29 PALMS SAYS STATE
BUDGET SHORTAGE WILL HAVE LITTLE IMPACT
29 PALMS CITY COUNCIL MEETS TONIGHT, WE CHECK THE AGENDA
CITY OF 29 PALMS OFFERS REWARD FOR GRAFFITI VANDALS *
64 HOMES ON 40 ACRES IN FRONT OF YUCCA VALLEY PLANNING COMMISSION MAY 6TH
PART 2 IN OUR SPECIAL 3 PART SERIES ON DESERT CHRIST PARK
AMERICAN LEGION AND KIWANIS NAME BOYS STATE DELEGATES *
SEISMOLOGISTS PREDICT REGIONAL EARTHQUAKE WITHIN 30 YEARS
MORONGO VALLEY COMMUNITY SERVICES BOARD MEETS TONIGHT *
LISTEN TO GREAT AUTHORS AT YUCCA VALLEY LIBRARY TOMORROW *
BIGHORN DESERT VIEW WATER AGENCY BOARD AND JOSHUA BASIN WATER’S CITIZENS
COMMITTEE MEET TONIGHT
YUCCA VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL SWIM TEAM FACES NOTRE DAME AT HOME TOMORROW
29 PALMS SAYS STATE BUDGET SHORTAGE WILL HAVE
LITTLE IMPACT
IN SPITE OF DIRE PREDICTIONS AND HAND-WRINGING OVER ANTICIPATED STATE BUDGET
SHORTAGES, THE CITY OF 29 PALMS SAYS THEY WILL WEATHER THE STORM WITH LITTLE
IMPACT. CITY MANAGER MICHAEL TREE TOLD Z107.7 NEWS THE CITY SHOULD BE ABLE
TO LEAVE RESERVES OF CLOSE TO 6 MILLION DOLLARS UNTOUCHED BY TRIMMING THE
BUDGET AND TIGHTENING THEIR BELTS. TREE SAID THE BIGGEST IMPACTS ARE THE
EXPECTED LOSS OF $275,000 IN LOCAL TRANSPORTATION FUNDS FROM SALES TAXES,
USED FOR ROAD MAINTENANCE AND STREET WORKERS, DUE TO THE SLOWDOWN IN THE
ECONOMY. HE ALSO ANTICIPATES A $35,000.00 LOSS IN BOOKING FEE REIMBURSEMENTS
NORMALLY PAID BY THE STATE. TREE SAID THE CITY IS EXPECTING TO GET THEIR
WHOLE GAS TAX FUNDS FOR STREETS, BUT BEGINNING IN OCTOBER, THEY WILL FILL IN
FOR THOSE FUNDS WITH LOCAL ARTICLE 8 TRANSPORTATION FUNDS, WHICH WILL COST
CITY ABOUT $1,800 IN INTEREST. IN GENERAL FUND REVENUES, MICHAEL TREE SAID
THAT PROPERTY TAXES ARE PROJECTED TO BE FLAT, BED TAXES OF ABOUT $75,0000
ARE PROJECTED TO BE DOWN 10% DUE TO A DECREASE IN TOURISM. TREE ALSO
ANTICIPATES THAT PLANNING AND BUILDING FEES WILL GO DOWN BY 30% OR ABOUT
$125,000. HE SAID THE SHORTFALL PROJECTIONS ACCOUNT FOR AN APPROXIMATE 5%
DECREASE IN GENERAL FUND REVENUES, WHICH WILL BE INCONVENIENT, BUT NOT A
MAJOR PROBLEM. HE POINTS TO THE FACT THAT THIS YEAR’S BUDGET INCLUDED A
MULTITUDE OF CAPITAL OUTLAYS THAT INCLUDED THE PURCHASE OF A PROFESSIONAL
BUILDING ADJACENT TO CITY HALL FOR FUTURE USE BY THE CITY, THE PURCHASE OF A
VACANT LOT IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA FOR A FUTURE TRANSPORTATION CENTER, A MAJOR
REMODEL OF THE ANIMAL SHELTER, A COMPLETE UPGRADE OF THE CITY’S COMPUTER
SYSTEM, AND PURCHASE OF VARIOUS REPLACEMENT VEHICLES. TREE SAID THIS COMING
YEAR THEY SIMPLY WILL NOT BUDGET FOR AS MANY CAPITAL OUTLAYS, WHICH WOULD
HAVE BEEN THE CASE ANYWAY REGARDLESS OF THE STATE’S BUDGET ISSUES.
29 PALMS CITY COUNCIL
MEETS TONIGHT, WE CHECK THE AGENDA
THE 29 PALMS CITY COUNCIL
WILL MEET IN REGULAR SESSION TONIGHT. MORE MOVEMENT IN ACQUIRING THE FIRE
DEPARTMENT AND RECOVERING ATTORNEY’S FEES FOR CODE ENFORCEMENT ARE ON THE
AGENDA. REPORTER TERRY BIGLER TAKES A CLOSER LOOK... A LARGELY ROUTINE AND
FAIRLY SHORT MEETING WILL BE HELD AT CHAMBERS IN CITY HALL ON ADOBE ROAD
THIS EVENING AT 6. THE COUNCIL/REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY CONSENT CALENDAR WILL BE
FOLLOWED BY PUBLIC HEARING OF AN ORDINANCE MAKING AN AMENDMENT TO MUNICIPAL
CODE RELATING TO THE CITIES ABILITY TO RECOVER ATTORNEY FEES DURING CODE
ENFORCEMENT PROCEEDINGS, AN APPLICATION FOR A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT AND
CHANGES TO STREET IMPROVEMENT IMPACT FEES. FINALLY, UNDER REPORTS AND
COMMUNICATION, THE COUNCIL WILL HEAR FROM THE PUBLIC ARTS ADVISORY
COMMITTEE, AND AWARD A CONTRACT FOR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO THE POTENTIAL
TRANSFER OF FIRE PROTECTION FROM THE TWENTYNINE PALMS WATER DISTRICT TO THE
CITY. A STUDY SESSION WILL BE HELD IMEDIATLY FOLLOWING THE REGULAR MEETING
TO EXPLORE CITY COUNCIL GOALS FOR 2008/2009.
CITY OF 29 PALMS
OFFERS REWARD FOR GRAFFITI VANDALS *
64 HOMES ON 40 ACRES
IN FRONT OF YUCCA VALLEY PLANNING COMMISSION MAY 6TH
TWO MORE MODERATE HOUSING
DEVELOPMENTS WILL COME UP BEFORE THE YUCCA VALLEY PLANNING COMMISSION MAY 6TH,
REPORTER KARL GARDNER LOOKS AT THE PROPOSALS... 64 HOMES ON 40 ACRES AT TWO
LOCALS IN YUCCA VALLEY COMES BEFORE THE PLANNING COMMISSION MAY 6TH.
THE FIRST PROJECT CALLS FOR 32 HOMES ON 18,000 SQUARE FOOT LOTS, 2 UNITS PER
ACRE, COVERING JUST OVER 20 ACRES, ON THE NORTHEAST CORNER OF GOLDEN BEE AND
ACOMA TRAIL. THE SECOND SUBDIVISION, WHICH MIRRORS THE FIRST, IS BEING
PLANNED FOR 20 ACRES ON THE SOUTHEAST CORNER OF JOSHUA DRIVE AND ACOMA
TRIAL. BOTH PROJECTS ARE BEING BROUGHT TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION BY YUCCA
VALLEY 98 HOMES OF REDLANDS. THE PLANNING COMMISSION IS SET TO MEET NEXT
TUESDAY MAY 6TH IN THE YUCCA ROOM OF THE YUCCA VALLEY COMMUNITY
CENTER STARTING AT 7.
PART 2 IN OUR SPECIAL
3 PART SERIES ON DESERT CHRIST PARK
TODAY
WE BRING YOU THE 2ND IN A SPECIAL 3 PART SERIES ON DESERT CHRIST PARK IN
YUCCA VALLEY. YESTERDAY, REPORTER TAMMI ROLEFF GAVE US THE HISTORY OF THE
PARK, TODAY WE LOOK AT TROUBLES WITH THE ACLU THAT LEFT IT IN LIMBO...
DESERT CHRIST PARK, AT THE END OF MOHAWK TRAIL IN YUCCA VALLEY, HAD BEEN
GIVEN TO SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY AFTER THE DEATH OF ANTONE MARTIN, THE ARTIST
WHO CONCEIVED AND BUILT THE PARK. IN 1991, THE NINTH CIRCUIT COURT OF
APPEALS RULED THAT THE COUNTY VIOLATED THE SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE BY
USING TAXPAYER FUNDS TO MAINTAIN AND PRESERVE THE PARK. THE PARK WAS THEN
SOLD TO THE NON-PROFIT HI-DESERT NATURE MUSEUM, UNTIL ITS CARE WAS
EVENTUALLY TAKEN OVER BY THE NON-PROFIT DESERT CHRIST PARK FOUNDATION. SINCE
THEN, THE 1992 LANDERS EARTHQUAKE, VANDALISM, NEGLECT, AND THE ELEMENTS HAVE
ALL TAKEN THEIR TOLL ON THE STATUES. AT ONE TIME, MANY OF THE FIGURES WERE
HEADLESS, MISSING ARMS, LEGS, OR HANDS, OR HAD HUGE CHUNKS MISSING FROM
THEM. THE PAINT IS PEELING ON MANY STATUES. ACCORDING TO DENNIS VERSEMAN,
CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE DESERT CHRIST PARK FOUNDATION,
EXTENSIVE RENOVATION NEEDS TO BE DONE TO PREVENT FURTHER DETERIORATION OF
THE SCULPTURES. THE FOUNDATION IS IN THE MIDDLE OF A FIVE-YEAR-PLAN TO
REPAIR THE STATUES AND RESTORE THE PARK. SOME OF THE ITEMS, SUCH AS
INSTALLING LANDSCAPING AND IRRIGATION, HAVE BEEN COMPLETED. OTHERS, SUCH AS
THE STATUE RENOVATIONS, ARE WAITING FOR FUNDS TO BECOME AVAILABLE. THE
FOUNDATION HAS FOUND AN ARTIST, RICK GREER, WHO HAS REPLACED AND REPAIRED
SOME OF THE STATUES’ MISSING PIECES. IN ADDITION, MANY OF THE STATUES AND
THE LORD’S SUPPER FAÇADE NEED TO BE SANDBLASTED, REPAINTED, AND WATERPROOFED
TO PROTECT THEM FROM THE ELEMENTS. BUT UNFORTUNATELY, THESE RENOVATIONS COME
AT A PRICE. AS VERSEMAN SAID, THIS WORK "DOESN’T GET DONE FOR NOTHING." THE
FOUNDATION DESPERATELY NEEDS DONATIONS TO HELP WITH THE COSTS OF MAINTAINING
THE PARK. THE FOUNDATION CAN ALSO USE MATERIALS, SUCH AS SAND BLASTERS,
CEMENT, AND PAINT. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON HOW YOU CAN HELP, CALL DENNIS
VERSEMAN AT 660-3764 OR VISIT THE WEBSITE AT
DESERTCHRISTPARK.ORG.
AMERICAN LEGION AND
KIWANIS NAME BOYS STATE DELEGATES *
SEISMOLOGISTS PREDICT
REGIONAL EARTHQUAKE WITHIN 30 YEARS
SEISMOLOGISTS SAY NEW
COMPUTER GENERATED EARTHQUAKE MODELS INDICATE A HIGH CHANCE FOR A LARGE
REGIONAL QUAKE RELATIVELY SOON/ REPORTER DAN STORK LOOKS AT THE REPORT...
SEISMOLOGISTS NOW SAY THERE IS A PROBABILITY OF 59% THAT AN EARTHQUAKE OF
MAGNITUDE 6.7 OR GREATER WILL OCCUR ALONG THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE SAN
ANDREAS FAULT, WHICH SKIRTS THE MORONGO BASIN, WITHIN THE NEXT 30 YEARS.
THIS IS THE HIGHEST PROBABILITY FOR A TEMBLOR OF THAT SIZE AMONG THE ANY OF
THE MAJOR FAULT LINES IN THE STATE. THERE IS A 97% CHANCE THAT THERE WILL BE
A QUAKE OF THIS SIZE SOMEWHERE IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA IN THE SAME TIME
PERIOD. THESE PROJECTIONS COME FROM THE UNIFORM CALIFORNIA EARTHQUAKE
RUPTURE FORECAST, WHICH IS THE PRODUCT OF A 3-YEAR STUDY DON BY THE US
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY AND OTHER GROUPS OF EARTHQUAKE SCIENTISTS. THE FORECAST IS
BEING USED BY THE CALIFORNIA EARTHQUAKE AUTHORITY TO SET EARTHQUAKE
INSURANCE RATES. IN GENERAL, PROBABILITIES OF QUAKES OF THIS SIZE ARE
SUBSTANTIALLY LESS THAN ONES IN EARLIER MODELS. HOWEVER, THE NEW
MODEL ALSO SAYS THAT JUMBO QUAKES, UP TO 7.8, ARE POSSIBLE IN MORE PLACES
THAN PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT. FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE NEW MODEL, GOOGLE
JOINTLY ON UCERF AND USGS.
MORONGO VALLEY
COMMUNITY SERVICES BOARD MEETS TONIGHT *
LISTEN TO GREAT
AUTHORS AT YUCCA VALLEY LIBRARY TOMORROW *
BIGHORN DESERT VIEW WATER AGENCY BOARD AND JOSHUA BASIN WATER’S CITIZENS
COMMITTEE MEET TONIGHT AND TOMORROW
THE JOSHUA BASIN WATER
BOARD’S CITIZENS’ ADVISOR COMMITTEE MEETS WEDNESDAY AND THE BIGHORN DESERT
VIEW WATER AGENCY BOARD MEETS TONIGHT AT THEIR HOME VENUES. REPORTER
KARL GARDNER JOINS US AGAIN WITH A LOOK AT THOSE AGENDAS... IN WATER MEETING
NEWS, THE BIGHORN DESERT VIEW WATER BOARD MEETS TONIGHT AT THEIR MEETING
OFFICE ON N. CHEROKEE TRIAL IN LANDERS STARTING AT 6. ON THE DOCKET, HOUSE
KEEPING ISSUES CONSISTING LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION MEMBER ELECTION,
A CHANGE TO THE AGENCY’S AGENDA POLICY, AND A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING
INVESTMENTS TO THE LOCAL AGENCY INVESTMENT FUND. IN OTHER ACTIONS THE BOARD
WILL HEAR AN UPDATE ON VIRTUAL METER READING SYSTEMS FOR BULK HAULING
STATIONS. AND JOSHUA BASIN WATER’S PUBLIC ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETS IN
SPECIAL SESSION WEDNESDAY AT DISTRICT OFFICES ON CHOLLITA ROAD AT 7 TO
DISCUSS PUBLIC INFORMATION AND WEBSITE DEVELOPMENT, REIMBURSEMENT POLICY FOR
THE H ZONE PROJECT AND SET A DATE FOR THEIR NEXT MEETING.
YUCCA VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL SWIM TEAM FACES NOTRE DAME
AT HOME TOMORROW
THE NOTRE DAME HIGH
SCHOOL TITANS SWIM TEAM TRAVEL UP THE HILL WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON, VERSUS THE
YUCCA VALLEY TROJANS, WITH THE MEET STARTING AT 3:15
