YUCCA VALLEY MAN ARRESTED AFTER CRASHING TRUCK ON STATE ROUTE 247
ANOTHER DUI DRIVER CRASHES SATURDAY MORNING ON STATE ROUTE 247
THE 1ST IN A SPECIAL 3-PART SERIES ON DESERT CHRIST PARK
COUNTY PROPOSAL WILL EXPAND ILLEGAL ALIEN IDENTIFICATION
COUNTY MOBILIZING TO ATTACK METAL THEFT
COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE UNDERSTAFFED, OVERLOADED.
NATIONAL DO-NOT-CALL-LIST NOW PERMANENT
29 PALMS PIONEER DAYS TO HONOR FIRE DEPARTMENT’S 50TH YEAR *
HAVE YOU SEEN IT??? THE POPLIGHT CABIN OUTSIDE AMBOY
MORONGO VALLEY CLEAN TEAM LOOKING FOR PICKUP TRUCKS *
DEADLINE NEXT WEEK FOR LOCAL RETIRED TEACHERS SCHOLARSHIPS
YUCCA VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL TENNIS TROUNCES BANNING

YUCCA VALLEY MAN ARRESTED AFTER CRASHING TRUCK ON STATE ROUTE 247

A YUCCA VALLEY MAN WAS ARRESTED FOR INVESTIGATION OF DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE FRIDAY NIGHT. CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROL OFFICERS ARRESTED ROBERT SMALLWOOD, 61, OF YUCCA VALLEY AT 6:18 P.M. AFTER HE LOST CONTROL OF HIS PICKUP TRUCK. SMALLWOOD WAS TRAVELING NORTH ON HIGHWAY 247 NORTH OF LA BRISA DRIVE WHEN HE MADE AN UNSAFE TURN, ACCORDING TO THE CHP. THE MOVEMENT CAUSED SMALLWOOD’S 2003 TOYOTA TO HIT THE EMBANKMENT AND OVERTURN SEVERAL TIMES IN A DESERT AREA. ROBERT SMALLWOOD SUFFERED A BROKEN NECK AND WAS TREATED AT HI-DESERT MEDICAL CENTER IN JOSHUA TREE. HE WAS LATER ARRESTED ON SUSPICION OF DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE.

ANOTHER DUI DRIVER CRASHES SATURDAY MORNING ON STATE ROUTE 247

A HUNTINGTON BEACH MAN WAS ARRESTED FOR DUI AFTER HE CAUSED A CRASH INVOLVING A YUCCA VALLEY WOMAN. CHP INVESTIGATORS SAY JONATHAN LEEK, 21, WAS DRIVING HID 1990 FOUR-RUNNER ON S.R. 247 JUST NORTH OF PIPES CANYON ROAD AT 7:27 SATURDAY MORNING. HE ALLOWED HIS CAR TO DRIFT ONTO THE RIGHT SHOULDER, LOSING CONTROL. LEEK CROSSED OVER INTO THE NORTHBOUND LANE, COLLIDING WITH A VEHICLE DRIVEN BY DANA LITTLE, 57, OF YUCCA VALLEY, AND THEN COLLIDED WITH A TRAFFIC SIGN. LITTLE WAS NOT HURT. JONATHAN LEEK SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES TO HIS KNEES AND WAS TAKEN TO HI-DESERT MEDICAL CENTER. LEEK WAS THE PLACED UNDER ARREST FOR INVESTIGATION OF FELONY DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE AND BOOKED INTO THE MORONGO BASIN JAIL

 

THE 1ST IN A SPECIAL 3-PART SERIES ON DESERT CHRIST PARK

THE HISTORIC DESERT CHRIST PARK IN YUCCA VALLEY HAS SEEN BETTER DAYS. BUT NOW A NEWLY INVIGORATED DESERT CHRIST PARK FOUNDATION IS GETTING TO WORK TO RESTORE IT TO IT’S FORMER GLORY. TODAY WE BEGIN A SPECIAL THREE PART SERIES ON DESERT CHRIST PARK WITH REPORTER TAMMI ROLEFF. TODAY, THE HISTORY.... NESTLED IN THE NORTHERN HILLS OVERLOOKING YUCCA VALLEY AT THE END OF MOHAWK TRAIL LIES A QUIET GEM OF A PARK. IT’S DESERT CHRIST PARK, A SCULPTURE GARDEN THAT IS HOME TO MORE THAN 40 LARGER-THAN-LIFE STATUES ILLUSTRATING SOME OF THE BEST KNOWN STORIES ABOUT JESUS. THE FIRST STATUE PLACED IN THE PARK WAS A 10-FOOT-TALL SCULPTURE OF JESUS WITH HIS ARMS RAISED, LOOKING MUCH LIKE THE CHRIST THE REDEEMER STATUE IN RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL. THE PARK WAS DEDICATED ON EASTER SUNDAY 1951, AN EVENT THAT WAS COVERED BY TIME MAGAZINE. THE SCULPTOR AND VISIONARY BEHIND THE PARK WAS ANTONE MARTIN, A FORMER AIRPLANE MECHANIC FROM THE LOS ANGELES AREA. MARTIN ORIGINALLY WANTED TO PLACE THE STATUE ON THE RIM OF THE GRAND CANYON, BUT WHEN HE WAS DENIED PERMISSION FOR THAT, HE DECIDED YUCCA VALLEY’S ARID DESERT AND ROCKY HILLS LOOKED SIMILAR TO THE BIBLE’S HOLY LAND. MARTIN MOVED TO YUCCA VALLEY AND BEGAN TO DEVELOP HIS PARK, BUILDING STATUES OUT OF STEEL-REINFORCED CONCRETE AND COVERING THEM WITH WHITE CONCRETE PLASTER. DURING THE NEXT 10 YEARS BEFORE HIS DEATH IN 1961, MARTIN ADDED 9 MORE BIBLICAL SCENES TO THE PARK. THE MOST SPECTACULAR IS THE LAST SUPPER, A HUGE WALL WITH THE LEGENDARY PAINTING DEPICTED IN LOW-RELIEF. OTHER SCENES INCLUDE JESUS BLESSING THE CHILDREN, SERMON ON THE MOUNT, THE SAMARITAN WOMAN AT THE WELL, THE GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE, JESUS AT THE HOME OF LAZARUS WITH MARY AND MARTHA, CHRIST’S BLESSING OF MANKIND, JESUS ASKING THE LITTLE CHILDREN TO COME TO HIM, AND THE SCENE AT HIS TOMB AFTER THE RESURRECTION. PART TWO OF THE STORY ABOUT THE DESERT CHRIST PARK WILL COVER SOME OF THE TUMULTUOUS HISTORY BEHIND THE PARK.

COUNTY PROPOSAL WILL EXPAND ILLEGAL ALIEN IDENTIFICATION

FIRST DISTRICT SUPERVISOR BRAD MITZELFELT SAID HE WOULD ALLOCATE $100,000 TO EXPAND THE SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT’S CRIMINAL ILLEGAL ALIEN IDENTIFICATION UNIT. THE UNIT IDENTIFIES ILLEGAL ALIENS IN THE COUNTY JAIL SYSTEM AND REFERS THEM FOR DEPORTATION. THEY IDENTIFIED MORE THAN 4,000 CRIMINAL ILLEGAL ALIENS LAST YEAR AT WEST VALLEY DETENTION CENTER THE ONLY PLACE THE PROGRAM EXISTS. THEY WERE INCARCERATED FOR AN AVERAGE OF MORE THAN 120 DAYS EACH, WHICH COST THE COUNTY APPROXIMATELY $24 MILLION. "I’M SEEKING TO EXPAND THE CRIMINAL ILLEGAL ALIEN IDENTIFICATION PROGRAM TO OTHER JAILS BECAUSE IT’S CRITICAL THAT WE IDENTIFY EVERY CRIMINAL ILLEGAL ALIEN IN OUR JAIL SYSTEM AND REFER THEM FOR DEPORTATION," MITZELFELT SAID. THE $100,000 WOULD PURCHASE VIDEO CONFERENCING EQUIPMENT THAT WILL ENABLE SPECIALLY TRAINED STAFF AT WEST VALLEY DETENTION CENTER TO SCREEN INMATES AT REMOTE JAIL LOCATIONS IN BARSTOW, THE MORONGO BASIN, THE VICTOR VALLEY, AND THE CENTRAL DETENTION CENTER IN SAN BERNARDINO.

COUNTY MOBILIZING TO ATTACK METAL THEFT

THE PROBLEM OF METAL THEFT IN THE COUNTY IS STARTING TO TAKE A BIG TOLL ON INFRASTRUCTURE AND PUBLIC SAFETY. REPORTER DAN STORK SAYS THE COUNTY IS GOING TO TAKE BIG STEPS TO MAKE ENFORCEMENT EVEN TOUGHER... SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY OFFICIALS ARE MOBILIZING TO ATTACK METAL THEFT. THE GROWTH OF THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN FED BY A FIVE-FOLD JUMP IN THE PRICE OF COPPER OVER THE LAST 3 YEARS, AIDED BY A LARGER NUMBER OF VACANT HOMES IN THE WAKE OF THE SLUMPING REAL ESTATE MARKET AND INCREASE OF FORECLOSURES. OTHER PLACES THAT HAVE BEEN HIT BY THE THEFT OF COPPER, BRONZE, AND ALUMINUM THEFT ARE BUSINESSES, CONSTRUCTION SITES, LITTLE LEAGUE FIELD LIGHTS, AND OTHER LAMPPOSTS. LAST OCTOBER, NEARLY 14000 EDISON CUSTOMERS LOST POWER AFTER THEFT OF COPPER GROUND WIRES FROM A SUBSTATION IN HESPERIA. COUNTY SUPERVISORS HANSBERGER AND MITZELFELT HAVE CALLED FOR AN INVESTIGATION, AND THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS DIRECTED THE SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT, THE OFFICE OF LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS, AND THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER TO INVESTIGATE, REVIEW, AND REPORT FINDINGS ON THESE ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES, AND PROPOSE SOLUTIONS TO MITIGATE THEIR IMPACT BY APRIL 22^ND. HANSBERGER SAID, "WE WILL SEEK SUPPORT OF A STATEWIDE SOLUTION THROUGH LEGISLATION; HOWEVER, IN THE MEANTIME THERE IS A NEED TO ADDRESS THIS SITUATION LOCALLY."

COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE UNDERSTAFFED, OVERLOADED

THE CASELOAD IS MOUNTING FOR AN UNDERSTAFFED COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE. THE SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IS STRUGGLING WITH ONE OF THE HEAVIEST CASELOADS IN THE STATE, AND FOR THE TIME BEING, NO RELIEF IS IN SIGHT. SCOTT THORPE, WITH THE CALIFORNIA DISTRICT ATTORNEYS ASSOCIATION ATTRIBUTED THE CASELOAD TO THE COUNTY'S SHORTAGE OF JUDGES. WITH EACH ADDITIONAL JUDGE COMES MORE DEPUTY DISTRICT ATTORNEYS TO PROSECUTE CASES, "IT ALL TIES TOGETHER," THORPE SAID. THIS YEAR, HOWEVER, THE STATE SAID SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY WOULD NOT BE GETTING THE SEVEN NEW JUDGES IT HAD BEEN PROMISED BECAUSE OF STATE BUDGET CUTS. THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE HAS ADDED ABOUT 34 POSITIONS OVER TWO YEARS, BUT THE CASELOAD PROBLEM APPEARS TO BE COMPOUNDED BY THE HIGH NUMBER OF CASES SENT TO THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IS PROCESSING FAR MORE CASES THAN SURROUNDING COUNTIES, AND DOING SO WITH A MUCH LOWER STAFFING LEVEL. THE SHORTAGE OF JUDGES IS REFLECTED IN THE FACT THAT FEWER CASES THAT GO TO TRIAL IN SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY BECAUSE THERE ARE FEWER COURTROOMS IN WHICH TO HOLD TRIALS, THEY ATTEMPT TO RESOLVE CASES THROUGH PLEA BARGAINS, WHICH HELPS ALLEVIATE A CONGESTED COURT PROCESS AND REDUCES COSTS. THE HIGH CASELOAD IS ALSO BEING SHOULDERED BY THE COUNTY PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE.

NATIONAL DO-NOT-CALL-LIST NOW PERMANENT

DID YOU SIGN UP FOR THE NATIONAL DO-NOT-CALL LIST TO GET RID OF THOSE PESKY TELEMARKETERS? WELL GOOD NEWS, THAT LIST IS NOW PERMANENT. REPORTER KARL GARDNER HAS DETAILS... SOME GOOD NEWS FROM WASHINGTON DC; CONGRESS HAS MADE THE NATIONAL DO-NOT-CALL LIST PERMANENT. BEFORE THE CONGRESSIONAL MOVE, PHONE NUMBERS ON THE LIST WOULD BE DROPPED AFTER 5 YEARS, UNLESS THE NUMBER WAS RE-REGISTERED. WITH THE DO-NOT-CALL IMPROVEMENT ACT, MORE THAN 157 MILLION PHONE NUMBERS WILL REMAIN ON THE LIST WITHOUT HAVING TO DO ANYTHING. HOWEVER, THE FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION WILL CONTINUE TO REMOVE TELEPHONE NUMBERS THAT HAVE BEEN DISCONNECTED AND REASSIGNED TO OTHER CUSTOMERS. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE NATIONAL DO-NOT-CALL REGISTRY, VISIT ON THE WEB AT WWW.DONOTCALL.GOV.

29 PALMS PIONEER DAYS TO HONOR FIRE DEPARTMENT’S 50TH YEAR *

HAVE YOU SEEN IT??? THE POPLIGHT CABIN OUTSIDE AMBOY

SOME PEOPLE CATCH JUST A GLIMPSE, SOME HEAR OTHERS TALK ABOUT IT AND SAY IT IS A DESERT LEGEND.MAYBE SOME KIND OF MYSTERIOUS NIGHTTIME MIRAGE. TRAVELERS ON AMBOY ROAD HAVE OFTEN BEEN CAUGHT BY THE SURPRISE DISPLAY. REPORTER JOHN HUFF SAYS THE MYSTERY IS ACTUALLY CALLED THE POPLIGHT HOUSE... IT’S ALL BY ITSELF ON THE BACK ROAD ACROSS BRISTOL LAKE OUT BY AMBOY. IT’S A SOLITARY SEMI-ABANDONED CABIN. AND AT NIGHT A LOT MORE THAN THE PORCH LIGHT COMES ON. IT’S THE POPLIGHT, LIGHT SHOW CABIN AND ITS WILD ILLUMINATIONS ARE THE ONLY LIGHT FOR ANY DIRECTION. IT’S NOT A SCENE OUT OF A DAVID LYNCH MOVIE, IT’S THE POPLIGHT VIDEO CABIN, A LIGHT SHOW RECURRING MOST WEEKEND NIGHTS, CHANGING CONTINUALLY. PASSING MOTORISTS STOP AND JUST STARE, OTHERS JUST HONK. SOME MAY CALL IT AVANTE GARDE NIGHT SCULPTURE WITH LIGHT, OTHERS MAY CALL IT STRANGE AND WEIRD. THOSE OF US HERE WHO HAVE SEEN IT CALL IT ONE OF THE MOST MEMORABLE EXAMPLES OF DESERT ART WE HAVE EVER SEEN. FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE ILLUMINATED CABIN THAT IS WAITING FOR YOUR DISCOVERY AT POPLIGHTVIDEO.COM.

MORONGO VALLEY CLEAN TEAM LOOKING FOR PICKUP TRUCKS *

DEADLINE NEXT WEEK FOR LOCAL RETIRED TEACHERS SCHOLARSHIPS

ATTENTION STUDENTS… THE DEADLINE FOR SCHOLARSHIPS FROM OUR LOCAL RETIRED TEACHERS ASSOCIATION IS APPROACHING. REPORTER DAN STORK JOINS US AGAIN WITH MORE ON THIS OPPORTUNITY... LOCAL COLLEGE JUNIORS HAVE UNTIL APRIL 30^TH TO APPLY FOR A SCHOLARSHIP OFFERED BY THE CALIFORNIA RETIRED TEACHERS ASSOCIATION, HI-DESERT DIVISION 62. APPLICANTS MUST CURRENTLY BE IN THEIR JUNIOR YEAR AT A 4-YEAR COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY, AND MUST BE EITHER RESIDENTS OF THE MORONGO BASIN, OR GRADUATES OF A MORONGO BASIN HIGH SCHOOL. THE SCHOLARSHIP WILL PROVIDE FINANCIAL AID FOR THE SENIOR YEAR OF STUDY, IN 2008-2009, AND WILL BE AWARDED TO SOMEONE WHO HAS MADE A FIRM COMMITMENT TO A CAREER AS A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER. APPLICATIONS ARE AVAILABLE FROM

MR. NOLAN LOCKWOOD
DIVISION 62 CRTA SCHOLARSHIP CHAIRMAN
P.O. BOX 561
29 PALMS, ZIP 92277

AGAIN, THE DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION OF COMPLETED APPLICATIONS AND SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS IS APRIL 30^TH.

YUCCA VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL TENNIS TROUNCES BANNING