Work on the Southern California Gas Pipeline

Southern California Gas will be working on the pipeline. From the letter they sent us.

January 29, 2016
Wonder Valley CSA
P.O. Box 1704
Twentynine Palms, CA 92277

Re: SoCalGas Pipeline Maintenance Work from Essex to Wonder Valley

To Whom It May Concern:

Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas®) will be in the area soon to perform maintenance work on one of our natural gas pipelines. This work is part of our system-wide plan to further enhance the safety of our pipelines throughout the communities we serve.

Work will begin around the week of February 1st, and last for approximately three to four weeks, although weather and other factors affecting safe working conditions could change the schedule.

What to expect
During this maintenance work, you will see SoCalGas and its contractor’s trucks and heavy equipment. Crews will be working Monday through Saturday from approximately  6:00am-8:00pm.

We apologize for any inconvenience while we’re performing this work and appreciate your patience and cooperation.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our Regional Public Affairs Manager, Kristine Scott at 909-335-7941 or kscott@semprautilities.com.

Thank you.

Download the letter.

EMT / EMR Open House at Copper Mountain College

Jim Brakebill encouraged community members to start getting certified in various emergency services so that we could take control of public safety in Wonder Valley. If you'd like to find out more, please consider going to the Health Sciences Open House at Copper Mountain College on Saturday, February 27, from 9 - noon. I'm DEFINITELY going and hope you'll go, too, and join me for lunch afterwards.

I'm looking into the Emergency Medical Responder (EMR) and Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) programs, but there are other programs. See below.

From the event flyer:

Thinking of a Career in Healthcare?
Choose Your Program... Choose Your Future!

• EMT - Basic
• Home Health Aide
• Nurse Assistant
• Vocational Nursing
• LVN to RN
• Registered Nursing

Health Science / Nursing / EMT OPEN HOUSE
February 27, 2016, 9 a.m. - Noon
200 Quad
Tour our State-of-the-Art Simulation Lab
Faculty, counselors and financial aid available to answer your questions.

FREE mini health check

Copper Mountain College, 6162 Rotary Way, Joshua Tree
760-366-3791, x 5801
nursing@cmccd.edu, EMT@cmccd.edu

For more information: http://www.cmccd.edu/Emergency-Medical-Technician-Program

Home Owners Insurance Meeting - March 14, 10 a.m.-Noon

County Fire has given us four (4) options regarding our fire/emergency services. Many people had questions about how these four options would effect our ability to purchase homeowners insurance.

A representative from the California Department of Insurance will be presenting at the Wonder Valley Community Center, 80526 1/2 Amboy on a date to be decided. Issues to be addressed include:

• purchasing affordable insurance
• how each option will affect our ability to buy and keep insurance
• if we will be able to purchase a mortgage
• ISO ratings for Wonder Valley
• things we might do to lower our ISO rating

Please try to come to this meeting. As we move forward in this process with County Fire it's important that we know as much as we possibly can about these issues.

Desert Trail Column, January 28, 2016

We’ve been told that there is a substitute mail carrier out here right now, and mail has been showing up in the wrong boxes. If you’ve not received something that you’re expecting in the mail, you might try calling the post office at 760-367-1161 to see if it’s possibly landed back there.

The special community meeting on Saturday, January 23 was well-attended and was very informative. Jim Brakebill, who runs the Copper Mountain College Fire Technology Program, gave an excellent presentation about Paid Call Firefighters, how such a program works and different aspects of the pros and cons of such a program being implemented in Wonder Valley. Jim worked as a Wonder Valley firefighter back in the 80’s, so he knows firsthand of the local issues and problems in our area. Another excellent presentation was made by Rob Bradbury of Morongo Basin Ambulance. He gave a short history of the ambulance service and how it operates, assuring everyone that MBA will continue to respond to medical aids, traffic collisions and structure fires in Wonder Valley regardless of what happens with the fire service. MBA is not affiliated with any fire department, and has operated as a non-profit entity since 1948.

We send out Rainbows-of-Garnets-and-Carnations to Vida Hamilton who celebrates her special day this week. Happy birthday, Vida!

Darlene’s Commentary: I’m late again. (I wish I had a nickel for every time I’ve said that!) It’s about ding-dong-time to thank the nice people for the cards and phone calls when I was sick with bronchitis. Judy Taylor; Jerry, Rick and Judy; Annie French; Sandi Arismendi; and Brian and Laurie Porteous all sent beautiful cards, some even hand-crafted! Thank you so much to everyone.

Karen’s Commentary: We have an interesting situation with our loud and annoying (just what I need) bedroom alarm clock. It automatically changes time twice a year for daylight savings time, BUT it’s set for the old schedule instead of the current one! So in April and October it springs ahead or falls back right on cue, but in March and November it does nothing. Things like this certainly keep life interesting!

Star Javier will be available at our community center, 80526 ½ Amboy Road, from 9 to noon on Food Distribution days or you can call and leave a message for her at 760-367-9880 and she’ll call you back.

Handy Hint: Paper towels are an expensive cleaning habit. The very best (and free) cleaning rags are made of old cloth diapers, T-shirts and linen or terry cloth dishtowels.

Thought for Today: A yard without a tree isn’t fit for a dog.

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

Notes from Saturday, January 23 Fire/Emergency Services Meeting

SPECIAL MEETING

January 23, 2016, 10:00 a.m.

Wonder Valley Community Center

80526 ½ Amboy Road, Wonder Valley, CA 92277

Wonder Valley MAC Delegate and Meeting Chair (and note taker): Teresa Sitz

MEETING NOTES

James Brakebill's Paid Call Firefighter Presentation in 2 formats:

Power Point - https://www.dropbox.com/s/8f0c4c3iuroy64p/pcf_presentation_01232016.pptx?dl=0
PDF - https://www.dropbox.com/s/xzmu9bxu7fyx0sp/pcf_presentation_01232016.pdf?dl=0

Meeting notes from the Saturday meeting
https://www.dropbox.com/s/x9v2vw290flbgbc/01232016_special_meeting_notes.pdf?dl=0

We're asked Robert Bradbury from Morongo Basin Ambulance for his presentation but we have not yet received it. We will post it when we receive it.

De Luz Community Services District

I'm not suggesting that we should do what this district did, but I'm offering the link to the community to illustrate what's possible when forming a CSD (community service district). This district of De Luz took over their own police services:

In past years, the District experienced immense problems with auto theft, burglaries, trash dumping, reckless driving, abandoned cars, and illegal camps. The District property owners determined that the level of service provided by the County was not adequate, and beginning in 1989, the District contracted with the County for a Deputy Sheriff dedicated to serving our area. This situation proved so successful that in 1990, the District was asked by the property owners to increase the level of contract deputies to two.

While the service we receive from the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department is top notch, community members in Wonder Valley have expressed a desire to have dedicated coverage in our area. This is ONE option. It is not an option I am suggesting. I just want to put all the options out there for the community to consider.

The history of De Luz Community Services District

Moms, Grandmas and Grandpas in Today's Rural Fire Service

James Brakebill mentioned this article at Saturday's meeting on a Paid Call Firefighter service. It's not that everyone needs to train to be a firefighter, it's just that we all might be able to do a little more than we think we can.

And even if we can't be a firefighter, there are dozens of necessary support positions that MUST be filled for this to work for our community. We're all in this together.

Moms, Grandmas and Grandpas in Today's Rural Fire Service

And meet Andrea Peterson, the 68-year-old grandmother firefighter - watch her slideshow.