An arrest was made in Joshua Tree last week by the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Gang/Narcotics Division.
Between June 16 and June 22, the Sheriff’s Department served three search warrants related to gang members and convicted felons throughout San Bernardino county. One of those warrants was served in the 62000 block of Canterbury Street in Joshua Tree.
A representative of the Sheriff’s Department said that more specific information about arrests made as part of Operation:Consequences could not be shared due to possible connections to gangs, narcotics, and future investigations.
In the last week, Operation: Consequences led to ten felony arrests and 14 misdemeanor arrests, seized five firearms and suspected methamphetamine.
Twenty minutes before the meeting even started, all the chairs were occupied in the meeting room and people were forced to stand in the hallway. There was some grumbling when Chairperson Cure announced that each person’s speaking time would be cut to two minutes because there were so many people wanting to have their voices heard. The assistant City Attorney assured the meeting that this was legal and the Chair was within her rights to do so.
Item two on the Agenda was the Ofland Resort Project and the chair opened up the floor to comments during this public hearing portion of the meeting. Nine people spoke in favor of the Ofland project. They mainly referred to the money that would be flooding into the coffers of the City of Twentynine Palms, based on maximum occupancy.
Twenty-eight people spoke against the project, explaining why, in their opinion, this project should not be allowed to move forward. Wildlife, and in particular the Desert Tortoise was mentioned several times, as being severely impacted by the proposed rezoning and development of this project. Wildlife corridors from the Joshua Tree National Park would also be adversely affected.
Dark skies were on most people’s minds, as they pointed out that a proposed open-air movie screen would put out ten thousand lumens, whereas the bright lights on the average vehicle only put out one thousand lumens. Folks argued that this and other proposed lighting developments would most certainly cause light pollution and adversely affect the Indian Cove neighborhood as well as surrounding areas. People wanted an Environmental Impact report instead of a mitigated negative declaration
Folks argued that this project would do nothing for the businesses of Twentynine Palms as the project would be several miles West of the downtown area. Guests of the Ofland project would have no reason to go into town as restaurants, pools, entertainment and a gift shop would all be on site to take care of guests’ needs. The only community perks would be the possibility of employment and pool passes. People wondered why this project wasn’t planned for a site already zoned for commercial tourism.
After more than two hours of public comments, the Planning Commission discussed their thoughts on the matter of Ofland Resort. At first, Chair Cure appeared to have several misgivings about allowing the project to move forward. She wanted to continue to a future date certain to iron out some issues she had with the design and the placement of the main entrance of Lear Avenue.
After further discussion, a motion was made that the planning commission adopt the resolution recommending adoption of the mitigated negative declaration, general plan amendment, rezoning, development code amendment and conditional use permit to the City Council. The motion was approved 4-0.
Many members of the public were visibly disappointed.
The Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center this week changed parameters for access regarding certain people on the base.
In a statement posted to social media, base officials say they have temporarily suspected their “Trusted Traveler” program, which allows Marines, dependents, retirees or civilian employees to vouch for co-travelers in their vehicle during certain hours. The suspension of this program means that co-travelers must now obtain a pass from the visitor center.
The statement from MCAGCCC says that this change comes from the United State Northern Command, and does not otherwise impact entry requirements into the base.
In collaboration with GreaterThanHIV.org – the Morongo Basin Healthcare District will be at Walgreens and the New Pharmacy in Joshua Tree from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 pm on Friday (6/27) to provide information about HIV along with a free 20 minute self-test. You can learn about the importance of testing for HIV exposure, preventative measures you can take, and available treatment for HIV.
There is no appointment needed and the tests are free.
Men make up almost 87% of new diagnoses and 88% of cases of HIV in California, with unprotected sexual contact being the most prevalent way to contact HIV.
You can learn more about HIV by visiting GreaterThanHIV.org or stopping by Walgreens or the New Pharmacy tomorrow from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. If you have questions about your health you can visit the Morongo Basin Healthcare District at mbhdistrict.org.
The town of Yucca Valley offers a wide variety of activities for all ages. Sports, activities, special events, classes and educational opportunities. Recreation Supervisor Clayton Radon will be the guest on this week’s (6/27) Up Close show.
He will talk with host Gary Daigneault about what it takes to put on the events and what is coming up.
The Z107.7 “Up Close” show, live Fridays at 10:00 a.m. and as a podcast at www.z1077fm.com/podcasts
On Saturday morning (June 22) at around 9:30 a.m., the Sheriff’s Department received a report that a hiker had left a camp the previous night and had not yet returned. Deputies responded to the area in the 54500 block of Gleason Road in Landers and began an area check. Deputies said that because of the approximate 12 hours the hiker had been missing, combined with the terrain of the search, they requested additional resources including a helicopter and the Department’s tracking K9 unit Naji with handler Deputy Bakker.
After a 45- minute search, the helicopter unit spotted the hiker approximately two- miles north of the camp. The helicopter landed, confirmed the identity of the missing hiker, and determined that they were suffering from dehydration. Medics were called, and the hiker was taken to Hi-Desert Medical Center for dehydration treatment.
The Sheriff’s Department’s Morongo Basin Station reminds hikers, recreators, visitors, and residents in the hi-desert to be cautious of extreme heat in the summer months. Try to plan hikes and outdoor activities for the early mornings and evenings, and always bring more water than you think you’ll need.
A registered sex offender in Apple Valley was arrested on suspicion of the sexual abuse of a child in the Morongo Basin, including attempts to allegedly meet the child in person.
The San Bernardino Sheriff’s Morongo Basin station says they were investigating Douglas Bergschneider, a 33-year-old resident of Apple Valley. Bergschneider is a registered sex offender, and detectives say he was using the social media service Kik to communicate with a 13-year-old girl living in the Morongo Basin. Detectives say that Bergschneider sent the victim explicit photographs of himself and was making arrangements to meet her in person.
On Thursday (June 19) at around 6:00 a.m., detectives from the Morongo Basin Station and the Sheriff’s Crimes Against Children Detail executed a search warrant at Bergschneider’s residence in the 20000 block of Thunderbird Road in Apple Valley where he was taken into custody.
Douglas Bergschneider was arrested on suspicion of sending harmful material to seduce a minor and contacting a minor with intent to commit lewd acts, and is being held at the High Desert Detention Center without bail.
Detectives believe there could be additional victims due to Bergschneider actively seeking underage girls. Anyone with information related to this investigation is asked to contact the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department Morongo Basin Station at (760) 366-4175. Anyone wishing to remain anonymous may contact We-Tip at 1-800-78-CRIME (27463) or go to www.wetip.com.
Just prior to Tuesday night’s Twentynine Palms City Council meeting, a workshop on a proposed solar project was held before council turned to city business.
Council chambers were packed last night for a pre-meeting workshop that explored the Community Benefits Package presented by E Group PS Solar, the developer of a proposed 184-acre solar farm north of Two Mile Road. Negotiated by city staff after nearly a year, the project would bring in $500,000 over several years. While the city passed a moratorium on large solar farms in 2012, Assembly Bill 205 (passed in 2022) enabled developers to bypass local laws citing an urgent need for alternative energies. Thus, despite any opposition, the project may happen anyway, which is why the city is negotiating benefits.
Resident concerns include the site being within a “sand transport path” and that the project may fall short of the AB205 requirement, 50 megawatts or more. To be continued.
During the official meeting, the council discussed the need for a sub-committee to help support and guide the Tourism Business Improvement District (TBID). Concerns included much-needed support for TBID Marketing Director Breanne Dusastre, deeper engagement with stakeholders, and poorly-run meetings. Council approved a sub-committee consisting of Councilmembers Steven Bilderain and April Ramirez.
Council then discussed forming a sub-committee to assist the Housing and Homeless Committee with concerns being a need for more engagement from residents and a more streamlined process. In April 2023, council established the Housing and Homeless advisor committee (HHC) which consisted of five planning commissioners and two at-large community members. On Tuesday night, council created a sub-committee comprised of Councilmembers Octavious Scott and April Ramirez.
The next meeting of the Twentynine Palms City Council is July 22.
On Tuesday (6/25) the Morongo Unified School District Board of Trustees held their last meeting of the 2024-25 school year.
The meeting began by honoring Assistant Superintendent of Business Sharon Flores who recently announced her retirement. The board praised Flores citing that her “careful stewardship has helped maintain MUSD as a fiscally responsible district, ensuring taxpayer dollars are used effectively to help students and staff.”
There were four new appointments to various positions: Jessica Hall, assistant principal of Onaga Elementary; Darlene Gonzalez, assistant principal at Twentynine Palms Elementary and Yucca Valley Elementary; and David Daniels, who will be taking the place of Sharon Flores as new Assistant Superintendent of Business.
Director of Evaluation and Multilingual Learning Daniele Snider gave a presentation on Local Indicators for LCAP with positive results, stating MUSD is passing state standards in Teachers, Instructional Materials, and Facilities; Implementation of Academic Standards; Parent and Family Engagement, and more. Snider said next steps of improvement include continued data monitoring, ongoing professional development, with intentional and focused strategies.
Director of Information Technology Troy Slayden reported on Distribution of Surplus Technology-Based Materials, in which 2700 laptops survived the district’s purge of technological waste. While the laptops are obsolete according to the district’s standards, Slayden and his team will be refurbishing these laptops and donating them to current and graduating MUSD students. This positive news was followed by a public hearing, followed by the Board’s unanimous approval. Sharon Flores added that this approval includes a change in policy where these donations of surplus technological materials will be able to occur annually.
Rising heat is a reality that most Californians are facing year to year.. June can be hot, but July through September are typically the hottest months of the year in the hi-desert, especially when monsoons and humidity hit the basin.
According to the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment office (OEHHA), the statewide annual mean temperature has increased by about 2.5 degrees since 1895. Drought and climate change are to blame, and the warming has accelerated with seven of the past eight years being noted as the warmest on record. Warmer nights keep temperatures hotter during the day, and long stretches of unrelenting heat can be a health hazard to anybody if you aren’t properly prepared.
The State of California has released a new tool called the “CalHeatScore” that aims to help with that preparation. It’s essentially an online map where you can look up your area code to access data on how hot it’s been, how hot it could be and what you can do to keep yourself safe in the heat. The map ranks each area from 0 (low) up to a 4 (severe). The tool also provides historical data. For instance, on Tuesday, June 25 in the 92252 area code it forecasts the maximum temp as 97° F and gives a “feels like” temperature of about 92° F. That puts Joshua Tree at a CalHeatScore of 1, or “mild.”
But when air temperatures stay warm overnight and humid air stays in the valleys, the human body can lose its ability to cool itself off naturally. That’s when that “feels like” temperature that the CalHeatScore references becomes more important. If the CalHeatScore climbs to a 3 or 4, the relative humidity and air temperature will make it hard for both humans and animals to keep cool when they are outdoors, and precautions should be made to stay out of the heat.
When the “feels like” temperature (also known as the heat index) hits 115 F degrees, cooling centers at the Twentynine Palms Senior Center open up. Municipalities in the hi-desert keep government and community buildings open for residents to cool off in on hotter days, and the air-conditioned libraries in Yucca Valley, Joshua Tree and Twentynine Palms are all free to relax inside during business hours.
The “CalHeatScore” tool was launched in December of last year and communities are being asked to participate in the data collection to forecast heat-related events. You can find more information and links to the tool below.
The Twentynine Palms City Council will host a public workshop this Tuesday (6/24) at 5:15 p.m. to explore the community benefits package on the E-Group Solar Project. Despite the city passing a suspension on large solar farms in 2012, Assembly Bill 205, which passed in 2022, cleared a path for project developer, E-Group PS, to bypass local laws citing an urgent need for alternative energies. The overall proposal and how the city might use funds from the project will be discussed.
After the workshop, the regular meeting will kick off with presentations from Robin Schlosser with Reach Out Morongo Basin and Jesse Ibarra with Neighborhood Partnership Housing Services.
Council will then create a two-person subcommittee to help lead and support the Tourism Business Improvement District board and staff. Finally, council will discuss how the housing and homeless committee is currently structured and consider changes for improvement.
The meeting takes place on Tuesday, June 24, at 6:00 p.m. at City Hall, 6136 Adobe Road. It can be livestreamed or viewed on-demand via the city’s website, www.29palms.org.
The Twentynine Palms Planning Commission will hold a special meeting tomorrow, Wednesday June 25th at 5:00 pm.
Discussion on the Ofland Resort Project is under Public Hearings and this matter is expected to draw public interest. The Planning Commission is being asked to consider a series of declarations, amendments, permits and a rezoning in order to adopt the resolution regarding the Ofland Resort project, and forward this recommendation to the Twentynine Palms City Council.
The Ofland Resort Project would be located on approximately 152 acres south of Twentynine Palms Highway, east of the southerly extension of Lear, north of Sullivan, and west of the southerly extension of Shoshone Valley Road.
Approximately 42 acres are proposed to be rezoned from single family residential to Commercial Tourist in the center of the property, and approximately 110 acres would be modified from single family residential to Open Space Conservation around the exterior of the property.
Public comment is welcome; please fill out a name and address slip to submit to the Planning Commission Secretary.
Located at 6136 Adobe Road in Twentynine Palms, the special meeting begins at 5:00 p.m.
The Yucca Valley Planning Commission’s regularly scheduled meeting for Tuesday (June 24) has been cancelled due to a lack of quorum. The Planning Commission will meet in regular session next on July 8.
The Morongo Unified School District Board of Trustees will hold their last meeting of the 2024-25 school year Tuesday night (6/24) at 6:00 p.m. in Joshua Tree Elementary’s multipurpose room.
For the meeting’s agenda, Director of Evaluation and Multilingual Learning Dr. Daniele Snider will present a summary of the Local Indicators for the Local Control Accountability Plan, and Director of Information Technology Troy Slayden will report on the Distribution of Surplus Technology-Based Instructional Materials, followed by a public hearing on the latter.
There will be policy updates providing guidance related to the appropriate use of artificial intelligence (AI) by employees, further regulation on sex discrimination and sex-based harassment, employee safety, and early detection for head lice without disrupting a student’s class or attendance.
For action items the Board is requested to adopt the 2025-26 school year budget; Resolution #25-30, which would allow the donation of obsolete laptops to current and graduating students; and updates to employee agreements for four board members.
The approval of an amendment to the General Manager’s employment agreement will be considered during the Twentynine Palms Water District meeting this Wednesday (6/25) at 4:00 p.m.
There will be a public hearing concerning the proposed continuation of water availability assessment. Please note a “request to be heard” form must be completed before the start of the meeting in order to make a public comment.
The Board will consider the continuation of the current level of water availability assessments for fiscal year 2025-2026.
Approval for adopting the proposed budget and compensation plan for fiscal year 2025-2026 will be considered by the Board.
A resolution commending Rochelle Bowe for thirty seven years of public service will be adopted.
Resolution 25-10 will be discussed for Rochelle Bowe and Steve Gurney regarding the exception of a 180-day waiting period in accordance with California code.
The Board will consider approving the amendment to the General Manager’s employment agreement.
There will be management reports from the maintenance, water quality and finance departments, as well as from the General Manager.
Located at 72401 Hatch Road, the meeting will begin at 4:00 p.m.. The public is encouraged to attend.
The California Welcome Center in Yucca Valley is calling on artists nationwide to share their vision and possibly earn a yearlong spotlight.
Now in its 7th year, the California Welcome Center’s Annual Art Contest is open to all artists based in California. Winning entries will be displayed for a year at the Welcome Center in Yucca Valley, where thousands of visitors from around the globe will view your work.
Artists can submit work in four categories: painting, photography, mixed media, and a People’s Choice award. Alongside the winning piece, artists will have the chance to display additional work.
The deadline to submit is Sunday, September 7, by 4:00 p.m. Winners will be announced the week of September 22.
A man with outstanding warrants is alleged to have led Sheriff’s deputies on a pursuit through Yucca Valley.
On Tuesday (June 17), San Bernardino County Sheriff’s deputies say they observed a Cadillac with expired registration driving near the intersection of Twentynine Palms Highway and Joshua Lane in Yucca Valley. Deputies say they attempted to conduct a traffic stop, but the driver failed to yield. Deputies identified the driver as Michael Almanza, a 36 year-old resident of Los Angeles, and say he led a high-speed and reckless pursuit eastbound on Twentynine Palms Highway.
Deputies say they executed maneuvers to disable Almanza’s car at which point he fled on foot into a residential backyard. They say they caught up with him, and he became combative and resisted arrest. Deputies say that after a brief struggle, they took him into custody.
Michael Almanza was arrested on suspicion of evading a peace officer, resisting arrest, and several outstanding warrants for drug related charges in Los Angeles County. He is being held at the West Valley Detention Center on $100,000 bail.
A wanted man was arrested after allegedly leading deputies on a foot pursuit through the open desert.
On Wednesday (June 18) at around 3:00 p.m., San Bernardino County Sheriff’s deputies executed a warrant in the 62100 block of Canterbury Street in Joshua Tree. Deputies say they were attempting to arrest Nathan Brown, a 39 year-old resident of Joshua Tree for a felony warrant related to a grand theft auto case that occurred in Twentynine Palms.
Deputies say that when they arrived, Brown fled into open desert, but after a brief chase they were able to take him into custody. Deputies say that Brown was found to have just over seven grams of suspected methamphetamine.
Nathan Brown was arrested for investigation into resisting arrest, possession of a controlled substance, and his outstanding warrant. He is being held at the West Valley Detention Center on $300,000 bail.
The Morongo Unified School District has announced the official groundbreaking of a brand-new kitchen facility at Twentynine Palms Junior High School, a project that marks a significant investment in the health, wellness, and educational experience of students and staff.
This $5.5 million project is being partially funded by Measure C, the local school bond measure approved by voters last November, aiming to improve school facilities and modernize infrastructure to ensure students have access to a safe, modern, and functional learning environment.
The new facility will feature a state-of-the-art kitchen equipped with two speedlines, serving windows, outdoor landscaping, and an expansive, covered outdoor dining area to provide students with a more comfortable dining experience in warmer temperatures.
The project is being built by Ledesma & Meyer Construction Company and Ruhnau Clark Architects, both firms recognized for delivering high-quality educational facilities.
Construction is scheduled for completion in March 2026.
There is a vacancy on the Bighorn Desert View Water Agency’s Board of Directors.
One of the Directors handed in their resignation, effective May 18, 2025. The remaining Directors voted to accept applications from interested candidates. Once appointed, the new Director will hold office until the next general agency election in November 2026.
The agency encompasses the unincorporated communities of Flamingo Heights, Landers and Johnson Valley. If you live and vote within these areas, you are eligible to apply.
Any applicant wishing to be considered for this position should call the Agency’s office at 760-364-2315 to obtain an application form.
The completed application must be returned to the Agency’s office, 622 South Jemez Trail in Yucca Valley, no later than noon on Tuesday July 1st.
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