COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT | MAY 2020
VOL. 8 | NO. 5
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SECRETS ABOUT HAVING CONFIDENCE DURING CONFUSION 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
I
always try to write these Secret columns so that they’re relevant whenever they’re read; they live forever on our websites. But for your context, I’m wri�ng this ar�cle in the middle of the coronavirus shutdown crisis—and one thing we all have in common is that we’re all sick of being afraid during this pandemic. This situa�on has brought up an eternal ques�on for me: What is a be�er way to live? Standing on a founda�on of confidence that equips us to face our fears, or have our fears control our choices? I’ve learned that every one of my pa�ents falls into one of these two camps. “Camp Fear” people are o�en like the shiny ball in a pinball game—they bounce, or let themselves be pushed, between one fear or another. The way I conduct my prac�ce gives me �me to really get to know my pa�ents, compared to the demands on other nurse prac��oners in other medical situa�ons. For example, I schedule 30 minutes for a Botox appointment that I could accomplish in 15 minutes. The extra �me I have with each pa�ent provides us �me to discuss what’s going on in their lives, and what their goals are to deal with their aging and life issues. Compare that to a NP in the Kaiser system, who is only given six minutes to discuss, diagnose and prescribe a treatment for each pa�ent. Here’s what I’ve learned from my pa�ents who live in the “Camp Confident Neighborhood”: They feel their fears as much as those who live in the “Camp Fear Neighborhood.” The Camp Confident people consider their fears, but choose to reduce those fears’ poten�al. Once their fear is put in its proper place, they navigate toward solu�ons to improve the quality of their lives. And each �me they get through an issue, they gain wisdom to help them live be�er lives. Wisdom and confidence are much more important to happiness than fear. Mark Twain summarized fear this way: “Worrying is like paying a debt you don’t owe. I have spent most of my life worrying about things that have never happened.” I hope these secrets about confidence encourage you to not let your fears keep you from happiness—no ma�er what issue you’re facing.
You can email your individual ques�ons to Shonda Chase FNP, or Allan Y. Wu MD, Revive’s cosme�c surgeon, at info@revivecenter.com.
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MAY 2020
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MAY 2020
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 Beth Allen Contributors Kevin Allman, Gayl Biondi, Max Cannon, Kevin Carlow, Katie Finn, Bill Frost, Bonnie Gilgallon, Bob Grimm, Michael Grimm, Valerie-Jean (VJ) Hume, Matt Jones, Matt King, Keith Knight, Carlynne McDonnell, Brett Newton, Dan Perkins, Guillermo Prieto, Anita Rufus, Jen Sorenson, Robert Victor The Coachella Valley Independent print edition is published every month. All content is ©2020 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, CalMatters, Get Tested Coachella Valley, the Local Independent Online News Publishers, the Desert Business Association, the LGBT Community Center of the Desert, and the Desert Ad Fed.
So, uh, hi. How’s the pandemic been treating you? Here at the Independent, we’ve been working harder than we ever. I’ve been dividing time between looking for funding, getting out our new Daily Digests five or six times a week (sign up for them at CVIndependent.com), new projects, and doing the “normal” Independent work (writing, editing, posting stories, etc.). Here’s how that’s going: • Our staff and contributors have been doing amazing journalism. Want proof? Look at the content in this issue. Even though we don’t have enough advertising support to justify it, we decided to bump up this issue to 32 pages so print readers could get all of the important news and information contained herein—regarding everything from the struggles of our local senior centers and domestic-violence agencies, to news on how our schools are coping, to advice on how to cut down on food waste. I can’t thank our writers and designers enough for all the work they’re doing. • I am proud to announce that the Coachella Valley Independent is one of 400 local newsrooms around North America that received a $5,000 grant from the Facebook Journalism Project, in partnership with the Lenfest Institute for Journalism and the Local Media Association, to help us continue our reporting on the coronavirus crisis. We’re honored to be one of the recipients of this grant. Not only is it evidence of the quality work we’re doing at the Independent; it’s a testament to all of the support and feedback we have received from you, our readers. I thank all of you who have reached out and offered a kind thought, or words of encouragement, or constructive criticism, in the last couple of months. This grant and your support will help us continue to do what we do—honest, local, ethical journalism, available for free to all. • However … that $5,000 grant, while beyond helpful, doesn’t even cover one month of the losses in business we’ve had as a result of the pandemic. That’s why I am sooooo grateful to everyone who’s become a Supporter of the Independent in recent months. Dozens of readers have stepped up with amounts between $5 and $500—but again, it’s still not enough to make up for our other revenue losses due to the pandemic. If you’d like to join them and help us continue doing what we’re doing, go to CVIndependent.com and click on “Supporters of the Independent” in the menu bar. You can also send a check to 31855 Date Palm Drive, #3-263, Cathedral City, CA, 92234. • You can also support the Independent, the CREATE Center for the Arts and local artists by purchasing our local-art coloringbook project, Coloring the Coachella Valley Vol. 1. It features the work of local artists, as well as Independent file photos converted into coloring pages. All the proceeds will be split between the Independent, the CREATE Center and the artists whose work is inside. The 24-page book is available as both a digital download and as a printed 8.5 by 11 book, on quality paper, by the UPS Store. The digital downloads cost $20 each; both the digital download and the print version are available for $30 each (shipping included). Learn more at CVIndependent. com, or call 760-904-4208. You can see a few sample pieces on Page 14. • We know virtually every local small business is struggling right now—so we’ve started our new Adopt a Small Business program, an initiative designed to promote locally owned businesses AND support local journalism. You can help a favorite small business advertise in the Independent—at highly discounted rates: For $199, the small business will receive a quarter-page ad in a monthly print edition of the Independent; run-of-site ads in rotation for a month at CVIndependent.com; and at least one ad per week for a month in the Independent’s Daily Digest. The value of this package is more than $600. Find details at CVIndependent. com, or call 760-904-4208. Thanks for reading the Coachella Valley Independent. Hang in there. Better days are coming. —Jimmy Boegle, jboegle@cvindependent.com. CVIndependent.com
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MAY 2020
OPINION OPINION
CVINDEPENDENT.COM/OPINION
KNOW YOUR NEIGHBORS C
BY ANITA RUFUS
OVID-19 is claiming victims around the world, and in some ways, life will never be the same—including, for some, the realization that unexpected death is always a possibility. I have worked for more than 25 years on matters involving end-of-life decisionmaking. I thought I had considered every possibility, and I’d made it very clear about what I would and would not want to happen to me if I was unable to make my desires known. Yet there are now things I thought I was certain about that I am suddenly reconsidering. Advance directives, sometimes called living wills, are legally applicable in all 50 states, and are available to anyone 18 or older. They tell medical personnel what kind of care we are willing to accept or reject. In the 19th century, the Supreme Court concluded that unwanted and local hospitals, and at www.cdc.gov. treatment can be considered an assault—that There are also online registries. One of the we own our own bodies. That is why we have best forms I’ve found is available for a small “informed consent” for any type of procedure, fee from Five Wishes. It applies in 42 states, from having a tooth pulled to open-heart including California (and it can be used in surgery: We are made aware of what the all 50 states by attaching it to an individual procedure will be, and what possible negative state’s form). effects could conceivably result, so we are The first two wishes are part of every making a conscious decision. state’s official form, and are legally I’ve always been sure that I would never enforceable: Who you want to speak for you want to have my life sustained artificially— if you are unable to speak for yourself? And on a ventilator, for example. I remember what treatments do you want or not want, my father, fully conscious and aware, being under specific conditions? The choices can intubated. He couldn’t talk due to the tube include how long you might want to live in down his throat, and his arms had been a coma before life support is terminated; secured to the bed rails—because he kept trying to pull that damn tube out. I remember whether you want antibiotics or forced feeding; if you want to be resuscitated if him pleading with his eyes; he did not want your heart stops; and whether you want what was happening. But my mother was every possible medical treatment to be legally empowered to speak for him if he given indefinitely. None of this is easy to could not speak for himself, and to her, he contemplate—but the choices are yours. And was still “in there,” and she couldn’t ask to that’s the whole point. have the machine removed, although she The remaining wishes are informative knew that was what he wanted. for your family—what type of burial or I decided right then and there to make alternative you want; whether you are willing sure I would never have my life dependent on to be an organ donor; how comfortable you being hooked up to a machine. I wrote in my want to be as your life ends (for example, I advance directive that I did not want my life hate being massaged, and I want everyone sustained by artificial means; I would prefer to know that); whether you want music to be kept comfortable with narcotics, if played, or religious readings; and other things needed, even though the drugs might hasten you might want your loved ones to know. my death. I wanted to die a “natural death.” Now we are hearing about people who came These wishes are not legally binding, but the information can be both comforting and down with COVID-19 and who needed to be helpful to those left behind. on a ventilator for up to several weeks—and Advance directives don’t require a lawyer then recovered. I’m rethinking my choices yet again. While varying sources say that between or notary public. You can fill out the forms and have two neighbors or other disinterested 66 and 86 percent of COVID-19 patients parties (not your medical team or children, for on ventilators don’t make it … that means example) acknowledge that they saw you sign. between 14 and 34 percent of patients do. Even if you or a loved one refuses to I now have to think about whether I want fill out forms, you need to have these to buck those odds—but with an advanced conversations—because you never know what directive, at least I am the one making the could happen. A grown child could be in a decision. terrible auto accident. Your grandmother, who If you have never filled out an advance has always been there for you and has lived directive, or you have not revisited your a long, full life, could suffer from a sudden choices in some time, pay some attention to illness. Something could happen to your this. Forms are available free from the state CVIndependent.com
If you don’t have an advance directive, consider doing one—and if you have one, consider revisiting it
spouse. Do you know what they would want? Do they know what you would want? You also should choose who will speak for you, if you can’t speak for yourself. You might opt to select a best friend or a more-distant relative, rather than someone who could get caught up in the middle of family drama or be subject to guilt. Whomever you choose should be very clear about what you want and don’t want—and be willing to act on your behalf. Without having an advanced directive, the law decides who can speak for you—your spouse, child, parent or someone further down the family tree. Worse yet, you may be unfairly shifting the burden of those agonizing decisions onto the medical team acting in the demands of the moment. Advance directives can be withdrawn, amended and updated at any time—which brings me back to what I’ve been rethinking about being on a ventilator. It’s definitely
something I want to think about a little more, and talk about with my family. The experience of COVID-19 has hopefully opened our eyes to positive societal changes we can and should make—universal access to health care, preparing for the worst whatever the cost, working with other nations because we are all in this together, and so on. On a personal level, we can use this difficult time to internalize how suddenly life itself can change—and make sure we have the ability to have some say in the matter. The question is … who decides? Anita Rufus is also known as “The Lovable Liberal.” Her show That’s Life airs weekdays on iHubradio, while The Lovable Liberal airs from 10 a.m. to noon Saturdays. Email her at Anita@LovableLiberal.com. Know Your Neighbors appears every other Wednesday at CVIndependent.com.
COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 5
MAY 2020
OPINION PETS
CVINDEPENDENT.COM/OPINION
LESSONS FROM THE FURRY ONES C
BY CARLYNNE MCDONNELL
OVID-19 has put me into a haze. Each day runs into the next. My motivation is down, as the days of sheltering in place stretch out ahead, with no end in sight. I’m procrastinating a lot (as if that wasn’t a problem before). I go back and forth—from optimistic to pessimistic, discouraged to encouraged, depressed to grateful. My husband is considered an essential employee, and he commutes twice a week—an hour and a half each way. That brings a whole new level of worry. Compounding my concerns and fears is the lack of performance by the federal government in addressing this pandemic. Each day seems to bring some misrepresentation or attempted negation of facts—while people are dying in this great country. Our safety net has huge holes in it. At least there is evidence the measures in place Animals are our teachers on how to live in the in California have flattened the curve. But moment. wondering what the future will hold, how our Many people have decided to foster or adopt lives will change, and for how long—that can during this safe-at-home phase—so much so all be overwhelming. that some shelters are running out of animals. However, there’s one constant in my life: I recommend this highly: Not only will you The animals that live with me. Many of you give an abandoned animal a safe place; you will can relate, I know. They are inconsistently give yourself a gift of unconditional love that, consistent—and thank goodness. The cat now more than ever, is healing and uplifting. that wants to share his opinion on any variety Just remember: These animals are not perfect. of topic, or the dog that believes any phone Many of them have been abandoned, neglected conversation is actually her conversation— or abused; if they are older, perhaps they have they ground us in reality, to both the life we lost the only family they’ve ever known. Be had before and the life we have now. They are gentle and patient. Expect accidents, fear, natural mood elevators. They love us. In many anxiety and mistrust, at least in the beginning. cases, they are clocks—reminding us of our Correct them with love, and make them feel routine. Feeding, walking, petting, cleaning secure and safe. Their repayment will be love litter, picking up poop, changing the water, and trust beyond comprehension. Take one of giving treats, going for a ride—all remain our sanctuary residents, Tilly, as an example: routine, when not much else is. Lexi, the She is 16 years old and just celebrated her 19-year-old terrier mix, lets us know at 5:30 one-year anniversary with us. Today, she is a a.m. and 3:30 p.m. every day that she expects different dog—freer and more opinionated. her meal within the next 30 to 45 minutes— Patience has reaped extraordinary rewards. and that it’s time to let her out, too. The rescues and shelters in the Coachella On mornings when I just don’t think I can Valley are currently open only by appointment get out of bed, the residents of our senior due to the COVID-19 restrictions. There is sanctuary and hospice convince me, by never Riverside County’s Coachella Valley Animal failing to remind me how much love they have Campus in Thousand Palms; the shelter can be to give. Their exuberance and joy, despite their contacted at shelterinfo@rivco.org or 951-358medical challenges and advanced ages, are 7387. In North Palm Springs is the Humane hopeful and uplifting. Every day is new and Society of the Desert, at 760-329-0203. In joyful to them. They are happy in the fresh Palm Springs, the Palm Springs Animal Shelter air and the sun, or laying on the couch or bed.
As we shelter at home, animals can be our best teachers
can be reached at adoption@psanimalshelter. org, or 760-416-5718, ext. 3. There are many rescue organizations in the valley, too. Just to start, for cats, contact Pretty Good Cat, Kittyland or Forever Meow. For dogs, contact Society’s Outkasts Animal Rescue, California Paws Rescue or Loving All Animals. For people who already have animals: Be sure to check in with your veterinarian. Some are closed; others are handling only critical care; all have procedures in place to protect
both staff members and clients. Expect longer-than-usual waits for appointments and prescription refills. Despite these tough times, we should all learn from our animals: Live in the moment. Enjoy. Love—and be loved. Carlynne McDonnell is the founder and CEO of Barkee LaRoux’s House of Love Animal Sanctuary, a senior animal sanctuary and hospice in the Coachella Valley. She has been rescuing animals since she was 4 years old.
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MAY 2020
NEWS
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SERVING OUR SENIORS W
by kevin fitzgerald
e’re well into the second month of the restrictive impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic in Coachella Valley—and no group has been affected more than the valley’s seniors, who are at a much higher risk for serious illness and death from the coronavirus. In turn, the valley’s senior centers have taken on a daunting task: Finding ways, with suddenly depleted budgets, to serve their clients remotely—many of whom are already battling loneliness and isolation. “When all the centers shut on March 16, we started on our call-back list,” said Laura Castillo, the director of nutritional and operational services for the Mizell Senior Center in Palm network. So, for our senior members, it’s as Springs. “We were on the phone with clients, if, a few weeks ago, their best friend suddenly sometimes 45 minutes to an hour, just talking passed away—that social network that many to them. of them built after their spouse or partner “This (COVID-19 crisis) has created a real passed away was suddenly just gone. So, we’re issue for a lot of our seniors. They’re scared. doing everything that we can. They don’t know where to go or what to “We’ve started doing a daily Facebook live do. They haven’t been given directions on video at 11 a.m. to help keep people exercising. anything, and half of them don’t know what’s In fact, we’re trying to turn our Facebook going on. They don’t understand why there’s page into a virtual senior center. Some studies no toilet paper at the stores. They don’t show that isolation among older adults can be understand why they can’t get eggs. So … we as serious as smoking 15 cigarettes a day, in talk to them.” terms of health consequences. So that’s why Over at the Joslyn Center in Palm Desert, we’re here (as a senior center)—to keep people executive director Jack Newby said his clients active, engaged and exercising. Suddenly, that’s are facing similar problems. not available.” “One of the things we’re doing is calling Many people also depend on the area’s every one of our members,” Newby said. “We senior centers for much of their nutrition. have over 2,000 members, so we’re working Castillo said the COVID-19 pandemic has our way through the alphabet, basically. We’re forced the Mizell Senior Center to alter its contacting them to see how they’re coping. routine in many different ways, both in terms “We have a program called Problem Solving of Meals on Wheels clients and members used Strategies, which is a counseling program to getting meals in person at the center. designed for short-term situational issues and “Meals on Wheels (represents) both of our to help people solve those problems. What (nutrition) programs rolled into one,” Castillo we’re finding from (those contacts) is that, the longer this shelter-in-place order stays in place, said. “We deliver food to congregate sites, which includes most of our senior centers in the more frustrated people are getting with having to stay at home. You know, they’ve read the Coachella Valley, and then we home-deliver meals as well. In the home-delivered aspect, the books; they’ve walked the dog a million the changes mostly (involve) our drivers, who times—so much so that now the dog is hiding in the corner. They’re starting to feel the stress are being very conscientious about social distancing. They’re trying to make sure that of being at home alone. … One of the most (our senior home-delivery clients) don’t look serious issues that seniors and older adults sick or troubled by something that’s going on. face is isolation and the loss of their social
CVIndependent.com
The Coachella Valley’s senior centers struggle to reach their clients—and do more with less
Also, they wear gloves and face masks, and they have sanitizers in their vehicles. “The food hasn’t stopped (being prepared) and provided by us. The only challenge in making the food is that, during this pandemic crisis, the deliveries from our food providers have changed, and I find myself substituting in our menus more frequently than I used to before. Our congregate (on-site meal offerings) have completely closed down. Now nobody comes into our building on a daily basis except for our nutrition staff and our senior management. We do still make meals for our congregate clients, but now we have a drive-through set up to distribute them. We give our seniors the food to-go while they’re still in their vehicles. That program runs Monday through Friday every week, from 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Also, we still provide (meals) to the Cathedral City (Senior Center), which does a pickup-and-go service for their senior clients as well. We also (support) programs at the Indio and Coachella senior centers, as well as the Desert Hot Springs senior center. So we’re still trying to feed all of our seniors the way we did before.” The Meals on Wheels program is still functioning, albeit with extra precautions— and the number of clients is growing. “Our (Meals on Wheels) clients were homebound anyway,” Castillo said, “but we facilitate the program for the Riverside County Office on Aging, and this has brought to light a lot of seniors who are mobile, but really can’t go anywhere now, because they have underlying health issues, and they need to stay home. This has created a big ripple effect where we, along with the Office on Aging, had to come up with a new plan. Now all the applications (for new services) have to be funneled through the RCOA, and we are adding new clients at a rate of about three a day.” Over at the Joslyn Senior Center in Palm Desert, Newby said the coronavirus has created an increase in demand—and a more stressful environment for his Meals on Wheels drivers. “It’s volunteers who are making our deliveries,” Newby said, “and as a result, we have to be constantly aware of (the well-being) of our volunteers. If anyone should become ill, or not feel comfortable doing their routes, then we need to replace them. We’ve been able to keep up with that so far, but that’s one of the challenges that we are facing. Currently, we serve between 60 and 70 (clients) a day, and we have gotten new requests for Meals on Wheels service from clients over the past weeks. We keep (our drivers) at about 12 clients per route,
so we are reaching capacity—and considering adding an additional route, too.” At the Cathedral City Senior Center, executive director Geoff Corbin said the center is determined to keep its nutritionaloutreach efforts operating at full strength during the crisis. “We provide two essential services during the pandemic,” Corbin pointed out. “One is the lunch program, which is now extended into weekend, and the other is our food bank. With our lunch program, we’re one of the few sites that offers it five days a week. So it’s become very important to the people who use it.” However, the Cathedral City Senior Center has had to transform the way in which its food bank—something Corbin referred to as “an essential service”—gets food to clients in need. “It used to be that our large activity room would be turned into what looked like a Trader Joe’s. In fact, Trader Joe’s is one of our biggest sources of food, other than FIND Food Bank,” Corbin said. “Every Saturday and Sunday, we pick up van loads of food (at Trader Joe’s) that’s about to date out, and it goes into our Monday food banks. They’re donating tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of food products annually. But, right now, that (walk-through food bank) is suspended. Still, all the folks who come by and pick up curbside meal service (on Monday) will get a couple of pre-packed bags of food now.” The closures of the senior centers’ physical locations has led to dramatic revenue losses— and the three centers have joined forces to overcome that and other obstacles. “The Joslyn Center, the Cathedral City Senior Center and the Mizell Senior Center have been working together and meeting regularly (recently),” Newby said, “first in person, and now via teleconferencing. We share information, and all of these nonprofit senior centers share the same concern. This epidemic hit at the peak of our season, which helps provide us with the resources to make it through the summer, quite frankly. During the summer, our electric bills go up to $5,000 a month, and our income is reduced. So we’re all working together to share resources regarding grants that are available; information about the Small Business Association loans that are becoming available; (and reaching out) to local foundations and encouraging them to make emergency grant funding available to senior centers. Our own executive committee has been meeting every week for the past month to work on these various issues and develop a cash-flow analysis. We’re being sensitive to the foundations, because so many of them who
COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 7
MAY 2020
NEWS
provide funding have their funds in investment accounts—and we all know what’s happened to those in the past few weeks. It’s similar to what happened in 2008, and it’s come very suddenly. “The senior centers depend on donations, class fees, memberships and all of that, during this peak season time of year when the snowbirds are here and taking advantage of our services. Suddenly this year, on March 16, all of that came to a screeching halt.” Corbin said he’s spending a lot of time looking for funding. “Our maintenance and cleaning costs have gone up, and we still have to keep the building (running for the slimmed-down programs) and keep it staffed,” he said. “… We’ve lost all of our earned income. We made all that money playing bingo and mahjong and other games where people pay activity fees. So, our earned income has absolutely ground to a halt, and our contributed income is suppressed—and we don’t have large reserves, so we are in crazy fundraising mode. Just a couple of days ago, we applied for $10,000, which is the limit of what we could (request) from the Desert Healthcare District’s emergency funding option. Now I’m trying to put together a response to the SBA for a Paycheck Protection Program (loan) which, if we were eligible for that loan and got it, could keep a portion of the payroll going. We do have a ‘donate now’ (link) on our small MailChimp list, and believe it or not, we raised $750 from that, which is something we have not done. We will do more in terms of community fundraising as we move along.” Castillo said the Mizell Senior Center had to lay off 10 staffers. “I know the financial (realities) are always an issue,” Castillo said. “Right now, I can only keep the development director on, but I can’t afford to keep her staff on. How can I? All of our (in-house) programs are shut down, because the center is closed.” Castillo said that despite the tough times, seniors should know there’s help available to them—whether or not they’ve been seniorcenter clients before. “Right now, my main concern is that we’re still able to serve our seniors and bring on any other seniors who have concerns about food insecurity at this point—and there’s so much of that going on within the senior community,” he said. “Any seniors looking for help should call 800-510-2020. It connects them to the Riverside County Office on Aging, and they’ll get guidance there as to whether they can come on our program, or whether they can pick up food vouchers. They’re doing a lot for our seniors.” For more information on the Mizell Senior Center, visit mizell.org. For more information on the Joslyn Center, visit joslyncenter.org. For more information on the Cathedral City Senior Center, visit theccsc.org.
CVINDEPENDENT.COM/NEWS
HELPING OUR HEROES
T
A few of the many ways in which residents are stepping up to assist the medical community
by gayl biondi
he worst of times can bring out the best in people—and all over the Coachella Valley, folks are coming together (virtually, mostly) to aid health-care workers and first responders in need of personal protective equipment (PPE). These are just a few of the ongoing efforts under way to help protect our protectors. the cutting, packing, pickup, delivery and C.V. Mask Project administration of this volunteer assembly-line When entertainer and philanthropist Lucie operation. Sewers pick up gown components Arnaz got wind of the valley-wide need for personal protective equipment, she reached out and return the completed articles. Transport folks whisk the precious cargo off to medical to her idled entertainment industry pals, who staff on the front lines. set up a command center at The Five Hundred Even if you can’t sew, you can find out how building in Palm Springs. Crafty costumers put to volunteer or make a donation through the their skills and ingenuity into play to source website: www.cvmaskproject.com. the fluid-resistant material needed to make isolation gowns. Enter Lowe’s, The Home Coachella Valley Mask Makers Depot and others with donations of landscape Shelley Blume, Judi Britt and Kay Gerhardt weed barrier (talk about a “grassroots” have recruited well more than 1,000 volunteers approach!) and upholstery-lining fabric. who are, in turn, recruiting more helpers That got the pipeline flowing. “We are fortunate that we have a community in dozens of individual communities and neighborhoods to fashion no-sew masks from that comes together when the need is there,” common items like shop towels. Makers get Arnaz said. “What started as a small network kits to make 25 masks at a time; materials and of people who were willing to step up is now instructions are included. All you need is a glue growing quickly, as everyone wants to help. In gun! Pickup and delivery is coordinated by a very short period of time, we have brought captains in each community. Check the website together the creativity and entrepreneurial to see if there’s a group in your neighborhood, spirit of community leaders and people of or find out how to start your own: www. incredible talent and passion.” cvmaskmakers.com. The head honcho at The Five Hundred In less than a month, the group has created building, John Monahan, helps coordinate
While the Purple Room is again open for takeout meals, the restaurant closed for a couple of weeks to be used as a space for C.V. Mask Project volunteers to cut fabric into patterns for several thousand gowns. PURPLE ROOM FACEBOOK PAGE
a partnership with Eisenhower Health Foundation to accept donations at www. eisenhowerhealth.org/covidfund; received in-kind donations from the Indian Wells Golf Resort, Ace Hardware, Staples, Decorators Depot and others; and fielded requests to share their game plan with groups in two-dozen states and several countries around the world. Others Meanwhile, other groups have found their own ways to get involved. Eisenhower Medical Center Auxiliary members were sidelined when COVID-19 restrictions prevented them from volunteering at the hospital—so they commandeered bolts of fabric normally used to make volunteer-services smocks and got to work making face masks. They’ve made a commitment to provide each of the 4,000 Eisenhower Health staff members with two masks. “We are not in the mask business, so we are definitely learning as we go along,” said Aadila Sabat-St. Clair, one of the volunteer project coordinators. “What’s been wonderful to see is how volunteers, many of whom do not know each other, have collaborated over email on making the perfect mask and have offered advice as needed. It is rather fitting that during the month of April, we celebrated volunteers nationally. The efforts of the volunteers reflect, once again, how incredible all volunteers everywhere are.” When the 25-member Vietnamese Choir at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in La Quinta was forced to stop singing together, they decided to turn their energies toward sewing together. Even though some of the choir members had never used a sewing machine, one of their own, Jade Nguyen, said they found a helpful YouTube video. “We coached each other through the steps to make face masks,” Ngyuen said. The singers each work up to 11 hours a day with cotton material they’ve purchased or found, to honor their commitment to make 10,000 masks. They are well on their way and have so far donated more than 2,000 to local hospitals and front-line healthcare workers all over the valley. Several thousand medical and nonmedical volunteers have signed up with the Riverside County Coronavirus (COVID-19) Workforce to answer the call for all types of manpower assistance at sites throughout the county. The volunteer workforce is filling in as drivers, custodians, office staff, food service workers and security guards. Go to rc-hr.com/ volunteer-workforce if you can join in. CVIndependent.com
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Questions? Email jboegle@cvindependent.com or call 760-904-4208. The deadline for the June print edition is 10 a.m., Thursday, May 21. The deadline for the July print edition is 10 a.m., Thursday, June 18. COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT
COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 9
MAY 2020
NEWS DOCTOR REPRESENTATIVE D
by kevin fitzgerald
r. Raul Ruiz is entering the final six months of his fourth term in the U.S. Congress (and running for a fifth term), and much to his own surprise, the medical doctor who spent years working in emergency rooms finds himself in a new role—as a widely sought-after expert. When nationwide social-distancing guidelines were announced back March, the U.S. House of Representatives was forced to stop meeting in person, so many representatives, including Ruiz, returned to their districts. “It was hard to find consistency, clarity and credibility here when I got (back) from D.C.,” Ruiz said during a recent phone interview. “I really took it upon myself—given my medical and save lives and protect their own. Secondly, public-health/disaster-response training and we need the capacity to quickly identify new background—to make myself available and cases, to isolate them through quarantining, (to to keep this (discussion) in line with a very do) sufficient contact tracing—and, basically, data- and fact-based scientific approach. contain the virus.” I try to answer questions as honestly and Large-scale, accurate testing is key to transparently as I can. I admit what I don’t beginning the return to relative normalcy. know, or what science doesn’t know, and (try) “Currently, Riverside County has tested about to create a sense of social responsibility, of 1-2 percent of the total population—but we loving your neighbor—to really help people need 30-40 percent of the population to be able understand the big picture and see the forest. to get tested readily,” Ruiz said. “I’m talking Then, they can make better decisions when about testing through primary-care doctors. they have to choose amongst the trees.” I’m talking about testing in businesses, testing The public is confronted daily with numerous at food pantries and food banks, testing in the and often conflicting messages related to the COVID-19 pandemic—from the often confusing schools. We need massive drive-through testing, where people can get screened and tested even positions declared by President Trump, to if they don’t have the symptoms. That will the more-considered policies and analyses of give us a better picture of the prevalence of the California Gov. Gavin Newsom, both which coronavirus in a community, and also it will help run in contrast to the policy proclamations of us quickly identify people who are infected— Dr. Cameron Kaiser, Riverside County’s public who we hadn’t known about before—in order to health officer, or the more erudite views of Dr. do contact tracing, isolate them and quarantine Anthony Fauci, the director of the National others who may be at a high-risk. Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. “At this point, I don’t believe we have the When the Independent spoke to Ruiz on April system in place to do that. People can come 21, we had to ask: Where does the Coachella up with plans (to re-open), but having an idea Valley stand regarding the pandemic? written on paper is different from having the “This is what I know for a fact: This virus actual personnel, the training, the equipment is not going away,” Ruiz said. “People will and the resources needed to implement any still be carriers of this virus, even if they’re such plan.” asymptomatic and feel perfectly fine. And in How did we, as a nation, arrive at this the absence of massive testing, we don’t know juncture in the battle against the worst truly how many people are carriers in our pandemic the world has seen since the Spanish communities. Therefore, it will depend on how flu outbreak of 1918? And can a massive testing the community practices social distancing and effort, such as the one Ruiz described, come to the (other) precautions to determine whether fruition? we see an outbreak, and another rapid rise in “It does require federal support, and this coronavirus transmissions. So we are not out is one of the biggest failures of the response of the woods until we have two things. One by the federal government,” Ruiz said. “This is a vaccine. That’s the definitive preventative pandemic was not taken seriously enough measure that will help us get back to a prein the months of January and February, and coronavirus state of normalcy. But in the that’s precisely when a full and comprehensive absence of a vaccine, the second objective would use of the Defense Production Act should be to have the safeguards in place to prevent have been implemented in order to plan the another outbreak and surge that could put us production of the needed tests, PPEs (personal over our hospital capacity to handle the amount protective equipment) and ventilators required of coronavirus cases. to handle the surge—and we (as a nation) “In a nutshell, the safeguards required are having what it takes to help our first responders are still behind. In California, where we have
CVINDEPENDENT.COM/NEWS
Congressman Raul Ruiz finds himself in demand as an expert—regarding both politics and medicine—during the COVID-19 pandemic
the fifth-largest economy in the world, we have enormous purchasing power to create a statewide plan to augment testing. I believe the governor is focused on a statewide plan now, given the lack of movement from the (federal) administration.” Ruiz said the federal government, if it so chooses, could still initiate a comprehensive, multi-pronged approach to bringing the virus’ spread under control—and thus create a clear, safe path toward reopening our country. In fact, Ruiz has a three-point plan of his own. “It’s not too late for the president to fully utilize the Defense Production Act,” Ruiz said. “What does that look like? The president assigns multiple companies, in multiple industries, to produce not only the PPE, the tests and the ventilators, but also all of the ingredients that go into each of those, in a targeted amount and by a certain date. The federal government guarantees that it will cover the cost of purchasing (the finished) products and of distributing them. Also, it will help with any capacity expansion or modification that those manufacturers need, and even help provide the labor pool needed to get it done. I would use the CEOs of those companies to form a rapid-response task force to problem-solve the nuances of the supply chain logistics in real time.” “The second thing the administration should do is create a federal-command coordinating mechanism that’s regionally based, has a very clear chain of command, and can strategically produce, deliver and re-stock these materials in different hospitals.” Ruiz explained how this command structure could effectively free hospital administrators and local-government officials from the stress of searching the world for supplies, as well as eliminate price-gouging, plus hoarding by concerned state administrations. “The third aspect of this plan that I’ve sent over to the administration—and made a lot of noise about—is that we need transparency,” Ruiz said. “Currently, we cannot clearly plot who’s responsible for what in the supply chain. We don’t know what real role Jared Kushner has, or what real role the vice president has, or what real role Admiral (John) Polowczyk has. This (creates) a dilemma for people who want to trust and augment the system when the chain of command is so vague. “I say it’s not too late, because we won’t have a vaccine for at least another year. So we’ll need to practice precautions for another year. I would love to have all non-essential businesses open with social-distancing precautions, but to
Rep. Dr. Raul Ruiz: “People can come up with plans (to re-open), but having an idea written on paper is different from having the actual personnel, the training, the equipment and the resources needed to implement any such plan.”
do that, and safely avoid another massive surge that puts us back to stay-at-home orders, we need massive testing, and a massive amount of PPEs.” Of course, 2020 is an election year—and traditional voting may not be safe during a pandemic. Oh, and the United States Postal Service is on financial thin ice. Both of these related topics have been the subject of much recent bickering in Washington, D.C. “I’m in support of a vote-by-mail program,” Ruiz said, “because that’s the best way to practice our patriotic and civil voting responsibility while keeping our citizens safe during these elections. Democrats (in Congress) proposed funding for the post office during the CARES Act, but the Senate Republicans refused and said it was, basically, a non-starter. But I know that it will continue to be an advocacy on the part of House Democrats and Senate Democrats, because we believe that everybody who can vote, should vote, responsibly and in the safest way possible. Forcing individuals to stand out in the cold (at polling places) without enabling proper protections and precautions is putting them intentionally in harm’s way, when you know that there is an easy way to vote safely from home.” The U.S. Postal Service could also play a key role in any at-home testing programs that get developed in the coming months. Ruiz said he and his fellow Democrats would continue to fight to save the Postal Service—but there’s only so much they can do. “I’m confident that we’re going to include USPS support in a Democratic House bill,” Ruiz said. “Whether or not the Senate will vote for it, or whether or not the president will veto a plan that allows every citizen to vote safely by mail—I cannot guarantee that.” CVIndependent.com
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TEACHING VIRTUALLY E
by matt king
ducation is a big deal in my family. My grandmother was a teacher; my mom is a teacher; my aunt is a teacher; and my brother is on his way to becoming a teacher. Of course, modern teachers have never had to deal with anything like this before. California school buildings are closed through at least the end of this school year—and instead, teachers are doing their best to educate students online. Because of these unusual circumstances, I decided to talk to some teachers in my life—my mom, an old high school teacher and a couple of my college professors—via email or online chat (except for my mom) about what it’s like to be a teacher during a pandemic. Voyu’s more free-flowing class, Prof. Fuchs’ “Theoretically, the quality of the learning class is primarily lecture-based. He said he should not be changed, but I can’t help but appreciated the technology of the Zoom assume it has been diminished drastically,” application and online discussion boards. said Corbyn Voyu, an assistant professor of “I find them extremely useful, especially English at College of the Desert. I am currently since I can now associate a name with a face,” enrolled in her English 2 class, and Prof. Fuchs said. “This is always an issue when Voyu has been putting a ton of effort into instructors teach large survey courses. So, in re-creating the same fun learning environment some respects, it adds a level of intimacy to from her classroom in our Zoom video the class. I will absolutely encourage students conferences. to interact via Zoom and discussions in future “I worry about the students who specifically classes. … Except for some startup issues, I’m chose to take courses in-person rather than very pleased with the transition. I’ve been online,” Voyu said. “I cannot imagine their using online quizzes and papers for over five quality of learning is remaining the same. years, and taught a fully online class during Usually at this point in the semester, there winter intersession, so I think my students are is an effort slump, which impacts the quality lucky to have a relatively easy transition. of reading and writing I see from students. “Also, students are often shy about speaking That perpetual phenomenon, coinciding up in public, so the text-only discussions I have with the stay-at-home order, is making my been implementing have given them a chance assessment of student work more ambiguous to more fully express themselves and their than usual. I am constantly wondering: Is academic abilities.” this the normal midterm decline, or the new To see how things were going at the high medium of learning that’s causing students to school level, I reached out to my old film not participate? I am not sure I will ever find a teacher, Monica Perez, the head of the Digital concrete answer.” Design and Production Academy at Coachella Prof. Voyu explained how she is working Valley High School in Thermal. She has always extra hard to keep her teaching interesting. been tech-forward with her teachings. “I am resorting to more educational “Most students are only familiar with online gimmicks like Kahoot! (an online quiz game), classes as a form of credit recovery; there has to varying degrees of success,” Voyu said. “I always been a brick-and-mortar classroom am culling work down to the most-essential where kids are given multiple scaffolds and pieces, because I know an interminable Zoom retaught if they don’t understand,” Ms. Perez session is no fun for anyone. I am lessening said. “In this online-only setting, it is harder to the rigor of my standards by recording gauge who needs help, because a student has to lectures, carrying the brunt of discussion, and be more proactive in their learning. The quality extending deadlines. Mostly, I find I am trying of learning is there, because the curriculum to operate on ideals of compassion. … My stays the same; it is the way a student chooses students deserve to learn and, I believe, need to digest that learning that comes into play. to learn about literature, so I want to provide There are many videos and guides that can them the space to do that. I am really trying be used to facilitate learning; kids know how to follow where my students lead; I want this to Google answers, so that concept isn’t new. time to work for them rather than for me. (Education success) is more of a motivational Basically, if my students have an idea that factor now more than anything.” might make their learning better, I’d do it if I Ms. Perez said she’s needed to allocate more can. In a regular class setting, I cannot say I am time to check in with her students. that flexible.” “One of the biggest differences in my I am also in adjunct teacher Steven Fuchs’ teachings is my form of communication with Intro to Government class. Compared to Prof. CVIndependent.com
How four educators are keeping the learning going during the stay-at-home order
my students,” Ms. Perez said. “I get a lot more phone calls and text messages now. Students just need to know that you care and miss them. I miss them dearly, so hearing them on the phone is a big positive difference. “Kids don’t need to know about existentialism if they’re living it, so we (teachers) can approach these topics a little differently. I have ditched some bell/busy-work activities for more online conversation and debate. I am going to limit the craze of Zoom for only necessary times. I prefer pre-recorded material anyway; live Zoom could be used for quick Q&A sessions.” While Ms. Perez said video conferences are useful, they can’t and shouldn’t fully replace the physical classroom. “Video conferences are a double-edged sword, because not all students have access to connectivity,” Ms. Perez said. “They are a strong tool for students who need the ‘live’ interaction with their peers and teachers, as online classes by themselves require a lot of discipline and individual effort. I see it as any other tool. It is a fad right now because of our pandemic circumstances, but there are multiple modes of teaching and learning. … In the future, yes, I do see many riding the videoconference train, but I also see many students and teachers alike missing the organized chaos of the brick-and-mortar classroom. A perfect storm, in the end, would be an equal balance of the two mediums.” Ms. Perez said she’s heartbroken that the class of 2020 won’t be able to fully experience their senior years. “Many of us are very saddened that we don’t get to be with our kids for the end of the 2019-2020 school year,” Ms. Perez said. “I miss all my children, from those who make me want to pull my hair out, to those who make me a proud ‘cat mom’ everyday, to those crazy combination students who flip a coin and keep me guessing. “If anything, this pandemic has shown the importance of education and the need to reinvent the ‘old traditional’ ways of learning to a fusion of old and new. In order for kids to thrive, we can’t teach like we taught 50 or even 10 years, ago. We have to evolve.” Finally, I spoke to my mom about how teaching is continuing at the elementaryschool level. Maureen King is a teacher at Palm Academy in Indio, and she is doing her best to make sure the learning never ceases in her third-, fourth- and fifth-grade combo class. “We do a mandatory check-in every day with our students via video conference or
email,” King said. “Every student went home with their school-issued Chromebook and a paper packet encompassing three weeks’ worth of school work. However, that was back in mid-March, so our daily check-ins have been utilizing our system of online video lessons in order to further their education. Many programs that we used in regular class are being used for distance learning, and I am able to assign specific lessons for student reinforcement when needed. Once a week, the entire class meets virtually to see one another, play some games and check on their social and emotional well-being. I also have office hours if students need one-on-one tutoring.” King is proud of the measures being taken to continue connecting to her students, but she admitted there are some obstacles between younger students and technology. “I find that younger students are needing more help at home to login and share assignments with their teacher,” King said. “Internet connectivity is not a given in our school population, so I am working on providing additional written packets for students who have been unable to join virtually. “Per my school guidelines, teachers should be providing four hours of work per day, focusing on reading and writing, math and personalized passion projects. We are also stressing the importance of physical activity and the well-being of the students.” No matter the education level, local teachers are working hard to do the best they can under the stressful circumstances. Prof. Voyu summed up her motivations in this way: “These are unprecedented times, but I have too much respect for my students and for my subject to just allow the semester to be considered a wash.”
COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 11
MAY 2020
NEWS
CVINDEPENDENT.COM/NEWS
REMOTE MEDICAL CARE W
by KEVIN FITZGERALD
hile COVID-19 is obviously the world’s biggest current health challenge, people still have other health problems that need to be addressed in a timely fashion—and if you happen to be a low-income, uninsured resident of the Coachella Valley, one of the few options for good, quality care is Indio’s Coachella Valley Volunteers in Medicine clinic. According to the clinic’s website: “CVVIM is a member of Volunteers in Medicine, a national nonprofit alliance with more than 90 free clinics across the U.S., whose mission is to provide healthcare services in a compassionate, caring way to our neighbors in need.” The Indio clinic opened its doors in November 2010, and is the valley’s only free health center. because they need to have a conference call However, CVVIM is not set up to directly with a translator.” treat COVID-19 patients like the local Fleishman said he believes the clinic is hospitals and the Desert AIDS Project are. continuing to serve its patients well, given “LabCorp, our lab-service provider, the circumstances. (won’t) process the (COVID-19) tests from “For what we’re doing now, we have Doug us, because they are saving the tests for (Morin), the executive director; an operations the people who are needing them the most, manager; a front-desk coordinator; a diabetes and an ambulatory clinic (like CVVIM) nurse; a med tech; and a volunteer coordinator. that doesn’t normally see very ill patients So, we have six people. We spread them out wouldn’t qualify,” said Dr. Stewart Fleishman, so that they’re not all in the same little area a volunteer physician and the board chair at the same time. We’ve really kept all of at CVVIM. “So we send people to the those folks employed, because we feel that’s a appropriate test sites.” commitment that we want to make to them— The clinic’s operations have been severely and we need them to be the middlemen impacted by the ramifications of the virus’ amongst all of these services and patients.” spread. The shelter-at-home restrictions and Fleishman said many of CVVIM’s patients, the threat of exposure to the coronavirus in normal times, are working—but uninsured. have greatly impacted the daily operations at “Many have jobs, although some don’t CVVIM. In fact, the clinic stopped allowing have jobs now,” he said. “Luckily, most of in-person visits on March 19, when Gov. Gavin the patients do have access to a cell phone. Newsom’s stay-at-home order took effect. Since the government relaxed the rules on Since then, the clinic has been communicating, privacy and confidentiality, we’ve been using diagnosing and refilling prescriptions for FaceTime and Skype to do telehealth visits. patients through virtual and telephonic We’re not (yet using) a regular telehealth channels every Tuesday through Friday. “We only have a few paid staff members, and platform, (which hopefully soon) we should be getting from the national Volunteers in they’re all coming in,” Fleishman said. “Our Medicine board.” volunteers are almost all over 65; maybe 75 The one exception to the strict “no patient percent of us are over 65, so it would have been contact” policy: CVVIM’s Indio-based Street very tough to ask them to come in. The rest of Medicine Team, to which one member of the our volunteers are trainees from Eisenhower clinic’s personnel is attached one night per Medical Center, from the internal-medicine week. and family-practice-training programs, but “They’ve been getting to some of the they’ve been needed at the hospital. So we’ve homeless people who were not being serviced had to change things around. by the (Coachella Valley Rescue) Mission “We have medical technicians coming in, and they’re fielding all the phone calls and the or one of the other wonderful programs all over this valley,” Fleishman said. “These are faxes. They’re calling each of the providers folks living under overpasses and in small with questions about drug (prescription) encampments. (The team) goes out on renewals, transportation, or X-ray or scan results, and then we call the patients back and Tuesday nights with an Indio police officer, somebody from the Narrow Door (an Indio give them the information. We answer any service organization) and some food. So, patient questions and make sure they’re OK. It’s a bit cumbersome. I am the main bilingual there’s food, clothing and medical care (being offered) to the homeless. They skipped two provider, believe it or not, with a name like weeks, but they’ve started going out again. Fleishman. I can operate on my own, but (the “It’s a sad situation, but there are people technicians) are here to help all the other congregating in small groups all over the providers make phone calls (to patients),
Coachella Valley Volunteers in Medicine, the area’s only free health center, helps patients virtually as the pandemic continues
place. Many of them have insurance—many of them have Medi-Cal, but they don’t trust the system. They feel that the system has wronged them. So, if they came to our office, by our usual rules, we wouldn’t see them, because they have insurance. But if they encounter the Street Medicine Team, then we can. Right now, a smaller team is going out, because the medical assistants are mostly needed at the Eisenhower hospital. Because the police officer is from Indio, we don’t cross the city lines into other cities. They see a number of patients every week. People trust them. They know that they’re coming, and they know there will be food and clothing with them.” Nearly all nonprofits are dealing with financial worries due to the pandemic and the resulting economic downturn. However, Fleishman expressed limited optimism about the clinic’s future, as well as gratitude for the help that’s already come their way. “We’ve been lucky in that before we even contacted them to let them know what our plans were, the foundations who have granted us money are being extremely understanding,” Fleishman said. “Our major fundraising event for the year, the VIMY Awards, was to be on March 21, so we’ve had to postpone that until Nov. 13. That’s a big issue. “We have been trying to communicate that we’re still here to help the patients in the best ways we can based upon the circumstances. For the foreseeable future, yes, we are stable, but I don’t know how to quantify what ‘foreseeable’ is. Our foundations have given us latitude in how we can spend their (grant) money, because some of it was restricted to use for only certain programs. One of our funders did spontaneously send us some extra money, which was unrequested and quite lovely. But
Dr. Stewart Fleishman, volunteer physician and board chair at CVVIM: “We have been trying to communicate that we’re still here to help the patients in the best ways we can based upon the circumstances.”
we haven’t yet (made requests for additional funding), because we wanted to see what was really happening, and figure out how long we’re going to have to operate like this. “If we get the telehealth system from the national VIM, then I think we’ll be in a lot better shape.” For more information on Coachella Valley Volunteers in Medicine, visit cvvim.org.
CVIndependent.com
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IN RECOVERY AT HOME G
by VALERIE-JEAN (V.J.) HUME
etting sober is one thing—and staying sober is another. Since 1935, Alcoholics Anonymous meetings have been there to help members stay sober—offering a safe place for people to air their thoughts, questions and problems, with the tacit understanding of “what’s said here, stays here.” At least 10 percent of Americans deal with addiction issues, meaning AA and other 12-step programs are huge parts of many people’s lives. Then came the coronavirus—and a societal shutdown the likes of which the United States hasn’t experienced in more than a century. When people can’t attend meetings … what happens end when everyone reaches toward the screen, to sobriety? and we say a final prayer. We feel a closeness of Enter the internet—and, specifically, the spirit, and it’s like holding hands. Zoom meetings. While some local AA “Unfortunately, some people are too afraid members continue to meet in person—risks of the technology to join us. This morning, to themselves and society be damned—most there were a couple of people who had ‘slipped’ have turned to Zoom to continue to get the (drank again) during this coronavirus. … community and support they need. People are struggling, and they are not all A couple of weeks into the shelter-in-place finding Zoom right away. For newcomers order, we reached out to various AA members especially, it’s difficult. and asked them how they’re coping as we all “Initially, we were just going to do this ride out the pandemic. on Sundays. I wasn’t sure that I hadn’t been exposed at school to the virus … so it was a e’ll start with D. and D., a couple who met in the program. Instead of physically strange time. I wanted to do something normal like our Sunday 9 a.m. meeting. But I saw on attending meetings, they’re hosting online Facebook an ad for (online AA meetings), and meetings daily via Zoom at 9 a.m. The first they were looking for hosts—and our first meeting they held had 22 attendees. Within meeting was so great, and everyone was so four days, attendance had soared to 92—a touched, that we decided to do it every day. meeting featuring a screen full of faces on “We are supposed to be in lockdown. We may computers, tablets and smart phones. be isolated—but we are still connected. That’s Zoom’s basic service is free, but meetings why we call this meeting Stay Connected.” on the basic service could previously last only The husband added: “It helped me so much. up to 40 minutes. Therefore, people happily When you share your sorrows, they divide, and chipped in to upgrade the service, with the when you share your joys, they multiply. It’s extra money collected going to support the true! It still works online at a Zoom meeting. AA Central Intergroup Office of the Desert. “Because of the virus, I couldn’t see my There, people have always been able to phone mother in hospice the last two weeks, so in or visit in person to pick up literature, ask it caused me to concentrate more on the questions about meetings, or simply learn meetings. Then I actually found out by about the mysterious disease of alcoholism. being texted during a Zoom meeting … that The central office now includes a list of Zoom my mother was beginning to transition. … meetings at aainthedesert.org. We interrupted the meeting, which I have D., the wife, got sober at the age of 14 and is a grade-school teacher with 43 years of sobriety; never done before, and told everyone what happened, (and) that we had to go. Another her husband of 14 years has 28 years of member stepped up and acted as host. … We sobriety. They found out about Zoom after the ran out and left our computer on. As we were husband took a course online several years ago. traveling, we were texted that my mom had “We were contacted for an (online virtual) transitioned. We were back home 10 hours AA meeting a year and a half ago—an early later, and the computer was still on—the morning 6 a.m. meeting that went around meeting had closed, but we had no idea when the world, and we were both asked to be it had ended! speakers,” the wife said. “There were people “Since then, it has helped me to share at in Iceland, Cambodia, on islands, in remote the Zoom meetings, and hear others’ stories areas of the world, or people here with jobs about family who had passed away. I felt like I who had weird hours, and it was difficult for wasn’t alone by sharing at this meeting. … It them to get to regular meetings. We had some was the best, to feel the group support … and apprehension—but we liked it. to my unexpected amazement, I found myself “My favorite part of our meetings is at the
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How local members of Alcoholics Anonymous are dealing with the shelter-in-place order
being more open with my emotions, even to a group with a lot of strangers. I didn’t know I was going to do that. People from all over the country chimed in; it was like we were all on a life raft together. Just like AA’s creation of the Grapevine magazine for the loners, it was this forward thinking that got Zoom (meetings) started.” The wife added: “With phones and texting, we all check on each other and offer support—and we still do that, too, being selfquarantined. The technology is harder for older people, but we have younger people who stick around after every meeting to help them. Everyone is helping each other. We have to talk each other through it, so there is an incredible amount of communication going on. “You’ll see a girl, 18, helping someone who is 85. It’s great.”
K
irk is a snowbird, a retired firefighter with 23 years in AA. Accustomed to attending five meetings a week, he now relies on Zoom for his meetings at 6:30 a.m., as well as another meeting originating back home. “I see my old friends at the meetings! I almost feel like a newcomer—I had a lot of fear and uncertainty about the technology, like when I first walked into the rooms of AA,” he said. “I don’t know what I’m doing, but I am going to keep doing what they tell me. “I need a hip replacement and am taking a lot of Advil and Tylenol—we can’t do surgery on it right now. My doctor says this virus thing is a monster; everyone is so overwhelmed. It gives me goosebumps. “I have not heard of anyone picking up a drink over this yet … yet. I am pretty bewildered by this; I think we are totally underestimating the power of this thing. None of us has ever done anything like this. … I think it’s going to get worse. I hear the doctors interviewed on TV, and their voices shake sometimes. “I was cleaning up the yard yesterday, just to get out of my own head. Hopefully we will know more in another month or so. … I suggest that people pick up the phone and call someone you haven’t called in a while … and get connected! When I do, I can feel the anxiety leaving my body. Clean the closets; clean the garage—and stay away from the refrigerator! Bicycle riding is great. … Walking the dog is great.”
L
., from Indio, has 29 years in the program; his wife, has 32. They met in the program years ago.
“I was all for the meetings shutting down because of the coronavirus. The meetings can be Petri dishes, because people go to them even when they are feeling sick,” the husband said. “They should have been closed sooner. I support them staying closed as long as this virus is a threat. I have a lot of people I am close to, and we are staying in touch on the phone, going to online meetings a bit, and practicing prayer and meditation at home. “I met with one sponsee, wearing a mask, sitting seven feet away, sitting outside. It is the last face-to-face I will do, because he is in a recovery home, and people there are sick. Who knows how widespread this is? “Having a wife in the program is an advantage, as she has a source of interaction other than me, with all her AA girlfriends, so the pressure is not on us to be each other’s source of entertainment. The online meetings I like, but not as much as in person, though it is a good way to stay connected. “I am not living in fear. … We are taking all the precautions we can. We are in quarantine and go out only when we have to. … We have one N95 mask, and I wear that when I go out shopping. When I bring food home, I have a Tupperware container with water and bleach, and I wipe down everything. “(My wife) and I are actually getting along better. … I don’t know why, but it is. We are on the same page.” His wife adds: “I appreciate the online meetings. … I’ve been doing meditation and music—and making cookies! I’m trying to keep a positive attitude. I am doing good, staying healthy and feeling good. “This is really strange, isn’t it? I think in the end, good will come from this. A lot of people are coming together in love and peace and gratitude.”
J
ohn, of La Quinta, recently celebrated 36 years of sobriety. “When the meetings shut down, I knew I had to take care of myself—by phone, online, or even at outdoor early-morning park meetings … where I went only once,” he says. “I am now in a 15-day lockdown. “I respect what the president is doing; he is the CEO of the country. … I can’t imagine where we would be if we hadn’t shut down. I have five sponsees right now, and I have to take care of them! I am going to stay in contact with them, and with other people, and with God. “I am kind of retired from physical work. The online meetings have been a challenge technologically. Yesterday was the first day I
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seriously tried to do an online meeting, with partial success. I plan to definitely try again. My sponsees are doing really good; one guy is home with his kids, painting the house together! “There are still (physical) meetings actually happening, and he is going to those in person. I didn’t get on him about it, but if we are all staying home, I think he should, too. I have another sponsee who is a nurse, and he is still working; he is doing OK. I say to him, ‘Take care of yourself, even with that protective gear!’ Another one is a kind of a hermit who never leaves the house much anyhow; we are only in touch by phone now, although we have met in person every week for five years. “Another sponsee is moving! In the middle of this! He is lugging stuff right now. “I used to go to meetings every day, and I love them. Acceptance is a big part of our program, and now we have to accept this new way of life. … We can’t get uptight about the new rules. Like the 12 steps of AA, we have to stay sober by doing them, and so we have to follow these rules in our civilian life to stay alive. “God is asking a lot of us right now, but I think everyone will be just fine.”
I
n the city of Coachella is Joe, coming up on 21 years of sobriety. “While this coronavirus is impacting people worldwide, I think it’s brought us closer than ever before,” he says. “We educate each other and stress the importance of being connected. “We now have meetings in our home every day—sponsees and family, about 10 people. We aren’t worried about the virus; we are sanitizing and keeping our distance a bit, but we are not locking our doors.
“When I was overseas as a Marine, we had an Iraqi translator, and he used to walk around freely where everyone else was ducking flying bullets. He had no weapon. We asked why he did this, and he replied, ‘If it is meant for me to die, I will.’ I remember two other Marines under fire—one was taking cover; the other wasn’t, and he said to his friend, ‘Don’t bother hiding; you can’t die yet. You gotta get those teeth fixed first!’ “I won’t live in fear! I have to remind myself not to listen to my head, to live in a neutral zone … so I can’t go around thinking I might get the virus. My head will always try to feed me negative information. Every time we cough or sneeze now, we think we have the virus! “There is a reason for all the principles of AA—we have to use the ideas, not just think of them as words. Now that we are home with our family all the time, I stay away from the news, because my mind gets worked on by it. AA tells me how to direct my day, and I am a whole lot better. It is a daily event, and if I don’t live in faith, then I can hear my mind talking to me. … It is stuff that is no good for me or anyone else. That’s why we hold these little get-togethers. “People are so grateful for these! One gal just got 30 days (of sobriety). Another guy is 14 years old, and he just got two months of sobriety. To hear them say they need this makes it worth it—every time. I think I have had more get-togethers now than ever before; it is making us closer, while the rest of the world is isolating! “I’m not yet going to meetings on Zoom. I say: Keep removing fear whenever it comes up; we are not running the show!”
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Presenting Coloring the Coachella Valley Vol. 1: The Coachella Valley Independent Coloring Book! The Coachella Valley Independent has partnered with the CREATE Center for the Arts and the UPS Stores in Desert Hot Springs, Cathedral City (Date Palm) and Yucca Valley to create Coloring the Coachella Valley, a Coachella Valley Independent Coloring Book! This is a tough time for us all. The Independent, like so many other businesses and community organizations, has suffered a devastating blow to our finances during this COVID-19 crisis. The CREATE Center has mobilized its 3-D printing capabilities—and those of others—to make personal protective equipment for the local medical community. And many artists are facing an unknown economic future. Hence this awesome coloring book project, featuring the work of local artists, as well as Independent file photos converted into coloring pages! All the proceeds will be split between the Independent, the CREATE Center and the artists whose work is inside. The 24-page book is available as both a digital download and as a printed 8.5 by 11 book, on quality paper by the UPS Store. The digital download costs $20 each; both the digital download and the print version are available for $30 each (shipping included).
Order at CVIndependent.com or call 760-904-4208! CVIndependent.com
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MAY ASTRONOMY M
Say farewell to Venus and hello to Mercury Planets andatBright Stars Evening Mid-Twilight at dusk; dawn, theingiant planets hang For May, 2020 out together, while looks onnorth, This sky chart is drawnMars for latitude 34 degrees but may be used in southern U.S. and northern Mexico. N
By Robert Victor
ay features the departure of Venus from the western evening sky just days after its close pairing with Mercury. In the southern predawn sky, Jupiter and Saturn remain in “quasiconjunction,” within 5 degrees all month, while brightening Mars widens its distance to the lower left of our solar system’s giant planets. Every spring, in nightly outings during the first hour after sunset, you can enjoy following the seasonal departure of bright stars into the western twilight glow. In order of date, they are Rigel, Aldebaran, the Dog Star Sirius and Betelgeuse, as well as—before the end of May this year— Venus. A close conjunction of departing Venus with emerging Mercury will take place on May 21. By the start of June, of winter’s luminaries, only the spring arch of four bright stars remains: from left to right, Procyon, the “Twins” Pollux and the south in middle of night, and low in the Castor, and Capella. southwest at dawn. Evenings: Even in ordinary years, the The moon at dusk, on its way toward full May evening sky undergoes rapid change, on the night of May 6, passes near Regulus, with the departure of several bright winter heart of Leo the Lion, on May 1; and near Spica stars. But evenings in May 2020 feature the on May 5. On its next pass through the early dramatic departure of Venus, as well as the evening sky May 23-June 5, catch the moon as fast emergence of Mercury from the far side a thin crescent below Mercury and Venus on of the sun. May 23; as a thickening crescent near Pollux Venus in the foreground, and Mercury in on May 26 and near Regulus on May 28; and at the background, moving in opposite directions, first quarter phase, half full, on May 29. speed past each other on May 21. That evening, Venus on May 1 is still near peak brilliance, they’re just 1 degree apart, allowing the large, at magnitude -4.7. Slight optical aid reveals thin crescent Venus and tiny, gibbous Mercury it as a crescent, 24 percent illuminated and to be viewed in the same low-power telescope 40 arcseconds across, large enough to resolve field! Be sure to catch the compact gathering of even through 7x binoculars if observed in the young crescent moon, Venus and Mercury daylight or soon after sunset. At sunset on low in the very early evening twilight on May May 1, Venus is 38 degrees to the upper left 23. To spot this moon, which begins the month of the sun and sets more than three hours of Shawwal and ends Ramadan on the Islamic later. Beginning retrograde, Venus hovers calendar, it’ll be essential to find a place where 1.5 degrees from Beta Tauri May 9-12 in a a mountain or a nearby obstruction won’t block quasi-conjunction, without moving on past the your view toward the west-northwest. star. Dramatic changes: By May 16, Venus At month’s end, the only bright objects is 25 degrees to the upper left of the setting remaining in the low western sky in deepening sun; sets two hours after the sun; and shows twilight form the “Arch of Spring” in the west a thinner crescent—10 percent lit and 51 to west-northwest, consisting of, from left to arcseconds across. Can you still see Venus on right, Procyon, Pollux, Castor and Capella, with May 28? It’s moved to within 9 degrees of the Mercury below. Leo’s brightest star, Regulus, sun; sets 45 minutes after sunset, and shows at the end of May is still well up in the westa very thin crescent of just over 1 percent, 58 southwest, to the upper left of the arch. The arcseconds across. Big Dipper’s curved handle points the way Mercury passes superior conjunction behind to Arcturus high in the east-southeast, and the sun on May 4, and perihelion only five days Virgo’s brightest star, Spica, well up in the later, so it emerges fast and bright into evening south-southeast: Follow the arc to Arcturus, and sky. Using binoculars, can you spot Mercury on drive a spike to Spica. The second member of May 9, when it shines at magnitude -1.7 and the Summer Triangle to rise, Deneb, appears sets just 30 minutes after sunset? If not, it’ll very low in the northeast, to the lower left of be easy even for unaided eye a few days later. Vega, its brightest member. Finally, locate Capture gibbous Mercury and crescent Venus in the red supergiant star Antares, heart of the same telescope field on May 21. Scorpion, low in the southeast at dusk in late Morning: The morning twilight chart at May. As Earth passes between Antares and the CVIndependent.com shows bright Jupiter in the sun on night of May 30-31, Antares stands southern sky, and Saturn in quasi-conjunction, at opposition and is visible almost all night: within 5 degrees to Jupiter’s east (left) all Low in the southeast at dusk, at its highest in month. Brightening Mars is in the southeast,
May's evening sky chart. ROBERT D. MILLER
Deneb Vega
15 22 29 Mercury
22 Capella
Venus 8
15
1 Aldebaran Arcturus
E
Castor Pollux
W Betelgeuse
Regulus Procyon
Rigel
Spica Sirius Antares
Evening mid-twilight occurs
20 to 41 degrees to the of Saturn. when Sun is 9Olower below left horizon. May 1:pass 42 minutes after bright sunset. outer Watch the moon the three 15: 45Bright " "stars" are the Summer planets May 12-15. 31: 46 " " " Triangle of Vega, Altair and Deneb overhead, with Arcturus sinking in the west to westnorthwest, Antares sinking in the southwest, and Fomalhaut in the southeast, below Mars. The moon waxes from full in the westsouthwest to a thin crescent in the eastsoutheast from May 7-20. It appears near Antares on May 8 and 9; near Jupiter and Saturn on May 12; at last quarter phase, half full, on May 14; and near Mars on May 15. Brightest Jupiter (magnitude -2.3 to -2.6 in eastern Sagittarius) is in the south-southeast to south. Saturn (magnitude +0.6 to +0.4 in western Capricornus) is within 5 degrees to Jupiter’s east all month. They’re in quasiconjunction, with a minimum separation of 4.7 degrees on May 18. They move little this month against stars, as Saturn commences retrograde
S
Stereographic Projection
on May 11, and JupiterMap onby May 14.D.A Miller telescope Robert shows Jupiter’s cloud belts and four Galilean moons, and Saturn’s rings. Mars (+0.4 to 0.0) is in the south-southeast, to the lower left of Saturn, by 20 degrees on May 1, 30 degrees on May 16, and 40 degrees on May 30. Watch Mars pass 0.9 degrees north of two stars in tail of Capricornus May 1-4, and 2 degrees south of a star in Aquarius on May 30. Star parties hosted by the Astronomical Society of the Desert have been canceled through at least the end of May. Watch www. astrorx.org for updates. Wishing you clear skies! Robert C. Victor was a staff astronomer at Abrams Planetarium at Michigan State University. Now retired, he often collaborates with John S. French on the Sky Calendar, and enjoys providing skywatching opportunities for a variety of groups, mostly in the California desert and in Michigan. CVIndependent.com
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What If Home Is Not a Safe Place? Agencies that help victims of domestic violence and sexual assault adapt to the current stay-at-home reality By Kevin Fitzgerald
Even in the best of times, an average of 24 people per minute are victims of
rape, physical violence or stalking by an intimate partner in the United States, according to the National Domestic Violence Hotline. That adds up to more than 12 million women and men over the course of a year. But these aren’t the best of times. As the nation and the world try to limit the damage of the COVID-19 pandemic, we’ve been told to stay home as much as possible—and that means that under these stressful circumstances, a lot of domestic-abuse and sexual-assault victims are being forced to constantly stay under the same roof as their abusers. This has made it much more difficult for two local agencies that help victims of abuse and sexual assault—Coachella Valley Sexual Assault Services and Shelter From the Storm—to do their vitally important work. According to the Open Justice web portal of the California Department of Justice, in 2018, there were 1,380 domestic violence-related calls to police departments in the nine cities of the Coachella Valley, as well as 138 arrests for rape. In recent weeks, the Independent has spoken with the leaders of both organizations twice—first in late March, and then again in mid-to-late April. Angelina Coe is the executive director of Shelter From the Storm, the Palm Desert-based shelter and service provider for victims of domestic violence. She told us that the organization has needed to make a lot of changes during these unprecedented circumstances. “Clients who are not currently in shelter but are receiving services from us are impacted, because everything is being done by teletherapy and telephonically,” she said. “There are no in-person meetings, for their safety and the safety of our staff as well, in order to maintain social distancing and make sure were not adding to the spread of the coronavirus. We don’t know what interactions (our clients) have had, and they don’t know what interactions (our staff members) have had.
“To not be able to come here for solace, safety, counseling
and guidance (makes) a huge impact,” Coe said. “They (in the past) came in to receive in-kind donations and food distribution, things like that. Now they don’t have that readily available to them.” Over at Coachella Valley Sexual Assault Services (CVSAS), program director Winette Brenner and her team help victims of sexual assault and human trafficking. She said it’s important for people to know that there is still help available. “Our phone lines are quiet, and when they get quiet, that’s scary,” Brenner said. “You know that (sexual assault) is happening, but people are scared. There’s just so much uncertainty right now. People do not know what to do, or who to call, because everyone is in panic mode. Now, do I think that’s going to continue? No, I don’t. I think the more that the media get out there and let people know what services are available and where, that’s going to help. That’s our No. 1 focus—to let people know that, yes, we are in a pandemic, but we are still here to help you in the best ways we know how, and to the best of our abilities.” “We still have our 24-hour crisis hotline up, and anybody can still call that number and get a live person, not an automated recording,” Brenner continued. (That number: 800-656-4673.) “We work closely with the law-enforcement agencies and SAFE services at Eisenhower Medical CVIndependent.com
Center. We all work as a team for the sexual-assault victims, and we had to come up with a plan for the best way to continue to give services. Recently, we (established the ability) to do a Zoom call from the actual exam room at the Eisenhower Medical Center, as if we were there in-person to be present during a victim’s exam. It’s HIPAA-compliant, so there are no concerns there. Each particular law-enforcement agency has established their own protocols as to how they (participate), but we’re all still continuing to provide services for the victims and their family members. “Because of the pandemic and because of the world we live in, sexual assault and human trafficking does not stop. Sad as that is, it doesn’t. So, it’s not a lack of (these abuse incidents) happening, but it’s a lack of people reporting them (when they do). Still, we’re really trying to come up with new ways to use the platforms that we have available, like Zoom (the video conferencing platform) and telephone conference calls.” Back at Shelter From the Storm, Coe said that she, too, wants people to know that some help is still available. “We are seeing a decrease in calls,” Coe said. “But we’re not sure exactly what the dynamic is. Is it because everybody’s home? Is it because of the uncertainty about where they’re going to go? Is it because there’s an additional fear about what happens next, and, ‘Am I going to be even more exposed (to the coronavirus) at a shelter than I would be staying home?’ “There are a lot of factors there, but (recently), the tone of the calls has changed. They’re looking for more information, and I foresee that the calls are only going to increase over the next few weeks as this continues to be the new normal. But our hotline is still available, and we have our online platforms with which we can provide some services, like video-chatting, where at least (clients) can see someone. Our staff is still present and available in both English and Spanish.
“Our main focus now is safety planning.
Not safety planning around the client leaving (an abusive environment), necessarily, but safety planning if they have to stay.” Coe ran down a list of challenges her team is trying to address. “We are in the process of working on teletherapy via video conferencing, but that takes some time to set up—to make sure (victims) have a confidential location where they can take that video conferencing,” Coe said. “Our service is all about anonymity and confidentiality, so they can’t open up and disclose what’s really going on, or what the issues are that they really would like to discuss, if their children are in the room, or if their partner is still in the household, or if they’re living with other people for their safety. You really can’t get into that one-onone dynamic. … A lot of (victims) do not want to participate in the telephonic counseling, because they don’t feel it’s effective, or they don’t have a phone available. Not everybody has a cell phone that they’re not sharing with someone else, or (they don’t have) the minutes to do that, especially if they (have no) income right now, because they’re not working due to the businesses being closed. Or they don’t have child care, because the schools are closed, which is a huge impact to our community clients.” Coe said Shelter From the Storm needed to stop accepting donations of physical items during the pandemic.
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“That creates a huge impact, because a lot of (clients) rely on those items of clothing and food and hygiene (products), backpacks and other every-day regular things that you’d (normally) just run to the Dollar Tree for,” she said. “… Without an income, they need those items even more, and we’re unable to provide them. So, it’s just huge for our community clients.” The pandemic is causing challenges for the nonprofit’s in-shelter clients, too. “The biggest impact for them is the uncertainty about what happens to them when their time (in shelter) is up,” Coe said. “Maybe other programs aren’t accepting new clients, or everything is on hold, because a landlord doesn’t want to take in a new tenant right now, since they don’t know what (that tenant) could expose them to. So that’s a huge fear factor, in addition to (the realities that) the client has already left their family; they’re here by themselves; and there’s no outlet, since we’ve restricted their movement in and out, because they’re sheltering in place. California has said everyone should stay at home, and that’s their home. They’re interacting only with the staff at the shelter, and they are missing out on many support services that would have been available to them during a normal stay. That’s causing additional anxiety, and our counseling has changed its focus to anxiety and coping skills, along with understanding the factors of: (What happens) if you are exposed? What are we doing to keep you safe? Why are we keeping you on ‘lockdown?’” Coe said Shelter From the Storm is currently unable to accept new in-shelter clients because of concerns over COVID-19. “We’re not taking in any new families, because we have no way to isolate them and to ensure that they’re safe, (while) not exposing our current clients to additional factors that we can’t afford to expose them to—and the same thing with our staff,” she said. “So what happens to them?” Then there’s the financial picture: The nonprofits rely on government support, as well as community support via donations—and the pandemic has financially devastated both government budgets and members of the community. However, Brenner and Coe both said their organizations are on stable fiscal ground—for now.
“All of our services are free of charge,
and we work hard to keep it that way,” Brenner said. “As far as our financial security, we’re actually doing OK at the moment. I knock on wood. I think it’s too early to say what the future holds. But as long as we’re still working, I think we’re going to be OK. I haven’t heard anything different from the state. We’re still being supported (by the state), and our doors are still open, and we still have some (staff) in here for the victims.” During our initial interview, Coe said Shelter From the Storm was planning for the worst financially, but as late April arrived, she had a more positive outlook.
“We are very fortunate that, right now, our funding is covering all of the salaries,” Coe said. “Also, we do have a few donors who have really stepped up and provided us with some unexpected donations. We have funders who are saying, ‘Here’s a little something to help you with your costs during this time,’ so we can pay for some supplies we need to purchase, or cover the cost of the (online) platforms we use to do our networking, or upgrade our systems to get this done. We’ve been very fortunate that we haven’t had to apply for any stimulus packages at this time. We’re good until the end of this fiscal year for the (state) government, which is September, because of some generous donors who’ve stepped forward to help us. So we’ll see what happens in the next few months, but we believe we’re in a good place, and we’re happy to be financially stable. We are keeping costs at a minimum, which is good.” Brenner said she’s been working extra hard to keep up the spirits of everyone involved with CVSAS, from clients to staff to volunteers “It’s really important for me as a director to keep everybody lifted up as we go through this, because there’s so much sadness,” Brenner said. “So I set up little virtual (events) with the volunteers. We just did a paint night, just to stay connected. … I want to let them know they’re still supported. And I meet with my staff every morning on our calls that get us going for the day. I’m trying my best to keep it as normal as possible, because this is going to be the new normal for all of us. And we’ll get through it.” Coe—whose shelter for victims of abuse is the only such refuge in the Coachella Valley— said she was grateful for the assistance the nonprofit has experienced since the reality of the pandemic set in.
“It’s been an intense time,”
Coe said. “The Coachella Valley has been really good. Supervisor (V. Manuel) Perez’s office and the county have been really good about having weekly call-in meetings with providers and sending out updates. The (California) Partnership to End Domestic Violence has been a wonderful support network as well, (providing) scheduled weekly and bimonthly meetings to check in with other shelters, other leadership and get the most updated information. “Again, we’re always pushing everyone to wash their hands, to keep social distancing, and to clean hard services as much as possible,” Coe said. “We’re just doing our best to keep going.” If you are dealing with domestic violence, call Shelter From the Storm at 760-328-7233. For more information on Shelter From the Storm, call 760-674-0400, or visit www.shelterfromthestorm.com. If you are a victim of sexual assault, get help by calling the 24-hour crisis line at 800-656-4673.
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18 \\ COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT
MAY 2020
ARTS & CULTURE DIVAS, COMICS AND A SAD CLOWN
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By jimmy boegle
itch Gershenfeld has been booking shows at the McCallum Theatre for more than two decades now—and it’s a vast understatement to say he’s never experienced a season like this. The longtime McCallum president and CEO retired—while keeping his booking duties—late last summer to make way for a new president and CEO, Terrence Dwyer. Three months later, Dwyer was let go, and Gershenfeld returned as featuring a participatory performance of the acting president. The Little Mermaid by The Panto Company Then came March 12—and the realities of USA. The season then kicks into high gear the COVID-19 pandemic. in November, starting with a Nov. 1 show by “We were supposed to have Ricky Skaggs humorist Jeanne Robertson. that night,” Gershenfeld said during a recent That is, of course, if theaters are allowed to phone interview. “It was a sold-out show, but operate by then. we shut everything down. The rest of the “We’re certainly looking with optimism that shows for the season were canceled. by November, things may have returned to a “But we had a plan. We kept all of our fullpoint where people can gather again and go to time staff on, and we’re continuing to work the theater,” Gershenfeld said. “If that doesn’t from our homes. We’re using Zoom and having happen, if shows get canceled, people will get daily meetings. We’re working on all the various their tickets refunded, as we refunded all the aspects of the business, and we’re working on tickets for the shows that were canceled (in ramping up to get the new season launched.” March and April). … But we feel optimistic, Tickets for that 2020-2021 season went on and that’s why we want to go ahead with the sale earlier this week at www.mccallumtheatre. season. We certainly want to be there for people. com. The season is slated to kick off on Oct. We know that being in isolation is difficult for 10 with the Ninth Annual Family Fun Day, everyone. We know that human beings crave
Mark your calendars for Puddles Pity Party, scheduled to come to the McCallum on March 5, 2021.
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the human connection. They crave the live experience, and that’s what the McCallum is all about. We hope that we will see a day soon when we’re all able to gather again—and when that day comes, we want to be prepared to provide those kinds of performances.” Gershenfeld said he’s proud of the 20202021 season that he and his team have assembled. In some ways, he said, it’s one of the McCallum’s best ever. “I think it’s the best Broadway season we’ve had in 20 years. I really do,” he said. “We have Come From Away, which I think is an extraordinary musical.” The musical nabbed seven 2017 Tony Award nominations, earning a win for Best Direction of a Musical. It’s slated for eight performances Feb. 3-7, 2021. “I think Come From Away actually is even more meaningful now,” Gershenfeld said. “It is the story of Sept. 11, when all the airplanes were suddenly unable to come to the United States. We closed our airspace, and they landed in this little town of Gander, in Canada. It’s a story of how people react in a crisis. It’s a story of how the people of this town took care of 7,000 people that were left in the dark. They didn’t know what was happening in the U.S. The airspace was closed; there was no communication, and it was a very, very trying time. To see how people can come together and take care of each other—given what’s going on now, this musical becomes even more meaningful.” Other Broadway shows on the schedule include Blue Man Group (Nov. 27-29); Jersey Boys (Jan. 15-17); Summer: The Donna Summer Story (Jan. 19-20); Riverdance (Jan. 26-31); Hairspray (April 2-4); an encore of Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (April 8-10); and Les Misérables (March 23-28)—returning to the McCallum for the first time since 1993. “It’s got these beautiful new sets that they created a couple of years back with all these video screens and everything,” Gershenfeld said about the new Les Misérables. “When you see the death of Javert—well, I don’t want to give it all away, but it’s pretty amazing.” The schedule features the divas (like Patti Lupone on Jan. 6), comedians (like Paula Poundstone on Nov. 20) and old-school favorites (like Neil Sedaka on Jan. 8 and 9) one would expect to see on the McCallum slate, as well as some true legends, like the great John Cleese, who is slated to return to the McCallum for two shows on Feb. 13. “When I’m booking shows, what I’m
The McCallum Theatre—with fingers crossed—announces a packed 2020-2021 season thinking most about is: What will the McCallum audience enjoy? What will engage the McCallum audience?” Gershenfeld said. “With John Cleese, I just wanted to meet the guy. I’m a Monty Python fan; I’ve been for years, and I just wanted to see if he was a nice guy, or if he was kind of, sort of a curmudgeon. First of all, he’s a very nice guy. Second of all, his career has been phenomenal. It’s not just Monty Python; it’s Fawlty Towers, which was an amazing television series, and then movies like A Fish Called Wanda. … He talks about his career. He has film clips and images and things like that, and it’s a really fascinating presentation. It’s sort of a lecture and sort of a standup comedy set. He’s a fascinating, fascinating guy.” The 2020-2021 season includes the return of series that McCallum audiences have come to love over the years, including Keyboard Confessions With Jeffrey Siegel, Mitch’s Picks—a slate of unheralded acts for which Gershenfeld personally vouches—and, for the third year, National Geographic Live! “You’ve got these journalists and photographers from National Geographic, and they have these extraordinary images and videos that they go to all kinds of crazy lengths to get,” Gershenfeld said. “… They do a Q&A with the audience. This is a real familyoriented kind of program. It’s great for kids, and it’s always something interesting.” All five performers in the Mitch’s Picks series are making their McCallum headlining debuts, starting with Harlem 100 Featuring Mwenso and The Shakes, a multimedia concert celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Harlem Renaissance, on Nov. 21; and concluding with … something called Puddles Pity Party on March 5. Puddles Pity Party? “He’s this 7-foot clown who has this amazing voice and does this really wonderful theatrical presentation,” Gershenfeld said. “He’ll sing opera but will also sing Ozzy Osborne songs. He’s a silent clown except when he sings. He doesn’t speak, but like the great silent clowns of the past, like Emmett Kelly and those, he will make a story arc out of his show. It becomes like a theatrical presentation.” Dammit, coronavirus, back off. Palm Desert needs Puddles Pity Party next year! For the complete McCallum Theatre 20202021 schedule, or to buy tickets, visit www. mccallumtheatre.com.
COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 19
MAY 2020
ARTS & CULTURE
CVINDEPENDENT.COM/ARTS-AND-CULTURE
A LIFE-SAVING CLARINET T
The only person I can interview in-person is my husband—so he told me the story about how music saved his life
By valerie-jean (V.J.) Hume
ed Pethes is a lifelong musician who just turned 92. In this time of the coronavirus pandemic, many people are pausing to reflect on the twists and turns of their lives—and looking back at his long and lucky life, Ted readily admits that most of it might never have happened without his clarinet. There’s one more thing you should know about Ted: He’s my husband. He’s the only person I can really interview in person right now—and into a little case. Sure enough, any of the Army he’s got an amazing story to tell. higher-ups who glanced at him thought he Born in Chicago in 1928, Ted was an only was carrying a “ditty bag”—a case for personal child. His musically talented mother played toiletries—and ignored it. the piano and even the concertina; his father, Fort Leonard Wood was a former training an engineer, was a wannabe musician father base which was rapidly being reopened. “Local who struggled with the violin, battling tonefarmers had been given permission to use it deafness. for grain storage,” Ted remembered, “and they Ted grew up in a huge extended family of were still sweeping chaff out of the barracks hardworking Polish, German and Frenchwhen we arrived.” Canadian immigrants who often played and In the chaos, Ted asked where the general sang music at family gatherings. When he could be found, and was pointed to his was given a clarinet early in life, they all soon office. With his clarinet bag under his arm, realized that he was the true talent on the he shuffled in and announced himself to the family tree. His grandfather—something of sergeant. a celebrity who played Polish polkas on the “Get the fuck out, grunt!” the sergeant clarinet on live radio, today’s equivalent of bellowed. being a serious rock star—was his first teacher. But the general, hearing the commotion, He went on to study with symphony stuck his head out of his office. Ted bravely musicians and freelanced with the NBC staff suggested the need for a band at the base so orchestra, extending his skills to include the the newbies could learn to march to music. The flute, oboe and sax—both tenor and alto. But general thought. his true delight was sneaking, underage, into “Dismissed!” he barked. the smoky nights at the jazz clubs in the Black After a few days of basic training, Ted was sections of Chicago. summoned back into the general’s office. After “I would carry my sax in a case, and when some reflection, the general had decided a they came to throw me out and then saw it, band was a good idea. they would invite me up to play,” Ted said. “I “I know a bunch of great musicians here was often the only white face in the club. I from Chicago,” Ted said he told the general. “I learned improvisation from those great guys.” can practically find all you need.” While in college, he was suddenly drafted to The Army gets what it wants, and join the military for World War II. The day he soon after Fort Leonard Wood received was to report, he boondoggled away the day shipments of band uniforms, instruments before finally dragging himself into the Army and sheet music. Ted played his clarinet, but office around 4 p.m. eventually was re-assigned to be the drum “Beat it!” a recruiter snapped at him. It was major—complete with a shiny whistle for the day they stopped the draft. communicating to the musicians, and a giant However, in 1950, the strange experience of baton to establish the beat. the “Korean conflict” began—and guess who The march tempo, 120 steps per minute, came up first on the list for recruitment? Ted was faithfully kept by the gigantic bass showed up at the Army recruitment office and drummer they nicknamed Punjab. They was assigned to Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. rehearsed in a special hall that was part of “Don’t take anything with you,” they their barracks, but played outdoors, with the admonished him. “No clothes, no nothing.” music soon memorized for training sessions Well … he did not want to leave his precious as greenhorn recruits stumbled past. The instruments behind, but he knew they’d be band also learned concert music for the camp’s confiscated if he smuggled them in and they entertainment on Saturdays. were discovered. His clarinet, however, could The musicians came from all walks of life. be disassembled into four pieces and squeezed “The band was built from auditions with the
Ted Pethes as the drum major of the Fort Leonard Wood band.
infantry, and they were accepted only if they were professional-caliber musicians,” Ted said. “We had some strong players—some from the symphonies, some from dance bands. Some were instructors! We didn’t teach anybody to play. They were all trained before they got there.” “Regular Army,” or RAs, determined what would be played at the daily rehearsals. “Some were of questionable musical ability,” Ted lamented, “but they had the job, so they literally called the tunes. … We played for everything, including the graduating recruits and their families, who would first be treated to speeches from the general. Then, when they called ‘pass and review!’ that was my signal. When I blew my whistle four times and stepped off, everyone did, together. We were on our way. “The relatives were sitting with tears in their eyes. … It was a touching moment for them, watching their sons now marching snappily in front of them, because they might be seeing their sons, or husbands, for the last time. They were being sent to Korea, to ‘defeat the enemy.’ This was the end of their training. They were now real soldiers.” Ted, however, was never sent to Korea. “My tour of duty kept me in the camp for my whole two years. The entire band stayed there,” he said. “We must have played for graduations every month or so. We were a unit, a training unit for the new recruits, so it was easier for the Army to keep us there than to constantly find new musicians. “Fort Leonard Wood was the 6th Armored Division. Fort Leonard Wood became famous
when a newscaster’s son was killed there in a training exercise. He was firing a bazooka when a live round fell at his feet and exploded. … It was a little rocket.” After that, his celebrity father closed every nightly newscast by saluting “all the boys at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri.” “Accidents did happen in training. We used live rounds,” Ted said. Word of mouth would sometimes seep back to the band members from the front lines about friends who had lost their lives. Many of the band members struggled with what is now called survivor’s guilt—but Ted was always grateful for that clarinet, which very well may have saved his life. Ted returned to the university after his discharge, and went on to have a successful, wildly varied career—and his lucky ebony clarinet traveled everywhere with him. He has lived in the Coachella Valley since 1990. He played with our local symphony for many years, and regularly appeared with dance bands, jazz combos, show orchestras and even klezmer groups. At one point, we played together in the same band; that’s how we met. We married in 2004. Ted recently had to give up playing music, due to two cancer surgeries that altered his embouchure. That means his clarinet waits, for sale, at a shop in Palm Springs—and for a new home with someone who will hopefully honor its service and its history. Who knows? Maybe the clarinet will save its next owner’s life, too. CVIndependent.com
20 \\ COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT
MAY 2020
FOOD & DRINK
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ONE DISH AT A TIME S
BY kevin Allman
elling takeout meals—with a side of hand sanitizer. Cooking for the health-care professionals who are fighting COVID-19. Or just hunkering down and waiting for it to be over. These are a few of the strategies being employed by Coachella Valley restaurateurs since March 19, when Gov. Gavin Newsom issued the stay-at-home order that has shut down all but the most essential businesses in the state of California. Before Kurt Gardner’s Rancho Mirage bar and restaurant, Dringk, was shuttered for in-house service, Gardner had 33 employees. Today, he’s down to four. They, along with Gardner and his wife, are running a skeleton takeout business six days a week. Gardner says he and his wife are at Dringk “literally 18 hours a day,” assembling what he two months. Respondents said they had already calls “family-style large-format meals.” let go of 78 percent of their hourly workers. Dringk’s poké rice bowls and chicken-and“We unfortunately had to lay off 100 peach pizzas have been replaced by disposable people,” says Willie Rhine, owner of the popular foil pans of comfort food: beef Stroganoff, pasta Eight4Nine Restaurant and Lounge in Palm bakes and ready-to-serve pot roast. Homemade Springs. “We have 10 people working at the soups are sold by the jar. The takeout menu also moment. This morning, I had a Zoom meeting includes beer, wine, a “DIY mimosa” kit and a with about 25 people, and it was nice to see few whimsical-but-practical items for the age of their faces. Everybody wants to return to work COVID—jigsaw puzzles, hand sanitizer spray and resume some sort of normalcy.” and 12-packs of toilet paper. Until then, the “new normalcy” at Eight4Nine Gardner said his staff consists mostly of is handwashing four times per hour, according young bartenders and servers. “At first, it was to the restaurant’s website, along with singlelike a vacation for some of them,” he says. “Now use plastic gloves being discarded after every some are getting nervous; some are getting food preparation. Guests picking up food are scared. I don’t have a point of reference for encouraged to order and pay online to further them, and I’ve been in the restaurant business reduce contact. 25-some years.” Eight4Nine’s takeout menu consists of “things that would travel well,” says Rhine. n mid-March, the James Beard Restaurant Like Dringk, Eight4Nine is serving comfort Association surveyed 1,500 of its members food in family sizes, but its menu also includes to provide what it calls “an immediate snapshot sandwiches, salads and some sophisticated of the industry’s needs.” Three out of four entrees: sourdough-encrusted Chilean sea bass restaurants in areas that had been forced to close with crab-stuffed piquillo peppers, for instance, believed they wouldn’t be able to open again in and a grilled Scottish steelhead with fennel
I
CVIndependent.com
How three Coachella Valley restaurateurs are coping with the COVID-19 crisis
and orange. The restaurant also offers delivery through Grubhub, Postmates and UberEats. “We’re going to bring in a bartender and do our regular cocktails as well,” Rhine says. “Some of our clients are missing their cocktails.”
O
f course, it’s not just the Coachella Valley that’s hurting. The National Restaurant Association estimated in 2019 that 11 percent of the jobs in California were restaurantrelated, and that the state has more than 75,000 restaurants. Estimated sales in 2018 were $97 billion. While some restaurants, like Eight4Nine and Dringk, hope to keep some cash moving with takeout efforts, for others, that doesn’t make sense. Robb Wirt, owner of the casual Palm Springs dining spot Bongo Johnny’s, has had a bad patch of luck. Two years ago in March, the building that housed his restaurant burned down. The fire forced the restaurant to move, a process that took nearly a year, “and now we’re closed again,” he says. Unlike some other Coachella Valley restaurants, Bongo Johnny’s hasn’t switched to offering takeout. “I couldn’t see how it would be possible” to be profitable, Wirt says, adding that he thinks the takeout field might be saturated at this point. Of his 29 employees, he says, only half have been able to get unemployment help.
K
atie Stice, president of the Rancho Mirage Chamber of Commerce, says the agency is in constant contact with restaurateurs in the city, offering advice and information both macro (regarding the federal Payment Protection Program, or PPP, for instance) and micro (a liquor company offering small grants to out-of-work bartenders). The city of Rancho Mirage also has launched its own version of the PPP, of sorts, giving between $5,000 and $8,000 to restaurants that commit to staying open 30 hours a week in some form until the end of May. “All the cities and chambers (in the Coachella Valley) are in a conference call once a week” sharing information and coordinating aid, Stice says. Out of those efforts grew a directory of valley restaurants via the website dinegps. com that are open, along with their hours and information about their menus. Stice also started a GoFundMe campaign to assist both first responders and restaurants (www.gofundme.com/f/operation-feed-thefrontlines). Money raised through the online fundraiser goes toward purchasing meals from
With the help of generous customers, Eight4Nine Restaurant and Lounge has been providing lunches to local medical workers. EIGHT4NINE FACEBOOK PAGE
Rancho Mirage eateries; those meals are then delivered to the area’s three major hospitals. Rhine, of Eight4Nine, began sending meals to Coachella Valley medical centers and the Desert AIDS Project on Good Friday, and has kept up the practice since, with help from some generous customers. The restaurant now provides 150 meals each Friday. Gardner, of Dringk, has been doing the same, providing family-style pans for doctors and nurses.
W
hat will the restaurant world look like when California cautiously reopens? No one knows, but a recent Bloomberg BusinessWeek article on the restaurant scene in the recently reopened city of Wuhan, China, indicates that customer behavior has changed— social distancing has continued, and people still are getting takeout rather than sitting at restaurants. Wirt, of Bongo Johnny’s, thinks Palm Springs “may go back to the way it was five years ago” before the city’s recent growth. “It’s just hearsay at this point,” says Gardner, “but there’s a lot of talk about keeping tables (in California) at a six-foot distance, which means many restaurants will be operating at 50 percent capacity, at best. And with certain restaurant plans, it will be next to impossible.” Wirt has heard the same thing. “We’re probably going to be required to reduce our occupancy,” he says. “I think customers are going to be a little apprehensive at first; half the people won’t be ready to go out. It’s going to be a very slow uptick, especially here in the valley. (If we reopen during the summer), we’ll have no tourists, and some of the Palm Springs population leaves town. Everybody’s in the same boat. “I try not to be so negative,” he adds, “but I’m kind of a realist.” Rhine is more optimistic. “I do believe that we’re going to get through this quickly,” he says. “I’m hoping we’re going to have a strong summer. If we can open up in the next four or five weeks, maybe people in L.A. will be taking driving vacations rather than flying.”
COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 21
MAY 2020
FOOD & DRINK
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I heard somewhere that the vegetable beans,760-340-5959 or elevate that packaged ramen! crisper is where good intentions go to die— • Pickles: I am preserving most of the and that’s been pretty true in my experience, vegetables in the house before they even get a www.jasondavidhairstudio.net so let’s start there. You can save almost chance to turn. I have a batch or two of crock anything that’s getting limp in your crisper, pickles going at all times, as well as homemade with one exception: lettuce. Lettuce gone wilty sauerkraut and kimchi in the fridge, with all of is compost, and nothing else. (If you have their probiotic goodness. It’s really easy! (Well, found a use for it, shoot me a line!) But, yes, maybe not the kimchi, but sauerkraut and halfyou can repurpose nearly any other vegetable. sour pickles are a breeze.) • Save ends, skins and stems. Get a If you’re from the East Coast like me, you freezer bag (with a sliding closer if you have it), probably miss half-sour pickles. Sure, you can and start keeping the ends of onions, carrots, get them at one of the valley delis, but why celery, shallots—any vegetable that has ends not have some at home so you don’t need to you’d normally cut off and throw away. Keep leave the house? Although you can do this with the skins, too, as well as the stems from herbs, so many vegetables, the cucumber obviously discarded cabbage pieces, mushroom stems, makes the most-popular pickle. If you can find ginger peels—seriously, whatever. Kirby cukes, all the better, but we usually have Once you have a good little bag going, throw a bag of Persian cukes from a recent shopping it all into a stock pot with a little olive oil and trip. After eating a few fresh in a salad or salt, and let it sweat on low heat. You can also something, we usually have more than enough use a roasting pan if you prefer; just remember left for a batch of pickles. to deglaze the pan with a little water to get Grab a crock if you have one, or any nonthe fond incorporated back into the stock. reactive vessel with a lid, as well as a food scale. Start with the firm veggies, and add the more Trim the ends of the cucumbers—just the delicate ones later, with water to cover. Bring little stem and flower bits. Put the crock on it to a boil, then turn the heat down, and let the scale; set to zero (grams); and add all of the it cook for an hour or two. Strain through a vegetables you want to pickle. Then pour water colander and then a wire strainer, and boom— to cover, and get the total weight of the water you have vegetable stock! and veggies. Figure out what 2 percent of that If you’d like a little more flavor, and perhaps is, and add that amount of salt. (Dissolve the some added health benefits, get that spice salt in a little hot water for uniformity, if you’d cabinet involved! I like to warm the olive oil like.) You’ll want to keep all of the cucumbers first, and then add some turmeric, cumin, chile submerged, so add a sealed sandwich bag of flakes, peppercorns, a couple of allspice berries, salty water to the top to push them down if a star anise pod, a half-stick of cinnamon and a you don’t have a small plate or weight to do few smashed garlic cloves—skins and all. (You the job. can buy a half-year’s supply of all of those dry Of course, these would be pretty boring spices for less than $10 in the Latin section pickles. I suggest adding a teaspoon of mustard of most supermarkets, by the way.) Get that seed and/or coriander, a sprig of dill, some all nice and aromatic, and then add the rest. smashed garlic cloves (they will turn green; If you have the carcass of a roasted chicken that’s totally normal), a bay leaf, peppercorns sitting in the fridge, roast that in a pan at 400 and maybe an allspice berry or two. The bay degrees for a few minutes, and throw it in, too, leaf and mustard seeds will help keep the for chicken stock! pickles crispy (it’s the tannins); some people Don’t just think soup! You can use this stock even use an oak leaf from the park or yard for to cook rice; or you can reduce and add some more crunch. You can also add onions, and I wine and butter to make a pan sauce. Add that like to add a few radishes if I have them; just sauce to bring some life to those canned green trim the ends off as with the cucumbers.
Sycamore
t isn’t easy to minimize food waste in the best of times, even though that’s something to which we should all aspire. But these aren’t the best of times; in fact, I’m still waiting on my first penny of unemployment to arrive, after applying a month ago. So … there’s no better than the Country Club and Cooktime Street present—and, in fact, you might find that it’s pretty fun to get maximum usage out of what’s in Palm De sert the fridge.
Put the jar on the counter, out of the sun, for a day. You can keep fermenting them on the counter for a sour pickle (this works best with Kirby cukes) or put them into the fridge for a half-sour with great crunch! The best thing about these pickles is they are actually good for you—all natural and packed with probiotics. They’ll last for weeks in the fridge. OK, actually they probably won’t, because you’ll eat them long before that. • Sauerkraut: Pick up a head of cabbage for a cheap and healthy side dish. Trim the outer leaves, and cut the cabbage into quarters. Trim the thick core pieces (save them and those outer leaves for your stock), and slice the cabbage into thin ribbons. Toss the cabbage with a tablespoon of kosher salt, and massage gently until the cabbage gives off some liquid. Leave it for about 20 minutes, and massage again. It should drip water when squeezed— and then it’s ready. Pack into a jar or crock, and weigh down, as with the pickles. Leave it submerged in its juice on the counter for a few days, and then try it. Move it to the refrigerator when it’s at your level of funk. I like mine right around Bootsie Collins, so that’s about a week. You can add this sauerkraut to anything (soup, ramen, rice), or just heat it and serve as a side dish. You can throw it on a sausage, or even eat it out of the jar. Perfection. These are just a few ways to make the most out of your quarantine vegetable experience. It’s all about adding punch and nutrition to
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COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 23
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Take advantage of this extra time at home to explore pairings of food and wine
HAIR STUDIO
H
By KatieLOVE finn YOUR
HAIR
ere we are, still at home—eating and drinking away another day in the confines of our own kitchen. And while you’re sitting at home wondering what to make for your third lunch or second pre-meal dinner, may I suggest you harness your boredom by turning your kitchen table into a personal food-and-wine experience? Country Club and Cook Street I mean, why not? What else are you doing today? Palm De sert I keep hearing people talk about their well-intended goals for this time of quarantine. Meanwhile, I’m over here, like, what wine can I pair with my ways 760-340-5959 to tweak a recipe, there are countless P.F. Chang’s lettuce cups that will blow my mind? grapes from every country in the world, in (By the way, the answer is the Union Sacre Belle various incarnations, that can and should be www.jasondavidhairstudio.net de Nuit dry gewürztraminer. Ahhh … sublime.) explored with a meal. So if you love the idea of food-and-wine Now, that being said, here are a few tips to pairings, but you’re not sure about all the “rules” help you on your journey to food-and-wine and/or don’t know where to start, here is my matchmaking. take on how to have your own food-and-wine When I talk to people about the flavors pairing adventure. and aromas they detect in a specific wine, the I should start off by saying that any “rule” adjectives are all over the place. This should regarding what you should or shouldn’t pair make sense, because wine is subjective, right? with certain foods can almost always be You’re going to taste what your brain tells you debunked. Anyone who claims you can’t have a to. So, instead of trying to pair food and wine red wine with fish has clearly never experienced based on flavors, it’s much easier and, frankly, a light and bright Italian schiava with an herbmuch more practical to pair a wine to a dish roasted branzino with tomatoes, olives and based on weight, texture and volume. Think potatoes. Or if someone tells you that you can’t of it like this: Much of the protein or meat’s have a white wine with a steak, pop a bottle of power comes from what it’s served with, the Blanc de Noir Champagne, and gleefully down it sauce that’s covering it and the way it is cooked. with a tender filet mignon. Then tell them they I wouldn’t pair a New York strip covered in can’t have any. melted blue cheese with the same wine as a filet The point is: Some of the best food-and-wine mignon topped with asparagus, crab meat and pairings come in the most unexpected ways. béarnaise sauce. A wine wouldn’t pair equally My favorite pairing—the one I request for my with chicken parmigiana and kung pao chicken. birthday every year—is a bucket of fried, greasy If you take anything away from this, it should chicken paired with a bottle of Gaston Chiquet be that the protein is relatively unimportant Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Champagne. If you in the grand scheme of things. Instead, look at have never experienced the bliss associated with how loud the dish is. Think about how heavy or bubbles and fried food, you truly have not lived. rich the food is. Capellini pomodoro would be A lot of people avoid attempting to pair their considered a light and quiet dish that calls for dinner with an “appropriate” wine, because a light and quiet wine—like a pinot grigio from the idea of food-and-wine pairings seems Northern Italy. A good example of a quiet but overwhelming and complicated. There are heavy dish would be butter-poached scallops countless books written about how to create the with mashed potatoes. A comparable heavy but perfect pairing—how to bridge ingredients to quiet wine would be an unoaked chardonnay. match your food with your wine’s flavor profile. Heavy and loud? Let’s go back to that steak with That’s a lot of pressure. I admit I’ve been part blue cheese. That’s about as heavy and loud as of the problem: At times, when a customer has it gets, and a great match is an equally heavy come into the shop and told me they are having and loud wine like a California cabernet, an XYZ for dinner, and asked what I recommend, Argentinian malbec or a tannat from Uruguay. I’ve tried to explain a wine’s effect on salt, Also, there is an old adage that’s pretty hard spice, fats and acid. Once I realize I’ve gone too to beat: If it grows together, it goes together. far, I remind myself: “Down, girl. This isn’t a For example, you’d be hard-pressed to find a chemistry class. They just want to know what’s better wine match for pasta covered in a San gonna taste good with their meal.” Marzano tomato sauce than a Sangiovese-based Rest assured: There is no such thing as a wine from Tuscany. If you’re feeling your inner “perfect pairing.” There is no one ideal wine for Julia Child and cooking up a French cassoulet, one specific dish. Just as there are countless it almost begs for a syrah from the Northern
Rhone. And I can’t imagine firing up a pan of aromatic paella without having a layered and fragrant bottle of albarino from the Rias Baixas in Spain. Sticking to tried-and-true classic pairings is such a fun way to explore a country, its cuisine and its wines—from your own dining room table. Of course, there are going to be tricky dishes, perhaps from regions and countries that don’t have a wine culture where you can pair the indigenous grape to the local cuisine. There will be dishes that are somehow light and loud and heavy and quiet all at the same time. I am, of course, speaking about Asian food. At some point, you’ll find yourself knee-deep in a Thai recipe—all 84 ingredients prepped, diced, plucked, marinated, shaved, julienned and minced—and you’ll ask yourself, “What wine do I open with this?” Here’s my short answer: Riesling. Try that gewürztraminer. You also won’t go wrong with a beer. And remember: If all else fails, just drink Champagne.
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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BY brett newton
s this Horseman of the Apocalypse continues his world tour, some of us are handling isolation poorly. Well, I’m here with a helpful suggestion if you have some time on your hands and have a little extra money lying around: Make your own beer. If your first reaction to this suggestion is to scoff, please read on—and see that the prospect of brewing beer at home is not as difficult as you might think. I’ve been interested in beer for decades and learned how it was made early on in my readings (Beer for Dummies was really a great introduction), but I didn’t feel the urge to brew my own until a little more than a decade ago. At the time, I was doing a podcast on beer with my cousin Josh, and it just seemed silly to not try our being held at the late, lamented Schmidy’s hand at brewing. We ordered the basics we Tavern. Micah and another very capable needed to do this at Josh’s home—a 6-gallon brewer we called Sarge were there; I sampled kettle; a glass carboy to hold the wort as it an American red and an eisbock collaboration ferments into beer; a stirring spoon; some between Sarge and Chris Anderson. Both were grain and hop bags; and a bunch of 22-ounce impressive. I paid the dues and started sitting bottles for when it was finished. in with the brewers with whom I was most At the time, my sister lived in San impressed. It was pretty easy; at the time, Clemente; when I would visit, I’d usually stop there were only eight members, at the most. by O’Shea Beer Co. in neighboring Laguna This allowed me to tighten up my processes— Niguel to collect beers I couldn’t get my and I’m happy to say that I pumped out some hands on here in the desert. The store carries pretty solid beers as a result. supplies for homebrewers as well as a wide But that’s just my story. There are many array of recipe kits. This is where I purchased paths that lead to brewing at home. the Hop Mothra IPA partial-mash kit—I will Current CVHBC president Josh Kunkle get into the terminology in a bit—which we got started when his local homebrew supply brewed, making a flawed but successfully shop threw in a free beer kit along with the drinkable beer. equipment he’d bought to make cider. I was hooked. “On a whim, I followed their directions to My cousin’s schedule was not as flexible the letter and was pleasantly surprised with as mine, so I wound up going at it alone. As the results,” Kunkle said. “I would later find I do with everything I love, I did some heavy that the beer was much more diverse and easy research. The first edition of How to Brew by to make by comparison (to cider), and so I John Palmer (still available for free at www. stuck with that, although I’ve since dabbled howtobrew.com) was my go-to resource, and in more of the fermented arts.” He also went I would highly recommend it (or the not-aswith a bare-bones partial-mash setup at first. free fourth edition, if you want to throw the The aforementioned Chris Anderson—a man some financial love). former president of the CVHBC, the founding In homebrewing, you can go one of three brewer of the Coachella Valley Brewing ways: You can go all in and do all-grain; do Company, and an all-around encyclopedia partial mash (as I did throughout my time as a of beer knowledge—found himself homebrewer); or use extract. All-grain brewing intrigued after reading his friend’s copy of is as it sounds: No extracts are involved. This homebrewing icon Charlie Papazian’s The is the most-involved option; it requires some Complete Joy of Homebrewing. more equipment, but to many “gatekeeping” “A local homebrew shop sold homebrewing homebrewers, this is the only real option. For supplies and never cared that I was underage,” those who don’t want to throw their entire Anderson said. “After all, they weren’t selling lives into the hobby, however, there are the alcohol, but rather barley, hops and yeast. I other two options. Extract brewing utilizes started with a carboy, a bottle bucket and a only malt extracts, while partial mash uses stainless-steel pot. I won a slew of medals milled specialty grains (varying by recipe, of with this simple setup. I had the opportunity course) to enhance the extracts. to get a three-tiered 15-gallon keggle (a keg From there, I searched online and was repurposed as a brew kettle) system a few happily surprised to find the Coachella Valley years later.” From there, he was off to the races, Homebrew Club. I reached out via their with stints in his home state at Midnight Sun Yahoo! Group page; the club’s founder and Brewing and Alaskan Brewing, before bringing then-president, Micah Stark, invited me to his expertise to the Coachella Valley. a homebrew competition award ceremony I’m happy to say that the club still exists CVIndependent.com
Has there ever been a better time to take up homebrewing? No. No there has not.
today; I’d heartily recommend it and/or the Mojave Desert Brewers Guild even if you haven’t brewed a single batch yet. As for your starting setup: The most convenient options are going to be found online. Kunkle recently guest-authored a post on Andrew Smith’s Coachella Valley Beer Scene site discussing more of what you can do to get started. While the physical location is closed at the moment, MoreBeer Riverside is a fine homebrew shop that has helped me and many others out of a pinch when our yeast was dead or something broke just before we were attempting a brew. Fortunately, MoreBeer has an online store that should suit your needs. Northern Brewer and Austin Homebrew Supply are other fine online alternatives. Anderson recommends simple starting equipment: “I suggest reading up on the basics and starting with a (BIAB) brew-in-abag setup. More Beer Riverside has all that is needed,” he said. “It’s not very expensive to buy a pot with a thermometer and valve. I always encourage folks to go straight to kegging, which will add a couple hundred
bucks. It is just so much easier than bottling. “There has never been a better time to learn to homebrew since we are all stuck at home with time on our hands. The technology and ingredient availability is pretty incredible. Mostly anything can be mail-ordered.” The one thing I will add to all of this is to be open to constructive criticism. Never expect to be endlessly lauded for your homebrewed beer and have your mistakes covered up for you. Find out why whatever went wrong with your beer happened so that it will never happen again. Yes, this is a hobby, but one whose labors result in beverages for you and your friends—and friends don’t let friends drink bad beer, even if it was made at home. 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 // 25
MAY 2020
FOOD & DRINK
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Listen in as two bored bartenders talk about martinis, margaritas and the best bar snacks
BY kevin carlow
ne advantage of living where I do is that I have access to a bartender. Actually, our household has two (very bored) bartenders: Myself and longtime Coachella Valley barman Neil Goetz, the head bartender at Blackbook in Palm Springs. We’re resisting the urge to do what most barmen do in their downtime—it’s funny how little I feel like drinking now that I am not behind the bar—so we decided to do some research, and record some videos on basic cocktail making and such. I also sat down with Neil to talk about some of the things we researched and some random subjects as well. If anyone wants to see the videos or hear the entire half-hour interview, where we go way off topic and tell some off-color stories, visit KC: In our research, we found that dry crypticcocktails.com. vermouth wasn’t really around until the end KC: Let’s start with the martini. What are of the 19th century, making it a relatively new your thoughts on the martini? drink compared to, say, the Manhattan. NG: Still one of the best drinks ever— NG: Unfortunately, now we’re in that world simple, two ingredients, and when made the now where most of the world thinks a martini right way, 2-to-1 (gin to vermouth), it goes is shaken vodka. down like nothing. KC: I still have people coming in, asking,
“What kind of martinis do you have?” NG: In a true restaurant environment, I am basically OK with that. If you have three goofy drinks served up (called martinis), so be it. A properly made cosmo … KC: Yeah, or a lemon drop; those drinks are basically daisies. (More on daisies later.) But back to proper martinis. I like a dry martini, with a 5-to-1 gin-to-vermouth ratio, at home. NG: With a lot of gins, I would actually prefer a nice gin on the rocks with a lemon twist. I’m that guy, I guess. I like a super-light, citrus-forward gin on the rocks with a lemon twist. KC: Let’s move onto Manhattans. NG: Still probably the best cocktail ever. Virtually every whiskey drink is kind of derived from that. Let me rephrase that: The whiskey drinks that are popular today, they’re all just derivatives. KC: Whiskey, fortified wine and a bitter component. The first person who added citrus to a whiskey cocktail must have felt like he discovered the zero—like, “Why hasn’t anybody thought of this before?!” People must have resisted at first. NG: The best variation—I like to call it a Manhattan on steroids—is the Vieux Carré.
1 part spirit 1/2 part triple sec 1/2 part lemon (or lime) juice Shaken, served up (or sometimes tall with soda). A little simple syrup helps; it can be made with almost any spirit.
you’ve done it; I know I’ve done it: A girl comes in, usually a girl, sometimes a guy. You made them something that’s basically a margarita with a little something different in it. They’re like, “Oh my gosh, this is amazing. What do you call this?” And you say, “What’s your name?” And you name it after them. KC: Oh god, you’re playing to the cheap seats! Yes, I am guilty of doing that once or twice, back in the day. That’s better than when they ask me what the drink is called, and I don’t have a name for it, and they tell me I should call it “The Kevin.” First of all, I would never name a drink after myself; secondly, “The Kevin?” What is it? A boring, suburban white guy? Besides, my drink is an over-proof daiquiri or a boilermaker. NG: If you can find rum out here. I went looking for a decent clear rum at four different places the other day, and the “best” they had was (redacted) silver. I can’t believe I said that was “the best” out loud. KC: Yeah, I pretty much get one if I see good rum and know the bar has fresh juice. It’s a shame, with all the Tiki and Tiki history in this town, there isn’t more rum available retail here. Let’s change the subject before we go down the tiki hole, though: How about a light-hearted question. Favorite bar snack? NG: For sure: Pickled eggs. There is nothing better to see behind a bar than that big old jar of pickled eggs floating around in it. It’s perfection. KC: Agreed. Anything pickled, even a pepperoncini. I am not a big Bloody Mary guy, but if they load it up with assorted pickles, I am in. NG: One of my biggest pet peeves is someone who comes in and orders a Bloody Mary or a chavela at 9 p.m. It’s like, buddy, go (expletive) yourself. KC: A lot of them are probably Canadian. They drink Bloody Caesars all night. But it’s cold up there, so maybe the salt keeps the blood from freezing or something. NG: When I worked at the club at Fantasy Springs, people used to drink five or six chavelas in a row. It’s like, switch to a Bud Light or something; you’re dancing. (At this point, the conversation spiraled off topic, so we’ll leave it here for now. Stay safe, everyone, and please don’t drink yourselves through this mess! If two barlifers can practice moderation and find some constructive things to do, you can too!)
NG: I subscribe to that, too. The simple answer is usually the right one. I’m sure
Kevin Carlow can be reached at CrypticCocktails@gmail.com.
1 ounce of rye or bourbon 1 ounce of cognac 1 ounce of sweet vermouth 2 dashes each of Angostura and Peychaud’s bitters Stir; serve on the rocks; top with a halfounce of Benedictine. KC: I feel like that’s one of those “throw everything in but the kitchen sink” cocktails. NG: It’s a Manhattan, with “extra.” It’s a coolish weather drink in my brain. The Benedictine gives it that Christmas-y vibe. KC: We also looked into the history of the margarita—how, despite all of the legends behind the naming of the drink, it’s a daisy, and was probably just named that, but in Spanish; once the tequila went in—voilá, “margarita.” The daisy template:
A classic margarita. Kevin Carlow
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SHOWCASE VIA ALBUM T
By matt king
Despite the stay-at-home order, the Academy of Musical Performance finds a way to keep the music lessons going
into our regular format.” Josiah Ivy, a current AMP student, said the program has helped him “a ton” to become the musician he wants to be. “I joined my first AMP camp session after about a year of playing bass, and it was really my first experience playing in a band setting,” he said. “After that, I signed up and auditioned for the following AMP fall session, where I got a chance to really grow with a single group of musicians and learn how to be part of a band—on more than just a surface level. During that session, I was also invited to join a band separate from AMP that has worked out really well for me. If I hadn’t been invited by a friend to join AMP, I wouldn’t have been driven to improve so much at my musicianship.” Ivy admitted he was unsure how the move to online lessons would work out. “I was a bit skeptical of the online lessons at first, as I had joined to play with a band and already was recording music for personal projects,” Ivy said. “That said, I think that the focus on recording and collaboration has been really helpful for me and my bandmates, as it has gotten some of us more familiar with the software side of music and recording, as well as learning how to communicate politely and efficiently with each other to keep each other accountable on collaborative projects that take more than one day. “The lessons have helped me learn to adapt to different types of software and learn to
he Academy of Musical Performance, also known as AMP, is a music-education program for Coachella Valley students in grades six through 12. Since 2015, AMP has held afterschool programs and summer camps, with local musicians teaching students about the basics of learning instruments, stage performance, songwriting and many other facets of music—all of which rely on the ability of people to get together. So how does a program in which students programs, and it was a perfect opportunity learn by forming bands and performing to give these virtual lessons out. People have continue at a time when we all have to stay a lot more time and may want to take up home? Will Sturgeon, the executive director learning a new skill, and we want to be where of AMP, explained how he, his fellow mentors people go to learn music and be in a music and their students found a way. community.” “We’re currently still running our spring Courtney Chambers, an AMP teacher and band program, which is ending in the coming veteran of the local music scene, said that weeks,” Sturgeon said. “I’ve been deep in while the shelter-in-place order has forced trying to finish that and get the grants that them to change the way they teach, it’s also we need to get us through this difficult time. made them change some of what they teach— It’s been a unique challenge trying to finish and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. the band programming without having people “We have been teaching the students in the same room together. How are we going about social-media marketing, as well as to have some sort of final showcase so that promotional content, and how to practice the session doesn’t end in a fart?” efficiently and challenge yourself with new Each previous AMP session has ended with music and techniques,” Chambers said. “Our live performing showcases—some of which, biggest project has been teaching them how I must say, were pretty fantastic. That, of to record and collaborate remotely with course, won’t be possible this spring. an online DAW (digital audio workstation) “So what we’ve been doing is drawing on called Soundtrap. It’s been great to use this some business-course lessons from AMP’s quarantine as an opportunity to touch on Rockin’ On program, which is our bandthings we don’t normally have the time to in entrepreneurship program, and we are also our regular sessions. I’m hoping that when we working on our first-ever AMP album,” Sturgeon are able to resume band sessions in person, said. “We found a collaborative recording we can figure out a way to incorporate these software that we are remotely teaching the kids to use, which had been something we had been wanting to do for a while. In mid-May, we’ll release that album in place of our usual final showcase for this session.” The ability to record one’s own music is a useful skill in this current age of DIY music— pandemic or not—and the release of this album will give the young musicians an immediate platform they will be able to capitalize on when the COVID-19 scare is gone. Meanwhile, AMP is offering online education using some of the same lessons used in the face-to-face sessions—and even looking at broadening its mission. “We’re offering one-on-one instruction over video chat, and taking private students and pairing them with a teacher,” Sturgeon said. “We’d love to offer some more enrichment to our students and to our community, so we’re also going to be working on offering panels eventually. We have been wanting to start this for a while, and we were The members of AMP band Delusional Youth during an online lesson with Courtney Chambers. just getting ready to launch these (online) CVIndependent.com
troubleshoot common problems for different software and different types of recording hardware. I’m really proud of the stuff my band has recorded so far, and I’m excited to wrap up what we’re working on—and hear what all of the other bands contribute.” While the format of AMP’s future sessions remains up in the air, Sturgeon said he’s optimistic about the academy’s future. “We run a big summer camp and are planning to still move forward with it as of now,” Sturgeon said. “We will adjust to any changes that will need to be made, but are still planning to have summer camp and our next AMP session in the fall. We are very lucky to have a lot of support from our community and board, who have done a great job of fundraising, to a point where we are not worried about AMP shutting down anytime soon. We are just focusing on how to provide types of programming that align with our mission in a time when people aren’t allowed to get together.” Sturgeon said people will like what they hear from the current batch of students. “Watch out for the AMP album in midMay,” Sturgeon said. “I’m hoping to get some of our AMP-lumni bands on the record along with our current bands, and show off what we can do digitally versus on a stage.” For more information on the Academy of Musical Performance, visit www.ampcv.org.
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VINYL VICTORIES By matt king
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miss being able to go to record stores. When we’re not in the midst of a pandemic, much of my time and money is spent flipping through and purchasing vinyl that I may or may not need. On the plus side, this means I’ve amassed a substantial collection that will last me through the quarantine—but I’m still having withdrawals from visiting Finders Thrift and Vinyl (www.findersthrift.com). Finders, as you’d guess from the name, is the site up. I had a friend test-buy one item to part thrift store, and part record store, on make sure the process was working—surprise, Calle Tampico in La Quinta. Matt Lehman is it was not, and took me another day to figure the owner who keeps the shop packed with that out—and it was sink or swim from there. rare finds and classics at great prices. Most “Again, I was very lucky that I had a customer of the records I own came straight from his who became a friend that had coaxed me for famous discount bin. years to go online. He had been selling books In recent months, Lehman has been online through his site for decades, and I was working on taking the record-store portion of apprehensive, because the work to sell a $3 his business online, using the name Spatula record is insane, which is why most online City Records (spatulacityrecords.com). Turns record stores don’t do it. out his timing could not have been better. “For the non-website people, think about “I was extremely lucky when this whole this: Each record has a listing and a grade for quarantine came down,” Lehman said. “I had the record and jacket, three pictures, a track been building Spatula City Records for over list, internet search words, categories for three months, with the intentions of launching surfing the site—and that’s just the front end. in May. The day I shut down Finders was When I launched, I had 1,800 records on the a Tuesday, and I spent the next three days site. That’s a lot of work. Generally, the idea for working as hard and as fast as I could to get a website is to have multiple copies, and once
Get to know a La Quinta recordstore owner who picked the perfect time to take his business online
the work is done, you sit back and reap the rewards. Records don’t work that way, because of grading, re-issues, represses, variations, errors, etc. Realistically, each record has to have its own listing to be done right, and that doesn’t even get into the cleaning, boxing, shipping, returns, etc.” Still, Lehman put in the work. “It wasn’t a particularly hard transition— just tedious, and I spent a lot of time surfing other sites and deciding how things need to be organized,” Lehman said. “I’m still doing that and will probably always be doing that. One of the things I learned is that most online stores don’t cater to new buyers; they are boutiques that deal in one specific genre, or maybe two. “I started out Finders with no intention of becoming a record store. I had to make mistakes and learn from them. I wanted to help those people starting out. I don’t care if they like Dionne Warwick, Kenny Rogers or Birth Control. I didn’t want Spatula City to be a boutique. I want anyone and everyone to be able to come and get info and not feel like it’s a hassle to ask what WLP means, or how to read a matrix code, or what’s the difference between a scuff and a scratch. Eventually, I will have a blog, vlog or posts—something that will explain all of these things for new collectors. Some are listed on the site now as FAQs.” What’s up with the different online name? “I have always been a ‘Weird Al’ (Yankovic) fan, and Spatula City is a reference to the movie UHF,” Lehman said. “Finders was created to be a thrift store, and when I started seriously carrying vinyl, I added ‘and vinyl’ (to the name). But being online, your name needs to have zip. “OK, I just wanted to name it Spatula City Records in the hopes that someday Weird Al would buy something or stop by.”
For a short time, Lehman experimented with a delivery service. “I did my last delivery (on April 10) for records in the Coachella Valley,” Lehman said. “With the new laws, I didn’t want to get fined, and more importantly, this virus needs to go away, and that’s not gonna happen if rogue idiots are driving around delivering records. … I haven’t been out of my house and shop in three weeks except to (go to) the post office to drop boxes and a few deliveries. I never touch anything other than my truck. “After this is over, I will not do deliveries; it’s too hard to run a brick-and-mortar (store) and an online store and find inventory and do deliveries. … All the inventory online is in the shop, but it’s separate from the shop. Neither Finders nor Spatula City is going anywhere anytime soon. I have a few weeks to figure out how I’m going to juggle them both when Finders opens back up.” It also should come as no surprise that the owner of a record store is turning to music to help brighten his spirits during this dark time. “There are so many albums that I have emotional attachment to that I lean on in times like this,” Lehman said. “When I know I have a lot of orders to fill, I need something to motivate me. Sometimes it just sucks walking into the shop and having to flip the sections back and forth so they don’t warp out from the weight of the other records, and I need something to pick me up or maybe something that feeds the pain to motivate me more. … These last few weeks, I’ve really been able to shake the windows, because all of my neighbors are closed, too. “Generally, I try to listen to three to five new records a day, but I honestly have just been listening to my staples during this quarantine.”
The discount bin at Finders.
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LIBERATE APRIL! Y
It makes sense to permanently move Coachella and Stagecoach to October
By kevin carlow
ou guys must be so busy during Coachella! That drove me crazy during my first couple of years as a bartender here in the desert— almost as crazy as when people ask for “something with vodka, but not too sweet.” Bacchus, save the doe-eyed innocents who say things like that in my presence. I am not trying to be a jerk. I swear. I just need to smack that little floater of small talk into the ground like I’m Dikembe Mutombo. about that: The bars and restaurants, at least And instead of just taking my answer—“No, in Palm Springs, are usually slow for half business is actually slow; it’s pretty far from the weekends during one of the potentially here and fills all the local hotels so nobody busiest months of the year due to Coachella. can just visit Palm Springs”—as a good We lose most of a third weekend if you count explanation, they make me draw a little map Stagecoach, although the effects aren’t as of the Coachella Valley, point out our hours dramatic. of operation, explain the basic rules of supply About that wind … it can get pretty severe and demand, and so on. in April. I have a mental .gif from a few years The end result: For most valley bars and ago when I watched two acquaintances of restaurants open in the evening, Coachella mine, in their cherry British convertible, get sucks. smacked in the face with an errant palm frond I realize I am writing this with a particular while driving down Arenas Road. It gets so experience—that of a bartender in Palm bad that even Palm Springs VillageFest closes Springs. I understand that a pool server at a some weeks, and the smell from the Salton hotel or at a breakfast spot, or a bartender Sea can be intense. In other words … April closer to the event grounds, may have a very is a great time to be at a hotel, with breeze different experience. Nevertheless, I believe blocks and such, but not such a great time to that the move of the Coachella Valley Music and be standing in an open and unprotected polo Arts Festival to October should be a permanent field. Just look at last year, when festivalthing. It would be better for the whole Coachella goers were dehydrated in the heat and covered Valley—and festival-goers, too. in dust from head to toe. Remember, that (Oh, and let us keep our fingers crossed dust is full of salt and agricultural runoff— we have a Coachella and Stagecoach come the same terrible air quality that has been October 2020, which was looking less and covered in this very paper for its deleterious less likely as this issue went to press. But let’s effects on the human body. I am not so press on with my argument, shall we?) jaded against festival-goers that I want them Related question: What, exactly, is “season” subjected to that. here in the desert? People ask me that all Now … let’s think of October. This is the the time, and the quick answer for me is underused start of shoulder season, and February to April. We also have busy spurts at while I enjoy the generally perfect weather Christmas, New Year’s Eve and Thanksgiving, and quiet streets, there is a lot of room for plus the pool parties in the summer if you economic growth. Guests often comment on work at certain hotels, and Palm Springs the fact we have Greater Palm Springs Pride Pride if you work in downtown Palm Springs. here in the fall—at the start of November— That’s about it. Otherwise, it’s very sleepy rather than during the summer months, most days. when it’s scorching. Attendees love having a April, regardless of Coachella, would be reason to come here and get another round high season (at least in years when we’re of parties, parades and good vibes. Halloween not dealing with pandemics). It’s the time here—while not as wild as the celebrations of year when the weather is still pretty darn I attended during my youthful days in the nice here, except for the wind. The hotels and witch capital of Salem, Mass.—is also a vacation rentals would be full regardless of real spectacle. The costumes are top-notch, the festival, as April is a pretty blah and rainy and the bars are busy in Palm Springs, but month for most of the U.S. and Canada—and not intimidatingly so. October and early without the festival, those visitors wouldn’t November are a second potential busy season be here for a cloistered event and would left on the vine, in my opinion. actually be out supporting local businesses. I did some informal polling in the time Much of the town at night wouldn’t be empty between the Coachella-postponement for two prime weekends a season. Think announcement and the stay-at-home order. CVIndependent.com
Anderson .Paak performs at last year’s Coachella. File/Courtesy of Goldenvoice
While most service-industry people didn’t want to go on the record—or I didn’t feel right asking for an official quote as things got more dire—the consensus, at least in Palm Springs, is that October should be the permanent home of Coachella. An owner of a large rental company sparked this take when he told me he wished the festival would stay in October. I figured people renting out properties were just raking it in during the two weeks in April and wouldn’t want to rock the boat—but I was wrong. He, like me, sees a wasted opportunity in October. He hates that his company has to waste two or three weeks that they could easily rent for good prices worrying about festival-goers. In non-Coachella Octobers, properties are more or less rented for off-season prices. A switch would be a win-win for them. I am sure most readers of this paper don’t care too much for the profits of landlords— but I do find it telling that the wealthy rental owners and restaurant moguls are on the same page as the local cocktail bartenders, restaurant managers and servers. It’s becoming a poorly kept secret that you can walk into any of our best restaurants during festival weekends and get a table any
time you want. You can have a normally full popular bar mostly to yourself on a Saturday in April. This is a lot of wasted opportunity. We shouldn’t be making less on a weekend in April than we make on a weekend in September. I have been trying to find a good reason that Coachella shouldn’t permanently be in October, and the only one I can think of is marketing: Coachella in April makes it the Iowa caucus or New Hampshire primary of music festivals. By being the first of the major music festivals during the calendar year in the Northern Hemisphere, it gets to be the flagship, the trend-setter, the taste-maker. When you are in the industry of cool, it’s important to be first. But still … hopefully this rescheduling will show Goldenvoice that Coachella can still be the top music festival without it being early in the calendar year. After all, if you are the 600-pound gorilla, you can sit wherever you want. On behalf of most industry folks in my part of the desert: Coachella, please go sit in October for good. Kevin Carlow can be reached at CrypticCocktails@gmail.com.
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the
LUCKY 13
Meet the keyboardist and guitarist for two of the valley’s best young bands by matt king
angelique Villa
What musical act, current or defunct, would you most like to see perform live? Man, I’d love to see a Daft Punk show. I’m all about lasers, lights and trippy visuals. What’s your favorite musical guilty pleasure? Sometimes I’ll put on Danny Elfman or The Phantom of the Opera soundtrack. I love orchestras and over-the-top, bellowing vocals.
NAME John Anthony Clark GROUP Rival Alaska MORE INFO It’s been a while since we’ve heard from local indie rockers Rival Alaska. Formerly known as the Brosquitos and Sleeping Habits, the band features ample musical talent and determination. John Anthony Clark recently rejoined the group, and the band just released “Car Ride (Daydream),” a dance-y electronic jam perfect for a quarantine dance party. Learn more at www.facebook.com/therivalalaska. What was the first concert you attended? Surprisingly, a mosh show called Mosh for Food. If you brought some cans of food, you got in, and I was a broke 15-year-old, so there I was. That’s also where I got my first scissor kick to the head by a performing lead singer. What was the first album you owned? I’m pretty sure it was the self-titled Third Eye Blind CD when I was, like, 8, but I was always burning crap from LimeWire onto blank CDs and blasting them on those huge portable CD players in my back pocket. What bands are you listening to right now? That new Tame Impala album slaps. Other than that, I’ve been jamming to some King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, Foxygen, and Savanna; I always sprinkle a little Roosevelt in there somewhere. I’m usually all over the place with my music, though. I just hit shuffle. What artist, genre or musical trend does everyone love, but you don’t get? That’s hard to say. I try to understand it all or at least give it a chance to win me over, whatever it is.
What’s your favorite music venue? Playing Tachevah at The Date Shed must’ve been my favorite. It might just be because the energy was so high that night of the competition though; who knows? What’s the one song lyric you can’t get out of your head? It’s usually the song I’m working on. It’ll stick in my head for weeks while I’m writing. What band or artist changed your life? The most significant artist has to be Kevin Parker. He became somewhat of an idol to me over the last few years with his production perfectionism and instrumental diversity. He taught me that being true to yourself in all aspects of your life is way more rewarding than following any trend or fitting into any culture. You have one question to ask one musician. What’s the question, and who are you asking? This goes back to Kevin. He’s just a huge influence for me, and I’d honestly either get stuck babbling on with all kinds of questions about his writing and composition—or freeze up. Actually, probably both.
Ride (Daydream).” It’s the opening track to some new stuff we’re working on together, and also the first track we’ve released as a group since the BrosQuitos days. NAME Garrison Calkins GROUP Instigator MORE INFO Local thrash foursome Instigator has quickly gained cult success among valley residents and beyond. Seemingly every venue in town has had speakers blown by the longhaired rockers; the group’s first EP, Built to Defy, gained them fans around the county. On April 3, the band released debut album Necessary Evil; learn more at www.facebook. com/instigatorofficial. On bass is Garrison Calkins, whose intricate and over-driven bass riffs are the backbone of every track— especially “Atom.” What was the first concert you attended? Van Halen with David Lee Roth at the Glen Helen Amphitheater in 2015. I was 14. What was the first album you owned? Too hard to remember. My mind is telling me that I got The Black Album by Metallica. What bands are you listening to right now? Right now, I’ve got Led Zeppelin, Rush, The Police, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Primus and our new album. What artist, genre or musical trend does everyone love, but you don’t get? I don’t get the new wave of rap that’s come in the last decade. There are a few artists I let slide, but as for the vast majority of current rap, I just don’t understand it all. What musical act, current or defunct, would you most like to see perform live? I’d love to go back and see Metallica during either the “Damage, Inc.” or Damaged Justice tour. What’s your favorite musical guilty pleasure? Anything super-’80s; whatever most people consider to be “weird”; and classical music. Oingo Boingo, Michael Jackson, ABBA, Bach, Mozart and John Williams soundtracks.
anna rosa calkins
What’s your favorite music venue? Locally, I’d say The Date Shed, but as a general venue, I’d say The Forum. What’s the one song lyric you can’t get out of your head? “And we’ll bask in the shadow of yesterday’s triumph, and sail on the steel breeze,” “Shine on You Crazy Diamond,” by Pink Floyd. What band or artist changed your life? Metallica. Their music spoke to me like nothing else ever did—especially those first four albums. By listening to them, I found out who Cliff Burton was, and he further changed my life by being the inspiration to pick up the bass and start playing music. You have one question to ask one musician. What’s the question, and who are you asking? I’d ask Geddy Lee how to show people that there are more important things to be worrying about on this Earth than power and trade. I’d ask how to ensure that humanity and life come before all else. What song would you like played at your funeral? “Hallowed Be Thy Name” by Iron Maiden. Figurative gun to your head, what is your favorite album of all time? Black Sabbath’s self-titled album. Such a masterpiece. What song should everyone listen to right now? “Red Barchetta” by Rush. This is one of the very few songs that when you hear it, you also see it being played out. All the lyrics with the music just take you somewhere else—which is nice, since we’re all trapped inside for a while.
What song would you like played at your funeral? I guess I’d have to say “When You’re Smiling and Astride Me” by Father John Misty. Figurative gun to your head, what is your favorite album of all time? Currents by Tame Impala. Anyone who knows me knows. What song should everyone listen to right now? Rival Alaska and I just released a song, “Car CVIndependent.com
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OPINION SAVAGE LOVE
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SKIN-DEEP DILEMMA BY DAN SAVAGE
I
was raised in a religious home and didn’t lose my virginity until the embarrassing age of 26. I was told by the church to save it for marriage, and I was a virgin until I met the woman who would become my wife at a party. I said to hell with it; we had a one-night stand; and we’ve been together now for eight years. I’m tall and slim, and my wife is short and heavy. Like an idiot, I believed it’s what’s on the inside that matters. My wife is the sweetest, most thoughtful person I’ve ever met. I love spending time with her, but I have absolutely no sexual attraction to her. As a result, I’ve all but stopped initiating sex, and on the rare occasion when we do make love, I make her come twice while I’m struggling just to get off. I know it’s shallow, and I know beauty is only skin deep, but what am I supposed to do when seeing my wife naked sends me into an anxiety attack? When I’m helping out with laundry, I get bummed, because there’s nothing in her wardrobe I find attractive on her. Even when I look at old pictures of us together, I get extremely depressed, because I know this is the best she’s ever going to look. It doesn’t help that she finds me handsome and regularly tells me so. It’s gotten to the point where I find any woman who isn’t my wife desirable. (Including, but not limited to, her family and friends.) I should also mention that she has no interest in having an open relationship or a threesome, because she prefers having me “all to herself.” I don’t want to ask her to change, because she’s perfectly happy with herself, but I’m becoming increasingly resentful. What do I do? How do I tell her? And is there any way I can come out of this a good husband?
In The Shallows I was so relieved to get all the way to the end of your letter without learning you had kids. Because that means I can advise you—with a clear conscience—to file for divorce, and move the fuck out just as soon as it’s possible to do so. Not for your own sake, ITS, but for your wife’s sake. She deserves better. You say you’re growing increasingly resentful. I hope your resentment is directed at all of the people who victimized you. Your wife isn’t one of them. It’s your parents you should resent, ITS, as well as all the sex-phobic bullshit artists out there masquerading as “faith leaders.” You should be angry with yourself, too. While I know from personal experience how a religious upbringing can put the zap on a kid’s head, you were a grown-ass man when you
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My wife is a sweet, amazing person, but I find her unattractive; what should I do?
met your wife at that party. You couldn’t have slept with her that night—you couldn’t have lost your virginity in a one-night stand—if you hadn’t already rejected nearly everything you’d been taught about sex. If you were capable of having premarital sex, you were capable of refraining from marrying the first person you slept with. Your wife is gonna want to know why you’re leaving her—of course she is—but you’re not going to tell her the real reason. You’re going to make something up. You want kids, and she doesn’t (or vice-versa); you married too young (which is true); you have unresolved childhood issues (and don’t we all). While you won’t be able to spare your wife the pain of a breakup, ITS, you can spare her the pain of learning the person she’s been sleeping with for eight years is repulsed by her body. You can’t be a good husband to her, ITS, but you can be decent ex-husband. And to do that—to be her decent and loving and supportive ex—you can’t set her self-esteem on fire on your way out the door. And your wife’s body isn’t repulsive. She’s not someone you’re attracted to, ITS, and you’re not obligated to find short and round women sexually appealing. But while “tall and slim” are more closely associated with conventional concepts of attractiveness, ITS, not everyone’s into tall and slim. There are people who are into short and round, and people out there who are attracted to all body types, and people who are utterly indifferent to bodies. Your wife deserves the chance to find someone who’s sincerely attracted to her. Even being alone would be better than spending decades with someone who recoils from her touch. For the record: What’s on the inside does count. It matters. If you met a woman who was more conventionally attractive—if you were with someone who was your idea of hot—and over time, she revealed herself to be an asshole (if she was rude to waiters, if she was emotionally abusive, if she was a Trump supporter, etc.), your attraction to her would wither away. What you want—not what you’ll get, ITS, but the best you can hope for—is some combo of hot on the outside (subjective and personal) and good on the inside. And the longer you’re with someone, ITS, the more important good on the inside becomes. Time is a motherfucking meat grinder, and it makes hamburger out of us all. If you prioritize your idea of hot over all other qualities, you run the very real risk of spending decades with a person who has aged out of hot and was
never nice. Longtime reader asking for advice. I’m a med student. I came to the U.S. when I was 18 in order to go to college, and I’m still in the U.S. I’m 25 now, and I’ve been dating my boyfriend for about three years now. We’re somewhat monogamous and have been living together for two years. I’m out as a gay man where we live, but my parents and family back in Brazil have zero idea. As you may know, Brazil has a weird relationship with sexuality. We’re seen and for the most part are very open, but our culture is also very homophobic. My BF has been pressuring me to come out, but I’ve been apprehensive, considering how important family is to me. Fears A Massive Implosion Likely, Yet … Gay men don’t come out to our families because they’re unimportant to us. We come out to our families because they’re important to us. Family is important to you, and you’re worried you might lose yours if you come out to them. But you’re definitely gonna lose them if you don’t. Because to keep your life a secret from them—to hide your boyfriend from them—you’re going to have to cut them out of your life. It’ll be little things at first, FAMILY, but over time, the amount of things you have to keep from them grows. Lies pile up on top of lies, and the distance between you and your family grows. Before you know it, they don’t know you at all anymore, and you don’t know them—because you can’t risk letting them know you. So to avoid their possible rejection, you will have rejected them. You will have lost your family. I know, I know: It’s scary. I came out to my very Catholic family when I was a teenager. I was scared to death. But if they couldn’t accept me for who I am—if I couldn’t rely on their love and support—what was the point of having them in my life at all? By the way: No one likes being someone’s dirty little secret. It hurts your boyfriend to see the person who claims to love him prioritize his family’s presumed bigotry (it’s possible they’ll react more positively than you think) over his feelings and dignity. By not coming out, FAMILY, you will lose the family you were born into—and the one you’ve created with your boyfriend, too. Read Savage Love every Wednesday at CVIndependent.com; mail@savagelove.net; @ FakeDanSavage on Twitter.
COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 31
MAY 2020
OPINION COMICS & JONESIN’ CROSSWORD
“Cool, Cool”—another door opens. By Matt Jones
44 Phone maker from Finland 45 “Born in the ___” 46 New employee Across 47 Degs. for many 1 Completely chill professors 5 Cat’s resting spot 50 Alternatives to Macs 8 “Sweat smile” or 52 It’s usually due April 15 “money-mouth face,” 53 Breakfast hrs. e.g. 56 Android program 13 Et ___ (Latin for “and 58 Carp in some ponds others”) 60 ITEMS IN THE 14 Golden ___ O’s (cereal VEGETABLE CRISPER variety that somehow 67 ITEMS IN THE exists) VEGETABLE CRISPER 16 Fix with a needle 68 Words before ante 17 ITEMS IN THE FREEZER 69 It ended on April 9 this 20 ITEMS IN THE FREEZER year 21 Affectionate greeting 70 Musk of Tesla Motors (that I’m guessing 71 Bedding item there will be a lot of 72 Get the idea when this is done) 73 Some TV rooms 22 Raphael’s weapon, in Teenage Mutant Ninja Down Turtles 1 Golden State, informally 23 Gallery offering 2 30 Rock star Baldwin 24 Raíz cúbica de ocho 3 Longest possible 27 Long sandwich sentence 29 Makeshift car cleaners 4 Go together perfectly 32 Exclamations that 5 With The, 2008 Mike have their moments? Myers flop 34 Ewe’s mate 6 Carpet calculation 36 Answer a stimulus 7 Stereotypical ‘80s 40 ITEMS IN THE hairdos REFRIGERATOR 8 Words in the middle
of everyone’s favorite Napoleon-based palindrome 9 Alternate nickname for Sporty Spice (as opposed to Scary) 10 Home of Suntory’s headquarters 11 2000 World Series MVP Derek 12 “___ let you down!” 15 Green Sesame Street character 18 “It’s either them ___” 19 Karmann ___ (classic VW model) 24 Rhett Butler’s last word 25 The ___ State University 26 Jonas who developed a polio vaccine 28 Actress ___ Ling of The Crow 30 Despicable Me supervillain 31 Late Night host Meyers who’s currently broadcasting from home 33 Omit 35 Initialism for the series of Avengers movies 37 “Keep ___!” (“Don’t give up!”)
38 Scott Pilgrim vs. the World star Michael 39 Jurassic Park beast 41 God, to a Rastafarian 42 Preternatural power 43 Make retroactive, like a payment 48 Hawaii Five-O detective, to McGarrett 49 Go letter by letter 51 “Bon ___” (good evening, in France) 53 Photographer Diane 54 Transform bit by bit 55 Dealt a sharp blow, in the Bible 57 Asks intrusive questions 59 The Sky ___ (1950 Italian drama) 61 Hurt all over 62 Rapper in Law and Order: SVU 63 Dermatologist’s case 64 Miniature golf goal 65 English school founded by Henry VI 66 1040 IDs © 2020 Matt Jones Find the answers in the “About” section of CVIndependent.com!
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