Dispatch: Week of August 21
BLM seeks public input on communications tower in Morongo Valley, plus Yucca Valley fall construction projects
Hello from California’s high desert. We’ve got cooler temperatures on deck this weekend, so I hope you’re enjoying our quick taste of fall before things heat back up.
In case you missed it: I watched most of the Olympics through tears because there is something just so emotional about watching people achieve their dreams, regardless of where they’re from. So I wrote about what sport can do for us, all of us, when we need a bit of a boost. You can read last week’s essay here.
Programming note: The Dispatch: News will be off next week (August 28) and will return after Labor Day. Essays will continue as scheduled.
And now, onto this week’s news:
In local news:
The Bureau of Land Management is seeking public input on its plan to install a telecommunications tower in Morongo Valley off of Twentynine Palms Highway.
The project would require amendments to existing conservation and environmental plans in the area due to the construction and roads needed for ongoing maintenance of the tower.
The BLM will hold an in-person public meeting with a virtual option on Thursday, September 5, at 5:30 p.m., at the Community Services District Multipurpose Room in Covington Park. Advance registration is required to attend virtually. The 30-day public comment period will close Sept. 16.
The Cottonwood Visitor Center, parking area, restrooms, and Cottonwood Campground are currently closed due to increased bee activity.
Bees will swarm vehicles in search of water in hot months. Officials hope the reduction in visitor traffic will allow for the bees to disperse. Other entrances, campgrounds, and restrooms are not currently affected.
Copper Mountain College is hosting an opioid overdose response and Narcan training on Thursday, August 22, at 9 a.m. Participants will receive a free Narcan kit upon completion of the course.
The training will be held in the Christine Proudfoot Student Activity Center at Copper Mountain College. For more information, call (760) 365-7130 or email carrie@we-reachout.org
Increased customer rates are required in order to keep the Hi-Desert Water District afloat, so to speak, according to a consultant the agency hired.
Yucca Valley Town Council will move ahead with improvement projects at Yucca Mesa and Buena Vista. Projects include lane widening, adding lighting and signage, and building curbs.
Yucca Valley will host a pre-K and kindergarten basketball program beginning October 2. League registration for the six-week program is $50. You can sign up or learn more about the non-competitive league here.
A new study found that Joshua trees are blooming more often due to increased temperatures attributed to the changing climate. The Mojave Desert Land Trust is quoted in this article about what experts think is happening and what it might mean for our unique landscape.
The Los Angeles Times has a great article about the North American monsoon season and how it affects the high desert. Worth a read if you’re curious about our summer storms!
In state news:
The winning ticket for the $44 million Powerball was sold at a Ralph’s location in Dana Point. The winner has not yet been identified.
San Carlos Beach in Monterey has closed indefinitely following an influx of sea lions, officials said. There were nearly 1,000 sea lions on the beach as of Monday, witnesses said.
A “doomsday fish” was spotted near La Jolla cove in San Diego by a group of kayakers and snorkelers. The oarfish is thought to be a harbinger of natural catastrophe, particularly major earthquakes, in Japanese lore.
In other news:
The Democratic National Convention kicked off on Monday from Chicago, and so far has featured speeches from President Biden, Warriors coach and former Chicago Bulls player Steve Kerr, former President Barack Obama, and more. Vice President Kamala Harris is expected to accept the party’s nomination on Thursday.
Jennifer Lopez officially filed for divorce from Ben Affleck on Tuesday after months of speculation that the couple had separated. The couple’s second marriage lasted for roughly two years.
Maria Branyas Morera, the oldest person in the world, died Tuesday. She was 117 years old.
Pupdate of the week: I’ve been prescribed an “aggressive” rest week, and the dogs are very much willing to oblige some daytime naps on the couch and short walks around the block. Alice, however, wouldn’t mind if I added in some laps around the yard, but she’s been understanding enough.
Trail tip of the week: I overdid it a bit last weekend, trying to complete a big training run with a big training hike back-to-back. I hit a wall with about four miles left to get back to the trailhead, unsure if I could realistically make it all the way back out. I wasn’t dehydrated, but I surely hadn’t eaten enough to get through both the previous day’s run and also the long hike. So, I took in some gels and, wouldn’t you know it, felt almost immediately better. I wouldn’t say I enjoyed the remainder of the hike, but I finished it, and that was a success. So, this week’s reminder is about fueling. Make sure you do it! Keep up the carbs before and during a hike, and follow up any big effort with protein to help with recovery.
Read of the week: I just wrapped up Julia Phillips’ second novel, Bear, which follows two sisters working service industry jobs on San Juan Island in Washington state as they care for their dying mother. Shortly after introducing the sisters and their discontents, Phillips introduces a bear, a mystical and symbolic creature that swam out to the island and tips the sisters’ relationship into chaos. It’s an intriguing premise, and the story itself takes a bit of empathy to persist in the younger sister’s shoes, but it leaves a lasting impression on what we think we know about those closest to us.
Watch of the week: Max has been promoting the HBO comedy series Silicon Valley pretty heavily ahead of its tenth anniversary, and our household has fallen for the marketing ploy. The show is just as relevant today as it was 10 years ago — sometimes even more so — and I’ve been thoroughly enjoying the incredibly witty writing of the first few seasons. Worth the rewatch!
That’s it for this week! The Dispatch will be off next week (August 28), but back in your inboxes after Labor Day. Essays will continue on as scheduled. I hope you have a fabulous few weeks with plenty of chances to get outside!
- Megan