Netiquette

"WHY DOES IT SEEM LIKE EVERYONE I EMAIL OR INSTANT MESSAGE GETS ANGRY OR CURT WITH ME? DOES THE INTERNET JUST MAKE PEOPLE GRUMPY?"

Well, computers and the internet certainly make people upset from time to time, but in this case, I'll bet it's something much more specific.

In this case it might just be you.

The "problem" might be that you're typing your message in all upper-case characters. That is typically read by others on the internet as shouting. Imagine you're having a conversation in a quiet room with someone who for no apparent reason is shouting loudly instead of talking normally. You'd get grumpy too.

All-caps as shouting has become deeply ingrained in net etiquette, or "netiquette". Many people, when reading text in all caps, internalize that as shouting without even thinking about it, and react accordingly.

You may not be doing it on purpose, but I definitely suggest using all-caps only for emphasis, or when you're really trying to convey that you are, in fact, shouting.

RFC 1855 - Netiquette Guidelines has a good summary that includes this and many other things to keep in mind as you communicate on the internet.

Hlawek escapes jail time

SAN BERNARDINO — County officials said Tuesday they are disappointed that former County Administrative Officer James Hlawek was sentenced to only three years probation for his role in the San Bernardino County corruption scandal.

First District Supervisor Bill Postmus said he was angry that the court was so lenient.

"It is ridiculous that he only got three years probation after completely defrauding the public, taxpayers and the county," Postmus said. "The federal judicial system is a mess." More from the VV Daily Press

On the same day that eight-term Congressman Randy "Duke" Cunningham, R-Escondido, resigned and cried on television over being caught taking bribes, the criminal at the center of San Bernardino County's bribery scandal got off with no jail time.

Yes, incredibly, corrupt former county Chief Administrative Officer James Hlawek won't spend a day behind bars.

Hlawek took bribes from his former boss, took bribes from businessmen, took kickbacks from county employees and consultants, and robbed the public of its tax money and its trust of county government officials and workers. More from the Inland Daily Bulletin

System Broken: Hlawek gets a walk!!!

RIVERSIDE, Calif. - A key figure in a decade-long San Bernardino County political corruption scandal was placed on three years' probation and ordered to perform 300 hours of community service.

"I have great remorse for the mistakes I have made," former county administrative officer James Hlawek, who accepted more than $200,000 in bribes, said after sentencing Monday in U.S. District Court in Riverside. More

No kidding he rips the taxpayers off for over $200,000 in bribes, $20 Million in crooked contracts and he gets probation and 300 hours of community service. Public drunkeness will get you more time!! This shows that the system is broken. What a sham!!

In the dog house again....

A couple of months ago my cousin and I were sitting on his porch one Saturday afternoon thinking of things a person always wanted to do. Well other than blood we had a bit more in common than we thought. Each of us had always thought it would be a gas to have a Hot Dog Cart.

Being the impetuous fellow that I am, I convinced Chris that we should go ahead and buy one. So here we are, a retired PGA greens keeper and and old telephone man fulfilling a life long dream.

The dogs are tasty, the sausage is great. From the many comments and return customers it's been a instant success.

You can visit us at the Court House in Joshua Tree. We're open Wednesday thru Friday.

93% increase in the price of a local home.

While I love this town, who is blowing the smoke up the poor schmucks that are paying almost double the price for a home than a year ago? 

Statewide, the 10 cities and communities with the greatest median-home price increases in October 2005 compared with the same period a year ago were: Twentynine Palms, 93 percent; Laguna Hills, 76.1 percent; Upland, 52.3 percent; Yucca Valley, 52.3 percent; Sanger, 48.4 percent; Oakdale, 47.8 percent; Desert Hot Springs, 47.7 percent; Porterville, 47.5 percent; Patterson, 46.5 percent; Rosemead, 45 percent; and Rancho Cordova, 43.9 percent. More

LA Times: Is real estate boom at the end of its run or just taking a breather?

Southern California's housing market continued to lose steam last month as the pace of sales declined and the rate of price appreciation leveled off, data released this week showed.

Rising inventories, higher interest rates and growing buyer wariness are working to temper the region's hot real estate market, experts said. More

Mojave flows as result of water transfer

APPLE VALLEY -- The recent flow of water in the Mojave River is not due to Mother Nature but to a unique water-transfer agreement between Mojave Water Agency and Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. More

Whether The Second Amendment Secures An Individual Right

"...[W]e conclude that the Second Amendment secures an individual right to keep and to bear arms. Current case law leaves open and unsettled the question of whose right is secured by the Amendment. Although we do not address the scope of the right, our examination of the original meaning of the Amendment provides extensive reasons to conclude that the Second Amendment secures an individual right, and no persuasive basis for either the collective-right or quasi-collective-right views. The text of the Amendment's operative clause, setting out a "right of the people to keep and bear Arms," is clear and is reinforced by the Constitution's structure. The Amendment's prefatory clause, properly understood, is fully consistent with this interpretation. The broader history of the Anglo-American right of individuals to have and use arms, from England's Revolution of 1688-1689 to the ratification of the Second Amendment a hundred years later, leads to the same conclusion. Finally, the first hundred years of interpretations of the Amendment, and especially the commentaries and case law in the pre-Civil War period closest to the Amendment's ratification, confirm what the text and history of the Second Amendment require." MEMORANDUM OPINION FOR THE ATTORNEY GENERAL 2004

Tragic Holiday Accident

On 11-23-05 at 12:19 PM, Matthew William Derman, age: 17 months, from Twentynine Palms, was in the front yard of his residence in the 84000 block of Twentynine Palms Highway in Twentynine Palms when a family member backed a 2001 Mitsubishi and accidentally struck the child. Paramedics transported him to the Naval Hospital in Twentynine Palms where he was pronounced dead at 1:10 PM. CHP is investigating the accident. More

Ebenezer Daigneault

Once again, now that I have Sirius Satellite Radio, I missed our local yokel Radio Personality's on air rant today asking for the head of Elaine Bernal, to be presented to him for his belated Thanksgiving feast. Boy did I get the gist of his babble from a dozen phone calls.

Elaine is first and foremost a honored First Responder. Unlike Gary or I for that matter, she is a valued member of our community, someone who actually accomplishes real tangible good for all of us everyday. She is a member of the California Highway Patrol. If you haven't heard Elaine was injured on the job. She has been given orders by her doctor to rest and recuperate. Seems simple. Is it reason to resign? We think not.

In contrast to this openly vitriol on-air verbal assault today, we took the high road when Michael Swigart was stricken with cancer. We wished him well, waited for his recovery and let him gain a bit of strength before we caused a moment of concern for him or his family. We can only guess what hell he might have put that poor man through had he disliked him.

This was pure venom and hate that oozed out of this guys mouth. The guy obviously hates women and law enforcement. He takes great strides to insult or belittle the two members of our council who are also Peace Officers at every opportunity.

His whole attitude with Bernal teeters not on politics but personal to the point of weird. She has done only good since she was elected. She has worked well with others on the council. She has not for a moment caused a ruckus on the dais. She has rolled up her sleeves and worked hard for the city. So what's his problem? Is it her being a strong woman that bothers him? Is it his dislike for women in general? Hey that was the reason I stopped listening the the guy. I grew sick of what I felt was his on-air lack of respect for women and children.

I got to tell you folks, I am at a loss to figure this fellow out. He seems to have made a career out of making an ass of himself. He is universally hated by the vast majority of citizens of the Morongo Basin. His own friends mock him behind his back. His value as an ally diminishes daily. If anyone in this Morongo Basin needed a Charles Dickens "A Christmas Carol" moment, it is Gary Daigneault.

San Francisco's pointless handgun ban

It's like, "...fighting alcoholism by prohibiting beer sales to Mormons." Stephen Chapman Chicago Tribune in "San Francisco's pointless handgun ban"

CHICAGO — It’s not easy to do, but gun control advocates in San Francisco have come up with an anti-firearms measure that embarrasses even some gun control advocates. The red-faced ones may realize this one is not likely to work even if it is upheld in court, which it almost certainly will not be. But the pointlessness of the initiative didn’t stop San Franciscans from approving it by a hefty majority.

Proposition H outlaws the sale, manufacture, transfer and ownership of handguns and ammunition in the city. Unlike other cities that enacted bans but allowed residents to keep weapons they already had, San Francisco included immediate confiscation in the deal: Anyone who has a handgun must surrender it to the police by next April. The only people allowed to possess these firearms will be police, soldiers and security guards.

So what’s wrong with this plan? Just about everything. Start with the fact that it appears to conflict with the state constitution, which gives the state sole jurisdiction over firearms regulation — a defect that doomed San Francisco’s last handgun ban, passed in 1982. More

The Human cost of Big Brother: The big picture vs. reality.

Finally some relief for a couple of small towns in the Rural West.

WASHINGTON, DC --  U.S. Congressman Jim Gibbons (R-Nev.) and U.S. Senator Harry Reid (D-Nev.) introduced legislation to transfer the ownership of historic mining townsites in Gold Point and Ione from the Bureau of Land Management to Esmeralda and Nye counties respectively. By transferring control of this historic land to the local counties, the residents of these mining towns will no longer be considered as trespassers on the land they have lived on and paid taxes on for generations.

“The residents of these mining towns have lived there for generations and are entitled to own the property they have occupied and called home for years,” stated Gibbons. “Yet, because of federal actions beyond their control, their property has since been claimed by the federal government and they have been deemed as trespassers. This bill is the right thing to do, because it provides a fair and logical solution to an illogical and unfair problem.”

“This bill is a simple, fair way to settle long-standing land disputes in Esmeralda and Nye Counties,” said Reid. “It will clear up decades-old confusion over property ownership, and will make sure people in Gold Point and Ione can make improvements to their homes with the knowledge that the land is theirs. This legislation is important for keeping Nevada’s rural communities intact, increasing our tax base, and protecting our historic and cultural resources.”

The Rural West: Economic Survival vs. Environmentalism

The General Mining Law of 1872 gives miners free access to dig for metal ore and hardrock minerals on more than 270 million acres of public lands. It was written to encourage prospecting and boost what was then a fledgling industry.

Under the law, a miner or mining company could explore lands for ore deposits and then stake a claim if they find something. That claim gave them the right to mine the deposit and later allowed the miner to patent, or take title to, the land for as little as $2.50 an acre.

There is generally no limit on the number of claims an individual can stake and no requirements that mining must begin within a certain time period - or ever. Mining can take place without patenting the land. Unlike oil and gas companies, mining companies pay no royalties.

Mines on public lands are subject to requirements of the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act and other environmental statutes, which regulate the mine itself as well as waste and site clean-up.

In 1994, Congress imposed a moratorium on most patent applications, blocking what many saw as an abuse of the law: the sale of public lands at fire-sale prices.

The mining law revisions passed by the House would lift that moratorium and rewrite several sections of the law: (more)

Smith vs. Victorville

Lawsuit delays construction of Super Wal-Mart, Sam's Club

VICTORVILLE -- Plans for a Wal-Mart Supercenter and a Sam's Club are on hold after a citizen sued the city and a Superior Court judge determined that Victorville failed to meet the citizen's request for more information.

The original project, approved last year by the Planning Commission, called for the shopping plaza to be built west of Lowe's and Kohl's on Bear Valley Road.

"Statistics show that a Supercenter attracts around 14,000 cars a day," said Spring Valley Lake resident Ed Smith, who filed the suit. "Bear Valley is already a parking lot and they want to clog it even more."

Smith, a former truck driver and now a business agent with the Teamsters Union Local No. 163, filed suit late last year after becoming concerned about traffic that would be generated by the planned Wal-Mart Supercenter.

"I asked for a California Environmental Quality Act report to find out more about the plans for the Wal-Mart and the city never got back to me," Smith said Thursday. "After asking for this request for many months, I got an attorney and sued the city for failing to do a full environmental study on this project," he said.

In addition to the Supercenter, the shopping plaza was to include a Sam's Club and a 12-pump gas station.

Smith said it was irresponsible of the city to approve a project such as a Wal-Mart Supercenter without considering the effect it would have on traffic.

Victorville spokeswoman Yvonne Hester said that based on a judge's decision earlier this month, the city rescinded approval for the Wal-Mart project. Wal-Mart has agreed to pay for a complete environmental impact report. Smith also said that the Bentonville, Ark., retailer agreed to pay for his attorney fees.

"The city maintains that Mr. Smith's requests were too generic and not specific at all. That is why there was never a response," Hester said. The spokeswoman also said that there was never an environmental study performed before the Supercenter proposal was approved. More

Happy Thanksgiving

We are thankful for another year passing.
We are thankful for our many readers and their renewed interest in local government.
Though we might find fault in their approch, we are thankful for the sense of civic duty and sacrifice of all our citizen leaders both elected and appointed.
We are thankful for those young men and women in uniform that stand in harms way to protect us from tyranny, both foreign and domestic.
We are thankful that we live in this great country. We are thankful for the Constitution that enshrines our God given Rights.
Happy Thanksgiving and GOD BLESS AMERICA.

Spear: About the story you might have heard.

It appears that Gary Daigneault (Z-107.7) is unable to report anything that is factual or true, despite the fact that his own reporter sets the record straight.

Today Gary, through deliberate disregard for the facts, reported as a “lead in” for the news, that I was passed up for the position of Mayor in 29 Palms.

Nothing could be farther from the truth.

It was I that nominated Kevin Cole for Mayor. No other names were offered or discussed.

Gary also failed to read the staff report that was provided in regards to the assumption of office in 29 Palms. Although a traditional method has been used in the past, this year marks the second year that the tradition has not been followed – no inferences should be drawn from that.

I imagine I could have nominated myself for Mayor and a vote could have taken.

However, I deliberately did not seek the office and I informed the City Manager, as well as then Mayor, Dawn Benton, that I would not seek the office, but rather, I would nominate Kevin Cole.

I have complete faith and confidence in Kevin to serve our city well. He has been Mayor in the past and will be Mayor this year and will do a superb job.

I, on the other hand, had a decision to make. I had to decide between what was best for the city or what might be nice for me – to say I was a Mayor.

I decided to do what was best for the city and not seek being Mayor due to the time that being Mayor would have required of me to miss work as a Deputy Sheriff so as to attend the myriad of so called “baby kissing” events that a Mayor should and, in my opinion, MUST attend.

I would urge all the citizen’s of 29 Palms to question any so called news item that Gary reports about me or Elaine Bernal. If you do you will find that this town needs a Paul Harvey very, very, much – in that way we would all get “THE REST OF THE STORY”.

Thank You,
Steve Spear

Council: Some News, Some Changes

Councilwoman Elaine Bernal made public last night that she has been plagued with medical problems. We hope she will recover soon. We trust that same courtesy given by us during the recent health problems of the City Manager will be afforded Ms. Bernal.

Kevin Cole was chosen by the Council as Mayor for the next year. This should prove to be grist for the entertainment mill.

Saving our Homestead Heritage

There is a lot of California and Hollywood film history out here in the Twentynine Palms area. Before we rip down every homestead cabin in the area in the name of progress, we should take a look at who built them and who lived there. An old cabin about 8 miles to the east on highway 62 is a good example.

Taylor Curtis McPeters 'Cactus Mack' (1899-1962) hailed from Weed, New Mexico (along with his cousin, Glenn Strange, Sam the bartender in Gunsmoke). In the late twenties, Strange and McPeters joined a group of singing cowboys and the group ultimately became known as the 'Arizona Wranglers'. He (along with musical cohorts Strange, Jack Kirk, Chuck Baldra and others) became regulars in low budget oaters, primarily doing background music and portraying "cowboys sittin' around the campfire singin' and strummin' and yodelin'". He also did various bits and minor supporting roles in westerns and serials. He was also a cousin to western movie hero Rex Allen. He did some early TV work and is in a couple of the CISCO KID and GUNSMOKE episodes as late as 1961. More Information

Recall effort interrupted by car crash in Desert Hot Springs.

A Desert Hot Springs woman received minor injuries today when a car slammed into a table where she was gathering recall petition signatures at a local supermarket.

The incident happened at Stater Brothers Markets, 13-200 Palm Drive, at about 12:45 p.m.

A woman leaving the supermarket apparently put her car in drive instead of reverse, and hit the accelerator rather than the brake, said Gale Nelson.

Nelson and fellow city resident Helene Payson were at a table near the store's east entrance, gathering petition signatures seeking the recall of Vice Mayor Mary Stephens and Councilman Hank Hohenstein. More

About the comments section....

Your comments are still there. We are now forced to close the side bar listing of comments to stop (are you ready for this) an attack of spam from the flipping Russians and Dutch. No kidding! To read your comments you will have to now scroll down the message you want to comment on. Go to the bottom line of the story to go to the comment sections. We are sorry but until I can get a fix for this bunch of Morons from our software people we have to hide the side bar so they don't dump useless crap.

Car Wash to be held for 11 year old accident victim.

A car wash is being held at Santana's on Adobe Road today and tomarrow to defray the funeral expenses of the family of 11 year old Robert Aguilar. Aguilar was hit by a vehicle on Utah Trail last Friday evening.

County squeezes out the little guys

The local little guys have been squeezed out of the big-money contracts in the tree- removal business in the San Bernardino Mountains, and the Board of Supervisors has opened the door to a rich politically connected outsider.

That outsider is AshBritt Inc., which recently made news by winning a federal contract worth up to $1 billion to clean up after Hurricane Katrina.

Voting 4-1 at the Oct. 25 meeting, San Bernardino county supervisors imposed a 100 percent performance bond on all tree-removal contracts of $150,000 or more. This in effect limits the eligible bidders on those contracts to three companies: AshBritt in Pompano, Fla., Phillips & Jordan Inc. in Knoxville, Tenn., and Evergreen Resource Management in Susanville.

The vote overrode concerns broached by people knowledgeable about the tree-removal program. More

Special Interest wins over Public Safety every time

In April, there was an accident involving three vehicles near Kramer Junction resulting in seven patients, six of which had to be extricated, four needed immediate attention by a trauma unit, and one expired at the scene. Two Mercy units were dispatched rather than utilizing the services of California City Air Ambulance, who could have arrived at the scene approximately 30 minutes prior to the arrival of Mercy's second airship. The County worried about keeping Mercy in the black refuses to allow other companies to provide airships in San Bernardino County. Your life is less important to the County Supervisors than the pocket book of their biggest campaign contributor.

"If any company doing business in San Bernardino County is financially unstable, it is not the responsibility of the County Supervisors to protect them. The Board of Supervisors must be in the business of protecting the health and welfare of its citizens," the San Bernardino County 2005 Grand Jury report stated.

"A review of public records found that Mercy Air and its parent company, Air Methods, have over the period of time, contributed thousands of dollars to the campaigns of several former and current members of the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors. When genuine concern for the constituents gives way to politics, the public suffers!" so stated the Grand Jury.

Politics aside Public safety comes first. The Grand Jury has made it clear in its report that lives have been lost simply because of the politics of money. The Board would rather protect its campaign cash cow than save lives. This could be the biggest story in years.

For a more balanced story (never said I was) read this from the Daily Bulletin.

Grand jury blasts air ambulance policy

Is your life at risk?

That's the title of an interim report released by the 2005-06 San Bernardino County grand jury detailing the deficiency of air ambulance services in the High Desert.

The report claims there are not sufficient services to ensure that patients are transported to trauma centers within the "golden hour" — a standard for when most trauma patients can most likely be saved.

It also heaps the blame on the county's Board of Supervisors, specifically at First District Supervisor Bill Postmus.

Currently, Mercy Air is the only air ambulance provider used by the county. The report contends that if another company, specifically California City Air Ambulance, were allowed to contract with the county, response times would drop and more airships would be available when needed. More

Boy, 11, killed in vehicle-pedestrian accident

An 11-year-old Twentynine Palms boy died Friday in a vehicle-pedestrian collision in Twentynine Palms.

Robert Aguilar was hit by a vehicle driven by 37-year-old Monica Ann Rosmino, also of Twentynine Palms, at 5:50 p.m., according to a San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department news release. The incident happened on Utah Trail south of Joe Davis Drive.

Rosmino was southbound on Utah Trail when her 2000 Ford Focus hit Aguilar, according to the news release.

Aguilar was walking on the street with three other children. He was taken to the naval hospital at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in Twentynine Palms, where he was pronounced dead.

The sheriff's Morongo Station's Major Accident Investigation Team is investigating. More

I got a theory too.

In todays Desert Star CMC Professor Paul Parker wrote, the "Theory of evolution stands up." Making a logical argument in support of the theory of Evolution he had me in the palm of his hand, right up until the very last sentence. I don't know why, I'll venture to say Parker wouldn't be able to figure it either, but his contempt for Judeo-Christian values came out as plain as a flasher exposing himself to his students.

Parker states, "If you take the Bible to the literal truth, it has falsified itself countless times." In the end I was unable to figure out if the guy was trying to justify his strong belief in the theory of evolution or he just wanted a forum to bash the articles of faith of billions of Christians and Jews. Who knows?

$4.5 Billion?

SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY- In San Bernardino County law enforcement agencies have seized 17,281 marijuana plants this year, part of the state's record-breaking seizure of more than 1.1 million plants worth more than $4.5 billion, according to a news release from Attorney General Bill Lockyer's office. More

Either I am totally out of touch with the current street value of Pot or the AG's office is calculating the value by the Joint. Come on guys, $4.5 Billion? According to that kind of "New Math," there shouldn't be a problem with Pot. Hell no one could afford it.

"Cowards cut and run, Marines never do."

Lets hear it for Ohio Congresswoman Jean Schmidt, who is the lowest in seniority. She recounted a message a Marine Corps Reserve Colonel Danny Bubp wanted to send to Congressman John Murtha about his call for an immediate withdrawal from Iraq.

She said he told her that "cowards cut and run, Marines never do."

A resolution was sent to the floor in response to the call by Mr. Murtha and others for the immediate withdrawal of troops from the War on Terror. The resolution simply said, "It is the sense of the House of Representatives that the deployment of United States forces in Iraq be terminated immediately."

In the end only three members of Congress voted for the resolution.

Update: The Vote was 403-3. The three that voted for the resolution are Cynthia McKinney of Georgia, Jose E. Serrano of New York and Robert Wexler, of Florida.

Combat Center brings intense glimpse of urban warfare to Marines

Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Calif.(Nov. 15, 2005) -- As Marines are steadily deploying to fight the war on terrorism, the Marine Corps is progressively preparing for the real deal with an imitation of Iraq’s urban infrastructure in training exercises. There are numerous military operations on urban terrain facilities that attempt to capture the reality of urban warfare.

The MOUT facility at the Combat Center’s Range 215 has replicated the average Middle Eastern village with more than 100 buildings and 260 role players, 50 of them contracted linguists originally from Iraq. Some of the buildings represent an Iraqi police station, an Iraqi Army compound and a “souk,” an Iraqi marketplace, said Lt. Col. Patrick Kline, director of urban warfare training.

“I do feel a lot more confident going out there than I did last time,” said Cpl. Ash Day, team leader, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, who deployed to Iraq last year. “Everything is so realistic, I get flashbacks. The realism is amazing. The way they set up the buildings in proximity, the same as they are in Iraq, is something I haven’t seen at other MOUT facilities.” MORE

File this one under... "Love is Strange"

SAN BERNARDINO, California -- A local woman says she still plans to marry the man who shot her in the groin and then held her hostage in his family's garage for six days.

Tina Stebbins revealed her intentions in a victim-impact statement released Monday as her boyfriend, Christian Lindblad, 37, was sentenced to 20 years in jail for shooting her in June 2002.

"I love Christian today as deeply as I loved him before this awful thing happened to us," Stebbins wrote. "We are soulmates."

Lindblad and his parents tried to cover up the shooting by treating Stebbins with home remedies, said a County Sheriff's report.

Lindblad has said the shooting was an accident.

Woman suspected of financial elder abuse in Yucca Valley

A woman suspected of forcing elderly people to sign over the deeds to their property has been arrested by investigators with the San Bernardino County District Attorney's Real Estate Fraud Unit.

Pamela Churchill-Ames, 53, of Jamul was taken into custody Tuesday and faces felony counts of financial elder abuse and grand theft, officials said.

In April 2004, officials said Churchill-Ames pressured the elderly victims into signing over their property through grant deeds. The victims, who live in Yucca Valley, were misled into selling their property, officials said.

Churchill-Ames was booked into the Central Detention Center in San Bernardino. Bail was set at $100,000.

Base Hospital namesake is buried with full honors

“It’s far more difficult to live with the Medal of Honor than to earn it, and no one lived with it better than Bob Bush.”

The speaker was a retired Army major general who also holds the nation’s highest award for valor.

Patrick H. Brady was among the hundreds who gathered Monday at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Lacey to pay their last respects to the greatest hero in Twin Harbors history — Robert E. Bush.

Bush, 79, who died of cancer Nov. 8, grew up in Pacific County and received the medal for his heroism as an 18-year-old Navy medical corpsman on Okinawa in 1945. Bush lost an eye and nearly died as he came to the aid of others during a savage World War II battle. He dedicated the next 60 years of his life to caring and sharing as he “lived the American dream,” said Brady. More

Enrollment opens for prescription plan

MORONGO BASIN - Medicare is adding a new plan to help patients pay for prescription medicines. During a seminar at the Helen Grey Center in Joshua Tree on a recent afternoon, Sharron Marsh, outreach coordinator for the Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program (HICAP), advised that Medicare participants should call their health-care plans or seek HICAP counseling on what to do to benefit from the new program. More

Spring Valley Lake recall effort presses forward

SPRING VALLEY LAKE — With almost 600 signatures listed in the effort to recall all members of the Spring Valley Lake Association Board of Directors, recall coordinator Richard Leabow said time is ticking for a response.

Leabow explained that if by next Sunday the board does not give members of the association notice of a special meeting, the recall proponents would call for their own meeting where they plan to have vote to recall the current board. more

Judge rejects motion for mistrial

VICTORVILLE — As jurors prepare for the punitive phase in the wrongful termination lawsuit against Desert Valley Hospital, a judge Monday rejected a motion to declare a mistrial.

Deborah Tropp, one of the attorneys representing the hospital and Dr. Prem Reddy, sought a new trial based on alleged jury misconduct. More

Michael Yon

Judge stops Rialto from disbanding police

A San Bernardino County Superior Court judge on Monday overturned the Rialto City Council's controversial decision to disband its Police Department and contract for services with the Sheriff's Department.

Judge Bob N. Krug ruled that based on its Memorandum of Understanding, the city was required to meet with the police union prior to the council's 4-1 decision Sept. 13 to contract with the Sheriff's Department. The city must meet with the union and vote again at a public meeting in order to transfer law enforcement services, Krug said More

KESQ out of tune with Veterans

KESQ our local Palm Springs channel 3 had a story this morning about Nelson BC, Canada and how they decided to not build a Memorial to the draft dodgers of the Vietnam War but still want to honor them. At the end of the story they called those draft dodgers "War Resisters." War resisters my Aunt Haddy's fat butt! Lets get something straight, they were not motivated by some deep political or religious belief, it was to save their own miserable hides that they ran off to Canada and Sweden. Upgrading their status as turncoats and draft dodgers to "War Resisters" is revisionist history.

Giving credit to a bunch of cowards as though their sacrifice of American Nationality was remotely honorable in contrast to the 58,000 who gave their lives is obscene. With Veterans Day just this last Friday the airing of such a story was another smack in the face of those who served. Shame on you KESQ.

Veterans Day Flap: No Armistice in DHS

We can file this story by the Rev, Garrett Brooks under "Glad we don't live in Desert Hot Springs."

"I attended the so called Veterans Day celebration , as they say, 2 annual. Well, it started off well enough, the presenting of the color guard by the DHS High School ROTC, and a Msgt from the Marine Corps (ret). it lasted all of 20 maybe if you stretch it 25 minutes. which included the pledge to the flag, led by some Economic Commission member. Then Mary Stephens had the Msgt speak, we listen to a soloist sing the Anthem and than Mary Stephens said the flag will be retired. So the color guard came back lowered the flag. than the real celebration started. It turned into a big Politically motivated "Hail to the Chief" for Former mayor Weyuker..." More

Fate of Rialto police may go to ballot box

The fight is not yet over regarding a plan to disband the city's police force and instead contract with the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department.
Residents plan a drive to put separate initiatives on the ballot allowing voters to choose between the two police agencies and recall officials believed to have backed the plan to eliminate local police. The ballot measures would come after court battles and previously failed recall efforts after the city council voted 4-1 in September to approve a contract with the sheriff's department.
A Superior Court judge is expected to rule today whether the city can proceed with the contract. City Attorney Robert Owen has said the decision to contract for police services is not subject to the initiative process.
``I have very serious concerns about the legality of both of those measures,'' said Owens, who added he had advised proponents ``in good faith of my concerns. What they do with that information is up to them.'' More

DHS Opts for Change

I've been busy and must admit I have been remiss on reporting the local political news, Here is the biggest story locally.

Desert Hot Springs voters opted for change Tuesday, bringing in Realtor Alex Bias as the city's new mayor.

According to uncertified results, incumbent Gary Bosworth also retained his seat on the City Council, while Planning Commissioner Yvonne Parks was also added to the council.

Major issues throughout the campaign included public safety, financial responsibility, government accountability, the need for a medical center and growth.

Winners said the results show the residents of Desert Hot Springs want change in their government, with the addition of Bias and Parks.

"I feel very strongly residents voted for an open, fair government. All of us ran on that platform," Bosworth, 51, said in a phone interview Wednesday. More

Wal-Mart Donates to Local Emergancy Workers

Wal-Mart Stores and Sam's Club will donate grants totaling $11,500 to local police, fire, rescue and EMS teams during its Safe Neighborhood Heroes program:

Palm Springs Fire Department - $1,000; Palm Springs Police Department - $1,000; Palm Springs Police Officers Association Memorial Foundation - $1,000; Twentynine Palms Fire Department - $2,000; Palm Desert Sheriff Search and Rescue - $1,000; Riverside County Fire Department - $500; Riverside County Reserve Deputy Sheriff's Association - $750; and Riverside County Posse Coachella Valley Unit - $4,250.

A Small Town Veterans Day Celebration

Yesterday, Luckie Park was filled with patriotic music played by the USMC Band, as both Twentynine Palms and Yucca Valley dignitaries honored Veterans both fallen and living. There was something for everyone, from clowns and mimes to solemn tributes to our heros past and present. It was a wonderful Veterans Day.

The Park was a buzz with young families and old friends pondering the cost of freedom and celebrating the lives of those who served. There were young Marines in full crisp dress blues, fresh from the fight for our freedom, along side old vets like me celebrating the brotherhood of arms.

The Sheriff's Department pulled out the stops with a display of all the latest life saving equipment in their arsenal. Along with the "Bucket-T" Cruiser deputies displayed their horses and mules of the mounted Posse, Search and Rescue and SWAT members showed their newest wares. The kids fell in love with a close up look at the Helicopter landing in the ball field for all to see.

Clubs and civic organizations participated with displays, entertainment and the vending of food. Representing the Twentynine Palms Pistol and Rifle Club, my cousin Chris Bridge and I had a great time serving out Hot Dogs to the multitude.

IN FLANDERS FIELDS

IN FLANDERS FIELDS the poppies blow
Between the crosses row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

I almost forgot.....

Measure O Wins Big!

Morongo USD - Measure O

32/32 100.00%

	Vote Count	Percent
BONDS YES	5,555	56.49%
BONDS NO	4,279	43.51%
Total	9,834	100.00%

It's No Down The Line for Reform