Dispatch: Week of May 29
Multiple calls for art submissions, plus MUSD summer food program begins
Hello from California’s high desert, where both the calendar and the forecast agree it is essentially summer.
In case you missed it: I’ve been thinking about Leshy, a Slavic folklore, since I read Iliana Regan’s memoir Fieldwork. More than the content of the folktale itself, I found myself stuck on what exactly humans do when we are encountered with feelings, places, and events we cannot explain. So I wrote about it, and you can read it here.
And now, onto this week’s news:
In local news:
Morongo Unified School District’s summer meal program begins with a kickoff party on June 14 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m at Luckie Park Rotary Shelter in Twentynine Palms.
Children under the age of 18 are eligible for either daily meals or weekly boxed meal pick-ups through the free program. The program runs from June 18 until July 30, with weekly drive-through pick-ups available on Tuesday mornings.
Reach Out Morongo Basin was gifted a donated vehicle to help transport its beneficiaries thanks to the fundraising efforts of the Yucca Valley Sunset Rotary Club.
Luckie Park Pool in Twentynine Palms is officially open for the season. It is currently open from 1 p.m. until 5 p.m. on the weekends, and daily swim will begin on June 8 through August 11.
The Society of the Conservation of Bighorn Sheep is seeking volunteers with large vehicles to help haul water to a designated drop-off point in Mojave National Preserve on June 1.
The guzzler, a constructed water area for the resident bighorn sheep, suffered a catastrophic failure and did not retain as much water this winter as needed. If you are interested in volunteering and have a capable 4×4 vehicle, text or call Scott Gibson at 909-210-0548, or email him at scottygibson@gmail.com.
The California Welcome Center in Yucca Valley is currently accepting art submissions until August 30 for its sixth annual statewide art exhibit.
Artists can submit paintings, photography, mixed media, and additional types of art for voting in September. The winners will be announced in October, and the exhibit will run until October 2025.
Beatnik Lounge is also currently accepting art submissions from LGBTQ+ artists ahead of Pride Month for its “Queerated” High Desert Pride Art Show.
Artists can submit works of any medium. Drop off will be available on Sunday, June 2, and Monday, June 3, from 4 p.m. until 6 p.m. at Beatnik. The show opens on June 8 from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m.
A portion of Desert Bingo’s June fundraisers will go to the ACLU in honor of Pride Month. The first event is Monday, June 3, at the Red Dog Saloon in Pioneertown.
A reminder that the wonderful Danielle Wall, aka the “Snake Lady,” runs her relocation service entirely on donations, and is always open to accepting donations even if she isn’t actively moving a snake off of your property.
Her venmo is high_desert_dani
A string of fires north of I-10 in North Palm Springs and Desert Hot Springs is a good reminder to always be prepared to evacuate now that fire season is here. A go-bag is always a good idea, and be sure to include documents and medications for the entire family, including pets.
In state news:
The first statewide heatwave is forecast for early June, with the Central Valley currently squarely in the bullseye for triple-digit temperatures starting mid next week.
An ballot measure concerning schools that is distinctly anti-trans has failed to meet the requirements to be on the statewide ballot in November.
Former California water official Dennis Falaschi has pleaded guilty to conspiring to steal water in a deal with federal prosecutors in Fresno.
A two-mile stretch of beach in San Clemente was closed for 24 hours following a shark’s encounter with a surfer on Memorial Day weekend. The surfer was unharmed, but described the shark’s behavior as “aggressive.”
Someone with a confirmed case of measles traveled through LAX on May 9, officials said. A reminder that measles is easily preventable with routine vaccines, and can be a life-threatening illness for some people.
In other news:
Jury deliberation began today in the case against former president Donald Trump, where he is accused of election interference via his payments to silence adult film actor Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 election.
Much of the country from Texas to the Carolinas experienced intense, damaging storms over the weekend and earlier this week, including deadly tornadoes and five-inch-diameter hail. Meteorologists say the storm outbreak is consistent with climate change models and is rooted in a persistent heat dome parked over Latin America.
Pupdate of the week: Oliver’s cone comes off tomorrow, and I know he is already counting down the hours. Alice has found another hole in the yard and can’t be persuaded to look at anything else.
Trail tip of the week: A prickly reminder this week — only in content, not in tone — to give cacti their space! Cholla, especially, are great at latching on to clothes and shoes when it appears you weren’t even close, but all of our spiky friends here in the desert can pack a punch if you aren’t paying attention. The trick to getting those barbs out? A plastic fine-toothed comb fits around the barbs well, and with a fast flick outward can dislodge any painful hitch hikers.
Read of the week: We’ve got a local feature this week! Stuart Palley is a part-time desert resident and former wildfire photographer, and his book Into the Inferno is an incredible window into everyone involved in fighting, navigating, mapping, and documenting the front lines of some of history’s biggest wildfires. Palley’s passion for the work is obvious, and his passion for the planet even moreso, but he focuses intensely on the work itself and the mental and physical dangers it poses to everyone from wildland firefighters to freelancers like himself. It’s a deeply human story of a deeply human problem, with the entire planet at stake.
Watch of the week: I was in need for a comfort show last week, and turned to the eternally delightful Schitt’s Creek. The comedy series streams on Hulu and follows a wealthy family that suddenly finds themself out of money, luck, and goodwill in the town of Schitt’s Creek. It is home to some of the best characters to ever grace television, and is among the most heartwarming shows I’ve ever seen. If you haven’t watched it yet, consider this your sign to do so, and if you haven’t yet seen it, well, what are you waiting for?
That’s it for this week! I hope you have a great, warm weekend outside.
- Megan