Dispatch: Week of October 5
Morongo Valley's dog mayor election kicks off, MDLT's annual plant sale this weekend, and Wonder Valley's new $450,000 grader
Hello from California’s high desert where the fall festivities — and crowds — are just starting to pick up.
Onto this week’s news:
In local news:
The Hi-Desert Star, the Desert Trail, and nine other newspapers owned by Brehm Communications were sold to Gold Mountain California News Media.
Current staff are able remain in their current roles. The Yucca Valley-based printing facility was also included in the sale.
Reach Out Morongo Basin is hosting its Wild, Wild West Hoedown fundraiser at the historic Tower Homestead in Twentynine Palms on October 14, per Z107.7.
The event will run from 5 p.m. until 9 p.m. and is located at 76969 Amboy Road. Tickets are $35, and all proceeds will fund seniors programs and programs for disabled folks. Tickets can be purchased at ArtFx and Furnishings in Yucca Valley, at the Twentynine Palms Visitors Center, at the Desert Trail in Twentynine Palms, or by calling Reach Out Morongo Basin at 760-361-1410.
The Mojave Desert Land Trust’s annual native and rare plant sale returns in-person this Saturday, October 8.
The sale begins at 9 a.m. MLDT member’s get 10% of all plants at the sale.
This is the first sale held in-person since 2019, so expect to arrive early and wait in line even if you are there before 9 a.m. Good luck!
The California Fish & Game commission meeting that will decide if the western Joshua Tree will be designated a “threatened species” will take place on October 12 and 13 in King’s Beach, California.
The meeting will also be livestreamed, but the link is not yet publicly available.
Morongo Valley’s latest mayoral election kicks off this week with a bit of a twist — residents will elect the town’s first dog mayor.
The two candidates are Roxy and Daisey, but all eligible pups are welcome to write-in their candidacy. The winner will be announced on October 29.
The San Bernardino Board of County Supervisors approved $450,000 to purchase a motor grader for use in Wonder Valley at Tuesday’s meeting.
In state news:
Both political parties and most major newspapers statewide have come out against Proposition 27 ahead of the November election.
Prop 27 would legalize sports betting in the state and eliminate Tribal exclusivity to gambling which as been long-held across the state. It is among the most expensive ballot measures in history, with hundred’s of millions of dollars coming from sports betting companies like FanDuel and Draft Kings.
Officials in Stockton have released footage of an alleged serial killing suspect they believe is connected to multiple fatal shootings in recent months as well as a murder in Oakland in 2021.
Grocery stores across the state are phasing out plastic produce bags following the passage of a new law.
In other news:
Loretta Lynn, county music’s verifiable queen, died on Tuesday. She was 90 years old.
Elon Musk says he’s buying Twitter (again) at $54.20 per share (again) days before he was set to testify at a trial from the last time he offered to buy Twitter (and backed out). Who know’s what will happen this time.
Tom Brady and Giselle Bündchen have hired divorce lawyers amid ongoing speculation that the all-star couple had separated.
Pupdate of the week: The dogs are getting lots of one-on-one time with each of us as we both have lots of travel over the next month. Alice has a really hard time when Andrew travels, but Oliver is a professional by now.
Trail tip of the week: It is desert tortoise appreciation week (yes, really) so be sure to keep an eye out for this prehistoric looking critters when out and about. As always, remember to take it slow on back roads when you’re driving — the tortoises blend in easily!
Show of the week: We’re taking another spin through Atlanta on Hulu and it is much better the second time around. We lost it a bit on the first attempt, but we’ve stuck with the Donald Glover-created masterpiece this time around and it does not disappoint.
That’s it for this week! I hope you have a great rest of your week and have a chance to get outside.
- Megan
I thought you would have a mention of the open studio art tours. Maybe next week. I enjoy the report.