In our fifth and final story reviewing the top stories of 2019, we start with an armed stand-off that topped the news November 19 in Morongo Valley. Deputies were called to Jacob Cato’s home near the Rod and Gun Club about 8:15 a.m. when a neighbor complained that Cato was shooting toward his house. Cato barricaded himself inside, and about 1:30 he walked outside and pointed a gun at deputies. Deputies shot and killed Jacob Cato.
November 30, a Yucca Valley man was killed in another armed stand-off with deputies. David Rodrigue was threatening to kill family members and himself in the 58100 block of Pimlico Street. Deputies were able to get the family members out, but in the early morning hours, Rodrigue killed himself inside the home.
And finally, the entire Morongo Basin was blanketed with snow December 26. Accumulations ranged from just a dusting to up to two feet of snow in the upper elevations of Joshua Tree National Park. The national park closed Thursday afternoon and Old Woman Springs Road was closed for hours due to high snowfall amounts.
