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

Superintendent Vargas discusses literacy and adding book vending machines to MUSD campuses

On last Friday’s Up-Close show, host Gary Daigneault spoke to MUSD Superintendent Dr. Patricio Vargas and Assistant Superintendent of Secondary Education Amy Woods about the district’s various approaches to bolstering literacy among students. Dr. Vargas and Amy Woods announced the expansion of MUSD’s "Reader by 9" initiative, a District-wide campaign aiming to ensure all students achieve reading proficiency by the end of third grade. This ambitious initiative is part of the…

MUSD Superintendent Dr. Patricio Vargas reports positive data at last night’s regular meeting

Last night the Morongo Unified School District Board of Trustees held their first regular meeting of the 2024-25 school year at Joshua Tree Elementary. This was the first MUSD meeting to be recorded for full transparency and to be accessible by the following day for those unable to attend. The meeting began by recognizing Wayne Hamilton, who organized the district’s back to school giveaway July 19th where 500 backpacks were distributed to MUSD students. Assistant Superintendent of…

MUSD’s first regular meeting of the 2024-25 school year tonight at Joshua Tree Elementary

The Morongo Unified School District Board of Trustees will hold their first regular meeting of the 2024-25 school year tonight at 6PM in Joshua Tree Elementary’s multi-purpose room. For the meeting’s agenda, Assistant Superintendent of Secondary Education Amy Woods will introduce a talk on the Department of Defense Education Activity (DODEA) and their Military Connected Student Academic and Support Program, presented by Vonda Viland. The goals of this program include creating a Career Technical…

MUSD Superintendent Dr. Vargas discusses back to school tips for first day of class

On last Friday’s Up-Close Show, host Gary Daigneault spoke to MUSD Superintendent Dr. Patricio Vargas and Assistant Superintendent of Secondary Education Amy Woods for a general back to school check in, for a conversation that included tips to set up our students for success on the first week of school. With school starting a week earlier this year, many families must change their routines in advance. Host Gary Daigneault asked Vargas and Woods what parents can do to get their kids to prepare…

Morongo Valley CSD Finance Director Johnny Tolbert announces running for re-election

After announcing he would not run for re-election this year, long running Morongo Valley CSD Finance Director Johnny Tolbert has made the decision to run again for his seat with the MVCSD. After being on the board of the Morongo Valley CSD for 13 years, Finance Director Tolbert thought his time had run its course last spring, when he announced that he would not run for re-election in November. However, Tolbert told Z107.7 this week that he is now running for re-election, mainly on account of all…

Morongo Valley’s Just a Small Town Grill raises $9000 for local fire department supplies

On Tuesday, Morongo Valley’s Just a Small Town Grill raised $9000 for the Morongo Valley Fire Department during a five-hour “Firehouse Picnic” on the restaurant’s premises. In cooperation with the Morongo Valley Firefighter Auxiliary and generous donation of food from the Sysco Corporation, Small Town Grill was a packed house on what is usually their day off on Tuesday, with hungry patrons taking up every table with a non-stop line of to-go customers, all paying $20 a plate to benefit their…

MUSD’s 2024-25 school year to begin a week earlier this summer

MUSD‘s 2024-25 school year is starting a week early this summer on August 12th, and the reason behind this push forward is of substantial benefit to both students and staff. Back in 2022 MUSD launched a calendar stakeholder committee consisting of teachers, classified staff, school site administration and District office personnel to look at the calendar. They surveyed the community and identified two major problems they wanted to address; they wanted the first semester to end at winter break…

Just a Small Town Grill holds ‘Firehouse Picnic’ to benefit Morongo Valley fire department

Morongo Valley’s "Just a Small Town Grill" will be holding a special “Firehouse Picnic” to benefit the Morongo Valley Fire Department this Tuesday from 3 - 8 PM. In collaboration with the Morongo Firefighter Auxiliary, the Morongo Valley Fire Department, and Sysco Foods, the fine folks at the Small Town Grill encourage all Morongo residents to stop in late afternoon on Tuesday for a special menu that includes hamburgers, hot dogs, baked beans, corn on the cob and desert, brought to…

Desert Split Open reading series hosts award-winning crime-fiction author Ivy Pochoda tonight (8/3)

This Saturday, The Desert Split Open reading series welcomes award-winning crime-fiction author Ivy Pochoda for a discussion and live reading from her new Audible book Jackrabbit Skin. Jackrabbit Skin is set in a fictionalized town deep in the desert past Twentynine Palms. The main character, Swan, is a tattoo artist just arriving to the community, when a mourning desert dweller named Kurt requests a tribute tattoo to his dead wife. Swan agrees, but the locals warn her: don’t indulge…

Back to School Resource Fair this Wednesday at the Marine Corps Combat Center

The Marine Corps Base Combat Center will be holding a Back-to-School Resource Fair this Wednesday, July 31st from 4-6 PM in the West Gym, building 1518. The Combat Center wants your family to be ready for MUSD’s 2024-2025 school year, so please join more than 20 organizations on hand providing information and resources to help you prepare. Highlights include free school supplies and backpacks (while supplies last), MUSD Representatives and Staff from the local 29 Palms schools, The Combat Center…