Coachella Valley Independent March 2021

BY KEVIN FITZGERALD

PAGE 14

Wastewater testing can help officials detect COVID-19 outbreaks and variants— but Palm Springs is the only valley city currently using the technology.

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MARCH 2021

A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR Mailing address: 31855 Date Palm Drive, No. 3-263 Cathedral City, CA 92234 (760) 904-4208 www.cvindependent.com

Editor/Publisher Jimmy Boegle staff writer Kevin Fitzgerald coveR and feature design Dennis Wodzisz Contributors Beth Allen, Kevin Allman, Max Cannon, Kevin Carlow, Katie Finn, Bill Frost, Bonnie Gilgallon, Bob Grimm, ValerieJean (VJ) Hume, Clay Jones, Matt Jones, Matt King, Keith Knight, Brett Newton, Dan Perkins, Guillermo Prieto, Anita Rufus, Theresa Sama, Andrew Smith, Jen Sorenson, Robert Victor, Madeline Zuckerman The Coachella Valley Independent print edition is published every month.

All content is ©2021 and may not be published or reprinted in any form without the written permission of the publisher. The Independent is available free of charge throughout the Coachella Valley, limited to one copy per reader.

Additional copies may be purchased for $5 by calling (760) 904-4208. The Independent may be distributed only by the Independent’s authorized distributors.

The Independent is a proud member and/ or supporter of the Association of Alternative Newsmedia, the California Newspaper Publishers Association, CalMatters, the Desert AIDS Project, the Local Independent Online News Publishers, the Desert Business Association, the LGBT Community Center of the Desert, and the Desert Ad Fed.

CVIndependent.com

On Feb. 11, for the first time in a while, I started to feel hope.

That’s the day I headed to the Palm Springs Convention Center for a brief press conference and tour of the new COVID-19 vaccination site that would open there the next day. Perhaps it was the bright sunshine on the atypically toasty February day. Perhaps it was the knowledge that my mom was scheduled to get her second shot at another location the next day. Perhaps it was this statement by Dr. Geoffrey Leung, of the Riverside University Health System: “Today is such an important event when we think about times that change the course of what happens. This is one of those days for Palm Springs and the community.” Perhaps it was a combination of all of these things—but whatever it was, it gave me a feeling of hope.

Let me make one thing clear: I know that throughout the pandemic, I have been one of the fortunate ones. I have the ability to work from home. I’ve been able to ride things out with a spouse I actually like. I don’t have kids, so I haven’t needed to become an at-home schoolteacher in addition to my other duties.

Because the aforementioned spouse kept working through the pandemic, I’ve never had to worry whether I’d be able to pay next month’s rent.

However, because I do what I do, the last 11-plus months have had their challenges.

My head is always in the news, and the news lately has often been a horrific place to have one’s head. Because I own a small business that depends on advertising revenue— which, depending on the month, has been down between 30 and 80 percent since last March—I have been exhaustingly scrambling to apply for grants and loans while coming up with new revenue ideas.

It was a couple of days before that Feb. 11 press event that I truly started to realize the toll the last year has taken on me. The aforementioned spouse came into my office while I was fighting with a malfunctioning app on my phone to say something—and I viciously snapped at him. I instantly apologized, and I feel terrible about it to this day. But that’s something I wouldn’t do if I was completely in my right mind.

I bring this all up not to complain— again, I fully realize how fortunate I have been. I bring it up because I know that the circumstances of the last year may very well have taken a toll on you, too—a toll you may not have fully realized yet.

I also bring this all up because, really, there is hope to be had. Vaccines are getting in arms and working—even, to a high degree, against those scary variants. COVID-19 rates and hospitalizations, as of this writing, are plummeting. While it’s far from a sure thing, and we must continue to be diligent, it’s possible—possible—we’re truly on our way out of this.

Welcome to the March 2021 print edition of the Coachella Valley Independent. As always, thanks for reading.

—Jimmy Boegle, jboegle@cvindependent.com

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MARCH 2021

OPINION OPINION

CVINDEPENDENT.COM/OPINION

KNOW YOUR NEIGHBORS B

BY ANITA RUFUS

onnie Gilgallon—often known as “Bonnie G.”—has made her presence known in the Coachella Valley for more than 22 years, as a newscaster, singer, actress and writer.

A resident of Cathedral City, Gilgallon was born in Washington, D.C., and raised in Maryland. She was a vocal-music major in college, while also taking classes in theater and broadcast journalism. However, she has not yet earned a degree.

“One of these days, I’d like to have the piece of paper,” she says, “but I’ve never not gotten a job because of that.”

She was born into a family that was typical for its time.

“My mom was a really talented person,” she recalls, “but, like many women of her generation, from a vocal point of view, is Linda Eder,” she gave up a singing career when she got who set records on Star Search and went on to married and had three kids. My dad worked star on Broadway. “She has an amazing voice with the Navy—that’s why we were in D.C.— and presence.” and he was very old-fashioned. Mom did Gilgallon did traffic reporting in D.C. on a things on the side, including starting theater local radio station. Once she relocated to the groups, and then she started a tutoring desert, her then-husband got a job at a local service. She did the English while my dad did radio station doing sports reporting. the math and science.

“He suggested they talk to me,” she says.

“My dad instilled in all of us the “I read some news stories, and they hired importance of a work ethic and being me to do the news. A couple of weeks later, responsible. My younger brother is a lawyer, a magazine-type show was in the works, and and my older sister is a Unitarian minister within a week, I had a weekend show called with a Ph.D. In fact, she performed my first Desert Scene, interviewing local performers two weddings.” and visiting artists, including locals like Pat Gilgallon has a wonderful throaty laugh at Rizzo, Kaye Ballard and Peter Marshall, as that. well as visiting stars like Debbie Reynolds, “I was actually very shy as a kid. I didn’t Frank Sinatra and Linda Ronstadt. I was at even start to talk until I was about 2 years the station for 13 years. Fast-forward to now, old,” she says. “I started piano lessons at 7, and I’m co-hosting a similar two-hour show and I remember always singing along very quietly, so nobody could hear me. I was always called Culture Corner on iHub Radio Network.”

Gilgallon also has an acting career. “I was in choir throughout high school, and when in my mother’s theater group while I was in my mom was directing shows, we used to go school,” she says, “and I love being onstage. I with her. I’d have to say that, from observing get cast in the ‘dumb blonde’ roles, the gal who’s my mom, I didn’t want to ever give up my been around the block, a wise-cracking broad.” dreams in order to have kids, even though I In 2017, she received a star on the love kids.

Palm Springs Walk of Stars. She has three “In high school, I entered talent shows. I Broadway World Awards and five Desert knew I liked performing, even though I never Theatre League Awards, and she has hosted thought I’d be like Linda Ronstadt or Barbra the league’s awards gala several times.

Streisand—that’s too much pressure. I always Gilgallon also writes theater reviews for the wanted to have a normal life, too.”

Coachella Valley Independent.

Gilgallon began singing professionally at Gilgallon coaches actors who want to do 18, and her jazz/pop singing career continued voice-over work, or who want to hone their here in the desert. She has done cabaret skills at singing and acting. shows at many local venues, including “Other than when I am performing, I feel Melvyn’s, Backstreet Bistro, AJ’s on the most alive when I’m teaching and coaching,” Green, the Indian Wells Resort Hotel and the she says. “I’m emulating my parents, who Palm Desert Country Club. Her first jazz-pop were both teachers, in my own way.”

CD, If I Love Again, was released in 2018.

Gilgallon said performing has helped her “Right before I walk up to the mic, it feels conquer her long-standing fear that she fabulous and wonderful and exciting—all at wasn’t good enough. the same time,” she says. “I have a variety “I’m much less that way than I used to be, of nerves, depending on the situation and and if I were giving a message to my younger how familiar I am with the song and with self, I’d tell her, ‘You are enough—good the musicians. It’s like a nervous energy. And enough, smart enough,’” she says. “As Maya then it just comes out. My role model, purely CVIndependent.com

Meet Bonnie Gilgallon, a singer, actress, newscaster, writer—and so much more

Bonnie Gilgallon: “Other than when I am performing, I feel most alive when I’m teaching and coaching.

I’m emulating my parents, who were both teachers, in my own way.”

Angelou said, you teach people how to treat you, and when someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time. It bugs me when I see people being condescending to others, or being unfair. I know life isn’t fair, but it still pisses me off. Cruelty of any kind makes me cry, especially toward animals, or anyone without power. And I can’t stand being lied to!

“On the other hand, I laugh easily at silly stuff. Eric (with whom I’ve lived for the past 10 years), he and I laugh a lot; that’s how we’ve gotten through the pandemic. He’s a terrific musician—piano and violin. We work OK together, but we both have our own things going on, and that’s good.

“As for the pandemic, I’m lucky, because my main source of income is my online coaching.

I’ve done a few livestreams from our living room, and from Frankie’s Old World Italian Bakery and Supper Club in Cathedral City; they have a back room with a stage. I’ve also been writing a book. I just try to stay creative.”

Gilgallon’s community involvement includes Project Bread for Musicians, an effort through Frankie’s to help out-of-work musicians during the pandemic. (Read more about that on Page 34.)

When I ask Gilgallon how she would describe herself, she doesn’t hesitate. “I’m a survivor. And I’d say I have a big heart. I’m always sympathetic toward other people’s troubles, especially those who can come out the other side without bitterness.

“I care less now about what other people think. I’m more comfortable in my own skin. I describe myself as an over-55 goddess!”

And then there’s that throaty laugh.

For more information on Bonnie Gilgallon, visit www.bonnie-g.com. Anita Rufus is also known as “The Lovable Liberal.” Her show The Lovable Liberal airs on IHubRadio. Email her at Anita@LovableLiberal.com. Know Your Neighbors appears every other Wednesday at CVIndependent.com.

COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 5

MARCH 2021

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MARCH 2021

OPINION OPINION

CVINDEPENDENT.COM/OPINION

KNOW YOUR NEIGHBORS R

BY ANITA RUFUS

abbi Sally Olins proclaims that she lives with “gratitude, gratitude, gratitude.”

“Gratitude will save you from more pain than anything else,” she says. “I always see the good—and want everyone to see it.”

“Rabbi Sally,” as she is known, is a 14-year resident of Palm Springs. She was born in Cincinnati before her family, including an older brother, moved to Los Angeles; she was raised in Beverly Hills.

“My parents were very quiet about money,” she says. “We never had a big car, and I was always reminded about how to act. I remember my mother pointing her finger at me and saying, ‘Keep your dignity. Don’t ever go down to their level.’ She was the most amazing, wonderful woman in or 8. I knew, with every bit of my being, that the world. There was no one like her.

God had called me, but I was always told girls “My dad was a rigid man whose goal in life couldn’t become rabbis.” was making money. I didn’t ever in my life Judaism is divided into three branches: want to be like him, and that motivated me.

Orthodox, which follows the laws of the When I buried him, I remembered that as Torah most closely, including separation of his greatest gift to me. I didn’t have negative women and men in the temple; Conservative, feelings about him; he did the best he could.” which seeks to hold on to traditional ways After graduating from Beverly Hills High of worship but compromises with modern School, Olins attended UCLA and earned a society; and Reform, which focuses less on teaching credential, followed by a master’s the Torah’s laws and emphasizes more secular degree in dance kinesiology. She taught high moral practices. school for a time, but soon realized that “In Conservative Judaism, women couldn’t wasn’t her ultimate goal. She and her husband become rabbis,” she says. “I was told to go to of 57 years had a daughter by then. She loved Reform Judaism, but I was also told to just to exercise, so she opened a dance-exercise wait for things to change.” school. However, that school was not her In 1985, change did come. Olins was ultimate goal, either.

“My grandfather was a religious man,” Olins ordained in 1989 after completing studies at the Academy of Jewish Religion in New says. “I went with him to services when we York City, becoming the 10th woman in the were in Cincinnati. Something in me wanted U.S. to be ordained. After serving as rabbi to go and be there. I remember once he got for a temple in Sherman Oaks for 20 years, to carry the Torah around the congregation.

Olins came to Temple Isaiah in Palm Springs I asked him, ‘How can you carry that; it’s so for 10 years. Olins received an honorary heavy?’ I’ll never forget his answer: ‘The more doctorate of divinity from Jewish Theological you know, the lighter it becomes.’”

Seminary in New York in 2017—the same Olins went on to earn a master’s in Jewish year she received a star on the Palm Springs philosophy from the University of Judaism.

Walk of Stars. She has been involved in Olins was bucking tradition when she told local community service with the LGBT other students she was studying to be a rabbi. community, the homeless, the Palm Springs “I began wanting to be a rabbi at about age 7

CVIndependent.com

Meet Sally Olins,‘Coffee House Rabbi’ and compiler of ‘spiritual and religious wisdom’

Art Museum and more.

In 2015, Olins founded a nonprofit organization called Coffee House Rabbi, and she has been holding twice-monthly Coffee House Rabbi sessions—now via Zoom during the pandemic.

She recently published Coffee House Rabbi: Spiritual and Religious Wisdom, memorializing inspirational stories and quotations, and including sections on inspiration, life lessons, religion and humor.

“The best part of my job, after 32 years as a rabbi, is the joy of helping people see how religion can add to their lives,” Olins says.

“People come together with other people with something very basic in common. The hardest part of the job is the challenge to have others see the beauty and importance in whatever event I’m conducting.

“I’m always seen as a very outgoing person, while the truth is I’m actually a very private person who loves to be alone. I’m a reader.

I love my home; it’s like a sanctuary to me, and I love having private time. During the pandemic, I’ve been praying a lot. I don’t get out of bed in the morning without saying, ‘Thank you, God.’ Each new day brings new experiences and opportunities. At the end of the day, I think about the day, and again I say, ‘Thank you, God.’ “I’m not young, and I had a heart problem many years ago. Like anyone who has experienced a procedure where they had to go under the knife, I know you can’t take life for granted.”

When I ask Olins what makes her cry, I get a very surprising answer.

“I have trouble crying. I just don’t do it very well,” she says. “My heart responds, but not my eyes. … Maybe I was trained not to cry, to fit into the qualities attributable to women— that I always had to be professional.

“On the other hand, everything makes me laugh. I love to laugh.”

Although she describes herself as semiretired, Olins continues to write, hold her Coffee House Rabbi get-togethers, and conduct weddings and pet-memorial services.

“I’ve given great time and thought to what will happen to some of the important messages I’ve collected when I’m gone,” Olins says. “I want to make sure they’re documented for education, and to make people feel better when they need something spiritual to hold onto.

“In the long run, we all want the same thing—to live an ethical and moral life, with kindness and compassion. You can find it inside yourself. I’m inspired by everything. I

Rabbi Sally Olins: “I began wanting to be a rabbi at about age 7 or 8. I knew, with every bit of my being, that God had called me, but I was always told girls couldn’t become rabbis.”

believe in people. … If I were giving a message to my younger self, or to any young person, I’d say: Keep hold of your dreams, and don’t ever give up.”

Rabbi Sally’s Coffee House Rabbi usually takes place at 10 a.m. on the first and third Sundays of the month. For more information, visit rabbisally.com. Anita Rufus is also known as “The Lovable Liberal.” Her show The Lovable Liberal airs on IHubRadio. Email her at Anita@LovableLiberal.com. Know Your Neighbors appears every other Wednesday at CVIndependent.com.

COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 7

MARCH 2021

OPINION OPINION

CVINDEPENDENT.COM/OPINION

HIKING WITH T I

This time of year, the trails are teeming with life

BY THERESA SAMA

t’s that time of year when you maybe hiking along—and, seemingly out of nowhere, bighorn sheep will cross the trail right in front of you. Newborn lambs may be tagging along as well.

However, the endangered peninsular desert bighorn sheep aren’t the only animals you’ll come across as spring approaches, because as the weather warms, it’s time for animals to start getting out and about. On a warm day during the first week of February, I was out scrambling around the desert and stumbled upon a tarantula. It didn’t appear to be very active, and was perhaps a bit confused, but I can’t tell you how many times I’ve either been walking or running along a trail and nearly stepped on a tarantula. I’ve had similar unexpected encounters of any desert species while out in the wild. with rattlesnakes as well—and this is why, But, again, remember that you are in their especially this time of year, it’s important to territory, and be careful not to disturb them. be aware of your surroundings when you’re It’s not just animals that are waking up out on the trails, and watch your every step. this time of year; wildflowers should soon be Another most-precious and threatened blooming throughout the Coachella Valley species that is coming out of brumation this and beyond. Wildflowers are such a beautiful time of year is the desert tortoise. Did you sight to see, and it’s worth taking a day hike know that it’s actually illegal to touch or or drive to view these colorful blankets of remove a desert tortoise from the wild? If you beauty. Wildflowers will usually be in bloom happen to be fortunate enough to see one, you want to be careful and courteous—and let it go from about mid-February to mid-April— depending on the weather, of course. about its way, undisturbed. Please keep your distance and don’t frighten it—because when peaking of wildflowers, it’s time for the frightened, a tortoise may void its bladder, Friends of the Desert Mountains’ annual which is where it stores much of its water.

Coachella Valley Wildflower Festival.

It’s very rewarding and even an honor While the festival is usually held on the to come across and perhaps take a quick first Saturday of March at the Palm Desert picture or two (from a distance, of course)

S

Civic Center, for this year’s fest—the 14th annual!—the Friends’ staff and fabulous team of volunteers, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, have instead put together a “virtual” event. While the in-person festival takes place on one day only, this year’s virtual festival will run the entire month of March.

“The event offers several activities. One benefit of going virtual is that you don’t have to physically be here to participate this year,” said Tammy Martin, executive director of Friends of the Desert Mountains. “Attendance has continued to increase year over year, and we’re hoping the virtual event will engage others who would not normally be able to attend in person.”

Even though the festival is virtual, it is not limited to looking at a screen on a computer, tablet or phone. You may want to consider joining me in participating in the 30x30x30— aka 30 miles in 30 days for $30! It replaces the 5k trail run/walk, and offers participants an opportunity to walk, hike, run, ride or even use a treadmill to get in miles and

help raise funds for the Friends. Other fun activities include “Flowers in the Field,” a downloadable field guide people can use to participate in a wildflower search. There will also be a scavenger hunt, a youth art contest, a silent auction and more. For participation and registration information, visit www. desertmountains.org/cvwf—and watch for updates as more details are added.

Another fun and free thing to do in the great outdoors of the Coachella Valley is Desert X 2021. Starting March 12 and running through May 16, Desert X is the biennial exhibition of contemporary art via site-specific installations by acclaimed artists, framed by the mountains and the desert of the Coachella Valley is back. Learn more at DesertX.org.

While more and more people are getting vaccines, and COVID-19 restrictions are being relaxed, we still must be vigilant. Please continue to be safe by keeping a distance, wearing a mask and using hand sanitizer. I hope to see you out on the trails!

CVIndependent.com

8 \\ COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT

MARCH 2021

NEWS

CVINDEPENDENT.COM/NEWS

SALTON SEA SCRAMBLE T

by kevin fitzgerald

he Salton Sea is evaporating, exposing deadly toxins—and this has been happening for decades.

Eastern Coachella Valley residents know it; they’ve lived with the resulting airborne particulate pollution and the effects it has had on their health. Migratory birds know it; environmentalists are concerned that additional bird and fish species will join those that have already disappeared from the region. And government officials know it; they’ve been struggling to come up with affordable and practical strategies to manage the sea’s degradation.

These strategies have focused on restoring biologically important habitats and suppressing itself, it would help by decreasing pollution in dangerous dust emissions from the exposed the river whose flow ends in the sea. lakebed, which has absorbed pesticides The Independent asked Crowfoot, who was from the surrounding agricultural fields and appointed to his position in January 2019, contaminants from the industrial chemical what other difficulties he’s experienced while runoff flowing north from Mexico via the working toward the implementation of the New River. However, there is finally some Salton Sea Management Plan’s first phase. good news to report.

“One of the larger challenges with projects On Jan. 13, the California Natural at the Salton Sea is getting all the necessary Resources Agency announced, as called for approvals,” Crowfoot said. “The ownership of in the 10-year Salton Sea Management Plan, the Salton Sea is actually like a checkerboard. that construction had begun on the Phase We—the state and our agency—are 1 Species Conservation Habitat, which responsible for stabilizing 30,000 acres of represents “the state’s first large-scale project habitat on the sea over the next 10 years. to create habitat and reduce exposed lakebed That’s (part of) our management plan, but around the sea.” Around 4,000 acres will be it’s not state land. So it took a while to work included in the project. with the Imperial Irrigation District to break “Now that we’ve broken ground, I’m really through a very long difference (of opinion) in looking forward to visible progress at the terms of division of the project, and questions sea,” said CNRA Secretary Wade Crowfoot. about the impacts on local agriculture. When “We have a really good contractor in place in I came in, my first trip outside of Sacramento Kiewit. They have a very strong track record was down to El Centro to meet with the new of delivering projects and delivering them general manager and chief executive of IID, on time. We have the funding lined up, and Henry Martinez. He and I basically agreed it’s going to be exciting to see a project that that this project was just too important to is (restoring) the mouth of the New River at the sea. We broke through what had been the sea—obviously covering over dust and some longstanding questions around the seabed, but also providing habitat.” project. So, to me, what’s surprising is how A lack of funding has delayed restoration long it takes to plan and permit one of these efforts for years. However, in 2018, voters projects. But now that we know, we have to approved Proposition 68, which included just push ourselves harder to move every $206 million in restoration and mitigation aspect of these forward.” funds for the Salton Sea. Another benefit of the Species Other attempts to get more funding have Conservation Habitat project is jobs. Kiewit, failed. In 2020, a much-heralded climatethe project developer, predicts that some resilience bond, backed by Gov. Gavin 3,000 work positions will be created over the Newsom, would have directed an additional multi-year life of the project, and that many $220 million to the sea. However, it failed of those will be filled by residents of Riverside to make it onto last November’s ballot. The and Imperial counties. Some of those jobs federal government has not yet dedicated any may be filled rather soon. significant funding—but that’s not due to “Due to the pandemic restrictions and the a lack of effort on the part of Rep. Dr. Raul phasing in and scaling up of construction Ruiz. His latest attempt is HR 491. If passed, the bill Ruiz is co-sponsoring would direct the work over the coming months, Kiewit plans to ramp up outreach efforts to local Environmental Protection Agency to create a communities in the second quarter (of) 2021, California New River restoration program, to when the design work has advanced,” said coordinate funding and cleanup of the river.

Lisa Lien-Mager, the CNRA’s deputy secretary While the effort would not directly address of communications. “Positions to be filled the environmental decline at the Salton Sea CVIndependent.com

Restoration efforts are finally under way— but according to the current plan, pollution will still worsen over at least the next decade

Construction has finally started on the 10-year Salton Sea Management Plan’s Phase 1 effort, the Species Conservation Habitat project, which is being supervised by the California Natural Resources Agency.

locally include equipment operators, laborers, truck drivers, electricians and carpenters.”

The email went on to state: “Because Kiewit is a union contractor and signatory to a master labor agreement, Kiewit intends to leverage these relationships to increase local hiring opportunities. In addition, Kiewit will work with local organizations such as churches, community-based organizations, Rotary Club, Kiwanis and Elks Lodge to get the word out that Kiewit is hiring locally.”

Still, time’s a-wastin’. It took 19 months to go from the launch of the SCH project, through the developer search, and to the ground-breaking.

“As my colleagues know, I bring what I call a constructive impatience to the work,” Crowfoot said. “And in this case, we were able to get a design-build contract for the work, so that’s actually going to speed up the construction. But I’m the first person to say that one, we haven’t made enough progress over the last couple of decades, and two, we need to move as quickly as possible. I totally understand that local residents in the region are skeptical about efforts to stabilize the sea, because they haven’t seen improvements on the ground. So that’s what we’re really focused on is getting these projects going, visibly and actually making a difference.”

Another reality check: According to the 10-year Salton Sea Management Plan, which was adopted in 2018, some 48,900 acres of sea are projected to dry up and be newly exposed over that decade—while just 29,800 acres are slated to be treated. In other words, even if all goes according to plan, the threat to human and environmental health that the sea represents to all of Southern California will continue to worsen.

“I think we all have to be honest and realistic about the fact that the sea is receding,” Crowfoot said. “We, here at the state, are going to do as much as we can to address the exposed lakebed. The 30,000 acres that were identified (for restoration and mitigation efforts in) the 10-year SSMP were established before I came into this role.

I think it’s a very ambitious but achievable acreage goal. So, is that enough? I think we have to continuously ask ourselves: What else do we need to be doing at the Salton Sea? And that’s why, in concurrence with implementing this 10-year SSMP, we’re also developing a long-term plan for the sea.

“It’s great that 4,000 acres are being restored through this SCH project, and we’re talking about other projects, too. But what is the sea going to look like in 25 years? That’s an open question.”

COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 9

MARCH 2021

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CVIndependent.com

10 \\ COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT

MARCH 2021

NEWS

CVINDEPENDENT.COM/NEWS

FREEDOM ISN’T FREE T

An Indio man displayed a social-justice flag outside his home for months—and then his homeowners’ association got involved

by kevin fitzgerald

he right of all Americans to freely express their views has been at the forefront of our nation’s consciousness over the last turbulent year.

However … while the government is not allowed to limit speech (with some exceptions), private entities are (with some exceptions)—and that’s been a tough lesson for Chris Wilson, who lives in the Desert Collection neighborhood in Indio.

Wilson, who said he has owned his family’s home there since 2016, received a “final notice” warning from his homeowners’ association board via the community’s managing agent, WhiteStar Management, on Jan. 27. At issue was Wilson’s display of a social-justice advocacy “That (theft) had to be committed by a flag, which says: “Science is real. Black lives guest staying at somebody’s house, or it was matter. No human is illegal. Love is love.

Women’s rights are human rights. Kindness is someone who lived in the neighborhood,” Wilson said. everything.”

Wilson—who works in special education Wilson said the “final notice” email, which claimed the neighborhood allows only the U.S. for a local school district—said that during that Jan. 18 phone call, Kerrigan told him flag and military flags, had been preceded that she couldn’t find the rule that the flag by a phone call from Monique Kerrigan, the violated, “but that it was told to her that community manager who works at WhiteStar that’s what the rule is.

Management, on Jan. 18—which just so “She’s a very nice lady who’s been really happened to be Martin Luther King Jr. Day. polite through (all of our dealings) in the last “That flag had been up for a good six few years that we’ve been in the community,” months,” Wilson told the Independent in Wilson said. “But she made another comment a recent phone interview. “But it just so saying, ‘I’m just trying to make everybody happened that a night or two before I got happy.’ So that kind of caught my attention. the phone call, it had been stolen. Someone Is it a rule, or is it not a rule? Or are you decided to take it from our property. I had a trying to make some people happy who family member with the same exact flag that have other views, especially considering the I had purchased for them, so they brought political climate that we’re in right now? their flag over. I put it right back up within They’re opposed to what’s displayed on my 24 hours. Then, I got that phone call the next flag, which is about equality for all people. day, which was MLK Day. The timing of this “So I haven’t found the rule. I responded whole thing is just really suspicious.” to her email and asked for the exact rule or Desert Collection is a gated community.

The social-justice flag displayed by Desert Collection homeowner Chris Wilson.

regulation, and I said I want the minutes from the meeting where that rule was ratified. I haven’t gotten a response yet.”

The Independent reached Kerrigan and asked for a copy of the homeowners’ association’s published CC&Rs (aka the declaration of covenants, conditions and restrictions) that the flag violated. She declined to provide such documentation to “an outside source,” but said she would provide a copy to Wilson, and that he could pass it on to the Independent. When I mentioned that Wilson said he had already

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2. Do the same with any other local publication.

3. Compare.

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requested from her the very same document, along with the minutes of the meeting when the regulation was adopted, and that he had not received anything, Kerrigan assured me that Wilson would get a copy.

However, as of this writing, Wilson said that has not happened.

“I gave her fair warning,” Wilson said. “I told her that I’m not willing to stay quiet about this issue, and it sounds like I have neighbors whose views I do not agree with, and actually find disturbing. Like I said, with the political climate the way it is right now, staying silent just lets this kind of stuff keep proliferating.”

Had Wilson received any negative comments from his neighbors regarding the flag? “My neighbor across the street, the whole family, saw me put it up initially, and they were actually like, ‘We love your flag. Where did you get it?’” Wilson said. “So that was nice. For the most part, with the neighbors who I get to see on a day-to-day basis, and those who live next to me, there are no issues.”

Nonetheless, in a follow up call with the Independent, Wilson said he told Kerrigan that he would indeed take the flag down—even though he hadn’t yet, as of the call.

Why? He explained that he said he’d do so because he could not afford a $500 fine—much less a potential lien against his property—for not complying with the yet-tobe-revealed regulation against flying any flags other than an American flag or a military flag.

It’s just yet another reminder that freedom, in fact, is not always free.

MARCH 2021

COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 11

SECRETS NO. 1-3 FOR RECOVERING FROM THE SHUTDOWN

By Shonda Chase, FNP Nurse Practitioner, Co-owner, Artistic Director and Advanced Aesethetic Injector at Revive Wellness Centers in Palm Springs and Torrance, and Medweight, Lasers and Wellness Center in Irvine

L

ong before Botox, there used to be what was called “The Lips�ck Wars” in the 1930s-40s, during the Great Depression and World War II. (The nomenclature was changed by Estée Lauder to “The Lips�ck Index” in 2000.)

Lips�ck sales were an economic indicator, because women wouldn’t forgo lips�ck, even when they couldn’t afford shoes and clothing.

World War II in Europe offered a good example of this indicator. Women would go without ea�ng, if they had to, in order to afford lips�ck. They didn’t know if they were going to survive the war, and they wanted to look their best for special occasions, like an evening at the nightclubs. A�er the war, lips�ck and apparel sales skyrocketed as people wanted to “catch up” with their lives a�er years of depriva�on.

The “Lips�ck Index” has since morphed into the “Botox Index.”

Many people are beginning to have hope of returning to some of the ac�vi�es that were taken away from us during the shutdowns, as COVID vaccines reduce hospitaliza�on rates and symptom severi�es.

My pa�ents are asking me what they can do to look their best as the masks come off when “stepping out” with their family and friends.

Shutdown Recovery Secret No. 1: Lip Restora�on. Lips age by receding, defla�ng and wrinkling. Before dermal fillers, there wasn’t much we could do. But now your lips can look their best when the masks are off!

Shutdown Recovery Secret No. 2: Voluma Li�. If you’re over 35, masks have hidden the fact that you’ve lost the equivalent of five syringes of filler volume in your face over the past year. You can erase that loss with just one filler appointment.

Shutdown Recovery Secret No. 3: Cellulite. The beaches and pools are going to be open this summer. If cellulite is an issue for you, the new Qwo injec�ons will treat moderate to severe cellulite. One to three injec�ons, one month apart, will greatly improve your cellulite.

Spring is the �me to begin ge�ng ready for summer-appearance issues—and any�me is the best �me to accomplish your face and body goals.

Next month, I will share three more subjects for shutdown recovery. Un�l then, keep the secrets.

Our Revive Wellness Center loca�ons are in Palm Springs (760-3254800) and Torrance (310-375-7599; www.revivecenter.com). Our Medweight, Lasers and Wellness Center office is in Irvine (949-5869904; www.medweightandlasers.com).

You can email your individual ques�ons to Shonda Chase FNP, or Allan Y. Wu MD, Revive’s cosme�c surgeon, at shonda@revivecenter.com.

according to Yelp, Tripadvisor & OpenTable WE ARE ONE OF THE VERY BEST with 9,000 Sq feet keeping you safe is easy OPEN DAILY FROM 11AM - 3PM & 5PM - 9PM 849 N PALM CANYON DRIVE . PALM SPRINGS EIGHT4NINE.COM 760.325.8490 CVIndependent.com

12 \\ COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT

MARCH 2021

NEWS

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UNSUNG HEROES T

by madeline zuckerman

ime flies when you’re doing good work!

Dimitri Halkidis, the founder and president of Boo2Bullying, is a true force of nature.

Halkidis said he’s shocked at the fact that his nonprofit brainchild is marking its 10th anniversary this year.

“I can’t believe this idea I had many years ago—to do something meaningful to help kids who are bullied within our community—is about to mark its 10th anniversary,” Halkidis said. “It’s so exciting and very rewarding to realize we have reached so many kids within the Coachella Valley secondary schools each month. Nearly 42 and beyond through this lockdown, as a result percent of kids report having been bullied of our different social-media platforms.” online, with 25 percent being bullied more Drawing on his career as a celebrity than once. Some 1.8 million LGBTQ Americans photographer and gallery owner, Halkidis between the ages of 13 and 24 seriously brought star power and media savvy to his consider suicide each year, largely as a reaction nonprofit from the very beginning. His to bullying. emphasis was on reaching kids in person, But with the school closures, social where they live and go to school—through distancing and bans on indoor gatherings school assemblies, a mentoring program and brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, community outreach.

Boo2Bullying had to revamp many of Having experienced bullying himself, its efforts. For one thing, the in-person Halkidis knew that his nonprofit would strike school assemblies have become virtual a chord and meet a critical need among today’s assemblies. Interestingly, school teachers and youth. The statistics on bullying are stark: Boo2Bullying’s “ambassadors,” who normally Some 280,000 students are attacked in U.S.

Celebrating 10 years, Boo2Bullying teaches kids how to combat all forms of bullying

present these programs, say that the virtual format may actually increase students’ interest and involvement.

“The Boo2Bullying ambassadors made our virtual assemblies, over three days, a personal, upfront experience to hear how older students dealt with bullies,” said Damon Bonelli, a school counselor at Bella Vista Elementary School in Desert Hot Springs. “When we started, a number of students had their videos turned off … but as the Boo2Bullying ambassadors started to share and talk about their real-life experiences with bullying, I noticed that our students’ video feeds started to turn on! Our elementary students know when someone is being real and sincere.

It’s comforting to know that a community nonprofit like Boo2Bullying is here and cares about the well-being of our students.”

Another change: Boo2Bullying’s community outreach moved from in-person tabling at community events to videos on Boo2Bullying’s website and YouTube channel. Cassie Scerbo, actor who serves as Boo2Bullying’s vice president, did a series of in-depth interviews with fellow actors such as Sean Kanan, Maya Stojan and Hayley Hasselhoff, and influencers such as Suede Brooks, about their experiences in overcoming bullying. The annual Desert’s Got Talent fundraising show transformed into the Stand Up and Shout online talent competition, using the Compete app, which filters out cyber-bullying and negative comments to create a safe online space for kids to post videos of their creative talents.

The deadline for submissions was up through January, and winners are expected to be announced soon.

Halkidis and his colleagues continue to

attract new people to Boo2Bullying, who have brought energy and ideas that have translated into new and successful programs for the kids in this community. Mothers Against Bullying was recently started by Charlene Avila, who lost her 13-year-old daughter to suicide resulting from bullying. Boo2Bullying ambassador Katie Welch has created the C.A.P.E. Nation program for K-3 children, with funding from the Anderson Children’s Foundation and the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians. Katie uses a superhero theme to teach the young elementary students courage, appreciation, personal health and education—C.A.P.E.!

“We’ve learned a lot during this period of COVID-19, and we are working hard at developing new programs for our youth for the future,” Halkidis said.

Andrea Madrigal, the director of development at the Boys and Girls Club of Palm Springs, said Boo2Bullying is integral to kids in the Coachella Valley.

“Boo2Bullying is an amazing organization that spreads the word that it is not OK to be bullied, and it is not a rite of passage that every child needs to go through,” Madrigal said. “Boo2Bullying gives kids the tools that they need to overcome bullying—to know how to stand up and help others. As a victim of bullying myself, I know that it is important to give kids a voice and let them be heard. Dimitri and Boo2Bullying do that for our youth.”

For more information on Boo2Bullying, visit Boo2Bullying.org; email info@boo2bullying.org; or call 760-656-0309. Madeline Zuckerman is the owner and president of M. Zuckerman Marketing and Public Relations.

Dimitri Halkidis and Boo2Bullying ambassador Solange Signoret pose with Boo2Bullying students prepandemic. Courtesy of Boo2Bullying

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COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 13

MARCH 2021

NEWS

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MARCH ASTRONOMY

Mars passes south of the Pleiades cluster,Mid-Twilight creating a Planets and Bright Starsstar in Evening For March, 2021 wonderful sight in evening skies

I

By Robert Victor

This sky chart is drawn for latitude 34 degrees north, but may be used in southern U.S. and northern Mexico.

N

March's evening sky chart.

ROBERT D. MILLER

n the evening sky in March, Mars begins near the Pleiades, or Seven Sisters, star cluster—a feast for binoculars—and moves slowly eastward against the attractive background of Taurus the Bull. In the morning sky, Jupiter and Mercury form a close pair low in the east-southeast early in the month, with Saturn not far to their upper right.

Deneb Evenings: In evening mid-twilight, as March opens, the brightest objects are Sirius, the Dog Star, in the south-southeast, and Capella, the Mother Goat star, 12 degrees north of overhead.

These stars mark the southern and northern apices of the huge Winter Hexagon. In clockwise order from Sirius, find Procyon, Pollux/Castor, Capella, Aldebaran, Rigel and back to Sirius.

Mars, fading from magnitude +0.9 to +1.3 in March, is high in the west-southwest to west, and moving eastward about 0.6 degrees per day 0) and Saturn (magnitude +0.7) appear close against a truly attractive star background. Look by, as described below. Zero-magnitude golden Arcturus nightly March 1-6, and watch Mars pass within Arcturus, high in the southwest to west, 3 degrees south of the Pleiades star cluster. and blue-white Vega, very high in the eastThe view through binoculars will be wonderful! northeast, are the most prominent stars. Also Capella On March 15 and 16, Mars will be about look for these first-magnitude stars: Spica, 33 midway between the Pleiades and Aldebaran, degrees to the lower left of Arcturus; Altair Regulus Castor Pollux W the first-magnitude star marking one eye of and Deneb, completing the Summer Triangle E Mars 15 1 8 22 29 Taurus, the Bull. During March 19-21, Mars with Vega; and reddish Antares, heart of the Aldebaran passes within 7 degrees north of Aldebaran.

Scorpion, in the south to south-southwest.

Compare the brightness and color of the two The moon at dawn: About an hour before Betelgeuse Procyon objects. Aim binoculars at Aldebaran, and sunrise through March 10, the moon makes an within the same field of view, you’ll see many eventful trek across the morning sky, passing Rigel fainter stars which are members of another star first-magnitude stars and three planets.

Sirius cluster, the Hyades. The brighter stars of the On March 2, the waning gibbous moon Hyades form a “V” with the foreground, nonappears 5 degrees above Spica, while Mercury member star Aldebaran. Together, the Hyades has moved to within 2 degrees to the upper and Aldebaran form the head of Taurus. right of Jupiter. On March 4, Mercury appears In 2021, Mars takes about 60 days to cross just 0.6 degrees above Jupiter. On March 5, Taurus, from late February until late April. Next the moon, just over half full and approaching time around, Mars will take 7 1/2 months to last quarter, appears 5 degrees above Antares cross this constellation, from early August 2022 in the south, while Mercury appears at its least until late March 2023. That passage will include distance, 0.4 degrees to the left of Jupiter, and Canopus Mars retrograding—moving backward—from 9 degrees to the lower left of Saturn.

Oct. 30, 2022 to Jan. 12, 2023. Near the middle On March 9, find the 16 percent crescent S Evening mid-twilight occurs Stereographic Projection of its retrograde, on Dec. 7, 2022, Mars will be moon in the southeast, with an impressive when Sun is 9 below horizon.

Map by Robert D. Miller at opposition and will shine at magnitude -1.8, string of planets to its left and lower left. In Mar. 1: 40 minutes after sunset.

The moon returns to the morning midshowpiece giant planets will be up all night, brighter than Sirius! order, starting closest to the moon, are Saturn, 15: 39 " " " twilight sky March remaining visible during evenings for nearly The moon makes a pass through the early Jupiter (the brightest) and Mercury. On March 31: 40 27 " through " " April 9: It’ll be full on March 28, and will appear near Spica on a half-year thereafter. In the last five months evening sky on March 14-28, while changing 10, the 9 percent moon sits below the threeMarch 29, and Antares on April 1. of 2021, Venus, Jupiter and Saturn will all be from a thin crescent to full. Moving an planet lineup, within 9 degrees to the lower After the epic close conjunction of Jupiter available for evening naked-eye and telescopic average of 13 degrees per day against the left of Saturn, and 5 degrees to the lower right and Saturn at dusk on Dec. 21, 2020, the observation. Let’s hope that conditions will be background of the zodiac constellations, the of Jupiter. Mercury is 4.5 degrees to the lower giant planets have reappeared at dawn while right by then for folks to gather to share and waxing moon moves through Pisces; Aries; left of Jupiter that morning, while Saturn is spreading apart, to 9 degrees on March 9; 10 enjoy the wonderful views.

Taurus (including the Pleiades, Aldebaran, just more than 9 degrees to Jupiter’s upper degrees on March 16; 11 degrees on March 24; and Mars); Gemini (including Pollux and right. On March 11, the 4 percent crescent and 12 degrees on April 2. The gap between Robert Victor was a staff astronomer at Abrams Castor); Cancer; Leo (including Regulus); and moon will have barely risen in the eastthem in the predawn sky will continue to grow Planetarium at Michigan State University. He Virgo (including Spica, not yet risen at midsoutheast in bright twilight, only half an hour until June 11, when they’ll be 19 3/4 degrees originated the Abrams Planetarium monthly twilight in late March). before sunup. apart. On five occasions during 2029-31, Sky Calendar in October 1968 and still produces Morning sky: Venus is too close to the sun On March 15, the three morning planets Jupiter and Saturn will be 180 degrees apart! issues occasionally. For subscription information to be seen, leaving recently emerged Jupiter appear in a nearly straight line at 10-degree Their next conjunction, 1.1 degrees apart, will and a sample, visit www.abramsplanetarium. (magnitude -2) as the brightest morning “star.” intervals. From the upper right to the lower take place on Oct. 31, 2040. org/skycalendar. He is now retired and enjoys At mid-twilight in the course of March, Jupiter left, they are Saturn, Jupiter and Mercury.

On Aug. 1 and 19, 2021, the Earth will providing informal sky watching opportunities for climbs from 5 degrees up to 16 degrees up in Thereafter, Mercury rapidly recedes from overtake Saturn and Jupiter, and those folks in and around Palm Springs. the east-southeast. Mercury (near magnitude Jupiter and sinks into brighter twilight.

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MARCH 2021

Wastewater testing can help officials detect COVID-19 outbreaks and variants— but Palm Springs is the only valley city currently using the technology.

BY KEVIN FITZGERALD

Earlier this year,

the Department of Homeland Security’s science and technology arm announced that it had joined a coalition of federal agencies, led by the Centers for Disease Control National’s Wastewater Surveillance System, whose goal is to “better understand the spread of the (COVID-19) virus in communities, to contain and defeat it.”

The press release explains: “Using this wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) approach, the public health community is banding together to identify and treat health

threats in a non-invasive way.”

So … what does all this jargon mean? It means scientists are tracking SARS-CoV-2— and, perhaps, other viruses and nasty things—in poop.

So far, here in the Coachella Valley, only the city of Palm Springs has employed this testing, at the city’s wastewater-treatment plant—and it helped city officials sound early alarms about the huge COVID-19 spike the state endured in December and January.

“Our assistant city manager, Marcus Fuller, had actually seen a report on a television show about another city testing their wastewater for COVID,” said Palm Springs City

Councilman Geoff Kors. “So he investigated it, and working with the staff, they decided that it made sense to test our wastewater for COVID, to get a better sense of what the real numbers were in cases, and so we could see trends in increases or decreases.

“That tracking has always shown more active cases than the county showed, because the county only has the data from the people who are tested. Right after Thanksgiving 2020, we saw a huge increase—first of 600 percent, and then I think it was a 1,000 percent increase in active COVID. So when the state did the shutdown, because of the data I’d seen, it wasn’t that surprising.”

Fuller said it’s normal for wastewater management to sample and test for various things, including pathogens.

“So it was easy to sample and test for the virus,” Fuller said. “But the question was if you have ‘x’ amount of virus per liter, then how many cases of the disease does that represent, and how many copies of the virus does somebody shed in their urine or their feces?”

To answer these questions, the city

connected with GT Molecular. The Fort Collins, Colo., company, according to its website, “was created to develop new molecular detection technology for cancer research and harmful pathogen detection,” and has “recently focused these powerful tools on the detection of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater to support communities around the country with their monitoring programs.”

“They’re working in collaboration with labs and universities across the country that are trying to come up with the best guess on their models for how to interpret this data,” Fuller said. “That’s why when they give us the results, it’s kind of in a range.

“We do our tests on Mondays and Tuesdays every week.

Samples are taken over 24 hours to make a composite sample, and then it’s sent to Colorado. Obviously, people who just became positive don’t know they’re positive, and some are asymptomatic, so they can’t be reflected in the county’s data yet—so (the wastewater-testing program) is almost like a preview of what’s to come.”

Rose Nash is the director of research and

"Obviously, people who just became positive don’t know they’re positive, and some are asymptomatic, so they can’t be reflected in the county’s data yet—so (the wastewater-testing program) is almost like a preview of what’s to come.”

—Marcus Fuller

assistant city manager, city of Palm Springs

Ramon Lopez collects samples at the city of Palm Springs' wastewater-treatment plant and gets ready to package it with dry ice and send it for testing at GT Molecular in Fort Collins, Colo.

Photo courtesy of the city of Palm Springs

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MARCH 2021

COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 15

development at GT absolutely wanted systems throughout the valley, with the Molecular. this to be affordable. exceptions of Palm Springs, Indio and “The testing process We wanted as many various areas within other valley cities. entails filtering the communities— Katie Evans, the district’s conservation and sample to remove especially low-income communications director, said the sprawling solids, and then communities that size of the CVWD presents a challenge. concentrating the might not have as “When you’re looking at a system as large virus that’s present much tax revenue— as ours, which covers 100,000 different in the wastewater,” to participate. We accounts, (spot testing for SARS-CoV-2) is just Nash said. “This is started with our price not really a useful piece of data,” Evans said. required because, even at $295 per sample, “I definitely would not say that the CVWD is though we’re using and we’ve held it not interested in following or engaging (with the most state-ofthere throughout this this technology at some point). But the way the-art technologies entire pandemic. That our system is built, at this point, it wouldn’t for counting viral includes the kit that really be very useful. Even if we went out and particles—the type we ship with the tubes sampled manholes, we have tens of thousands of technologies that that the wastewater of them. So to get useful data, it would cost are often reserved for gets transferred to, who-knows-how-much money to go out forensic laboratories and the shipping and test samples at a lot of manholes—and or cancer research— labels to get it back that really wouldn’t give us any information the amount of virus in to us. … We’re about that we don’t have now. We know, because wastewater is just so Ramon Lopez collects samples at the city of Palm Springs' wastewater-treatment plant and gets one-fourth of the of community testing, just how widespread low that it requires we ready to package it with dry ice and send it for testing at GT Molecular in Fort Collins, Colo. price of anyone else in COVID-19 is. So if we were to start testing our Photo courtesy of the city of Palm Springs concentrate it further. the market. wastewater, it would basically tell us the same “After “We’re all affected thing: how widespread COVID-19 is.” concentrating it, we “Certainly, I think that if there were grants by viruses. As I like to say, viruses don’t I asked Evans about the point made by extract the viral RNA. This is done because the available—and I think there should be, so that know borders, and they don’t know different Marcus Fuller about wastewater testing molecule that we quantify as RNA is on the ratepayers aren’t bearing the burden of the communities or different income levels.” offering “almost like a preview of what’s inside of viral particles. So we open the virus costs—that would be most helpful. The data The Coachella Valley Water District is up, grab the RNA, clean it and concentrate it, that’s being collected is being handed over to continued on next page responsible for managing the wastewater and then we put this RNA into what’s called the CDC and to public-health (organizations) ‘droplet digital PCR,’ which is an advanced who are benefitting molecular technology for counting nucleic from it, but they’re acid molecules. We can design our droplet not really paying for digital PCR tests to target SARS-CoV-2, as it, so to speak. So I well as variants of SARS-CoV-2, such as the really think that the UK variant or the South African variant, important issue is who which has gotten a lot of news coverage lately should bear the cost as being hyper-transmissible and starting to of it.” circulate around the world.”

GT Molecular’s Nash said there is indeed a cost associated with doing such testing.

“When wastewaterbased epidemiology data on the community spread of SARS-CoV-2 really started, it was a national pilot program and its various variants would be undeniably that got a lot of people helpful. So why is only Palm Springs currently involved and helped collecting that data? people realize that it Primarily, one word: Money. was possible,” Nash Beverli Marshall is the general manager of said. “But when the the Valley Sanitary District, which manages fee-for-service models the wastewater system for the city of Indio, (were rolled out and the and parts of Coachella and La Quinta. country) transitioned “I believe that any data you can gather is away from the free pilot important,” Marshall said. “Obviously, there program, the cost per are several agencies nationwide, as well as sample tested was over in California, that are participating in this $1,000 a sample, and (practice) and helping to develop the metrics so a lot of communities so that it can be used for future outbreaks were priced out of from a wide variety of sources. But it really participating. So when comes down to a cost factor, because this we (at GT Molecular) would be additional testing that we don’t The city of Palm Springs' wastewater testing revealed that COVID-19 levels started to spike just before Thanksgiving—and that spike continued past Christmas. got involved, we normally do.

Back here in

Coachella Valley,

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16 \\ COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT continued from Page 15 to come,” because it detects early and asymptomatic COVID-19 cases.

“Whatever public-health actions would result from the data would have to be weighed against the time and expense it required to accomplish,” Evans said. “Again, (the wastewater test results) will not give us pinpointed data, or specific information.

Because we can’t get that granular on information without literally testing tens of thousands of manholes, it doesn’t really provide us data that would make a decision possible.”

Nash said her company is working on this very issue.

“GT Molecular collaborates with this wonderful company called GoAigua,” she said. “They have a team of epidemiologists, but they’re also great at hydraulic monitoring and understanding the sewer pipes’ configuration and operations. … We’re working with GoAigua, for instance, in the city of Burlington, Vt., to understand where the different trunks are, and what are all the different communities, and where you could collect in the sub-sewer shed to identify a given population, or a given neighborhood, or a given community. Then, a sampler can be installed there, rather than at the wastewater-treatment plant. So there’s some really fantastic modeling that can be done to actually get at that (source identification).”

Given that the

application of this technology

is so new—we’ve only known about the existence of SARS-CoV-2 for a little more than a year, after all—some are concerned about the accuracy of the models that extrapolate the projected number of COVID-19 cases.

“That is a very common topic in the field,” Nash said. “Early on in the pandemic, a couple of groups published a mathematical model that can be used to estimate exactly how many COVID-19 cases are in an area.

I find that there are some benefits to this (model), because it helps to contextualize the data.

“That said, the first concern from scientists, myself included, is that the data we are using in these models to understand how much virus one person sheds when they’re infected is based on a study where only 20 patients were monitored for shedding in the stool—and any scientist will tell you that 20 people is not enough.

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MARCH 2021

sheds virus from their intestine for up to a full week before they get symptomatic and would usually be tested,” Nash said. “I like to think of this as the Achilles’ heel of COVID-19, in the sense that it throws up a red flag that it’s coming—but (you see it) only if you’re looking in the sewer.

Right now, though, I think the most impactful use of this (testing program) is looking for the hypertransmissible variants. … We can certainly use our testing as an early warning system against these hypertransmissible variants.”

Palm Springs initiated testing for the variants early this year.

“There’s still great Ramon Lopez collects samples at the city of Palm Springs' wastewater-treatment plant and gets use for it when the ready to package it with dry ice and send it for testing at GT Molecular in Fort Collins, Colo.

Photo courtesy of the city of Palm Springs levels are high,” Nash said. “Palm Springs However, we are in the middle of a pandemic. with a case estimate. Also, the amount of did a really great This is all evolving very rapidly, and we viral matter that’s being shed is important to analysis where they took the data we provided don’t have bigger datasets that are more the estimate, and the models don’t take into them, and they overlaid the different policies representative. So it’s an estimate that’s based account any form of viral or RNA degradation that had been put in place, like when they on the best science there is right now.” as the virus travels through the wastewater. shut down bars, or when they shut down However, the more So that’s another restaurants, or when they went to ‘purple’ that testing is done, the issue. … Our actual status versus ‘red.’ You could see (the viral better the data gets, at number that we load levels in) the wastewater respond to least as far as detecting report for the viral those actions. So it can be used to drive policy trends goes. concentration decisions … but I think the best use of it is “We’ve done this for only has an error looking for new viruses, whether it’s new 30 different measurement of forms of COVID-19, or hepatitis, which is communities, and we’ve about 5 percent. The something else we’re working on right now.” overlaid our data with concentrations that While the scientists continue their work, their case numbers from we report do not have Beverli Marshall, of the Valley Sanitary diagnostic testing, and a large range. It’s only District, said wastewater-management our average correlation when we feed it into officials need to be kept in the loop. coefficient is 0.8, and that (case-number) “I applaud this,” Marshall said. “Somebody that’s (on a scale) where model, which has actually thought about where we could find ‘1’ is perfect, and ‘0’ is to take into account a source of data that’s less invasive, without very poor. So the testing a lot of variables, compromising personal privacy, or HIPPAof wastewater has a that we get the large type stuff. We’re not going household to beautiful (trending) range.” household asking if you’re sick. This way, correlation with the Nash suggested we can test at a more macro level by using amount of cases in a that as we learn more wastewater. So there is room for that given area. … There are about the virus that discussion even beyond COVID-19—but we so many variables. For causes COVID-19, (wastewater service providers) have to be at instance, there’s a large the table.”

GT Molecular the applications for variation in the size of wastewater-testing an average stool across the population, and data will also evolve and improve. that’s an important metric when coming up “There’s data that suggests that a patient

"I think the most impactful use of this (testing program) is looking for the hypertransmissible variants. … We can certainly use our testing as an early warning system.”

—Rose Nash

director of research and development,

COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 17

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A REGIONAL RESOURCE W

CREATE Center for the Arts is celebrating its huge new home with two arts projects that are open to everyone

By jimmy boegle

hen we entered the Cloud Room, Debra Ann Mumm sensed my surprise.

“Take a moment,” she said, joking, but not really. “Let yourself take it all in. Take all the time you need.”

The Cloud Room is the most bonkers part—I mean that in a good way—of the CREATE Center for the Arts’ brand-new home at 73600 Alessandro Drive, in the revitalized San Pablo area of Palm Desert. The 20,000-square-foot building was previously the home of both the Venus Healing Arts Center, a gym and wellness center for people, and Venus de Fido, a gym and wellness center for pets. for rent), full locker rooms for both men and “The new space is completely fabulous,” women, and gorgeous outdoor patio spaces. said Mumm, the founder and CEO of the This all hints at possible future programs for CREATE Center for the Arts. “‘Space’ is kind CREATE. of the operative word there. We have room “With the existing wellness things built in, to do all our cool stuff that we were doing it makes sense for us to add those services, before, and more exciting new things.” because I think art is good for you—and so CREATE got its start a little more than including the healing arts seems like a natural four years ago at what was then Mumm’s win,” Mumm said. “And if you have a salt business, Venus Studios and Art Supply. Her cave, you’ve got to use it.” goal, as the website puts it, was to make “a I asked Mumm to predict all of the things collaborative and creative environment built that would be happening at CREATE on a for the community.” Most recently, CREATE typical day, say, a year and a half from now, was in a space—that the arts center quickly when the pandemic is fully in the rearview outgrew— on Fred Waring Drive. When mirror (we really, really hope).

Mumm discovered the former Venus de Fido “I expect that each of the studio areas will space was available last year, she reached out have something going on—like somebody can to owner Lindi Biggi and struck a deal. be printmaking or screen printing, painting, CREATE’s staff and volunteers started drawing, natural dyes, knitting weaving, and moving in December, and the unpacking process is still ongoing; they’ve had the luxury spinning,” she said. “And who knows for that Cloud Room? We anticipate having a lot of of time due to the fact that CREATE’s halls different types of meetings in there. We just are quieter than normal, (no) thanks to the met with the (Palm Springs) Opera Guild; pandemic. they’re going to be filming a little something Mumm is elated that CREATE now has for their opera students in that room. space for all the arts programs—except for “It’s all about how we can best be in a couple that we’ll get to in a moment—the service to the community and make this center has been fostering over the last fourextremely wonderful facility available. We plus years. There are separate studios for could potentially be doing dog-walking that the more-traditional arts, including textiles, day, because this used to be a dog park, and I paint, printmaking and photography— know that there are some people who would including an old-school darkroom. There are really appreciate that in the summertime for also spaces for newer forms of art, including their furry friends.” a broadcast studio, and a digital design lab, Mumm is also hoping that by that point, containing virtual-reality equipment and CREATE will have reign over the entire 3-D printers (which spent much of the last building—including a portion the center does year churning out badly needed personal not currently occupy. protective equipment for local medical “There’s a 3,000-square-foot, two-level professionals). There’s the aforementioned limo garage in the back that we are not Cloud Room, with its anti-microbial floor occupying,” Mumm said. “But we have every (!); it’s a space that could be used for intention of turning that into a woodworking performances, events and various other things. There’s a café. And there are spaces for and metalworking studio in the future. I’d like things not traditionally associated with quote- to get that going by the end of the year. We already have the equipment; we just need the unquote art—like gardening, for example. space.”

And then there’s … a salt cave? Yes, really, While the halls of CREATE are fairly quiet there’s a salt cave, along with massage and now, Mumm said she anticipates that to medical-therapy studios (that may soon be up CVIndependent.com

The Cloud Room at the CREATE Center for the Arts will serve as an events and multipurpose space once the move-in is finished. Jimmy Boegle

change soon—COVID-19 willing, of course.

The crew is working on adding more classes back to the schedule, as long as they can be done safely and within state guidelines.

They’re also working on two related arts projects which will help introduce the community to the new CREATE Center for the Arts—again, pandemic permitting.

First: CREATE just put out a call for artists to participate in the space’s inaugural art show, Welcome Walls (The Art of Us). Anybody and everybody is invited to participate by submitting works at CREATE through March 12 during regular-for-now hours (10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday through Friday). There is a $30 fee to enter; the fee drops to $15 for CREATE members, and $10 for artists 18 years old and younger. Proceeds from works sold will be split 50-50 between CREATE and the artist.

Second: The center is currently offering pom pom kits for $20 during regular business hours.

Those two projects will come together on

Saturday, March 20, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., for the opening of Welcome Walls (The Art of Us), and for the Wish Garden Planting Party, during which the pom pom creations will be “planted” outside of CREATE. Mumm said she hopes the community participates in both events—and throws its support behind CREATE, so the center can survive and thrive in its ambitious new space.

“We signed a short-term lease. We have to be sure that we’re protecting the organization, and the landlord wants to make sure that we can meet our obligations,” Mumm said. “So this is our make-it-or-break-it year. Clearly, this is a facility that is a regional resource for the community, and things like this don’t survive without community support.”

CREATE Center for the Arts is located at 73600 Alessandro Drive, in Palm Desert. For more information, call 760-834-8318, or visit createcentercv.org.

MARCH 2021

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ARTS & CULTURE

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EXHIBITION, VIRTUALLY T

By matt king

here’s a lot of art in the Coachella Valley. From paintings at the Palm Springs Art Museum to sidewalk graffiti in Coachella, art is everywhere—and it’s going to take a lot more than a pandemic to diminish it.

The members of the Artists Council certainly haven’t been letting the coronavirus dampen their creativity. In fact, they’re celebrating their latest virtual exhibition and sale—a juried show called Reflections 20/20. Some 89 artworks, selected by jurors Rodney D. Lubeznik and Robert S. Leathers, were selected among submissions by Artists Council members from 20 states and three other countries. The show will be on display at artistscouncil.com through that became a major platform for us to launch Friday, April 2. virtual exhibitions. We actually pioneered the The pivot to online shows is just the latest use of what’s called the ‘360 exhibition.’ The change the Artists Council has navigated in Galen museum let us in to take pictures of recent years. the blank walls, and we are able to actually “The Artists Council had a 15-year history place electronic pictures in this virtual as part of the Palm Springs Art Museum,” setting—so you can actually walk around like said David Hatcher, the Artists Council board you’re actually in the museum. chair, during a recent phone interview. “In “It was a challenge, but we did it in a sort2018, for various mutually agreeable reasons, of phased approach. We had our initial virtual we parted from the museum and became an exhibition back in September. We took some independent 501(c)3 nonprofit. I joined to of our artists who had been doing extra help organize the new corporation, and to volunteer work for us, and we were able to formulate a new board and policy. My wife is show them. We only had 10 pieces, but we an artist, and she was on the board, but I got were able to set up the whole process of how recruited to help with the business side.” the photos were taken and organized, and “The Artists Council that was a part of the made sure that they were the right resolution. museum had this tradition of having a very Then we had a very successful second show, professional exhibition once a year, with a large number of artists that would join. When which was actually a fundraiser called Holiday Squares, where we mounted 80 pieces which it became mutually agreeable, we took that were all 8-by-8-inch squares that were and moved it to our own organization, where donated by our artists. They were sold for we could expand and could do more than one $100 each, and it was extremely successful. show a year. As part of that, the museum Out of the 80, we sold 36 pieces.” made available to us the use of The Galen This prepared the council for Reflections museum in Palm Desert. … The first (show) 20/20. was in March and April of 2019, and the “It’s going to be the virtual equivalent second one was in November. They were quite of what we’ve always done for our Artists successful. … It expanded the ability of the Council exhibition annual shows,” Hatcher council to put up more pieces and get more said. “It’s been exciting.” people involved in a juried show.”

Radcliffe explained the show’s theme.

The Artists Council was just hitting its “We picked Reflections 20/20, because it stride as an independent organization when could mean that you are reflecting on what the pandemic arrived. happened in 2020, or you are honing your “We had a third exhibition all planned,” vision to look at what can be better in the Hatcher said. “Tony (Radcliffe, the director future,” Radcliffe said. “We had about 157 of exhibits) and his committee had worked artists apply through the call-for-entry extra hard, and we were all set to go. That system. Because the call-for-entry system is was going to start on April 1, 2020—then, of a national and international system, we have course, came COVID, so we had to cancel it.” artists from 23 other states, and three artists It turns out the Artists Council members from Italy, one from Romania, and one from had already started the process of mounting Canada that joined our membership.” online shows—even if they didn’t realize it.

The influx in members has come as a “Interestingly enough, we had started welcome surprise to Radcliffe. some virtual, online, IT projects to automate “We found 44 new members,” said Radcliffe. our membership system, our donor system, “It’s being recognized around the country and e-commerce, etc.,” Hatcher said. “We around our region in the Coachella Valley. We continued with that after COVID hit, and CVIndependent.com

The Artists Council uses pioneering technology to give its online juried show ‘Reflections 20/20’ a real museum feel

get highly qualified jurors outside of the Coachella Valley. Also, we have a beautiful venue to show the art in—or we show the art as if it were in The Galen, which is a beautiful building.

I’m pretty sure that’s the reason why people are getting excited about being in our exhibitions.”

While the future is uncertain, one thing is for sure: The Artists Council will continue to utilize their virtual tools to expand the reach of the art.

“I think we see it as a part of our ongoing legacy,” Hatcher said. “We’ve been so successful that we’ll continue to have virtual shows—but we are anxious to get back to the physical shows. There’s nothing like seeing the actual piece of art, but we think there’s a role for this, and maybe it’ll allow people to be able to see things that they couldn’t see otherwise.

“We are anxious to get Gregory’s “The Penny Test—Ledbetter v Goodyear” (assemblage: back to the physical world, Stacey used tire, pennies, mirror, Swarovski crystals) is one of the Reflections but the way COVID has 20/20 Jury Award recipients. gone, we’re not sure when year, but hopefully move into live capability that will be, whether it’s going to be the end of this year—or hopefully, at the latest, by the once we can get access to the building.”

Radcliffe added that he’s hoping the Artists first quarter of next year.”

Council will eventually be able to do even Because of the uncertainty, the Artists more at The Galen—with which the Palm Council is continuing to plan strictly virtual Springs Art Museum cut ties last year. shows—for now.

“In the future, we’re hoping to have “We’re in the beginning process of thinking more events in The Galen—classes, all about a member open show for the summer,” sorts of discussions and talks about art, Hatcher said. “Our Holiday Squares annual demonstrations of art, etc., while the shows event will be in December. There’s a show are going on. that Tony is planning for the October to “We’re looking to try to help make the November timeframe, so we are planning to desert a center for artists, and kind of a have four major shows.” hub for people like our patrons and people The Artists Council has also been using around the country, because I think this is new technology to expand its educational going to grow. A lot of people are going to be programs. interested in what we’re able to do.”

“We have a very robust program of virtual art classes that have been going on,” Hatcher Reflections 20/20, a virtual 360-degree said. “It’s two to three classes per month with exhibition and sale by the Artists Council, will lectures. Our education director has really be on display through Friday, April 2. For more pre-thought quite a robust program that’s information, visit www.artistscouncil.com. going to go virtual, at least for the rest of the

COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 21

MARCH 2021

ARTS & CULTURE

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EGG-CELLENT ART F

Old Town Artisan Studios’ ‘Eggstravaganza’ raises money for the organization’s heralded outreach program

By jimmy boegle

or more than a decade, the ceramic egg has been the signature medium for art at Old Town Artisan Studios.

“If you ask (a group of) people, ‘How many of you have a piece of pottery that you made or your child made, or someone made, and you’ve kept it for 20 years or more?’ the show of hands is remarkable,” said Victory Grund, the co-founder of the La Quinta arts organization.

“Everyone has some little piece. So, for holidays, we wanted to find something that was memorable … and so for spring breaks and Easter and that type of thing, we chose the little ceramic egg.”

“I wasn’t mentally myself, because it was More than 360 of those ceramic eggs— so hard to see that beautiful place shut down, transformed by artists throughout the and families not coming,” Grund said.

Coachella Valley and beyond—will be on Nearly a year later, portions of Old display in Eggstravaganza, an exhibit and Town Artisan Studios are again up and fundraiser taking place both online and running. The Leland Gallery will be open for in-person at Old Town Artisan Studios in-person viewing of Eggstravaganza—with throughout the month of March. All of the strict attendance limits and precautions, of eggs will be on sale, and the proceeds will course—and some classes, with size limits, fund the organization’s much-heralded artsare again under way. However, much remains outreach program. limited, including most of the in-person As was the case with virtually every arts elements of the arts-outreach program. organization, Old Town Artisan Studios’ This brings us back to the ceramic eggs, in-person operations came to a screeching which were included in some of the 24,000 halt last March, sending the three-acre “Art2Go” kits that Old Town Artisan Studios campus into silence. has assembled for school students, seniors and disabled adults over the last troubled year. Eggs are also a symbol of rebirth, and Grund decided rebirth and hope would be something much-needed come March of 2021—so she and her team put out some feelers to see if artists would be interested in taking the ceramic eggs and working their magic.

“I passed the word around, and you know, the most amazing thing happened: A few friends, and artist friends, and some artists I hadn’t known before from the Artists Council—they got wind of it on social media,” Grund said. “I was just getting emails and calls all the time to get the eggs. It was like a domino effect: They would paint these gorgeous eggs, and post them (on social media), and all their friends looked at it.”

Before all was said and done, members of more than a half-dozen arts organizations were creating eggs for Eggstravaganza, as were some of Old Town Artisan Studios’ outreach students. The vast majority of the eggs will be up for sale in an online auction, with a starting bid of $20 and a “buy now” price of $100. However, a handful of eggs will be offered in open, no-limits auctions. These include eggs contributed by big names in the art world, including Robert LaDuke, Snake Jagger and Delos Van Earl.

This egg by artist Snake Jagger will be included According to a news release, the in the no-limits auction.

While most of the eggs for sale will have a $100 “buy now” option, a select few by bigger-name artists, including this basket by Delos Van Earl, will be for sale in a no-limits auction.

organization already has funding to distribute another 6,000 Art2Go kits with the ceramic eggs, and the funds raised via Eggstravaganza will go toward buying more—and eventually getting the outreach program fully running again, when it’s safe to do so. The program serves students via schools, the local Boys and Girls Clubs, and the YMCA; and older people via senior centers. Old Town Artisan Studios also runs arts programs for veterans and people dealing with Alzheimer’s disease.

Meanwhile, Grund said she’s excited to have people returning to Old Town Artisan Studios—and is looking forward to the day when the campus is fully back to life.

“It’s so unique,” Grund said about the Old Town La Quinta art campus. “… Someday, I hope it becomes of part of people’s tours when they come into town. They don’t have to buy anything. They don’t have to pay anything, but it’s so unique. It’s three acres.”

Eggstravaganza will be on display from Monday, March 1, through Thursday, April 1, at the Leland Gallery at Old Town Artisan Studios, 78046 Calle Barcelona, in La Quinta.

All eggs will be on display and up for sale at oldtownartisanstudios.org. For more information, visit the website, or call 760-777-1444.

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ARTS & CULTURE

‘REMEMBER ANNIE’ L

An excerpt from Manuel Padilla Jr.’s ‘Coconut: Brown on the Outside, White on the Inside’

By manuel padilla jr.

ife for Latino Americans in Los Angeles during the turbulent 1960s and 1970s is the focus of Coconut, my new novel. The book provides a look at racism and marginalization through the eyes of a child and his family.

I’ve yet to see a story printed about what it was like to be a middle-class, American-born Latino family during that time. Yet there are 42 million Latino baby boomers—many like myself, who were not taught Spanish nor encouraged to embrace our Hispanic roots. Assimilation was the only acceptable path, and both blatant and institutional racism were prevalent. Coconut examines what it was like to be a Latino during that era of civil rights change.

Little Eva was jubilant when her Uncle Oree Set in the San Fernando Valley, Coconut lifted her up in the air to grab a blue balloon. examines the lives of the Rodrigos, a second/ He gently put her down and she excitedly ran third generation Mexican-American family. around in circles flailing the balloon by a string, The novel opens with the young protagonist giggling the whole time. As the rest of the suffering a racist confrontation, and then family took their places around the table, Maria explores the complexities of his family’s life smiled and looked out across the yard. For a as they strive for acceptance in an often moment it was like the ghosts of her children, unaccepting homeland. Coconut uses historical events such as the Depression-era repatriation of sister and her family breezed past her eyes as they danced and laughed in front of her—and Latinos, “Operation Wetback” in the 1950s and then disappeared. Maria was thankful they had the Chicano Rights Movement of the 1970s as a shared those times, even if they were all now in backdrop to exploring the plight of the family. the past.

Here is an excerpt from Coconut: Brown on the When it came time for dinner, Maria had Outside, White on the Inside.

Luz help her bring out the food, and the family enjoyed each other’s company as in years past. ree began to feel like maybe his impending Baby Eddie shook his head and started crying news might be met with favor. The trick when Eva put her finger which had enchilada was to pre-occupy his mother’s mind. Keep her sauce on it up to his lips. This solicited a hearty thoughts off of grief and replace them with laugh amongst the group, except for Eva who grandbabies. He went to the party store and got a light tap on her hand from her mother. got a small burro piñata, balloons and blue and Halfway through the meal, Albert lifted his white streamers. He spent Saturday morning Dixie cup in a toast, “I want to thank you for blowing up balloons and hanging them and the streamers in the back yard. While he was setting joining us in celebrating my grandson Eddie’s birthday. I am very happy to have my family things up for the party, he began wondering if it here today, and although we’re not all here in might be the ideal time to share the news of his person, we are all together in spirit. I wish my plans with his family. He had already received father were here to see this. That we are all still one letter of acceptance and was hopeful he a family.” would get one from New York shortly.

“I have my family with me. It has helped Anthony, Luz and their children arrived comfort me through times of difficulty,” Maria Saturday afternoon. They brought a very old and fragile Elizabeth with them and Albert went added as Elizabeth sat by and wiped her eyes.

“When I was a child, my father had a saying out to the porch to help his mother make it up he would use when things were either really the short steps to their house. Eva gave Maria good or really bad: ‘Sometimes your life can end a big kiss and hug, and Oree picked her up and up being so much more than you hoped for.’ said “I want to show you something in the back Now, seeing my grandchildren reminds of the yard. C’mon!” importance of that saying, and it gives me hope The family went to the back yard and for the future. I also know my own son, Aurelio, Elizabeth softly remarked, “Es muy bonita, it’s so is planning to go to college, and I am so happy beautiful. Just like the parties we used to have.” he will be going to college close by, so he can “Yes, just like the parties we used to have stay with his mother and father while he learns; Elizabeth,” Maria said grasping her hand as she helped her to sit down at the big redwood picnic so he can help to keep our family whole.”

Oree couldn’t believe what he was hearing. table which Albert had recently constructed. (He Earlier, he had told his parents that he was had lately taken up the hobby of building things planning to go to a university and that he was to help pre-occupy his time now that he no “keeping my options open” as far as where that longer had a second job.)

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O

school may be. He couldn’t believe that they had interpreted that as, “I am going to stay at home and take care of my depressed mother while I go to a community college down the street.” He had far greater plans for his future and they did not include staying in Sylmar.

“Uh, I didn’t say that,” Oree spoke out. “I told you I was planning to go to a university and that I was keeping my options open.”

The table suddenly grew quiet. At some point, Anthony, looking down at little Eddie who was smiling up at him, said, “Having your family around you ain’t that bad.”

“Oree, we’ll talk about this later,” his father finally spoke. “Let’s have Eva break the piñata for Eddie.”

Oree led Eva over to the tree and as she was so young, he didn’t blindfold her. He let her swing and swing with a wooden rod as he raised and lowered the piñata. His family laughed as she gently tapped at the burro and giggled.

After she began to tire, Oree said “Let me take over short stuff. Stand back.”

He tied the rope that suspended the piñata to the tree and with one hard, long swing he sent the piñata and candy flying out toward his family. Eva scrambled under the benches for candy. “Ouch, that hurt,” his mother who had been sprayed with candy, yelled out.

Oree held the wood rod tautly and simply glared.

That night after everyone left, he was too tired to go out and he had lately heard that disco was on its way to a slow and painful death, so he stayed home with his parents and helped his mother clean up the kitchen in silence. When they were finished, they went to join Albert who was reading a Reader’s Digest on his recliner in the living room. The TV was blaring some documentary on migrants planning to come from Central America as a result of wars going on in their country. Oree said he was going to go to his room. His father stopped him.

“So, what’s this about a university and it sounds like you’re planning to move out?” his father said looking up from the magazine.

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MARCH 2021

CVINDEPENDENT.COM/ARTS-AND-CULTURE “Oh no, he can’t move out. Who will help me?

I need Oree here with me,” Maria pleaded. “He has to stay with his family.”

“Says who?” Oree said plainly. “Look, it’s awful that Aunt Cathy died and grandma and grandpa are gone, and that you don’t speak with Annie, but this isn’t my life. It’s your life.”

“We’re not asking you to not go to school, only that it might be better for you to go to school closer to home. The city college is right down the street. Is it too much that we ask that you make one, small sacrifice after all this family has been through?” his father said, putting the magazine down.

“One, small sacrifice? Is that what you said?

We’re talking about the future of my life. Given the color of my skin, if I don’t have the best education possible, I don’t stand a chance of ever becoming anything,” Oree said. “I want people to look at my resume, my credentials, what I have in my brain. If they can’t see past my skin, they certainly can’t negate an Ivy League education.”

“Ivy League, huh? All I’m saying is maybe wait a year or two,” his father continued. “That’s all we’re asking. Your mother is getting stronger every day, and today she was talking with Luz about her watching the kids during the day, so Luz can work part time. My mom won’t be here forever and some day they’ll have to get a place of their own. They need to start saving money.”

“Great. So, I can stay here and go to a local college, so mom can watch the children of my brother whose key contribution to this world is providing it with two kids. There’s something you need to know,” Oree said, calmly taking a breath. “I’ve applied for universities outside of California and I especially want to go to Columbia University in New York to study political science.”

“What the heck is political science, and tell me how are you going to pay for that education and make a living doing political whatever it is?” Albert said. “Do you have any idea how expensive New York is?”

“Oree, you can take political science here.

You can go to the community college. It won’t cost us or you anything,” his mother said as she began to wring her hands.

“I thought the whole point of having kids was that they could grow up and be something really big, really important. Now, you’re pushing all this familia crap on me like somehow I’m responsible for helping to keep this family together,” Oree said, as he began to raise his voice. “It’s not fair. I am the kid remember? I didn’t create my brother’s life and I certainly didn’t make my sister decide on the choices she has. I’ve already been lining up financial aid so I can afford to go to Columbia.”

“You’re ungrateful,” his father said angrily.

“We did not raise you to desert your family.

You’re just selfish. How can you even think of leaving your mother with the state that she’s in?”

“I’m not selfish, I only want my life, and I am

not responsible for my mother’s well-being. My whole life, I’ve heard ‘Be humble. You’re brown, take what you can get and be content’. And, then there’s the my family, mi familia. You have to maintain the well-being of the familia, feed it like it’s all some kind of poisonous, rotting plant that you have to nourish to keep alive. Well, all of this is just a bunch of crap and I don’t buy it. I’ve seen how the family restricts you. I’ve seen how hard you have to work and what you get in return because you don’t have a college education.”

“Where are you getting all this from? You sound exactly like your sister,” Albert yelled.

“And, for your information, my lack of education has kept a roof over your head and your food in your stomach.”

“Dad, there has got to be more to life,” Oree said. “You had your life and now it’s time for me to have mine. Political science can open up a number of careers to me.”

“Careers? I don’t even know what political science means,” his father continued. “I wish I could have had a career, but I was too busy trying to keep my family fed to think of such nonsense.”

“Well, that was your choice,” Oree said. “You chose that life and you can’t blame me because you had me.”

His father grew increasingly angry and got up out of his recliner. He was standing over his son who sat on the couch. “I had no goddamn choice, Oree. I was Mexican at a time when we could barely get anything. Hell, our own government was trying to ship us back to a place we never had roots in. We didn’t have the luxury of thinking of a college education. So, don’t be so goddamn smart about it.”

“Well, you were stupid about it,” Oree yelled up to his father. “You could’a fought back. I’m fighting back. I’m not gonna be a beaner my whole life. I am going to be a person who does something with his life. You and mom raised us to believe we could have more in our lives and now you want to take that back? Well, guess what, you can’t.”

“Maria, I am going to smack this kid, so help me God. Stupid, my kid is calling me stupid?”

Albert stammered. At this point, Maria began fearing that a break like the one they had suffered with Anita was approaching.

“Don’t say something you’ll regret Albert,” she said as she began to cry. “Remember Annie.

Remember Annie.”

Excerpted from Coconut: Brown on the Outside, White on the Inside, by Manuel Padilla Jr. Published by Xlibris. Copyright 2020 by Manuel Padilla Jr. All rights reserved. Manuel “Manny” Padilla Jr. has more than 36 years of awardwinning writing experience in the media and publishing worlds, working as a newspaper reporter and editor; as marketing, public relations and advertising professional; and as a public speaker. He lives in Palm Springs.

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MOVIES & TV

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NOW SHOWING AT HOME D

By Bob Grimm

irector and co-screenwriter Shaka King’s Judas and the Black Messiah features two great actors, Daniel Kaluuya and LaKeith Stanfield, totally on fire.

Fred Hampton (Kaluuya), chairman of the Black Panther Party’s Illinois chapter, has become the focus of an FBI investigation led by J. Edgar Hoover (a heavily made-up Martin Sheen). Bill O’Neal (Stanfield), after getting himself into trouble, is enlisted by the FBI to inform on Hampton and the Panthers.

Via both powerful speeches and moreintimate moments, Kaluuya offers up some of his best work since Get Out (in which he also co-starred with Stanfield). King and Stanfield make the choice to not portray O’Neal as a complete snake, but as a messedup guy who got his wires crossed with tragic consequences.

Jesse Plemons is typically strong as FBI Agent Roy Mitchell, the man who enlisted O’Neal and started him on the infiltration journey that led to O’Neal becoming a leader in Panther security. Mitchell was a catalyst in the eventual death of Hampton, as well as O’Neal, films like Centurion and Doomsday. He’s who died in an apparent suicide years later. done some decent TV work here and there, but nothing has delivered on the promise he showed with his cave-dwelling-monster masterpiece.

The Reckoning, his latest cinematic turn, keeps the bad streak going—in a particularly torturous way.

Working from a laughably bad script he co-wrote, Marshall takes us to England in the 1600s, where a plague has swept through the land, and witch hunts disrupt the days. Grace (Charlotte Kirk)—after losing her husband (Joe Anderson) because he took a drink out of the wrong ale mug—refuses the advances of her landlord (Steven Waddington). Therefore, she is a witch, and her neighbors must burn her.

Marshall tries to take you back to these dirty times—but his film comes off as more of a Monty Python and the Holy Grail rip-off.

Judas and the Black Messiah qualifies as a The plague and witch-hunt scenes ring of Eric 2020 release, and it’s one of the year’s betterIdle and his “Bring out your dead!” cart, and looking films. Interestingly, the year offered cries of “Burn her!” remind of John Cleese up two film portrayals of Hampton; he’s also bringing up very small rocks as things that featured in the less-effective The Trial of the Chicago 7. King’s film gives Hampton’s history also float in water.

As a period piece, it fails, because of the the screen time it deserves. goofy art direction, bad wigs and terrible Judas and the Black Messiah is now line readings. It feels like a bad student film streaming on HBO Max. by a director who has seen Terry Gilliam’s Jabberwocky a few too many times. eil Marshall is the director of one of my Kirk is an appealing and decent actress, very favorite horror films, The Descent. It so watching her in garbage like this is came out in 2005—16 years ago. depressing. However, this mess is partially her Since then … yikes. He’s been responsible fault, since she’s also listed as a co-writer. for the terrible Hellboy remake and awful

N

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Kaluuya, Stanfield amaze in ‘Judas and the Black Messiah’; ‘Our Friend’ is an ode to bravery in the face of dying

Marshall’s attempts at horror are getting pathetic. The Reckoning comes off as a vivid display of a director well past his prime.

The Reckoning is available via various streaming services.

T

he current Warner Bros. policy of releasing films to theaters and HBO Max on the same day continues with The Little Things, written and directed by John Lee Hancock, and starring the Oscar trifecta of Denzel Washington, Rami Malek and Jared Leto.

Washington is a grizzled former detectiveturned-sheriff’s deputy, and Malek is a younger all-star investigator; they team up to crack the case of a serial killer. Leto plays a weirdo suspect.

The actors are all great here—that is, as long as the script allows them to be great. That stops happening about threequarters through the film, when Malek’s character especially gets ruined by some bad

screenwriting. There’s just no real explanation for what his detective is thinking, and his swings come in a strange and inexplicable manner. Still, you could do worse than watching the other Oscar winners hitting their marks thanks to better lines and character direction.

Hancock’s direction is slowly paced; while some might grow a little impatient at times, I had no problem with it. I did have an issue with the script’s problems, which could not be completely overcome despite strong efforts from all involved to make it work.

The Little Things is streaming on HBO Max.

O

ur Friend is based on a true story first told via an Esquire magazine article—and Dakota Johnson, Casey Affleck and Jason Segal wow in this film about love, friendship, death and survival.

Gabriela Cowperthwaite directs what turns out to be a brutally honest, heartbreaking and schmaltz-free examination of a family going through the inevitable loss of their mother/ wife (Johnson) to cancer, and the friend (Segal) who puts his own life on hold to help them through the crisis.

Johnson, a million miles away from her Fifty Shades days, is breathtaking as Nicole Teague, a mother of two who is dealing with the horrible disease. Her husband, Matt (Affleck), is often distant due to his job as a traveling journalist. In real life, Matt Teague is the person who wrote the Esquire piece on which the film is based.

Johnson and Affleck make a convincing couple in both good times and bad; both give performances that rank among the best of their careers. Segal—who seems to have given up on comedies for now—delivers a wonderfully sentimental performance as their dedicated friend who becomes an honorary member of the family when times get bad. He doesn’t abandon the situation when things get truly devastating.

Our Friend is an ode to bravery in the face of dying, the true love shared by a couple facing such peril, and friendships that bind forever. This movie earns its tears in a way that is truthful and heartening.

Our Friend is available via various streaming services.

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THIRD RESTAURANT’S THE CHARM

R

BY andrew smith

ene and Adelle Alcala recently opened their third Coachella Valley restaurant. They took over the former Louise’s Pantry in Palm Desert, and converted it into Bubba’s Bones and Brews.

That adds to the first Bubba’s Bones and Brews, and Barrel District, both in Cathedral City.

They never intended to become local restaurant mavens.

“When I opened Bubba’s, it was just supposed to be a secure job for me,” Rene says. “I’d be the server, the busser and the bartender. I never dreamed that I’d expand to the patio and the next room.”

Rene has spent his whole life in restaurants—literally.

“My grandfather owned restaurants in Los jalapeno sausage wontons and brisket tacos.

Angeles,” he says. “They babysat me by letting For the truly adventurous, there’s the El Diablo me bus tables. I’ve dabbled in other things, but burger—a half-pound patty with smoked restaurants were always my comfort—what I sausage, pulled pork, mango habanero sauce, knew how to do.” sliced jalapenos, ghost chile aioli and apple slaw.

Although Adelle had “many years” of There’s a huge chalkboard, highlighting the experience waiting tables, she’d more recently extensive craft-beer selection. spent 15 years in property management, and Barrel District, a couple of miles away on she figured she’d left her restaurant years Date Palm Drive, followed in 2019. It took behind. “I never thought I’d get back into it,” some elements of Bubba’s—the craft beer, the she laughs. gastropub décor and a few menu items—and Armed with a few of their home-created added a more modern, fresh California twist, recipes, they initially pursued an existing alongside pizza and extensive vegan options, barbecue business. That deal fell through, but informed by the fact that Adelle and her by then, their minds were set on barbecue and children are vegan. craft beer.

“When we go out, we can’t find many places “We saw an idea, and thought we could add that have vegan options and carnivore options our own style, creating some unique touches,” side by side,” she says. “So we knew there was Rene says. They decided to find another an opportunity.” location and start from scratch.

Since my wife is vegan, it’s also the kind of In 2017, Bubba’s on Ramon Road was the place we like to go. She loves the fried avocado proverbial hole-in-the-wall—a small room tacos and the heirloom bruschetta, while I with a half dozen tables and a bar that looked love the specialty pizzas, the avocado flatbread into the kitchen. Before it became Bubba’s, the and the poke nachos. The plates are often space housed Dish Creative Cuisine and, briefly, showpieces of freshness and color, overflowing Mike’s American Bistro. Since then, Bubba’s has with leafy greens and garnishes. The menu tripled in size with the addition of a patio and includes several vegan desserts, which Adelle the adjoining unit. makes personally. While Barrel District only had “Cathedral City was a blessing,” Rene says. a few months under its belt before the pandemic “We instantly built a cult following that hit, the unique style and flair have attracted a supported us and promoted us on social media.” strong local following, like Bubba’s did.

Part of their success was due to a relative lack Then came the Palm Desert location of of barbecue in the valley; part of it was due to Bubba’s, in the former Louise’s Pantry space the Alcalas’ unique, contemporary flair. They on Highway 111. Opening a third restaurant in call it “California” or “modern” barbecue, a style the midst of a pandemic was hardly ideal. But, that pretty much allows free rein. “There’s no as Rene explains, “Because of COVID, we were wrong way to barbecue, just different ways,” never (otherwise) going to get a deal this good.”

Rene says.

The new space will allow the Alcalas to tap Most barbecue purists advocate for their into a larger customer base and expand the own regional style. But … “if you make it too Bubba’s brand. Rene enthuses over the size regional, you limit your base, and we just don’t of the restaurant and the kitchen. Prior to have enough of that base here,” Rene says. “So Louise’s, it was a Tony Roma’s, so the kitchen we play with it, mix it up, have fun and use lots is well-equipped for barbecue. He also likes the of sauces.” high ceilings, the industrial look and the décor.

The menu includes common items like Lunch, dinner and happy hour offer baby back ribs, pulled pork and smoked essentially the same menus as in Cathedral sausage. But you’ll also find a lot of fusion: a City, but they’ve also added breakfast. Was spicy chorizo flatbread, a kielbasa quesadilla, that simply because the previous tenants had CVIndependent.com

The owners of Bubba’s Bones and Brews and Barrel District open a Bubba’s in Palm Desert

done it?

“That’s part of it,” Rene says. “We actually bought the (Palm Desert) rights to Louise’s Pantry and were planning to continue that business.”

They inherited all the recipes, but after much deliberation made a change of plans.

“My wife talked me into it,” Rene says, halfjoking. “We looked at Louise’s breakfast menu and decided we could put our own influence and brand on it.”

“Add a Bubbas flair,” interjects Adelle.

“When people go out for breakfast, they want something big.”

“For example,” continues Rene, “we took the chicken-fried steak and made it a footlong steak, and made our own sauce. For the cornedbeef hash, we decided to use our brisket.”

They’ve also added a vegan breakfast burrito, with a vegan egg alternative, plant-based sausage and plant-based cheese, topped with a spicy verde sauce.

“Even at vegan restaurants, you’re not going to find a burrito that size,” proclaims Rene.

They’re starting slow in Palm Desert—partly because of COVID’s limitations, but also by choice.

“I’m in no hurry,” says Rene, “I’d rather make a few people happy than try to sell a lot of food and leave a few people unhappy. We just want to get the ball rolling and work out the kinks.”

They’re working to find balance between running three restaurants. They’d questioned whether they could maintain all three, but they’ve promoted key staff at each location and say they’re comfortable with where they

stand now.

“We’re not going to forget about Cathedral City,” Rene says. “It’s part of the challenge, but it’s been our moneymaker. It’s even outperformed the current market. We’re very attached to that restaurant. It’s our first baby and the one that got to us to where we are now.”

Part of the “problem,” if you could call it that, is that Rene and Adelle are so intimately involved. You’ll frequently see Rene shuttling between the kitchen and the tables, delivering food and bussing.

“We’re not proud owners; we’re both very hands-on,” Rene says. “We want to talk to every customer, to find out what’s wrong and what’s right. That’s how we evolve and move forward.”

Adds Adelle: “We’re busy with opening the new restaurant. But I still check in on the other places and see how they’re doing. I still stop by and clean the bathrooms.”

The Palm Desert space will help the Acalas further expand their business when the time is right. It will take some of the catering load away from the overstretched Cathedral City kitchen, and will likely act as a geographic center as they move forward.

“Right now, our plates are pretty full,” Rene says. “At some point, we may open a Louise’s Pantry somewhere else in Palm Desert, and we’d like to expand the Bubba’s brand over to La Quinta. But right now, we just have to focus on the three restaurants we have. It will be challenging. But if anyone can do it, it’s us!”

For more information visit bubbasbonesandbrews. com or barreldistrictpizza.com.

Adelle and Rene Alcala opened the first Bubba’s Bones and Brews in 2017. Courtesy of Adelle Alcala

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MARCH 2021

FOOD & DRINK

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VINE SOCIAL JASON DAVID

When judging wine, place is even more important than the grape

HAIR STUDIO

W

By KatieLOVE finn YOUR

HAIR

hen we were in our wine infancy—back in the 1970s—most new wine consumers understood that some wines were red, and some wines were white. Occasionally you’d see a wine that was pink, and therefore, you knew it was going to taste sweet.

Jugs of Ernest and Julio Gallo Hearty Burgundy and Carlo Rossi Chablis lined the shelves of Country Club and Cook Street liquor stores. They became a staple on dinner tables as the sophisticated beverage of choice to Dewere sert drinking? accompany that home-cooked meal. But what was it, exactly,Palm that we We had no idea. But because we could obviously understand that burgundy is a color, and this 760-340-5959 “Hearty Burgundy” wine was clearly a shade me they don’t drink chardonnay. It seems of red, any wine labeled “Burgundy” must be silly, but this sentiment wounds me. My inner www.jasondavidhairstudio.net a red wine, right? We know that Chablis isn’t voice starts shouting: “Really?! You won’t drink a color, but this jug of Carlo Rossi wine is chardonnay from anywhere? In the whole undoubtably white, so Chablis must be a kind world?!” As sad as this statement makes me, in of grape that makes white wine, right? Oh, and a way, I understand. When we learn about wine Chianti is a grape that makes red wine from through the lens of knowing the grape, we Italy, and anything that has bubbles is called naturally have to assume that our preferences Champagne. Glad we have this all figured out. are based on what we think that grape tastes Except that’s all wrong. Chablis, Chianti, like. The assumption is that no matter where Champagne, Burgundy … these are places. the grape is grown, and no matter who the Wait, what? These are places? Not grapes? But puppet master/winemaker is behind it, the how am I supposed to know what the wine is if grape is what it is. But this is just profoundly only the place is on the label?! You mean I have to untrue. learn what grapes are planted where?

Anyone who’s experienced the liquid When you pick up a bottle of Pulignyelectricity that chardonnay produces from the Montrachet, nowhere on the label does it say region of Chablis understands that the average chardonnay. A bottle of Pommard doesn’t California chardonnay drinker wouldn’t believe proclaim itself to be pinot noir, and you’ll it was the same grape. Conversely, if all I never find a bottle of Barolo or Barbaresco that knew about pinot noir was Meiomi or Cherry says it’s made with nebbiolo grapes. And the Pie, I wouldn’t be at all interested in further reason is quite simple: The grapes aren’t that exploring that grape; it would be a waste of important. time and money. But then I wouldn’t have Now, wait … before you use this article to tasted the gloriously silky, mineral-laden, richly line the litter box, hear me out. perfumed incarnation by Hamilton Russell I’m not saying that the quality of grapes isn’t from Walker Bay, South Africa. I would have important, or that how the vineyard is farmed missed out on a truly beautiful wine, because I isn’t important. But the concept we nouveau failed to recognize the importance of the place. wine drinkers keep missing is that the grape A few weeks ago, I hosted a syrah tasting. isn’t all that matters. What matters more than We tasted three syrahs, each from a different anything is the place. country. We began our tasting with the Martin In the middle ages, when grapes were being Clerc Syrah from Collines Rhodaniennes in planted in Burgundy, France, by the Cistercian the northern Rhone, France. Weighing in at monks, they realized that this little plot of a modest 12 percent alcohol, it was juicy and dirt was different from that little plot of dirt. fresh, light on its feet and supremely drinkable.

Therefore, those plots should have different That was followed by the Wonderwall names. Clever monks.

Syrah from the Central Coast of California. A They also realized that these varying soils little richer, with 13 1/2 percent alcohol and were special and were going to create wines noticeable aromas from oak, it was undeniably with very different personalities. And so, in Californian. It offered more upfront flavors order to highlight this special dirt, the grapes and aromas, but showed balance and restraint. they planted needed to have a fairly neutral The last wine we tasted was Tyrrell’s “Rufus flavor profile. They understood that the grapes Stone” Shiraz from Heathcote, Australia. With are merely a catalyst to show what the land a whopping 15 percent alcohol, this was by far tastes like. It was the grapes’ job to let the dirt the biggest, boldest and heaviest of the bunch. shine through. In Burgundy, chardonnay and A little meaty and spicy with loads of stewed, pinot noir are a perfect fit. jammy fruit, it had Australia written all over it.

I often think about the customers who tell At the end of the tasting, the attendees

couldn’t believe that the same grape could taste so different. Mission accomplished.

So if you’re up for a little homework, I encourage you to re-discover a wine you don’t like. Think merlot’s not your bag? Grab a bottle from St. Emilion, France. Don’t care for zinfandel? Try a bottle of Primitivo from Italy. Dislike pinot grigios? Look for one from the Alpine region of Alto Adige—or better yet, try a pinot grigio with some skin-contact, also known as an orange wine. Line up a pinot

noir from Oregon, one from Burgundy, and a Chilean version, and breathe in the differences.

Who knows? You might discover you love pinot grigio. You might find that you hate Primitivo even more than other zinfandels.

But you’ll never know unless you give it go.

Katie Finn is a certified sommelier and certified specialist of wine with two decades in the wine industry. She can be reached at katiefinnwine@ gmail.com.

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CAESAR CERVISIA

Our latest virtual beer trip takes us to Germany, the home of hefeweizen—and so much more

BY brett newton Euch ist bekannt was wir bedürfen, wir wollen stark Getränke schlürfen.

W

hen I was 20, I was offered the opportunity to spend two months in Bavaria.

I was learning German due to a love of languages; I had already sampled and fell in love with many German beer styles; and I was working at the old movie theater at the Palm Desert Town Center, cleaning up theaters and selling stale popcorn—so it didn’t take me long to say yes. I spent those two months trying to shake the feeling of drowning from not having fluency in the German language while exploring the area, its customs and its beer.

I left with the feeling that I’d only scratched most-populous state in the country, North the surface—and considering I never made Rhine-Westphalia. If you read my columns it anywhere else in the country during that regularly, you might suspect why we are here, time, I think I was absolutely right. but if you don’t, I will be happy to spell it At the top is a toast from Goethe’s Faust: out for you. Our first stop is Cologne, and its “You know what we need is to gulp down a city’s signature style, the kölsch. It is a pale strong drink.” I think it fits the times—and hybrid ale (an ale that has been lagered) that I cite it because I’d like to practice some is similar to a pilsner, but with a softer and escapism again. A few months back, I tried often maltier body. Many American brewers to take you to Belgium in spirit, and since I have fallen for the style, so it’s not too hard to write about beer, the next logical step is to find a domestic version. head over the border into Germany. The beer Next door to Cologne is Düsseldorf, and tradition there is as deep as Belgium’s, while its signature beer style is the altbier. Its name producing very different beer styles. translates simply to “old beer,” and the reason Bavaria is a fitting place to start our tour. is that it harkens back to a time before lager Its most well-known style would arguably yeast was discovered. In the city, this style is be the hefeweizen (often called weißbier as cherished as the kölsch is in Cologne, and there; literally, “white beer”). I had some it is currently being brewed by eight breweries really gorgeous examples of it and its darker, in the city. Very little of the style is consumed more-interesting sibling, the dunkelweizen elsewhere. I won’t linger here other than to say (“dark wheat”). On a warm weekend day, this tasty copper ale is a wonderful alternative a crisp hefeweizen is a staple, and it goes to a bock or an amber ale. It can occasionally wonderfully with weißwurst (a lighterbe found locally on an import shelf. Uerige’s colored sausage flavored with a mix of herbs, Sticke Alt (a seasonally brewed version of the spices and lemon). Happily, you can find style) is one that I have bought locally before, the real deal easily in the import section of and you can occasionally find an American beer stores. I’d recommend anything from craft brewery brewing the style. Hangar 24 Weihenstephaner, as they’ve been doing it for used to regularly brew one, and it was very centuries and have seemingly never failed in tasty—and it went amazingly well with pizza. making delicious ales.

It’s a style I would very much enjoy being more But that’s not all there is to Bavarian beer. available here—but what an excuse to go to its The Munich helles and dunkel styles are what source and enjoy it authentically! you’ll find flowing in biergartens across the Heading eastward, we go to a small town state. They’re both lagers, very easy to drink, in neighboring Lower Saxony—Einbeck, the but still tasty enough to sate the beer lover birthplace of the bock. Its name derives from who knows that “light” doesn’t have to mean its founding city and became shortened and bland. Having a beer and a pretzel at places corrupted over time into the German word for like the Hofbräuhaus is a pleasure I wish “buck” or “ram,” which has been an adopted every beer-lover could have once in their lives, image on many a bottle of the style since. It and the good news is that it’s not too hard can be light copper to brown in color, and to do: There is a Hofbräuhaus in Las Vegas it is somewhat sweeter than most German that has beers flowing (although it’s closed styles (though never cloying). It has notes of as of this writing due to COVID-19), and if toast and caramel and is usually associated the saurbraten I had there is any indication, with the seasons. There are variations as well: the food is authentic enough to give you the The maibock (aka helles bock) is a lighter, experience of a biergarten in Bavaria without hoppier, crisper version and is associated with having to travel all the way there. springtime; the stronger doppelbock was born We head northwest from Bavaria to the of monks needing something during their CVIndependent.com

Lent fast. Then there is the extremely strong eisbock, and the weizenbock, made with a large portion wheat. All are worth trying and all can be found here by the zythophile with a careful eye.

It’s almost time to depart this lovely country, but first, there must be a quick mention of the Berliner weisse and gose.

Both sour wheat ales were virtually limited to the regions in which they originated (Berlin and Goslar, which is near Leipzig), but then American brewers found them, tweaked them and made them popular in craft-beer circles.

If you see “kettle sour” in the description, it’s like to be in the Berliner weisse style, and if there is also any mention of salt (and the

traditional coriander), it’s probably a gose.

They are light, tart and refreshing when done well. The schwarzbier also deserves mention, as it’s a rare black lager with tons of flavor, and a paradoxically light body.

Sadly, it’s time to end our trip, and I have to bid you a hearty Prost! Vielen Glück in your beer exploration of Deutschland, and auf wiedersehen.

Brett Newton is a certified cicerone (like a sommelier for beer) and homebrewer who has mostly lived in the Coachella Valley since 1988.

He currently works at the Coachella Valley Brewing Co. taproom in Thousand Palms. He can be reached at caesarcervisia@gmail.com.

COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 29

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FOOD & DRINK

ON COCKTAILS O

BY kevin carlow

K, I fully admit this one is gonna be a bit of a mishegaas. This whole last year has been … so who am I to kick against the bit?

Less than a year ago, I was working weekends at one of the higher-end restaurants in town, and weekdays at a proper cocktail bar that never quite found its niche. These days, I run laps around a hotel pool. The scenery is nicer.

I’ve had a lot of time to reflect on what it means to be a “lifer” in the industry—sorting out my memoirs, as it were. Bear with me. out said he was coming back for you. You give I first got into bartending about 15 years the local meth dealer a free Long Island iced ago, although my dad was one of the legendary bartenders in Boston’s infamous “Combat Zone” tea once in a while to help keep the peace, and so he won’t deal inside the club. Looking back, in the ’80s, so I have always been around the it was more than a little like the movie Road industry in some respect. In 2005, I decided House. I am not sure how we survived. to leave Portland, Ore.—where I had been I returned to Boston, and I managed to land LARPing as a booze-soaked failing novelist—to a job at a place that you know, even if you don’t help build a bar from the ground up in Pinetop, think you know it. Anytime they run Boston Ariz. When I say “from the ground up,” I B-roll during a national sports presentation, mean literally: I was in a pit, shoveling for the they show their blue umbrellas. We didn’t drainage pipes. In retrospect, that may have know your name, and neither did the Cheers been the best use of my skill set at the time.

When I wasn’t shoveling, I worked at a ski shop, replica next door. This place was smack in the middle of Faneuil Hall, or “Faneuil Brawl,” as selling skis to people despite never having skied the locals called it. The bro-tastemakers at myself, something I am proud of to this day.

Barstool Sports got their start there by posting Actually, perhaps that was the best use of my particular set of skills—shoveling bullshit.

The day the bar opened, I caught a wicked blow to the temple that I am still partly convinced killed me. I was carrying a 300pound slab of stone with a kid who was maybe 150 pounds soaking wet; the slab fell on a hand truck with the handle articulated at 90 degrees, sending the handle straight at my head. I went across the street, got stitched up and reported for duty without an MRI, because, well, I’m from Boston. On my first weekend shift, I sliced my hand open in a freak accident, and the same guy across the street stitched me up. I started a tab with him.

Things got better. In my mid-20s, working at an Arizona resort-town nightclub, drunk off both my own power and Jägermeister, I caught the industry bug. My shift was from 10 a.m. to 2:30 a.m., and I was drunk most of the time.

Then I came home and was drunk. Mixed in were nine random months of sobriety where I learned to get high on smug superiority and stacks of cash.

You learn things at a place like that. You learn who you can intimidate into leaving the bar peacefully, who is going to punch your lights out, and who is going to be waiting for you when you leave. You dodge a bottle that was meant for your head, only to have it hit your barback square in the face. You wait nervously with your heavily armed redneck security guy while your boss counts thousands of dollars of cash, because some guy you kicked CVIndependent.com

CVINDEPENDENT.COM/FOOD-DRINK

Our intrepid scribe ponders his bartending past while wondering about his industry’s future fuzzy bar-fight videos shot on Motorola Razrs in that neighborhood, and taking cheesecake photos of our staff. At one point, I was featured in a Food Network spot for Goya that was filmed there … go figure. To this day, it was the best collection of bartenders I have ever known, even if we barely made a proper cocktail. What a collection of humans … some are still in the game; one is a plumber; one is a scrap-metal mogul. Some are mothers and fathers; some I have lost track of.

Many bartenders are unlikely bartenders—a collection of introverts, substance abusers, artists, literary/music nerds, and the occasional Gemini … the best and worst of society. It used to be a job where you could be a misfit, a rebel, and make money off of your wits.

So … where do the lifers go now? Sure, we can work as servers, but the serving jobs often go to the young and cute. Where does your grumpy neighborhood bartender work, whose knees and back are too shot to serve, who is 60 years old? The restaurant owners aren’t hiring, anyway. It turns out you can do “to-go” for a lot cheaper, and now that the kitchens get a

fair share of the tips, owners don’t have to pay the cooks out of pocket. (This is something I first saw in San Diego and have worried about for a while.) Don’t get me wrong: The kitchen should get a cut of the tips, but on top of a fair wage. The tips shouldn’t be taken out of the servers’ pockets to pay the kitchen so the owner gets richer. Add to that the fact that many valley restaurants only hire for weekends, meaning that if you have a weekend job, you can’t get another.

Still … I choose to be hopeful. I have seen how much people want their bars, and bartenders, back. I sheltered some couples from a sandstorm recently, and although they were just protecting their drinks from the wind, for a minute, I thought I was actually tending bar again. The guests felt like they were at a bar again … and for a moment, life was normal again.

I can’t wait until normal becomes the new normal. Until then, be safe.

Kevin Carlow can be reached at CrypticCocktails@gmail.com.

COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 31

MARCH 2021

34 37 37

Frankie’s Italian Bakery uses livestreamed shows to collect gift cards and cash for musicians in need the lucky 13: Meet the owner of dale's records The lucky 13: Meet the frontman of (We are) pigs

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With the limited return of live music,Waxy’s Tyler Ontiveros is back behind the drums

PERFORMING AGAIN

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MARCH 2021

MUSIC

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PERFORMING AGAIN

For the first time since last March, live music is again allowed—with limitations

By Matt king

T

he pandemic has raged on for nearly a year—and musicians have struggled to live in a world where live music has been prohibited.

However, with the easing of the stay-at-home order by Gov. Gavin Newsom on Jan. 25 came the first limited OK for live performances in California since March of last year.

“Limited” is the key word. Rules vary from county to county; in Los Angeles, for example, live performances are still forbidden as of this performed at Dale’s Records on Dec. 30 as writing. In Riverside County (and in most a rebellious act. It was a private, invite-only of the rest of the state), live performances show, but we still were safe and wore masks are only allowed at outdoor restaurants. and stuff like that. Rock ’n’ roll being rock ’n’ According to a Feb. 11 advisory from Gregory roll, and rebellious in nature, we kind of just P. Priamos, Riverside County’s County Counsel, said ’fuck it’ and played the show anyways. It performers “must maintain physical distancing was very intimate. There were maybe 10 people from spectators and other performers. there, max. … It was a little glimpse of what it Performers who are singing, shouting, was like to get back to playing live shows, and playing a wind instrument or engaging in now everybody else is on the same page.” similar activities without a face covering must While musicians may be champing at the bit maintain at least 12 feet of distance from to perform again, many venue managers are spectators.” exercising caution. Brad Guth, owner of The Still, the news of live music being allowed Hood Bar and Pizza, told us that the muchagain came as great news to performers. loved venue would only feature comedy and “Well, it’s about fucking time,” said Derek bingo to start. At the Coachella Valley Brewing Jordan Gregg, a solo singer/songwriter and Co. in Thousand Palms, taproom manager the leader of three-piece band the Hive Minds.

Wesley Gainey did not rush into live music.

“I don’t think it was very well thought out— “We’re going to take a slow walk into it,” having music not be a part of it (before). It Gainey said. “At this point, I’m compiling a seems like it was just kind of overlooked. You list of the performers who want to perform. … start to realize just how important it is for We want to make sure that we do everything people to hear music.” as safely as possible, and within regulation.

Gregg has been performing at Wildest We want to make sure we have all of our t’s restaurant in Palm Desert. crossed and i’s dotted before we full on get it “I can feel a difference between a couple of going again. years ago and this year. People are about ready “We did build our new beer garden outdoor to bawl because of a song I play,” Gregg said. patio area with the idea of having small “People need this. It’s one of the world’s oldest performances back there. We do have the professions, and it’s insane just how much room for it, but we want to make sure that people really need this to feel content.” everything is fleshed out pretty well.”

He said local musicians can’t wait to return Gainey said sanitizing and spacing will be to local stages, even with the restrictions. important when live music returns to CVB. “I think there are going to be a lot of “If we’re doing a showcase, or we’re having musicians willing to play for very little money, four acoustic performances in a row, we’ve because we’re so hungry to play,” Gregg said. “I just got to make sure that we’re really cleaning can’t wait to get onstage with my boys. I can’t everything in between performances,” said wait to jam with some new boys, and the pay is Gainey “That’s a big one—making sure the kind of the last thing on my mind right now— microphones are cleaned. We did that before, which is not great for a gigging economy. But but we just want to make sure microphones, we gotta play. I’m about ready to pay $20 to mic stands and anything else that’s handled is play The Hood.” getting disinfected between every single use.”

Tyler Ontiveros is another seasoned Gainey said he and his team will feature only veteran of the music scene. His time is spent solo acoustic performers for now. between rock groups Mega Sun, Waxy and “A full band is going to take up too much Order of the Wolf. space,” Gainey said. “We already had a series “I’m so relieved that there’s some sense of of acoustic Sundays, and we were getting into normalcy again,” Ontiveros said. “Even though doing an acoustic night every month and a there are restrictions, we have a little light Spanish-language acoustic night every month. at the end of the tunnel. Waxy had already Pre-pandemic, we were doing four nights of

Mychal Renteria, the brewery taproom manager at La Quinta Brewing Co., says: “We’ve got our patio set up, and then inside of our warehouse, we have a door that faces the patio—a big garage door. I’ll have the musicians be in the garage door playing out toward the patio. That eliminates people from being up close and personal with the musicians.”

live entertainment. We’re going to slow-roll back in with just one night a week, and kind of feel it out and see how that goes. We also just want to be more mindful of the space we’re using, because it’s so limited.”

Gainey, a musician himself, called the return of live music “huge.”

“Not just as far as doing it for work, but doing it as a part of the music community— having a place where I could organize, get people together safely and try to feel like the world is somewhat normal, even when it’s not, and trying to get that feeling back of how things were, because it’s just been rough,” Gainey said. “We’re 11 months into this. …

A big driving force of me wanting to do it is not just business-wise, but also getting the community back together and having each other’s backs.”

Mychal Renteria, the brewery taproom manager at La Quinta Brewing Co., said he’s going to keep things simple regarding the return of live music to the brewery’s Palm Desert location.

“What I’m trying to do is just limit crowd interaction,” said Renteria. “We’ve got our patio set up, and then inside of our warehouse, we have a door that faces the patio—a big

garage door. I’ll have the musicians be in the garage door playing out toward the patio. That eliminates people from being up close and personal with the musicians.”

Renteria is also limiting the quantity of performers.

“I’m trying to do a duo—maybe a trio, max—but I’m not trying to get full bands, or a full rock concert going,” Renteria said. “A lot of it also has to do with the energy. The last thing I want is this rockin’ band to come up, and everybody’s sitting down because they have to. That kind of ruins the whole energy vibe—where if you’re having a couple of beers, and you’ve got an acoustic guy, the energy is going to be toned down already by the music that’s being played.”

Renteria is aware that restrictions have come and gone throughout the pandemic, and is keeping this in mind when scheduling performances.

“I’m not booking out bands three months in advance the way I normally do,” he said.

“I’m taking it one month at a time, and we’ll go from there. This could end tomorrow in terms of reopening, or it could end tomorrow in terms of having to shut down. I have no idea anymore.”

CVIndependent.com

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MARCH 2021

MUSIC

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BREAD FOR GOOD T

By matt king

helping the next guy out. My car just broke down. Somebody came right over with a battery and started it for me. That’s the kind of karma we get.”

Mamone is particularly proud of the reach of the shows, and encouraged everyone to tune in.

“It’s only 20 minutes out of your day, but we’re reaching an audience of 5,000 people that are uplifted by this free little concert every day,” said Mamone. “They don’t have to contribute to watch. It’s free. They’re helping out just by tuning in and leaving supporting and encouraging comments that keep us going.”

Frankie’s Italian Bakery intends to continue helping artists through the pandemic—no matter how long it takes.

“We’ll continue with it as long as musicians need us to do it,” Mamone said. “I don’t know any timeline, but we’re just going to be there every day for them, for anything they need.

he pandemic has been devastating to musicians who depend on performances to make a living. Thankfully, Frankie’s Old World Italian Bakery and Café has stepped in to help.

Frankie Mamone is the founder of the Cathedral City restaurant. He and his team are behind Project Bread for Musicians, an initiative in which Mamone gives bread to those who donate gift cards and money to local musicians. Learn more at www.facebook.com/ FrankiesOldWorldBiscotti.

“Project Bread for Musicians was an idea from Hope Diamond, our jazz singer,” Mamone said during recent phone interview. “She asked Our hearts are in the right place, and we’re if we would work together with her on it for trying to just uplift our musicians who are out musicians who are out of work. She asked us of work and who have been so loyal to us and to provide a loaf of bread when somebody have performed for us and been diligent with brings in a gift card for an artist. Also, when us. We want to give back and say, ‘You’re not an artist comes in and says, ‘I need some forgotten.’ help; I need a meal. I’m hungry,’ we give them “There’s nobody else. None of these other a gift card and a loaf of bread. If there’s cash, clubs are doing anything for musicians. It’s so we give some cash, too. It’s helped so many sad, because when they start up again, they’re people. It’s happening every day.” going to be calling them first thing: ‘Oh, we Project Bread also features a liveneed you. We need you.’ One hand washes the performance aspect: Musicians come into other, and it’s constantly that way. It’s always the restaurant and do a five-song set that’s broadcast over Facebook Live at 5 p.m. every Wednesday through Saturday. The archived performances can be watched via the aforementioned Facebook page.

“There’s no audience at all,” Mamone said.

“There’s a cameraman, the musician/singer— and that’s it. Since we’ve been doing this, all these wonderful musicians have come up and wanted to support us. One guy named Danny Gutierrez really needed a gift card for him and his buddy who play together. I said yes, and he said, ‘But I want to give back, and I want to do a Live at Five. I thought that was great.”

Mamone is a performer himself, so realized the need as soon as the restrictions began.

“We started right away,” Mamone said. “I’m a performer myself, and I was performing on March 13 in Los Angeles doing my Jerry Vale tribute show. That was the end of everything; everything was canceled as of then. We put our heads together on March 14, and we started doing it then. We had our initial meeting on the 14th to find out how we can continue to help people.”

The amazing work Mamone and his crew have done has not gone unnoticed. When KESQ News Channel 3 featured Frankie’s in its Good Deed Spotlight segment, Rep. Dr. Raul Ruiz gave Frankie’s a social-media shoutout.

“If somebody comes in and they’re hungry, we’re gonna feed them; that’s what we do,” Mamone said. “We don’t want to see anybody hungry. If they’re not a musician, too bad— we’re going to give them something anyway.

The Sensational Jewels perform as part of the Frankie’s Live at 5 series.

CVIndependent.com

Frankie’s Italian Bakery uses livestreamed shows to collect gift cards and cash for musicians in need If they need groceries, we’ll get a bunch of groceries and put them in a box and give it to them. There’s one singer who’s got four kids.

Her and her husband both are performers, so those kinds of people really need help.”

Want to help out? “If people want to contribute, they can send anything to Frankie’s Italian Bakery in the mail. It’ll go right to the musician,” Mamone said. “They get free bread if they bring it in person, and we’ve got the most awesome bread in the whole valley.”

Frankie’s Old World Italian Bakery is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday, at 68845 Perez Road #H30, in Cathedral City. Frankie’s Live at 5 shows take place via Facebook Live at 5 p.m., every Wednesday through Saturday. For more information, call 760-770-1300, or visit www.facebook.com/ FrankiesOldWorldBiscotti.

COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 35

MARCH 2021

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May 27-31

NAGAAA Cup LGBTQ Softball Tourney

June 22-28

PS International Film Festival ShortFest

Sept. 18

Aging Positively / Reunion Conference

Sept. 22

Pride Honor Awards

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Out PSP: National Coming Out Day

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Casual Concours (Gay Autos of Yesterday)

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MARCH 2021

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COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 37

MARCH 2021

MUSIC

CVINDEPENDENT.COM/MUSIC

the

LUCKY 13

Meet the man behind Dale’s Records and the leader of (We Are) Pigs by matt king What’s your favorite musical guilty pleasure?

Disney tunes.

What’s your favorite music venue?

Dale’s Records, or the Troubadour.

What’s the one song lyric you can’t get out of your head?

“Jingle Bells.”

NAME Dale Myers MORE INFO For years, Dale Myers has helped provide the Coachella Valley with vinyl. Through his time working at the late, lamented Record Alley, his mobile record store, and now his very own shop—Dale’s Records, located in Palm Desert—Myers has devoted his time to providing people with their favorite music on wax. Learn more at www.facebook.com/Dalesrecords.

What was the first concert you attended?

7 Seconds with The Damned at the Hollywood Palladium.

What was the first album you owned?

Rick James, Street Songs. I bought it with my birthday money when I was 7.

What bands are you listening to right now?

Rick James, Taylor Swift, The Smiths (the instrumentals album), anything chopped and screwed, and Slayer.

What artist, genre or musical trend does everyone love, but you don’t get?

Morrissey.

What musical act, current or defunct, would you most like to see perform live?

R.L. Burnside.

If I remember correctly, it was a Cliff Richard concert with my mom and dad when I was about 7 or 8 years old.

Evan Doheny

What was the first album you owned?

My very first album was a cassette tape—DC Talk. I think it was called Nu Thang.

What bands are you listening to right now?

Chevelle, Deftones, and Sneaker Pimps.

What artist, genre or musical trend does everyone love, but you don’t get?

I’m not madly in love with the mumble-rap game. I get the syrupy sonic vibe; however, the rapping-in-triplets vibe gets old fast for me.

What musical act, current or defunct, would you most like to see perform live?

I would love to see the Sneaker Pimps Becoming X lineup. That would be epic!

What’s your favorite musical guilty pleasure?

Toto!

What band or artist changed your life?

Punk rock and Sex Pistols changed my life. I learned to question everything—the government, the media, etc.

What’s your favorite music venue?

I always loved Brick by Brick in San Diego.

Great memories!

You have one question to ask one musician. What’s the question, and who are you asking?

To Johnny Marr: “Why Morrissey?”

What’s the one song lyric you can’t get out of your head?

“Erase and rewind, ’cause I’ve been changing my mind,” “Erase/Rewind,” The Cardigans.

What song would you like played at your funeral?

Johnny Cash, “In My Life.”

What band or artist changed your life?

Most probably Alanis Morissette. I had never seen a woman so powerful in vulnerability.

Figurative gun to your head, what is your favorite album of all time?

Tie between Sonic Youth, Dirty, and DJ Shadow, Endtroducing … .

You have one question to ask one musician. What’s the question,

and who are you asking?

I think I would love to chat with (Incubus’) Brandon Boyd about the writing process behind Morning View. I think that record lyrically is so rad and conversational.

What song would you like played at your funeral?

“Wild World” by Cat Stevens Figurative gun to your head, what is your favorite album of all time?

White Pony by Deftones.

What song should everyone listen to right now?

It’s not out yet, but (We Are) PIGS is about to release a cover of “The Red” by Chevelle. It’s out on March 12.

What song should everyone listen to right now?

Just put on some MF Doom and ponder some shit!

NAME Esjay Jones GROUP (We Are) PIGS MORE INFO Esjay Jones is one of the most accomplished musicians you may have never heard of. The South Africa native hit No. 1 several times with Stealing Love Jones, and has production credits on releases by Sean Kingston, Alien Ant Farm and Grey Daze, Chester Bennington’s former group. Now she’s set her sights on (We Are) PIGS, the trap-metal fusion project on which Jones has vocal duties. The group plans to release a cover of Chevelle’s “The Red” on March 12. To learn more, visit www.facebook.com/ WeArePigsBand.

What was the first concert you attended?

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38 \\ COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT

MARCH 2021

OPINION SAVAGE LOVE

CVINDEPENDENT.COM/OPINION

PANDEMIC PRESSURES

BY DAN SAVAGE

I

’m a gay guy living in New York in his late 20s. My boyfriend has really been emotionally impacted by the pandemic, having been a frontline worker. I think he is suffering from some mild depression, or at the very least some intense anxiety, so I just want to preface this by saying I completely sympathize with what he’s going through.

Before the pandemic, we had a really good sex life, but lately, he hasn’t been interested in sex at all, besides a few assisted masturbation sessions. While I know that these aren’t usual times, I can’t help feeling rejected. Normally, I would suggest opening up the relationship, for the sake of both myself and him, and I think that he might benefit from doesn’t rebound and/or if opening up the having sex with some guys where there isn’t an relationship is the right move for you guys emotional investment. Of course, right now, that as a couple. But if you suspect the collapse isn’t an option. of your boyfriend’s libido has more to do I want to be there for him, and we otherwise with what he’s witnessed and endured as a have a solid relationship, but this issue has been frontline worker than it has to do with you or making me feel hurt. I’ve encouraged him to your relationship, TFR, therapy will do him masturbate without me, but I do wish he could more good than sleeping with other guys or include me more in his sexual life. Do you have masturbating without you. Urge him to do any other thoughts or advice? that instead.

Thanks For Reading As much as I hate to give you an unsatisfactory answer—you aren’t satisfied with what you’re getting at home, and you’re not going to be satisfied with what you get from me, either—the only way to find out whether his loss of libido is entirely pandemic-related, TFR, is to wait out of the pandemic and see if your sexual connection

My dad is dying. He had a stroke two days ago and is in a coma with no brain function. My aunt (his sister) is trying to make me feel guilty about not traveling to see him—even though I’m pregnant and high-risk. I would need to take an airplane across the country and multiple public buses to see him. I would have to risk my baby’s life to say goodbye to a man I love with all my heart. She insists that if I don’t, I didn’t love my dad.

I’m heartbroken. I keep calling his hospice, and

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My boyfriend is a frontline worker, and he’s lost his libido during the pandemic

they set the phone next to his head so I can talk at him. He was so excited about my pregnancy, and I know he would not want me to risk it.

But now not only am I grieving my father; I feel guilty and selfish.

Am I right to be angry? My aunt’s brother is dying. She’s sad. Everyone is sad. But this is not the first time she has used guilt to try to control others in moments of trauma.

Crying On My Abdomen There has to be someone in your life who would be willing to step in and tell your aunt to go fuck herself. If there isn’t, COMA, send me your aunt’s phone number, and I’ll do it.

I’m so sorry about your dad—who is already gone—and I’m sorry your kid won’t get to meet their grandfather. And you have every right to be furious with your aunt for giving you grief when you have all the grief you can handle right now. Don’t get on that plane. And if your aunt never speaks to you again, COMA, just think of all the guilt trips you’ll avoid In the future.

I am a 26-year-old heterosexual girl. After four years with my boyfriend (with the pandemic on top of it), we started to experience sex issues.

It is mainly from my side. I (almost) never get satisfaction out of sex. I’m always enthusiastic about having sex, but I don’t feel “involved,” and I could literally be solving math problems in my head while we have sex. As the situation is frustrating, I talked to him and suggested that more foreplay could help me stay engaged and enjoy the sex. He was puzzled by my “need for foreplay” to reach orgasm, but committed to trying. However, after minimal initial effort, he stopped trying, and the limited foreplay ceased.

He probably got frustrated by the amount of time I require to “warm up,” and his efforts dried up, and he began rebuffing me whenever I attempted to initiate sex. Recently, after he turned my sexual advances down yet again, I decided to masturbate. The result was him being upset and taking offense at my “unpleasant behavior.”

Should I feel guilty about masturbating when he turns me down? I am hurt and very frustrated by this situation.

Fleshlight: “Wouldn’t you rather masturbate alone and in peace than ever have to fuck this asshole again?”

Everyone requires a little foreplay; women require more than men do; it takes women longer to get off than it takes men (five minutes on average for men, and 13 minutes on average for women), and very few women can climax from vaginal intercourse alone.

Any straight guy who isn’t willing to do the work—provide the necessary foreplay and come through with the non-PIV stimulation or concurrent-with-PIV stimulation required to get a woman off—doesn’t deserve to have a girlfriend. DTMFA. I’m a 53-year-old gay man, and I’ve never been hornier in my life. I really need to guzzle about a quart of jizz right now. I haven’t been dating anyone, and the COVID isolation has intensified my loneliness, but it’s the lack of D that’s driving me to distraction. The last time I sucked a dick was the afternoon Los Angeles began its first shutdown.

Here’s the thing: I just had the first dose of the vaccine, and the second is scheduled in a couple of weeks. Is it safe to suck someone’s dick who has also had the vaccine? Everything I found on Google only talks about how the vaccine may affect pregnant women. What about us cum whores?

Got the Fever for the Flavor

Masturbation Alone Turns Harsh

Where have you been? I predicted at the beginning of the pandemic—based on what we little we knew about transmission at the time—that we were entering a new golden age of glory holes. Two months later, the New York City Health department was recommending “barriers, like walls, that allow sexual contact while preventing close face-to-face contact,” aka glory holes—and that was the harm-reduction advice given by health professionals long before vaccines became available.

Seeing as you’re vaccinated, your risks are going to be lower. But to play it safe: Build your own glory hole; invite a guy over; tell him to keep his mask on; and avoid close faceto-face by staying on your knees on the other side of that barrier.

Allow me to decipher the message your pussy is desperately trying to send you, MATH, as you lay there doing math problems while your boyfriend uses treats your body like it’s a

Read Savage Love every Wednesday at CVIndependent.com; www.savagelovecast. com; mail@savagelove.net; @FakeDanSavage on Twitter.

COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 39

MARCH 2021

OPINION COMICS & JONESIN’ CROSSWORD

“True/False Test”—either 39 Japanese period way, it’s correct for over 250 years

By Matt Jones (headquartered in what is now Tokyo) Across 40 Oboe, for one 1 A name by any other 41 Suffix for trick name?

42 Leakes of reality TV 6 ___-pitch softball 43 Final Four initials 9 Gradually withdraw 45 Post-apocalyptic 13 Country singer zombie series, to fans Griffith 46 Tank dwellers that 14 Place first need a lot of care 15 Titular “Pinhead” of 50 Cinderella Man comics antagonist 16 Short, effective set for 51 Feature of some a stand-up comedian interesting stories 18 Pissed 54 Internet connection 19 Gain again, as trust device 20 Former Quebecois 57 “Heads up!” (or premier ___ Levesque advice to crossword 22 Cosecant, for one speed-solvers) 27 Citizen Kane studio 60 A fire sign 29 Grant temporary 61 “Yikes!” use of 62 High-ranking 30 Frozen princess 63 Edward Scissorhands 31 Raphael’s weapon, in star Teenage Mutant Ninja 64 Ham sandwich bread Turtles 65 Like some bathwater 32 Molecule unit 34 Held for possible Down sale, maybe 1 Colony resident 36 Midwestern NBA 2 Dragon’s den follower, maybe 3 Picnic playwright

4 Really wish you could 5 Instrument that can play quarter tones 6 Refrain for a “sweet chariot” 7 Letters for the 2020 Super Bowl 8 Margin in a close game, maybe 9 Bugs 10 Green-minded org.

11 Fitting 12 Bill who appears in the 2021 Amazon movie Bliss 15 Much of a penny 17 Part of some threeday weekends, for short 21 Belgian salad green 23 Artery along the thigh 24 “Be back ___” 25 2020 Pixar movie 26 Au pair 27 Oakland athlete 28 Kyoto garment 31 Blood flow facilitator 32 ___ Lingus (carrier based in Dublin) 33 Techno offshoot big in the 1990s 35 Ryerson who shows up (again!) during

repeat viewings of Groundhog Day 37 Traffic noise 38 How some flat, green insects are described 44 Oldest ever U.S. ex-president 45 It’s still a good idea to get a shot for it 47 Pet food brand 48 The Lightning Seeds lead singer Broudie 49 Wanda of Curb Your Enthusiasm 52 Mass movement of viewers to another Twitch stream 53 Air France assets, once 54 Magazine with a final print issue in 2018 55 Mineral-rich source 56 Quick swim 58 “Pay attention!”

59 Scottish mystery writer Josephine © 2021 Matt Jones Find the answers in the “About” section at CVIndependent.com!

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MARCH 2021

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