Dispatch: Week of May 17
Joshua Tree Highland Artists in Residence revealed, plus Trammell Evans search continues
Hello from California’s high desert, where tourist season is winding down and summer is just getting started.
Onto this week’s news:
In local news:
The 21st Joshua Tree Music Festival kicks off Thursday. Tickets are currently sold out, so be prepared for an increase in visitors and traffic on Twentynine Palms Highway this weekend.
The Joshua Tree Highland Artist in Residence program selected Akilah Brown, Fernanda Galvão, Beth Jones, and Chang Il Kim for its summer session. The Hi-Desert Star has all the details on the artists.
Grubstakes Days kicks off May 25 (next Thursday) with a mixer at the Joshua Tree National Park Association shop in Yucca Valley.
A full schedule of the weekend’s events is here. I am running the 5K on Sunday, May 28, so I will see you fellow runners there!
As part of the event, the Pony Express will deliver free desert-themed postcards mailed from the Yucca Valley Welcome Center. You can pick up free postcards from the Welcome Center until Sunday, May 28.
The search for missing hiker Trammell Evans continues. His family says he may be passing through or camping in and around communities surrounding Joshua Tree National Park and is asking for anyone with information to come forward.
Evans, a 25 year-old white male, was last seen at Black Rock Campground on April 30, and declared missing on Saturday, May 5.
If you have any information about his whereabouts outside of the National Park, contact the Sheriff’s Department at (760) 366-4175 or the National Park Service at (909) 383-5652.
The Yucca Valley Elk’s Lodge is holding a “Deals on Wheels” fundraiser on June 3 from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. Parking is $10 for regular vehicles and $20 for larger items, and all funds will go towards replacing the Elk’s Lodge ice machine.
The Colorado River Basin Regional Water Quality Control Board approved Jay McCormack’s application for Alamo Laundromat in Twentynine Palms. The laundromat, the first in Twentynine, is expected to open this summer.
A reminder for your calendars: A fundraiser benefiting Furstworld, a local arts and performance space, is scheduled for May 27 and features art auctions and musical performances.
The event will start at 4 p.m. and is being held at the Annex at Giant Rock Meeting Room in Yucca Valley. Tickets are available for purchase here.
In state news:
Governor Gavin Newsom signed a bill that would allocate $150 million to hospitals across the state that are struggling financially following industry disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The USDA approved the emergency use of a vaccine to combat avian influenza for the state’s iconic California condor population. Several of the critically endangered birds have died from the disease.
In other news:
Politicians in Washington are up against a June 1 deadline to pass legislation that would avoid a disastrous default on the country’s more than $31 trillion in debt.
The Legend Of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom was released last week exclusively for the Nintendo Switch.
The San Antonio Spurs will have the first pick in the upcoming NBA draft and are expected to select 19-year-old Victor Wembanyama, who clocks in at 7-foot-5-inches and currently plays professionally in France.
Pupdate of the week: Alice got not one, but two new balls this week. At first she was skeptical, but she’s easily convinced. Oliver also got a little treat in the form of a squeaky toy to demolish as a way to apologize for leaving Tahoe.
Trail tip of the week: It is warm here in the desert, so make sure you are layered up before hitting the trails to avoid getting too much sun while also not overheating. Sweat-wicking layers are best to help you stay cool when hiking in the early morning or late evening hours when the sun isn’t as strong.
Read of the week: Dinosaurs by Lydia Millet is an ambitious short novel about a man who, following a nasty breakup, decides to walk from New York City to Arizona and start a new life in the desert. Morongo Basin residents will recognize many of the birds and plants that capture the main character’s attention after he lands in Arizona and becomes friends with the family living next door. The novel tries to accomplish a lot, and it mostly does, but it was a incredible read with a taste of home.
Watch of the week: The NBA conference finals kicked off yesterday when the Los Angeles Lakers faced the Denver Nuggets and lost 126-132. The Boston Celtics are taking on the Miami Heat today at 5:30 p.m.
That’s it for this week! I hope you enjoy the sunshine and get outside this weekend.
- Megan