Feature Story
A Genuine Taft 4th of July
The stories behind some of America’s favorite patriotic songs
By Janelle Eastridge
No doubt about it, music plays a vital role in everyone’s life. And the same can be said about its role in the socio-political realm. There’s just something about the harmonious chords of a well-known patriotic song that draws in Americans folks from all walks of life. It has the power to bring people together in times of national trouble (remember the patriotic surge in the months following Sept. 11?), and it can evoke a sense of pride in even the most cynical countrymen. In light o...
Westside Watcher
Declare Independence From Foreign Oil
Congressman Kevin McCarthy
232 years ago on the Fourth of July, our 13 small, but united, American colonies stood up for freedom against the strongest empire the world had ever seen. We declared our independence from an oppr...
Around Taft
Animal Rescue program Paws in the Park huge success
Animal lovers unite! That’s battle cry of the newly created Westside Humane Society, whose vision is to resolve animal issues in Taft, ensuring that as many animals as possible remain off the stree...
News
Struggling Taft pumped about drilling
By Steve Chawkins, Los Angeles Times (reprinted with permission)
This town of 6,700 sits amid the richest oil fields in California, but nobody would mistake it for Dubai. There are no gleaming towers. Empty storefronts line its downtown streets. One of its two c...
