Dispatch: Week of January 22
Grounding for Good LA fundraiser event, plus Parade of Homes seeks homeowners
Hello from California’s high desert, which is as blustery as ever.
In case you missed it: My town hasn’t seen a drop of rain for months. In our typical rainy winter season, we’ve been treated to endless blue skies and lots of wind. What happens to a place like the desert when we lose a winter? I’m not eager to find out. You can read last weekend’s essay about what hangs in the balance here.
And now, onto this week’s news:
In local news:
Methods and Rituals Spa is hosting Grounding for Good, a facial gua sha class whose proceeds will go to supporting relief for folks affected by the wildfires in Los Angeles County.
Folks can attend the class for $35 or $55 — the higher cost includes take-home materials from the class. It will be help on Thursday, January 23, from 5 p.m. until 6:30 p.m. at Sacred Sands in Joshua Tree. You can register for the class here.
Forbes is out with a glowing profile of the not-yet-completed glamping site Reset, set in Twentynine Palms with 65 units and plenty of community ire. The article does not mention the large local opposition to development, though its founders attempt to argue that the glamping-style resort will ease the housing crisis in the area, without much evidence to back up the claim.
Yucca Valley Town Council adopted a new ordinance to better appeal to farmers’ markets. The ordinance clarifies how far the market can be from major thoroughfares and requires that at least 75% of market vendors sell food.
Free coats are available to Morongo Basin residents in need courtesy of the United Methodist Church in Twentynine Palms. The church’s donation center is open from 9 a.m. until 12 p.m. on Wednesdays, and also includes socks and shoes in various sizes. The church is located at 6250 Mesquite Springs Road. If you have items to donate, the church asks that you call prior to dropping off items for donation.
Applications are now open for the 2025 Desert Fringe Theatre and Cultural Arts Festival, formerly known as the Hi Desert Fringe Festival, which will run from March 28 through March 30 at Freedom Plaza in Twentynine Palms.
The deadline to apply is February 15. More information about the festival and the application can be found here.
Morongo Basin Conservation Association is holding its annual meeting on Saturday, January 25, beginning at 9:30 a.m. This year’s MBCA meeting will focus on solar energy and public safety power shutoffs, and include time for audience members to ask questions of solar contractors in attendance. The meeting will be held in the Yucca Room at the Yucca Valley Community Center.
Reach Out Morongo Basin is currently seeking homes and donors for its upcoming Parade of Homes fundraiser, which helps fund services for local seniors and folks of differing abilities in the Morongo Basin.
If you are interested in opening up your home or sponsoring the event, please call Reach Out Morongo Basin at (760) 361-1410.
San Bernardino County is currently hiring for part-time positions with three public health groups: Mosquito and Vector Control Programs, Community and Environmental Health, and Fiscal.
More information on the positions is available here. To apply, the County asks that applicants email their resumé to ehsmoe@dph.sbcounty.gov.
Pioneertown Area Firewise Community is hosting a meeting for residents to better prepare for and work to prevent wildfires on Monday, January 27, from 5:30 p.m. until 7 p.m. at the old Pioneertown Fire Station.
Here are some handy resources if you or someone you know spots Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers or Customs and Border Enforcement officers in town. Know your rights, and look out for your neighbors. (Spanish version here).
In state news:
Here is a list of hiking trails affected by the Palisades Fire in Los Angeles County.
Altadena and Pasadena residents are slowly returning home following the increased containment of the Eaton Fire.
A new fire, dubbed the Hughes Fire, erupted near Santa Clarita on Wednesday morning, prompting evacuations and major firefighting resources due to intense winds and dry fuel. The fire is growing rapidly — at 12 p.m. it was measured at nearly 3,400 acres roughly an hour after it ignited.
The Red Flag Warning covering much of Southern California was extended into Thursday. Rain is forecast for parts of the state beginning this weekend.
California was one of several states that sued the Trump Administration for its executive order targeting birthright citizenship. The states attorneys general argue that the executive order was unconstitutional.
Cases of the flu, RSV, COVID, and norovirus are rising at an alarming pace across the state, officials warn.
In other news:
Cecile Richards, the prominent feminist activist and former president of Planned Parenthood, died on Monday after being diagnosed with an aggressive brain cancer in 2023. She was 67 years old.
New Orleans saw record-breaking snowfall on Tuesday as a major winter storm swept across the southeast.
Pupdate of the week: Oliver has adapted his tip tap dance to ask for pajama time now that temperatures are sufficiently cold. Allie, on the other hand, could stand for the mercury to drop a few additional degrees.
Trail tip of the week: We’re at the height of busy season here in the Basin, so if you are planning to venture into any one of the National Parks, Preserves, or Recreation Areas nearby, be sure to purchase an entrance or annual pass ahead of time online. It will save you time and money at the entrance as you gain access to the passholder entry — it moves much faster than the other line — and typically includes a small discount for purchasing online compared to prices in person.
Read of the week: I’m attempting to dive into some classics this year as a bit of escapism and reminder that from difficult or turbulent times often come resilient works of art. This week’s read has been Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse Five, which I can confirm does stand the test of time. The war saga is best read from a step or two away to fully appreciate Vonnegut’s ambling prose — a closer read may only succeed in disorienting the reader as fully as the novel’s protagonist. So it goes.
Watch of the week: I finally rented A Real Pain this past weekend and thoroughly enjoyed its meandering, strange plot. The film was written by Jesse Eisenberg and co-stars Kieran Culkin alongside Eisenberg as two cousins on a tour of Poland in memory of their recently deceased grandmother. The two make an odd pair, at times entertaining their tour group while, at others, scaring them with outbursts. The film deftly explores pain and grief, how it manifests across generations and what support looks like when it is most needed.
That’s it for this week! I hope you are able to brave the elements for some time outside.
- Megan