Gabriel Hart is a journalist and author from Morongo Valley, CA.

Morongo Valley Fire Department discusses ambulance service to bolster department funds

The Morongo Valley Community Services District Board of Directors held their regular 6PM meeting last night in Covington Park’s multipurpose room. Following up on Fire Department repairs, Fire Chief/General Manager James Brakebill reported completion of all necessary demolition, including the removal of all asbestos; the department awaits the next phase of replacing what’s been torn out. Good news continued when Brakebill stated the CSD received a $390,000 check from San Bernardino County, which…

MVCSD hold regular meeting tonight in Covington Park

The Morongo Valley Community Services District Board of Directors will hold their regular 6PM meeting tonight in Covington Park’s multipurpose room. For tonight’s agenda in new business, board members will discuss pros and cons of creating a membership-based community fund in lieu of another tax for Morongo Valley residents. For action items, community members have requested the Boards support to make Morongo Valley’s Trail’s End Transfer Station an approved facility to dump organic material…

MUSD Board of Trustees approve MTA tentative agreements

The Morongo Unified School District Board of Trustees held their regular meeting yesterday at the special start time of 4:30 to reorganize the board, before moving onto regular open session at 6PM. Standing board president Robert Hamilton was reconfirmed as president during the reorganization, as well as Kerri Condley as Board Clerk. Roberta Meyers was appointed District Representative on School District Organization, Christopher Claire was appointed Legislative Representative, and…

Board of Education to approve tentative agreement between MUSD and the MTA at tonight’s meeting

The Morongo Unified School District Board of Trustees will be holding their regular meeting this afternoon at the special time of 4:30PM to accommodate their reorganization of the board before closed session, followed by regular open session at 6PM. To reorganize the Board of Education, the Board will elect a new President, Clerk of the Board, District Representative for the County Committee on School District, and Legislative Representative. Superintendent Dr. Patricio Vargas will be appointed…

YV Elementary wins Golden Bell Award for their outdoor classroom project

Yucca Valley Elementary School has won The Golden Bell Award for the Family/Student/Community Engagement category, a prestigious honor that promotes excellence in education. Last week, representatives from MUSD traveled to San Francisco to accept the award on behalf of Yucca Valley Elementary for their groundbreaking Outdoor Classroom Project. Launched in 2019, the Outdoor Classroom Project was part of a comprehensive plan to increase student engagement, aiming to provide physical spaces for…

Yucca Valley Council votes ‘Yes’ on urgency ordinance to pause changes to 55+ mobile home park

Listen here: The Yucca Valley Town Council held a last-minute special meeting at 9AM last Friday (December 1st) to vote on a Senior Mobile Home Park Moratorium Urgency Ordinance. In the wake of Gates of Spain Mobile Estates new ownership announcing development to the northside of the property and opening the longtime 55+ community to all-ages, nearly 70 tenants and supporters of the mobile park showed up to the emergency special meeting to voice their opposition. The meeting began with Town…

Yucca Valley Planning Commission discusses regulation of local business outdoor displays

The Yucca Valley Planning Commission held their regular 6PM meeting last night at the Yucca Valley Community Center. During the brief meeting, the commission discussed “sidewalk sales,” or more specifically, the regulation of local businesses' outdoor displays. Concerns were raised regarding various storefronts creating a messy view from Highway 62. As the commission shared photos of the problem areas, one Yucca Valley thrift store was used as an example of excessive and incongruent piles…

Fire Chief Brakebill to stay on as MVCSD General Manager

Last Tuesday (November 21st), the Morongo Valley Community Services District Board of Directors held a special meeting at Covington Park’s multipurpose room. The especially productive meeting included approved bids to repair the CSD roof, reconstruction of the CSD office, and mold remediation in the Fire Department bunk room. With continued business discussing hiring a new general manager, the board took no action, keeping Fire Chief James Brakebill on as General Manager. The board also…

Big Morongo Canyon Preserve Board of Directors choose two new board members

Morongo Valley’s Big Morongo Canyon Preserve Board of Directors recently chose two new board members from an impressive pool of applicants. The board welcomes Tom Scanlan, a Preserve volunteer leading the Preserve’s boardwalk repair team as well as an education docent for school field trips. Scanlan has a master’s degree in Business Administration and has been responsible for multi-million-dollar capital and operating budgets in his career. In addition, Scanlon is an Archaeological Site Steward…

 Morongo Valley CSD continue discussions hiring new GM At tonight’s special meeting

The Morongo Valley Community Services District Board of Directors are holding a special meeting tonight at 6PM in Covington Park’s multipurpose room. For the meeting’s agenda, continued business includes reviewing, discussing, and approving a bid to repair the CSD roof, a bid to reconstruct the CSD office, and a bid to remediate mold in the Fire Department bunk rooms. These repairs are a result of damage incurred last August from Tropical Storm Hilary. Also in continued business, is the ongoing…