Dispatch: Week of September 13
Big Morongo Canyon Preserve reopens, plus Twentynine Palms defunds TBID
Hello from California’s high desert, where it is really starting to feel like autumn. Today is also my husband and I’s third wedding anniversary, and we’re looking forward to getting out into the park later today to celebrate.
With that, onto this week’s news:
In local news:
Good news! Big Morongo Canyon Preserve is officially reopening on Friday, September 15. The Preserve was closed due to extensive damage from Hurricane Hillary and other recent monsoon storms.
There will be limited trail access starting Friday. All told, volunteers have logged nearly 400 hours of maintenance and restoration work over the last 20 days, but clean up remains ongoing.
Pop singer Olivia Rodrigo is officially kicking off her next world tour, Guts, at Acrisure Arena on February 23, 2024.
Ticketmaster is hosting pre-registration for tickets until Sunday, September 17, at 7 p.m. You can pre-register here. Note that pre-registering does not guarantee that you will be able to purchase a ticket.
Joshua Tree Distilling Company is hosting an opening party for artists Chloe Allred, Penelope Valentine, and Devan Hampton this Friday, September 15, starting at 7:30 p.m.
The party is free to attend and will showcase new works by all three artists. Joshua Tree Distilling Company is located at 58945 Business Center Drive, Suite G, in Yucca Valley.
Pre-registration is now open for the 43rd Annual Desert Run benefiting the Morongo Basin Search and Rescue.
The family-friendly off-roading event will be held on October 7 at Means Dry Lake in Johnson Valley costs $60 to register, $30 for military and first responders. You can pre-register here.
The Yucca Valley Animal Shelter has lowered adoption prices for the month of September in honor of legendary Price is Right host Bob Barker’s death. Barker was a staunch advocate for animal welfare, and ended every episode with a reminder to viewers to spay and neuter their pets.
Adoption fees for dogs stand at $40, and cats can be adopted for $20.
Early-bird tickets are now available for Johnson Valley’s annual Oktoberfest celebration. Tickets are $12 ahead of time for adults, or $15 after September 30.
Cities and counties may be able to permit the removal, disposal, or transplanting of Western Joshua trees under the new protections guidelines passed in July. Currently, on the California Department of Fish and Wildlife can handle permitting requests and fees.
The Joshua Tree Gem and Mineral Show is returning to the Morongo Basin at the Joshua Tree Lake Campground from September 28 through October 1 after a brief hiatus.
The show was previously held at the Joshua Tree Sportsman’s Club, but was suspended after the club was sold to new owners.
The California Desert Coalition is hosting the California Desert Summit to share more about scientific and state planning that affects local communities and environment in Joshua Tree on Saturday, September 30.
The summit will be held at Copper Mountain College. You can RSVP to info@desertcoaltion.org by September 22.
Twentynine Palms Rotary members unanimously voted to issue a donation of Club resources to Lahaina, Maui, after it was devastated by a wildfire.
If you would like to donate, contact Rotary President Dan Mintz at the Bowladium or any member of the Twentynine Palms Rotary Club.
Twentynine Palms City Council voted to repeal a 1.5% tax on hotels, motels, RV resorts, and short-term vacation rentals Tuesday after hearing complaints from local business owners.
The repeal means the town’s Tourism Business Improvement District no longer has the funds to continue operating.
In state news:
California state lawmakers passed a bill that would ban some food additives — red dye No. 3, potassium bromate, brominated vegetable oil, and propylparaben — common in many processed food and drink. The ban would go into affect by 2027 if Governor Gavin Newsom signs the bill into law.
The state legislature also passed a bill that decriminalizes possession and personal use of certain natural psychedelics, including psilocybin, the active ingredient in psychoactive mushrooms. It awaits Newsom’s signature before becoming law.
COVID-19 cases are rising again across the state, but the FDA just approved an updated vaccine booster that will be made available as early as this week. The new booster is expected to work well against the variants that are currently circulating.
In other news:
Coco Gauff won the U.S. Open Saturday. The 19-year-old tennis player is the youngest American to win the title since Serena Williams did in 1999.
FDA advisors concluded that a popular decongestant in most over-the-counter cold and flu medications is not affective and may remove those medicines with the ingredient from pharmacies nationwide.
Phenylephrine is found in Nyquil, Benadryl, Sudafed, and Mucinex, among other medicines. Versions of those medicines with pseudoephedrine, which are often stocked behind pharmacy counters, are found to be affective.
MGM Resorts is dealing with a system-wide cyber attack that has forced most of Las Vegas and the sports better world to a grinding halt.
MGM Resorts guests have had trouble accessing hotel rooms, paying for parking, or using slot machines since the attack began Sunday. There is no estimated time for the attack to be resolved, and many resorts are worried about making payroll this Friday.
New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers, formerly of the Green Bay Packers, suffered a season-ending Achilles tear in the fourth play with his new team Monday night.
Some sports pundits are speculating that the injury may end Rodgers’ Hall-of-Fame career.
Pupdate of the week: Both dogs had a great time at camp this weekend and are resting and recuperating from a weekend spent playing and terrorizing the camp staff.
Trail tip of the week: It is nearly fall, which means only one thing in the desert — tarantula mating season! The large arachnids will be out and about now that the weather has cooled, so be mindful of your footsteps to not disturb them. Tarantulas are not aggressive spiders, and can often be easily relocated if they accidentally end up in your home in search of a mate so please spare them if you can!
Read of the week: Z107.7 has an outstanding story this week on Tripod, our local three-legged coyote celebrity. There is both an audio and written version of the story available online, which covers how Tripod may have lost his leg as well as what locals can do to ensure he has a long, healthy life as a wild animal.
Watch of the week: If you’re in the mood for an excellent teen comedy, may I recommend Emma Seligman’s Bottoms? It follows two young queer women navigating high school crushes, an overly antagonistic football team, and a good dose of cult-film-level fake blood. It stars Ayo Edebiri, from The Bear, and Rachel Sennott, two casting decisions that are both delightful and hilarious. In an unexpected twist, the Marshawn Lynch casting is also exactly what you expect — and want — it to be.
That’s it for this week! I hope you have some time to enjoy the gorgeous fall weather this weekend.
- Megan
the streaming of 29 palms govt. meetings are getting harder and harder to view. this past weeks video of the meeting was NOT viewable LIVE and was not viewable as a recording.
they should invest some of the residents tax payer dollars in improving this aspect of city govt. !!