The deal for the Hi-Desert Water District to buy the Blue Skies Country Club properties in Yucca Valley to control the water rights is off. The District had announced they were in negotiations to buy the troubled property that was formerly a golf course, restaurant, and pro-shop in March of 2011. Since then, the controversial purchase has been marred by questions about restrictions on water use, clear title to all of the five parcels involved, and, most lately, loss of potential use of some…

Marcella J. Hull, a 53-year resident of Twentynine Palms, died December 27. She was 90 years old. She is survived by her daughter, Irene Hull-Beard of Twentynine Palms; son Daniel Hull of Apple Valley, a brother, Bill Devine of Ellicott City, Maryland; six grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren. Marcella Hull was a registered nurse for 40 years with Doctor Guzeman at Hi-Desert Medical Center. A service will be held at Blessed Sacrament Church in Twentynine Palms, on Saturday, January 7, at…

The Yucca Valley High School Trojan boys soccer team traveled to Lake Elsinore Monday for their last preseason game versus Temescal Canyon High School. The Trojans had eight shots on goal with numerous steals and take always. The game ended with a 0-0 tie. Head Coach Tee Vallo said it was a good game against an upper division team the boys played hard and continue to progress with every game. The Trojan Soccer squad faces a very good Desert Hot Springs team Friday in Desert Hot Springs for their…

The Twentynine Palms Varsity Boys' basketball team entered two holiday tourneys over the winter break. The first tournament was the Palms Springs Winter Classic. The Wildcats went 2 and 2, with losses to Cochrane High School out of Canada, and Whitney High School in Cerritos. The victories were over Indio by 10 points and La Quinta by 2 points. The second tournament, the Max Preps Desert Heat, was filled with a little success. The Wildcats started the tourney with three losses to Dana…

The Hi-Desert Water District Board meets in regular session tonight. Reporter Derwood Andrews checks the agenda... On the Hi-Desert Water District agenda tonight is a staff report on the Mojave Water Agency Conjunctive Use Agreement. A couple of staff recommendations, one to execute an agreement with Carollo Engineers related to design of the wastewater system and to file reports from the Gualco Group and the California Special Districts Association. A closed session follows concerning an…

Fifteen desert artists are showing work in the new "Desert Storms" show at the downtown Twentynine Palms Visitor Center and Chamber of Commerce office. The public is invited to an opening reception for the first exhibition of 2012 this Friday from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Featured in the show are more than two dozen paintings representing various moods of desert storms in oil, acrylic, watercolor, encaustic and mixed media. Photography of desert storms, from a blinding sandstorm to dramatic…

Ending years of fierce competition, the region's two blood providers have joined forces to form a single nonprofit supplier. Community Blood Bank and LifeStream will provide blood to the area under the combined name Desert Blood Services, according to an announcement made yesterday. The two groups will own Desert Blood Services equally, leaders at LifeStream and Community Blood Bank said. However, LifeStream will handle Desert Blood Service's day-to-day operations and maintain its name…

The first show of the Theatre 29 2012 season, "Jake's Women" is set to open for a 5-week run January 13. Reporter Mike Lipsitz says auditions for the second show of the season are coming up... Theatre 29 and Director Rebecca Havely announce open auditions for the Neil Simon Comedy/Drama "Lost in Yonkers" for Monday, January 16, at 6 p.m. at Theater 29. Set in 1942 in Yonkers, "Lost in Yonkers" is the coming-of-age story for two Jewish brothers. The show has 4…

Don't give deputies a false name and think you'll get away with it. About 7 Sunday evening, a Sheriff's deputy stopped a man at Balsa Avenue and Yucca Trail for riding his bicycle without a headlamp. The bike rider gave a false name to the deputy, but the deputy brought him to the Sheriff's station where it was determined that his real name was Juan Picazo, 31. Juan Picazo, who was wanted on a felony warrant, was arrested for giving a false name and booked into the Morongo…

A traffic stop for not having a license plate resulted in the arrest of a Yucca Valley woman. Shortly before 3 p.m. on Monday, a Sheriff's deputy stopped Leana Bradford, 34, near the intersection of Church Street and Highway 62. After an investigation, Leana Bradford was arrested on suspicion of possession of vicodin and for outstanding warrants. She was booked into the Morongo Basin Jail with her total bail set at $30,000.