Dispatch: Week of March 9
New business round-up, updated mask policies at Joshua Tree National Park, and gas prices spike
Hello from California’s windy and cold high desert. I heard there’s a warming trend in the forecast for next week, so I am crossing all my fingers and toes it comes to pass. A reminder to set your clocks ahead on Saturday evening as we spring ahead an hour.
A quick happy belated birthday to my husband, Andrew. We played tourist in Palm Springs this weekend for a day, and had a ton of great food yesterday to mark the occasion. The dogs were on their best behavior as a treat to him, of course.
And now, onto this week’s news:
In COVID-19 news:
As the US approaches the heartbreaking milestone of 1 million lives lost to COVID-19 since March 2020, I recommend this thoughtful piece in The Atlantic about what that number means and how we’ve come to think about grief and loss during the last two years.
Americans are now able to order and additional four free rapid at-home COVID-19 tests from the federal government. You can place your order here.
California surpassed 9 million total cases since the beginning of the pandemic, but the positivity rate across the state is at an all-time low.
Some interesting studies have come out in recent weeks about long covid, a condition where symptoms like brain fog and fatigue persist months or years after initial infection. Some studies suggest up to a quarter of all COVID-19 cases result in long covid regardless of whether or not the initial case was symptomatic.
One study found ongoing brain damage in long covid patients which could explain the wide variety of symptoms patients report. It has also suggested that long covid patients could be at risk of other conditions like Alzheimer’s.
Another found a link to Epstein-Barr virus, the virus that causes mono. Nearly 95% of all people have the virus in their system one way or another, but only some have seen it reactivated due to a COVID-19 infection, and researchers are not yet sure why.
In local news:
Joshua Tree National Park lifted mask requirements at its visitor centers and in other crowded areas. The National Park Service now allows all parks in the system to adjust masking policies based on local transmission rates, which have been low in San Bernardino and Riverside Counties.
It is super bloom season! The recent rains have been good to us and parts of the low desert are already showing off. Head to the southern end of the park or even the visitors center at San Jacinto Mountain State Park in Palm Springs to enjoy the show.
Derek Marshall filed his candidacy to represent California's new 23rd Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives, which covers the Basin all the way to Death Valley National Park and Barstow to the East. He will challenge Republican incumbent Jay Obernolte.
And to close it out, a few new local business openings I’ve been meaning to highlight:
The Tiny Pony Tavern is a delightfully decorated local tavern complete with a unique menu (if the Loaded Yuca Fries special is available when you go, get them) and massive beverage selection.
The Tiny Pony Tavern is located at 57205 Twentynine Palms Highway in Yucca Valley (next to the Fire Station). It is open daily from 11 a.m. until 11 p.m.
Luna Sourdough opened its doors a few weeks back with fresh baked breads, pastries, and tarts. Now, they also offer fresh-made deli-style sandwiches as well using their homemade bread.
Luna Sourdough is located at 55700 Twentynine Palms Highway in Yucca Valley. It is open from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. It is closed Tuesday and Wednesday.
Grnd Sqrl opened its doors near the end of 2020. It is a beer bar with an excellent bar-style menu, including an incredible fish and chips and burger with fries. It has one of the best beer selections I’ve come across in the Basin to date, and they host open mic on Wednesday and trivia on Thursday.
Grnd Sqrl is located at 73471 Twentynine Palms Highway in Twentynine Palms. It is open daily from 12 p.m. until 7 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday, with extended hours on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.
Diner 62 officially reopened two weeks back with a lively celebration. The refurbished diner sticks to its guns with high quality diner fare, a varied beer and wine selection, and of course, milkshakes.
Diner 62 is located at 55405 Twentynine Palms Highway in Yucca Valley. It is open 8 a.m. until 11 p.m. Thursday through Sunday.
In state news:
There was a terrific piece of writing last week from Julian Brave NoiseCat on the history and future of “Native California.” If you are looking for a long-read this week, you would be remiss to pass up on this one.
The average gas price across the state is $5.28 per gallon as of press time. It is the highest average price per gallon in the country.
In other news:
Vasu Sojitra just became the first disabled person to summit Denali.
American businesses including McDonalds, Starbucks, and Coca Cola are all ceasing operations in Russia due to the ongoing invasion of Ukraine. The conflict has, to date, resulted in more than 2 million refugees fleeing the country.
Apple announced its suite of new phones and iPads on Tuesday, but I was really most excited about one of its new colors. The iPhone 13 will be available for purchase on March 11.
The first grizzly bear of the season was spotted in Yellowstone National Park on Monday. Happy spring!
Pupdate of the week: Oliver has started “coming to work with me” now that I have a new job. He has claimed my home office as his new hangout spot and even responds to the command, “okay, let’s go to work,” by going to the door. Alice accomplished a major goal of her young life when she fully ripped our tether ball off its tether. She proudly ran around the yard for 30 minutes with her prize before we could catch her.
Trail tip of the week: Cairns are not permitted in the wilderness, so please do not build them! They are used in specific circumstances to mark trails that are difficult to follow, but many other construction projects are highly discouraged. They encourage more people to make them, firstly, which disturbs the ecosystem and can disturb wildlife or vegetation that rely on the rocky ground for shelter. Sorry to be the fun police, but a picture isn’t worth it.
Book of the week: I’ve been a bit slow to start on my reading goals this year, but I have really been enjoying Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer at a leisurely pace. Wall Kimmerer is Native and illustrates the power of plants and living within nature through her family history, scientific observations, and short anecdotes. It has already completely reshaped how I think about my outings in nature, and I’ve really enjoyed the life lessons she shares that more often than not come from plants themselves.
That’s it for this week. I hope you have a great weekend and are able to get outside!
- Megan