Wasco Is

Wasco Is grateful for all the amazing coaches. From the parents who are their kids first coach, to Rec coaches, travel team coaches, elementary, middle and high school coaches…we appreciate all that you give to our community!

🎉 You’re Invited to Our ASES/ELOP Carnival! 🎉
Join us for a fun-filled evening for the whole family at James A. Forrest!

📅 Wednesday, October 14, 2026
🕟 4:30–6:30 PM
📍 James A. Forrest
💙 FREE Community Event!

Come celebrate with us and enjoy an afternoon filled with fun, games, activities, community resources, and family-friendly entertainment!

Families will have the opportunity to connect with local community partners, participate in activities, enjoy games, and make wonderful memories together.

✨ Bring your family and invite your friends! Everyone in the community is welcome. We look forward to seeing you there!

Olive tones & western vibes 🤎🤠✨
Meet our Olive Trails Set—a matching vest and mini skirt with button details and a cute waist tie! 🔥

Pair it with your favorite cowboy boots for the perfect fall look, or style the pieces separately! 😍

🛍️ We’re OPEN TODAY, Sunday, 11 AM–5 PM! Come say hi and shop your favorites!

📍JBEE’S BOUTIQUE
900 7th St, Suite B, Wasco, CA
🌐 www.jbeesboutique.com

Wasco Is offered candidates in elections impacting our community to contribute statements and photos of their choosing as we have done for years. They will be posted as is without editing. Let’s get to know our candidates. First up is Gilberto Reyna.

My name is Gilberto Reyna, and I have the honor of serving Wasco residents as a member of the City Council representing District 1. My work is rooted in listening, collaboration, and a deep
commitment to the people who call Wasco home. That commitment began long before I joined the Council in 2015, and it continues to guide everything I do today.

I believe meaningful public service begins with being present—listening to residents, bringing people together, and working to turn community needs into action and meaningful results.

Supporting Local Families
Through our bimonthly food distribution at St. John's Parish Hall, I work alongside Líderes
Campesinas and community volunteers to help provide hundreds of families with fresh produce
and essential food items supplied by Food Forward. The distribution is made possible with the support of Fr. Loji Pilones, who makes St. John's Parish Hall available for the distribution, and through the contributions of each organization and volunteer involved. It is a meaningful example of what can happen when community, faith-based, and nonprofit partners come together to serve their neighbors.

Promoting Mental Health and Wellness
I helped bring the NAMI Hearts & Minds workshop series to Wasco, providing residents with tools for healthy living and opportunities to strengthen connections with one another. In 2025, I also co-founded Wasco's inaugural Mental Health Awareness & Art Festival in honor of World Bipolar Day. With support from partners including the Orange Heart Foundation and NAMI Kern, the festival brought residents together in downtown Wasco to promote mental health awareness through creativity, connection, and community. In 2026, we continued that effort with our second annual festival, building on the first year and creating another opportunity for residents and families to come together around mental health awareness and community well-being. In May 2025, NAMI Kern County also recognized my work in this area with a special
recognition award for mental health advocacy.

Connecting Residents With Resources
Health partnerships have also been an important part of my work. For nearly two years, I worked with Kern Sol News, the Kern County Health Department, and other community partners on vaccination clinics and health fairs that brought COVID-19 and flu vaccines directly to our
community.

In 2023, the City of Wasco and I also worked with the Dolores Huerta Foundation, Bakersfield PACE, and Kern Sol News to host a community resource fair offering food boxes, senior services, and health information.

In 2025, I helped coordinate the two-day UCLA Mobile Eye and Vaccination Clinic at the Old
Courthouse, where farmworkers received free eye exams and glasses, while Kern Medical provided flu and COVID-19 vaccinations. I also volunteered during the clinics, working alongside our partners as they provided these services to the community.

Strengthening Public Safety
Public safety has remained a major focus of my work. I advocated with state legislators for a $5 million state budget allocation toward future police facilities, supporting Wasco's long-term investment in public safety infrastructure.

In 2022, I organized a community forum in response to rising crime and later formed a steering advisory committee to evaluate creating an independent Wasco Police Department. This work gave residents, community leaders, and stakeholders an opportunity to discuss Wasco's public safety needs and helped lay the groundwork for the department's development.

Making Our Streets Safer
As a Kern Council of Governments board member, I have also championed pedestrian and
alternative transportation safety. For several years, I advocated for improvements to two important highway crossings in Wasco. That work resulted in incremental safety
improvements—from painted crosswalks and pedestrian warning signs to flashing beacons—and
ultimately helped advance more substantial safety projects, including a HAWK signal planned for Highway 46 at Poplar Avenue and enhanced safety measures now in place on Highway 43 at 8th Street.

The projects received significant support through the Highway Safety Improvement Program, along with funding from the City of Wasco and Caltrans. For me, these improvements demonstrate the value of sustained advocacy: listening to residents, continuing to raise an issue, and working with local, regional, and state partners to move solutions forward.

Honoring Those Who Served
Honoring our veterans is also deeply meaningful to me. At the 2026 Memorial Day ceremony at Wasco Memorial Park, as in prior years, I joined community members in reading the names of our fallen veterans—a reminder of the enduring connection between service, sacrifice, and community.

None of these efforts happen because of one person. They are possible because residents,
volunteers, community organizations, regional partners, city staff, and others are willing to work
together for Wasco.

I am grateful for the opportunity to serve and proud to work alongside so many people who care deeply about our community. I remain committed to listening, collaborating, and helping turn community needs into action and meaningful results—with integrity, compassion, and a focus on the well-being of all Wasco residents.

It's National Space Week! Come to our Storytime at 11am tomorrow morning for some out-of-this-world stories and crafts! 🔭🪐💫🚀

🏀 COACHES NEEDED! 🏀

We're looking for more coaches! If you enjoy basketball and want to make a positive impact on our local youth, we would love to have you join our coaching team!

You don't have to be an expert- just bring your energy, encouragement, and love for the game!

🏀 Help teach, inspire, encourage, lead!

Interested contact the WRPD Office, 758-3081 or Recreation Coordinator 440-2371! 🏀