Hello from California’s high desert. It looks like we’ve got one last winter storm between us and true spring coming through this weekend, so we just have to hold out a little longer. The warm weather will be here in no time.
In case you missed it: I explored a relentless part of my personality, a part that has taken me to some incredible places and allowed me to grow more than I could have ever imagined. You can read it here.
And now, onto this week’s news:
In local news:
National Trails Highway is officially reopened east of Amboy. The “back road to Vegas” was closed to facilitate repairs to a bridge damaged during one of this winter’s storms.
WildEarth Guardians, a national non-profit environmental advocacy group, is suing the federal government over its decision to not add Joshua trees to its list of endangered species.
The Way Station in Joshua Tree is hosting a food giveaway this Friday, March 29, as a celebration of the Easter holiday. Residents have the chance to receive ham, turkey, produce, and Easter baskets for children.
The event starts at 8 a.m.
The Town of Yucca Valley is currently accepting applications for an open seat on the Revenue Measure Oversight Commission, which helps the town best use funds from Measure Y and Measure Z.
Joshua Tree’s Harrison House Arts, Music, and Ecology Center is holding a three-day course on permaculture from May 24 to 26 that will cover organic gardening, natural building, composting, and water harvesting, among other topics.
Early bird registration is open now through April 1. For more information about the course or register, call the Harrison House at 760-366-4712, or visit the event’s page at louharrisonhouse.org.
Yucca Valley High School awarded alumnae Robin Kobaly as the 2024 Hall of Fame inductee for her work as a biologist and educator in the Morongo Basin.
Z107.7 has a great write-up of Kobaly’s career and accomplishments that is a well-deserved must read.
Desert Care Network in partnership with the Hi-Desert Medical Center is hosting a desert survival seminar on April 10 from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. at the Helen Gray Education Center at the Hi-Desert Medical Center.
The seminar will cover how to treat a snake bite, how to deal with high temperatures and signs of heat stroke, and other first aid tips. Call (833) 955-1084 to RSVP as space is limited.
In state news:
A mountain lion killed Taylen Brooks, 21, in the first known mountain lion fatality in the state in nearly 20 years. Brooks was out hunting with his brother, Wyatt, 18, when the predator attacked the pair in El Dorado County.
Fast food chains across the state are preparing for the $20 minimum wage law that goes into affect on Monday, April 1.
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., selected Nicole Shanahan, a prominent Silicon Valley lawyer and ex-wife of Google co-founder Sergey Brin, as his running mate in the 2024 Presidential election.
State Farm declined to renew tens of thousands of homeowner insurance policies across the state due to increased risk at those properties.
In other news:
Beyoncé’s new album, act ii: Cowboy Carter, is out this Friday, March 29. I, for one, am very excited to hear her take on the country music genre.
The Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore collapsed early Tuesday morning after a shipping vessel lost control and ran into one of the bridge’s supports. Six people, all construction workers who were working on the bridge at the time of the collision, are presumed dead.
Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun is stepping down at the end of the year following the airplane maker’s disastrous start to the year that saw one safety issue after another with its popular 737-Max planes. Stan Deal, CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, is also leaving the company.
McDonald’s partnered with Krispy Kreme to offer donuts in its stores nationwide by the end of 2026.
The NFL has completely revamped its kickoff rules to look more like those in the XFL. Changes include no surprise on-side kicks, no fair catch calls, and restrictions on which players are allowed to move while the ball is in the air.
The league stated that the change was intended to make kickoffs more exciting while still protecting players’ safety.
Pupdate of the week: Oliver’s been a bit grumpy, and it turns out his arthritis was acting up. Poor guy now has a new bag of joint supplement treats and lots of rest. Alice, meanwhile, has made friends with the mated pair of mourning doves that live in our porch all summer.
Trail tip of the week: It’s a great time of year to spot wildlife in the Basin! Remember to watch where you step, and pay close attention to small movements on the ground and in the air. Our wildlife may be smaller than wildlife in other places, but as anyone who has watched a hummingbird knows, that doesn’t make them any less beautiful.
Read of the week: I cannot say enough great things about Bree Loewen’s memoir Found: A Life in Mountain Rescue. Loewen and her partner are both members of a search and rescue team in Washington state, and she writes about her peers in an incredibly human way even as they are accomplishing superhuman rescue feats. She also covers how she balances her SAR role, which is volunteer-based and unpaid, with her role at home as a mother. It’s a moving, powerful book that will make you want to hug ever SAR volunteer you ever meet.
Watch of the week: Well, my alma mater did not put on the best performance in the NCAA March Madness tournament, so I started watching Ali Wong’s Netflix show Beef. So far so good! It follows Wong’s character, a restrained business owner and wife who lashes out at Steven Yeun’s character David after a road rage incident escalates way out of control.
That’s it for this week! I hope you have a wonderful weekend outside, even if it’s a bit soggy.
- Megan