Dispatch: Week of April 26
Furstworld fundraiser details and upcoming events for Saturday, April 29
Hello from California’s high desert, and welcome back to the Dispatch! My apologies for being a week late here, for those of you following along at home. I had another round in the ring with COVID and recovery took a lot longer than I had hoped this time around.
Luckily I’m feeling mostly myself again, which means the Dispatch is back! I hope you are all healthy and have been enjoying our spring so far, allergies and all.
And now, onto this week’s news:
In local news:
Christy Holstege announced that she is running again for State Assembly after losing in the previous election by just 85 votes.
The Flying Doctors SOCAL Golf Tournament, presented by VFW Post 72643, is this Saturday, April 29, at Hawk’s Landing in Yucca Valley.
The tournament is $75 a person or $280 a team. For tickets, call Jeffrey Grabow at 760-898-0535
The Yucca Valley Youth Commission is hosting a Teen Splash day at the Yucca Valley Community Center soccer field this Saturday, April 29.
This free event is open to teens and their families from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Yucca Valley residents now have access to Narcan, a standard treatment for someone overdosing on opiates, including fentanyl, for free.
Narcan nasal spray is available at Hi-Desert Emergency Action Alliance at 57353 Twentynine Palms Highway, Suite B, in Yucca Valley.
The California State Fish and Game Commission did not take additional action on the proposal for Western Joshua tree protections in a meeting in Fresno April 19 and April 20.
Furstworld, the non-profit arts and performance organization, is hosting a fundraiser event produced by Seth Zaharias and Cliffhanger Guides to raise money for County permits.
The event will feature musical performances and art auctions. It is scheduled for Saturday, May 27, at 4 p.m. at Giant Rock Meeting Room. You can purchase tickets ahead of time here.
San Bernardino County is actively seeking feedback on a proposed zoning overlay for the 46 acres comprising Pioneertown town center.
The proposal, background, photos, and frequently asked questions are online at Pioneertown1946.org.
Luckie Park Pool in Twentynine Palms will reopen on May 27 following a $6.4 million renovation.
It will be open weekends at first, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., with weekday hours beginning on June 1. Hours will continue to expand throughout the summer.
In state news:
Heavy flooding is expected across the state as this winter’s record snowfall starts to melt during this weekend’s heat wave.
Yosemite National Park is closed starting yesterday through at least May 3 due to expected flooding.
California Lt. Governor Eleni Kounalakis has announced her plans to run for governor in the upcoming election.
Here are some great photos from the unusual Northern Lights viewing across California earlier this week.
In other news:
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers has left the Green Bay Packers for the New York Jets.
Speaking of the NFL, the 2023 Draft kicks off tomorrow and runs through Saturday.
The Golden State Warriors are taking on the Sacramento Kings in Game 5 tonight. The series is tied 2-2.
The Los Angeles Lakers also play tonight against the Memphis Grizzlies. The Lakers are up 3-1 in that series.
Editor’s note: Sorry for all the sports news this week! We’ll hopefully be back to normal next week.
Pupdate of the week: Both dogs have been enthusiastically trying to catch grasshoppers in the backyard, with varying levels of success.
Trail tip of the week: We’ve got our first major warm weekend of the year on deck this week, so be sure to keep an eye on the ground for our cold-blooded neighbors. Snakes are out, so please drive slowly on the way to the trailhead and give them some space once you hit the trails.
Read of the week: I have been thinking about this piece by Anne Helen Peterson about why we don’t live closer to friends even though study after study show that we would be happier if we did. There are the usual caveats of differing socioeconomic situations and privileges, but at the end of the day it’s less about access and more about ways we have been taught to think about family and community. It’s an interesting read that raised a lot of really interesting questions.
Watch of the week: The amount of great television on right now is borderline absurd. It’s so hard to pick just one that I honestly thought about sending out a heavily abbreviated Dispatch just covering new shows while I was off. So here’s a quick round-up, abbreviated style: the final season of Succession is well on its way to earning every Emmy imaginable, the third season of Ted Lasso will make you cry happy tears, and the second season of Yellowjackets should not be viewed during dinner. I will leave it at that, go forth and enjoy!
That’s it for this week! I hope you have a great rest of your week and get outside this weekend.
- Megan