WONDER VALLEY FIRE RULED MURDER SUICIDE ARSON, NAMES
RELEASED
After 11 days, A Wonder Valley fire has been ruled a
murder-suicide-arson. Investigators say a husband shot and
killed his wife before setting their house on fire and then
killing himself earlier this month. Detectives said Stewart
McMurray 59, and Tamera Alba-McMurray, 46 were found dead
March 9 after County firefighters extinguished the afternoon
blaze in the 2660 block of Shadow Mountain Road. Sheriff’s
spokeswoman Aden Wiltshire said the bodies were so badly
burned it was impossible for medical examiners to use dental
records for identification and had to resort to DNA testing.
Wiltshire said Stewart McMuray shot and killed his wife
Tamara in the morning hours, left the house, returned later,
set the house on fire, then killed himself. The fire was
reported to fire officials around 1:30 p.m. The house and an
out building were destroyed. While neighbors had reported an
explosion prior to the fire, Sheriff’s Arson Bomb
investigators found no signs of an explosion and said the
sounds were probably part of the evolution of the house
fire. Sheriff’s homicide detectives continue to investigate.
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HOLE IN THE ROOF BURGLARS STRIKE AGAIN
The
"Hole in the Roof" burglars have struck again. Monday. the
brazen thieves cut a hole in the roof of a home in Yucca
Valley, making off with over $15,000 in property. The
burglars hit again Wednesday, this time in Morongo Valley.
Sheriffs’ Detective Rick Millard said that deputies were
called to a home in the 49000 block of Matzene Drive, after
the resident come home and found the garage door open and
the house ransacked. Investigators say, as in the Yucca
Valley burglary, unknown suspects cut a hole through the
roof to gain access. Detectives say in both cases, the
houses were in a remote location, flat roofed southwestern
style with facades concealing the rooftops. Both crimes
occurred during the day. The suspect’s vehicle is described
as a dark colored, full-sized pick-up. The Sheriff’s
Department is asking for the public’s help, anyone with
information on the "Hole in the Roof" burglaries are asked
to call at the Morongo Basin Sheriffs Station, 366-4175.
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TICKETS NOW AVAILABLE FOR FIREFIGHTER OF THE
YEAR DINNER
Tickets are now available for the annual Morongo Basin
Firefighters Awards Dinner, set for March 28th. Reporter
Tami Roleff invites you to come honor the best in our local
fire services -----
Eight firefighters from local, county, state, and federal
agencies will be recognized at the Firefighter of the Year
Awards Dinner and Dance Saturday, March 28 at the Joshua
Tree Retreat Center. The dinner will give Firefighter of the
Year honors to personnel from Wonder Valley, the Combat
Center, 29 Palms, Joshua Tree, Yucca Valley, CalFire, Black
Rock, and Morongo Valley. Bruce’s Coyote Kitchen will cater
the event, and entertainment will be provided by Z107.7’s
mobile DJ. Tickets are $25 and must be purchased in advance
by calling Z107.7 radio station at 366-8471. No tickets will
be sold at the door.
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COUNTY SUPERVISOR NEIL DERRY’S CHIEF OF STAFF
ARRESTED
County
3rd District Supervisor Neil Derry’s Chief of
Staff, Jim Erwin, was arrested Thursday on 10 felony counts
including eight counts of perjury by declaration and two
counts of offering a false or forged instrument for filing.
The top aide to the County supervisor who represents Yucca
valley and most of Joshua Tree was arrested Thursday on
charges of providing false reports about gifts he received
from an influential land developer, including a Rolex watch
and prostitution services. Investigators from the District
Attorney’s Public Integrity Unit arrested Erwin after his
office and home searched in January as part of an ongoing
criminal investigation into the office of former County
Assessor Bill Postmus. Erwin was a longtime ally of Postmus,
following him to the assessor's office. He left in November
2007 after a falling out and received a $63,000 settlement
from the county. Erwin was approved as Derry’s Chief of
Staff last August and was sworn in Dec. 1. Derry said he is
reviewing Erwin's status. He said he was told by the county
counsel's office that he could not fire him based on the
arrest and that an internal investigative process needs to
take place. On administrative leave, Erwin will continue to
draw his county salary of about $120,000.00 annually. If
convicted on all counts, Erwin, 46, of Highland, faces up to
11 years in state prison. He was being held at the Central
Detention Center in San Bernardino on $220,000 bail.
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JOSHUA BASIN WATER DISTRICT CONDUCTS BUSINESS,
IN SPITE OF ONE "NO" VOTE
The
Joshua Basin Water District is getting down to the business
of providing water to the residents of Joshua Tree, even
though one rogue director continues to vote against pretty
much everything. Managing Editor Karl Gardner joins us with
a report from Wednesday’s meeting ------
Wednesday’s Joshua Basin Water District Board meeting found
Director Gary Wilson once again the lone no vote on a
variety of issues. District General Manager Joe Guzzetta
said the board began by reviewing water conservation
programs needed to keep the district in the running for
State Grant Money. In a 4 to 1 vote, Wilson opposing, the
board approved a contract with Debra Bollinger to continue
providing the district with conservation planning. Next up,
the board approved, with Wilson voting no, an agreement to
purchase 4 miles of right-of-way along State Route 62, as
part of Joshua Basin’s future recharge project. Wilson’s
next no vote came as the board approved a request to allow
the Morongo Basin Red Cross park it’s emergency vehicles on
district property.
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TWENTYNINE PALMS CITY COUNCIL TO FOCUS ON PLAN
FOR DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION
The 29
Palms City Council is trying to figure out what to do with
the downtown area. Gateway entrances, public art, tree
plantings, façade and building renovations, walkways and
streetscape improvements are all part of the proposed
Downtown Specific Plan update being presented to the Council
this month. At their next regular meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday,
March 24, at City Hall, the Council will hear the status of
the Plan for economic revitalization of the downtown area.
The consultant is also asking for verification or changes
for development of the downtown area, design concepts, and
mixture of future land use designations, including retail
and office space, residential units, and possible artist
studio/gallery districts. The Downtown Specific Plan
comprises 86 acres of commercial and mixed-use land along
portions of the highway and Adobe Road will eventually be
integrated into the update of the City’s General Plan.
Twentynine Palms residents and business owners in the
downtown area are encouraged to attend and participate in
the City Council meeting on March 24."
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RED CROSS
OFFERS STATE REQUIRED FOOD SAFETY COURSE MONDAY [AUDIO ONLY]
SWIGART MEMORIAL SCULPTURE DEDICATION IN
TWENTYNINE PALMS TODAY
Residents are invited to join the City of Twentynine Palms
Public Arts Advisory Committee for a sculpture dedication on
National Park Drive, this afternoon at 6 p.m. The
20-foot-tall steel sculpture, donated to the city by artist
Simi Dabah, is being installed on the National Park Drive
median at the corner of Cottonwood Drive in memory of the
late Michael Swigart, who served as City Manager from 2002
to 2006. Mayor Joel Klink and Chairman Chuck Caplinger of
the Public Arts Advisory Committee will be on hand to
officiate at the dedication ceremony. The public is invited
to attend the event and stay for a reception at the 29 Palms
Inn immediately following. For more information, call City
Hall at 367-6799.
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KEPLER
TELESCOPE AT TONIGHT’S ANDROMEDA SOCIETY MEETING [AUDIO
ONLY]
AN ARTISTS RECEPTION AT THE JOSHUA TREE LIBRARY
An artist’s reception will be held tomorrow at the Joshua
Tree Library. Reporter Dan Stork says come meet artist Scott
Monteith ------
The Friends of the Joshua Tree Library are hosting a
reception for local artist Scott Monteith, whose exhibit,
titled "Other World", is currently showing at the Joshua
Tree Library. The reception will be at the Joshua Tree
Branch Library, 6465 Park Boulevard, from noon to 2 PM on
Saturday March 21st, with a talk by the artist
scheduled for 1 PM. The reception is free, and the Friends
of the Library will provide light refreshments. Scott will
share his inspiration and discuss techniques he used in
creating his collection, "Other Worlds". He says that his
"Ideas can be inspired by song lyrics, be responses to items
in the news, come from my subconscious or unintentional
accidents in the studio while others form over time waiting
for their moment to be realized." He describes the paintings
in "Other Worlds" as "an escape from … a world of man-made
things, problems, and conflicts to ‘the real world’ of
nature, imagination and inspiration."
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GIANT
RUMMAGE SALE TOMORROW BENEFITS JOSHUA SPRINGS ELEMENTARY
[AUDIO ONLY]
2 EVENTS
TOMORROW FOR LOCAL EQUESTRIANS [AUDIO ONLY]
ST. PADDY’S
DAY BASH AT JOSHUA TREE VFW [AUDIO ONLY]
CAR WASH TO
BENEFIT YUCCA VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL TENNIS [AUDIO ONLY]
