Hello from California’s high desert in the full swing of monsoon season. Weather forecasters are tracking Tropical Storm Hilary off the coast of Mexico, which could bring rain and wind to the Basin later this weekend and early next week. That also means high clouds, which could mean some really great sunrises and sunsets the rest of this week.
Onto this week’s news:
In local news:
Third District Supervisor Dawn Rowe is holding an open house on Thursday, August 24, to hear feedback on the short-term rentals and their affects on the Basin’s housing stock and economy.
The open house runs from 4:30 p.m. until 6 p.m. at the Joshua Tree Community Center.
The Mojave Desert Land Trust is hosting an informational meeting on Tuesday, August 29, to explain the newly passed Western Joshua Tree Conservation Act.
The meeting will run from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. at the MDLT headquarters in Joshua Tree. You can RSVP to attend here.
Fang Jin, a woman visiting the Morongo Basin from China, is missing after meeting up with Morongo Valley resident John Root Fitzpatrick in mid-July.
Both people were reported missing between July 26 and July 30. They were planning to camp at an undisclosed location in the area and had not met prior to the trip. The Hi-Desert Star reported that Fitzpatrick had been hired as Fang’s guide.
Anyone with information regarding Fang or Fitzgerald is asked to contact detective Tyler Bengard and reference report number 092301014. Bengard can be reached at the station at (760) 366-4175 or through dispatch at (909) 387-8313.
Four Morongo Basin residents suffered from suspected fentanyl overdoses and had naloxone administered by deputies from the Morongo Basin Sheriff’s Station last week, Z107.7 reports.
Lifestream is holding a blood drive tomorrow, August 17, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the California Welcome Center in Yucca Valley.
Healthy individuals at least 15 years of age may donate blood.
Everyone under 17 years of age must provide LifeStream with written parental consent.
Donors receive a free mini-physical including readings for blood pressure, pulse, cholesterol levels, iron level and temperature. You can make an appointment by calling LifeStream at 800-879-4484 or visiting LStream.org.
Volunteers have partnered with the National Park Service to clean up damage and trash in Joshua Tree National Park after an all-time record amount of visitors came to view the meteor shower last weekend.
The Johnson Valley Shared Use Area will be closed to public use starting Friday, August 18, until August 28 for military training.
In state news:
State wildlife officials identified a new gray wolf pack in Tulare County, the farthest south a pack of wolves has been detected in the state in more than a century.
Cases of COVID-19 are rising again across the state.
Several major wildfires sparked this week after several dry lightning strikes swept across the northern portion of the state.
In other news:
England will face Spain in the World Cup finals on Sunday at 3 a.m. PT.
A grand jury in Georgia indicted former President Donald Trump on charges related to attempts to overturn the 2020 election. It is former President Trump’s fourth criminal charge since leaving office.
Pupdate of the week: We’re almost through the new food transition with both dogs, which means our new schedule for bathroom breaks is just about final.
Trail tip of the week: Monsoon season is a good reminder to stay out of slot canyons and off high points during the afternoon to avoid flash flooding and potential lightning storms. I try to wrap things up before 11 a.m. this time of year just to be super safe, regardless of what the forecast looks like.
Read of the week: I’m back on my science reporting kick, and sped through Gloria Dickie’s Eight Bears about the eight remaining bear species around the world. It covers the bears’ mythological presence in indigenous cultures — or lack thereof, in some cases — as well as the current challenges facing each species in a changing climate. I learned a lot, even about the species I thought I already knew. And now, I have a trip to a remote Canadian village high on my list.
Watch of the week: Union representatives met with studios earlier this week to resume negotiations, so hopefully there will be more great film and TV coming soon.
That’s it for this week! I hope you get a chance to get outside this weekend and are able to stay dry.
- Megan