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Listen To Your News		Wednesday, September 26, 2012		News Archive

BASE ENDING MOJAVE VIPER FOR INTEGRATED TRAINING EXERCISE
The Combat Center has been the training ground for tens of thousands of Marines preparing to go into battle since the 1970s. Over the decades, the training has changed from Combined Arms Exercises, which focused on basic combat operations using aviation and ground forces supported by logistics, to Mojave Viper and Enhanced Mojave Viper, pre-deployment exercises that include role players and urban warfare training in prefabricated cities. This week, the final exercise in Enhanced Mojave Viper will wrap up, and Marines will begin new training, known as Integrated Training Exercise. In the new Integrated Training Exercise, live training segments designed to mimic real-world stability operations have been added, as well as scenarios that encompass counter-insurgency, patrolling, counter-IED, and rebuilding the civilian infrastructure such as schools, hospitals, police forces, and local businesses.

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TWENTYNINE PALMS CITY COUNCIL PART 1 OF 3, NATIONAL PARK DRIVE IMPROVEMENTS
A busy meeting for the Twentynine Palms City Council last night. Managing Editor Tami Roleff has broken her coverage into three parts; today, National Park Drive, tomorrow, protesting giving Virginia Dale mining area to the National Park, and Friday, a new traffic light. With part 1, here is Tami…
After an hour of presentations and reports, the Twentynine Palms City Council finally got down to business at its meeting last night. The Council approved National Park Drive Phase II improvements, for a total cost of $850,000. The Council was informed that only $250,000 of this money will come from the City; the rest will be funds from the San Bernardino Association of Government and Measure I funds. The improvements will consist of new curbs, gutters, sidewalks, bike paths, on the north side of the National Park Drive, and repaving both sides of the street. In another report, we'll hear from residents who are protesting a proposal to turn 100,000 acres of BLM land just east of the City over to Joshua Tree National Park.

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DEPUTY SPOTS BURGLARY IN PROGRESS, THREE ARRESTED
A sharp-eyed deputy is credited with stopping a burglary in progress in Twentynine Palms Monday morning. According to Sergeant Steve Wilson of the Sheriff's Department, Deputy Armando Cantu arrested Richard Orsot, 25, about 1:20 a.m., for driving under the influence, evading arrest, and driving with a suspended license. During the investigation, Deputy Cantu went to a home in the 5600 block of Encelia Avenue. A few hours later, Deputy Cantu was driving by the same home and noticed the house's front door was open. He checked it and found Brian Blythe, 35, of Twentynine Palms, inside the home, along with another woman. The deputy noticed some electronic items were missing from the house, and other items were staged, ready to be taken. Deputy Cantu called the homeowner, who told him while the woman was authorized to be in the home, Blythe was not. Brian Blythe was arrested for investigation of burglary and possession of a controlled substance, and booked into the Morongo Basin Jail with bail set at $25,000. Richard Orsot was arrested on suspicion of burglary and is being held on no-bail warrants. A third suspect, Chad O'Connor, 27, of Wonder Valley, was also arrested in the 75500 block of Encanto, on suspicion of burglary, and was booked into the jail with bail set at $25,000.

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HI-DESERT MEDICAL CENTER STRATEGIC PLAN PART 3 OF 3, CRITICAL ISSUES
The Hi-Desert Memorial Healthcare District recently published a three-year strategic plan that addresses many of the healthcare challenges the District will face through 2015. Reporter Mike Lipsitz tells us more in this third and final report on the plan, Critical Issues...
As part of a thorough assessment, including extensive local demographics, the three-year Strategic Plan pinpoints 10 critical issues that were derived from data and input received from the District's identified strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats all of which we reported on in parts 1 and 2 of this series. Cited as the most critical issue is Diminishing Revenue, followed by access to services, safety net responsibility, community engagement, image enhancement, team retention, emerging competition, reduction of out-migration, community responsibility and access to capital. The Strategic Plan goes on to describe each issue in depth and offers response strategies for dealing with each. View the complete plan or order a complimentary copy at www.hdmc.org. There you will also find a copy of the 2009 to 2012 Strategic Plan and an associated list of accomplishments by the Healthcare District.

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COUNTY APPROVES CONTRACT WITH SHERIFF'S UNION
County supervisors voted yesterday in favor of a four-year contract with the union representing sheriff's deputies that officials say will save the County $5.3 million a year. The agreement, which members of the Safety Employees Benefit Association, SEBA, voted to back by a margin of 87.4 percent, followed a period of contentious negotiations. The union agreed to concessions, such as a two-tier pension system and having members pick up more retirement costs. The plan includes no cost-of-living salary increases and reduces the pay bumps that employees get when they move up in level from 5 percent to 2.5 percent. New hires will start at an additional lower step. Relations between the county and its unions had grown increasingly rocky since last year. In January, SEBA and the San Bernardino Public Employees Association, the union representing general employees, announced their sponsorship of a ballot measure drastically cutting supervisors' pay after the board began discussing a possible ballot measure requiring voter approval of future pension increases. But last month, supervisors tabled two potential pension-related ballot measures after announcing they were confident that progress could be made through negotiations.

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JOSHUA TREE MAC HEARS FROM NEW SHERIFF'S CAPTAIN
At the recent meeting of the Joshua Tree Municipal Advisory Council, newly-promoted Sheriff's Captain Rich Boswell introduced himself, reported on law enforcement issues, and answered residents' questions. Reporter Dan Stork relates what he said…
Sheriff's Captain Rich Boswell said that over the past five years, serious crime has been on a downtrend, with the exception of robberies. The Sheriff's Department is anticipating an uptick in crime in the wake of AB109, which is resulting in early release of prisoners into communities. In response to a question, Boswell said there is NOT a disproportionate level of releases into the county areas. Boswell also explained some jurisdictional differences: CHP officers write reports on traffic accidents in county areas, and Sheriff's deputies write them in the incorporated areas. Deputies do not investigate vehicle problems such as collisions that take place on private property, as in a parking lot. Audience members complained about illegal shooting by overeager hunters at the start of dove season, and about unresponsiveness of central dispatch in Victorville. The Captain said there are local numbers, and urged people to volunteer for Citizens on Patrol.

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MORONGO BASIN TRANSIT AUTHORITY BOARD MEETS TOMORROW
The Morongo Basin Transit Authority, the MBTA, Board of Directors will meet at 5 p.m. Tomorrow at the Helen Gray Education Center, on the campus of the Hi-Desert Medical Center. Among the items on the MBTA consent agenda are treasurer, ridership, and financial reports; and requests to dispose of vehicles at auction, requests to buy a replacement bus and utility vehicle, bus stop improvements and designating November 15 as Can-a-Ride Day. There are no items on the action agenda.

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TWENTYNINE PALMS CEMETERY BOARD MEETS TOMORROW
The Twentynine Palms Public Cemetery District Board meets tomorrow at 5:30 p.m. at their offices at 5350 Encelia Avenue. There will be an opportunity for public comments and cemetery board and employee comments. The cemetery board will discuss and approve an auditor to do the fiscal year 2011-2012 audit, and discuss the purchase of a replacement truck. They will also discuss and vote on changes to the endowment fee for the Lage Memorial Garden. The current Endowment Fee is $45, but the current Health and Safety Code states it should be $70.

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TWENTYNINE PALMS WATER DISTRICT LOOKS AT NEXT STEP IN TURNING FIRE DEPARTMENT OVER TO COUNTY
The Twentynine Palms Water District Board will meet tonight. The Board will meet for both water district and fire department business, Reporter Kristy Lockhart takes a close look at the agendas…
At tonight's meeting the Twentynine Palms Water District, the Board of Directors will discuss a special meeting on October 6 to interview General Manager applicants. The board will also adjust meeting dates for November and December. In the Fire Department business portion of the meeting, Board members will discuss the next step in turning over fire services to San Bernardino County Fire Department.

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PALM SPRINGS AIRPORT NOW OFFERING NON-STOPS TO NEW YORK
Just in time for winter getaways, Virgin America airlines has expanded nonstop service connecting Palm Springs to New York. Starting December 22, the new weekly Saturday nonstop flight from John F. Kennedy International Airport to Palm Springs International Airport will be the only nonstop flight offered from the New York City area to Palm Springs. The new service will add to Virgin America's existing seasonal daily connecting flight schedule from JFK to Palm Springs and its daily nonstop schedule from San Francisco to Palm Springs, Virgin announced Tuesday. The airline is offering introductory one-way fares from $79 for Palm Springs to San Francisco and $149 fares for flights from Palm Springs to New York. Local tourism officials praised the announcement, saying the added airline service makes the region more accessible and will jolt the tourism economy.

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COPPER MOUNTAIN COLLEGE BOARD MEETS TOMORROW
The Copper Mountain College Board meets in regular session tomorrow afternoon. Reporter Mike Lipsitz says two public hearing are set for that meeting…
In Joshua Tree the Copper Mountain College Board of Trustees meets in regular session at 3 o'clock tomorrow in the Bell Center's Community Room. Two public hearings are scheduled near the top of tomorrow's meeting. The first is a re-opener between the College District and the Faculty Association regarding health and welfare benefits; the second hearing immediately follows and will allow for public comment on the College's proposed Adopted 2012 - 2013 budget. Also tomorrow, trustees will consider Proposition 30, Governor Brown's sales and upper-income tax measure to support education and one of eleven statewide ballot measures that votes will weigh in on in the November election. Those possible board actions and others are in addition to reports and consideration of routine items on the consent agenda.

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YU-GI-OH AT THE TWENTYNINE PALMS LIBRARY SATURDAY
The Twentynine Palms branch library will begin a new season of YU GI OH tournaments this Saturday. All ages are invited to bring their own cards to participate in the tournament. Top player will receive a prize donated by Toms Cards of Twentynine Palms. The tournament is scheduled from 1 to 4 p.m. in the library meeting room.

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MEET THE OASIS ELEMENTARY PRINCIPAL TOMORROW
Parents of students attending Oasis Elementary School will have an opportunity to meet with Principal Donette Swain, Thursday morning at 9:15. This will be an opportunity for parents to voice concerns or ideas they may have. For more information, call 760-367-3595.

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HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS AND SCHEDULES
Yucca Valley High School Tennis lost to 29 Palms Monday in a very close match. Coach Cindy Miller said it came down to the last match of the day and the Trojans came up a little short and lost the match 8-10. Outstanding singles were Aimee Frank and Cindy Sou winning 2 out of three sets, and in doubles Courtney Freeman and Tiana Watson won all 3 sets.

The Twentynine Palms and Yucca Valley High School cross-country teams will compete in a De Anza League meet tomorrow at Big Bear Snow Summit. The event begins at 3:15.

The Joshua Springs Lightning volleyball team will travel away to Hemet to play the Baptist Christian School Knights. First serve is at 5 p.m.

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