Press Release - First-ever Morongo Basin plan for culture and arts underway

[I'm proud to say that Wonder Valley is represented by two members: Cathy Allen and Kevin Bone!]

Press Release - First-ever Morongo Basin plan for culture and arts underway

​Land Use Services
Linda Mawby
Senior Planner
(909) 387-4002
Linda.Mawby@lus.sbcounty.gov<mailto:Linda.Mawby@lus.sbcounty.gov>

First-ever Morongo Basin plan for culture and arts underway

The community, including residents, artists, educators, and culture-oriented organizations and businesses throughout the Morongo Basin will be asked to participate in developing a Strategic Plan for Culture and the Arts.

The County of San Bernardino will lead the effort along with The Cultural Planning Group, a Southern California consulting firm specializing in the field of arts and culture with experience working with communities across the country to create cultural plans.

“The Morongo Basin is known for its artistic and creative way of life which continues to attract residents, businesses and tourists to this region,” said San Bernardino County Third District Supervisor James Ramos. “We hope the community will help us build this roadmap to continue to promote and celebrate the Morongo Basin as an artistic hub.”

The plan will assist Morongo Basin communities to articulate their vision for culture and the arts. This will lead to plans for activities that can fulfill that vision, such as art shows, arts education, musical performances, poetry readings, writing groups, festivals and seminars.

The Cultural Planning Group will work with a leadership group of community leaders, including artists and others, to guide the planning process grounded in the unique creative identity of the Morongo Basin, and to create a plan based on the priorities of the communities of Joshua Tree, Morongo Valley, Pioneertown, Landers, Wonder Valley, Yucca Valley, and Twentynine Palms. The local communities will implement the plan with guidance from the leadership committee.

The Strategic Plan for Culture and the Arts is expected to be complete in mid-2018. The first public meetings will begin before the end of the year.  To receive future announcements on how to become involved, submit an email address to Linda.Mawby@lus.sbcounty.gov.  The San Bernardino County Land Use Services Planning Division will also be posting information on their website and social media links.  For additional information visit: http://cms.sbcounty.gov/lus/Planning/PlanningHome.aspx

Felisa Cardona
Deputy Public Information Officer
County of San Bernardino
Phone: 909-387-5429

Our job is to create a county in which those who reside and invest can prosper and achieve well-being.
www.SBCounty.gov

Kip's Desert Book Club

Gold Fame Citrus, By Claire Vaye Watkins

7 p.m., October 2, 2017 at
The Palms Restaurant
83131 Amboy Road
Wonder Valley, CA

Bring something for the potluck if you' like to take part.
For more information see:
http://www.highdeserttestsites.com/news/kip039s-desert-book-club-gold-fame-citrus-claire-vaye-watkins

Food in Wonder Valley

THE OTHER WONDER VALLEY
Our friends from Wonder Valley Olive Oil are having a dinner. I got the invitation - I think I signed up at their site - but was a day late and $120 short to get a place at the table.

If you don't know what a "paladar" is, come sit by me. I looked it up. It's a little restaurant run by "self-employers." It's a Spanish word related to the root for "palate."

The Olive Oilers describe the event thusly:

"Our seasonal paladars are leisurely multiple course communal suppers, cooked over an open fire, where strangers become friends, all set to the background of the beautiful high desert near Joshua Tree, California. The dishes will be prepared with the remainder of the 2016 harvest olive oil by chef Jay Wolman of Small Trades. Jay's background is working in landmark kitchens such as Diner, Marlow & Sons, and newcomer Hart's (of Bon Appetit's Top 10 best new restaurants 2017).

"Live music & cocktails at 5 pm followed by a five course menu and wine pairing by Oeno Wines."

See the menu.

FOOD DISTRIBUTIONS
Volunteers distributed 83 boxes of food on September 18 at the Wonder Valley Community Center, serving 108 people. All low income Wonder Valley residents may self-certify on site. The next distribution is Monday, October 16.  The doors open at 10:30 a.m There is a Salvation Army Food Distribution at the WVCC this coming Wednesday, September 27 from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m., first come first served. All you have to do is sign your name and you'll be given a box. No waiting.

I want to thank all of our volunteers: Mary Quamme, Star Javiar, Karen Meyers, Stand Up Bob Woods, Mighty Mike Gillespie, Steven Wilhelm, Ken Sitz, Sunny Downer, and Grey Hill. We couldn't do it without you, and we love your sunny faces and wonderful, generous attitudes. This is what Wonder Valley is all about. Remember, some people are so poor that all they have is money.

Highway 62 Open Studio Art Tours

Three artists represent Wonder Valley in this year's Highway 62 Open Studio Art Tours: Robert Arnett, Perry Hoffman, and Mark Heuston. The tour runs for two weekends: October 14 & 15, and October 21 & 22.

Mark Heuston specializes in metal work and his studio will be open the second weekend only. Perry Hoffman specializes in tile and mosaics, and Robert Arnett in painting, and their studios will be open both weekends.

Go to www.hwy62arttours.org for maps to the studios and more information.

Free Flu Shot Clinic

With the cooler fall weather approaching now is the time to get protected from the coming flu with your annual flu shot at the 

Twentynine Palms Senior Center

 6539 Adobe Road

Twentynine Palms, CA 92277

From 1:30-3:30 p.m., on September 26th and 27th .

Hosted by Reach Out Morongo Basin and presented by Walgreens Pharmacy, a licensed Pharmacist will be on hand to provide flu shots to adults and children. No appointment is required and all walk-ins are welcome. 

For more information contact Reach Out Morongo Basin at 760-361-1410.

Wonder Valley Community Meeting with Special Guest

Everyone is invited and welcome to attend and participate in

The Wonder Valley Community Meeting

Monday, October 2, 2017 at 10:00 a.m. at

The Wonder Valley Community Center, 80526-1/2 Amboy Road

Wonder Valley, California 92277

Our Special Guest for this meeting will be

Mark Lundquist, Aide to District Three Supervisor James Ramos

Please feel free to bring your questions.

The Agenda for this meeting will be posted at here and at 

the Wonder Valley Community Center by Monday, September 25, 2017.

Agenda posted 11 a.m., September 23, 2017.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/ojjbz8yhkuky6df/10022017_wv_meeting.pdf?dl=0
Meeting Notes, posted October 9, 2017, 8:00 a.m.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/qweh62x235683bp/10022017_wv_meeting_notes.pdf?dl=0

https://www.facebook.com/events/121802848540856

Desert Trail Column, September 14, 2017

The Wonder Valley Community Meeting held last Saturday was very interesting, as usual. Teresa Sitz organized the meeting and Chief Scott Tuttle was there to discuss fire department issues and answer questions. A great suggestion was made by Ed Vallerand to request that the Morongo Basin Municipal Advisory Council meeting be held in Wonder Valley once a year. It was also suggested that the meetings be rotated on a regular basis, with each of the nine areas represented being the host every nine months. This would give the people who cannot drive to the meetings in Joshua Tree the chance to meet all the delegates and County representatives, and for those people to meet us and see what our community is like.

Thank you, Tim, for clearing our roads right away following the wash flowing with Twentynine Palms runoff from Saturday’s storm. We appreciate it!

Darlene’s Commentary:  I agree with Fran Becker, famous columnist for Desert Heights News! I had the same thoughts about how I would love to say, “B-r-r-r, it is actually cold outside” or “B-r-r-r, I’d better bring my sweater.” I thought I couldn’t take another day of triple digits and 150 per cent humidity. This morning’s Weather Channel forecast shows seven days at 99 degrees and lower! (Twilight Zone music, please!)

Karen’s Commentary:  I’m in awe of people who speak multiple languages. I took four years of Spanish, but still can’t come close to speaking it fluently. I can read and pronounce every word correctly; I just can’t understand most of them! In Mexico, I had to resort to saying “woo-woo” along with a hand gesture of pulling a train whistle to get my meaning of a train across! Pretty pathetic.

The non-profit 29 Soaring Club meets every Sunday, weather permitting, at the Twentynine Palms Airport on Highway 62 at Godwin Road, from 11am to sunset. The club owns two gliders and one tow plane which are kept at the airport. The public is welcome to come out to watch these gliders do their stuff. Glider rides are available at a cost of $20 to $50 (cash only) depending on the altitude desired. Gift certificates are also available. This is a great idea for a unique gift! Call Mike at 760-464-2835 for further information.

Handy Hint:  Use plastic bags for storing food only once, then toss them. The corners and ziplock closures are difficult to clean, they can’t take dishwasher heat and they don’t dry well – making them little germ factories.

Thought for Today:  What happened when the dairy cow tried to jump the barbed wire fence? Udder destruction!

Until next time . . . remember to take time to enjoy the WONDERs all around us.

Rain in Wonder Valley.

Wonder Valley rainbow

Photo courtesy of Wonder Valley resident, Patty Micciche House, who wrote:

"The only time I've ever seen a full-on, Lucky Charms end-to-end rainbow is here in the desert. It's incredible!"

Highway 62 washed out before Ironage

Photo courtesy of Wonder Valley resident Ellie Greenwood, who write,

"I drove out to where the rain washed out Hwy 62. It was at the big dip past Star's Way Out but before Iron Age. This is what I saw..."

Highway 62 was closed yesterday east of Godwin due to heavy rains.

Stuck in the sand.

HELICOPTER RESCUES ONE OF TWO MEN WITH VEHICLE STUCK IN SAND IN WONDER VALLEY
By Z107.7 News, on September 8th, 2017

A missing person’s report Wednesday led to the rescue of two men who had gotten their vehicle stuck in the sand in Wonder Valley. Deputies were called to the 80500 block of Amboy Road about 8:20 p.m. for a report of missing persons, where they learned that a father and his 20-year-old son were lost somewhere in the desert. The Sheriff’s Department called in its helicopter, but the pilots were unable to find them or their vehicle. The son finally walked out to a home and called his mother, and he was then able to tell deputies that he and his father had gotten their vehicle stuck in sand between Amboy Road and Highway 62. The helicopter then found the vehicle and picked up and returned the older man—described as “drunk” —to his family, who said they would retrieve their vehicle Thursday. Last week, on August 28, a Sheriff’s deputy rescued three tourists from Spain who got their rental car stuck in sand in the Quackenbush live fire area on the Marine Base.
http://z1077fm.com/helicopter-rescues-one-of-two-men-with-vehicle-stuck-in-sand-in-wonder-valley/

Crime stats for July and August 2017

The source for the 2015 and 2016 numbers is the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, which has provided us general numbers the past 2 years. The numbers for July and August 2017 were not released by the SBSD, but were compiled from media reports.

These numbers do not indicate an increase or a decrease in crime, only a change in the number of calls from the residents of Wonder Valley, the number of reports filed, and arrests made.

JULY 2017

	JULY 2017	JULY 2016	JULY 2015
CALLS	53	83	76
REPORTS	9	9	9
ARRESTS	2	0	1

AUGUST 2017

	AUGUST 2017	AUGUST 2016	AUGUST 2015
CALLS	74	81	59
REPORTS	6	13	5
ARRESTS	1	1	0