The Landers Homestead Valley Association will meet at Belfield Hall today (5/12) from 5:00 to 6:00 pm.
There will be brief reports from representatives of Bighorn Desert View Water District, Morongo Basin Sheriff’s Department, San Bernardino County Fire, the San Bernardino Board of Supervisors and others.
Valerie Eagle Heart Meyer – teacher, intuitive, ceremonial dancer and leader – will share her knowledge on using Sage for cleansing and clearing.
Find out what this Community Association is working on and how you can get involved.
Right after the meeting, head on over to the Red Dog Saloon in Pioneertown for Desert Bingo’s benefit for the next Giant Rock cleanup on May 30th and 31st.
Located at Belfield Hall, 58380 Reche Road, just East of Landers Post Office, the meeting begins at 5:00 pm and the Public is most welcome to attend.
The Town of Yucca Valley is seeking applicants to fill two open seats on the Revenue Measure Oversight Commission. Appointed by the Town Council, the Commission is composed of seven members serving four-year terms. The body meets a few times annually, where members review and make recommendations for the use of public funds generated by Measures Y and Z. Created by Ordinance 265 in 2017, the Commission helps provide accountability and transparency between the Town and the community on expenditure allocation.
Applicants for the Revenue Measure Oversight Commission must reside within the Town’s jurisdiction, be willing to serve without compensation, and submit a completed application with a cover letter detailing their interest in the position. The two new Commissioners will have terms that run through April 1, 2029.The application deadline is Thursday, June 5; applications are available in person at Town Hall, online at the Town’s website.
For more information, contact the Town of Yucca Valley at (760) 367-6579.
In March, USA TODAY’s readers voted Joshua Tree Music Festival the top music festival in the country. It is irresistible for many who have danced in the desert at night, shared food with strangers, or wandered into a late-night sound bath beneath the stars.
Founded in 2003 by Barnett English, the festival has always prioritized connection over commercialism. English, a fan of music festivals, discovered the high desert and recognized it as the perfect location. He started with 500 friends and no clear plan. Today, the festival hosts thousands of artists, families, climbers, travelers, and locals, making everyone feel welcome.
JTMF occurs twice yearly at Joshua Tree Dry Lake Campground in May and October. It features a diverse worldwide musical lineup, over 100 workshops, including yoga and dance classes, a bustling world market, and Kidsville, an interactive zone for children. In recent years, the festival has expanded its programming to include more visible spaces of belonging, such as the Queer Salon, a community-led initiative offering LGBTQ+ workshops, conversations, and social events during the weekend.
“It’s not about checking boxes,” English said. “It’s about showing up, being real, and creating space for everyone to feel seen.” We don’t cater to any one group. We welcome everyone.”
As costs continue to rise, making ends meet remains challenging. Sometimes, English said, he wondered why he was holding the festival. “But then,” English added thoughtfully, “I remember… especially when the festival is only five or six days away, I’m so excited. I’ve been having, you know, 20, 30, 40 daily conversations with people on their way here, and how excited they are and how much it means to people.”
There is still room for the festival to grow, primarily through word of mouth. Tell your friends and bring your family; there is something for everyone.
Despite national recognition, JTMF remains local, accessible, and people-powered. “We learn as we go, but the heart of it has always been the same: good music, good people, and space to connect,” English said in closing.
The Morongo Basin is a place where artists come when they want the space to work in an inspiring landscape, and as incredible as our artists are not every great artist can be a great business person.
One local artist is hoping to change that. Matt Elson, the creator of Morongo Valley’s prominent, permanent art installation, called the Infinity Boxes at Roots and Stars Botanica, has organized a new group where artists can talk about marketing. Put together in association with Yucca Valley’s Hi-Desert Artists Gallery, Elson hopes that by sharing experience and insight, local artists can better market their own artwork.
Elson explains, “Artists always ask this question, how do I get my work out there in the world? And the series I’ve been working on for the last 13 years, the Infinity Boxes, I’ve now done 207 shows. I’ve had them in front of over 7 million people worldwide. They’re in six countries with installations. So, you know, I’m getting some traction. However, my marketing’s pretty horrible. just have a website and I do shows and the more I do shows, the more people see them and it’s been a virtuous cycle. So, you know, I wanna help people get their work out in the world.
“I wanna learn more. So it’s really a dialogue. It’s opening a dialogue to the community to let’s see what everybody’s tried and let’s see what’s working and take the temperature because we’re constantly, as artists, we’re constantly bombarded by everybody with their clipboard, you know, and their new internet thing saying, I’m gonna make you a bazillion dollars.
“We’ve got the art tours coming up in October. So my goal is to help the community raise the tide for all of us so that it’s a really good art tours this year not that they’ve been bad, just, you know, wanna make it the best one yet and help people help themselves and help the community.”
I asked Elson how people can get involved in the workshop.
“We’re doing them every, the first Monday of each month from six to 8 p.m. at the High Desert Artists on Twentynine Palms Highway in Yucca Valley. It’s open, it’s free.
“Just come and with an open mind and your spirit of giving, like what have you tried? And it’s okay to fail. We all fail. That’s a constant. We fail until we succeed, right? So if things have worked, please share them. If things have failed, please share them because we’re all learning from each other.”
Join Matt Elson at the art marketing get-togethers today at 6:00 p.m., and on the second Monday of every month at Hi Desert Artists, located at 55635 Twentynine Palms Highway in Yucca Valley.
The stunning stage and ceiling of Mojave Gold's live room
The Yucca Valley music venue formerly known as Awe Bar that shuttered in 2023 has been brought back to life as Mojave Gold by local couple Cooper Gillespie and Greg Gordon, both former employees of Pappy and Harriets. Mojave Gold will be officially opening May 31 with an ambitious spirit while remaining mindful of our local demographic.
Featured on the front window of the updated building, Mojave Gold’s logo is a gold 45 rpm record adapter customized with the branches of the new business’s three pillars: music, food, and wine.
Now that the infamous wavy wooden ceiling of their venue will shelter live music once again, Gillespie and Gordon will bring the fine dining experience up to the same standard as the music they’ll offer, with the help of their partners Dale and Brookelyn Fox of Foxden Hospitality and previous owners of Palm Springs’ Dive Hotel.
With the May 31 opening right around the corner, Gillespie and Gordon spoke in excited breaths, astonished at how fast the whole six-month process has taken. Gordon explained it initially seemed like too much to take on but has since taken on a “no gets you nowhere” outlook.
“I told myself ‘Just say yes.’ I was like, “Hey dude, I’m on board. I’ll put my best foot forward to make this happen––”
“––He was like, “I’m gonna just keep saying yes until it stops!” added Gillespie.
When Gillespie and Gordon met with their partners to discuss a business plan, they thought: “What can we add to the hi-desert without overlapping the bases other businesses have covered?”
“I thought, ‘What we need is good dining.’ Every time I want to take Cooper out to a nice dinner, we drive down to Palm Springs. It just needs to be elevated: a great menu, great service, great atmosphere… let’s bring that here!”
Mojave Gold’s menu will focus on sustainable, fresh, locally sourced, reimagined California cuisine, a wide range of vegan, vegetarian friendly, and carnivorous options made by executive chef Beren Ekine-Huette of Palm Springs’ Workshop and holistic chef de cuisine Williams Grimoldi, who Gillespie raves about keeping a “kitchen grimoire” with an alchemical approach to nutrition absorption that could potentially balance out a patron’s wine buzz.
And with the music, talent buyer veteran Liz Garo (The Alibi, The Echo) will bring her homegrown instincts of investing in local groups opening for national touring acts, as well as her historically packed Monday night residencies where a local band can start a buzz by playing four times a month.
Gillespie and Gordon both worked at Pappy and Harriet’s back when it was more of a locals-centered venue, and they hope to bring that spirit to Mojave Gold; harkening back to the infamous open mic nights that was a melting pot of local musician enthusiasm and collaboration.
“It was just all the musicians coming in together, hanging out, and being like, ‘Hey will you play on my song?’ That community was just awesome, and I would love to do something like that here, even just a residency where we’re all hanging out and it’s like, ‘Hey I’m playing here next week,’ or ‘I saw you last week!’ or something more interactive. There’s so many of us here, so let’s hang out.”
Save the date on Saturday, May 31 for Mojave Gold’s opening night with dinner service and dance party with DJ Kate McCabe.
The Joshua tree isn’t a tree—it’s a member of the agave family, more closely related to grasses than oaks or pines. Despite being an iconic symbol of the Mojave Desert, there’s still so much we don’t know about it. Scientists are continuing to study how it reproduces, what threatens its survival, and even how its shoots grow. Artist, activist, and longtime Joshua Tree resident Sant Khalsa has spent a lifetime listening to the land and advocating for nature. In 2020, she launched “Desert Forest: Life with Joshua Trees”—a multidisciplinary art and science project that became a book, an exhibition, and a call to action.
Sant Khalsa is a professor of art emeritus from Cal State San Bernardino, a curator, and the founding director of the Joshua Tree Center for Photographic Arts. When Khalsa retired from Cal State San Bernardino, she realized that there was a need for a more sophisticated dialogue about the photographic arts in the Morongo Basin. She began by offering lectures, workshops, group critiques, and continuing work about nature. That creative work became a voice for Joshua Trees.
“For me, activism means you act. You take action. And I think too many times, individuals feel that they can’t make a difference. But I don’t believe that.”
Growing up in New York, Khalsa spent time in Central Park among the trees, cultivating love and communication. Living in the Morongo Basin, the Joshua Tree caught her attention, particularly with the increased awareness of Climate Change.
“I think that the first time coming to Joshua Tree National Monument at the time, which was in 1973, I was quite taken by the Joshua trees because they were so different from the trees that I grew up with in the Northeast, New York.”
Khalsa began looking at Climate change in the late 80s and using Joshua trees in that work. At that time, she was unaware that Joshua trees would be impacted and threatened as they are now by climate change. But she did begin to think the “Joshua Trees could be a canary in the coal mine.
The book “Desert Forest: Life with Joshua Trees” developed from a larger project and exhibition supported by the Getty as part of the Pacific Standard Time PST “Art and Science Collide project.”
The first exhibition was at the Museum of Art and History in Lancaster. The book expanded beyond that exhibition, bringing over 50 artists and 17 essays. It examines the science behind and threats to Joshua Trees, including climate change, development, forest fires, desert fires, and industrial energy.
The 2020 proposal by Brendan Cummings to petition for protection from the Department of Fish and Wildlife for the Joshua Trees and CEMA Dome fire increased Khalsa’s awareness and determination to speak up.
“Those two events got me thinking that maybe there should be a project that brings together art and science to discuss these threats to Joshua trees.”
The result was a 304-page book, with essays from scientists, Indigenous scholars, and conservationists—alongside powerful, often haunting artwork from over 50 artists.
Khalsa said, “The book looks at all the threats to Joshua trees, and emphasizes that not all energy is green—especially when it clears untouched habitats for solar and wind farms. She believes that solar energy can be on disturbed land. It can be on rooftops. There’s lots of space without touching environments that are so important to the balance of our ecosystems. But her vision goes beyond science and policy. She says art can help us feel what facts alone can’t. The artists selected for this project were sensitive to the fact that these trees could become extinct in this century.
The result of this project and hard work has been groundbreaking scientific research supporting new ways to think about the tree’s survival.
“People thought they were maybe 10 to 30 feet from the base of the Joshua tree. And we found roots that went 45 feet or further. We also found the yucca moths under the Joshua trees… two to three inches from the top of the earth.”
Khalsa believes that viewing the tree, its pollinators, and humanity as interconnected parts of a whole is the first step toward protecting them.
“We are nature.” She said, “Not separate from nature. When we realize that the water in the rivers flows through our bodies, we will have a very different relationship with the natural world.”
“Desert Forest: Life with Joshua Trees” the book is nearly sold out—but more copies are coming. And so is the next generation of desert stewards—artists, scientists, and everyday people—ready to listen to the trees.
The second Saturday Joshua Tree Art Crawl will be happening tonight (May 10) featuring opening receptions for participating galleries in downtown Joshua Tree.
Coyote Little, located in the Art Queen complex, will feature visual art by Kat Johnson and Dianne Bennett and music by Palo Xanto and Sweetbeast from 5:00 – 9:00 p.m. with treats by Galaxy Pies.
Los Angeles native and hi-desert figure Kat Johnson creates assemblages from found objects described as “poetry in a box,” skillfully combining natural items with antique finds and unique oddities to express her captivating vision, exploring themes of parlor magic and romance for this exhibition.
Dianne Bennett got her start in the 80s and 90s as a nationally published advertising and editorial illustrator. Today she creates art using found objects, with depictions and reflections showcased on salvaged treasures and discarded materials. Her expressions often focus on birds and other flora and fauna navigating the cosmic corners and unusual angles of nature.
While owner/curator Colleena Hake is on hiatus, La Matadora gallery will host a pop-up shop by Catherine Abston’s Kintsugi Crow, who will transform the gallery with her jewelry, leatherwork, and vintage items through the month of May. Open from noon to 5:00 p.m.
The San Bernardino County Public Defender’s Office is bringing its Mobile Defense Program to the Joshua Tree Community Resource Fair this Wednesday, May 14, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The program is the first of its kind and began right here in the morongo basin at an event held in Landers last year – where they helped clear dozens of bench warrants, records, and fines. Since then the mobile defense program has expanded to other remote areas in San Bernardino County, offering virtual court services and free legal assistance to anyone who needs it.
The program is in partnership with the San Bernardino Superior Court and can help residents resolve outstanding legal matters that may have been preventing them from employment, housing and financial stability.
There will be reps from the San Bernardino Superior Court on-site to answer questions related to family law, child support, guardianship, landlord/tenant disputes and small claims court procedures.
The Joshua Tree Community Resource Fair is hosted by San Bernardino County Special Districts in partnership with the Morongo Unified School District. Held every second Wednesday of the month, the event brings local and county resources to the Morongo Basin.
Unfortunately, we’ve seen mosquitoes come into the Morongo Basin and bit our tender, sunburned skin. San Bernardino County’s Mosquito and Vector Control program has released some simple steps you can take to reduce mosquito activity and prevent getting infected by mosquito born diseases like West Nile virus, Zika virus, malaria and dengue.
Our current weather conditions, specifically warm weather following rain, is an ideal breeding ground for mosquitos, and even a bottle-cap worth of water can lead to hundreds of mosquitos in less than a week.
If you’ve got anything in your yard that’s holding water, including plant saucers, buckets, old tires, empty pools, ash trays and even bottle caps, turn them over, drain them, or scrub them to prevent mosquitos from laying eggs and to kill any eggs that may be there.
Cover up with long sleeves and pants when outdoors, especially during dusk and dawn. Use insect repellent containing DEET, Picaridin, IR3535, or oil of lemon eucalyptus. Check screens on windows and doors to keep mosquitoes out of your home.
And if you’d like your own property inspected, or want to report a neighbor’s green pool, you can call San Bernardino County’s Mosquito and Vector Control program 800-442-2283.
Mosquitoes are no fun, so if you want to keep yourself and your neighbors itch-free, dump that rain water.
Save the dates, there is going to be a Giant Rock Cleanup on Friday May 30th.
It’s the 20th anniversary of the boulder’s break and blight sights will be hosting a graffiti and garbage removal event at the famous freestanding rock. Volunteers will apply the graffiti-removing goo called elephant snot on Friday at 4PM and will begin the cleanup the next morning at 9. They will be pressure-washing paint and sweeping for metal using magnets, gathering garbage, and sifting the sand for broken glass.
If you want to show your support a little early – this Monday May 12th Red Dog Saloon is hosting DESERT BINGO where they will be fundraising for blight sights and the cleanup. That starts at 6:30 p.m.
(From left) “Teacher of the Month” recipient Carrie Cole accepts her kudos from Committee Chair John Cole presents as Twentynine Palms Junior High School Principal Derek Swem looks on. (Rotary Club Photo)
The Rotary Club of Twentynine Palms recently honored the “Teacher of the Month” in support of excellence in local education. Twentynine Palms Junior High School Principal Derek Swem said he selected Carrie Cole as the “Teacher of the Month” because of her outstanding work and dedication. Swem said Cole makes a big difference for success for students with an active in-depth English program and in the classroom with a positive attitude and well-prepared instruction.
Cole thanked the Rotary Club and said the community support was appreciated and inspirational.
Rotarian John Cole, the chairman of the Teacher of the Month committee, presented Cole with a certificate and a gift card from the club. Supporting the youth of the community is one of the priorities of the Rotary Club.Founded in 1948, the Twentynine Palms Rotary Club is the oldest service club in the Morongo Basin. Dedicated to community service, they meet Wednesdays at noon at the Little Church of the Desert Meeting Hall. More information is available at www.rotary29.org
A traffic stop in Joshua Tree resulted in the rescue of a child believed to be kidnapped and an arrest for attempted murder.
On Thursday (May 8) at around 11:30 p.m., a deputy from the Morongo Basin Station observed a silver Hyundai traveling eastbound on Twentynine Palms Highway near Barberry Avenue in Yucca Valley with their lights off. The deputy said they initiated a traffic stop and identified the driver as Robert Richardson, a 24 year-old resident of Moreno Valley. The deputy said that Richardson reached for a weapon inside of the car then attempted to take the deputies firearm. A struggle began and Richardson returned to the car and fled with the deputy following in pursuit.
Deputies say that Richardson drove eastbound and often drove into oncoming traffic, driving into the direct path of six vehicles before the pursuit ended on Twentynine Palms Highway and California Avenue in Joshua Tree.
Richardson then exited the vehicle with a juvenile and held the victim between himself and law enforcement, making homicidal threats to the child.
A struggle ensued as Sheriff’s Deputies spearated Richardson from the juvenile and they eventually detained the suspect.
Robert Richardson was arrested for investigation into attemtped murder, kidnapping, child endangerment, and felony reckless evading. He is being held at the West Valley Detention Center on $50,000.
The Morongo Basin Station is seeking witnesses to the arrest and the pursuit. If you saw any part of the incident, they ask that you contact 760)-366-4175. Callers wishing to remain anonymous are urged to call the We-Tip Hotline at 1-800-78-CRIME (27463), or you may leave information on the We-Tip Hotline at www.wetip.com
A traffic stop in Yucca Valley led to an arrest for investigation into possession of meth and someone else’s handgun.
On Sunday (May 4) at around 8:15 p.m., San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Deputies conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle with code violations in the 55500 block of Twentynine Palms Highway. They identified the driver of the vehicle as Matthew Brock, 28, and say that he was in possession of suspected methamphetamine and a handgun that was registered to a different owner. Brock was taken into custody.
Matthew Brock was arrested for suspicion of possessing a controlled substance while armed and carrying a loaded handgun of which he was not the owner.
Southern California is a motorcycle-enthusiast’s dream, with more rideable sunny days down here than almost anywhere else in the county. While other areas have to store their motorcycles for a winter’s nap, some of the best riding happens around here from January to May, when temps stay low and you can ride all day without breaking too much of a sweat.
However, motorcycle traffic does increase in spring which means more chance for accidents, especially during busy weekends when car and pedestrian traffic can create plenty of distractions.
According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data, there were 6,218 motorcyclists killed in traffic crashes in 2022, representing 15 percent of total highway fatalities for that year. In California, 634 motorcyclists were killed in 2022, an increase of 3.8 percent from 2021.
When driving your car keep your eyes on your mirrors, especially when changing lanes. Motorcyclists can legally lane split in California, which is when a motorcycle uses the center line to move to the front of traffic. It’s also referred a practice known as “lane-filtering.”
If used responsibly, lanesplitting and filtering can help cars flow better and keep motorcyclists out of bumper-to-bumper traffic where distractions can lead to accidents. It’s also a holdover from when motorcycles were all air-cooled and you had to keep them moving to avoid overheating.
Always give a motorcycle plenty of room when following them. Motorcycles can be more difficult to spot in oncoming traffic so pay extra attention when making a turn that crosses opposing lanes. Small accidents between two cars usually results in an insurance claim, whereas a collision with a motorcyclist can have much more serious implications.
If you are out riding remember to always keep your headlight on and gear up for the slide, not just the ride. The open desert can make it extra tempting to twist your wrist and get light on the front wheel, but save that type of risky riding for the track or closed areas that doesn’t have traffic. Once you are out riding in those hunderds of square miles of available OHV land, keep your head on a swivel and watch for other riders out there having just as much fun as you are.
There is safety in numbers! Meet other riders so you can get get into groups when heading out to enjoy the endless miles. There is a bike night meetup for riders of all motorcycles this Saturday at All Roads Desert Market in Yucca Valley starting at 6:00 p.m.
Caltrans has announced that they will conduct a pavement project on SR-247 starting May 18, with work continuing through Fall of 2025.
Crews will be working Sundays through Thursdays from 9:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. on SR-247, known locally as Old Woman Springs Road.
The construction will be happening between Twentynine Palms Highway in Yucca Valley and Gin Road in Johnson Valley, and operations will require lane closures with wait times expected to be approximately 20 minutes.
Stay tuned to Z107.7 for more specific updates about closures as they approach.
As part of their annual scholarship program, the Morongo Basin Conservation Association has awarded college scholarships to three local graduating high school seniors.
The MBCA seeks to award $1000 to three students who have committed to including conservation and environmental interests in their education and career plans.
MBCA’s Conservation Scholarship has been awarded to Jocelyn Gonzalez of Yucca Valley High School, who is planning to study biological sciences at Cal State Fullerton.
The Women’s STEAM Scholarship (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) is provided anonymously by two generations of women who held careers in STEAM fields. Molly Brown of Yucca Valley High School is this year’s recipient, and the scholarship will help fund her study at University of Utah in Chemical Engineering.
The Rieman Scholarship, given in memory of renowned local artist, conservationist, and longtime MBCA member Steve Rieman to a student interested in environmentally-conscious creativity was awarded to Meghann Arballo of Yucca Valley High School, who will study dance and psychology at San Diego State University.
The Desert Goddess Center is a new women’s space in Morongo Valley, operated by local women’s studies scholar and activist Jayne DeMente who has started this resource center, workshop room, and educational retail space to raise awareness of women’s overlooked historical narrative and current issues.
Years ago, DeMente ran the women-centric arts center Magdaline in Los Angeles, eventually retiring and relocating to Morongo Valley. But due to recent American socio-political developments, she decided it was time to reach out to local activists to see how she could help.
“So when this happened, I reached out to women in my community who are activists and they said, ‘You can’t do everything, but do what you can,’ and this is what I can do. (The Center) is a combination of women’s studies and women’s spirituality and we’ve created something called ‘her story’ so it’s a different narrative than the one we were brought up with,” said DeMente.
Launched with application for a start-up loan, DeMente says the next step will be filing for 501(c)(3) non-profit status with a longer-term goal of opening an institute somewhere in the Morongo Basin. In the meantime, the Center is offering tiered memberships that will include discounts on merchandise and classes.
DeMente says the classes taught at the center will include lunar astrology, reike, and a Thursday night women’s studies masterclass series starting next week and running through July, starting with a film on Lithuanian anthropologist Marija Gimbutas whose teachings DeMente says “women’s studies based women’s spirituality upon.”
In addition to the workshops that DeMente says will focus largely on “trajectory towards maturity and sovereignty” for woman young and old, the space sells affordable art and gifts representing educational and activist plights, like the colorful purses she pointed out.
“They’re hand woven by women in Colombia who live in villages where they don’t have access to water, so they have to walk 10 miles or more––these bags are actually water bags, as pretty as they are, that’s what they do. It’s a tight weave so they hold water, and they bring it back to the village as a daily routine. So this company uses the profits to buy water towers, and so far they’ve given out eight water towers.”
While woman-focused, DeMente says the center is open to men as long as they’re interested in learning more about women’s studies.
“We try to keep the model inclusive. We love our men, so we share it, you know? But we do a lot of other things––it’s a gathering place for women to network, feel safe talking about things they can’t in their normal life.”
For Mother’s Day weekend on Saturday May 10, the Center will offer a free kids art class from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. followed by Mother’s Day high tea beginning at 11:30.
A free short-film screening from local artists screens Friday night (May 9) at the Art Queen complex in Joshua Tree.
The film, “Chicano Moses and La Bruja de Landers,” was written by and stars local artist Joe Alvarez and was directed by Jose Garcia Davis. The film was shot in Landers and Yucca Valley, and there will be a live soundtrack performed by Los Poncho Tones.
The free, family-friendly screening kicks off Friday at 7:30 p.m. Bring a lawn chair to the Art Queen Complex in downtown Joshua Tree, just behind La Matadora and the Beauty Bubble.
New details have been released in the deputy-involved shooting that occurred in Yucca Valley on Monday (May 5).
According to a press release issued by the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, on Monday night at around 11 p.m. they received a call from the Graham Michael Lee Belle, a 30 year-old resident of Yucca Valley.
The Sheriff’s Department says that Belle claimed he shot and killed someone. Deputies responded to the area of Joshua Lane and Joshua Drive in Yucca Valley and say they located Belle in the open desert and armed with a handgun.
According to the press release, Belle ignored commands to drop his weapon. Belle then allegedly fired his gun at which point Deputies returned fire and struck Belle. The Sheriff’s Department say they began life-saving measures until paramedics arrived and took Belle to a hospital where he is currently being treated.
A search of the area did not locate a murder victim.
Detectives from Sheriff’s Specialized Investigations Division responded and assumed the investigation.
Anyone with information regarding this incident is urged to contact the Specialized Investigations Division at 909-890-4904.
Callers wishing to remain anonymous should contact We-Tip at 1-800-78-CRIME (27463) or go to wetip.com.
Attendees hold up signs to signal support or disapproval of comments
Tuesday night’s Yucca Valley Town Council meeting included a lengthy update on the Animal Shelter, which was met with significant public comment.
The latter half of Tuesday night’s Yucca Valley Town Council meeting concerned the second update on the 90-Day Operational Review of the Yucca Valley Animal Shelter. The review was announced in March following an increase in public concern at meetings over shelter practices and policies; Town Staff provided the first interim update at the meeting on April 1.
Deputy Town Manager Shane Stueckle presented the update, highlighting actions taken in the past 60 days to improve operations. These include weekly online updates of adoptable animals, reviewing data processes, and making the animals at the impound kennel available for public viewing. Stueckle said the Town plans to schedule its first low-cost spay/neuter clinic between May and June, and has contacted over 600 rescue groups, of which there have been eight potential connections for partnership.
Stueckle said that the Town has advertised and received applications for additional staff: one full-time Animal Shelter Specialist/Animal Control Officer 1, and three part-time, temporary kennel positions. Human Resources has been evaluating a policy to create a volunteer program, with requirements such as background checks and insurance through the Town. Stueckle also addressed the lack of space and presented phasing out owner-turn-in and after-hours kennels as a potential solution, in line with several other regional shelters.
Over twenty comments from attendees followed the presentation, which extended into the general Public Comment period at the end of the meeting. Several speakers responded positively to the changes already implemented and on the horizon, especially the additional staff and support of spay/neuter programs. However, some again raised concerns about shelter management, as expressed by Pioneertown resident Greg Herring.
“I was amazed at what I heard tonight, in a good way. I was glad to hear it. One thing I didn’t hear, as part of the review process, is whether the animal shelter is staffed with the right people in the right positions. Many of us here in the community feel that the person managing this shelter will not be the right person to continue to sustain the changes — these awesome, wonderful changes that I see going on right now.”
The suggestion of phasing out owner turn-ins and the after-hours kennels was met with general disapproval from the community, as were the complexities surrounding a volunteer program, as noted by Cristie Carter.
“I volunteer at the No-Kill Shelter, and I walk dogs. It’s simple, it’s not a big deal. You show up, you sign in; the first time you go that you have to sign a waiver. It’s separate than any other volunteer stuff. It’s just walking dogs.”
Overall, the Council did not favor eliminating owner turn-in and the after-hours kennels, though they remained open to modifying the programs. Solutions presented by Mayor Pro Tem Abel included adding a keypad to the kennel and gathering more information about animals turned in, which the public responded to favorably. However, the discussion was also met with several contentious points, such as when Council Member Lombardo affirmed his support of the shelter manager.
“Everybody is redeemable. [I worked in a prison.] I think that given the right circumstances and operational instructions…I think that he should be given an opportunity, at least, to address this and make it right.”
Town Staff will present the complete Operational Review to the Council at their meeting on June 3.
