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Listen To Your News		Tuesday, January 12, 2010		News Archive

BODY FOUND IN YUCCA VALLEY
Sheriff's deputies are investigating the discovery of a body found behind a Yucca Valley business early Monday morning. An employee of Liberty Tax Service found the body at about 7:30 Monday morning behind their business off the 56-300 block of Twentynine Palms Highway. Deputies say it's a white man in his mid to late 50's who appears to have been homeless. They don't expect foul play but they're waiting for the coroner’s office to determine the cause of death.

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BIG RIG JACKKNIFES IN FRONT OF COUNTY BUILDING
A big rig truck with mechanical failure slowed the morning commute for almost two hours Monday. California Highway Patrol Spokesman Rob McCloud said around 7:05 Monday morning Earl Ostler, 61 of Pioneertown was driving a Peterbilt tractor-trailer East on State Route 62, approaching Whitefeather Road in Joshua Tree. Nearing the intersection, Ostler applied his breaks to slow for the red light when a mechanical failure caused the truck’s rear axle to break free. Ostler’s big rig jackknifed blocking eastbound traffic lanes. No other vehicles were involved in the crash. It took crews close to two hours to tow the big-rig out of traffic lanes. No injuries were reported.

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4.3 EARTHQUAKE RATTLES NEARBY BANNING
A 4.3 magnitude earthquake was reported Monday night near Banning. The temblor hit at 6:36 p.m. about three miles north-northeast of Banning, according to the U.S. Geological Survey's Web site. There was light shaking, but there were no reports of any damage.

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Brigadier General H. S. "Stacy" Clardy III

MARINE BASE GENERAL TO ADDRESS BUSY TWENTYNINE PALMS CITY COUNCIL MEETING TONIGHT A very busy Twentynine Palms City Council meeting tonight will start with a few words of introduction from the Commanding General of the Twentynine Palms Marine Base, Brigadier General H. S. "Stacy" Clardy III. The meeting starts early, then includes 4 public hearings and approval of projects and leases. Reporter Dan Stork takes a closer look... The regular meeting of the Twentynine Palms City Council on Tuesday January 12th starts with an early open session at 4:30 p.m. to hear presentations for Community Development Block Grants. A half-hour closed session at 5:30 will consider a case of potential litigation. When open session resumes at 6, Council will take up a consent agenda that includes the award of $100,000 paving contract to Ficara Paving for the first-phase parking lot at Knott Sky Park. Then 4 public hearings are scheduled, covering amendments to the Development Code covering temporary sidewalk sales and outdoor displays, and Certified Farmers’ Markets. Council will also review the Planning Commission’s approval of the construction of a Hampton Inn. The 4th public hearing covers several items related to the Historic Plaza improvement project, including construction awards and public art. In other business, the City Council will consider enforcement of the portion of the Burrtec agreement concerning commercial bins on residential property, as well as the lease agreement with the Chamber of Commerce for its occupation and operation of the Visitor Center.

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LIFESTREAM BLOOD DRIVE AT HDMC TOMORROW
LifeStream and Hi-Desert Medical Center will hold a blood drive, tomorrow from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Helen Gray Education Center on the campus of Hi-Desert Medical Center in Joshua Tree. It is recommended that donors eat a good meal before donating blood, and drink plenty of fluids. First time donors must bring identification. The process of giving blood takes about 30 minutes. Refreshments are served to donors. Walk-ins are welcome but reservations are recommended by calling 760-366-6324 or log on to www.LStream.org and make a reservation. Donors will be entered into a drawing to win two tickets to anywhere Southwest Airlines flies and will receive points as part of the "Gift of Life" Donor Loyalty Program that may be redeemed for items through LifeStream’s online store at www.LStream.org.

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YUCCA VALLEY PLANNING COMMISSION MEETS TONIGHT
The Yucca Valley Planning Commission meets tonight. Acceptable paint colors for businesses and standards for business expansion are on the agenda. Reporter Tami Roleff has the specifics...
On the agenda at tonight’s meeting of the Yucca Valley Planning Commission, the commissioners will hear a report about development standards to be imposed on existing commercial and industrial businesses that plan to expand their buildings. The Commission will also review the Town’s commercial guidelines concerning acceptable paint colors for businesses. The Commission will then be given reports on landscape ordinances, and a regional greenhouse gas environmental impact report, and will hear an update on the development of private land. The meeting starts at 7 p.m. in the Yucca Room of the Yucca Valley Community Center.

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JOSHUA TREE CLEAN TEAM OUT TOMORROW MORNING
Tomorrow morning the Joshua Tree Clean Team will meet at the Joshua Tree Post Office on Highway 62. They will be cleaning the large lot between Sunset and the Post Office starting at 8:00 a.m. until 9:00 a.m. There will be trash bags, gloves and grabber sticks provided for the volunteers. For more information call the Joshua Tree Park & Recreation at 760-366-8415.

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ART RECEPTION BEFORE TWENTYNINE PALMS CITY COUNCIL MEETING AT CITY HALL
Art in Public Places at Twentynine Palms City hall City Hall features a photography exhibit by Morongo Basin artists Ray Yeager and Jim Smart for January-February 2010. A public art reception will be held on this evening from 5 to 6 p.m., preceding the City Council meeting. Yucca Valley artist and lecturer Ray Yeager offers a display of modern art in the form of digital photomontage. Photographer Jim Smart of Joshua Tree is a master of both film and digital photography, and several of the images in his City Hall exhibit were captured in Joshua Tree National Park. Smart is the artist in residence at the historic Kelso Depot in the Mojave National Preserve. The Art in Public Places exhibit is sponsored by the City’s Public Arts Advisory Committee and is on display through Feb. 25 at Twentynine Palms City Hall, 6136 Adobe Road, Monday through Thursday, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

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WE ANSWER QUESTIONS ON JOSHUA BASIN WATER DISTRICT FEE & RATE INCREASES, PART 1
Questions about recent fee and rate hikes from the Joshua Basin Water District on last week’s Z107.7 "Up Close" show prompted some research from managing Editor Karl Gardner. In the first part of a 2-part series, today the so-called sewer fee, tomorrow water rate increases...
A quick answer from Joshua Basin Water District Officials on sewer fees and rate increases. Friday’s local call in program, the "Up-Close Show" had a caller asking about a sewer fee. District controller Susan Greer said the "sewage fee" is referred to is the Wastewater Capacity Fee and was adopted about 6 months ago to help pay for future sewage treatment and to protect the groundwater supplies. The fee applies to about 35 square miles or 1/3 of the District—essentially the downtown corridor, the highest density area of the District. Greer said only new development in the area will pay the Wastewater Capacity Fee, $5,270 per equivalent dwelling unit typically, a parcels with a ¾" meter. Tomorrow, well look at Joshua Basin Water’s rate increase.

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TICKETS STILL AVAILABLE FOR OPENING NIGHT OF "BLITHE SPIRIT"
Tickets are still available for the opening night gala of "Blithe Spirit," at Theatre 29 Friday hosted by Soroptimist International of Twentynine Palms. The soiree featuring appetizers and desserts made and served by club members, will begin at 6 p.m. at Theatre 29, 73637 Sullivan Road. The Noel Coward comedy, directed by Theatre 29 veteran Butch Pelfrey, tells the story of novelist Charles Condomine, who gets much more than he bargained for when he hires a medium to come to his home when she summons the ghost of Charles’ glamorous first wife, Elvira, who is out to seek revenge on Charles, havoc and hilarity ensue. Soroptimist members will greet playgoers with a variety of heavy hors d’oeuvres, wine and beer. They will serve homemade desserts during intermission. The evening also will include a silent auction. Tickets for the gala are $25 each and are available now from any Soroptimist or at The Desert Trail, the Flower Garden and Napa Auto Parts. Proceeds from the evening will go toward scholarships and service projects. For more information, call Irene Cruse at 760-668-4594.

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Back Row: Patricia Cooper, Paul Hoffman and Leslie Moody Front Row: Catja Arnzen and Dr. Wilcox

HI-DESERT MEDICAL CENTER TO DISCUSS EMPLOYEE MERIT FREEZES TONIGHT The Hi-Desert Medical Center Board meets in regular session tonight. A report on employee merit freezes and a discussion on whether to give healthcare benefits to elected board members are on the agenda. Reporter Mike Lipsitz takes a closer look... The Hi-Desert Medical Center Board of Directors meets at 6 tonight in the Helen Gray Education Center. On the agenda, the Board will hear a report on employee compensation and merit freezes from CEO Lionel Chadwick. In other business the board will recognize Soroptimists of Yucca Valley for their work with the Continuing Care Center and hear an overview on the hospital’s ICU area. Also, on the consent agenda are routine appointments, reappointments, and changes to policies and procedures. Among items on the action agenda, the board is expected to vote on a recommendation by the Hospital’s Governance Committee that a February public hearing be scheduled to discuss the granting of healthcare benefits to members of the hospital’s board of directors. Following administrative, financial, and marketing reports, the board will go into closed session to discuss matters involving quality assurance, performance evaluation of the chief executive officer, and possible new programs and services.

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GREAT AND POPULAR AUTHORS TOMORROW AT THE YUCCA VALLEY LIBRARY
Tomorrow afternoon at 3:30 p.m., the next series of the Great and Popular Authors will be held in the Yucca Valley Library. Jane Mootz will be reading from the book Vanishing Footprints from the book The Hot Desert Sand by Marshall McKinney. All adults are invited to attend and spend an hour listening to relaxing readings from great and popular authors. Light refreshments will be served. This program is sponsored by The Friends of the Yucca Valley Library. For more information, call 760-228-5455.

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HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS SCHEDULES
In local high school sports today it’s a cross basin battle as the Yucca Valley High School Trojan Girls Basketball team hosts the Twentynine Palms Lady Wildcats at Trojan Gym, with the tip off at 6:30. The Joshua Springs High School Lighting boys Basketball team is a home versus the Victor Valley Christian Royals, that game begins at 7:30. Wednesday, the Lady Lighting Basketball team hosts the Knights from the Academy for Academic Excellence, with game time at 6.

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