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

MUSD Board of Trustees regular meeting tonight, Mar. 14

The Morongo Unified School District Board of Trustees will be holding their regular meeting tonight, March 14th, at Joshua Tree Elementary at 5pm, with a special joint meeting with Copper Mountain College at 4pm For tonight’s MUSD regular meeting agenda at 5pm, action items include: a request to certify that the MUSD can meet its financial obligations for the current fiscal year 2022-2023, and subsequent two fiscal years as outlined in the Second Interim Budget Report and authorize the President…

Local author Renee Pickup leads HOWL writing workshop at CMC Friday, Mar. 10

Local author Renee Pickup will be leading the HOWL writing workshop this Friday on the CMC campus in room 101 from 2 to 4pm. Renee Pickup is a Marine Corps vet and writer/editor of both crime fiction and true crime. She’s the co-author of the novel Black Sails, Disco Inferno with Andrez Bergen, and her short fiction has been published widely. Renee hosts the weekly Mil-Tree writers’ group and discusses cults on her livestream The Cult Bar. Renee’s lesson plan for the workshop will focus on what…

Flying Doctors provided free medical, dental and glasses to Morongo Basin residents

The non-profit health clinic Flying Doctors transformed Copper Mountain College’s parking lot and gymnasium into a massive free health clinic where crowds of community members turned up to be taken care of. In cooperation with Healing California, and the Morongo Basin Health District, the Flying Doctors provided free dental, vision, blood pressure and vitals; plus showers, and a food/blood/and clothing bank to our community members in need. Flying Doctors Southern California Chapter Vice…

“Flying Doctors” free medical clinic returns to the Morongo Basin this weekend

The Los Medicos Voladores, also known as The Flying Doctors, will be returning to the Morongo Basin for a free health clinic on March 4th. At this week’s MUSD board meeting, Jeff Grabow, Vice President of the Southern California chapter of the non-profit Flying Doctors, announced their largest free clinic to date in the Morongo Basin, to take place at Copper Mountain College on March 4th, sponsored by the Morongo Basin Health Care District with strong support by Local Veterans of Foreign Wars.…

Local author Susan Rukeyser facilitates free writing workshop for CMC’s “HOWL” this Friday, Mar. 3

Local author Susan Rukeyser will be leading the HOWL writing workshop this Friday, March 3rd on the CMC campus in room 101 from 2 to 4pm. Rukeyser is the author of the novel Not on Fire, Only Dying, her upcoming novel The Worst Kind of Girl, and is the host of local reading series Desert Split Open Mic. Local Author Susan Rukeyser Rukeyser will discuss how her work has evolved since hosting the Desert Split Open Mic, becoming bolder in both subject matter and delivery. She says, “I know how easy…

MUSD board recognize Yucca Valley HS Coaches and Black Rock Continuation School

Last night’s MUSD meeting began on a somber note, when a moment of silence was requested to honor the recent passing of Twentynine Palms math teacher Nolan D. Lockwood on December 31st, as well as Joshua Tree Elementary Special Ed teacher and local novelist David Maresh, who passed away on February 8th after a long struggle with Parkinson's. Yucca Valley coaches Jess Geeson and Michael Myers were awarded with Certificates of Appreciation, accompanied by their student athletes representing…

Morongo Unified School District to discuss layoffs at tonight’s meeting, Feb. 28

For tonight’s agenda at MUSD’s regular meeting, action items include a CSBA Delegate Assembly Election item, where the Board of Education will vote for no more than six candidates; a request to authorize advertisement for bid #23-07 Black Rock High School and ACCE-West Portable Relocation Project, to entail the relocation of four vacant portable classrooms from the old JT Elementary property to the Black Rock High School campus to accommodate the move of ACCE West along with some required ADA…

“Purple Star Status” given to Four Morongo Basin schools with military-connected students

Last night’s MUSD meeting began by honoring 29 Palms High School’s Mike Montoya, presenting him with a Certificate of Appreciation. Assistant Superintendent Amy Woods gave a slide presentation on the Purple Star program for military-connected students. Woods said, “Military connected students will sometimes have academic issues, emotional issues, because of the moves to other towns, other states, sometimes other countries. The Purple Star program seeks to reduce this burden off the students and…

This week’s MVCSD meeting canceled

This week’s MVCSD meeting has been cancelled by board President Jennifer Henning, primarily due to Fire Chief Brakebill being out on personal leave. Henning said, “After thoughtful and careful consideration and weighing several factors, it was deemed prudent to postpone the February meeting until the next regularly scheduled meeting of March 15. With the General Manager/Fire Chief (Clerk of the Board) being out of the office and no Agenda items of a pressing nature, it seemed appropriate to wait…

MUSD to approve joint contract for students with disabilities to transition to employment

The Morongo Unified School District Board of Trustees will be holding the regular 6pm meeting tonight (February 14th) at Joshua Tree Elementary. For tonight’s MUSD meeting, action items include: a request to approve cooperative contract between MUSD and Department of Rehabilitation, designed to jointly serve and train students with disability for successful transition from high school to employment; a request to adopt Resolution 22-10 Transfers of Appropriations for 2023-24; a request to approve…