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Listen To Your News		Tuesday, July 24, 2012		News Archive

ARSONIST CAUGHT AFTER FOUR FIRES SET, FIFTH ATTEMPTED IN TWENTYNINE PALMS
A Twentynine Palms man is behind bars, accused of setting four fires and attempting a fifth arson in Twentynine Palms since Saturday. Sheriff arson investigators say that John Kerr, 32, started his arson spree Saturday night when he set the Palms Baptist Mission House in the 5200 block of Adobe Road on fire about 10 p.m. Two rooms and the kitchen suffered heavy smoke damage, and the rest of the house suffered heat damage. Then on Monday, investigators say that Kerr kept firefighters extremely busy, setting three fires, and attempting a fourth, all within two hours. Monday's first fire was a garage fire that was called in at 1:14 p.m. in the 73400 block of Desert Trail Avenue. When firefighters arrived, they found the garage partially involved in flames. They were able to contain the fire within 30 minutes. While firefighters were waiting for investigators from the arson unit to arrive, a second fire was called in at 2:48 p.m., in the 4700 block of Adobe Road at the Spirit and Truth Worship Center. A 5th-wheel recreational vehicle in the back of the church was burning, and ended up being a total loss. Kerr is also a suspect in vandalizing the church Saturday night by breaking its windows. Then five minutes after the second fire, a third fire was reported at 2:53 p.m. in the 4300 block of Adobe Road. A garage behind a massage parlor was on fire. Evidence at the scene led deputies into the open desert southwest of Adobe and Indian Trail, where they located and arrested John Kerr on suspicion of arson. Further investigation led deputies to a vacant building near Adobe and Didsbury, where they suspect Kerr was going to start another fire. Firefighters from the Combat Center and the County assisted Twentynine Palms Fire Department in battling the blazes. John Kerr was booked into the Morongo Basin Jail with his bail set at $25,000. Sergeant Jason Radeleff of the Sheriff's Department told Z107.7 News, "I'm glad we found him because I don't think he would have stopped."

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YUCCA VALLEY TOWN COUNCIL TO DISCUSS 1% SALES TAX IN SPECIAL MEETING TONIGHT
The Yucca Valley Town Council will meet in a special session tonight. Among the routines items, the Council will hold a public hearing on a proposed 1 percent sales tax for the November ballot. Managing editor Tami Roleff takes a close look...
The Yucca Valley Planning Commission meeting for tonight has been canceled. Instead, the Yucca Valley Town Council will hold a special meeting at 6 p.m. in the Yucca Room of the Community Center. The meeting will start with a recognition of employee of the quarter. Among the items on the consent agenda are an authorization to transfer the access road to the Hi-Desert Rod and Gun Club to the gun club; sell almost 11 acres for $5200 to Cal Trans so that CalTrans can widen the shoulders along Old Woman Springs Road; submit a grant request to SanBag for a highway median project; and adopt a Measure I five-year plan. The Council will then hold a public hearing on a general tax that would go on the ballot for the general election in November. Finally, the Town Council will be asked to approve an amendment to its financial agreement for the affordable senior housing project.

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AN ARMED ROBBERY AT YUCCA VALLEY SANTANAS MONDAY
The Yucca Valley Santanas Restaurant was held up at gunpoint early Monday morning. Sheriff's records show at about 3:30 a.m., two men entered the restaurant at 56547 29 Palms Highway, brandishing guns. They took $213 from the cash registers and then fled out through the back door. No one was injured and Sheriff's detectives are still investigating the robbery.

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ONE IN CUSTODY, ONE SOUGHT AFTER YUCCA VALLEY STRONG ARM ROBBERY
A Yucca Valley man is behind bars, and deputies are searching for his accomplice, in a brutal strong arm robbery in Yucca Valley Saturday afternoon. According to a Sheriff's report, a man was walking near Pima Trail and Church Street to pawn a television when he was sucker punched by an unidentified assailant. The accomplice, Marcus Corona, 18, repeatedly kicked the victim while he lay on the ground. The two suspects then fled the scene, but Corona was located near Highway 62 and Airway Avenue. Marcus Corona was arrested for investigation of strong arm robbery and booked at the Morongo Basin Jail with his bail set at $100,000. Earlier this month, Corona pled guilty to possessing stolen property and was sentenced to 3 years probation and 90 days in jail.

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TWENTYNINE PALMS CITY COUNCIL MEETS TONIGHT IN CLOSED AND OPEN SESSION
The Twentynine Palms City council meets in regular session tonight in closed and open session. A busy session includes the takeover of the fire department by the County. Reporter Dan Stork checks the agenda...
Before the regular Twentynine Palms City Council meeting on July 24, a reception for retiring Sheriff's Department Captain Donnie Miller will run concurrently with a closed session of the Council, from 5 to 6:30 p.m. The closed session will deal with a case of potential litigation, appointment of the City Clerk, and the performance evaluation of the City Manager. At the beginning of the open session at 6:30, information about Assembly Bill 1484, which relates to the Successor Agencies of Redevelopment Agencies, will be presented. Then there will be a public hearing on the Engineer's Annual Report and Levy of Assessment for the Lighting and Landscape Assessment District Number 1, followed by the designation of delegate for the League of California Cities' annual conference. Lastly, the council will return to review of the 2012-2013 budget, including review of fees for appeals, variances, extension of time for tract maps, and rental of park and recreation facilities. Also of note is a consent agenda resolution supporting the takeover of fire services by the County.

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THREE ARRESTED IN YUCCA VALLEY FOR OUTSTANDING ARREST WARRANTS
Three Yucca Valley residents were arrested Saturday evening on outstanding warrants. According to Sergeant Jason Radeleff, deputies went to a home in the 56500 block of Antelope Trail about 5 p.m. Saturday to serve outstanding warrants for arrests. The deputies found methamphetamine, marijuana, and prescription pills. Arrested were Tyler Albert, 29, for investigation of resisting arrest resulting in great bodily injury. Tyler Albert was cited and released at the scene. Eric Danielson, 26, and Kenneth Webb, 28, were arrested in the 56800 block of Little League Drive. Eric Danielson was arrested on suspicion of possession of a controlled substance for sale and booked at the Morongo Basin Jail with his bail set at $50,000. Kenneth Webb, was arrested for investigation of possession of a controlled substance, booked into the Morongo Basin Jail with his bail set at $25,000.

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DRIVER DOING 90 IN A 40 MPH ZONE STOPPED IN YUCCA VALLEY
Driving 50 miles per hour over the speed limit through residential streets in Yucca Valley will get you arrested. According to a Sheriff's report, on Saturday evening about 10:40 p.m., Christopher Green, 23, of Yucca Valley, was driving 90 miles per hour southbound on Sage Avenue, which is posted with a speed limit of 40 miles per hour. The deputy reports that Green blew by two pedestrians walking on the shoulder at 90 miles per hour and drove through a stop sign at Sage and Onaga Trail at 25 miles per hour. The deputy was finally able to stop Green near the bus turn-out at the high school. Christopher Green was arrested for investigation of reckless driving, cited and released.

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HI-DESERT WATER DISTRICT TAKES A PASS ON BLUE SKIES COUNTRY CLUB PROPERTY
The on-again, off-again, off-again purchase of the Blue Skies Country Club by Hi-Desert Water District is off again. In a questionable closed emergency meeting called with just one hour public notice, the board took a pass on the property. Managing Editor Tami Roleff has details...
After a special emergency closed session meeting last night, called with just an hour's notice, the Hi-Desert Water District announced that the District is not going to pursue purchasing the Blue Skies Country Club at a foreclosure auction set for today. The golf course has been in foreclosure for years, held by a Korean bank that seemed in no hurry to sell the property. The sale is set to start with an opening bid of $466,421.67. The District's plans for buying the golf course have been on-again, off-again for more than a year. The water district had budgeted $775,000 in its 2011-2012 budget to buy the golf course for the water rights that were included with the land; the golf course pays $15 per acre-foot for its water, while the water district pays $485 per acre foot for water. However, the golf course's water is supposed to stay on the golf course and can't be sold. In addition, water district directors discovered the property had unpaid property taxes of about $100,000, and a small parcel of land adjoining the golf course was not included in earlier sales of the property.

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BLOOD DRIVES IN JOSHUA TREE AND YUCCA VALLEY TOMORROW
Desert Blood Services will conduct two community blood drives in the Morongo Basin Wednesday, July 25. Blood donations will be taken at Hi-Desert Medical Center, from 10 to 2 and at Vons in Yucca Valley from 2 to 6 p.m. Donors will receive incentives and Gift of Life Donor Loyalty points. Healthy individuals at least 15 years old may donate blood. All prospective donors should be free of infections or illness, weigh at least 110 pounds, and not be at risk for AIDS or hepatitis. Donors receive a free mini-physical as part of the donation process. Donating blood takes about an hour, yet gives someone a lifetime. For more information, call 800-777-4484 or visit desertbloodservices.org.

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BIGHORN-DESERT VIEW WATER DISTRICT BOARD MEETS TONIGHT
The Bighorn Desert View Water Agency Board meets in regular session tonight. Public comment on placing tax liens on delinquent accounts will be held. Reporter Mike Lipsitz looks at the agenda...
The Bighorn-Desert View Water Agency Board of Directors meets tonight in regular session beginning at 6 p.m. As usual, the meeting will take place at Agency offices on Cherokee Trail in Landers. A public hearing is scheduled near the top of tonight's meeting for the purpose of taking public comment on delinquent accounts and the likelihood that property liens will be placed on county tax rolls in an effort to settle the delinquent accounts. Also tonight, the board will consider formation of an ad hoc committee to open a dialogue with residents of County Special Districts 70, W-1 and look into providing those residents water service at the significantly lower rate offered by the Agency. In other actions, the board will look at authorizing a work order for maintenance services at two reservoirs for an estimated $86,000.

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JOSHUA TREE CLEAN TEAM OUT AROUND LIBRARY TOMORROW MORNING
The next scheduled clean up for the Joshua Tree Clean Team is tomorrow morning at 7 a.m. at the Joshua Tree Library There will be trash bags, grabber sticks, gloves and water available for the use of the volunteers. Everyone is encouraged to come and help combat the litter problem. The group will meet afterwards at Park Rock Cafe. For more information call 760-366-8415.

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CALIFORNIA MISSIONS AT HI-DESERT NATURE MUSEUM THURSDAY BROWNBAG LECTURE
A lunchtime lecture on the California Missions at Hi-Desert Nature Museum in Yucca Valley Thursday. Assignment reporter Corissa Evans has more...
Thursday, July 26, the Hi-Desert Nature Museum is pleased to host Michelle Lorimer, PhD candidate at the University of California at Riverside, as part of their Brown Bag Lunch Lecture Series. The lecture will include the examination of Spanish mission history in southern California and the impact of understandings and misunderstandings of Native Californians. The lecture starts at noon; admission is free and iced tea will be served. The Brown Bag Lunch Lecture Series is held every second and fourth Thursday in July and August.

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JOHN BIRCH SOCIETY MEETS THURSDAY IN MORONGO VALLEY
The John Birch Society, America's longest-standing and most experienced grass-roots organization in the Constitutional freedom movement, will host a public information meeting at 7 p.m. on Thursday, July 26, at the Church of Morongo in Morongo Valley. Overview of America, a 30-minute public service video that gives a vision of why we enjoy so much personal freedom and prosperity in America, will be featured. The purpose of the John Birch Society community meetings is to teach concerned citizens how to return to a Constitutionally limited government. The Church of Morongo is located at 50865 29 Palms Highway, between Big Morongo Canyon Road and Fox Trail. For more information call Church of Morongo pastors Cheri or John Campbell at 760-363-6568.

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