49 TEACHERS GETTING THE AX AS MORONGO UNIFIED SCHOOL
DISTRICT HEARS BAD FINANCIAL NEWS
The
Morongo Unified School Board got bad news, bad news, and bad
news last night as financial problems escalated. Hard
decisions concerning work cutbacks and the elimination of 49
teacher’s positions were the order of the day. Reporter Dan
Stork was at last night’s school board meeting and files
this report ------
The meeting of the Morongo Unified School District Board of
Education was a gloomy affair, as the Board came to grips
with hard decisions growing out of the state fiscal crisis.
Assistant Superintendent Michael Walker prepared the ground
with the second interim financial report. This is a
state-required snapshot of the fiscal state of the District.
Several targets had to be listed as "not met" due to funding
cuts already incurred. In concluding his report, Walker
said, "The bottom line is that we are in very very difficult
times, and we haven’t even begun to live them yet. We’re
seeing them on paper, but next year we’re going to have to
live them". Then the Board unhappily approved personnel cuts
and cutbacks devised by the Superintendent’s staff. These
include:
-
Reduction in the work year by up to 5 days for over 50
administrative and supervisory employees, and
-
Elimination of 49 full-time Equivalent certificated
positions.
The lost 49
positions will be implemented by 35 pink slips, to be
delivered March 15th, plus resignations and
retirements. The number of layoffs may be reduced by further
resignations and retirements. Of the 49 eliminated
positions, 26 are of elementary school teachers, while most
of the remainder are in secondary school subject areas. In
previous budget crunches, laid-off teachers were called back
after mid-May revisions of the state budget. But this year,
the revision date has been bumped to mid-June. Worse still,
Michael Walker reported that revisions will reflect even
greater state cuts, as state tax revenues are expected to be
worse than earlier projections.
...Back To Headlines...
MARIJUANA CHARGES DROPPED AGAINST JOHNSON VALLEY COUPLE
Marijuana charges have been dropped against a Johnson Valley
couple, well-known local advocates for medical marijuana
rights, who grew their own medical marijuana. Richard
McCabe, 66, and his wife, JoAnn Cates, 75, were arrested in
August of 2007 after Sheriff's deputies found marijuana
plants. After 19 months of court hearings and legal
questions, prosecutors dropped the marijuana-related charges
against the couple just prior to a preliminary hearing
Monday in Joshua Tree Superior Court. After reviewing the
witnesses and the amount of marijuana involved, prosecutors
determined the case fell with the state's medical marijuana
laws. Cates uses marijuana for arthritis and insomnia,
McCabe for diabetes, neck and back pain, and symptoms
associated with cancer remission. Prosecutors agreed to drop
three felony counts charged to McCabe, effectively closing
the case against him. Two of the three counts against Cates
were dropped. The sentence against Cates was suspended for
18 months, pending her successful completion of a drug
diversion program. Lanny Swerdlow, director of the Marijuana
Anti-Prohibition Project, was pleased with the outcome of
their court case. "It shows that we were right all along,
that what the McCabes were doing was legal," Swerdlow said.
He chided the county's Board of Supervisors for refusing to
issue medical marijuana ID cards. State mandated ID cards
are part of Proposition 215, which was approved by
California voters in 1996.
...Back To Headlines...
YUCCA VALLEY PLANNING COMMISSION VOTES TO PROHIBIT MEDICAL
MARIJUANA IN TOWN LIMITS
The Yucca Valley Planning Commission just said no to Medical
Marijuana dispensaries in the town limits last night.
Reporter Tami Roleff has details ------
More than a dozen
people showed up at last night’s Yucca Valley Planning
Commission meeting to show their support for a medical
marijuana dispensary in the town. There were several people
who stated they need marijuana to help them with their
health problems. Only 2 people spoke out against the
dispensary, arguing that it is difficult to control the
amount of marijuana dispensed, and that the current
dispensary is breaking laws by operating within 1,000 feet
of schools. Despite the audience’s overwhelming support for
the dispensaries, the Commissioners voted unanimously to
prohibit the establishment and operation of medical
marijuana dispensaries in Yucca Valley. Newly appointed
commissioner Margo Sturges said, "Yucca Valley is not the
place now, today, for a medical dispensary." The other new
commissioner, Dawn Rowe, stated she was against the
dispensary because California State law "allows you to grow
your own for your own consumption for health reasons." Lori
Green, who has 3 children who attend a ballet school near
the dispensary in the Monterey Business Center, said of the
Planning Commission’s vote "It’s a victory for our kids."
...Back To Headlines...
COUNTY TO CUT ADMINISTRATORS HOURS, UNIONS NEXT
The
County Board of Supervisors approved an ordinance calling
for a 5 percent cut in hours to all county administrators
and a voluntary retirement package for some employees
yesterday. It calls for an eight-hour reduction per pay
period for all county administrative staff and certain
contract employees beginning July 1st. Eligible employees
who voluntarily retire before June 30 will receive an
additional $1,000 a year for the five years. The county is
still negotiating with its labor unions on similar packages
and plans to meet with them this month. All the unions,
except county probation officers, have agreed to the
voluntary retirement program. The pay cuts for
administrative staff are expected to save the county $3.6
million in the next fiscal year, while the early retirement
incentive program is expected to save the county $35 million
over five-years.
...Back To Headlines...
JOSHUA BASIN WATER DISTRICT IN ROUTINE MEETING TONIGHT
The Joshua Basin Water District Board meets tonight.
Managing Editor Karl Gardner says the meeting is largely
routine ------
A very routine
agenda for the Joshua Basin Water District Board of
Directors, meeting this evening at district offices on
Chollita Road starting at 7. After an opportunity for public
comment and the consent calendar, the board will consider
adopting priorities set at its last strategic planning
meeting, hear an update on federal legislation, then receive
an update on the district’s landscape project. A review of
current projects along with staff and directors comments
closes out the remainder of the docket.
...Back To Headlines...
CLASSIC
VEHICLES SOUGHT FOR 29 PALMS STREET FAIR & CAR SHOW [AUDIO
ONLY]
THEATRE 29 AUDITIONS FOR COMEDY THIS SUNDAY
A great opportunity to exercise your personal muse as
Theater 29 holds auditions for a fast-paced comedy this
Sunday. Tami Roleff joins us again with details on the
tryouts -------
Theatre 29’s next production of the 2009 season is A Bad
Year for Tomatoes, a comedy written by John Patrick,
about a famous actress, Myra Marlowe, who moves to a small
New England town to write her autobiography. In order to
keep her nosy neighbors at bay, Myra invents a crazy sister
who is kept locked up upstairs, but who occasionally escapes
to scare off unwelcome visitors. When Myra tells her
neighbors that her crazy sister has run off to Boston, the
neighbors suspect murder and call in the sheriff. Director
Butch Pelfrey will hold auditions at 4 pm Sunday at the John
Calveri Theatre in 29 Palms, for the play’s 4 females and 3
males, all between the ages of 20 to 60. Performances for
A Bad Year for Tomatoes are Friday and Saturday evenings
at 7 PM from April 24 through May 23. A Thursday performance
is scheduled for 7 PM May 7 and a Saturday matinee at 2:30
on May 16. Tickets are $8, $10, and $12.
...Back To Headlines...
TICKETS ON
SALE FOR "SWING SHOW" AT TWENTYNINE PALMS JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL
[AUDIO ONLY]
HUMANE SOCIETY ANIMAL SHELTER IN DANGER OF CLOSING
The Morongo Basin Humane Society shelter in Joshua Tree is
facing a real danger of closing. Z107-7 Managing Editor Karl
Gardner joins us again and says it’s all about the money, or
lack of it ------
The only No-Kill animal shelter in the Morongo Basin may
have to close their doors due to lack of money. Operated by
the Morongo Basin Humane Society, the shelter, just off
Sunfair Road in Joshua Tree, depends solely on donations and
proceeds from it’s thrift shop and bingo games. Unique in
animal care operations, the Humane Society’s shelter never
resorts to euthanasia, opting to adopt out as many pets as
possible. Facing closure within the next 30 days, the
shelter is seeking your help. Donations in any amount can be
dropped of at the shelter or at the Humane Society’s Thrift
shop on Pioneertown Road in Yucca Valley. In addition, a car
wash to help support the shelter is being held Saturday from
10 to 4 in the parking lot at Sears in Yucca Valley.
...Back To Headlines...
HI-DESERT
ROCKHOUNDS TO DISCUSS ANCIENT INDIAN CAVES [AUDIO ONLY]
SIGN-UPS BEING TAKEN FOR SANDSHARKS SWIMMING TEAM
[AUDIO ONLY]
