Dispatch: Week of August 14
Welcome 29 Beer Co., plus Companion's new urgent care dates
Hello from California’s high desert, where we’ve gotten a small reprieve from the incessant heat with some downright pleasant evening temperatures. And nearly halfway through August, the light is almost at the end of the tunnel.
In case you missed it: Blame it on the lack of sleep, but last weekend’s essay was a bit spicier than usual, focused on the ways in which I’ve contorted myself for others’ comfort and/or benefit and what I’m doing to try and reclaim the parts of myself I truly enjoy. You can read it here.
And now, onto this week’s news:
In local news:
Say hello to 29 Beer Co., a brewery in Twentynine Palms opened by the founders of brewpub Grnd Sqrl. 29 Beer Co. is open every day from 6 a.m. until 10 p.m. and serves coffee and breakfast in the mornings before transitioning to a hot dog and burger menu with fresh beer in the evenings. It is located at 73565 Twentynine Palms Highway in Twentynine Palms.
Companion Animal Clinic in Yucca Valley is now open on select Fridays for walk-in urgent care appointments only. Appointments are first-come, first-served and begin at 8 a.m. Exams start at $140 and do not include diagnostics or medications.
The next urgent care date is this Friday, August 16. Companion will also offer urgent care next Friday, August 23.
The Town of Yucca Valley is hosting at CPR class on Saturday, August 17, from 9:30 a.m. until 12 p.m. Participants will receive an American CPR Training Certification card good for two years upon completion.
The class is $25 to attend and will be held at the Yucca Valley Community Center. You can register to attend here.
Derek Marshall, a candidate running for U.S. House Representative in District 23, is hosting a fundraising event on August 24 from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. at The Station in Joshua Tree. The event will feature live music, a silent auction, raffles, and a kids’ art sale.
Marshall is running to unseat incumbent Rep. Jay Obernolte to represent the Morongo Basin in Washington, D.C.
The Desert Trumpet is hosting a Twentynine Palms city council candidate town hall together with The Desert Trail on Saturday, September 14, from 3 p.m. until 5 p.m. at the Twentynine Palms Community Center.
The Yucca Valley Big Lots is closing. The store is one of 75 locations the company is shuttering due to decreased profits, it said in an earnings call earlier this year.
Three tourists from Germany received citations from National Park Service staff after firing off paintballs at Jumbo Rocks Campground in Joshua Tree National Park last week. Volunteer-led cleanup efforts to undo the damage are currently underway.
Morongo Valley CSD Finance Director Johnny Tolbert has announced he is running for reelection after previously stating he would not run again.
Twentynine Palms-based filmmakers and partners Graham Kolbeins and Jonathan Andre Culliton are hosting the first ever 29 Queer Film Festival from September 20 through September 22. The event will feature work from queer filmmakers in the Morongo Basin and further afield, and include film screenings, panels, and live performances.
In state news:
Several large earthquakes in and around Southern California has experts sounding the alarm that more, larger quakes could be on the way.
The Olympics closing ceremony officially handed the torch to Los Angeles, the host city for the 2028 Olympic games.
In other news:
Starbucks hired Brian Niccol as its new CEO as the coffee chain struggled with weakening sales. Niccol is famously the CEO at the helm of Chipotle, and he took over in the wake of a spate of food poisoning reports throughout the chain’s national locations.
Nearly 2.9 billion records were accessed by unauthorized users in what officials are calling one of the largest hacks in recent memory. Social Security Numbers and other personal data for nearly all U.S. and U.K. residents were affected.
The U.S. Department of Justice is seriously considering a move to break up Google following a groundbreaking court ruling that found it used anticompetitive practices in search, per reports.
The World Health Organization has declared the recent mpox outbreak originating from parts of Africa a global health emergency.
Pupdate of the week: It has been so nice to get back to our morning walk routine with Oliver now that things have cooled off a touch. He is as eager as ever to get out there and sniff all the bushes, which someone recently told me is the dog equivalent of reading his emails. I will never look at our walks the same way again.
Trail tip of the week: A few folks in Landers have reportedly seen a resident mountain lion hanging around recently, so this week’s reminder is to keep an eye out for the big cats, especially if hiking or walking alone. I tend to bring hiking poles when I’m in mountain lion territory so I can use them to make myself look big and scare it off. Never ever run from a mountain lion, as any fast movement triggers their prey drive.
Read of the week: Each morning this week, the incredible Anne Helen Peterson has published some of the most in-depth reporting on sororities, fraternities, and larger Greek life at the University of Alabama, with two more pieces slated for the remainder of the week. The first looked at sorority rush, now a national phenomena thanks to TikTok. The second tried to pin down The Machine, a secretive group with its tentacles wound into Greek life and all the way into the U.S. Senate, allegedly. Today’s was a look at how long Alabama’s Greek life observed de facto segregation, which only ended in 2013(!!). Safe to say I am eagerly awaiting what else Peterson has in store for the rest of the week.
Watch of the week: Truthfully, I am in denial that the Olympics are over. So much so, in fact, that I’m still working through some of the events I missed watching live this week. Peacock had some incredible programming for this year’s event, and I’m curious to see what they do with it in 2028. If you missed any live events, I highly recommend heading over to Peacock to catch up. The women’s combined sport climbing final was an incredible watch, as was the women’s marathon, if you’re looking for suggestions!
That’s it for this week! I hope you are spending loads of time outside in this delightful weather.
- Megan