Dispatch - Week of September 28
This weekend's full schedule of events and CA's newest laws
Hello from California’s high desert, and welcome back to the Hi-Desert Dispatch. Thank you all for your patience over the last few weeks as life took over a bit. A quick recap from my end, and then we’ll dive in to the week’s news.
For those that are new around these parts, I’m Megan. Great to meet you! I write this weekly newsletter for residents of the Morongo Basin and anyone else who happens to love and care about our stretch of Mojave Desert. My goal is to write the Dispatch as a community resource rooted in local news and events with a bit of light and humor — all things that I think make the desert a special place to live. If you ever have a news item or event you’d like me to include, please send it along in a reply to this email and I’ll see what I can do.
Since I last hit your inbox, I decided to sign up for the Joshua Tree Half Marathon on Nov. 5 and have been doing my best to stick to my training plan. It was pretty tough with the heat and storms in late August, but hopefully it’s all downhill from here.
My partner and I also celebrated our second wedding anniversary with a belated reception-style party at Mon Petit Mojave. We got to welcome our friends and family to the desert — some for the first time! — and had an incredible time. If you ever need a recommendation for local rentals, catering, or music, please let me know! Nothing but great things to say about the incredible team that helped us pull it off.
Whew, ok. Now, onto this week’s news:
In local news:
A 36-year-old Palm Springs man died Monday night after he was hit by a car while walking on Twentynine Palms Highway in Joshua Tree, per the Desert Sun. The man’s name has not been released, per the San Bernardino County Coroner’s office.
A San Bernardino County Sheriffs Deputy shot and killed kidnapping victim 15-year-old Savanna Graziano and her father, the suspected kidnapper, on the I-15 in Hesperia on Tuesday.
Details about the events leading to the shooting are still murky and the county has not provided additional updates as it relates to the case.
The Yucca Valley Town Council terminated the Local Emergency Covid proclamation and adopted a revised COVID-19 Prevention Plan at a recent Town Council meeting, per Z107.7.
The MUSD Board met in an open session to address ongoing threats of violence at schools across the Basin on Tuesday. The district is expected to address parents and outline steps taken to address further threats at the meeting.
Discounted Johnson Valley Oktoberfest tickets ($10) are still available for purchase through September 30. The 12th annual celebration will be held on Saturday, October 15, and tickets will be $15 at the door.
This Saturday (October 1) is the 26th Annual Morongo Basin Orchid Festival at Gubler Orchids on Belfield Blvd. in Landers. The free event runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday.
The Joshua Tree Music Festival starts next Thursday, October 6, and runs through Sunday, October 9. For the full line-up, workshops, and ticket information, please visit: https://joshuatreemusicfestival.com/oct-2022-event-info/
Twentynine Palm’s annual Pioneer Days kicks off on Saturday, October 1, at 4 p.m. with Outhouse Races and Arm Wresting Competition. The full weekend’s agenda can be found at: https://www.rediscover29.com/pioneer-kick-off
In state news:
Governor Gavin Newsom signed a host of bills on Tuesday afternoon, making a small dent in the nearly 550 bills on his desk that require a decision by Friday.
Among the bills he signed Friday included a requirement for all companies with job openings in the state to disclose the salary ranges in job postings (something Colorado already does) and a funding bill for birth control and reproductive care for residents and people seeking care from other states.
Another bill banned unnecessary pesticide use and chemical testing on dogs and cats.
Renters can also newly access renewable energy contracts through community solar projects.
In other news:
Hurricane Ian strengthened to a high-end Category 4 and made landfall near Fort Meyers, Florida, this afternoon. Thousands have evacuated in and around the state’s Tampa Bay and Fort Meyers regions due to the risk of widespread storm surge and expected flooding.
All major airports in the area were closed as of Tuesday evening, Disney closed Disneyworld starting Wednesday morning, and all MLB playoff games have been moved.
North Face team captain and world-renowned ski mountaineer Hilaree Nelson was found dead on Wednesday in the Himalaya after descending Manaslu’s summit with partner Jim Morrison the same day an avalanche killed one climber further down the mountain.
Nelson, 49, is among the world’s best ski mountaineers. She has long been an inspiration to adventure athletes for continuing her expeditions and athletic pursuits in the mountains after having children.
Pupdate of the week: The dogs were great hosts when everyone was in town, though Oliver did have his eye out for the weakest link of the group, AKA who might give in and give him a bite of pizza. Alice was a bit overwhelmed, but loved meeting all her new best friends.
Trail tip of the week: Wildlife in the Basin has been unusually active after all the rain we’ve gotten and the plant life that sprung up towards the end of summer. Keep one eye on the ground when you’re out and about — I’ve spotted lots of caterpillars, grasshoppers, frogs, snakes, and all kinds of critters over the last few weeks.
Show of the week: For those in need of some comfort TV, The Great British Baking Show is back with its latest season on Netflix. The episodes are released weekly so you’ll have to wait if you want to binge the entire series (my personal preference) but so far there have been nothing but rave reviews all around for the season so far.
That’s it for this week! I hope you have a great rest of your week and get a chance to get outside.
- Megan
Loved this. Very informative. Interesting read!! Keep up the amazing work. Been here 26 yrs and happy I came. Amazing beauty all around.