Hello from California’s high desert, where it finally feels like spring. Now all I have to do is wait for my weeds to dry out so we can get the last stubborn few out of the ground.
In case you missed it: I’ve been traveling a lot this year, mainly to see and celebrate my friends. I wrote about how it’s not a replacement for an in-person community, but it’s what I’ve got for now. You can read it here.
And now, onto this week’s news:
In local news:
United States Representative Raul Ruiz and United States Senator Alex Padilla, both of California, have introduced federal legislation that would officially designate the proposed Chuckwalla National Monument and expand Joshua Tree National Park.
Big Morongo Canyon Preserve is hosting a volunteer event to celebrate Earth Day on Saturday, April 20. The free event will run from 8 a.m. until 12 p.m. at the Preserve, and registration is required.
The Morongo Basin Conservation Association is hosting its annual Desert-Wise Landscape Tour on Sunday, April 21, from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. This year’s tour features five homes with native desert landscaping, plus interactive art and soil restoration projects at MBCA’s demonstration garden.
Tickets are $10 for MBCA members and $15 for nonmembers, though you can sign up for a membership ahead of the tour for the discounted rate. Advance registration is encouraged, and can be found here.
Joshua Tree art and music space Art Queen — which also houses the Crochet Museum — was sold to Los Angeles-based non-profit AHA Projects for $2 million. The non-profit has committed to provide ongoing support to artists and creators as well as improving the infrastructure of the space.
Registration is now open for The Boys & Girls Club of the Hi-Desert’s fourth annual Golfing for Charity fundraiser on May 18. Registration is $75 for individual golfers and $400 for a team of four.
Call the Boys & Girls Club of the Hi-Desert at (760) 365-5437 for more information or to sign up for this year’s event.
All Roads Studio is hosting a free mocktail tasting on Saturday’s Art Walk in Yucca Valley from 4 p.m. until 7 p.m.
The 3rd Saturday Art Walk begins at 12 p.m. and runs until 9 p.m. at various art studios in Yucca Valley and Pioneertown.
Studio 29 is hosting its first Art Opening this Saturday, April 20, from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. where guests are able to meet some of the studio’s featured artists.
The City of Twentynine Palms is currently seeking vendors for its upcoming International Festival, currently scheduled for Saturday, April 20, from 5 p.m. until 10 p.m. at Freedom Plaza.
Interested parties can contact Events Coordinator Scott Clinkscales at 760-367-7562 x 1021 or sclinkscales@29palms.org.
The U.S. Marine Corps issued a noise notice to Morongo Basin residents last week ahead of a large-scale training exercise in Twentynine Palms.
In state news:
The Golden State Warriors lost to the Sacramento Kings with a score of 94-118 for a place in the NBA playoffs. The Kings will go on to face the New Orleans Pelicans in the next round, and the matchup tips off on Friday, April 19, at 6:30 p.m.
The State Water Resources Control Board placed the Tulare Lake basin on probation for failing to adopt sufficient measures to address chronic overpumping of groundwater in the region, marking the first time the state has taken such an action to prevent groundwater depletion.
Anaheim City Council approved Disneyland’s park expansion plan, a $1.9 billion, decade-long project that includes immersive experience for guests as well as neighborhood improvements for roads and affordable housing.
In other news:
Jury selection has begun in Former President Donald Trump’s criminal election interference and hush money payments trial in New York. It is the first time a former president has been tried in criminal court.
Taylor Swift’s highly anticipated album The Tortured Poets Department comes out at midnight on Friday, April 19. Luckily for West Coast listeners, the debut is scheduled for midnight Eastern Time, meaning we get to listen at the reasonable hour of 9 p.m. on Thursday, April 18.
The FAA grounded all Alaska Airline flights nationwide on Wednesday due to an IT outage, the agency reported.
Pupdate of the week: Both Alice and Oliver are on a bit of a stubborn streak. Alice finally succeeded in dismantling her last remaining outside ball, and will refuse to come back inside until it is in pieces. Oliver, on the other hand, is protesting my constant travel by doing all the things he knows he is not supposed to.
Trail tip of the week: It is time to start adding electrolytes back into your water now that temperatures are hovering around 80 degrees Fahrenheit! The mixes have gotten pretty popular, and now come in a range of flavors and compositions that you are sure to find one that works well for you. Drinking only water when you sweat doesn’t replenish the salt and other minerals you are losing, all of which are vital to staying healthy while recreating outdoors.
Read of the week: Last month’s book club book was Shelby van Pelt’s Remarkably Bright Creatures, a wonderful novel that explored how isolation and loneliness can, oftentimes, bring together people and sea creatures alike. My favorite character was Marcellus, a Pacific octopus that makes it his mission to help the aquarium janitor come to terms with her son’s disappearance using all the cephalopod tricks at his disposal. It’ll tug at the heart strings, even if it is a quick read.
Watch of the week: I’m still taking a bit of a break from television, and have been thoroughly enjoying watching the birds out my window most days! We’ve got a migratory oriole hanging around the house, as well as several pairs of nesting doves that are admittedly making a mess, but we are happy to have them!
That’s it for this week. I hope you have a wonderful Earth Day, and are able to celebrate with lots of wonderful time outside.
- Megan