Hello from California’s high desert and a very happy Thanksgiving Eve! When I worked in restaurants, we referred to the Wednesday before Thanksgiving as “Blackout Wednesday” as our bar filled up with out-of-town visitors and adult children home for the holiday. To that I say, drink up and stay safe!
As always, please take a moment to acknowledge the land we currently live on is the ancestral and unceded territory of the Maara’yam, commonly referred to as the Serrano people. We honor their presence and recognize their contributions since time immemorial as the first stewards of this land. We also acknowledge that the Cahuilla and Chemehuevi peoples, as well as European settlers, intersected in these spaces. Our histories and stories are intertwined in this space, and by sharing them in culturally appropriate ways, we hope to honor and celebrate our Indigenous neighbors and partners.
We also acknowledge that the land that we help to preserve is the ancestral land of many tribal communities. We recognize that Native Americans continue to practice traditional lifeways on their sacred ancestral lands throughout the California desert. We would like to acknowledge all the Indigenous peoples who have preceded us in preserving the natural, scenic, and cultural resources of these lands. (Acknowledgement language courtesy of The Mojave Desert Land Trust)
And now, onto a generous helping of the week’s news:
In local news:
Joshua Tree National Park closed the comment period for its proposal to institute a backcountry permitting system for use within the park’s boundaries.
As proposed, permits would cost $6 per group and would be available via recreation.gov or at the visitors’ center.
Park officials are reviewing the 28 comments that were submitted before moving forward with the process.
The Tiny Pony is hosting a holiday potluck tomorrow (Thanksgiving) from 6 p.m. until 12 a.m. Bring a side dish and grab a drink, the bar will be open!
Democrat Christy Holstege leads Republican Greg Wallis in the race for State Assembly District 47 by just 97 votes as of Tuesday, per The Desert Sun. Riverside and San Bernardino Counties are expected to post updated results from recently counted ballots later this week.
John’s Place in Yucca Valley is offering free breakfast, lunch, and dinner tomorrow (Thanksgiving). A breakfast of ham and eggs is on the menu from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. A turkey meal with all the trimmings is available from 12 p.m. until 3 p.m.
Yucca Valley approved the rendered aquatics center design on Thursday and construction is expected to begin in 2023. Z107.7 has the complete design if you haven’t yet seen it.
Yucca Valley property owners will receive a discount on the sewer assessment charges for their 2022/2023 property tax bills due to an increase in properties buying into the project.
In state news:
The Biden Administration provided more than $1 billion in federal funding for the Diablo Canyon nuclear power facility. It was slated to cease operations in 2025 but has been at the center of the clean energy discussion across the state.
Jaywalking will be legal in California starting January 1 after Governor Gavin Newsom signed the Freedom to Walk Act earlier this month.
That still doesn’t mean it’s a great idea to run across Route 62 in Joshua Tree. Looking at you, out-of-town visitors.
In other news:
The U.S. tied Wales in its first World Cup match on Monday. The USMNT will face England on Friday at 11 a.m.
The Tiny Pony and Grnd Sqrl are both opening earlier with special menus during the world cup. Check out their Instagram pages for updates.
A 22-year-old man has been charged with five counts of first degree murder and five counts of bias-motivated crime after opening fire inside an LGBTQ+ nightclub in Colorado Springs last weekend. Five people were killed and tens more were injured.
The shooter was tackled by Richard Fierro, a decorated Army veteran who was attended a drag show at the club with his wife, daughter, and daughter’s boyfriend.
If you or someone you know is struggling with the news of the shooting, here are some resources:
TransLifeline: Call 877-565-8860
The Trevor Project: Call 866-488-7386, text “START” to 678-678, or chat online at TheTrevorProject.org
Crisis Text Line: Text “HOME” to 741741
Colorado Crisis Services: Call 844-493-8225 or text “TALK” to 38255
SAGE LGBTQ Elder Hotline: Call 877-360-5428
Pupdate of the week: Here is a handy list of foods your dogs can and cannot have on Thanksgiving. If they’re anything like mine, they will spend most of the day in the kitchen hunting for scraps so best to only drop a few veggies or some cheese but keep an eye on garlic, onions, or bits of turkey.
Trail tip of the week: It is very important to remember to hydrate — roughly 1L per hour per person when out in the desert — even if the temperatures are cool. I try to stop and take small sips every few minutes since it’s harder to remember when the sun isn’t beating down on me!
Show of the week: I finally broke down and started Love is Blind, two years too late but just in time for the end of Season 3. It is exactly the kind of mindless but satisfying reality TV that my brain can process going into the holiday! If you are unaware, Love is Blind is a Netflix show that follows a group of couples that agree to marry without having seen each other in person prior to getting engaged. It is chaotic in every way you can imagine, and then some!
That is it for this week! Thank you all for giving Hi-Desert Dispatch a chance the last couple years. I am eternally grateful for the welcoming reception I’ve gotten, tips passed along, and very kind corrections you’ve all provided since I started this endeavor. This year, I am very thankful for this place we call home and the wonderful community of folks living here.
I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving and get a chance to opt outside on Friday.
- Megan