Dispatch: Week of December 20
Flaming Heights 640 project fails again, plus Chipotle's grand opening
Hello from California’s high desert. Only five more days until Christmas, and just 11 days left in 2023. Tomorrow, December 21, is the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year and the official start of winter.
Onto this week’s news:
In local news:
San Bernardino County supervisors voted 3-2 against the Flamingo Heights 640 glamping site. The development was heard again on appeal Tuesday night after failing earlier this year.
Cadiz Real Estate, a multi-million dollar development firm with operations near Amboy, was granted a right-of-way for a natural gas pipeline by the Bureau of Land Management.
The grant does not allow Cadiz to send aquifer water from the San Bernardino Mountains to Orange County, which it has proposed doing to increase its profits.
The BLM added conditions to make clear the decision is limited and does not allow Cadiz to use the line for transporting anything other than natural gas.
Dianna Newton, a 34-year-old Yucca Valley resident, died while in police custody on Tuesday. The San Bernardino County Sheriffs Department is investigating the incident. Newton was being held at the Rancho Cucamonga detention center after being charged with arson in October.
Yucca Valley will be implementing green waste collection in January. Residents with disposal bins will receive a green bin for organic waste, which includes items such as tree trimmings, branches, weeds, eggshells, meats, bones, fruits, vegetables, coffee grounds, coffee filters, tea bags, plate scrapings and food-soiled paper (i.e., napkins and paper towels).
Friends of Joshua Tree is hosting an information session on January 4 to discuss the national regulations and changes to bolting rock climbs in national parks, including Joshua Tree. You can find more information about the meeting on the organization’s Instagram page.
Twentynine Palms city council voted unanimously against a wastewater treatment plant and sewage collection system, citing project costs even though the town had received $50 million in grants for the project.
California Highway Patrol is continuing its increased enforcement of speed limits and no-passing zones on Old Woman Springs Road through the end of the year after multiple fatal crashes occurred on the highway around Thanksgiving.
So far, CHP has issued more than 91 citations since they increased patrols in the area on December 5.
Z107.7 has a full run-down of Yucca Valley town office closures between now and January. See the full list here.
The Yucca Valley Little Cesars location was shut down by county health inspectors last week. It does not currently have a reopening date.
A hearty congratulations to La Copine, Kitchen in the Desert, Mas o Menos, Out There Bar, Snakebite Roadhouse for the New York Times feature last week! You can read the full story, “36 Hours in Joshua Tree,” here with a guest link.
And last, but certainly not least, today is the official opening day for Chipotle in Yucca Valley. The Mexican fast-casual chain is still hiring, and will be open from 10:30 a.m. until 10 p.m. every day.
In state news:
Heavy rainfall is expected across the state, with blizzard conditions possible in the Sierra Nevada, with the ongoing storm system off the California coast. Coastal areas and burn scars are most likely to bear the brunt of the rainfall, and flood warnings are in place in most areas.
State regulators approved new rules on Tuesday that would let water agencies recycle wastewater into usable drinking water amid ongoing drought concerns across the state.
A new study focusing on guaranteed income for people experiencing homelessness in California found that the outcomes drastically improved for residents receiving $750 per month in guaranteed income. Study participants largely spent the funds on housing and food, the study found.
In other news:
The Colorado Supreme Court ruled that former President Donald Trump is ineligible to be on the state’s ballot in 2024 in accordance with the 14th Amendment, which stipulates a state officer who incited or participated in insurrection activities may not hold office again.
The decision is expected to be appealed almost immediately (if it hasn’t already).
Tesla, fresh off a recall of nearly all of its 2 million vehicles, previously knew about faulty or defective car parts but instead blamed customers for damages, a Reuters investigation found.
Bird, the once high-flying e-scooter company, filed for bankruptcy this morning.
Passport processing times are back to normal following an extended period with months-long delays, the State Department announced earlier this week.
Pupdate of the week: Alice’s birthday is later this week — I can’t believe she’ll be three years old! I’ve got a stash of toys and some outings planned to give her the best day yet.
Trail tip of the week: We’ve got rain in the forecast this week, so be sure to keep an eye on the sky while you’re out and about. Stay out of washes and canyons to avoid any flash flooding, and mountain travel will likely be dangerous and slow with snow and ice forecast around 7,000 feet. If you do venture out, remember to wear waterproof outer layers and sweat-wicking base layers to avoid getting too cold.
Read of the week: I was invited to a book club a few weeks ago — hi, book club! — and have started reading Fourth Wing for our next meeting. It’s a fantasy novel that follows a young woman who is forced to become a dragon rider as war ramps up across their land. I will admit it has been a minute since I’ve dove into a fantasy novel, and I’m honestly looking forward to getting entirely lost in a fantasy world full of strong women and stronger dragons.
Watch of the week: I really enjoyed Nyad on Netflix, and it’s not just because I’m a big fan of directors Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin. The film follows Diana Nyad, an open water swimmer intent on swimming from Cuba to Florida even as she ages well into her 60s. The film was an incredible look at the support crew that made Nyad’s accomplishments possible, and the sacrifices they had to make for her benefit. It was a refreshing look at the big athletic achievements we all think of for movies, one that didn’t concern itself much with the athlete but instead the team that made it possible.
That’s it for this week! I hope you have a marvelous holiday weekend if you are celebrating. Stay dry, stay kind, and get outside!
- Megan
Cadiz - overall bad news, a foot in the door.
Bolting in Yucca - No bolts please! The climbing community started moving away from them decades ago, but too late to stop irreversible damage.
Trump and the 14th Amendment - Not unhappy with the Colorado Court's ruling but SCOTUS will probably overturn. The Amendment was poorly and hastily written and allows for seversl bad outcomes.. Congress back in those days wanted an instrument to strike at the southern ruling class, but the ends don't justify the means. Colorado must be praying that SCOTUS rules quickly. Trump must be praying that Thomas, channeling Scalias black letter legislative intent doctrine, doesn't vote to uphold Colorado..
RE: Green Waste Collection in YV - Residents can obtain a free 'Kitchen Pail' to collect kitchen waste in a smaller receptacle before adding it to their Green Bin each week. Call Burrtec's Customer Service Dept at 760-365-2015 (Mon-Fri, 8-5) to request one. Burrtec will arrange a date for curbside drop off of the free 'Kitchen Pail'.