The cold weather is bringing cold critters into your home, and they can bring disease. Reporter Lenore Roberts said County Vector Control Department is offering ways to prevent yourself... It is important for the health of your family and pets to maintain a vector-free living environment. A vector is any animal that is capable of transmitting infection to humans. Here are some tips to prevent vector infestations in your home: seal all entryways, doors, windows, cracks, holes, and areas around…

The Morongo Basin finally has its first baby of the New Year. Noelani Valencia Leopoldo was born Wednesday, January 4, at 10:32 p.m. Her proud parents are Brenda Estrada and Daniel Leopoldo of Joshua Tree. Noelani weighs 6 pounds, 15 ounces and is 19 inches long.

A magnitude 3.1 earthquake was reported Thursday evening, just 8 miles south of Joshua Tree, 9 miles south-southeast of Yucca Valley, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The temblor occurred at 6:47 p.m. at a relatively shallow depth of 3.7 miles. This is the second recent quake in the last 10 days, there was another earthquake magnitude 3.0 and greater centered nearby. There were no reports of damage or injury.

Coming up in high school sports tomorrow, the Yucca Valley High School Trojan soccer team travels to Desert Hot Springs. The girls' game starts at 3:15; the boys start at 5 p.m. The Twentynine Palms High School Wildcat soccer teams travel away to Desert Mirage. The girls match starts at 3:15; boys at 5.

The Hi-Desert Nature museum will be featuring magnetism at its Science Saturday event this weekend. Reporter Derwood Andrews, himself a magnetic personality, files this report... We all know what a magnet is, right? But try explaining what it is. Do you know we all live on a giant magnet? Do you know what a magnetic field is? Well, spend this magnetizing Saturday morning on January 7 at the Hi-Desert Nature Museum with Crystal Mason and her magnetic personality at 11:00 in the morning, to find…

The California Retired Teacher' Association meets this month on January 13 at the Helen Gray Educational Complex in Joshua Tree beginning at 10 a.m. Cheryl Erickson will be the featured speaker describing Building a Library in Uganda. All retired educators are invited to attend. For more information and to make luncheon reservations, contact Ruth Crites before January 9 at 760-367-7321.

Through January 29, enjoy the paintings of Sharon Costa in the Main Gallery and photography by David McChesney in the West Gallery at the Twentynine Palms Art Gallery. Member work is also on view in the Pickering Room of the gallery. A reception for the show is slated for this Sunday, January 8, from noon until 3 p.m. Costa's show consists of acrylic paintings on canvas and on pine biscuits of "nature and God's creation," from which Sharon says she draws her inspiration. All…

Joshua Basin Water District got a good financial report card from auditors last night. Reporter Mike Lizpistz was there and files this report... At last night's meeting of the Joshua Basin Water District, Directors accepted and filed the fiscal 2010-2011 financial audit report which was described as "clean and healthy" by the District's auditing firm. Also last night, Mickey Luckman was appointed to the Mojave Water Agency Technical Advisory Committee, Bill Long was appointed…

New Year's Eve didn't go quite the way a Los Angeles couple had planned. On Saturday, an unidentified man and woman in their late 20s decided to hike the Boy Scout Trail in Joshua Tree National Park, starting at the trailhead in the central part of the park. The couple took a side trail to Willow Hole, with the intent of eventually making their way to Rattlesnake Canyon. However, the man and woman became lost in the Wonderland of Rocks area. They were able to climb high enough on the…

A Twentynine Palms man was arrested Wednesday for punching a child. According to the Sheriff's Department, Michael Morgan, 47, of the 6900 block of Fortynine Palms Avenue, punched a child so hard he broke his own hand. Michael Morgan was arrested for investigation of felony child abuse against three juveniles, ages 11 to 14, booked into the Morongo Basin Jail. His bail was set at $100,000.