Gabriel Hart

Risks to MUSD budget reported at last night’s board meeting (6/13)

June 14, 2023

Morongo Unified School District sends out gun safety letter – AB 452

Last night’s MUSD meeting began with a special 5:30 study session, presenting the Local Control Funding Formula for Parents alongside the 2023-24 Preliminary Budget. The overview showed grim trends risking the district’s budget, including declining enrollment, ADA protection loss, expiring one-time funds, and compensation cost pressures. The study also reported a significant decrease in the Arts, Music, and Instructional Discretionary Block Grant due to the governor’s May budget revision. The…

MUSD Board holding study session for 2023-24 Preliminary Budget

by Gabriel Hart

June 13, 2023

Tonight, the Morongo Unified School District Board of Trustees will hold their regular 6pm meeting at Joshua Tree Elementary. Before the regular meeting at 6pm, MUSD Board of Trustees will hold an open study session at 5:30 presenting the Local Control Funding Formula’s Budget Overview for Parents, offering transparency of how much funding schools receive from various sources. This will be discussed in conjunction with MUSD’s 2023-24 Preliminary Budget. The Board will then hold three public…

MUSD Board of Trustees held their regular 6pm meeting at Joshua Tree Elementary, beginning with the 2023 Service Awards and Retiree Ceremony

by Gabriel Hart

May 24, 2023

For the first hour of last night’s MUSD meeting, Board of Trustees recognized honorees of the 2023 Service Awards and Retiree Ceremony. The red-carpet event was divided into listed portions honoring 20, 25, 30, and 35 Years of MUSD staff service, with retirees completing their tenures from the district. 29 Palms Junior High Special Ed teacher Geraldine Kenney embraced by Board President Cathy Nelson for 25 Years of Service at last night’s 2023 Service Awards and Retiree Ceremony at Joshua Tree…

Seattle Writer Justine Chan visits Joshua Tree to discuss her park ranger-inspired poetry book

by Gabriel Hart

May 22, 2023

Seattle Writer Justine Chan visits Joshua Tree to discuss her park ranger-inspired poetry book

The Desert Split Open reading series is hosting Seattle writer Justine Chan tomorrow (May 23) for an in-conversation mediated by local author Annie Connole at The Firehouse in Joshua Tree at 6pm. Chicago-born Seattle writer/poet Justine Chan visits Joshua Tree to present her new collection, Should You Lose All Reason(s) published by Chin Music Press. Justine will read a selection, followed by a brief conversation with fellow Chin Music author and hi-desert local Annie Connole. Afterward, Justine…

Morongo Valley family and pets lose home in Wednesday fire

by Gabriel Hart

May 18, 2023

Cause of Johnson Valley House Fire Under Investigation

On Wednesday, May 17th, a residential fire displaced one Morongo Valley family along with their pets. While the family lost their home, no serious injuries were reported largely due to the swift response form Morongo Valley Fire Department with additional regional assistance. On the southside of Senillis St. on the edge of Morongo Preserve, a house fire started when an electrical panel caught fire from circuit overload. With high winds in the area, the fire spread through the house and into…

MVCSD Board Members announce President’s resignation at Ad-Hoc Community Meeting

by Gabriel Hart

May 18, 2023

Morongo Valley CSD Board Director declares resignation, once conditions are met

The resignation of Morongo Valley CSD Board Director and Acting President James Whitney was announced last night at a makeshift meeting of the Board’s Community Relations Committee. Whitney had issued a controversial statement earlier in the week regarding the cancellation of the board’s monthly meeting scheduled for last night, the second cancellation in as many months. Whitney was the subject of a recall election, along with Director Michael Emory and former Board President Jennifer Henning,…

HOWL Literary Journal 2023 official release event Thursday (5/18)

by Gabriel Hart

May 17, 2023

Final Week for HOWL Literary and Arts submissions at CMC

Copper Mountain College’s long-standing literary journal HOWL will publish its 2023 issue this month and will kick off its official release event this Thursday, May 18th at the CMC amphitheater. Howl Literary Journal is throwing their “HOWL-LA-PA-LOOZA,” the penultimate event for the release of its 2023 issue this Thursday, May 18th at the Copper Mountain College Amphitheater this Thursday, May 18th from 4-6pm. This will be an open mic for those who have work featured in the new issue as well as…

County Sheriff releases statement regarding MVCSD meeting cancellation

by Gabriel Hart

May 16, 2023

Listen here: This week's regularly scheduled meeting of the Morongo Valley Community Services District was cancelled on Friday (May 12) due to lack of quorum, the second monthly meeting in a row to be cancelled. A statement given by MVCSD’s acting President James Whitney concerning the cancellation of this Wednesday’s (May 17) regular board meeting due to Whitney and Fire Commissioner Emory’s absence, where Whitney stated, “I have been advised not attend the non-mandatory, optional May 17…

MVCSD Ad-Hoc Committee holding meeting during regular MVCSD time

by Gabriel Hart

May 16, 2023

Though their regularly scheduled meeting was cancelled, the Morongo Valley Community Service District's Community Relations Ad-Hoc Committee will be holding a meeting at the same time and at the same place, Wednesday evening (May 17) in Covington Park’s multi-purpose room at 6pm. The Morongo Valley Community Relations Ad-Hoc Committee is composed of MVCSD Board Finance Director Johnny Tolbert and Park Commissioner Christina Gorke. Gorke said, “The committee goal has been community…

Morongo Valley CSD meeting canceled again due to lack of quorum

by Gabriel Hart

May 15, 2023

For the second month in a row, the MVCSD board meeting will be canceled for this Wednesday, May 17th, due to what the Board’s Finance Director Johnny Tolbert has called a “lack of quorum.” This occurs in the wake of last month’s meeting cancelation for the same lack of quorum due to the absence of President Henning, Vice President James Whitney, and Fire Commissioner Michael Emory. Since Henning’s resignation last month, current acting President Whitney canceled this Wednesday’s meeting due to…

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