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  • Tehachapi 5th graders embark on learning adventure at STARBASE Edwards

    Tech. Sgt. Robert Cloys, contributing writer|Sep 28, 2024

    A group of fifth grade students from Cummings Valley Elementary School recently had the opportunity to participate in the Department of Defense's STARBASE program at Edwards Air Force Base. This unique five-day educational experience, over the span of five weeks, was the first of its kind for Cummings Valley Elementary, marking a significant milestone in the program due to new DoD guidance that expanded eligibility beyond Title I schools. Teachers Angelica McKay, Haley Sexton and Lisa Newman...

  • Prepare your household now for more frequent climate disasters

    American Red Cross of Central California|Sep 28, 2024

    Take action during National Preparedness Month to get ready for emergencies The American Red Cross of Central California is encouraging everyone to take critical actions during National Preparedness Month this September to be ready for worsening disasters. Deadly storms and floods, raging fires and extreme heat are becoming more frequent and intense due to the climate crisis, and families are experiencing the effects. "Disasters can happen at any time, often without warning, changing lives...

  • New Homeschool Enrichment Program celebrates its first days

    Clare Scotti, contributing writer|Sep 28, 2024

    TVRPD Tots introduces a new program to help homeschoolers On Tuesday, Sept. 3, a new program celebrated its launch with a special ribbon cutting. With the added fun of a bounce house, donuts and giveaways, the Tehachapi Valley Recreation and Parks District Tots program launched its newest endeavor to provide support and enrichment for Tehachapi's homeschool students. Focusing on students in Kindergarten through 5th grade, the Summit Seekers program, located at 401 S. Mill St., aims to provide...

  • Friends of the Library seek book sale volunteers to give them a 'lift'

    Mark Fisher, contributing writer|Sep 28, 2024

    Apple Festival is coming up quick, and to get ready for the annual Friends of the Library Apple Festival Book Sale, the Friends of the Library are looking for some volunteers to help with moving and setting up books on Friday, Oct. 11 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. We also need volunteers to box donations, move books and tear down the sale on Sunday, Oct. 13 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. (Service hours are available.) Sign up to work a shift online at www.volunteersignup.org/TQD84 or scan the QR code. Or you...

  • Democrats consider issues

    Phyllis Belcher, contributing writer|Sep 28, 2024

    Jon Bauman will be the guest speaker at the Oct. 3 meeting of Tehachapi Mountain Democratic Club. He is the President of the Social Security Works Political Action Committee, which was created in 2017. They help elect leaders who will work to expand Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, and lower prescription drug prices for all Americans. Bernita Jenkins, who is seeking to be elected District 2 County Supervisor, will also be speaking. There are six candidates on the ballot, and she is the...

  • Senior Day at Kern County Fair

    Mark LaCiura, contributing writer|Sep 28, 2024

    The gates to the Kern County Fair opened at 9 a.m. on Sept. 20 for Senior Day, which invites all seniors, 62 or better, to enter for free parking and admission. Mayor Karen Goh and Chairman of the Kern County Board of Supervisors David Couch were on hand for the opening ceremonies. This was all presented by Dignity Health. The weather was perfect in the mid 80s. Others on hand for the opening ceremonies were Jeremy Oliver, director of Aging and Adult Services; Jared Britschgi, chairman of the...

  • Celebration of Life: Kimberly Ann Shanahan, November 5, 1954 – September 9, 2024

    Sep 28, 2024

    Kimberly Ann Shanahan, 69, peacefully passed away on Sept. 9 after a long battle with dementia, in Belmont, California, in the loving presence of her daughter Erin Shanahan. Kimberly was born on Nov. 5, 1954 to James and Patricia Waggoner in Hindsdale, Illinois. After graduating from Judson High Boarding School in Arizona, she moved to San Francisco where she attended SFSU and met her future husband, Mike Shanahan. Kimberly and Mike wed on May 8, 1977 in Las Vegas, Nevada. In 1986, they...

  • Plane Crazy Saturday, fun at Mojave Air & Space Port at Rutan Field

    Cathy Hansen, contributing writer|Sep 28, 2024

    A beautifully calm, warm day greeted guests as lots of pilots decided to fly in and display their aircraft for Plane Crazy Saturday, the monthly event sponsored by the Mojave Transportation Museum, Foundation. Each month, on the third Saturday, MTM invites pilots to bring their historic aircraft to Mojave Air & Space Port at Rutan Field for display. When the weather is nice, they show up in force! A wide-variety of aircraft was on display, from a Piper J-3 Cub to Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jet. The...

  • Day tripping to Los Angeles for $5.75

    Mark LaCiura, contributing writer|Sep 28, 2024

    With the high cost of living, I always try to save in my travel/fuel budget as I can. Yes, a day trip to Los Angeles for $5.75 is possible! I used the Metrolink train station on Sierra Highway in Lancaster to get to the Los Angles area. You just have to get yourself there and you can ride the train if you are a senior (65+) for $5.75, one way. For a regular train pass it's a bit more, but still very cost effect to get to Los Angles Union Station where there is a lot to see, like the Historic Mex...

  • Leave a lasting legacy

    Pastor Jeff Kaplan, contributing writer|Sep 28, 2024

    Leave a Lasting Legacy: Join us for an inspiring series of relevant messages at Shepherd of the Hills Church! Are you ready to make a difference that lasts beyond your lifetime? This fall, Shepherd of the Hills Church invites you to an extraordinary six-part series of messages that promise to ignite your passion for leaving a meaningful legacy. Beginning Sunday, Oct. 13 at 10:30 a.m., we'll explore what it means to create a legacy that not only shapes our lives, but also impacts generations to...

  • Homemade granola bars: a fall hiking favorite in our backpacks

    Daniela Peregrina, contributing writer|Sep 28, 2024

    Fall is a special time of year for my fiancée Rick and I. As the air cools and the leaves turn golden, we try to take every chance we can to take small hikes. Along with our love for hiking, we've made homemade granola bars a staple in our routine, providing the perfect snack for our mini-outdoor adventures. Granola bars have been a favorite for hikers, and they have an interesting history. In the late 1800s, Dr. James Caleb Jackson created a version of granola by baking graham flour into...

  • Celebration of Life: Johnny Gonzales, January 3, 1981 – August 25, 2024

    Sep 28, 2024

    Johnny Gonzales passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by his mom and beloved dog, Kush, on Aug. 25. He was 43 years old. Johnny was born in San Diego, California to Ignacita M. Gonzales on Jan. 3, 1981. Johnny was an avid skate and snowboarder and a lover of Southsiders music. We will miss his "catch you later" goodbyes. Johnny is survived by his mother Ignacita M. Gonzales, tia Honorine Garcia, tia Martha Macias, Godmother Terry Macias, cousins Alexandra, Jeannine and Georgina Jaramillo,...

  • Hitching Post happiness

    Mel Makaw, contributing writer|Sep 28, 2024

    Like many of you, last February I was terribly sad to find out that the Hitching Post Theater in our fair little town had closed its doors for good, due to the untimely and unexpected death of owner Will Viner. And then like many of you, I was delighted to find out the beloved little four-screen theater was reopening this summer with new owners. Open it did, refurbished and improved with a new look – but still with the small town feeling so many of us had come to love – a welcome happening for...

  • REACH and I Love Cal City host successful community cleanup

    Shauna Royten, contributing writer|Sep 28, 2024

    On Sept. 14, REACH and I Love Cal City joined forces for a successful fourth-quarter community cleanup, focusing on revitalizing the Dollar General parking lot area. From 8 to 11:30 a.m., volunteers worked tirelessly to beautify and enhance the space. In addition to this main effort, various groups and organizations tackled other important areas across the city, with significant efforts directed toward removing large items from notorious illegal dumping sites. The success of this event was...

  • Meet Your New Neighbors

    Pat Doody, Welcome Hostess|Sep 28, 2024

    Pastor Harold Gordon arrived in Tehachapi on July 1 with his wife CeCe and their 4-year-old son Elijah. They moved to Tehachapi from Oakland for Harold to take over as pastor of Tehachapi Valley United Methodist Church on Shout Rd. Although Harold was born in Los Angeles, his family moved to South Carolina when he was 18 months old. He has a brother and a sister. Their mother passed away when he was young. He dropped out of high school and joined the army and spent three years in Germany. He say...

  • Over the picket fence

    Pat Gracey, contributing writer|Sep 28, 2024

    When I was no more than 12, in 1940, I used to spend some time in the afternoons sitting on the front steps of our home on Curry and F streets. I would either have a book or perhaps just sit there petting the dog. Of course, my ulterior motive was to see if the 13-year-old boy I liked would be riding by on his bike. His happening by at that particular time was not accidental, for he would always "happen by" and we'd talk for an hour. Things were so simple in those days. He would park his bike...

  • Celebration of Life: Jo-Ann Carmella Hanna, June 5, 1943 – September 18, 2024

    Sep 28, 2024

    Jo-Ann Hanna, 81, went to be with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ on Sept. 18 in her home in Tehachapi. Jo-Ann is survived by her loving husband of 64 years, Michael Hanna; her sons, Tony, Tim and Paul; daughters-in-law, Lisa and Claudia; seven grandchildren and three great grandchildren. Jo-Ann was born on June 5, 1943, in Detroit, Michigan to her parents, Joseph and Teresa Spalla. She spent the first 10 years of her life in Long Island, New York until her family moved to Palmdale, where her...

  • Nostalgia and gratitude, farewell to the Oakland Coliseum

    Corey Costelloe, contributing writer|Sep 28, 2024

    Another building near and dear to my heart closed last week as the Oakland Athletics played their final game at the Oakland Coliseum. I am one that is all for nostalgia, but unlike most fans, I do not let that blind me to the reality of life, and the reality of the business that is Major League Baseball and professional sports in general. Since the late 1960s the Coliseum has been relatively untouched, except for the renovation in the mid 1990s that added "Mount Davis," the extra seating and...

  • September is Library Card sign up month

    Mark Fisher, contributing writer|Sep 28, 2024

    If you have a library card, you're already aware of benefits you can access, like being able to check out books, DVDs and CDs. You might even be aware of some of the electronic resources available to card holders. But if you haven't accessed it recently you may be missing out on some of the things you can do with your library card. Tehachapi Library Associate Teresa Skousen says that your " library card to the Kern County library opens so much more than the cover of a book, it opens up a...

  • A glimpse of the third annual Brews on the Mountain

    Sep 28, 2024

    From the bottom of our hearts, we want to extend the deepest gratitude to all the incredible breweries who shared their amazing brews with us! People loved the tastes and just sharing the experiences of many loved breweries in one place. To the wonderful food vendors, your food not only fueled us throughout the day, but it brought people together in ways that only great food can. You made every bite an unforgettable experience! A huge thank you to the bands that moved the stage and created the...

  • Local artisan featured in TIME magazine

    Donna Wolfe, contributing writer|Sep 14, 2024

    Having caught the attention of a journalist working on articles for a Special Edition of iconic TIME magazine, Tess Wolfe, a local Tehachapi artisan, is being featured in the newly-released TIME magazine Dungeons and Dragons 50th Anniversary Special Edition! The article, "Why We'll Always Love Dice" appears on page 66 in the magazine. Tess, a Southern California native, grew up in Tehachapi. She dabbled in various art mediums throughout her youth, exploring different disciplines while her own...

  • 'Do the Math' to debut new studio set for 23rd season

    Kern County Superintendent of Schools|Sep 14, 2024

    For more than two decades, Kern County 4th through 12th graders in need of a little extra help with their math homework have tuned into "Do the Math," a standards-based mathematics TV show and free tutoring program produced by KCSOS's Kern Education Television Network (KETN). The 23rd season began Sept. 10. During the off season, the "Do the Math" studio received a much-needed makeover after 22 seasons. With the help of the Panama-Buena Vista Union School district, "Do the Math" now has a...

  • Celebration of Life: Timothy David Gillies

    Sep 14, 2024

    Timothy David Gillies, 30, passed away way too early, on Sept. 3. He is survived by his parents, Rick and Dot Gillies, and siblings Phillip, Lino and Ruby Gillies; additional siblings include April, Virginia, Cynthia, Natasha and Joey, and grandparents Dave and Sally Lawrence. The cause of death is under investigation. Funeral services are pending....

  • History book, paintings donated to museum

    Phyllis Belcher, contributing writer|Sep 14, 2024

    Helen McAllister, a local folk artist, moved to Tehachapi in 1990 when she retired from a career in behavior management. As soon as she arrived, she became interested in the history of the area and began painting familiar places around town. Helen is now relocating to San Pedro to live with her daughter. She can't take 30 years of paintings and collections to her new home, so she has been donating items to local thrift shops and museums. Many of her paintings have already been given away during...

  • Kolesar the kicker and 47 yards that broke a 47-year old record

    Corey Costelloe, contributing writer|Sep 14, 2024

    In 1977, a Tehachapi kid kicked a 45-yard field goal against Kern Valley and established a record that would stand for 47 years. Vince McLaughlin booted that field goal in a 27-10 loss at Kern Valley in a season that was less than memorable for the Warriors, who would finish the year 4-5 and suffer their first losing record since 1961. I'm fairly confident that Vince and his head coach at the time, Dennis Ruggles, paid very little attention to that record. Back then they might not have even know...

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