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Listen To Your News		Wednesday, June 30, 2010		News Archive

SHERIFFS’ LOOKING FOR TWENTYNINE PALMS MAN CONSIDERED ARMED AND DANGEROUS
The Sheriffs’ department is asking for the public’s help in locating a Twentynine Palms man considered armed and dangerous. Sheriffs’ Detective James Thornburg said Tuesday morning about 6, Deputies received a call of a man walking up to vehicles and attempting to open the doors. At the location Deputies contacted a man identified as George "Ricky" Vaughn, 19, near the intersection of Bagley and El Paseo. When deputies contacted him, Vaughn became combative, and after a brief struggle, broke free and fled. An exhaustive search of the area failed to find Vaughn. Deputies did recover several stolen items from unreported thefts as well as a stolen vehicle, all attributed to Vaughn. The investigation revealed Vaughn is in possession of a firearm. He is known to frequent the downtown area of Twentynine Palms but could be anywhere in the Morongo Basin. Vaughn is described as a white male, 5’06, 140 pounds with brown hair and blue eyes. His picture is available at KCDZFM.com. Vaughn is known to use methamphetamine and should be considered armed and dangerous. Anyone with information on George "Ricky" Vaughn is asked to call detective James Thornburg at the Morongo Basin Sheriff’s’ station, 760-366-4183, or 760-366-4175.

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MAJOR SEARCH CONTINUES FOR MISSING HIKER IN JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK
Search and Rescue personnel from local, state, and federal agencies will continue their search in Joshua Tree National Park today for a missing hiker. William Ewasko, 65, of Marietta, Georgia, was reported missing to park personnel Friday evening after he had not been heard from since Thursday. Initial information concerning Ewasko’s possible whereabouts led searchers to focus on the Hayfield area in the southeast section of the park. Efforts shifted to Quail Mountain late Saturday afternoon when his car was found at the Juniper Flats trailhead and searchers learned that he’d told friends he might hike there. Fast response search teams searched the area that evening and operations continued the next day with personnel from the park, Joshua Tree Search and Rescue, and the Riverside and San Bernardino County sheriff’s offices. Several teams searched on foot and on horseback on Monday near the Lost Horse Valley area. Tuesday, the search operation expanded further, with about 100 people taking part, including dog and horse teams. No sign of Ewasko has been found.

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Donna Munoz Ed Will Martie Avels Phyllis Swinnerton

SCHOOL BOARD HEARS OF HYBRID ONLINE LEARNING PROGRAM It was a very busy meeting last night for the Morongo Unified School District Board of Trustees. From on-line learning concepts to budgeting and labor negotiations. Reporter Dan Stork was at the school board meeting and files this report... The Morongo Unified School District Board of Education started its meeting, with a presentation by K12, an outside vendor of online learning systems. The presenter described a hybrid program, in which students would be learning at home, on the computer some days, and at a District facility on other days. The presenter estimated that the program could attract 250 students initially, at a cost per student, including equipment, that is less than what the state pays the District.

Assistant Superintendent Doug Weller and a Morongo Teachers Association representative presented the "sunshine items" for next year – those aspects of the labor agreement that will be discussed during the coming year. Among the items are teacher evaluation procedures, leave provisions, and class size. The Board ripped through approvals of budgets and contracts with outside vendors for goods and services, including cost-saving "piggyback" contracts for software licenses, fuel delivery, and office and custodial supplies. Sub-funds for modernization projects at 3 schools were established, to receive anticipated state funds. The Board also declared a need for a large number of qualified educators, which is a prerequisite for getting emergency teaching permits, and awarded a $100,000 contract for print services.

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YUCCA VALLEY MAN ONE OF FOUR ACCUSED OF STEALING ATM’S WITH CASH
A Yucca Valley man is one of four charged with using stolen trucks and a forklift to steal ATMs that authorities say netted them more than $400,000 in Yorba Linda. Richard Brockman, 43, of Yucca Valley; Curtis Weber, 38, of Anaheim; Ricky Coffey, 44, of Orange and Charles Roberts, 41 of Riverside are accused of using stolen pick-up trucks, a box truck, and a forklift to steal ATMs. The latest theft occurred May 1 when prosecutors say the men tore the machine out of its concrete base and left behind wire cutters and a metal chain. They got away with $96,000 in cash, as well as $39,000 in customer deposits, the men left a stolen box truck in a Home Depot parking lot in Orange and set it on fire. Richard Brockman was arrested May 3 at Casino Morongo in Cabazon. Weber, Coffey and Roberts were arrested June 6 in Orange. If convicted, the men could get prison sentences ranging from 15 years to 31 years in prison.

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COUNTY PROBATION DEPARTMENT ANNOUNCES CUTS
The San Bernardino County Probation Department will gradually close the West Valley Juvenile Detention and Assessment Center in Rancho Cucamonga in order to meet the budget approved Monday by the Board of Supervisors. The department will begin transferring staff and wards to other facilities. Layoff notices are being prepared for seven Probation Correction Officers, who will be terminated by the end of July. Thirty-two additional Probation Corrections Officers are also scheduled to be laid off. 79 vacant positions, including 40 Probation Corrections Officers, will be deleted from the department's budget. All part-time replacement Probation Corrections Officers will lose their jobs by the end of July. Deputy Chiefs and Directors take-home vehicles are being removed, 25 vehicles have been removed from the department fleet.

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TWENTYNINE PALMS CHAMBER HOSTING FRIDAY OPENING NIGHT AT THEATRE 29
The classic hit Broadway musical "The Pajama Game" opens for a 5 week run at Theater 29 this Friday. Reporter Derwood Andrews says the opening night is sponsored by the Twentynine Palms Chamber of Commerce...
Theatre 29 is debuting it’s production of the beloved play ‘The Pajama Game’ on Friday July 2nd, a special social hour begins at 6 in the evening, with hors d’oeuvres and drinks, and the curtain being raised at 7. With a cast of some 25 performers, classic songs like ‘Hey There’, ‘Once a Year Day,’ and an all round brilliant local version of this American play and movie made famous by Doris Day, you just have to see it. Don’t worry, it runs for the whole month of July with tickets available for $12, discounts for seniors, children and military. The opening night will be $25, but you may get to hob-knob with the director Gary Daigneault, the musical director Ed Will or the choreographer Shelby Art, and all the first night proceeds benefit the sponsors, the Twentynine Palms Chamber of Commerce. For tickets and further information visit the web-site theatre29.com or call the box office at 760-361-4151.

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JOSHUA BASIN WATER SPECIAL MEETING TONIGHT
The Joshua Basin Water District Board have called for a special meeting tonight. Managing Editor Karl Gardner checks the agenda...
The Joshua Basin Water District Board of Directors meets in special session this evening at district offices on Chollita Road starting at 7. On the docket, the board will receive recommendations from both the Citizen’s Advisory Committee and an Ad Hoc Committee on the district’s 2-Year budget, discuss suggested changes, and consider its adoption. A review of the district’s project priority list followed by reports and comments from staff and board members closes out the open portion of the meeting. A closed session follows to conduct labor negotiations.

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DIFFERING OPINIONS BUT GOOD BEHAVIOR AT BIGHORN DESERT VIEW WATER AGENCY MEETING
The Bighorn Desert View Water Agency held a special meeting last night. Reporter Derwood Andrews joins us again and says there were differing opinions, but good behavior...
There is good and bad in everything. Good intentions with bad results, bad feelings with good responses, it was all at the special meeting of the Bighorn Water agency yesterday evening. There were differing opinions on whether the water table was dropping or not, there was a public comment concerned that good people were paying the debt of bad people, and that the proposed collection of these bad debts and a tax lien on those properties, was a good idea. A report that there was an 8% drop in metered water sales, thought due to good water conservancy and the bad economy, was mentioned. The projected budget is balanced, but the bad news was there was only a 1% surplus for emergencies. The passion was evident between the board members and the public and it was clear that the end results were generally good, with some issues to be revisited. Even the three young kids sitting and listening behaved good. So that’s not bad.

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TWENTYNINE PALMS ROTARY CLUB INSTALLS NEW OFFICERS
The Twentynine Palms Rotary Club installed new officers for the 2010-2011 Rotary year. Outgoing President Dan Mintz was thanked for stepping up and leading the club this past year. Crystal Crites was installed as the news Twentynine Palms Rotary Club President. On the new Board of Directors, Debbi Musser, Treasurer; Sheldon Chaffer, serving as Secretary and President-Elect; Jack Briggs; Judy Pattison; Miles Boardman; Kerry Keyes; and Jim Thompson. The Twentynine Palms Rotary Club meets Wednesdays at noon at Little Church of the Desert for lunch and fellowship and invites interested professionals to join them to learn more.

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MOBILE MEDICAL CLINIC AT TWENTYNINE PALMS SENIOR CENTER TOMORROW
Twentynine Palms area seniors can take advantage of a visit from the county’s mobile medical clinic tomorrow. Reporter Dan Stork tells us when and where...
Arrowhead Regional Medical Center’s Mobile Medical clinic will be at the Twentynine Palms Senior Center, Thursday, July 1, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Senior Center is located at 6539 Adobe Road. Representatives from Arrowhead Regional Medical Center will provide free health screenings, including blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose and stroke assessment, as well as health education and information. The 40-foot mobile medical clinic features two fully functional exam rooms and a health education area. The clinic operates on a walk-in basis; appointments are not required. For more information, call 909-580-1922.

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