Most known for being part of Powell-Peralta’s Bones Brigade, a gang of young influential skaters who changed the skateboard industry in the 1980s, then starting his own skate company, Real, Tommy Guerrero would pursue music in tandem with skating for the following decades.

His latest project Los Days is a collaboration between Guerrero and Sacramento born multi-instrumentalist Josh Lippi.

The duo retreats to the House of The Rising Sun, a solar-powered single room house deep in the heart of Wonder Valley, armed only with a basic recording setup, an intentionally limited collection of instruments and zero previously prepared material. Over the course of five days, they tuned out the noise of 21st century life and keyed into the rhythms of the high desert, writing, arranging, and recording a body of work inspired by and channeling the austere beauty of the surrounding landscape. 

This event will feature a performance by Los Days to commemorate the release of the new album, a record signing and listening from 2 – 6 PM, with after party across the street at Out There Bar.

https://losdays.bandcamp.com/album/west-winds-feat-tommy-guerrero-and-josh-lippi

15 months after the historic original Desert Trail building (dedicated in 1937) at 5770 Adobe Road in Twentynine Palms was nearly destroyed by a suspicious fire, a reopening will be held this Sunday (5/19) from 3:00-6:00 PM. Reporter Gary Daigneault covered the breaking story February 12, 2023, and has an invitation to its rebirth.

San Bernardino County Battalion Chief Bob Evans said at the time that the fire was reported at about 7:00pm and quickly became an inferno which saw response from multiple local fire stations and the Marine Corps Base Fire Department. Owners Mike and Anne Congdon said the iconic structure, called a “Community Heirloom” had been plagued by squatters.

The stubborn fire had moved into a space between the roof and the attic, standard at time as a cooling space. After extensive restoration, the “Rehabilitation Celebration” open house will feature Janet Braley mosaics and the names of the locals scratched into the cement doorway at the original 1937 opening.

Desert Dances is an evening of creative dance performance where dancers and movements artists take inspiration from our expansive landscapes to create an evening that promises to move you to your bones.

The evening starts at 6:30 tomorrow when doors open at the Firehouse JT in Joshua Tree. It will feature choreography by Lucia Joyce Daisog, Jennifer Henry, Barbara Koch, Carlolyn Pennypacker Riggs, Lauren Slivosky, Alex Valdivia. Tickets will be available at the door – it’s a sliding scale from $10 to $25.

If you haven’t been out to the Firehouse JR – it’s located on 65430 Winters Road, and the open space has been used for art and workshops since its previous life as a firehouse. Look for the large rolling doors and the warm inviting light just east of the Copper Mountain Mesa Community Association. The Desert Dances begin at 7, but show up for doors at 6:30 and enjoy a drink available by donation.

You can follow @hidesertdance for more dance events all over the Morongo Basin.

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Get out and be inspired to move your body tomorrow night at Firehouse JT – map below:

Join the Mojave Desert Land Trust and The Wildlands Conservancy for a free guided hike to Whitewater Preserve on Saturday, June 8th. A bus will provide free return transportation from Jacobs Park in Yucca Valley to Whitewater Preserve and snacks will be provided.

Whitewater Preserve is a nature preserve owned and managed by the Wildlands Conservancy within Sand to Snow National Monument. Visitors can learn about the perennial river, striking geology, and special native plants and animals found in the preserve and understand more about the critical role water plays in the desert.

Interpretive hikes will be led by the Mojave Desert Land Trust and Whitewater Preserve staff. After the guided hike, participants will have time to explore on their own. This community activity is open to people of all ages and Spanish translation will be available.

The hike is Saturday June 8th at 8:30 and the bus will depart and return from Jacobs Park in Yucca Valley.

You’ll need to RSVP for the free event and spaces are limited: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/whitewater-community-field-trip-tickets-901975391677

You can also call Mary Cook-Rhyne, MDLT Education Program Manager at 760-360-5440 extension 226 or email: [email protected]

This program is funded by the Outdoor Equity Grants Program, created through AB 209 and administered by California State Parks, Office of Grants and Local Services.

This Friday (5/17), downtown Joshua Tree’s Taylor Junction is hosting a punk and space rock show featuring local psychonauts headlined by an old school San Francisco cult band whose fans included the late Kurt Cobain.

Formed in 1982, the feminist punk rock group Frightwig were a formative influence on the 90s riot grrl movement and paved the way for the likes of Hole and L7; their iconography infiltrated MTV when Kurt Cobain wore their shirt for Nirvana’s iconic Unplugged performance.

The longstanding Bay Area 4-piece will bring their revolutionary spirit to Joshua Tree with Chaki the Funk Wizard, a one-man synth powered party jukebox featuring classics and originals. Helping localize this San Francisco offensive are space-wave leaders Cult of Helios, who bring a psychedelic undercurrent to their own brand of death rock, and Alien Probe, a hi-desert performance art punk act who turn any stage they grace into a full-costume extraterrestrial invasion.

Doors at 6 PM, show from 6:30 – 10 PM at Taylor Junction. Enter through the alley behind Joshua Tree Coffee.

Grubstake Days is coming next weekend, and the Town of Yucca Valley Recreation Department invites runners, walkers and fitness enthusiasts to participate in the 32nd Annual Grubstakes 10k, 5k runs and 2k walk.

The run will be held on Sunday, May 26, 2024, at 8 a.m. at the Yucca Valley High School Stadium. The Grubstakes run is open to athletes of all ages and fitness levels. The 10k (6.2 miles) and 5k (3.1 miles) runs are timed competitive events and the 2k walk (1.24 miles) is a favorite of those who wish to participate in a healthful but non-competitive event.

Register today at www.yucca-valley.org – click on “Program Registration” at the top, or register in person at the Yucca Valley Community Center.

Participants receive a souvenir race t-shirt and will be automatically entered into a drawing for a variety of fun door prizes! Early Bird participants who register on or before May 19th will enjoy a discounted entry fee of $20 per person and a keepsake giveaway! Regular registration will be accepted from May 20th through May 28th at $25 per person.

Preregistered participants will enjoy express check-in on race day!

On-site registration will be accepted from 6:45 – 7:30 a.m. via QR code and electronic payment (no cash, please) with souvenir shirts available while supplies last.

The 29 Palms Art Gallery held board elections on Tuesday May 7^th and reorganized their officer corps.

Charles McHenry was installed as board President with Cathy Snodgrass as Vice President. Juliann Ranieri as Treasurer and Perry Hoberman Secretary. Incumbent Directors include Randy Ranieri, Tim Warren and Mitch Miller.

New Directors were welcomed in including Nancy McHenry, Sherri Scott and Chip Vazquez. Cathy Snodgrass will be joining the Exhibitions team. Chip Vazquez will be the new Gift Shop Manager. Outgoing board member, Kathy Miller, will continue organizing Education classes, including the May 18^th “Paint along with Jessica Schiffman” one day workshop for adults focusing on oil or acrylic desert landscapes and a youth oriented Tie Dye Workshop on May 19th.

For more information and to register for workshops, visit www.29palmsartgallery.com.

A brush fire in Morongo Valley yesterday afternoon (May 15) spread to more than nine acres before it was extinguished.

At approximately 5:30 p.m. reports came into emergency dispatch regarding a fire near the intersection of Twentynine Palms Highway and Hess Blvd. in Morongo Valley. The fire was initially reported as a five-acre brush fire.

At approximately 10 p.m., a social media account associated with the Morongo Valley Fire Department indicated that the fire had spread to 9.5 acres before it was fully extinguished by crews from the Morongo Valley Fire Department and Cal Fire. 

No injuries have yet been reported.

One lane of traffic was briefly closed on Twentynine Palms Highway, and the fire is reported to have spread onto Bureau of Land Management land. The cause of the fire is currently being investigated.

The Bureau of Land Management, or BLM has elevated its seasonal fire restrictions for public lands in San Bernardino County effective next Wednesday, May 22. 

The Stage 1 restrictions cover public lands managed by the BLM in the hi-desert like Johnson Valley, Sunfair dry lake, and campgrounds like Sawtooth Canyon.

Starting on May 22nd – Setting, building, maintaining, attending, or using open fire of any kind is prohibited, except campfires within approved fire pits and grills that are already provided in developed recreation sites. Devices with a controllable flame like a portable stove or lantern are allowed and require a valid California Campfire Permit – which is free to obtain online.

The restrictions also extend to smoking unless you are within a closed vehicle or camper trailer. 

The BLM says that fire restrictions will remain in effect until October 24 or cooler weather – whichever comes first.

The public is reminded that you should always have water on hand when you have a campfire, and make sure to maintain a 5 foot perimeter around it. Put the campfire dead out when you leave an area, and if you are out recreationally shooting, don’t use steel targets or steel or incendiary ammunition as these are more likely to cause a fire.

Violation of fire restrictions is punishable by a fine up to $100,000 or imprisonment of up to 12 months, or both.

Read more on BLM’s website
Fire Restrictions Map (PDF)

Last night, the Morongo Valley Community Services District Board of Directors held their regular 6 PM meeting in Covington Park’s multipurpose room.

Beginning with director reports, General Manager Brittany Chavez announced former MV Fire Captain Ryan McEachen taking over as interim Fire Chief in the wake of James Brakebill’s retirement last week. For action items, updates were made to the Schedule of Fees, including the decision to waive emergency fees for low-income residents upon their application for waiver; conversely, a motion was made to take all outstanding emergency fees from non-residents, including tourists staying at vacation rentals, to a collection agency.             

The Board voted 5/0 to approve Resolution 24-03, which approves assessment fee and orders the levy and collection of annual assessments within the Morongo Valley Fire Suppression Assessment service area for the fiscal year of 2024-25. The Board updated the Memorandum of Understanding negotiation team by removing Brakebill and adding interim fire chief McEachen. Brakebill was also officially removed from the district petty cash account. With the district still in their spending freeze, a bill to repair a sensor from the department’s fire engine was approved for $745. After two board members urged that the fire department pay rate remain competitive with other districts, the 2024-25 Preliminary Budget was narrowly passed at 3/2.