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APRIL 9, 2020 • Volume 12 Issue 16
“Serving the West Kern County Communities of Taft, South Taft, Ford City, Maricopa, Fellows, McKittrick, Derby Acres, Dustin Acres, and the Cuyama Valley”
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Know the facts about coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and help stop the spread of rumors. FACT
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Diseases can make anyone sick regardless of their race or ethnicity.
Fear and anxiety about COVID-19 can cause people to avoid or reject others even though they are not at risk for spreading the virus.
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FACT
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For most people, the immediate risk of becoming seriously ill from the virus that causes COVID-19 is thought to be low.
Older adults and people of any age who have serious underlying medical conditions may be at higher risk for more serious complications from COVID-19.
There are simple things you can do to help keep yourself and others healthy.
FACT
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• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing; going to the bathroom; and before eating or preparing food. • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands. • Stay home when you are sick. • Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
You can help stop COVID-19 by knowing the signs and symptoms:
FACT
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FACT
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Someone who has completed quarantine or has been released from isolation does not pose a risk of infection to other people.
For up-to-date information, visit CDC’s coronavirus disease 2019 web page.
• Fever • Cough • Shortness of breath Seek medical advice if you • Develop symptoms AND • Have been in close contact with a person known to have COVID-19 or if you live in or have recently been in an area with ongoing spread of COVID-19.
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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 2,500 issues and distribute to over 85 locations in the city of Taft and the neighboring communities of Cuyama Valley, McKittrick, Maricopa, Fellows and Western Kern County, California.
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Coronavirus
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Coronavirus and the big picture: Brace for the worst, pray for the best America and the globe appear to be in for months of disruption because of the spread of coronavirus. In what sounds like a line from a zombie movie but is all too real, Gov. Gavin Newsom has said that as the number of infected grows, it may be necessary to impose martial law to keep the state functioning. In Washington, D.C., public health officials have repeatedly pushed back at notions that the virus will disappear when the weather heats up. In Great Britain, secret government documents viewed by The Guardian predict the outbreak will be a public health nightmare through spring of next year. If this is going to be the norm for an extended stretch, than our institutions need to adapt, starting with K-12 education, which Newsom doubts will resume in normal fashion for months to come. School officials are adjusting, slowly. Districts statewide are continuing to play their vital role in providing meals to children from poor families. But more can and should be done. Students who can’t go to school should still learn online. Newsom and the state Legislature should consider an emergency program to provide inexpensive laptops and basic WiFi access to the millions of low-income households which now have no online access. The state’s much-ballyhooed cash reserves are likely to be eyed for many coronavirus-related needs, but few if any are as important as educating our children. Local, state and federal officials also should start to plan how they’re going to get food to people when the money runs out in households led by laid-off workers or owners of bankrupt small businesses. The logistics of a food distribution system that maintains social distancing need to be addressed as soon as possible. Drive-through food banks? Sure. And while the health-care system is sure to be strained going forward, perhaps overwhelmingly so, some thought should be given to efforts to help stressed-out Americans of all ages deal with this crisis. Perhaps the religious leaders who no long have services and their followers can help take on the challenge of phone therapy for all those who already suffered from loneliness and depression even before the biggest national crisis since 9/11. But even so, people should find some hope in the wall-to-wall coverage of the pandemic from people with credibility. Dr. Walter Ricciardi, a member of the World Health Organization’s executive council, said he could conceive a scenario in which the coronavirus crisis faded by summer. A team of University of Hong Kong academics, who have had broad acccess to patient records in Wuhan, China, where the pandemic began, believe the death rates for individuals with symptomatic COVID-19 is significantly lower than is now assumed. What should ultimately give the world the most hope is human ingenuity. The idea that tens of thousands of experts will have as their singular focus coming up with a vaccine for the coronavirus threat — and that many are likely to have all the resources they need for their research — is like the global, mass-sourced version of the Manhattan Project, the secret World War II effort to ensure the U.S. developed an atomic bomb before Nazi Germany. It probably isn’t reasonable to expect a quick breakthrough given the projected timeline for a vaccine. But don’t underestimate human brilliance.
The Taft Independent Editorial
Westside Watcher
Midway-Sunset Adventures
How to Make China Pay By JOHN YOO & IVANA STRADNER
Miller Time By Randy Miller Hi Everyone, How are you holding up ?? I can’t imagine there is anyone that would have figured out how this new decade would begin. Even with all the political discord that was going on, more people were working, the stock market was hitting new highs and the economy was humming right along. I for one wasn’t even thinking pandemic, who was ?? We had one around 2009 that was pretty serious and many people died and it took a terrible toll on the economy and in our lives, but we didn’t shut down the country. This is a whole new ball game for everyone. Lots of finger pointing; would’da, should’da, could’da; who’s in charge; why, why, why wasn’t there a plan in place ?? Why not ?? How come; geeze this is just awful. It is like a Tsunami, you just don’t know how big the wave is going to be and are you far away from the shoreline to not get soaked ?? So, far as I write this, we have no known cases in Taft and no one has died. Yet. The Coronavirus is a monster waiting to be unleashed on the innocent. I happened to be in that vulnerable senior age group that must be very careful especially if we start getting our first cases. We practice all the new terminology, social distancing, shelter in place, sequestered, and self-isolate. We are stocked up but haven’t gone overboard on anything, but we are good for a month or two, hoping by then the crest of the danger has peaked. Stay safe, wash your hands, wear a mask and gloves if you have them. As I have sat here in the house for the last 3 weeks, I am so appreciative of all the health care responders, police, and fire personnel who are out there putting it all on the line for us. But as I was pondering this, I got to looking around and say, don’t we still have water and power ?? How come, with economy and seemingly everything shutting down ?? Because utility people, cable people, and telephone providers are still doing their jobs to make sure as we are tucked in that we continue to have the conveniences we have come to expect. They are out there in the open too, it must be concerning for them as they continue to expose themselves in harms way. Then there the folks manning the food store, gas stations, and restaurants and other essential services as they are defined. Why weren’t we all more prepared ?? When I was on the hospital board and city council, we talked a lot about disaster preparedness, every year, but budget constraints put it on the back burner. We were thinking at the time of earthquakes not a pandemic. Multiply that across the county, state, and nation, it comes down to money. You must spend a lot of money to stack warehouses full of supplies, and what supplies, and do they have a time date, do they deteriorate, and will they get pilfered. For small communities such as Taft, do you spend your budget on roads and residents services or supplies you may never use ?? It’s a tough call, but not for back seat drivers who come out of the woodwork when something like this happens. It’s know one’s fault, it happened, how do we do deal with it as a community and as a nation ?? We all have to chip in and do our part, by staying healthy, protect yourselves and your neighbors. We need to help those that are less than prepared due to their economic situation. At the Need’s Center, we are serving a much larger group of families, couples, kids, and single adults. This means that we are handing out a great amount of food stuffs than ever before and by the time we box or bag it up it’s heavy, and we are old and it’s a lot of work and we could use your help this coming Monday the 13th from 9 to noon. Bring some gloves and a mask and a helping hand and heart for those that are really in need, they really are. By the way, where did congress find two trillion spare dollars to give away to stir the economy ?? By my calculations, if you don’t have it, you borrow it; you’re now deeper in debt and with no reasonable plan to get it paid off timely. How’s that for stirring up things ?? By the way who has two trillion dollars to spare; hummm, the Chinese maybe ?? Ginny and I were walking out west on the trail from Hillard when a young female high schooler ran by. She proceeded to stop at the Oildorado benches, do some pushups off the bench, then squatting, she jumped onto the bench, off and on about ten times. We caught up with her, keeping our distance, I asked her if she knew she was leaving dirty footprints on the bench and nobody would want to sit there. She something like “Ohh really”. I asked why didn’t she bring a rag along with her to wipe them off. Nothing. Off she went. As we followed her, she kept at it, but now she made sure the benches were completely covered in her footprints. She has not a clue what she was doing, didn’t care, and got even with me. In this crisis unfortunately, these are the kinds of people we all have to deal with, in so many ways. So many people expect to be cleaned up after or taken care of, when its time now for them to step up.
One of the big questions facing the international community today is how to hold China legally and politically accountable for all its dishonesty and harm to people around the world. According to reports, U.S. intelligence agencies have confirmed to the White House that China has deliberately understated the number of its people who have contracted and died from the coronavirus epidemic. Such deceit follows Beijing’s recklessness in suppressing news of the origins, rapid spread, and lethality of COVID-19 in December and January. Chinese officials punished doctors who tried to warn of the outbreak in Wuhan, slowed identification and research on the virus, and allowed thousands to leave the region for the rest of the world. If China were an individual, a company, or a law-abiding nation, it would be required to provide compensation for the harm it has inflicted globally. The United States alone may well suffer 200,000 or more deaths, billions in health-care costs, trillions in lost economic activity, and trillions more in new government spending. China’s failures render it legally liable under international law, but the COVID-19 crisis has exposed the crisis of ineffectiveness and corruption of international institutions. Instead of focusing on international law, the U.S. should thus protect its national interests by opting for the self-help mechanism. International institutions provide no meaningful way to force China to remedy the harm it has caused. The United Nations Security Council, allegedly the supreme lawmaking and executive body in international law, cannot hold China to account because China and Russia exercise their permanent right to veto any Security Council resolution. China has rendered the U.N. impotent, even though U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has declared the COVID-19 pandemic the world’s most challenging crisis since World War II, as it has become a threat to international peace and security by shutting down swaths of the global economy and killing thousands, if not millions. The U.S. and its allies also could try to sue China before an international tribunal, such as the International Court of Justice, although countries have never been sued for their violation of infectious-disease treaties. But even if a court were to judge China responsible for the injury caused by its handling of COVID-19, China would just ignore any decision. When the Permanent Court of Arbitration found that China’s construction of artificial islands in the South China Sea violated international law, Beijing simply ignored the ruling. A Chinese official declared that the judgment was “nothing more than a piece of paper.” We should expect nothing different from China in the case of the COVID-19 pandemic. The World Health Organization (WHO) has only a weak, non-binding dispute-resolution mechanism, but China’s failure to promptly report the coronavirus outbreak to the organization violated the International Health Regulations, which require states to notify the WHO of potential publichealth emergencies “of international concern.” In fact, China has used its financial war chest to manipulate the WHO. China’s annual funding of the organization, which relies on voluntary donations, has increased to $86 million since 2014 (a rise of 52 percent). The WHO’s director general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has praised China’s leadership for its “openness to share information” with the international community and stated that China “has bought the world time” regarding the coronavirus. In January, the WHO parroted China’s line that there was no “clear evidence of human-to-human transmission of the novel coronavirus.” The WHO has also followed the Chinese line on Taiwan, excluding it from membership and barring it from COVID-19 response meetings. While some scholars have suggested that a larger budget would make the WHO more effective, the Trump administration has rightly halved America’s contribution. Not only has the WHO become a Chinese client, but it also spends $200 million a year on luxury travel. The U.S. should investigate the WHO and its director general and expose their ties with China. Rather than rely on corrupt, conflicted international institutions such as the WHO, the United States and its allies should engage in self-help. To protect against the next virus outbreak, the U.S. should create a new monitoring mechanism that can detect global health threats early, spread information about them reliably, and coordinate national efforts to develop a response. The International Atomic Energy Agency’s inspection regime for illicit nuclear weapons could provide a model. The U.S. and other wealthy nations could establish a similar inspection regime and provide financial assistance to developing nations that agree to participate. “Trust but verify” could become the watchword not just for Ronald Reagan’s nuclear-reduction treaties with the Soviets, but for a truly effective global health system. The U.S. should also punish China for its coronavirus failings as an incentive for Beijing to mend its ways. Washington could persuade leading nations to join it in excluding Chinese scholars and students from scientific research centers and universities. China has used its Thousand Talents program to recruit scientists to help steal sensitive technology from American laboratories. Confucius Institutes have spread propaganda while masquerading as Chinese cultural centers. Senator Ted Cruz (R., Texas) and Representative Francis Rooney (R., Fla.) have introduced the Stop Higher Education Espionage and Theft Act to help colleges protect against threats by foreign actors. According to China experts, President Xi Jinping depends on a humming economy and appeals to nationalism for his political legitimacy. The U.S. and its allies could strike at the heart of the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) claim to a mandate from heaven by further ratcheting up the pressure on Beijing to adopt a more cooperative, transparent stance on public health by imposing economic sanctions and inflicting serious economic harm on China. The Trump administration could enhance its efforts to exclude China from buying and selling advanced technologies, such as microchips, artificial intelligence, or biotechnology. It took an important step in that direction this week by implementing new measures on chip exports to Huawei. In addition, the U.S. should use targeted sanctions on specific CCP leaders and their supporters by freezing their assets and prohibiting their travel. The administration needs to impose pain on CCP supporters so that they will want to change policy to alleviate their own economic losses. In addition to halting any further trade cooperation with Beijing, the administration could also seize the assets of Chinese state-owned companies. Under its Belt and Road Initiative, Beijing reportedly has loaned billions to developing nations in Africa, Eastern Europe, and Latin America, and then taken over their strategic ports and facilities once the debts fall due. The U.S. could turn this strategy on its head by supporting the expropriation of these assets by legal process and the cancellation of these debts as compensation for coronavirus losses. Seizing Chinese property would allow the United States to finally use international law to its advantage. Let China try to go to court and claim that the U.S., its allies, and the developing world have violated international rules. Let Beijing try to show that these nations have no right to compensation for its coverup of the coronavirus outbreak. Let the Chinese Communist Party try to claim, outside its own borders, just as it does within them, that it can deny common sense and blame the very victims of its wrongdoing for the worst public-health catastrophe in a century.
The Taft Independent
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The Taft Independent
Coronavirus facts and myths: Clearing up COVID-19 confusion with truth By Natalie O’Neill April 2, 2020 There are so many stories swirling about the coronavirus, it’s hard to tell what’s fact or fiction. People have been holed up for weeks obsessively staring at computer screens — sifting through conflicting and confusing advice about how to stay safe and treat the virus. Time for a reality check. Here’s what the most credible authorities — the World Health World Health Organization, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases — know and are still learning about the virus. How did coronavirus start? A person probably got it from an animal, but health officials aren’t sure. “The first human cases of COVID-19 were identified in Wuhan City, China in December 2019. At this stage, it is not possible to determine precisely how humans in China were initially infected,” according to the World Health World Health Organization. “It is thought that [it] jumped the species barrier and initially infected humans…this could be a domestic animal, a wild animal, or a domesticated wild animal and, as of yet, has not been identified,” the organization said. How long does coronavirus last on surfaces? “It is not certain how long the virus that causes COVID-19 survives on surfaces, but it seems to behave like other coronaviruses. Studies suggest that coronaviruses may persist on surfaces for a few hours or up to several days,” the organization said. To clean the surface, wash it “with a simple disinfectant to kill the virus and protect yourself and others,” the WHO advises. Can you catch coronavirus from packages? It’s unlikely that a package sent to your home — including grocery deliveries or other supplies — would be carrying the virus, according to the WHO. “The likelihood of an infected person contaminating commercial goods is low and the risk of catching the virus that causes COVID-19 from a package that has been moved, traveled, and exposed to different conditions and temperature is also low,” it states. Do face masks work against coronavirus? Authorities still don’t know if masks help a healthy person outside of a medical setting avoid catching the virus. The CDC is investigating. “The idea of getting a much more broad, community-wide use of masks outside of the health care setting is under very active discussion at the task force. The CDC group is looking at that very carefully,” Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, said earlier this week. Other health officials recommend wearing one only if you’re already sick.
“Only wear a mask if you are ill with COVID-19 symptoms (especially coughing) or looking after someone who may have COVID-19. Disposable face masks can only be used once,” the WHO advises. Can dogs get coronavirus? Yes, but there haven’t been many confirmed cases, and canines are not likely to spread it. “While there has been one instance of a dog being infected in Hong Kong, to date, there is no evidence that a dog, cat or any pet can transmit COVID-19,” according to the WHO. The CDC reports that two dogs have been infected, and recommends “avoiding contact with your pet including, petting, snuggling, being kissed or licked” if you are sick and “washing your hands after handling” animals. Does coronavirus harm mostly old and sick people? Yes, it appears to hit those demographics hardest. A CDC study showed that around 80 percent of coronavirus deaths were among adults 65 years and older. People with “severe chronic medical conditions — like heart disease, lung disease and diabetes, for example — seem to be at higher risk of developing serious COVID-19 illness,” the CDC said. Still, many young people have been seriously ill. The CDC also reported that about 20% of hospitalized patients were between the ages of 20 and 44. What are coronavirus symptoms? It usually starts with a cough or a fever. “The most common symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, tiredness, and dry cough,” according to the WHO. “Some patients may have aches and pains, nasal congestion, runny nose, sore throat or diarrhea. These symptoms are usually mild and begin gradually. Some people become infected but don’t develop any symptoms and don’t feel unwell.”
Is there a treatment for coronavirus ? Doctors are testing out several different drugs — including antiviral and antimalarial medicines — but nothing has been scientifically proven to work. “There is no evidence that current medicine can prevent or cure the disease,” according to the WHO. How far can coronavirus travel in the air ? It can travel three to six feet, most officials agree. “The disease can spread from person to person through small droplets from the nose or mouth which are spread when a person with COVID-19 coughs or exhales. These droplets land on objects and surfaces around the person,” according to the WHO. “People can catch COVID-19 if they breathe in droplets from a person with COVID-19 who coughs out or exhales droplets. This is why it is important to stay more than three feet away from a person who is sick.” Health officials are still searching for answers because some infected people are asymptomatic and others were not tested before dying. Last week, the CDC released a report noting that of the 170,000 coronavirus cases reported globally between Feb. 12 and March 16, roughly 7,000 — about 4.1 percent — resulted in death. Of the 213,144 people infected in the US, 4,513 people have died, or about 2 percent, the CDC said Thursday.
Recepie Corner By Brenda Collins I had this casserole when we were in Missouri visiting Art and Linda Walter. Linda’s sister, Fern, made this casserole and I had 3 helpings! Where do these recipes come from. From someone’s vivid imagination, I guess. When I first tried a recipe that called for Rotel tomatoes I was ignorant enough to believe that any canned tomatoes would do. But Rotel tomatoes are special and have spices and chilis in them that really jazz up a dish. I only made that mistake once. Not loving the cold mornings and nights, but since I don’t have to go out anywhere if I don’t want to, I stay home where it’s warm. My heart goes out to the homeless and the feral animals that are left to find warmth where they can. Our feral cat is just such one. He has lived outside all of his 12 plus years and will not allow us to close the door on him while he is inside. We keep it pushed to almost closed and he is able to use his paw to pull it open when he wants out. We have tried for two years to ‘tame’ him, but, I know it will never happen. I am just about to wind up my year long oral surgery procedure. I had to have three teeth pulled and needed to go to an oral surgeon to have implants surgically planted in my gums. The next step is to have actual teeth screwed into the screws implanted in my gums. Dr. Stanley Koh is my oral surgeon and a nicer, gentler, surgeon you will never find. I am so tired of chewing on one side of my mouth. Boy, it takes forever to eat! I have had more friends/ex relatives in medical crisis this new year. Our dear friend, from Ed’s Highway Patrol days, was in the hospital for over a month and will go back on Feb. 13th for surgery. He has decided to move into assisted living in March. He lives alone and is 86. My best friend from the age of 8 years, Suzanne Marshall Bradley, underwent a medical proce-
The Taft Independent dure, very tricky, to repair a nicked artery from a previous surgery. Then, my ex-brother-in-law, Richie Martinez, attended a Conders game with his brother, Mike McMains, and had a MASSIVE heart attack at the event. He was told that if paramedics had not been right there, at the game, and had given him CPR, he would have died. As it was, he was given a pace maker and told he only has 35% of his heart muscle still working. Still, he is so lucky. The local Bakersfield news team drove to Los Osos to interview him after he went home from the hospital. They told him it was a miracle that he lived through the heart attack, it was so massive. Richie had come to Bakersfield to visit his brother and attend the hockey game. He and his wife Coreen, live in Los Osos. From their home at the top of the hill, they can look right down on Morro Rock. Beautiful. Richie built every room, corner, wall etc. of that house himself. In 1968 he and his, then wife, bought a huge lot on the top of the hill for $10,000. It had a tiny 600 square ft. house and a separate garage. They moved into the garage and Richie started building his two story house. It took him years to complete. I can’t even guess the value of his property today, but Richie is still the same wonderful person he ever was. So glad he survived. Oh, and he is my age. A youngster, ha! I am so glad that all three stories had a happy ending. Our friend in Sacramento will have his surgery, as planned, on February 13th. we are sure he will do fine. I make cornbread from a long ago recipe in my head. One of these days I will sit down and write it out as I am doing it. I would love to be able to pass that recipe on. It came from my grandmother, Rosalene. She always made it in a cast iron skillet and poured the batter into a hot, greased skillet before placing it into a hot oven. The bottom crust would get crispy and delicious. Oh, and she always used buttermilk in the recipe. Just one of the several recipes I don’t have a written recipe for. I’m glad the Trump impeachment debacle is over and congress can get back
to whatever it is they do? I will say a prayer for Rush Limbaugh every single night until I know he is all right! That’s all the political news I have. Ed and I are enjoying our new fireplace gas insert. It adds such ambience and warmth to the living room and kitchen. You must try Mike’s menu out at the Black Gold restaurant. He works very hard to make every recipe delicious. Nothing is overlooked in getting the best ingredients. (MEAT)! Everyone stay warm. Enjoy! FERN’S CASSEROLE 2 lbs. ground chuck 1 can cream mushroom soup 1 can cream chicken soup 1 – 10 oz can Rotel tomatoes with diced green chilis 2 med. cans enchilada sauce, 1 mild, 1 hot 1 reg. bag Doritos w/cheese, crushed 4 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese Fry meat, drain grease. Add soups, Rotel tomatoes and enchilada sauces. In a 9 x 13 casserole dish layer; ½ the Doritos, burger meat mixture, grated cheese. Repeat. Bake @350 til cheese is melted and casserole is bubbly. Note: do not add salt. There is plenty of salt in the soups, cheese and Doritos.
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Obituary
Eric Stewart 1955 -2020 Eric was born in Bakersfield on October 31, 1955 to Lyle and Mary Stewart. He attended Taft City Schools and graduated from Taft Union High School. He worked summers for his uncle starting at the age of 14, which became full time in the Carrizo Plains. His ranching evolved into becoming a successful sheepman and rancher owning and operating his own business. Eric was a very giving person and would help anyone that was needed a helping hand. He was a very talented mechanic and carried a small crescent wrench that he could fix anything with. His most stand out trait, is his kindness and selflessness to everyone. Eric was preceded in death by his parents, Lyle and Mary Stewart. His survivors include the love of his life of 25 years, Pam Stewart; his daughter, Erica Stewart; his granddaughter, McKinley; his nephew, Little Louie; and by many friends. Eric will be deeply missed by many and will be forever in our hearts. www.GreenlawnM-C.com
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Breakfast Lunch Dinner Monday - Saturday 7am - 2pm 5pm - 8 pm 508 Center Street Historic Downtown Taft
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1st Congregational Church of Maricopa “The little white church with the great big heart” Sunday Services 10 am Next to Memorial Park 395 California Ave. Maricopa, California (661) 231-5157
Your Church Ad Here 623-4296
Steven J. McDaniel Pastor Service Sunday 10am & 6pm Wednesday 7pm 400 S. 6th St. Taft, CA 93268 upcofttaft@gmail.com rwccoftaft.com
604 Main Street Maricopa, CA 93252 Pastors Tommy and Mary A. McWhorter
630 North St. 765-5557
“ “Freely Given” Clothing Giveaway Every 3rd Saturday of the month from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Upstairs in the Education Building outside the front gates
Pastor Cindy Brettschneider Sunday Morning Worship 10:00 AM Adult Bible Study and Sunday School 11:45 AM Adult Bible Study Monday 6:00 PM Wednesday Night Service 6:00 PM Praise Team meets on Thursday at 4:00 PM
Services: Sunday 10am & 5pm Wednesday 6:30pm Monday Evening Mens Prayer 7:00 Wednesday Evening Worship 6:30
ALL are WELCOME Come as you are! For a ride: Call Dorine Horn 427-9722
Maricopa Community Church
WED. BIBLE STUDY 6PM SUNDAY SCHOOL 9:45AM SUNDAY M11AM AND 6PM
631 North Street Sunday School 9:30 a.m. Morning Worship 10:30
St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church
“A Place to Connect” 308 Harrison Street 765-4572 Sunday Morning Services 8:30 a.m. and 10:15 a.m.
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Sunday Service - 10 a.m. www.standrewstaft.org
Wednesday Evening 7p.m. For all ages
Taft First Assembly Your Neighborhood Church 314 Asher Ave
703 5th Street - Taft (661) 765-2378
Trinity Southern Baptist Church 400 Finley Drive
Join us for our Encounter Service Sundays 10:30 am
We invite you to join us each week as we worship
Pastors Rich and Erica Johnson
PASTOR MIKE LYNCH
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
Childcare Available During Services
TAFT FREEWILL BAPTIST CHURCH PASTOR ELMER MOODY
Community Christian Fellowship
New Hope Temple
Sunday Evening Prayer Service 6 p.m Bible Classes All Ages
Sunday worship 10:00 am Wednesday bible study 6:30 pm
“Taste and see that the Lord is good.”
Gateway Temple
TAFT UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
Pastor Stephen McCurtis 600 Hazelton, Maricopa 661-303-0124
Revival Worship Center
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Info call 765-7151
Peace Lutheran Church- LCMS Taft- A caring community under Christ We welcome you to worship with us at peace lutheran church, 26 Cougar Court (across from the College). Worship service begins at 10:00 a.m. Communion will be offered 1st and 3rd Sundays If you have a prayer request please call (661)765-2488. Leave a message if the pastor or secretary is not available
Church Ads
510 HARRISON ST. TAFT, CA 93268 661-833-0142 661-333-8755
$40 Per Month 623-4296
Saint Mary’s Roman Catholic Church Email Text Patroness: Our Lady of Good Counsel taftindependent.com
110 East Woodrow Street Taft, California 93268 (661) 765-4292 Office Hours: M-F 3pm–6pm Reverend Father Carlos Serrano Pastor
Sunday Morning 8:30 English 11:00 Español
Mass Schedule
Tuesday - Friday Evenings 7:00
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The Taft Independent
Classifieds
Ken Shugarts
Classified Ads are $3.00 per issue for up to three lines, $5 per issue for Classified $2.00 per off up to 5 lines,Ads andare $7 per issue forline. up toPhone, 10 lines.fax, Yardmail Sale or adsdrop are free. your adfax, tomail the or Taft Independent. Phone, drop off your ad to the Taft Independent. Deadline for submission is Wednesdays at Noon. Boxed\outlined\bolded classified ads start at $12.00 for 8 lines, $16 for 12 lines, $20 for 15 lines, $25 for 20 lines. Ad your photograph for $5. Ad your company logo for $5. Boxed adsCar, aretruck $5 or additional. E-mail us $5 (orper bring Photo Ads. house for sale ads are week,toor our $10 office) a photo ofus your home, car,office) truckaor motorcycle and with a photo. Email (or bring to our photo of your home, we’ll do the rest. car, truck or motorcycle and we’ll do the rest. Yard Saleads ads are $3 isfor 3 lines, additional lines $2 each. Classified deadline now Wednesdays at 2 p.m. Classified ad deadline is Wednesdays at Noon. Phone: 765-6550
Joyce Properties (661) 769-6469 Preserving for the Future
Rentals Real Estate
Phone: 765-6550 Fax: 765-6556
ANNOUNCEMENTS
ALANON MONDAY 7PM - 8PM. 308 Harrison. Phone 661-565-8821 or leave 661-763-4411. Leave Message. FOR SALE HELP WANTED
Driver Wanted. Starting $14/hr, benefits package included. Pre-employment physical and drug screen req. A or B license req. Must apply in person at 274 E. Cedar St., Taft. The West Side Mosquito and Vector Control District is now accepting sealed bids for 6 used trucks. For more information please call the District Office at
661-763-3510, or visit the District Officve at 7004 Gas Company Road in Taft. All sealed bids must be received by 3:00pm, March 19th, 32020. HOMES FOR SALE
House for Sale. Big Off-Market Fixer 5 bedroom 2188 Sq. Ft. 204 Adams St. Taft, CA. More info: 661-293-2723 . HOMES FOR RENT APT. FOR RENT
Studio Apt. Utilities Incl. 661 577-5247. $650. Mo. Creekside Apartments. 1 BD and 2 BD. Pool, AC & Appl. 661.765-7674. 420 Finley Dr.
House For Sale Check out this great home in Maricopa; The cute front porch and picket fence give this home great curb appeal. Nice sized great room with separate dining area. Two large bedrooms, Sunny & Spacious Kitchen, Large bathroom with separate shower and tub, Indoor laundry, Home Has been freshly painted with new carpet throughout, Large cellar for storage, Great home in Maricopa for a first time home buyer or investment property 333 Adeline Street Maricopa, CA 93252
Plumbing • Septic • Rooter Framing • Electrical • Concrete We Do All Phases of Construction Kitchen and Bathroom Specialists Ken Shugarts (661) 343-0507
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 Independent210 508 CA 93268 Taft Independent 6thCenter St., Taft,St., CA Taft, 93268.
Air Conditioning & Heating
30 Plus Years in Construction License No. 927634
(661) 769-6469
U-Cart Cement
The Taft Independent
Cart-Away Concrete Mix Trailer Hydraulic Rotation and Tilt for Mixing and Dumping Mixes Concrete While Traveling Large Internal Blades Rear Operator Control Panel
(661) 763-4773 1050 Wood Street
New Home For Sale
418 DIAMOND STREET 3 BED, 2 BATHROOM
For Viewing Call Colston Construction (661) 763-3517 or Karri Christensen Mobile Real Estate (661) 332-6597 DRE# 0333971
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The Taft Independent
Black Gold Brewing Company We are Open for to go Orders and Deliverys in the immediate Taft area. Call 661 7675-6556 to place your order. Complete menu on our Facebook Page on the left column
Local Craft Beer Brewery and Restaurant Breakfast Lunch Dinner Genuine Thai Food Grilled Steaks Pub Burgers Fish & Chips 7am to 2 pm & 5pm to 8pm Monday - Saturday Veteran Owned and Operated Brewery Taft’s Original Craft Beer Brewery and Restaurant 508 Center Street Historic Downtown Taft (661) 765-6556