Dispatch: Week of December 11
Yucca Valley's new cannabis dispensary, plus Geminid meteor shower returns
Hello from California’s high desert, where we are desperately seeking some precipitation and less wind.
In case you missed it: My morning walks have been looking different the past few weeks, and I’ve been thinking about how it feels to start the day with more stress but also, more progress. You can read it here.
And now, onto this week’s news:
In local news:
Roads are mostly back to normal after a traffic nightmare brought Basin traffic to a grinding halt on Monday. First, a fatal collision closed I-10 and all traffic — including semi-trucks — was routed through 177 at Desert Center and through 62 westbound to Desert Hot Springs.
Then, one such diverted semi rolled over on the Morongo Grade, shutting 62 in both directions for several hours while first responders attended to the scene. All lanes were cleared by the afternoon, and I-10 was reopened in the evening.
The Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians opened Red Falcon Dispensary on Twentynine Palms Highway in Yucca Valley last weekend. All products sold in the dispensary are made locally and adhere to California state cannabis standards, a spokesperson said.
Eater LA compiled a list of where to eat and drink for folks visiting the Morongo Basin this high season. It includes old favorites such as Frontier Café in Yucca Valley, La Copine in Flamingo Heights, and Country Kitchen in Joshua Tree, as well as beloved newcomers Mas o Menos, Luna Bakery, and The Copper Room.
EV maker and Tesla rival Rivian opened its first charging station in Joshua Tree earlier this month. The charging station works with all electric vehicle chargers.
It’s that time of year again — the Geminid meteor shower is upon us! One of the most active meteor showers of the year, the Geminids typically draw large crowds to Joshua Tree National Park given its designation as a Dark Sky Park with little to no light pollution for optimal viewing.
Twentynine Palm’s Palms-N-Paws animal shelter is currently hosting its annual Jingle Paws Food Drive now through January 1.
Bags of dry and canned food for puppies, kittens, dogs, and cats, packaged animal treats, toys, and cleaning supplies may be delivered to the shelter from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Saturday at its location at 7086 Bullion Ave. in Twentynine Palms.
Clause’s Children crafting and cookie event is ready to kick off the holiday week on Saturday, December 21, from 2 p.m. until 4 p.m. at Belfield Hall in Landers.
RSVPs are encouraged and can be made by emailing landers.lca@gmail.com.
The Desert Institute at Joshua Tree National Park Association is hosting its inaugural Joshua Tree Writers Festival on Saturday, December 14, from 9 a.m. until 6:30 p.m. at the Joshua Tree Retreat Center.
The event includes panel discussions, a keynote, and a workshop. You can see the full agenda for the entirely free event here.
The City of Twentynine Palms has removed the 29! sign on Twentynine Palms Highway for restoration and refurbishing, the city says. It will be reinstalled once the work is complete.
The Joshua Tree VFW Post Auxiliary 7264 is collecting donations for the Morongo Basin Humane Society and the Animal Action League now through December 20. They will be accepting new and gently used pet items, including toys, beds, and blankets.
Locals are banding together to help provide items via Trans Santa to a trans Morongo Basin teen in need of support upon moving out of their home this spring. You can select items to donate from this Amazon wishlist.
La Copine is hosting La Copine Carol, a non-denominational drag brunch winter celebration on Saturday, December 21. Reservations are required and can be made by texting 760-289-8537.
Sky Village Swap Meet is hosting a liquidation sale Saturday, December 14, from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. at its current location in Yucca Valley.
In state news:
The Franklin Fire is burning near Malibu, forcing evacuations and prompting residents’ memories of the December Woolsey Fire a few years back.
Boeing laid off nearly 600 employees in California as part of a larger restructuring effort across its locations in California and Washington. Employees in Seal Beach and El Segundo were most affected.
In other news:
Officials have charged 26-year-old Luigi Mangione with second-degree murder in the shooting death of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Mangione was apprehended at a McDonald’s in Pennsylvania after a days-long search following the shooting last week.
It is unclear if the McDonald’s employee who tipped officials off to Mangione’s location will receive any of the promised rewards offered by New York city, state, and federal officials for their role in the arrest.
It’s nearly awards season again. The Golden Globes released the full list of nominees for the 2025 awards, with Wicked raking in several nods in the film section and Shōgun looking like the favorite in the TV drama categories.
Pupdate of the week: Oliver is making sure I cannot leave by parking his entire 30 pounds on my lap after I returned from a quick weekend trip. Alice was also excited, but not more so than when Andrew came back from his trip at the end of last week.
Trail tip of the week: What comes up, must always come down. It’s a refrain I recite during the height of tourist season when folks seem to continuously get themselves stuck on top of rock formations in and around Joshua Tree National Park. Shoes with good grip are helpful, as is a healthy dose of skepticism that you can repeat the steps that got you up there in the first place. If not, it may be best to call it quits instead of calling search and rescue or injuring yourself on the way down.
Read of the week: I sped through Patricia Engel’s Infinite Country after having it recommended to me by friends, acquaintances, and bookshop owners for several years. It is an emotional novel that follows the journey of a family hoping to leave Colombia for the United States for a better life and the challenges they encounter as they attempt to reunite members of their family and achieve that better life they aren’t sure is there. It is disappointingly relevant to current events, and will hopefully give readers a dose of perspective around the broader national discussion around immigration.
Watch of the week: Oh how quickly the tables turn here at The Dispatch; I’ve been out and about enough that my reading has overtaken my TV viewing this week and I am not mad about that! I of course watched the Derry Girls’ Great British Baking Show special — which was nothing short of a true delight — but otherwise have been happily avoiding screens in favor of views natural and not, but still more than several inches from my face.
That’s it for this week! I hope you get a chance to enjoy our sunshine with plenty of time outside this weekend.
- Megan