At 10 a.m., Wednesday, May 2, the Community will meet with the County to discuss possible solutions to the contaminated water at the Wonder Valley Fire Station 45. Everyone is invited and welcome to attend and participate.
As if the fluorides, chromium, and arsenic weren't enough, we now have the Department of Defense telling us of possible runoffs of "perfluorinated compounds, which have been linked to cancers and developmental delays for fetuses and infants, the Pentagon has found. And yes, our base is on the list.
Please read the following reports to find out more.
DoD: At least 126 bases report water contaminants linked to cancer, birth defects
By: Tara Copp, April 26, 2018
https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-military/2018/04/26/dod-126-bases-report-water-contaminants-harmful-to-infant-development-tied-to-cancers/
Addressing Perfluorooctane Sulfonate (PFOS) and Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA)
Maureen Sullivan, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (Environment, Safety & Occupational Health), March 2018
https://partner-mco-archive.s3.amazonaws.com/client_files/1524589484.pdf
Wonder Valley, California, in the heart of the Mojave Desert, is a rural community of artists, musicians, and other desert dwellers. Visit the Palms Restaurant, the Glass Outhouse Gallery, and the Wonder Valley Community Center. Visit the beautiful Pinto and Bullion mountains. Minutes from Joshua Tree National Park and the Gateway to the Mojave Preserve.
Monday, April 30, 2018
Thursday, April 26, 2018
Desert Trail, April 26, 2018
Special Community Meeting to update everyone on “plans for Wonder Valley Fire” will be held at our Wonder Valley Community Center, 80526 ½ Amboy Road near Blower Road, on Wednesday, May 2 from 10 to noon. In attendance will be Supervisor James Ramos’ Field Representative Mark Lundquist and Chief of Staff Molly Wiltshire, along with Deputy Fire Chief John Chamberlin from San Bernardino County Fire Administration. This meeting is in response to a request by our Municipal Advisory Council representative Teresa Sitz who may be contacted at 760-367-9880 for further information.
We send out special wishes to Donna and Pappy Parsons this week. Happy anniversary to you, Pappy and Donna!
We also send out sincere condolences to our fellow columnist Fran Becker for the loss of her life partner. We are so sorry, Fran.
Darlene’s Commentary: I am looking forward, as our Wonder Valley Community Center is coming to life once again! In the last two or three months, we’ve had some speakers and presentations that were full of useful information, and these meetings were well-attended! Keep it coming, Teresa. My “I Ching” says (in a booming voice): “Teresa – You have the gift of connections and follow-throughs!” Darn it, I think I missed my gift – hey, wanna trade for a fulgurite?
Karen’s Commentary: Well, Dar has a short commentary this time – will wonders never cease? So I get to fill up the rest of the column. Today I’m donning my Proud Grandma hat, this time for grandson Austin. He raced in the San Felipe 250 a couple weeks ago, which includes everything from paved roads (very few) to cow paths, plus climbing and descending mountains, and every kind of terrain imaginable. There were nine teams racing in the Pro Moto Unlimited Class that Austin races in, and his team came in third! The race was 321 miles long, and Austin covered 120 of those grueling miles. We are so proud of him, and so happy that he finished with no injuries, even though he went through a fence and almost crashed! By the way, this “little” race had 254 total entries from 25 U.S. states and 10 countries!
Handy Hint: If you’re having trouble opening a lid, wrap a rubber band (the thicker the better) around the lid and twist. This should improve your grip enough to open the lid. It might also help to wrap a second rubber band around the bottle or jar to improve the grip of your other hand.
Today’s Thought: Putting something in a safe place doesn’t mean you can find it again when you need it!
Until next time . . . remember to take time to enjoy the WONDERs all around us.
We send out special wishes to Donna and Pappy Parsons this week. Happy anniversary to you, Pappy and Donna!
We also send out sincere condolences to our fellow columnist Fran Becker for the loss of her life partner. We are so sorry, Fran.
Darlene’s Commentary: I am looking forward, as our Wonder Valley Community Center is coming to life once again! In the last two or three months, we’ve had some speakers and presentations that were full of useful information, and these meetings were well-attended! Keep it coming, Teresa. My “I Ching” says (in a booming voice): “Teresa – You have the gift of connections and follow-throughs!” Darn it, I think I missed my gift – hey, wanna trade for a fulgurite?
Karen’s Commentary: Well, Dar has a short commentary this time – will wonders never cease? So I get to fill up the rest of the column. Today I’m donning my Proud Grandma hat, this time for grandson Austin. He raced in the San Felipe 250 a couple weeks ago, which includes everything from paved roads (very few) to cow paths, plus climbing and descending mountains, and every kind of terrain imaginable. There were nine teams racing in the Pro Moto Unlimited Class that Austin races in, and his team came in third! The race was 321 miles long, and Austin covered 120 of those grueling miles. We are so proud of him, and so happy that he finished with no injuries, even though he went through a fence and almost crashed! By the way, this “little” race had 254 total entries from 25 U.S. states and 10 countries!
Handy Hint: If you’re having trouble opening a lid, wrap a rubber band (the thicker the better) around the lid and twist. This should improve your grip enough to open the lid. It might also help to wrap a second rubber band around the bottle or jar to improve the grip of your other hand.
Today’s Thought: Putting something in a safe place doesn’t mean you can find it again when you need it!
Until next time . . . remember to take time to enjoy the WONDERs all around us.
Wednesday, April 25, 2018
Kip's Desert Book Club
DESERT TOWN BY RAMONA STEWART
7:00 p.m., May 7, 2018 at
The Glass Outhouse Art Gallery
77575 Twentynine Palms Highway, at Thunder Road
Wonder Valley, CA 92277
The 1946 novel Desert Town by Ramona Stewart has brothels, car chases, gangsters, cowboys, crooked cops, a love struck teenage girl and tons of thinly veiled homosexuality. What more could you ask for? Well it was also made into the film noir movie Desert Fury, shot in Technicolor, with a very young Burt Lancaster in 1947! Come join us at the Glass Outhouse on Monday, May 7th at 7:00pm where we will discuss the book and watch the movie outdoors when it gets dark enough. There seem to be quite a few used copies floating around online. I think the cover art on my Pocket Book is fantastic.
To get to the Glass Outhouse, drive 4 miles east of 29 Palms on Hwy 62 and turn right on Thunder Road, where you will see the Book Club sign and the gallery sign. The water tank painted to look like a giant Pepsi can is a good landmark to watch for. If you pass the airport, turn around, you went too far. See you at the movies!—Kip
Monday, April 23, 2018
Dale Basin Well Owners Association Meeting
Godwin Christian Fellowship
6389 Godwin Road, Wonder Valley, CA 92277
Elections will take place to select a new Secretary/Treasurer with Mary Quamme's impending retirement. Minutes will be read and set for approval, along with the financial report. The president will give a brief report, and then, comments and issues will be received from the attendees to help build an ongoing agenda.
All well owners in Wonder Valley are encouraged to become members, and the annual dues are only $5.00. Meetings are held twice a year in May and in November.
Saturday, April 21, 2018
Meeting Notes
Notes from previous meetings have been posted.
April 3, 2018
Chronic Pain Notes: posted 2:00 p.m., April 21, 2018
https://tinyurl.com/03042018-chronic-pain
Chronic Pain Deck: posted 2:00 p.m., April 21, 2018
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NzWazspnCR9RNQrjiUofAduiNPGAdiYP/view?usp=sharing
(If you have any trouble viewing the deck, email me at teresa.sitz@gmail.com and I'll send you the PPT version.)
February 21, 2018, February Community Meeting
AGENDA: posted 7 a.m., February 8, 2018
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HRG4gzlGV-hcev-9o6As5qLU5DJVyVPhCUO7XMQWrV8/edit?usp=sharing
NOTES: posted April 21, 2018
https://tinyurl.com/02212018-meeting-notes
February 14, 2018, Sexual Harassment and Domestic Violence Special Meeting
AGENDA: posted 7 a.m., February 9, 2018
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1cKXnes2oFJEkam_NzaVI6Ra98avBn76BnP3NVNXdz7Y/edit?usp=sharing
NOTES: posted 1 p.m., April 21, 2018
https://tinyurl.com/02142018-sexual-harassment
Sorry for the delay. I made the notes for February 14 a long time ago, but forgot to post them. Discovered this when I posted the other meeting notes today.
Agendas and notes are listed under the [ MAC ] tab on the top menu of this site. Once there click on the first link and you'll be taken to the agendas and notes of all the meetings we've ever had.
April 3, 2018
Chronic Pain Notes: posted 2:00 p.m., April 21, 2018
https://tinyurl.com/03042018-chronic-pain
Chronic Pain Deck: posted 2:00 p.m., April 21, 2018
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NzWazspnCR9RNQrjiUofAduiNPGAdiYP/view?usp=sharing
(If you have any trouble viewing the deck, email me at teresa.sitz@gmail.com and I'll send you the PPT version.)
February 21, 2018, February Community Meeting
AGENDA: posted 7 a.m., February 8, 2018
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HRG4gzlGV-hcev-9o6As5qLU5DJVyVPhCUO7XMQWrV8/edit?usp=sharing
NOTES: posted April 21, 2018
https://tinyurl.com/02212018-meeting-notes
February 14, 2018, Sexual Harassment and Domestic Violence Special Meeting
AGENDA: posted 7 a.m., February 9, 2018
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1cKXnes2oFJEkam_NzaVI6Ra98avBn76BnP3NVNXdz7Y/edit?usp=sharing
NOTES: posted 1 p.m., April 21, 2018
https://tinyurl.com/02142018-sexual-harassment
Sorry for the delay. I made the notes for February 14 a long time ago, but forgot to post them. Discovered this when I posted the other meeting notes today.
Agendas and notes are listed under the [ MAC ] tab on the top menu of this site. Once there click on the first link and you'll be taken to the agendas and notes of all the meetings we've ever had.
Friday, April 13, 2018
Crime Stats for March 2018
We had 76 calls, 3 reports, and 0 arrests.
There were calls for trespassing, two calls regarding illegal shooting. There were two calls for burglaries, but no reports. There were also two calls on dumping, which I hadn't seen before. Good work, whoever made those calls.
There are people in the Community who continue to preach that calling the Sheriff's Department doesn't do any good, and it's up to you whether you choose to call of not. What IS true is that if you DON'T call, it is impossible for us to get an accurate picture of how much crime occurs in our area. An accurate picture is useful, for it tells us what we need to do to protect ourselves.
The data from 2015 and 2016 were provided by the Sheriff's Department. They provided no data for February of 2017. The data from 2018 was gleaned from Sheriff's Department Media Reports and so may not be as accurate as that provided by the Sheriff's Department.
Not everyone reports crimes when they happen, though accurate data about crimes occurring in Wonder Valley is very useful. I encourage people to report crimes when they happen, and to ALWAYS ask for an INCIDENT NUMBER.
Stay safe. Keep an eye out for each other.
There were calls for trespassing, two calls regarding illegal shooting. There were two calls for burglaries, but no reports. There were also two calls on dumping, which I hadn't seen before. Good work, whoever made those calls.
There are people in the Community who continue to preach that calling the Sheriff's Department doesn't do any good, and it's up to you whether you choose to call of not. What IS true is that if you DON'T call, it is impossible for us to get an accurate picture of how much crime occurs in our area. An accurate picture is useful, for it tells us what we need to do to protect ourselves.
The data from 2015 and 2016 were provided by the Sheriff's Department. They provided no data for February of 2017. The data from 2018 was gleaned from Sheriff's Department Media Reports and so may not be as accurate as that provided by the Sheriff's Department.
Not everyone reports crimes when they happen, though accurate data about crimes occurring in Wonder Valley is very useful. I encourage people to report crimes when they happen, and to ALWAYS ask for an INCIDENT NUMBER.
Stay safe. Keep an eye out for each other.
Tuesday, April 10, 2018
420 + 1 Cannabis Presentation
Saturday, April 21 at 4:20 p.m.
Wonder Valley Community Center
80526-½ Amboy Road (next to the Fire Station)
Wonder Valley CA 92277
Lanny Swerdlow, RN LNC, who presented to the Community of Wonder Valley last year on Medical Marijuana, is back this year for a followup.
Like the San Andreas Fault, the cannabis paradigm has shifted. Cannabis legalization has a taken firm hold in California with farmers cultivating, companies manufacturing, and dispensaries opening in locations throughout the state for all persons 21 years or older. What this all means to you will be explained at 4:20 p.m., on Saturday, April 21, at the Wonder Valley Community Center, by Inland Empire cannabis law reform activist Lanny Swerdlow, RN LNC.
With a brief look back at the evolution of California’s cannabis laws, Mr. Swerdlow will provide an informative and entertaining presentation on the implementation of Prop. 64 as it affects the individual consumer and those who want to jump into this burgeoning industry. He will undertake an examination of Prop. 64’s commercial business provisions including the microbusiness license that may be of interest to people in the area.
He will also explain driving laws, laws regarding personal cultivation, the advantages of having a doctor's recommendation, and what is happening or should be happening but isn’t in San Bernardino county. How much California will be affected by the Trump Administration, and what is happening on the federal level will be discussed. Swerdlow will conclude the presentation with the latest information on health issues, including using cannabis for insomnia, depression and the opioid crisis.
The 420+1 Celebration will also feature a special birthday tribute honoring Yippie living legend, political satirist, cannabis advocate, "Desert Pot Springs" resident Paul Krassner, author of countless pro-pot articles and books including "Pot Stories for the Soul."
Refreshments will be served. There is no charge for admission but donations will be accepted to cover the cost of our speaker’s travel from the Inland Empire.
Live theater and live music, 4 p.m., Sunday, April 15
The Wonder Valley Community Center is proud to present local theater, for the first time in a really long time, with Project Sheba's
STAND FOR FREEDOM CABARET.
The show follows the closing night performance of Cabaret performer, Thelma Edwards. Set in a small southern town, this play was written to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Martin Luther King, Jr. assassination.
Starring Miri Hunter in the title role, the show is a collaborative work which features a script by Hunter and Lisa Mednick Powell and an original music score by the Hi Desert bands Hunter and the Wick'd and Arroyo Rogers.
The tile of the show, STAND FOR FREEDOM, is inspired by a line from Dr. King's famous "I Have a Dream" speech.
There is a $10 requested donation, but no one will be turned away due to lack of funds.
Your donations help keep the doors of the Wonder Valley Community Center open and producing important and necessary programming.
Please come and support this exciting program, and enjoy live music by some of the best Hi-Desert music groups.
Find out more at: http;//www.projectsheba.com/thoughttheatre
THOUGHT THEATER, formed in 2017, was founded in order to bring productions to the hi desert that are thought provoking and entertaining, which also have the possibility of sparking dialogue between performers and community.
PROJECT SHEBA is an arts and education 501(c) 3 organization. It was founded in 2002 by Miri Hunter. The organization produces a number of music and theatre events throughout Southern
California, including music and spoken word events for "Daniel Pearl World Music Days" (www.danielpearl.com), as well as participation in the Southern California Literary event,
Lit Crawl (www.litcrawl.org).
For more information contact Miri Hunter at projectsheba@yahoo.com.
MAC Meeting -- April 9, 2018
I went to the MAC Meeting in Joshua Tree last night.
WV FIRE RESPONSES
Unknown Fire - 2
Vehicle Fire - 1
EMS / Rescue / Trauma - 14
Traffic incident unknown injury - 1
Total - 18
I spoke to Mark Lundquist. He is working with County Fire to try to get us some answers regarding our situation. When he has things sorted out he’ll send me some dates and we’ll schedule a community meeting. He seemed to be saying that this will happen soon. I decided not to have an April community meeting because there is currently no news.
There’s a meeting in Joshua Tree on April 26 regarding the Desert Protection Plan DRECP which is in danger of being partially dismantled. If you are interested in going, please contact me and I’ll send you the details.
Thanks to everyone who submitted their surveys on the FUNDAMENTAL PLAN. This is the first step toward having a COMMUNITY PLAN. The unicomms (unincorporated communities) with Community Plans are better protected against unrestricted industrial solar development.
There were two speakers from Southern California Edison present last night. Jennifer Cusack was speaking on TOU - Time of Use - residential rates. See more here:
https://www.sce.com/wps/portal/home/residential/rates/Time-Of-Use-Residential-Rate-Plans/
They also warned about spoofing -- people who seem to be calling from SCE threatening to turn off your electricity if you don’t pay them, usually with gift cards. ALWAYS hang up and call SCE directly if you need to know more about your bill. NEVER pay anyone on the phone in gift cards. No legitimate business takes payment in gift cards.
Luis Lara spoke on outage reports. He said they had more than 1000 outages last year due to mylar balloons. Some even brought down live wires. Mylar balloon seasons peeks between Valentines Day and Graduation Day. If you must buy mylar balloons, PLEASE, never release them in the air -- dispose of them properly in the trash. There are documented cases of desert tortoises eating the balloons, and also losing legs after becoming tangled in the strings.
Report outages at: 800-611-1911.
According to our new Sheriff’s Department Captain Travis Newsome crime has dropped over the last year. You can see their annual report at:
http://cms.sbcounty.gov/sheriff/AnnualReports.aspx
WV FIRE RESPONSES
Unknown Fire - 2
Vehicle Fire - 1
EMS / Rescue / Trauma - 14
Traffic incident unknown injury - 1
Total - 18
I spoke to Mark Lundquist. He is working with County Fire to try to get us some answers regarding our situation. When he has things sorted out he’ll send me some dates and we’ll schedule a community meeting. He seemed to be saying that this will happen soon. I decided not to have an April community meeting because there is currently no news.
There’s a meeting in Joshua Tree on April 26 regarding the Desert Protection Plan DRECP which is in danger of being partially dismantled. If you are interested in going, please contact me and I’ll send you the details.
Thanks to everyone who submitted their surveys on the FUNDAMENTAL PLAN. This is the first step toward having a COMMUNITY PLAN. The unicomms (unincorporated communities) with Community Plans are better protected against unrestricted industrial solar development.
There were two speakers from Southern California Edison present last night. Jennifer Cusack was speaking on TOU - Time of Use - residential rates. See more here:
https://www.sce.com/wps/portal/home/residential/rates/Time-Of-Use-Residential-Rate-Plans/
They also warned about spoofing -- people who seem to be calling from SCE threatening to turn off your electricity if you don’t pay them, usually with gift cards. ALWAYS hang up and call SCE directly if you need to know more about your bill. NEVER pay anyone on the phone in gift cards. No legitimate business takes payment in gift cards.
Luis Lara spoke on outage reports. He said they had more than 1000 outages last year due to mylar balloons. Some even brought down live wires. Mylar balloon seasons peeks between Valentines Day and Graduation Day. If you must buy mylar balloons, PLEASE, never release them in the air -- dispose of them properly in the trash. There are documented cases of desert tortoises eating the balloons, and also losing legs after becoming tangled in the strings.
Report outages at: 800-611-1911.
According to our new Sheriff’s Department Captain Travis Newsome crime has dropped over the last year. You can see their annual report at:
http://cms.sbcounty.gov/sheriff/AnnualReports.aspx
Sunday, April 1, 2018
Glass Outhouse Gallery - Opening Reception April 7
The Glass Outhouse Gallery opens from 5 - 9 p.m., on Saturday, April 7, 2018, featuring artists Helen Sprague and Christine Hansen. The Luminators perform live. There will be refreshments. Admission is always free.
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