1 MARINE DEAD, 2 INJURED IN SINGLE CAR ROLLOVER
29 PALMS MAN IN CRITICAL CONDITION AFTER MOTORCYCLE ACCIDENT
29 PALMS CITY COUNCIL MET LAST NIGHT, WE HAVE DETAILS
ECONOMIC FORECAST FOR THE INLAND EMPIRE… RECESSION
PART THREE IN OUR SERIES ON DESERT CHRIST PARK
POWERFUL MUSICAL "BIG RIVER" CONTINUES AT THEATRE 29
JOSHUA BASIN
WATER’S PUBLIC ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETS TONIGHT
HEAR SONGS OF
AMERICANA THIS WEEKEND
SEA CHANTEYS AT
DESERT CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH
FREE ARTHRITIS
SEMINAR *
MINOR
EARTHQUAKE LAST EVENING
TORTOISE
TIDBITS
YUCCA VALLEY
HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS SOFTBALL TEAM WINS BIG
1 MARINE DEAD,
2 INJURED IN SINGLE CAR ROLLOVER
ONE 29 PALMS MARINE IS DEAD, 2
OTHERS RECEIVED MAJOR INJURIES IN A SINGLE CAR ROLL OVER MONDAY NIGHT.
CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROL INVESTIGATORS SAY THAT AROUND 10:30, AN
UNIDENTIFIED MARINE WAS DRIVING HIS 2007 CHEVY COBALT WITH TWO OTHER MARINES
AS PASSENGERS, WEST ON HIGHWAY 62, WEST OF THE DESERT CENTER TURN OFF IN
RURAL RIVERSIDE COUNTY, WHEN HE DRIFTED INTO EASTBOUND LANES. THE DRIVER
TURNED SHARPLY TO RE-ENTER THE WESTBOUND LANE AND LOST CONTROL. THE CHEVY
SPUN OUT AND OVERTURNED IN THE OPEN DESERT. THE DRIVER WAS PARTIALLY EJECTED
AND SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES. THE 2 MARINE PASSENGERS ALSO UNIDENTIFIED
SUSTAINED MAJOR INJURIES. ALL THREE WERE WEARING SEATBELTS. ACCORDING TO
MARINE CORPS OFFICIALS, THE NAMES OF THE 3 MARINES ARE STILL BEING WITHHELD
PENDING NOTIFICATION OF NEXT OF KIN.
29 PALMS MAN
IN CRITICAL CONDITION AFTER MOTORCYCLE ACCIDENT
A LATE MORNING TRAFFIC
COLLISION THAT TIED UP TRAFFIC ON ADOBE ROAD IN 29 PALMS MONDAY, RESULTED IN
MAJOR INJURES FOR A 29 PALMS MAN. SHERIFF DEPUTY CURTIS KOLB SAID THAT
AROUND 1130, 42-YEAR-OLD JAMES VOYDETICH WAS RIDING HIS 2003 HARLEY-DAVIDSON
MOTORCYCLE SOUTH ON ADOBE ROAD, WHEN 21 YEAR OLD KIMBERLY TYLDESLEY ALSO OF
29 PALMS, MADE A LEFT TURN FROM NORTH ADOBE ROAD ONTO RAYMOND WAY RIGHT IN
FRONT OF VOYDETICH. JAMES VOYDETICH WAS AIR LIFTED TO DESERT HOSPITAL IN
PALM SPRINGS, WHERE HE WAS LISTED IN CRITICAL CONDITION WITH HEAD INJURIES.
29 PALMS CITY
COUNCIL MET LAST NIGHT, WE HAVE DETAILS
CLOSE TO HALF A MILLION IN
GRANT DOLLARS, CREATION OF A PUBLIC ARTS ADVISORY COMMITTEE, AND A CONTRACT
TO STUDY THE FORMATION OF A 29 PALMS FIRE DEPARTMENT, WERE ALL ON TAP AT
LAST EVENING’S 29 PALMS CITY COUNCIL MEETING. REPORTER TERRY BIGLER HAS
MORE… IT WAS ANNOUNCED THAT A 443 THOUSAND DOLLAR GRANT HAD BEEN RECEIVED BY
THE CITY OF TWENTYNINE PALMS FOR CURBS AND SIDEWALKS, AT THEIR REGULAR
MEETING TUESDAY EVENING. THE CONSENT CALENDAR WAS RECEIVED AND FILED. MOVING
ON TO PUBLIC HEARINGS…AN ORDINANCE AMENDING A SECTION OF THE MUNICIPAL CODE
WAS ADOPTED FOLLOWED BY AN APPLICATION FOR A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT AND THE
INTRODUCTION OF TWO NEW ORDINANCES RELATED TO THE STREET IMPROVEMENT IMPACT
FEE. UNDER REPORTS AND COMMUNICATION, A REPORT FROM THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
WAS RECEIVED FOLLOWED BY A RECOMMENDATION TO THE PUBLIC ARTS ADVISORY
COMMITTEE TO ADVERTISE FOR A NEW COMMITTEE MEMBER AND PERHAPS CREATE A POOL
OF APPLICANTS TO PULL FROM IN THE FUTURE. FINALLY, THE CONTRACT FOR
ASSISTANCE IN FORMING THE FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR THE CITY TO BE AWARDED TO
DAVIS COMPANY WILL BE CONTINUED AT A LATER DATE AFTER ANOTHER JOINT MEETING
WITH THE WATER BOARD.
ECONOMIC
FORECAST FOR THE INLAND EMPIRE… RECESSION
THE ECONOMIC FORECAST FOR THE
INLAND EMPIRE…RECESSION! SO SAYS SANBAG, THE SAN BERNARDINO
ASSOCIATION OF GOVERNMENTS. IN THEIR QUARTERLY ECONOMIC REPORT, DR. JOHN
HUSING, A LEADING ECONOMIST WHO HAS STUDIED THE AREA FOR THE PAST 40 PLUS
YEARS, WROTE THAT THE INLAND EMPIRE IS LOOKING AT 18,000 JOB LOSSES,
FOLLOWING GAINS IN 2006 AND 7. HARDEST HIT WILL BE THOSE IN LOWER PAYING
VOCATIONS, SUCH AS RETAIL, SERVICE AND AGRICULTURE. NORMALLY ONE OF THE
STRENGTHS IN THE AREA, RETAIL TRADE POSITIONS ARE LIKELY TO DROP THROUGH
2008. THE CAUSE… HUSING SAID, IS MULTI-FACETED; A SHAKY REAL ESTATE MARKET,
FALLING DOLLAR, AND HIGHER FUEL PRICES.
PART THREE IN
OUR SERIES ON DESERT CHRIST PARK
IN PART THREE OF OUR SERIES ON
DESERT CHRIST PARK, REPORTER TAMI ROLEFF LOOKS THE CURRENT STATE OF THE
YUCCA VALLEY ICON, AND WHAT SOME ARE DOING TO RAISE MONEY TO REPAIR AND
PRESERVE THE PARK… 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.
POWERFUL
MUSICAL "BIG RIVER" CONTINUES AT THEATRE 29
WITH A BIG
CAST, BIG VOICES, AND A POWERFUL STORY RIGHT OUT THE RICH HISTORY OF
AMERICA, "BIG RIVER, THE ADVENTURES OF HUCKLEBERRY FINN" IS WINNING BIG
AUDIENCES AT THEATRE 29. DIRECTOR CHARLES HARVEY HAS STAGED A DELIGHTFULLY
ENTERTAINING PRODUCTION OF THE MARK TWAIN CLASSIC. WITH MUSIC FROM ROGER
MILLER AUDIENCES CAN FOLLOW HUCK FINN DOWN THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER AS HE
ACCOMPANIES ESCAPED SLAVE JIM IN HIS QUEST FOR FREEDOM AND HIS SEARCH FOR
HIS FAMILY. A CAST OF OVER 30 BRINGS THE STORY TO LIFE WITH SONGS THAT HAVE
BECOME FAVORITES. THE MUSICAL PLAYS THROUGH MAY 10TH WITH PERFORMANCES ON
FRIDAY AND SATURDAY EVENINGS AT 7:00 AND A THURSDAY PERFORMANCE TOMORROW AT
7, AND A 2:30 MATINEE ON SUNDAY, MAY 4TH. THEATRE 29, IS LOCATED AT 73637
SULLIVAN ROAD IN THE CITY OF TWENTYNINE PALMS, RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER FROM
BARR LUMBER). RESERVATIONS CAN BE MADE ON-LINE AT
WWW.THEATRE 29.COM THAT’S THEATRE WITH AN ‘RE’ OR BY CALLING THE BOX
OFFICE AT 361-4151.
JOSHUA BASIN WATER’S PUBLIC
ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETS TONIGHT
JOSHUA BASIN
WATER’S PUBLIC ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETS IN SPECIAL SESSION TONIGHT AT
DISTRICT OFFICES ON CHOLLITA ROAD STARTING AT 7. ON THE COMMITTEE’S DOCKET,
DISCUSSIONS ON PUBLIC INFORMATION AND WEBSITE DEVELOPMENT, REIMBURSEMENT
POLICY FOR THE H ZONE PROJECT AND SETTING A DATE FOR THEIR NEXT MEETING.
HEAR SONGS OF AMERICANA
THIS WEEKEND
SONGS OF AMERICANA INCLUDING
SELECTIONS BY ROGERS AND HAMMERSTIEN, AND AN ASSORTMENT OF T.V. CLASSICS,
CAN BE HEARD THIS WEEKEND, AS THE HI DESERT CHORUS PRESENTS ITS SPRING
CONCERT. REPORTER DAN STORK HAS THE DETAILS… THE HI-DESERT CHORUS CONTINUES
TO "KEEP THE MUSIC ALIVE" WITH ITS ANNUAL SPRING CONCERT. THE CHORUS WILL
PERFORM TWICE, SATURDAY APRIL 26TH AND SUNDAY APRIL 27TH. BOTH PERFORMANCES,
WHICH ARE SPONSORED BY THE TOWN OF YUCCA VALLEY, WILL BE AT THE YUCCA VALLEY
SENIOR CENTER, IN THE COMMUNITY CENTER COMPLEX. THE CONCERTS START AT 2:30
PM, WITH DOORS OPENING AT 2. THE COMMUNITY CHORUS IS UNDER THE DIRECTION OF
BILL BARRETT, WHO IS ALSO THE DIRECTOR OF MUSIC AT YUCCA VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL,
AND ASSISTANT DIRECTOR PHYLLIS WIMBERLEY. THE GROUP IS ACCOMPANIED BY CAROLE
STEEN. THE CHORUS HAS BEEN ENTERTAINING MORONGO BASIN AUDIENCES FOR OVER 25
YEARS. THE CONCERTS WILL FEATURE SONGS OF AMERICA AND SHOW TUNES, INCLUDING
A SELECTION OF RODGERS & HAMMERSTEIN FAVORITES, AND A MEDLEY OF TV CLASSICS.
THE AUDIENCE WILL ALSO GET TO SING ALONG. ADMISSION IS FREE, BUT DONATIONS
ARE GRATEFULLY ACCEPTED.
SEA CHANTEYS AT DESERT CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH
IT WILL BE AN
EVENING OF SEA CHANTEYS AND SONGS FROM THE WORKING DAYS OF SAIL, AS MARK
KLOPFESTEIN, FOLK SINGER AND CHANTEY MAN FOR THE LOS ANGELES MARITIME
INSTITUTE, ENTERTAINS AT THE DESERT CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH THIS SUNDAY AT 5.
MARK AND HIS WIFE HAVE PERFORMED AT TALL SHIP FESTIVALS UP AND DOWN THE
PACIFIC COAST, AS WELL AS IN NEW ENGLAND AND NOVA SCOTIA. THE DESERT
CONGREGATIONAL IS LOCATED O THE CORNER OF SUNRISE AND TWO MILE ROAD IN 29
PALMS.
FREE ARTHRITIS SEMINAR *
MINOR EARTHQUAKE LAST EVENING
A MINOR 4.2 EARTHQUAKE, A
LITTLE OVER 50 MILES NORTH WEST OF 29 PALMS, STRUCK TUESDAY EVENING AT 6:55.
THE TEMBLOR HIT IN A REMOTE AREA, A FEW MILES FROM THE CENTER OF THE 1999
7.1 HECTOR MINE QUAKE. THERE HAVE BEEN NO REPORTS IN DAMAGE OR INJURES.
TORTOISE TIDBITS
ONE OF OUR MORE VENERABLE
DESERT DWELLERS, THE DESERT TORTOISE IS BRIMMING WITH ENIGMAS AND WONDERS.
AS THIS REMARKABLE CREATURE STRUGGLES FOR SURVIVAL, REPORTER JOHN HUFF JOINS
US WITH THESE TORTOISE TIDBITS… DESERT TORTOISES ARE MYSTERIOUS AND
SURPRISING CREATURES. THE MALE TORTOISE HAS MORE TESTOSTERONE PER POUND THAN
ANY OTHER REPTILE. MALE TORTOISES CAN BE VICIOUS FIGHTERS. AND WHY MIGHT
THEY FIGHTS? COULD BE THEY’RE COMPETING OVER TERRITORY, FEMALE PARTNERS OR
MINERAL LICKS. DESERT TORTOISES HAVE AN EXCELLENT SENSE OF SMELL AND COLOR
VISION. THEY ARE HERBIVORES, OR VEGETARIANS, FEEDING ON GRASSES, FORBS,
CACTUS, WILDFLOWERS AND FRUITS. WHEN WATER IS AVAILABLE THEY DRINK DEEPLY
STORING IT FOR MONTHS AT A TIME. FEMALES SPEND MORE TIME UNDERGROUND THAN
MALES THEY PRODUCE EGG CLUTCHES, LAID NEAR THE ENTRANCE TO THEIR BURROW.
SPRING AND FALL ARE LIKELY TIMES OF YEAR TO SEE A DESERT TORTOISE THE
AMBIENT TEMPERATURE DETERMINES THEIR MOBILITY. SLOW FOR SURE, BUT HIGHLY
ADAPTED AS WELL.
YUCCA VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL
GIRLS SOFTBALL TEAM WINS BIG
