees and Available Land Apr. 23 Session 7: Industrial, Commercial, Office, and Retail Real Estate Perspective May 14 Session 8: Regional Industry Cluster Analysis May 28 Session 9: Tourism and Community Assessment June 11 Session 10: Community Assessment June 25 Session 11: Discussions—Mission and Vision Statement, Goals and Objectives for Commercial, Industrial, and Tourism Strategy July 9 Session 12: Discussions—Final Draft Strategy

Future meeting locations will be set by the committee for each meeting. For more information, please contact the Taft Chamber of Commerce at 765-2165.

signs that one day their deep-set anger would burst forth. If it were not a gun, they would find other ways to vet their embittered thoughts into action. How do we deal with these people without violating their rights before they violate ours ?? Certainly there is no easy answers but to take away our second amendment rights is not going to happen. There are nearly 250 million guns in the hands of the American people, most will not give those guns up.

What do you do ?? Lets work on our families, the mentally ill, the criminal, our drug problem, and our morals that have gone missing since the days when I was a kid. I am 67 and I was raised pretty well and turned out OK, you be the judge, but what happened. ?? What did my generation do to our kids and their kids ??

What happened to the greatest generation who raised us that we had to be so different that we lost our way ?? We need local, state, and national thought on these issues, not knee jerk reactions and panic.

Taft will be resilient in the face of this tragedy. It will be a test for all of us as we go through the wrenching agony of the shooters trial. Remain positive, Taft is still the safest city in Kern County.

See you around town,

Gathering, Continued from Page 11 ordeal and will probably need more before he is through with his operations. The blood bank is in great need of B negative blood.

When and if you go and make a donation, let the bank know you are there in Clevelands honor.

Classified Ad Deadline.

Wednesday 2 p.m.

765-6550.

Bow Wow! Coming Soon To Bow Wow Bakery People Cupcakes Coffee and a Candy Buffet.

(661) 745-4894 420 Center Street. Taft.

City Council, Continued from Page 11 Both the existing and the proposed rates are lower than many other communities in California, Clumpner said.

In addition, rates for solid waste disposal (trash pickup) and street sweeping (also paid through taxes) would increase under the NBS recommendations, he said.

The combined refuse and street-sweeping charge is $13.20 a month per single-family residence now. It would go to $17.83 a month per single-family residence for fiscal 2013-14 under the proposal.

The rate would rise annually to a proposed $23.37 a month per single-family residence in fiscal 2017-18.

Building or expanding water treatment facilities and replacement costs for refuge disposal equipment are among the reasons for the needed fee increases, Clumpner said.

For fiscal 2012-13, the sewer rate fees will bring in nearly $726,000, well short of the actual costs. The proposed 2013-14 rates would bring in about $815,500 to meet costs, he said.

Potential layoffs The council, with stated reluctance, voted 5-to-0 to issue Notices of Potential Layoff to all city employees.

“Due to an anticipated shortfall between revenues and expenses for the current fiscal year, it is recommended that the city issue notices to all employees of the potential for layoffs to occur,” said Lonn Boyer, director of Human Resources/assistant city manager, in material presented to the council.

“This notice would be issued to all employees and would only serve to notify them that there is potential for layoffs. Prior to any layoff occurring, agenda items would come before your council and require your approval in open session, specifying the number of positions and the classifications recommended for layoffs.”

Councilmember Dave Noerr stated, “I never want to have to make that recommendation (about issuing the notices).” Other councilmembers seconded Noerr’s statement.

In addition to the impact of the recession, the city has lost revenue with the removal in 2012 of state prisoners from the Taft Community Correctional Facility, said Councilmember Randy Miller.

“We don’t want to but we must issue the notices of potential layoffs by law,” Miller said.

Mayor Paul Linder pointed out that the city’s expenses for the fiscal year are expected to exceed revenue by about $600,000.

Operation of CCF would normal bring in $700,000 to $900,000 in revenue to the city, Linder noted. But instead the closure erased that revenue and will cost the city about $1.1 million in unemployment payments to former staff, he said.

Other council actions In other actions, the council: * Approved an agreement with Kern County to provide fire protection duties for the five fiscal years starting with July 1, 2012 through June 30, 2013. The cost for this fiscal year is $390,515, a decrease of $14,730 from the 2011-12 fiscal year. The rate will increase no more than 5.5 percent each fiscal year. * Appointed Ronald E. Orrin to fill the vacancy left by the resignation of Jesse Barron, former planning commissioner. The term ends June 30, 2015. * Approved a resolution authorizing street closures and no parking at various times on some days between Jan. 18 and Feb. 1 for the filming of the Anvil Productions movie “A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night.” * Rejected bids to install 10 bus shelters at various locations in the Taft area. All bids exceeded the $115,089 funding from the Congestion Mitigation/Air Quality grant by at least $25,000. The project will be rebid.

Ben’s Books The Largest, Cheapest and Only Used Book Store in Taft

Fiction • Non Fiction • Paperback Hard Covers • SciFi • Biography • Religion Childrens • Cookbooks and More!

Stop By For Some Great Company and Good Books!

810 Center Street • (661)805-9813

12 TAFT INDEPENDENT

Andy’s Septic Tank & Sewer

UNDER NEW OWNERSHIP

HARRISON STREET AUTOMOTIVE

209 Harrison Street • Taft (661)765-2505 or (661)763-1887 fax

January 18 - 24, 2013

Used to be Paul’s BMX

Bike Shop

Bikes Are Here!

Diagnostic Specialists Service & Repairs • Smog Repairs Air Conditioning • Tune Up • Front End Brakes • Fuel Injection

(661)765-5000 or (661)343-0507

$15.00 OFF with mention of this ad* *1996 Vehicle or newer

Qik Smog & Tune

Black Gold Cafe and Deli

608 Center St.

745-4919

Devon’s Body Shop

(661)763-4445

508 Center Street 765-6556

No Appointment Needed for Smog Check!

General Automotive Repairs

• 661-763-4445 • 500 S. 10th Street

408 Main Street • (661)765-4337

Randy’s Trucking Cart-Away Concrete Mix Trailer • Hydraulic Rotation and Tilt for Mixing and Dumping • Mixes Concrete While Traveling • • Large Internal Blades • • Rear Operator Control Panel •

western shop & PET Wash January Clearance Full Grooming Salon Jackets 30% Off

Lert us wash and Brush out those wooley dogs

Dickies and FR Wrangler

Flannel Shirts 30% Off Dickies Insulated

Nails 12.00 2nd Dog $9.00

Hats - Boots - Jewelry - Purses - Jeans

Birds - nails and Wings $9.00 with beak $14.00

Coveralls $49.00 Overalls $42.00

(661) 763-4773 1050 Wood Street

www.shawswesternshop.com

Monday-Friday 9-5:30, Saturday 9-3

419 Harrison St. Taft, CA 93268 (661) 765-2987

The Tumbleweed Bar and Restaurant

Located in the Heart of Oil Country On the Petroleum Highway We Cater Your Place or Ours Full Bar Available For Your Special Event

Happy New Years from all of us at the Tumbleweed Cafe 24870 Highway 33 in Derby Acres • (661) 768-4655

Owner Orchel Krier Welcomes You and Your Family - Dinner Reservations

FULL BAR