Friday, November 22, 2024
Jef Harmatz

Jef Harmatz

Jef Harmatz is the co-host of Z107.7’s “Morning Show with Cody and Jef” and Z107.7’s News Director. He has worked as a journalist, cartoonist, chef, and delivery driver. He is known nationally for his writing and comics in publications like TimeOut,…

Landers garage and RV fire threatens home on Saturday 11/12

Jef Harmatzby Jef Harmatz
November 14, 2022

A structure fire extinguished by San Bernardino County Fire on Saturday (November 12) proved not-fatal, though witnesses reported that a woman was inside the house. At around 1:30 p.m., fire and medic engines arrived at a property in Landers to find a detached garage and RV engulfed in flames, and threatening to spread to a single family home on the property.Firefighters deployed several hose lines, and were able to squelch the flames before they moved over to the house. Bystanders at the scene…

‘Death Cafe’ coming to Joshua Tree this Sunday 11/13

Jef Harmatzby Jef Harmatz
November 12, 2022
‘Death Cafe’ coming to Joshua Tree this Sunday 11/13

A Death Cafe is when people of all walks of life gather together to discuss death.Those who come to the Death Cafe will discuss in an unscripted manner death, dying, and the experiences that surround these usually taboo topics. Different from group therapy, this event is for people to share, ask questions, and inform each other about topics surround mortality and its end. The event is led by Anastasia Baratta, a "death midwife." Materials and resources to deal with grief will also be…

Suspected Twentynine Palms Shooter Arrested After Showing Up For Previous Court Date

Jef Harmatzby Jef Harmatz
November 11, 2022
Knife-Wielding Woman Suspected of Armed Robbery, Attempting to Hijack Two Trucks in Downtown Joshua Tree

The suspect in a Twentynine Palms attempted murder that resulted in Palm Vista Elementary School’s “Shelter in Place” order was arrested after reporting to a court hearing for a previous crime. According to a Sheriff’s report, Pejman Elahi, a 39 year-old resident of Wonder Valley, shot an unidentified victim several times on Wednesday morning (November 10) in the area of Sunset Drive and North Star Ave in Twentynine Palms. The shooting, which was reported at around 10 a.m., was initially…

Tow-truck driver killed in tractor-trailer towing accident in Twentynine Palms

Jef Harmatzby Jef Harmatz
November 11, 2022

A tow truck driver was killed in Twentynine Palms on Tuesday, November 8, at around 5 p.m. According to a Sheriff's report, Michael Micheletti, 42, was attempting to tow a semi-tractor near the corner of Oasis Ave and Two Mile Rd. As Micheletti secured the tractor trailer to the tow truck, the tractor slid off the tow truck's lift, rolling backwards and trapping him under the tractor. Micheletti was then dragged approximately 50 feet before being dislodged from under the tractor. The…

Palm Vista Elementary “sheltered in place” due to unrelated nearby shooting Wed (11/9)

Jef Harmatzby Jef Harmatz
November 10, 2022

Palm Vista Elementary School was placed into a “Shelter in Place” order yesterday (November 9), owing to an unrelated shooting a few blocks from the school. At around 10 a.m., the Morongo Basin EMS responded to a call that a man had been shot in the 74500 block of Sunset Drive in Twentynine Palms, less than two blocks from the elementary school. The San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department directed the school administrators to issue the “Shelter in Place” order, which is a lower tiered alert…

Preliminary Election Results for November 8, 2022

Jef Harmatzby Jef Harmatz
November 9, 2022
Twentynine Palms City Council District 4 Candidate: Karmolette O’Gilvie interview

These are the preliminary results for the Federal, State, County, and City elections that impact residents of the Morongo Basin. These are not the final results, owing to the continued counting of provisional, absentee, and mail-in ballots. Z107.7 will continue to update this story as ballots continue to be counted. Projected winners are in italics. Morongo Basin Local Elections Yucca Valley Yucca Valley Town Council ALL RUNNING UNOPPOSED District 1- Jim Schooler (incumbent) District 3- Merl R.…

Woman Arrested on Suspicion of Robbery and Car Theft While Armed with Knife and Baseball Bat

Jef Harmatzby Jef Harmatz
November 7, 2022

A woman alleged to be a knife- and baseball bat-wielding burglar and car thief was arrested on Wednesday morning. Sheriff’s Deputies have linked a series of reports regarding robberies and attempted armed robberies in Joshua Tree and Yucca Valley to one woman, Jessica Allen, a 35 year-resident of Yucca Valley. On Monday (October 31), Allen is alleged to have tried to steal a truck from employees at the Castanedas restaurant in Joshua Tree while armed with a knife, before walking into a nearby…

Man Locks Himself in Bathroom After Bungling Burglary at Grocery Store

Jef Harmatzby Jef Harmatz
November 4, 2022
Knife-Wielding Woman Suspected of Armed Robbery, Attempting to Hijack Two Trucks in Downtown Joshua Tree

A burglary was bungled at a Yucca Valley grocery store, and so the alleged thief locked himself in the store’s bathroom for 40 minutes until Sheriff’s Deputies arrived. The Sheriff reports that yesterday (November 2) just before 9:30 a.m., Travis Sharp, a 33 year-old Yucca Valley resident, entered the Yucca Valley Aldi, located near the corner of Twentynine Palms Highway and Warren Vista, through the back “employees only” entrance. Sharp was seen attempting to pry open an office door, entering…

Yucca Valley Trailer Fire put out early Friday morning (11/4)

Jef Harmatzby Jef Harmatz
November 4, 2022
Yucca Valley Trailer Fire put out early Friday morning (11/4)

A trailer fire was extinguished in the 7000 block of Elk Trail in Yucca Valley early this morning (November 4) with no injuries or major damage to nearby structures. Units from the San Bernardino County Fire Department arrived at approximately 2 a.m., where they found a travel trailer burning, with flames extending into the structure of the house. The Fire Department said that all occupants were out of the trailer and house. Two county fire engines were dispatched, along with a unit from Cal…

Morongo Basin Healthcare District BOD meeting tonight (11/3)

Jef Harmatzby Jef Harmatz
November 3, 2022

The Morongo Basin Health Care District Board of Directors meets in regular session tonight. On their agenda for consideration are changes to employee contract and hiring provisions, the hiring of a demographer for redistricting evaluations, and the election of a secretary to the Board of Directors. The meeting begins tonight at 6 p.m. at their district offices located on La Contenta Road, Suite 400 in Yucca Valley. The meeting can be attended online at a link in this story at Z1077fm.com…

Copyright © 2024 Z107.7 FM Joshua Tree - Local News for the Hi Desert.
Copyright © 2024 Z107.7 FM Joshua Tree - Local News for the Hi Desert.