Coachella Valley Independent September 2017

COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT | SEPTEMBER 2017

VOL. 5 | NO. 9

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SEPTEMBER 2017

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COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 3

SEPTEMBER 2017

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 Assistant Editor Brian Blueskye coveR design Mark Duebner Design Contributors Gustavo Arellano, Max Cannon, Kevin Carlow, Cory Courtney, Katie Finn, Kevin Fitzgerald, Bill Frost, Bonnie Gilgallon, Bob Grimm, Michael Grimm, Dwight Hendricks, Valerie-Jean (VJ) Hume, Brane Jevric, Patrick Johnson, Keith Knight, Erin Peters, Dan Perkins, Sean Planck, Guillermo Prieto, William Bryan Rooney, Anita Rufus, Jen Sorenson, Christine Soto, Robert Victor, Baynard Woods The Coachella Valley Independent print edition is published every month.

All content is ©2017 and may not be published or reprinted in any form without the written permission of the publisher.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 $1 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.

It’s been an eventful month for me and the Coachella Valley Independent. Here are some notes and thoughts.

• I was fortunate enough to attend the Association of Alternative Newsmedia’s annual conference in Washington, D.C. It was a wonderful gathering of motivated independent journalists from around North America.

Make no mistake: Some (but not all) independent local newspapers are struggling. However, those of us in the industry are working on finding new ways to bring readers the news they need—and coming up with innovative ways to pay for it.

Some alternative newspapers—from Boston to Little Rock to Santa Fe to Baltimore—are starting nonprofits, opening doors to grants and other journalism-funding sources. Others are using new technologies to tell their communities’ stories in fascinating new ways. It was truly exciting to see the energy and excitement displayed by so many editors, writers and publishers.

Oh, and one more tidbit from the conference: I’d previously mentioned that the Independent was a finalist for a national Association of Alternative Newsmedia award.

Well, I am elated to report that Anita Rufus’ “Know Your Neighbors” took first place in the Column category for smaller newspapers.

In other words, in the eyes of contest judges, “Know Your Neighbors” is the top column in alternative newspapers with a circulation of less than 45,000 in the entire country.

• We celebrated Anita’s columns, as well as all sorts of other great work the Independent has done over the last five years, from Aug. 1-20 during our Supporters of the Independent membership drive.

I am happy to report that we received some great support during the drive— but not as much as I was anticipating. A sizable handful of readers signed up for memberships at higher levels, but few readers signed up for memberships at the smaller levels.

However, I was honored and touched by the expressions of appreciation we did receive from readers. Take, for example, the letter we received from Eva Mansell, along with a $20 check. “Hi and THANK YOU for what you all do! Wish it could be more, but I’m on a low, fixed income … but I (so) appreciate the (astronomy column), the local issues/politics and articles.”

Thank you, Eva. That letter made my month.

It’s not too late to join Eva in supporting the Independent. Visit CVIndependent.com/ Supporters, or write us at the address at the top left.

• Season is almost here … so that means the Best of Coachella Valley readers’ poll is here, too! First-round voting in some 130-plus categories is now under way at CVIndependent.com. Find more details there and/or on Page 10. Contact me with questions!

Welcome to the September 2017 print edition of the Coachella Valley Independent. As always, thanks for reading.

—Jimmy Boegle, jboegle@cvindependent.com CVIndependent.com

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SEPTEMBER 2017

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COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 5

SEPTEMBER 2017

OPINION OPINION

KNOW YOUR NEIGHBORS P

BY ANITA RUFUS

hotographer Arthur Coleman has lived in the Coachella Valley for more than 50 years, and his stunning work is known throughout the area and the world. He’s also known for helping develop the tantalizing dining section of Palm Springs Life.

“This is the place with the best light in the world,” he says. “I call it ‘sweet light.’”

Born in Seattle, Coleman—he prefers not to disclose his age (“The number is too big now!” he says)—had what he calls “an interesting childhood,” albeit a good one. Coleman’s father ran a hotel, while his mother was “a true housewife.”

“She was involved in Scouts, coaching, everything I did,” he recalls. “She was charismatic and knockdown beautiful—kind of Betty Boop beautiful. My dad worked nights, so (my younger brother and I) got him during the day. even did asphalt on driveways. The city once “You know, I’ve had all these people in my came to find out who was running this company life with horrendous childhoods. Not me. If I’ve doing asphalt work, and I showed them my two had problems, they’re my own,” Coleman says. buckets and three brooms.”

“My mom taught me what it’s like to grow up Coleman found himself in Las Vegas in his knowing you come first with someone. My dad late teens working for Red Skelton. “My mom always backed me, whatever the situation was. had met him once, and I got a job as his assistant They raised me to know I could do anything I entertainment director. It was amazing,” he says. wanted. There were just a few rules: no guns, no “My dad had hit some hard times earlier on and motorcycles, no bartending and not a bellman— had to sell an expensive camera, so when I got nothing requiring tips.” the job in Las Vegas, I bought him a really good The motorcycle rule was broken when Steve camera. When I graduated from high school, he McQueen became Coleman’s next-door neighbor bought me the same Rolleiflex.” after the family moved to Los Angeles.

The work with Skelton wasn’t all fun.

“I wanted a motorcycle, and my mom was “I was only 18 when I found his ex-wife after willing to compromise for a Vespa scooter,” she killed herself,” says Coleman. “It was so Coleman says. “McQueen came over and told traumatic. But, hey, I’ve been in the Enquirer my mom, ‘The Vespa has such little wheels. four times!”

It’s dangerous. I’ll pick him out a motorcycle.’

Yes, Coleman has a wicked sense of humor.

She said, ‘Well, I guess it’s OK.’ I think she was Coleman attended the University of blushing. Hey, it was Steve McQueen! She even Washington and also took classes at the College cooked him some breakfast. of the Desert, but says he was bored. “I didn’t “He taught me how to ride the bike out in know for sure what I wanted to do. I studied the desert, and he was also the one who got me architecture and a little law. But my whole thing into ‘guy’ stuff, like pumping iron to get some was to be working,” he says. muscles.”

By 21, Coleman knew he wanted to start Coleman got started in photography when working for himself. “I had been hanging out at he was about 8 years old. “My mom was a CBS, and people asked me to do some photos, so gambler. She’d go to a country club where once I just started playing around with it.” a month, they’d bring in machines, and they Coleman came to the desert from Los could gamble. She won a camera and gave it to Angeles, rented a building and began using the me. Also, my dad’s hobby was photography, so small amount of equipment he had. it was an easy fit.”

“I was dating a gal who worked for the brandColeman’s one marriage produced a daughter new convention and visitors’ bureau, the first who is also a photographer. one we had down here,” he says. “I suggested “I’m pretty much self-taught,” he says. “I’ve that they could pay for part of my studio and worked with world-class photographers, and I’ve use my darkroom; in return, I started shooting picked up things like a sponge. for them, and some of my pictures went “I’ve always worked. I started at about 11 international. I’ve been really lucky.” or 12 with a little business going door-toColeman is realistic about the profession he door selling Cub Scout stuff. I sold handmade loves.

Christmas gifts, wooden address signs, and “Still photography is dying,” he says.

CVINDEPENDENT.COM/OPINION

Meet Arthur Coleman, a renowned photographer with a keen eye and a wicked sense of humor

“Everyone can take pictures on their phones and make their own movies and send them around. I’m working now on time-lapse and using drones. The main thing is that I can do anything—architecture, landscapes, fashion, food, still-life, portraits. I’ve developed techniques for all of them.”

“My driving principle is that I finish things: If I start it, I finish it.”

Arthur Coleman can drop names with the best of them, from McQueen and Skelton to Sinatra, but it’s his craft that most delights Coleman.

“What I see is 180 degrees of whatever the view is. When I’m looking at something, I’m seeing the whole thing ‘eye to eye,’ peripherally, not just the middle,” he says.

Coleman is somewhat philosophical after several health scares within the past few years.

“Life itself makes me happy now. I get up,

Arthur Coleman

make some coffee and get ready for the day,” he says. “I just want to be alive, breathing, eating fine food, seeing friends and doing my work.

Most of all, I want to be thankful.”

Anita Rufus is also known as “The Lovable Liberal,” and her radio show airs Sundays at noon on KNews Radio 94.3 FM. Email her at Anita@LovableLiberal. com. Know Your Neighbors appears every other Wednesday at CVIndependent.com.

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SEPTEMBER 2017

NEW TREATMENTS FOR MELASMA AND SUN DAMAGE WITH PICO LASERS

By Shonda Chase, FNP Co-owner, Artistic Director and Advanced Injector at Revive Wellness Centers in Palm Springs and Torrance

Sun damage to our skin and long-term melasma are closely related.

Melasma in women can o�en be the result of hormones, birth control or pregnancy. Sun exposure can also trigger the color-producing melanocyte cells in our skin to become overly ac�ve and produce darker blotches on our faces.

SECRET No. 1: Sensi�vity to melasma can be gene�c, and gender- and ethnicity-based.

Women comprise 90 percent of melasma sufferers, and men only 10 percent. If our rela�ves have melisma, we are at a higher risk for melasma. We can lessen our risks by using non-hormonal-based methods of birth control and using the proper zinc- or �tanium dioxide-based sunblocks every day.

SECRET No. 2: Sun exposure on any other part of our body can s�mulate melasma on our faces.

We can be consistent with applying sunblock to our face, but ge�ng sun exposure on our legs or arms can also cause melasma to increase on our face.

SECRET No. 3: Chronic heat can cause melasma.

Living in hot climates or working in a hot environment can also exacerbate melasma.

SECRET No. 4: The new PICO lasers are the best new secret weapons we’ve ever had to treat melasma.

PICO laser energy is converted to acous�c energy that pulverizes the pigment in the melasma cells, instead of hea�ng the �ssue, which allows our bodies to be able remove the pigment in 4-6 weeks. It usually takes three to four PICO treatments to greatly improve melasma, leaving brighter, clearer and more even skin tones.

Next month, I’ll share with you the ho�est new approach to permanent fat reduc�on This pa�ent’s melasma issues are from all five without surgery, discomfort sources: gene�cs, heritage, hormones, sun and heat or down�me. Un�l then, keep exposure. Her results are from three PICO treatments. She will need three to four more the secrets. treatments for best results.

Read the en�re ar�cle at www.revivecenter.com/blog.

Email your individual appearance and aging ques�ons to Ms. Chase at info@revivecenter.com.

CVIndependent.com

OPINION OPINION

CVINDEPENDENT.COM/OPINION

ASK A MEXICAN!

I am half-Mexican; how should I deal with my racist white grandfather?

BY GUSTAVO ARELLANO DEAR MEXICAN: I’m half-Mexican and— on my conservative Christian, Republican father’s side—half-white. Growing up, I was discouraged from learning Spanish by my father and his family (while mi abuela tried to teach me anyway), so never learned; I’m currently having to learn as an adult.

My grandfather and I have gotten into arguments since I was 8 about his racist attitude toward those with a brown background, and I’m constantly having to remind him that myself and mi prima are both half-Mexican (her on her father’s side), even going to the extent of adding Perez to my last name (it’s my mom’s maiden name) for the last few years.

I know what I had to deal with growing up, and now with the whole immigration fiasco, my grandfather continues on and on. My little 8-year-old prima is stuck in the middle and is really starting to feel bad about herself—she is torn between loving her grandpa and loving her personal background.

How can I help her?

Confused Half Breed DEAR POCHO: If having you and your little cousin as grandkids hasn’t convinced your abuelito that Mexicans are good people, then que se vaya a la chingada. Blood is thicker than water, they say—but it’s not thicker than horchata, so Mexicans ain’t obliged to genuflect before their elders.

There are entire swaths of cousins who didn’t talk to their grandmas for decades because of some perceived slight the abuelas paid on their mom or dad back in the rancho.

Sometimes, the grandma or grandpa in the family was an unrepentant asshole.

Respect and honor is very important for Mexicans, but so is common sense, so I’d tell your primita to tell your grandpa to fuck off, and be proud of her Mexican part—that’s the best thing you can do to shape her young mind.

DEAR MEXICAN: I’ve read many of the letters people have sent you, and they seem a little one-sided. I’m a Welshman, trying to get my green card. I spent nine months in La Habra, and in my experience, the friendliest people were those in the Mexican community.

So, my question is: Why do you get so many

letters from people who appear to dislike or even hate Mexicans?

Soon-to-Be Immigrant DEAR TAFFY: I’m found your letter behind a nopal in my archives, so I’m not sure what year in which you sent this letter. What you describe was once true, but ain’t the case anymore. Time was when the Mexican would get cartloads of nasty letters from losers—but since I always get the last word, they got a can of chile powder thrown on their pride again and again, and word got around.

Nowadays, straight-out hate letters are as rare in my mailbox as a Mexican FIFA World Cup championship, because the haters know better than to write in, even though we live in a historically bad time for Mexicans in el Norte.

I think all good people can take a lesson from my experience: When the haters go for you, don’t ignore them—fight back with humor, stats and DESMADRE, and they’ll scatter away like the cucarachas they are.

DEAR MEXICAN: Why is it that Mexicans pile into the front seat of a truck, even when there is a back seat? Do they enjoy sitting so close together? Is that why they also stand so close to you in lines at the grocery store?

Backseat I Take Cuz He Echoed “Shotgun” DEAR BITCHES: The familia that smushes into the front seat of a 1979 Ford F150 Supercab together, reconquistas the United States together.

Catch the Mexican every Wednesday at CVIndependent.com. Ask the Mexican at themexican@askamexican.net; be his fan on Facebook; follow him on Twitter @ gustavoarellano; or follow him on Instagram @ gustavo_arellano!

COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 7

SEPTEMBER 2017

NEWS

CVINDEPENDENT.COM/NEWS

THE RENT IS TOO DAMN HIGH By matt levin, calmatters

P

eople in half of California’s households struggle to afford the roof over their heads.

Homeownership—once a staple of the California dream—is at its lowest rate since World War II. Nearly 70 percent of poor Californians see the majority of their paychecks go immediately toward escalating rents.

As of this writing, state lawmakers are debating a long-delayed housing package. Here’s what you need to know about one of California’s most vexing issues.

Just how hard is it to buy a home in California?

Hard. Really hard—both compared to how hard it is in other states, and how hard it was for previous generations of Californians to buy homes.

While it’s always been more expensive to be a homeowner in California, the gap between us and the rest of the country has grown into a chasm. The median California home is now priced 2 1/2 times higher than the median national home. As of 2015, the typical California home costs $437,000, easily beating the likes of Massachusetts or New York. Only Hawaii had more expensive houses.

Despite relatively low mortgage rates, exploding housing prices have caused California’s homeownership rate to dip significantly. Just more than half of California households own their homes—the third-lowest rate in the country, and the lowest rate in the state since World War II. It’s not just housing prices that are affecting homeownership rates. Studies have found that student debt, rising income inequality and changing housing preferences among younger Californians are also at play.

average, and are significantly higher in regions, like the Bay Area, with tremendously pricey costs of living.

But on average, income over the past two decades has not kept pace with escalating rents.

The problem here is not just housing. Income inequality and wage stagnation in California also hinder low- and moderate-income households’ ability to pay for a home.

But in certain markets, even extremely high incomes aren’t enough to blunt the cost of housing. In San Jose, where the current median income is nearly $100,000, renters can still expect to pay 40 percent of their monthly income on rent, according to an analysis by real estate data firm Zillow.

Rents didn’t dip during the recession—and now are soaring Rental costs across the state are some of the highest in the country. While listed housing prices dipped dramatically in the wake of the Great Recession, rents in California remained relatively stable before soaring in recent years in hot markets.

Across the state, the median rental price for a two-bedroom apartment is about $2,400, the third-highest in the country. But statewide figures water down how absurd the situation is getting in urban coastal markets, where the vast majority of Californians live. The median rent for a two-bedroom apartment in San Francisco reached more than $4,000 this year.

Cities are being gentrified— as is the entire state It’s difficult to measure things like “gentrification” and “displacement”—when the arrival of higher-income, higher-educated residents in a community results in the expulsion of longtime lower-income residents.

But there’s little question change is happening rapidly across many California cities.

Researchers at UC Berkeley found that more than half of low-income households in the Bay Area are at risk of, or already experiencing, gentrification. It’s not just lower-income communities bleeding households; higherincome neighborhoods are losing their lowerincome members as well. And in places like the Boyle Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles, gentrification protests have exposed escalating tensions between longtime Latino residents and new, predominantly white arrivals.

Where are these low-income people going?

Increasingly, out of state. From 2000 to 2015, the state lost nearly 800,000 residents with incomes near or below the poverty line. Nearly three-quarters of those who left California since 2007 made less than $50,000 annually. The leading destination for California’s poor? Texas.

“It may cost more to live here, but they pay you more” That’s somewhat true—median earnings for Californians are higher than the national

Rising rents are causing more homelessness Housing costs are just one factor in the complex tangle of reasons people become

California’s housing crisis is even worse than you think

homeless. California actually has fewer people experiencing homelessness now than it did a decade ago. But there’s little question rising rents are linked to more Californians living in cars and shelters, and on the streets—especially in the greater L.A. area.

While the vast majority of states saw a dip in their homeless population between 2015 and 2016, California saw an increase of about 2,400 people, according to statistics compiled by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. California accounts for about 12 percent of the nation’s population—but has more than 20 percent of the nation’s homeless.

Recent numbers from Los Angeles County, where the number of people experiencing homelessness grew 30 percent over the past two years, have prompted cries for more eviction protections and rent control. Zillow recently estimated that a 5 percent increase in rent would result in an additional 2,000 homeless Los Angelinos. In 2016, rents grew an average of 4 percent there.

Your Support of D.A.P. Creates a Healthier Community

The McKinsey Global Institute found that housing shortages cost the economy between $143 billion and $233 billion annually—not taking into account second-order costs to health, education and the environment. Much of that is due to households spending too much Millennials, Mom and of their incomes on the rent or mortgage and Dad, and avocado toast not enough on consumer goods.

Nearly a decade removed from the depths of Even the attractive salaries and lavish perks donations clothing, furniture, small goods, the Great Your Recession, 38 percent ofof California’s of Silicon Valley don’t make up forand the local 18- to 34-year-olds still live with their parents, housing market, as young tech talent flees to home décor help Desert AIDS Project to provide our according to U.S. Census data. That’s roughly the relatively inexpensive climes of Austin or community with needed medical, dental, counseling, 3.6 million people—more than the entire Portland. Nearly 60 percent of Los Angeles and social support services including housing, population of Chicago. companies in nutrition a recent University of Southern Again, housing costs are not the only thing California survey said the region’s high cost of and much more. keeping junior from moving out. Student living was affecting employee retention. debt, disappearing labor markets and delaying Desert AIDS Project has received a 5-Star rating from marriage are also contributing to the trend.

It won’t be getting better anytime soon Charity Navigator for 5 yearsThe in state a row — a that distinction estimates it needs to build It’s a statewide problem 180,000 homes annually just to keep up with only 6% of all non-profits receive.

The extremes of the state’s housing crisis are projected population growth, and keep prices concentrated in the Bay and greater Los from escalating further out of control.

Donate it Area to Revivals.

Angeles, but the challenge is truly statewide.

Unfortunately, for the past 10 years, the Help create healthier A widely cited report by theaconsulting firm community. state has averaged less than half of that. In no McKinsey Global Institute found that in every year during that span did California crack the metropolitan area in the state—from Fresno 100,000 barrier. to Palmdale to Salinas—at least 30 percent of According to the nonpartisan Legislative residents could not afford local rents.

Analyst’s Office, helping just the 1.7 million Visit our The pressures of housing costs in coastal poorest Californians afford homes would cost NEW urban centers are spilling into inland cities. $15 to $30 billion a year. The Los Angeles Times Palm Desert While San Diego, San Francisco and L.A. top the estimated that the three marquee bills being list of toughest rental markets in the country, considered by lawmakerslocation! would provide less Sacramento and Riverside recently have than 25 percent of that total. experienced the largest year-over-year increases.

This is an excerpt of the project “Californians: The housing crisis has major Here’s Why Your Housing Costs Are So high.” For repercussions for the economy the full report, go to calmatters.org. CALmatters is Palm City nonpartisan Palm Desert Big business is alsoSprings feeling the pinch of Cathedral a nonprofit, media venture explaining 611housing S. Palm Canyon Dr. 68-401 Hwy. 111 72-885 California’s crisis.

California policies and politics.Hwy. 111

To arrange a pick-up call 877-770-7738

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SEPTEMBER 2017

NEWS

CVINDEPENDENT.COM/NEWS

INFRASTRUCTURE INCREASING

I

BY KEVIN FITZGERALD

n April 2016, the Rural Community Assistance Corporation (RCAC) held a rally to highlight its achievements in bringing safe, clean and potable water to schools in the Eastern Coachella Valley via its Agua4All campaign, which installed 75 clean water-bottle-filling stations for student use.

For many of these local children, these stations offer the only consistent and free access to safe drinking water they have. (See “Potable Progress: Agua4All Meets Its Goal of Giving East Valley Students Access to Safe Drinking Water—but There’s Work Left to Do,” May 8, 2016.)

Since then, however, Agua4All’s progress has slowed significantly. Just those initial 75 stations are operating; no others have been installed.

“I wouldn’t necessarily say that the program has stalled,” said Olga Morales, the RCAC regional manager. “Originally, we had two pilot programs, in the Coachella Valley and Bakersfield. Most of our resources were utilized in those two communities. Then, we expanded our program into other counties throughout the state, and arguably, campuses. The program officially launches the available money didn’t go as far as it did next month, and it has $9.5 million set when it was concentrated in one specific area. aside for drinking water infrastructure to be “Our whole program thus far had been installed at schools in primarily disadvantaged funded strictly by foundation and bank communities.” money. It takes a lot of effort to attract those Unfortunately, Morales said only school kinds of dollars. … In the end, it doesn’t really districts in cities with populations less than go very far.

20,000 can apply for that assistance for the “We did succeed in expanding the program first nine months—meaning most of the into other counties across the state,” Morales Coachella Valley schools in need will not continued, “but there have not been sufficient qualify. resources to increase our outreach in Riverside However, there is good news to report County and the Coachella Valley. However, in regarding infrastructure access in the Eastern the last two months, we were awarded what’s Coachella Valley. known as a ‘technical assistance (funding) The Coachella Valley Water District (CVWD), program’ for our drinking-water-in-schools in partnership with other governmental program, which is hosted under the State offices and community stakeholders, is poised Water (Resources Control) Board. Under this to deliver some lasting improvements to new program, we’ve been directed to work with East Valley communities. CVWD Board Vice schools to identify the need either for access President Castulo Estrada, who represents the to, or treatment of, drinking water on their East Valley, talked about the positive signs for

Some stalled water and sewer projects in the Eastern Coachella Valley are finally making forward progress

valley residents who have struggled with a lack of access to potable water for decades.

“During discussions at the CVWD Disadvantaged Communities Infrastructure Task Force meetings (chaired by Estrada), we can put some focus on the water needs of the east side, which is due to a lack of infrastructure,” Estrada said. “… Over this last year, our group at the meetings has grown to include a lot of the people who need to be part of the conversation, and who are essential to ensuring that these projects get done. Our group now includes the assemblymember’s office (Eduardo Garcia), the congressman’s office (Dr. Raul Ruiz) and the county supervisor’s office (V. Manuel Perez). We have folks from the Riverside County Transportation and Land Management Agency, which is the department in charge of issuing permits. We have folks from the United States Department of Agriculture, folks from Building Healthy Communities (BHC), folks from the leadership council, and folks from the housing coalition. Now folks from the Desert Recreation District want to join us.

“Our meetings now provide a place where everybody can talk about the projects that they’re working and it allowsof everybody Your on, donations clothing, furniture, small goods, and to have a sense of what’s happening, and that home décor help Desert AIDS Project to provide our way, things can get done better.”

Estrada mentioned the with San Antonio del medical, dental, counseling, community needed Desierto sewer-extension project as an and social support services including nutrition housing, example of how the task force is making One of the 75 water stations installed locally by progress.and much more.

Agua4All. “The county was holding back a grading Desert AIDSprogress Project a 5-Star rating from being made in the East Valley—including permit that was stopping withhas the received possible forward progress for Agua4All. project, and as a result, we had to request Charity Navigator for 5 years in a row — a distinction “From my perspective, we’re going to at least two extensions for a grant from the only 6% all when non-profi ts receive. continue to build off our efforts with the USDA,” Estrada said. of “Then, Supervisor legislation AB 2124, which included dollars Perez came in, I spoke to him about it, and it to Revivals. to ensure safe, clean drinking water for our there wasDonate a big meeting called.

After that, schools and communities in and around our things got done.create So now that project is going Help a healthier community. school grounds,” Garcia said. “That was part out to bid (for construction contractors) this of the Agua4All campaign, which received month after a whole year of hiccups and approximately $10 million in support of their delays.” efforts.

Supervisor V. Manuel Perez agreed that Visit by our “In this last budget approved the the CVWD task force’s work is leading to governor, there is roughly NEW $17 million much-needed solutions to the East Valley’s budgeted toward these types of efforts. That’s longstanding needs for potable water and Palm Desert specifically a result of our advocacy and the sewer-system access. location! advocacy of other legislators who represent “Castulo’s attempts to ensure that we have similar geographic districts that are primarily reliable water infrastructure on the east side rural, agricultural economies, where you have deserve recognition, particularly when it remote housing circumstances, as we do here involves safe drinking water, which I view as a in the Coachella Valley, that are unable to social-justice right.” Perez said. “This has been centralize My job, and the job an historical issueSprings for us for a very longCathedral time.”

Palm City infrastructure.

Palm …Desert of Castulo Estrada, and the job of RCAC is now District 56 Assemblymember Eduardo 611 S. Palm Canyon Dr. 68-401 Hwy. 111 72-885 Hwy. 111 to try to bring those dollars to our backyard.”

Garcia was also optimistic about the progress

Your Support of D.A.P. Creates a Healthier Community

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COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 9

SEPTEMBER 2017

NEWS

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NO DEVELOPMENT HERE The CV Mountains Conservancy’s purchase of Shumway Ranch means it will forever be protected

T

BY BRANE JEVRIC

hanks to the work of the Coachella Valley Mountains Conservancy and The Living Desert, there will be no new homes nor condos built on nearly 640 unspoiled acres located off of Highway 74, in the mountains above Palm Desert. None.

Shumway Ranch spreads over a considerable portion of Asbestos Mountain, and also includes large wash areas, as well as a relatively flat section, with views of Deep Canyon and the Coachella Valley floor.

The area is natural habitat for the endangered peninsular desert bighorn sheep.

“This is a major accomplishment for the conservancy,” said Jim Karpiak, the conservancy’s executive director. “The ranch is protected from development in perpetuity through deed restrictions in favor of the state and federal agencies that provided the funds—namely, the conservancy, the (California) Wildlife Conservation Board and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.”

Not only is the land beautiful and vital habitat; the ranch has significant historic value as well. In 1938, the land was granted as a homestead to Percy Shumway and Nina Paul Shumway, part of a well-known agricultural family in the Eastern Coachella Valley. Local records indicate that this was the last stockraising homestead granted in California.

In the early 1960s, the ranch was sold to silent-movie star Irene Rich. Her daughter, noted sculptress Frances Rich, inherited it, and lived and worked there until the 1980s, when she donated the land to The Living Desert.

“The Living Desert, a local nonprofit, contacted us almost three years ago to say it was interested in selling the land for conservation,” Karpiak said. “Under state law, we cannot pay any more than appraised fair market value, and The Living Desert readily

The Coachella Valley Mountains Conservancy scored a big win by permanently protecting the historic Shumway Ranch from developers. courtesy of coachella valley mountains conservancy

agreed to the sales price of $1.565 million.”

According to Allen Monroe, The Living Desert’s president and chief executive officer, the transfer increases the area of federally protected land here in the Coachella Valley.

He explained why The Living Desert’s board of directors decided to sell the land to the CV Mountains Conservancy.

“This partnership allows us to further our mission of desert conservation, because the conservancy will create a permanent conservation easement protecting the precious desert habitat,” Monroe said.

The conservancy has a long legacy of acquiring land in key areas of the Coachella Valley; in turn, these acquisitions protect threatened and endangered species.

“As land acquired in compliance with the Coachella Valley Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan, its management follows plan requirements and will be coordinated with adjacent conservation lands through the Coachella Valley Conservation Commission,” Karpiak said.

There are three historic buildings located on about 10 acres of land that make up the Shumway homestead. These structures will be protected, too.

“The conservancy will work to preserve (the homestead) as a historical and public educational site,” Karpiak said. “The Living Desert has pledged a significant contribution to assist in renovation efforts.”

Monroe confirmed The Living Desert has dedicated $40,000 to a trust, managed by the conservancy, for the preservation of the historic buildings.

“It saves an important part of our local history, which likely would have been torn down had the land been purchased by a private owner,” Karpiak said. “We also plan to allow use of the ranch as a base for biological or climate-change researchers in exploring the surrounding conservation land.”

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SEPTEMBER 2017

Arts Best Art Gallery Best Indoor Venue Best Outdoor Venue Best Local Arts Group/ Organization Best Local Band Best Local DJ Best Local Musician (Individual) Best Local Visual Artist Best Movie Theater Best Museum Best Producing Theater Company

Voting is now under way in the Coachella Valley Independent’s fourth annual Best of Coachella Valley poll!

Voting in this readers’ poll, to determine the best of the valley’s best, will take place in two rounds: • The First Round of voting will take place online at CVIndependent.com through Tuesday, Sept. 19. This round consists of fill-in-the-blank voting. The voting is up to our readers, and our readers alone—there are no pre-determined “finalists” or candidates.

• The top three to five vote-getters in each category will move on to the Final Round of voting, which will run online at CVIndependent.com from Wednesday, Sept. 27, through Monday, Oct. 30.

• The winners and other results will be announced at CVIndependent.com on Monday, Nov. 27, and in the special Best of Coachella Valley section in the Independent’s December 2017 print edition.

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Life in the Valley Best Farmers’ Market Best Local Activist/Advocacy Group/Charity Best Gym Best Yoga Studio Best Bowling Alley Best Sex Toy Shop Best Auto Repair Best Car Wash Best Plant Nursery Best Pet Supplies Best Annual Charity Event Best Place to Gamble Best Local TV News Best Local TV News Personality Best Radio Station Best Local Radio Personality Best Bookstore Best Retail Music/Video Store Best Comics/Games Shop Best Hotel Pool Best Urgent Care Valley Professionals Best Doctor Best Eye Doctor Best Dentist/Orthodontist Best Alternative Health Professional Best Plastic Surgeon Best Attorney Best Air Conditioner Repair Best Personal Trainer Best Chiropractor Best Personal Trainer Best Real Estate Agent Best Accounting Best Electrician Best Pool Service Best Landscaper/Yard Service Best Public Servant Fashion and Style Best Clothing Store (Locally Owned)

Best Resale/Vintage Clothing Best Furniture Store Best Antiques/Collectables Store Best Jeweler/Jewelry Store Best Hair Salon Best Spa in a Resort/Hotel Best Day Spa (Non-Resort/ Hotel) Best Florist Best Tattoo Parlor Best Eyeglass/Optical Retailer Outside!

Best Public Garden Best Place for Bicycling Best Recreation Area Best Hike Best Park Best Outdoor/Camping Gear Store Best Bike Shop Best Sporting Goods Best Public Golf Course For the Kids Best Playground Best Place to Buy Toys Best Kids’ Clothing Store Best Restaurant for Kids Best Place for Family Fun Best Place for a Birthday Party Food and Restaurants Best Casual Eats Best Caterer Best Diner Best Organic Food Store Best Delicatessen Best Custom Cakes Best Desserts Best Ice Cream/Shakes Best Date Shake Best Frozen Yogurt Best Bakery Best Barbecue Best Burger Best Veggie Burger Best Sandwich Best Pizza Best Wings Best Bagels Best Smoothies Best Buffet Best Coffee Shop for Coffee Best Coffee Shop for Hanging Out Best Tea Best Breakfast Best California Cuisine Best Brunch Best Chinese Best Greek

VOTE NOW AT CVINDEPENDENT.COM

Best French Best Indian Best Italian Best Japanese Best Korean Best Sushi Best Seafood Best Steaks/Steakhouse Best Thai Best Vietnamese Best Vegetarian/Vegan Best Upscale Restaurant Best Outdoor Seating Best Late-Night Restaurant Best Mexican Best Salsa Best Burrito Spirits and Nightlife Best Beer Selection Best Local Brewery Best Place to Play Pool/ Billiards Best Cocktail Menu Best Gay/Lesbian Bar/Club Best Happy Hour Best Dive Bar Best Margarita Best Martini Best Nightclub Best Sports Bar Best Wine Bar Best Wine/Liquor Store Best Bar Ambiance Rules: • Only one vote per person, per round, please! We’re watching IP addresses, so be honest.

• Ballots without a full name AND a working email address will be thrown out and not counted.

• If you do not have an opinion in a certain category, leave it blank!

• Stuffing the ballot box is a no-no. Interested parties can engage in simple campaigning—like putting up signs, linking to the ballot or using social media to encourage fans/customers to vote—but anything beyond simple campaigning is a no-no. Any businesses, groups or individuals suspected of stuffing the ballot box may be disqualified, at the discretion of the Independent publisher.

• If you have questions, call 760-904-4208, or email jboegle@cvindependent.com

COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 11

SEPTEMBER 2017

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SEPTEMBER 2017

NEWS

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DEMOCRACY IN CRISIS By baynard woods

D

onald Trump’s press conference, during which he defended the racists in Charlottesville and attacked those there to protest them, was one of the worst performances of his presidency.

The Aug. 15 remarks came a day after the Durham, N.C., statue to commemorate Confederate soldiers came down thanks to activists who took it into their own hands.

“So this week it’s Robert E. Lee,” Trump said. “I notice that Stonewall Jackson’s coming down. I wonder: Is it George Washington next week, and is it Thomas Jefferson the week after? You know, you really do have to ask yourself—where does it stop?”

Early the next morning, cranes and crews of workers began removing all four of the Confederate monuments in Baltimore. Here we were, a small crowd, at 4 a.m., black and white, crustpunk and square, reporter and activist, watching the statue of Confederate generals Lee and Jackson being hoisted through the air in the surreal pre-dawn light and taken away. It felt like a moment of catharsis—a rapid response to the racist rally and white radical terrorist attack in Charlottesville, as the city hauled away one of its four monuments to the Confederacy. Two others had already come down, and the last one would be carted away at dawn.

The mayor, Catherine Pugh, an AfricanAmerican woman, is being widely praised for

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the order, which came after a local activist group planned an event called “Do It Like Durham,” referring to a group of activists who pulled down a statue dedicated to Confederate soldiers in that city.

Sarah Willets, with INDY Week in North Carolina, reported on the scene in Durham.

Before the statue came down, Takiyah Thompson, one of the activists responsible for the event, told her: “This land has never been ours for my people. … This land has never been ours for Native Americans. This land has never

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2017 7 PM TO 9 PM

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Join us in celebrating our 10th Anniversary!

White supremacy, monuments, power—and what it all means

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A still from a video shot by Baynard Woods during the Aug. 12 Charlottesville mess.

been ours for queer people. This land has only been ours for rich ruling white elites, period.”

The Durham rally seemed to be winding down. However, after someone walked up with a ladder, things went quickly from there.

Thompson climbed the ladder and wrapped a rope around the statue.

“It’s important to not just talk about, for instance, the Confederate monument being taken down as vandalism in that moment,” said Bree Newsome, who made news when she broke the law to climb the pole and take down the Confederate flag on South Carolina’s capitol grounds back in 2015, to Willets. “Yes, literally it’s vandalism, but if you understand the historical context and the history of that monument being erected, then you understand morally why it’s necessary for the monument to come down.”

After Dylann Roof murdered nine African Americans in Mother Emanuel church in Charleston, S.C., in 2015, we should have removed the statues that are coming down now—if not well before that.

“It’s going to be very exciting ... as we really confront the power structure that has existed here for a very long time in ways that are full frontal,” said Muhiyidin d’Baha, who later became famous when he leaped across a protest line and grabbed a rebel flag from a racist hand, to me the day after the Mother Emanuel shooting. At the time, he was standing at the foot of a statue of John C. Calhoun, a former vice president and staunch defender of slavery.

“In ways that say, ‘This statue does not need to be here anymore.’”

After the shooting at Mother Emanuel, the city rallied around its white mayor, who said the right words. However, the Calhoun monument did not come down. Activists rallied again this week for its removal. It is necessary. But Charleston, like America, is so steeped in white supremacy that we white people should not be able to feel good about the removal of a statue.

Less than 24 hours after the Durham monument takedown, Takiyah Thompson was arrested as she left a press conference after

the sheriff said, “No one is getting away with what happened.” So far, eight people have been charged—the same number of white supremacists who have been charged after Charlottesville.

I am still haunted by what I saw in Charlottesville. I took a video as police were clearing out the park where the racist rally was planned, and I got footage of a man beating a white anti-fascist in the head with a long stick; a still from that video is above. Later, he was filmed and photographed beating a black man, Deandre Harris.

He looks, hauntingly, like me—a little heftier, with a slightly longer beard. How can I see him and feel good about symbolic acts? I have the physical quality he values most. I could have ended up like him. I grew up in Columbia, where Newsome took down the rebel battle flag. I was taught, not so much at home, but in the world around me, to honor people like Robert E. Lee. And I was taught not to notice my own whiteness. Now, I can’t not notice it.

After I left Charlottesville on that fateful weekend, I felt disgusted by my own skin.

Whenever I saw another white person, I cringed, wondering which side they were on. I knew people thought the same thing about me.

Six days after the Charlottesville horrors, it was announced that Steve Bannon was leaving the Trump White House. Much like I feel about the monuments coming down, I’m glad he’s out—but it’s only a small part of something so much larger. White supremacy is a white problem. Even if its more awful displays disgust us, we still benefit from it.

There were plenty of white anti-racists fighting the racists in Charlottesville, and they largely kept them out of Boston a week later.

But until we fight a lot harder, we don’t get to feel good when a monument comes down.

It is not only Bannon or Trump who has a white supremacy problem. It is us.

Democracy in Crisis is a joint project of alternative newspapers around the country, including the Coachella Valley Independent.

COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 13

SEPTEMBER 2017

NEWS

CVINDEPENDENT.COM/NEWS

After the excitement of the eclipse andBright the meteor month, Planets and Stars inshower Eveninglast Mid-Twilight For and September, 2017 the stars planets shine this month

SEPTEMBER ASTRONOMY O

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

By Robert Victor

ur morning twilight all-sky chart for September, viewable at CVIndependent.com, shows the changes in positions of the naked-eye planets and the stars of first-magnitude or brighter, less than an hour before sunrise.

Changes are caused by the motion of the Earth and the other planets in their orbits. Stars will appear to drift from east to west across the sky as weeks pass, thanks to the revolution of Earth around the sun. Venus now dominates the predawn sky, but is getting a little lower each morning, because it is heading toward the far side of the sun, where it will arrive in January 2018.

Annually in September and October, the huge Winter Hexagon—in clockwise order from its brightest member, Sirius, Procyon, Pollux and Castor, Capella, Aldebaran and Rigel, with Betelgeuse inside—is well-placed high in the sky Regulus on Sept. 18 and 19; Venus-Mars on Oct. before dawn. The flashing blue-white Dog Star 5; and Venus-Jupiter on Nov. 13. Binoculars Sirius is its most prominent and southernmost will give a wonderful view of all these gatherings. member.

On Tuesday, Sept. 12, Mercury reaches a Morning planet gatherings: Low in the favorable greatest elongation, 18 degrees from eastern morning sky in early September, Mars, the sun and 11 degrees to the lower left of Mercury and Regulus emerge to the lower left Venus. Earlier on the same morning, telescopes of Venus. Regulus, at magnitude +1.4, is the show the moon covering and uncovering faintest of the first-magnitude stars. Mars is the first-magnitude star Aldebaran, eye of now even fainter, at magnitude +1.8, as dim as it Taurus, the Bull. From Palm Springs, the star’s gets—but Earth will catch up to it and close the disappearance at the moon’s leading bright edge gap. In July 2018, Mars will gleam at magnitude occurs just before 4:39 a.m., with reappearance -2.8, visible all night, in the southwest at dawn at the trailing dark edge just after 5:53 a.m. Still (and southeast at dusk), and will be closer to earlier that morning, the dark edge of the moon Earth and brighter than at any time since the uncovers a close pair of stars in the Hyades star very close approach of August 2003. cluster, at 1:31 and 1:38 a.m.

On Sept. 4, Mercury, at magnitude +1.7, is a A few days later, on the mornings of Sept. 17 close match in brightness to faint Mars; they rise and 18, a waning crescent moon will appear near nearly at the same time, with Mars 3 degrees to the Venus-Regulus pair, with the Mercury-Mars the left of Mercury, and Regulus below them. pairing below.

Binoculars will show them in twilight about Follow the moon in evening sky: Careful 17 degrees to the lower left of Venus, with the viewers might spot a thin, young crescent moon contrasting colors of reddish Mars and bluevery low in the west to west-southwest early on white Regulus. All rise earlier each morning Thursday evening, Sept. 21, about 30 minutes and get easier to see, especially Mercury, which after sunset, to the right of Jupiter. Find a spot brightens sharply, to magnitude +1.0 by Sept. 6; without mountains blocking the view, and hope magnitude 0 on Sept. 9 and 10; and magnitude for very clear skies. It’ll be much easier to spot -1.0 on Sept. 18. Watch for these close pairs, all the crescent on the next evening, to the upper less than one degree apart: Mercury-Regulus left of Jupiter. A much fatter crescent moon will on Sept. 10; Mercury-Mars on Sept. 16; Venuspass the other giant planet, Saturn, on Tuesday

September's evening sky chart.

ROBERT D. MILLER

N

Deneb Vega

E

W

Arcturus Altair Jupiter

22 29 1 8 15

Spica Saturn 1 8 15 22 29 Fomalhaut

Evening mid-twilight occurs reddish evening, Sept.

26, with the twinkling horizon. when Sun islower 9O below star Antares to their right.

On the next Sept. 1: 40 minutes after sunset. evening, Sept. 27, the moon will 15: 39 " " " reach firstquarter phase, 90 east 30:degrees 39 " or " a quarter-circle " of the sun, and will appear half full. On Oct. 5, the moon will be full and will rise shortly after sunset, a little north of east, almost opposite to the sun’s direction in the sky.

Jupiter and Saturn are the slowest of the bright naked-eye planets. Jupiter takes nearly 12 years to make one trip around the sun, and Saturn takes about 29.5 years. Jupiter will pass 3.4 degrees north of Spica, the spike of grain in Virgo’s hand, on Sept. 11, and will return for a triple encounter with that star in 2029. Saturn appeared near Antares, heart of the Scorpion, in 2016, and will return to that star’s vicinity in 2045. Watch Jupiter creep slowly past Spica for several evenings around Sept. 11. Binoculars will help you pick up Spica to lower left of Jupiter as both sink into the twilight glow.

Antares

S

Stereographic When the moon makes it aroundProjection to Jupiter Map by20-26, Robertthe D. Miller and Saturn from September planets will appear lower in the sky than they were early in the month, as shown on our all-sky evening twilight chart for September. So, if you’d like to enjoy telescopic views of both Jupiter and Saturn during an evening session, do it soon!

(See a list of Astronomical Society of the Desert star parties at astrorx.org.) On these charts, note also the seasonal westward motions of Arcturus and the Summer Triangle of Vega, Altair and Deneb. The slow-moving outer planets seem to get dragged along with the stars’ seasonal motions.

Wishing you clear skies!

Robert C. Victor was a staff astronomer at Abrams Planetarium at Michigan State University. He is now retired and enjoys providing sky watching opportunities for school children in and around Palm Springs.

CVIndependent.com

14 \\ COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT

SEPTEMBER 2017

CVI SPOTLIGHT: SEPTEMBER 2017 Tales of the City and Beyond: LGBT Film Fest Cinema Diverse Turns 10

T

he year was 2008. The economy was imploding; Coldplay’s Viva la Vida was the No. 1 album in the world; and United States voters elected a guy named Barack Obama as president.

Meanwhile, here in the Coachella Valley, the Palm Springs Cultural Center held the first Cinema Diverse, the valley’s LGBT film festival.

The 10th anniversary edition of the festival takes place Sept. 21-24.

Michael Green is the festival director and the executive director of the Cultural Center.

He talked about the process he goes through to select films for the festival.

“I work with all the independent film distributors who specialize in LGBT films, as well as others,” he said. “I pretty much screen films year-around. Films also come in to us from directors, many we have worked with before. We don’t show anything that is out commercially.”

Palm Springs’ proximity to Hollywood is a boon to Cinema Diverse.

“It’s wonderful,” Green said. “The beauty of being so close is (many of) the filmmakers come out to the festival. We have been so fortunate the past few years, where we have up to 80 percent representation … by someone involved in the film itself.”

This is the 10th Cinema Diverse—and Green has made big plans to celebrate the milestone. The Untold Tales of Armistead Maupin is going to be the opening-night movie on Thursday, Sept. 21, and Tales of the City scribe Armistead Maupin himself will be in attendance. Copies of his new memoir will also be available, before the official release date in October.

“Luckily, Armistead loves Palm Springs, and his schedule worked out so he can come

here to be a part of the festival,” Green said.

“We are working with (Palm Springs store) Just Fabulous to help out, where people can purchase his new book and have it signed.”

Beyond opening night, Cinema Diverse will have many highlights, Green said.

“We are going to have a couple of special 10th anniversary screenings from Here Media,” he said. “Sheltered is one of the first movies produced by Here Media 10 years ago. This is only available in this festival— no others. Here Media is one the festival’s sponsors, so we are hoping to have not just the director, but the cast, too, on Saturday (Sept. 23).

“We are also going to be having a documentary called Laughing Matters … The Men,” featuring various gay comedians— which was filmed at Palm Springs Pride. “Not only is this a 10th anniversary screening, but the director, Andrea Meyerson, has a new short named One Way Street, which will also be screening at the festival. We love to do a lot of shorts at Cinema Diverse.”

The festival is also expanding to a second weekend, sort of: While Cinema Diverse will take place at the Camelot Theatres in Palm Springs, the Mary Pickford Theatre in Cathedral City will host the Best of Fest on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 29 and 30.

“Last year, we expanded what we were doing (by hosting films at the Desert Cinema, the former IMAX theater) in Cathedral City,” Green said. “This year, Cathedral City asked us to return. We asked the Mary Pickford, and they were very interested. We also decided this year to move this part of the festival to the week after, so it wouldn’t pull away from the festival consistency. The Best of Fest will show the best films and help accommodate film-goers who may have missed the first

A scene from The Untold Tales of Armistead Maupin.

showings during the festival.”

Cinema Diverse includes every genre of LGBT-related films one can imagine.

However, Green admitted a fondness for the festival’s slate of documentaries.

“This year, we have most of our documentaries focusing on the LGBTQ communities in various places around the world,” Green said. “Films from Iraq, Iran, Russia or South Africa work as a reminder that we are so fortunate to live in our bubble of Palm Springs. It’s a reminder how dangerous the rest of the world is, and how

there is still so much work to be done to make the world a safe place.”

Cinema Diverse takes place Thursday, Sept. 21, through Sunday, Sept. 24, at the Camelot Theatres, 2300 E. Baristo Road, in Palm Springs. The Best of Fest takes place Friday and Saturday, Sept.

29 and 30, at the Mary Pickford Theatre, 36850 Pickfair St., in Cathedral City.

Pass prices vary; individual screenings are $13.25. For more information, visit cinemadiverse.org.

—Dwight Hendricks

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COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 15

SEPTEMBER 2017

ARTS

CVINDEPENDENT.COM/ARTS-AND-CULTURE

TERRIBLE TREASURES

INSPIRED BY NATURE

A one-night ‘Tales From the Trash’ show of discarded art comes to Joshua Tree

The annual Joshua Tree National Park Art Exposition shows off works inspired by the park’s amazing beauty

T

By william bryan rooney

he natural beauty of Joshua Tree National Park has inspired people from all over the world to transform their visions of the park into art—and the goal of the fifth annual Joshua Tree National Park Art Exposition is to show off some of this amazing work.

This year, six artists (actually, seven; two work as a pair) from the Coachella Valley are among the 63 chosen to have their work displayed throughout September as part of the exhibit at the 29 Palms Art Gallery. A panel had to choose among 290 pieces submitted by 120 artists from the United States and beyond.

The rules required that the artwork depict or be inspired by Joshua Tree National Park. Only one piece from each of the 63 artists will be displayed, with winners being honored at an awards reception at the gallery on Saturday, Sept. 16, from 5 to 8 p.m. Works include oil and acrylic paintings, watercolors, mixed media, photography, ceramics, assemblage and metal sculptures.

Many of the artists will also participate in the Art Market on the lawn at the 29 Palms Inn during the Art Exposition weekend celebration, on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 16 and 17, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event will feature live music, food and beverages, art demonstrations, a mural project, ranger talks and nature walks.

All events are free and open to the public.

“Each year, we are amazed at the quantity and quality of artwork submitted,” said Vickie Waite, the artist liaison and executive assistant for the Joshua Tree National Park Council for the Arts.

“We are honored that these artists have chosen to share their vision and their artwork with us and to participate in this event celebrating our national park. It just keeps getting better every year.”

The participating artists from the Coachella Valley are as diverse as the works in the show itself.

Hunter Johnson, from Palm Springs, aims at preserving the past through photography. His

“Sunrise in the Rain” (cropped) by Hunter Johnson.

photographs have been featured in galleries and museums across the country, including the Palm Springs Art Museum.

Robert Miramontes, from Desert Hot Springs, is a California native and has spent nearly his entire life photographing Joshua Tree National Park. He has accumulated more than 25 years of Joshua Tree National Park photography into seven books.

Andrea Raft and Aaron Sedway, from Indio, are a mother and son passionate about recording the natural world. Andrea is a Coachella Valley mixed-media artist, and Aaron is a sports and nature photographer. They combine their work of photography and mixedmedia painting, and are currently showing their work at Coda Gallery in Palm Desert.

Doug Shoemaker, from Palm Springs, was selected as artist-in-residence at Joshua Tree National Park in 2014. “My interest and focus as a realist painter, using the medium of watercolor, is to explore various elements that can be seen as ‘ordinary and uneventful,’ but full of richness, complexity, and beauty,” he said.

Martha Villegas, from Cathedral City, grew up in Mexico and studied art in Casa de la Cultura in Mexicali, and continued art studies at the Universidad de Baja California. “The use of vibrant, saturated color on my paintings is a representation of what I consider life in its full expression.” She teaches and is a member of the Artists Council of Palm Springs Art Museum.

Ehrick Wright, from Rancho Mirage, does work that includes paintings, drawings and pastels inspired by the bizarre landscape of rocks, hills and canyons found in Joshua Tree National Park.

The Joshua Tree National Park Art Exposition is presented throughout September by the Joshua Tree National Park Council for the Arts, in partnership with the 29 Palms Art Gallery, 74055 Cottonwood Drive, in Twentynine Palms. For more information, visit www.jtnpARTS.org.

C

By william bryan rooney

ollectors Steve Purdy and Mark Bloom have a passion for discarded art, and have been doing shows called Tales From the Trash, where the works of art are cheap and often have humorous titles that give new perspectives to these … uh, unique works.

The recently opened La Matadora Gallery will be hosting a one-night-only exhibition on Saturday, Sept. 23. I spoke with Bloom while he was in the area to rummage for more treasures at a Yucca Valley swap meet.

How did Tales From the Trash get started?

Going to thrift stores, yard sales, swap meets and all of that stuff is something I’ve always loved doing. I’m attracted to artwork that I find interesting, in any way shape or form, that is almost always done by someone completely anonymous. I just started buying these paintings for myself until I met another guy in Tucson, Ariz., who had a similar habit. He did a show in Tucson about 12 years ago where he took some of his paintings and hung them in a space, in a house, for one night, and he called it Tales From the Trash. He had no intention of selling them. He did it just for fun, and he had given them titles that were wonderfully appropriate. A couple of years later, I bumped into him and said, “Remember that show you did with the trashy art? I’ve got a ton of this stuff in my house. We need to do a show together.”

So you did a combined show with his collection and your collection?

We basically did. We found a space in downtown Tucson that would have us. We had a onenight show. We probably had about 150 or so

paintings between the two of us; we just threw them up on the wall, in no particular order. If it fits in a space, it goes there.

It was an amazingly great time, For me, it’s so much fun finding this stuff, sharing it with a load of people and watching their reactions.

Everyone had a really good time. People came to the show really not knowing what the heck it was. It was just a bunch of random paintings put together. It’s all for sale at really not much more than we paid for it. People came to hang out, have some fun and buy some random art.

That’s how it all started.

You decided this had to be a regular thing?

The first thing I said afterward was, “That was way too much fun. I don’t want to wait another year to do that again.” I found a place in Bisbee, Ariz., to do it, and it was a huge hit again. At last year’s Tucson show, we had a line to the end of the block. … Basically, we now do a fall show in Tucson and a spring show in Bisbee. … People come up to me and tell me that it was so much fun. … We’re not mocking the art, but it’s so wonderfully bad.

Would you ever consider having some of your work in a permanent space?

We actually do: It’s in a bathroom in a restaurant in Bisbee. It’s called the “Loovre.” It’s got as much art as we could fit in there.

Have you ever met one of the original artists?

At our show in Bisbee, an older gentleman was there (who had three of his paintings in the show). His wife was very upset, because she thought we were mocking him, but he totally understood it, and he loved it, and has been to every show since. He actually ended up doing a painting for me, which is now part of my collection.

What are your expectations for the show in Joshua Tree?

It will appeal to anybody. It doesn’t matter what you like; I’ve got something that you’ll love. I would like people to come to this gallery and enjoy themselves for a night. Get here early, because stuff flies off the walls.

“Floyd's Lightbulb Moment” (cropped).

Tales From the Trash will take place at 6 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 23, at La Matadora Gallery, 61857 Highway 62, in Joshua Tree. Admission is free. For more information, visit talesfromthetrash.com.

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COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 17

SEPTEMBER 2017

FOOD & DRINK

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ON COCKTAILS

Bitters are one of the most important cocktail ingredients—and they can stand on their own, too

By patrick johnson

I

’m behind the bar at Truss and Twine. There’s a nice lady at the bar, pointing to the cute little antique-looking dasher bottles lined up in a row on the bar top.

Lady: What are these? Balsamic vinegar and olive oil?

Me: No. They’re bitters.

Lady: Oh. What kind?

Me: Angostura, orange, Peychaud’s and celery.

Lady: So, do they make your drink bitter?

Me: Well, no, that’s not it, exactly …

Though they’re one of the oldest, most important and most versatile ingredients in cocktails, aromatic cocktail bitters—often referred to as just after Prohibition, but have thankfully enthe salt and pepper for adult beverages—are joyed a renaissance alongside the craft-cocktail often misunderstood, overlooked and underapwave we’re all currently riding. Fact: No old preciated. fashioned, Manhattan, Martinez, Vieux Carre or Bitters have been produced, often for mediciSazerac is complete without the right bitters. nal purposes, since at least the 1600s (and likely In a conversation about bitters, a co-worker before). The human body is wired to reject the at Workshop Kitchen + Bar, Jeff Cleveland, flavor of bitter, because it equates bitter with described bitters beautifully. Jeff worked for poison, so the body automatically gets the diges- Bittercube—a company out of Milwaukee—that tive juices flowing to combat the toxic element. creates cocktail bitters and does bar consulting Bitters were first put into drinks in the 1700s and training around the country. and went through a boom in the United States “Bitters are to cocktails what salt, pepper, back in the 1850s. Bitters were nearly extinct herbs and spices are to cooking,” he said. “It’s

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a way to affect the flavor of a cocktail without adding much liquid volume to the cocktail. Just like you’d salt a piece of meat or add herbs to a vegetable dish, adding bitters to a cocktail is often the thing that can bring the other ingredients in the cocktail together.”

Bitters are basically flavoring agents made from a high-proof, neutral-grain-based spirit infused with herbs, spices, botanicals, barks and roots, etc. Yes, most bitters contain alcohol. Angostura, for example, is 90 proof!

Bitters were originally presented by snake-oil salesmen as an elixir to cure anything from a cough or cold to constipation and malaria, and were likely first added to cocktails in London in the early 1700s, according to cocktail historian David Wondrich, when bitters were being mixed with Canary wine or brandy. In 1750, he says, bitters were being mixed with brandy, which was lit on fire, along with melted sugar—essentially creating one of the world’s first cocktails.

Actually, bitters were part of the first known written definition of the word “cocktail,” in the May 13, 1806, edition of the Hudson, N.Y., newspaper The Balance, and Columbian Repository. The “cock-tail” was described by the writer as “a stimulating liquor composed of spirits of any kind, sugar, water and bitters.”

While there were hundreds of different bitters-makers in the 1800s, the world was down to just three after Prohibition suffocated and nearly choked out the world of mixology—Angostura, Peychaud’s and Fee Brothers—until the modern cocktail craze brought everything back full circle near the turn of the current century. Dave Castillo, the bar manager at Workshop Kitchen + Bar and Truss and Twine (where I am employed), loves his bitters. At Truss and Twine, nearly half of the drinks on the menu call for aromatic bitters, while others contain bitter liqueurs.

“They’re absolutely important, and people are discovering that more and more,” he said.

“When I first started bartending, everyone had the one bottle of Angostura behind their bar, and it was probably 3 years old, dusty and you never touched it. When I started doing craft cocktails, there were maybe four or five on the market. Now you couldn’t count them all if you tried to.”

Dave likes to keep it fairly simple. At Truss and Twine, we have Angostura, Peychaud’s, Angostura orange and Bitter Truth Celery Bitters. Workshop has Ango, Peychaud’s, Ango orange and Fee Brothers Old Fashioned Aromatic Bitters (nonalcoholic!) for their rad mocktail, the Wiki Tiki.

“For all the crazy flavors out there, I still think Angostura, Peychaud’s and orange bitters are the big ones,” Castillo said. “I’ve worked in places

where we’d have 15 different kinds on the bar, and the funny thing is you typically just grab the same three multiple times, every single day, and there’s a reason for that.”

Steen Bojsen-Moller, owner/partner of Palm Springs’ acclaimed cocktail bar Seymour’s and the beverage director for F10 Creative—the owners of Mr. Lyons, Cheeky’s, Birba, and the Alcazar hotel—leans toward the normal players as well, with roughly seven or eight types of bitters behind the bar at Seymour’s. They mainly use Angostura, Regans’ Orange No. 6, and Bitter Truth chocolate, celery, peach, lemon and tonic bitters.

At Bootlegger Tiki in Palm Springs, beverage director Chad Austin said they currently have 16 bitters/tinctures in stock and are actively using seven on their current menu. He said he’s a big fan of the Bittermens line, and Bootlegger uses Bittermens’ Boston Bittahs, Hellfire, Orchard Street Celery and Xocolatl Mole flavors, along with the classic Angostura, Peychaud’s and orange bitters.

Aromatic bitters can be more than a mere flavoring agent, too. One amazing drink, the bold and delicious Trinidad sour, uses Angostura bitters as its base, giving it a high level of confectionary notes, particularly clove; the bitters are usually paired with a little rye, orgeat and lemon juice, and served up. Bootlegger has an awesome tiki riff on the concoction on its current menu called the Trinidadi Issues, which is Ango, aged rum, orgeat, cinnamon, lime and pineapple, served over crushed ice.

Though not for everyone, a straight shot of Angostura bitters is also one of my jams. I mean, why not? Castillo first introduced me to the idea, which I’ve come to learn is his modus operandi.

“After being a bartender in craft bars a while, and after we shot enough Fernet and all different kinds of amari, the next logical step to me was taking shots of Angostura,” he said.

Patrick Johnson is a journalist and head bartender at Truss and Twine. He can be emailed at patrickjohnson323@gmail.com.

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FOOD & DRINK

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VINE SOCIAL JASON DAVID

Rosé is perfect for a hot day—so here’s a primer on this increasingly popular wine

HAIR STUDIO

By KatieLOVE finn YOUR

W

HAIR

hat’s that, you say? You love rosé? Well, if you live in the sunny Coachella Valley, you’re in luck!

While people in a large portion of the country are preparing for a frigid future— planning to spend part of their Labor Day weekend digging out the plastic bins that house Country Clubsummer, and Cook Street their parkas and fleece underwear—here in the valley of eternal we have another two Palm De sert months of scorching heat. While that thought is enough to bring grown men to tears, I choose to celebrate this fact with more rosé—yes, the little pink wine that was once the recipient of

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scornful glances, side-eye stares and snickers bottle of wine, the price of a bottle of Drew’s from fellow restaurant patrons is now having rosé with its peeled grapes would probably www.jasondavidhairstudio.net its proverbial day in the sun. cost around $5,000. Instead, this delicious Considering all of this newfound fame, I summertime wine is usually cheap and cheerful. started wondering whether people actually So why are some rosés more expensive know what rosé is. This question was answered, than others? Why do they vary in color? in part, when I watched the recently released What makes a pink wine sweet? Now that our Vogue video interview with Drew Barrymore, desert markets and restaurants are offering so self-proclaimed winemaker. If a “wine-expert” many different options, things can get a little like Drew thinks that rosé is made by peeling the confusing. Let me break it down for you. skins off the grapes early, then the answer is a Rosé can be made from any red grape, and resounding “no.” (Seriously, Google the video. while the process can differ slightly depending It’s both horrifying and hilarious.) Given that on the producer, the idea is the same: It is red it takes an average of 600 grapes to make one wine that is taken away from its skins after

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mere hours of fermentation. Skin is what gives a wine its color; therefore, less skin equals less color. (OK, Drew, your comment was half right.) If these rosés were left in the tank, they would soon become red wines—big, bold, slapyou-silly, macho reds. In fact, in an attempt to give you a bigger, punch-you-in-the-face red wine, some winemakers will “bleed” off some juice from the fermentation tank in the first few hours to increase the ratio of skin to juice for a more concentrated final outcome—with rosé the wonderful byproduct. Waste not, want not … am I right?!

Because it can be made using any red grape you’d like, you’ll see rosés spanning the color wheel: from pale salmon-colored options, probably made from grenache or pinot noir, to cranberry and pomegranate colors, stemming from malbec or syrah. However, don’t be too quick to judge a bottle by its color: The wine’s hue isn’t going to have any bearing on the sweetness, acidity or alcohol content.

Nowadays, most any bottle of rosé you pick up will be a dry, delicious, delight. That said, if you’re worried about buying the “wrong” rosé, my only advice is to steer clear of the word “blush” or any pink wine that comes in a box or 5-gallon jug. (Although that stereotype is changing now, too.)

If you’re looking to drop a pretty penny on a fancy-pants bottle, there are several regions, like Bandol and Tavel in the south of France, where rosé is taken very seriously and produced with the same amount of care and passion as some top-dollar reds and whites.

They’re definitely worth a splurge every now

and then.

So what about white zin—that sweet beverage reserved for prom-night motel rooms and the wine-confused can’t possibly be the same thing as my delicious bottle of Domaine Tempier, right? Well, yes and no. Just to be clear: White zinfandel isn’t a grape. It, too, is a pink wine made from red zinfandel grapes, but stylistically and historically meant to be sweet.

It was really just an “oops” moment at Sutter Home in the ’70s that turned into one of the most profitable accidents the winemaking industry has ever seen.

Still not sure this pink drink is your thing?

Do yourself a favor, and grab a seat at one of the valley’s wine bars, and give one a swirl. A few hot spots like Dead or Alive in Palm Springs, Cork and Fork in La Quinta, and Piero’s PizzaVino in Palm Desert offer a handful of different options by the glass from regions like Washington, Austria, Provence, Tuscana and Santa Barbara, just to name a few.

And if you need one more reason to keep drinking this sunshine in a bottle just remember: It’s socially acceptable to drink rosé for breakfast.

Katie Finn is a certified sommelier and certified specialist of wine with more than 15 years in the wine industry. She is a member of the Society of Wine Educators and is currently studying with the Wine and Spirit Education Trust. When she’s not hitting the books, you can find her hosting private wine tastings and exploring the desert with her husband and two children. She can be reached at katiefinnwine@gmail.com.

COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 19

SEPTEMBER 2017

FOOD & DRINK

the

BEER GODDESS Raise your glass to toast stout beers—and get ready to celebrate International Stout Day

I

By Erin Peters

ndia pale ales—you know them as IPAs—may still be the best-selling beer style, but many of us prefer the darker side of things.

Yes, stouts are perfect as the nights begin to get just a little longer; it’s a great time to enjoy oatmeal-y, chocolate-y, coffee-flavored deliciousness in a glass.

For my money, here are some of the best stouts in the world right now: • Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Stout: With more than 12,000 votes and a 4.5 rating (out of 5) on BeerAdvocate.com, this is arguably the best stout in the world. Coming in at 12.8 percent alcohol by volume, the beer offers hints of caramel, bourbon and dried fruit on the nose. This is a full-bodied, smooth stout with flavors of vanilla, oak and yet more bourbon. It’s the epitome of the imperial stout style—a celebrating Stout Day with a newly released beautifully crafted beer. stout; the details will be announced soon.

• Founders Kentucky Breakfast Stout: • La Quinta Brewing Co.’s Koffi Porter is a Of the most widely known stouts in America, 6.3 percent ABV beer brewed with dark-roasted, “KBS” is also one of the best, with a 100 chocolate and crystal malts. After fermentation, BeerAdvocate.com score. This world-class brewmasters add coffee beans from Rancho imperial stout is brewed with a hint of coffee Mirage’s Koffi. This renowned beer has taken and vanilla, then cave-aged in oak bourbon home the bronze in both the 2014 World Beer barrels for an entire year. KBS shines with bold Championships and the 2016 Los Angeles flavors throughout—and the flavors ramp up a International Beer Competition. It will be on tap couple of notches as the beer warms. at both locations (77917 Wildcat Drive, Palm “You put the right beer in the right barrel, Desert; and 78065 Main St., No.100, La Quinta) and you’re going to create some pretty for Stout Day. interesting flavors,” says Founders brewmaster • King Harbor Brewing Summer Stout: Jeremy Kosmicki, on the Founders website.

Redondo Beach’s King Harbor is known for • Firestone Walker Parabola: This barrelits Swirly stout, and the brewery occasionally aged beast also has a world-class 100 score from releases an imperial stout in the winter, but BeerAdvocate.com, and is also aged for a full this year, Tom Dunbabin and his brewing team year in bourbon barrels. With this 14 percent decided they wanted to develop a Summer ABV Russian imperial stout, prepare for flavors Stout—with a chocolate and roasted-malt of sweet, dark berries; oak-y cask vanilla; and profile, a subtle refreshing character, a lower malt complexity. The licorice and molasses notes alcohol by volume and a clean finish. Expect help create a perfectly balanced and amazingly to see this beer and other King Harbor brews flavorful stout. This is a fantastic nightcap! around the Coachella Valley this fall and While we’re talking about stouts, I’d be remiss winter—and if you’re feeling like a road trip, if I didn’t remind you to mark your calendars for King Harbor will be hosting a Stout Day event at Nov. 2, when stout-lovers across the world will the brewery on Nov. 2. celebrate the delicious, dark beer on the Seventh • The Beer Hunter (78483 Highway 111, Annual International Stout Day (www.stoutday.

La Quinta) is not to be confused with the beer com). Full disclosure: I created the day! writer named Michael Jackson, who used the Here are a few of my favorite places to enjoy moniker The Beer Hunter, and was the best stouts, as well as a few of my favorite stouts to beer writer the world has known; he passed enjoy, in and around the Coachella Valley: away in 2007. I am talking about the sports bar • Coachella Valley Brewing Co. (30640 in La Quinta that is stepping up its game with Gunther St., Thousand Palms) will be new and bigger selections, as well as its own white-label beers that are brewed locally. Stop in on Nov. 2 to celebrate Stout Day! Want to stay in to celebrate stouts? I have found the selections of craft beer at Total Wine and More, Whole Foods, Jensen’s Foods and Bristol Farms to all be fantastic.

International Stout Day gives stouts their day in the spotlight, which they so rightly deserve.

On Nov. 2, be sure to login and rate your stouts, and check in where you’re celebrating, on the Untappd app. Enjoy!

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COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 21

SEPTEMBER 2017

the

FOOD & DRINK INDY ENDORSEMENT This month, we enjoy fish at fast-casual restaurants—one new, one a valley institution

By Jimmy Boegle

WHAT The fish and chips WHERE Atlantic Fish and Chips, 73850 Highway 111, Suite B, Palm Desert HOW MUCH Mini (two pieces, as shown) is $7.99 CONTACT 760-568-5066 WHY It’s a near-perfect version of the classic.

Atlantic Fish and Chips has been around for many years; it was fast casual before fast casual was cool, in fact.

However, I’d never managed to make it there myself—that is, until I found myself near the hole-in-the-wall restaurant at lunch time on a recent weekday. It was time for me to devour some fried food, and Atlantic indeed offers all sorts of fried goodies, including shrimp, clam strips, mushrooms, zucchini, onion rings and hush puppies. There are even fried Oreos for dessert ($3).

But I was there for the fish and chips. That’s part of the restaurant’s name, after all.

After getting some advice from the personable woman behind the counter, I decided to get the “mini” fish and chips: two pieces of breaded and fried wild Alaskan pollock, plus fries and a little cup o’ coleslaw.

Despite the “mini” moniker, this was plenty of food—and I am not a light eater. If you are a light eater, one piece plus the fries and coleslaw will cost you $5.49; for more gluttonous eaters, three pieces cost $10.99, while four cost $13.75.

While the coleslaw was good, and the chips were pretty average, the fish pieces were fantastic. They were moist and perfectly cooked; the batter was flavorful and crunchy.

I have eaten many versions of fish and chips that were foiled by greasiness—which makes sense, considering the stuff is immersed in oil—but Atlantic’s fish was excellent: The oil was definitely present, but it was far from being overwhelming or annoying.

Atlantic Fish and Chips has been around for a long time for a good reason: The food is excellent. If it continues to be excellent, something tells me Atlantic Fish and Chips will be around for many more years to come, too.

WHAT The Tuna Hana bowl WHERE Pokehana, 78742 Highway 111, Suite A, La Quinta HOW MUCH $11.95 CONTACT 760-564-0004; www.pokehana.com WHY It’s a tasty (and trendy) treat.

Another trendy food has come to the Coachella Valley—in a big way.

A year or two ago, if a desert denizen was craving poke—a Hawaiian-style bowl or salad starring raw fish—said denizen was most likely out of luck. However, that’s not the case today, thanks to a handful of new poke places, including Pokehana, which opened its doors in La Quinta just before the start of the new year.

I recently stopped by Pokehana for a late lunch. Being a Pokehana rookie, I asked the friendly person behind the counter what she recommended, and she pointed to the Tuna Hana bowl. It’s packed with ingredients: tuna, onion, cucumber, Hijiki seaweed, crab salad, avocado, mango, crispy garlic pieces, toasted sesame seeds, masago (fish eggs), edamame and sauce, all over a choice of white rice, brown rice or mixed greens. (I chose brown rice.)

Customers can customize any bowl— Pokehana is a fast-casual joint, and you watch as they assemble your bowl from ingredients behind the counter—but since I was a newbie, I chose to get the Tuna Hana bowl as it is on the menu. The resulting entrée was indeed delicious and endorsement-worthy. The temperature contrast between the hot rice and the cool fish and vegetables was pleasant, and the abundance of flavors and textures was a lot of fun.

However, on my next visit to Pokehana—and trust me, there will be a next visit—I’ll cut that number of ingredients in half, at least, and let some of the bowl’s high-quality contents shine without so many supporting cast members.

That’s my personal preference—and one of the great things about places like Pokehana is the fact that you can mix, match, add and delete ingredients as much as you want.

Watch for a second Pokehana coming soon to Palm Desert, and perhaps one in Palm Springs down the line.

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Restaurant NEWS BITES

By Jimmy Boegle TRIO CLOSED INDEFINITELY AFTER EARLY-MORNING FIRE Sometime around 2 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 2, a fire broke out in the parking lot behind TRIO Restaurant, located at 707 N. Palm Canyon Drive, in Palm Springs. The ever-popular restaurant suffered significant smoke and water damage during the fire—and is now closed indefinitely.

In the aftermath of the blaze—which also devastated the neighboring Shag Store—TRIO owner Tony Marchese said he hoped Trio would reopen by Labor Day weekend. However, in late August, he announced via TRIO’s Facebook page that the cleanup and other work would not be completed by then.

Keep your fingers crossed for a reopening date sometime in mid-late September.

Authorities deemed the fire “suspicious,” but had not released any further concrete details as of our press deadline.

Watch www.facebook.com/TrioPalmSprings for updates.

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VILLAGE PUB CLOSED FOR ‘REHAB’ AFTER LIQUOR-LICENSE VIOLATIONS Whoever is in charge of the spin effort regarding the month-long closure of the Village Pub—at 266 S. Palm Canyon Drive, in Palm Springs—deserves a raise.

Here’s what happened: The California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control suspended the Village Pub’s liquor license for 30 days due to a couple of major violations: A now-former employee “battered” a customer, and the pub had a bar manager who did not meet the state’s qualifications.

Oops. Well, how did the Village Pub handle the mess? The brilliant answer: Management ’fessed up and embraced the punishment.

Managers did TV interviews. Owners answered reporters’ questions. They announced the closure— which was cleverly branded as the bar’s “Rehab”—would take place starting Thursday, Aug. 24. They said that between then and a planned Saturday, Sept. 23, reopening, they’d “clean, refresh and retrain.” And they announced some great parties—some pre-“Rehab”-themed—before the closure.

Bravo for the PR effort … but not so much for the rules violations.

Watch www.facebook.com/villagepubpalmsprings for updates.

IN BRIEF The Ace Hotel and Swim Club, at 701 E. Palm Canyon Drive, in Palm Springs, is holding its sixth annual Craft Beer Weekend on Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 9 and 10. A craft-beer festival, a beer brunch and all sorts of other events are on the docket; get details, tickets and reservations at www. acehotel.com/palmsprings. … Congrats to our friends at Rio Azul Mexican Bar and Grill. On Sunday, Aug. 20, the restaurant, at 350 S. Indian Canyon Drive, in Palm Springs, celebrated the two-year anniversary of its wildly popular Desert Divas Drag Brunch. The Sunday brunch and the show are a steal at $16.95; get info at rioazulpalmsprings.com/drag-brunch. … When Johnny Costa’s Ristorante, at 440 S. Palm Canyon Drive, in Palm Springs, reopens for its 42nd season on Friday, Sept. 1, it’ll have a new look. “The new concept has a modern feel with exotic woods and soft earth-tone colors,” according to a news release. “The beautification of the dining room will feature new carpet, all new upholstery and seating, and new paint throughout the restaurant. Custom angled framed mirrors will showcase the walls; new chandeliers, sconces and other enhancements will allow the dining experience to be more intimate.” Visit johnnycostaspalmsprings.com for more info. … After a series of violent incidents at The Block Sports Bar and Grill, 68955 Ramon Road, in Cathedral City, the city shut down the restaurant on Aug. 10, apparently due to an expired business license. A post on The Block’s Facebook page says owners are working on all of the applications and paperwork needed for the restaurant to reopen; watch www.facebook.com/theblocksportsbar for updates. … Coming very soon to the space at 68525 Ramon Road, in Cathedral City, that most recently housed Mike’s American Bistro: Bubba’s Bones and Brews. Watch this space for more information. … Coming soon: The valley’s fourth Koffi, to Tahquitz Plaza, at 600 Tahquitz Canyon Way, in Palm Springs. It’ll be the third Palm Springs location for the popular hangout; watch www.kofficoffee.com for more information. …

Fans of the Desert Fox Bar, which called downtown Palm Springs home until closing in 2015, have cause to celebrate: The bar is making a return, at 44750 San Pablo Ave., in Palm Desert. Watch www. facebook.com/desertfoxbar for an exact opening date; heck, it may be open by the time you read this. … New to Palm Desert, specifically the Westfield Palm Desert mall: Burgerim, a “gourmet” chain burger joint. Customers who sign up can get all sorts of free food during a grand opening celebration on Wednesday, Sept. 13; visit www.facebook.com/BurgerimPalmDesert for info and signup details. … Grocery-delivery service Instacart has come to the Coachella Valley. For $5.99, you can get your grocery order of $35 or more—from stores including Stater Bros., Ralph’s, Smart and Final, Petco, Whole Foods and Costco—delivered to your door. Get more info at www.instacart.com.

COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 23

SEPTEMBER 2017

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Lukas Nelson lets his music do the talking garbage (the band, that is) Is Coming to Fantasy Springs REO Speedwagon keeps bringing in big crowds the lucky 13: meet members of bands that are hitting their stride

september 2017

By Brian Blueskye

www.cvindependent.com/music

WAXY AND WANING

After a hiatus, Robbie Waldman’s band is back … sort of … including an appearance at the Desert Stars fest

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The Blueskye REPORT

CORY COURTNEY

Steve Winwood

Hang in there, because summer is almost over.

The kids are back in school; it’s starting to feel a little bit like season; and there are plenty of great shows to see.

Fantasy Springs Resort Casino has a full list of September events. At 8 p.m., Saturday, Sept.

2, former Traffic frontman Steve Winwood will be performing. Traffic is one of the most iconic British rock bands from the ’60s—and Winwood is a legend. Tickets are $49 to $89. At 8 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 16, it’ll be like rain on your wedding day, a free ride when you’ve already been paid, and the good advice you didn’t take when Alanis Morissette stops by. Alanis has had a fascinating career, going from You Can’t Do That on Television to a period as of the biggest pop-stars of the ’90s. Plus, it’s kinda weird that “You Oughta Know” is most likely about her tumultuous relationship with Full House star Dave Coulier. Tickets are $49 to $109. At 8 p.m., Friday, Sept. 29, get ready to rock when Tom Jones takes the stage. Yeah … that Tom Jones. Does “It’s Not Unusual” ring any bells? Random factoid: I’m booking a series of shows at The Hood Bar and Pizza, and I asked Charlie Ellis, frontman of local band Mighty Jack, if he would be interested in playing that night. His response: He couldn’t, because he was going to see Tom Jones. Tickets are $49 to $109. Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, 84245 Indio Springs Parkway, Indio; 760-342-5000; www.fantasyspringsresort.com.

Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa is offering a couple of events that will heat up your September.

At 9 p.m., Friday, Sept. 15, Styx will be returning to the Coachella Valley. The band just put out a new album titled The Mission—and fans are loving it. Former frontman Dennis DeYoung still is hoping for a reunion, but the band members have seemingly raised their middle finger toward that idea. Tickets are $55 to $85. At 8 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 16, Los Tigres del Norte will be performing.

Los Tigres del Norte is just as successful as Metallica—only in Latin music; the band has sold 30 million records. That’s pretty impressive!

Tickets are $65 to $115. The Show at Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa, 32250 Bob Hope Drive, Rancho Mirage; 888-999-1995; www.hotwatercasino.com.

Spotlight 29 Casino has some fun shows on continued on Page 25

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STILL BURNING

THIS ARTICLE IS GREAT

After a hiatus, Robbie Waldman’s band is back … sort of … including an appearance at the Desert Stars fest

Lukas Nelson doesn’t like talking to journalists—so he lets his music do the talking

L

By Brian Blueskye

ukas Nelson and Promise of the Real may be the luckiest band in America.

Make no mistake: The band, helmed by a son of Willie Nelson, has made a name for itself, in part, by playing excellent modern country music. However, the band has been blessed to back Neil Young (even during his performances at Desert Trip last year), and recently filmed scenes as Bradley Cooper’s backing band in the upcoming remake of A Star Is Born.

Lukas Nelson and Promise of the Real will be performing at Pappy and Harriet’s on Saturday, Sept. 30.

During a recent phone interview, I learned right away that Lukas Nelson prefers to let the music do the talking: It wound up being one of the toughest and least-insightful interviews I’ve ever done. His bus had just arrived at a tour stop, and he seemed irritated; everything I asked him about was “great,” or he didn’t want to answer the question.

On the subject of participating in the remake of A Star Is Born, he sounded somewhat excited.

“It was great. I loved the experience of it and would do it again,” Nelson said. “I think Bradley did a great job, and so did Lady Gaga.”

“That’s a question I don’t want to answer Nelson hesitated when I asked him what it or really care about,” he replied. “If you don’t was like working with Lady Gaga. mind me saying, that’s a question for writers “It was great. She’s a good friend; she’s a and not for musicians. I’m not looking to beautiful musician; and she’s a nice person,” where I fit in anywhere. I’m just playing music.” he said.

It was more of the same when I asked him Neil Young is like family to the young about his band’s just-released, self-titled Nelson, so it makes sense to have Promise of album: “A lot of great music on there,” he said. the Real backing him.

When I asked him what his favorite studio “It’s been great, and it’s been a wonderful is to record in, he mentioned three places in experience. He’s a great mentor, and I can’t say Austin, as if I were asking for suggestions on enough amazing things about it, to tell you the places to personally record. truth,” Nelson said.

Finally, I asked him about Pappy and I asked Nelson if this could be one of the Harriet’s. For once, he didn’t use the word greatest times to be a country musician, “great.” considering the budding underground country “I love the vibe there. I like it out in Joshua scene and the big mainstream scene. He Tree, and it’s beautiful out in that area,” he responded, simply: “Sure, you could say that,” said. “I really like the feeling there.” so I asked him what songwriters he currently likes in country music.

Lukas Nelson and the Promise of the Real will “Sturgill Simpson, Chris Stapleton, Margo perform at 8 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 30, at Pappy Price, Nikki Lane and Nicki Bluhm. There a lot and Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace, 53688 of good ones out there,” he responded.

Pioneertown Road, in Pioneertown. Tickets are I asked Nelson where he finds himself within $25. For tickets or more information, call 760country music. That proved to be a mistake.

365-5956, or visit www.pappyandharriets.com.

Lukas Nelson and Promise of the Real

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By Brian Blueskye

ver the past year, the local band Waxy seemingly disappeared.

Recently, Waxy has resurfaced by playing a couple of shows. The band will also be playing at the Desert Stars festival at Pappy and Harriet’s, which takes place Friday, Sept. 22, through Sunday, Sept. 24.

During a recent interview in Palm Desert, Waxy frontman Robbie Waldman discussed the band’s inactivity.

“You could make the argument that we’re still kind of inactive,” Waldman said. “I’m always writing songs. Waxy has had a lot of people who have been in and out over the years. We started in 2006, and it’s sort of been our Achilles’ heel: We get some momentum; we do some really cool things; and then it comes to a screeching halt. I had a recording studio for 20 years that is now closed. It’s been back to basics.

“Damien (Lautiero) and Jeff (Bowman) have kids and families, which I don’t. I have a girlfriend and regular life duties. So we’ve been hibernating, but we have a new record coming out. Our new record should have been out a while ago. We’re Waxy. pretty excited about it. I’ve been working on the CORY COURTNEY artwork for it, and I’m working with a talented artist named Rick Rodriguez, who I call ‘The Ricker.’”

Waldman said that although Waxy has released records and has toured around the world, the band still faces challenges.

“We’re fiercely independent and have been since the beginning. We don’t have a record “I only have nice things to say about that man. deal, but we’ve come close a few times,” he Waxy has been able to tour with Kyuss Lives! said. “We’ve been writing songs and working and his solo band. He’s a real brother in arms.” on our live performances, and we always have Waldman said the biggest challenge for him cool ideas. We have a bunch of things (for live regarding Waxy’s future involves expectations. performances) that we haven’t debuted yet, “We’re just a bar band now, and we have been mostly because none of us have a fucking van. for a while,” he said. “We haven’t really been out We come in three separate cars all the time.” on the road since 2014. Even that was very short Waldman talked about closing the recording and expensive. I’m just happy playing with my studio he owned, Unit A Recording and Art. friends. I’m not downplaying anything. I love “That was my second location. It was formerly playing at The Hood Bar and Pizza and other Monkey Studios,” he said. “They made great places we get to play, and I’m very honored to records there before my time under that roof. be playing Desert Stars. Traveling and tours are Queens of the Stone Age made their first record expensive, and we’re fiercely independent.” there. Fu Manchu made a record there. Brant Waldman talked about the new Waxy Bjork made a record there. Ian Astbury of The material that is on the way.

Cult made a solo record there, and there were “It’s been done for a while,” he said. “The very few places like that in the desert. I was in songs are mixed, and the 16 songs we recorded there for a long time, and I did a lot of really fun are trimmed down to 11. I have a mastering stuff in there. Solange Knowles came in; Brian session set up, and I’m working on getting the Setzer came in; Fatso Jetson came in; Brant artwork finished. I wanted it to be done before Bjork came in a couple of times. The Righteous Desert Stars, but definitely before the end of Brothers came in, and John Garcia as well. I the year.” miss having it, but at the same time, I think it was time to try something else.”

The Desert Stars Festival runs Friday, Sept. 22, One of the last projects Waldman got to work through Sunday, Sept. 24, at Pappy and Harriet’s on with Unit A was former Kyuss frontman Pioneertown Palace, 53688 Pioneertown Road, in John Garcia’s acoustic record, The Coyote Who Pioneertown. Tickets are $29 to $59 for a one-day Spoke in Tongues. pass, or $99 for a weekend pass. For passes or more “(John Garcia) is a close personal friend, and information, call 760-365-5956, or visit www. he’s such an undeniable talent,” Waldman said. desertstarsfestival.com.

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GARBAGE’S GREATNESS

W

By Brian Blueskye

hen Garbage released its first self-titled album in 1995, it helped launch a career that has so far resulted in 17 million albums sold.

The band will be stopping by Fantasy Springs Resort Casino on Friday, Sept. 15.

Started by famed music producer Butch Vig, bassist/keyboardist Duke Erikson and guitarist Steve Marker out of the legendary Smart Studios in Madison, Wis., the group eventually encountered Scottish singer Shirley Manson—and the rest is history.

During a recent phone interview, Vig said Garbage was quite different from the typical guitar/ bass/drums bands that were dominating the radio in the 1990s.

“Personally, I felt a lot of pressure when our debut album came out, because everyone expected it to sound grungy like Nirvana and Smashing Pumpkins,” Vig said. “Quite frankly, I lost interest in guitar/bass/drums and was looking into it to just be Shirley Manson; I want it to be samplers to bring ways to paint sonic textures Garbage.’ They were over the moon to invite us and colors in the studio. all to record it. It was hard logistically, because “That first record still sounds quite strange we were on tour, and we had to squeeze in to me, and it definitely has a vibe. It caught recording days on our days off, and … the film people by surprise at the time in the way we company gets a tax credit if they keep it within sort of married the technology with analog the Queen’s district: It had to be in England, tape, using samplers and old-school recording, Canada or Australia, or places like that. We and also bringing in electronic and hip-hop went back to England to record, or we flew into beats with fuzzy guitars and pop melodies. It Canada when we were in the States for a day or stuck out, and we were very lucky that we had two to record. songs on there that caught people’s attention.

“We’ve been playing that in the shows lately, That was a big record for us, but I felt a lot of and it’s been going down great. It’s one of pressure before it came out, because if it would those things, and we’ll always have that. It’s have flopped, I’d be the one standing there an amazing thing to be involved in something looking bad for it. I’m glad it worked out. We that iconic, and personally, I rank ours up there all are, because we’re still standing here after really high. We tried really hard to make the 20 years.” song sound like a Bond theme, so there are Garbage was selected to perform the theme musical elements in there that are reminiscent song for the 1999 James Bond film The World of the old John Barry scores, and it still sounds Is Not Enough. The song ranks high on lists of like Garbage.”

James Bond themes; Grantland ranked it No. 2 Garbage’s third album, Beautiful Garbage, behind Shirley Bassey’s “Goldfinger.” came out just a couple of weeks after Sept. 11, “It was pretty incredible. Shirley got a call 2001. one day to go meet with David Arnold, who is “It was a horrible time. It completely caught the composer who was doing the scores for the everyone off guard,” Vig said. “What happened Bond films at that point,” Vig said. “He asked is the record labels stopped doing singles her if she wanted to sing for the Bond film, promotion; they stopped doing really any and of course she freaked out and said, ‘Oh kind of promotion. They were taking bands my God! Yes! But I want my band. I don’t want off the radio like Jimmy Eat World, who had Garbage

The band that ruled radio in the 1990s is coming to Fantasy Springs a song called ‘Bleed American.’ … Everyone was extremely sensitive. We were scheduled a few days after that to fly to Europe to do press, and first we said, ‘We should cancel it.’

But we didn’t want to cancel it, because that’s what terrorism does to you—it tries to disrupt your life. We flew to England and Europe and did a week-long press tour for the record, and it was a terrible time, because we didn’t want to talk about the record, and neither did the journalists; we just wanted to talk about what was going on politically. It was tough, and because of that, right out of the gates on that record, we felt we had a black cloud hanging over our heads.

“But the industry at that time was changing.

Whether Sept. 11 would have happened or not, people’s tastes were shifting, leading from the ’90s into the start of the next decade. We’ve had the highest of highs and the lowest of lows, and that was a pretty low moment.”

Vig has produced artists including Nirvana, AFI, Green Day, Sonic Youth and many others.

“Garbage is our band. I get to produce; I get to write; I get to play drums, guitar and keyboards; and I can order dinner with wine.

We have our own little clique. I like being in a band, and it’s a different mentality,” Vig said.

“We’re on tour right now, and the shows are going great, but I really like being in the studio.

That’s my first love. Whether it’s producing someone else or being in the studio with Garbage, I’m a studio rat.”

Garbage recently toured with Blondie.

“It was fantastic. It was like a traveling summer camp where these two iconic strong female front women dominated the stage every night,” Vig said. “Debbie Harry is an amazing singer, and Blondie is in peak form; they sounded killer every night. I’m a drummer, and I got to watch Clem Burke play drums every night. He’s like Keith Moon—he’s badass.

Shirley is in great form, and we’ve seen at the shows where half of the audiences are female, and there are a lot of young women there.

One of the reasons they came to the shows was to watch these two outspoken and iconic singers. Blondie dominated the radio in the ’80s, and Garbage did the same in the ’90s, and we’re both still bringing it every night. That’s inspiring to a younger generation of women.”

Garbage will perform at 8 p.m., Friday, Sept. 15, at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, 84245 Indio Springs Parkway, in Indio. Tickets are $39 to $59.

For tickets or more information, call 760-3425000, or visit www.fantasyspringsresort.com.

The Blueskye REPORT continued from Page 23

Saturdays this month. Norteño music legends Ramon Ayala y su Bravos del Norte will perform at 8 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 16. Tickets are $35 to $55. At 8 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 23, it’ll be the night of the Latin Kings of Comedy, with Manny Maldonado, Joey Medina, Jackson Purdue and headliner Paul Rodriguez. Rodriguez is a huge name in Latin comedy, and he’s appeared in numerous films. He’s probably best remembered for his performances in Born in East L.A. and Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles. Tickets are $20 to $35. At 8 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 30, get ready for a night of soul with Tower of Power. Despite some hardships, the band still lives on, and is known for fantastic live shows. Tickets are $20 to $40. Spotlight 29 Casino, 46200 Harrison Place, Coachella; 760-775-5566; www.spotlight29.com.

Beyond the nearly sold-out Thunder From Down Under show (Sept. 8) and the REO Speedwagon concert, which you can read about elsewhere in this issue, Morongo Casino Resort Spa has one more event you won’t want to miss: At 5 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 10, Bamboo and Morissette Amon will be performing.

After watching videos of them doing covers of popular R&B songs such as “What’s Going On” and “Man in the Mirror,” I’ll say this will be a fun Sunday-evening show to take in. Tickets are $50 to $70. Morongo Casino Resort Spa, 49500 Seminole Drive, Cabazon; 800-252-4499; www. morongocasinoresort.com.

Pappy and Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace, as always, has a crazy-good calendar. At 5 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 16, there will be a fundraiser to help Eagles of Death Metal bassist Brian O’Connor, who is once again battling cancer.

On the bill are Chris Goss, Mojave Lords, Mark Lanegan and other special guests. Tickets are $50. At 8 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 21, local band Giselle Woo and the Night Owls will take the stage. Giselle is one hell of a performer, and she’s always put on a great show when I’ve seen her.

Admission is free. At 9 p.m., Friday, Sept. 29, former Old Crow Medicine Show guitarist and banjo player Willie Watson will be appearing.

Watson has been performing solo ever since leaving the band in 2011. Tickets are $15.

Pappy and Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace, 53688 Pioneertown Road, Pioneertown; 760-365-5956; www.pappyandharriets.com.

The Purple Room comes back to life in September after taking a couple of months off.

Jazz great Diane Schuur kicks things off on Sept.

1 and 2 with two sold-out shows, but there are tickets available for a lot of other great events. At 8 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 16, get ready to swing to ’60s music with Kate Campbell and the Martini Kings. The Martini Kings are no strangers to the Purple Room; the band put on a great Christmas show there last year. Tickets are $25 to $30. At 7 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 17, Michael Holmes and the Judy Show will be celebrating 10 Years of Dezart Performs: All of the proceeds will go to our good friends at Dezart Performs, one of the valley’s best theater companies. Tickets are $25 to $30. Michael Holmes’ Purple Room, 1900 E. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs; 760-322-4422; www. purpleroompalmsprings.com.

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RADIO-FRIENDLY ROCK

By Brian Blueskye

I

n the early ’80s, REO Speedwagon dominated the radio waves.

Songs such as “Keep on Loving You,” “Take It on the Run” and “Can’t Fight This Feeling” brought REO Speedwagon fame and success—and the band continues to ride the popularity of those hits today. REO Speedwagon has teamed up with Styx for several tours across the country; the band also toured with Def Leppard last year. The group even recently recorded a song with Pitbull, “Messin’ Around.”

You can catch REO Speedwagon at Morongo Casino Resort Spa on Friday, Sept. 29.

During a recent phone interview with has been on the road. bassist Bruce Hall, he said he couldn’t “In this band, we don’t really stop touring. remember how many days this year the band We just take little breaks,” he said with a laugh.

Solar Q&A

of electricity as the previous year, you My electric bill this month was huge!

I’m finally ready to look at solar. What is will keep a substantial amount of money in your pocket each month. And your my first step? savings will start right It’s a fact: Those living away! in the Coachella Valley in Southern California What if I decide to buy Edison territory have a system? some of the highest If you decide to buy, residential electric rates your total savings will in the country—and with be even greater and will the need to stay cool in start as soon as your the summer, some of the system is paid off, which highest bills. Depending can be from five to eight on the size of your years, generally. Once it’s average bill, solar can paid off, with a premium save you anywhere from panel like SunPower that 25 to 50 percent off that has an expected life of average cost. up to 40 years, you could enjoy three decades or That sounds promising. more of free power.

How is that possible?

If you lease a system, you pay nothing OK—what should my first step be? up front, and the installation is free. In It’s always good to work with a local addition, a reputable dealer like Renova company that understands how this area’s will show you a proposal with fixed HOAs and cities work, and what they payments for 20 years. A site survey require. A local company like Renova will be done to determine the optimum will also understand how to install the placement for the panels on your roof to system so it stands up to the harsh desert maximize the production of electricity. environment. At Renova, that means In addition, a look back at a year’s worth heavier-gauge wire, metal conduit instead of your electric bills will help ensure that enough panels are put on to generate 100 of PVC plastic, and other particulars that lead to maximum production and percent of the power that you’ll need.

Then, assuming you use the same amount minimum maintenance.

Paid advertisement brought to you by CVIndependent.com

Thanks in part to its reputation as a great live band, REO Speedwagon keeps bringing in big crowds

“We don’t like to take too many days off. We do have families and like to spend time with them, so we try to go out no more than two weeks at a time. We do take off the dates around the holidays, and we’re usually home at Christmas.

Sometimes we’re playing on New Year’s Eve, but most of the time, we’re on the road working, and I think we’re pretty lucky to be able to keep going.”

REO Speedwagon remains in high demand, a fact Hall attributed to not only the music, but also the band’s reputation for good live shows.

“I honestly think (audiences) love the music, and we spend a lot of time writing and putting together our music,” he said. “I also think the people who know us and keep coming back see that we have a lot of fun. For grown men, this is a hell of a way to make a living. We still act like a bunch of kids. When you strap on a guitar, you feel like you’re 17 again sometimes. We enjoy each other’s company, and I think people see that. We try to include everyone in the show, and Kevin (Cronin, the front man) does a good job of that and talks to the audience to make them feel comfortable.”

REO Speedwagon formed in 1967, but it wasn’t until the late ’70s that the band’s popularity took off—after the members changed how they wrote and performed.

“When I joined the band, my first album in 1978 was You Can Tune a Piano, but You Can’t Tuna Fish, and there was a new idea among the guys to try to get songs on the radio,” he said. “We were really trying hard to write songs that were better, because before, the band was doing good songs and had extended jam parts in them—things that weren’t really friendly to AM radio, and were more friendly toward FM radio and college radio; we were trying to get to the AM crowd more. We started writing our songs to where they weren’t over five minutes long, and (we started) being better craftsmen of our music. We were trying a tougher sound at that time with hard rock. When we released Hi Infidelity in 1980, everything took off like a rocket. I think we were ready for it, but not really ready for it.”

On July 13, 1985, Bob Geldof organized the Live Aid concert, largely a two-venue event from Philadelphia at JFK Stadium, and London at Wembley Stadium; concerts at other locations around the world were also held to raise money for the victims of famine in Ethiopia. REO Speedwagon was on the bill for the show.

“Live Aid was a great experience. We got a chance to play in Philadelphia, and it was in the early morning,” Hall said. “It was crazy. We had

just gotten there, and we had flown all night to get there. … Things were a bit chaotic, but they had a handle on it and had a rotating stage to where they were setting up one band on one side, with a band playing to the crowd on the other. It was a lot of fun, and it was over real fast. We just got started, and it was done. We had another gig to get to that night. We’re still like that; we never stop playing.”

Hall said REO Speedwagon has a number of younger people in its audiences, and the members realize how fortunate they are to keep reaching younger generations.

“There are a lot of younger people, and they know the words to all the songs, too; it’s amazing,” he said. “I think their parents raised them listening to this music, or they got turned on to it as they became older. …. I think it’s good music, and I know we take a lot of time doing the best job we can, and I really hope that’s why they come back.”

REO Speedwagon has made some new material, but Hall said the band is reluctant to release it at this time.

“It’s much harder these days to find people to play your new record on the radio,” he said. “Maybe they’ll play a song from a new record once or twice, and mostly on adultcontemporary stations. One of the things we learned to do as artists when we were younger to stay competitive was learn how to write good songs. You had to learn how to record. That’s something that doesn’t go away, and we’ve gotten better at it than ever, but we don’t know what to do these days with it when we’re done recording it. We don’t want to just throw it out and let it vanish without a chance, so we’re just kind of sitting on it for a while.”

REO Speedwagon will perform at 9 p.m., Friday, Sept. 29, at Morongo Casino Resort Spa, 49500 Seminole Drive, in Cabazon. Tickets are $59 to $169. For more information, call 800-252-4499, or visit www.morongocasinoresort.com.

REO Speedwagon

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the

LUCKY 13 Meet members of two local bands that are hitting their stride

By Brian Blueskye

Brian Parnell

is really cool. Same with Mutoid Man. And the new Prong.

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

I have no idea what the fuck happened to alternative music. What is this supposed to be an “alternative” to, other than “good”?

NAME Brian “Puke” Parnell GROUP Throw the Goat MORE INFO This past spring, Throw the Goat toured the United States and even made it overseas to play in the United Kingdom.

The Idyllwild punk outfit will perform at the Red Barn on Saturday, Sept. 30. For more information, visit www.throwthegoat.net. Meet Throw the Goat guitarist Brian “Puke” Parnell.

What was the first concert you attended?

My dad is a bassist, so my first shows as a kid were usually bands that he was in. But when I was in my teens, we won tickets off the radio and saw The Black Crowes at Glen Helen Amphitheater.

What was the first album you owned?

The first time I spent money at a record store, I came home with Kris Kross’ Totally Krossed Out on cassette, plus Pearl Jam’s Ten and Boyz II Men’s Cooleyhighharmony on CD. What bands are you listening to right now?

I’m loving the new Dead Cross album. I’m a big Mike Patton fan, and everything he does with Dave Lombardo is awesome. The new Bloodclot

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

I’m a hardcore Nine Inch Nails fan. Haven’t seen them live in seven years, and the last one was at a festival. I’d like to see them indoors, maybe a theater show.

What’s your favorite musical guilty pleasure?

I’m a sucker for The Cure, Depeche Mode, The Smiths and all my old school goth-boy jams.

Tori Amos is my homegirl. None of it makes me feel guilty—only when I listen to whiny emo albums from the 2000s, but that’s rare.

What’s your favorite music venue?

I’m gonna keep it California and say the Troubadour in West Hollywood.

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

Not to plug the band or anything, but the lyric that plays in my head most is usually the chorus to our song “Bullshit.” It really resonates when you’re surrounded by people who seem to gain pleasure from making your life difficult: “I love it, give me more of your bullshit.” Sarcasm is my

What band or artist changed your life? How? My music tastes got progressively heavier when I was in middle school. I ended up renting The Downward Spiral from the Ontario City Library, already being a fan of the earlier Nine Inch Nails stuff, and it blew my mind.

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

I think I’d ask Dave Grohl to do our next record for us! That would be the raddest thing ever!

What song would you like played at your funeral?

Not sure yet what I want done with my remains.

If there’s a casket, I’d want them to play Pantera’s version of “Planet Caravan” by Black Sabbath as it’s being lowered.

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

I’ve decided it’s a tie between Nine Inch Nails’ The Fragile and Queens of the Stone Age’s Songs for the Deaf.

What song should everyone listen to right now?

“Halo of Flies” is Track 1 on Sieg Howdy! an album by Jello Biafra with The Melvins. It’s a cover of an Alice Cooper song.

NAME Hugo Chavez GROUP The BrosQuitos MORE INFO The BrosQuitos released the band’s long-awaited debut album, Vinyl Image, back in May—and it’s fantastic. The songs became part of the soundtrack to my summer. For more information, visit thebrosquitos.tumblr.com.

The band’s drummer is Hugo Chavez.

What was the first concert you attended?

The first “real” concert I ever attended was for a band called Bad Suns. They played at the Observatory in OC and killed it that night.

What was the first album you owned?

The first album I ever owned was Thriller by Michael Jackson. I remember being so excited to hear it that I ended up playing the whole album about six times in a row nonstop.

What bands are you listening to right now?

Foo Fighters, Walk the Moon, and Avenged Sevenfold. I love to listening to all kinds of genres and not limiting myself to one specific type of music.

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

I’m really starting to notice everyone jumping on the mumble-rap train, and I just can’t seem to get into it, mainly because I can’t relate to the lyrical topics or understand what they are saying.

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Hugo Chavez

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

As much as I want to say Michael Jackson, I’m going to say I wished I would have been able to see AC/DC in 1980 when they had just released the Back in Black album.

What’s your favorite musical guilty pleasure?

The Weeknd. I don’t know what it is, but there’s something catchy to the choruses and lyrical content he puts out.

What’s your favorite music venue?

Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado. It’s a venue with beautiful views, and being an outside venue makes it even better.

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

“It’s a Long Way to the Top If You Want to Rock ’n’ Roll.” I think this has been stuck in my head, because it sums up that making it to the top is a long and troubled road—but the end is where the fun really starts.

What band or artist changed your life? How? Two Door Cinema Club. As soon as I heard Tourist History and saw videos of (the band) performing live, it cemented the idea that I want nothing more than to be a professional musician for the rest of my life.

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

I would ask Dave Grohl about the challenges he faced when transitioning from being the drummer of Nirvana to being the frontman of the Foo Fighters.

What song would you like played at your funeral?

“Adventure of a Lifetime” by Coldplay. I want my funeral to be a celebration of the life I lived and not have everyone sad.

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

Tourist History by Two Door Cinema Club.

What song should everyone listen to right now?

“See Right Through” by The BrosQuitos, but the song “When Did Your Heart Go Missing” by Rooney has been on repeat a lot on my playlist lately, so you should check that out, too.

COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 29

SEPTEMBER 2017

OPINION COMICS & JONESIN’ CROSSWORD

39 Business management plans involving Internet platforms, e.g.

Across 42 Neck of the woods 1 Prefix before “feasance” 43 Queen ___ (Jay-Z’s 4 Give a head signal to spouse, to fans) 9 Father of Beau and Jeff 44 Superman’s symbol, in 14 Historical time period crosswords 15 Historical time period 45 Tortilla chip 16 Having a roof condiment overhang 47 Elton John/Tim Rice 17 Colorado national park musical near the Four Corners 51 Yellow, blue, and red region national symbol flown 19 Coeur d’___, Idaho over Quito 20 Where Starbucks 57 ___ Martin (British car stores used to pop up, company) hyperbolically 59 People, collectively 22 Dress seen in 60 Granola bar variety Bollywood movies 61 3501, to Nero 23 ___ Nutsy’s Clubhouse 62 Imagine Peace Tower (kids’ show in “UHF”) creator Yoko 25 Electrifying fish 63 Unfinished statue?

28 Calgary’s prov.

64 Brewer’s supply 30 Hamburger’s home?

65 Hardtop substance 32 Fictional TV locale you can actually visit in Down Mount Airy, N.C. 1 Bulletin board postings 36 Bowler’s target 2 Football venue 37 Like the river, in an 3 “Pointer” that drives Olivia Newton-John cats nuts song title 4 Actress Campbell of the 38 Morgan Freeman, in Scream series Bruce Almighty 5 Abbr. on a phone’s “0” “Evenly Spaced”—it matches up.

button 6 Finding ___ (2016 film) 7 Ballbreaker band 8 Vincent van Gogh’s brother 9 Recording star Rimes 10 International breastfeeding advocacy “league” since 1956 11 Supersized, like a personality 12 Osaka money 13 ’50s political monogram 18 ___ to a Kill (1985 Bond film) 21 Actress/activist who was married to Ossie Davis for over 50 years 24 Continental currency 26 Sinus specialists, for short 27 Toy-filled takeaway for a kids’ birthday party guest 28 America’s largest multi-level marketing company 29 Cafe au ___ 31 The Madcap Laughs singer Barrett 32 Rows of seats 33 Only a single time

subsequently 34 “Golf ball coming!”

35 Asks for table scraps, like Fido 36 School advisory gp.

40 Word in the seventh Harry Potter book title 41 “Wicked Game” singer Chris 46 Brand retired by Panasonic in 2012 48 Green Day’s American ___ 49 Designer Karan 50 Fervor 52 George Takei exclamation 53 Be furious 54 Watson of Beauty and the Beast 55 Dishonorable scoundrels 56 College course division 57 Do something 58 Homeland network, for short ©2017 Jonesin’ Crosswords (editor@ jonesincrosswords.com) Find the answers in the “About” section at CVIndependent.com!

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SEPTEMBER 2017

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T

he National Conference of State Legislatures, citing the wave of legalization and the explosion of a new industry in its wake, on Aug. 7 passed a resolution urging the federal government to remove cannabis from Controlled Substances Act scheduling completely.

Marijuana’s Schedule I status prohibits marijuana-based businesses from having access to the standard banking practices afforded all other businesses, because FDIC-insured banks can face federal penalties for dealing with businesses related to Schedule I substances. This has resulted in a multi-billion dollar industry that operates almost completely in cash. Aside from the obvious security concerns caused by keeping a ton of cash around, it also means shops can’t take credit debit or credit cards; they can’t have normal real estate mortgages; and they have no access to small-business loans. Oh, and state tax collectors are continually faced with cartoonish bags of cash.

The NCSL resolution recognizes this problem with the fifth “whereas.” The important part: “Now, therefore, be it resolved, that the National Conference of State Legislatures believes that the Controlled Substances Act should be amended to remove cannabis from

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California is growing too much weed!

scheduling, thus enabling financial institutions the ability to provide banking services to cannabis related businesses; and be it further resolved, that the National Conference of State Legislatures acknowledges that each of its members will have differing and sometimes conflicting views of cannabis and how to

COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 31

SEPTEMBER 2017

CVINDEPENDENT.COM/NEWS

The National Conference of State Legislatures wants marijuana declassified; could Cali have too much weed?

regulate it, but in allowing each state to craft its own regulations, we may increase transparency, public safety, and economic development where it is wanted.”

To nobody’s surprise, the Marijuana Policy Project applauded the move.

“State legislators and the vast majority of voters agree that marijuana policy should be left to the states,” said Karen O’Keefe, director of state policies for the Marijuana Policy Project, in a press release. “Legitimate, taxpaying marijuana businesses should not have to face the difficulties of operating on a cash-only basis. Allowing banks to offer them financial services will be good for the industry and benefit public safety. Even more so, states should not have to worry about the federal government interfering with their marijuana policy choices.”

Upon hearing news of the resolution, Attorney General Jeff Sessions reportedly dropped to the ground, pounded his fists, kicked his feet and wailed: “NO! NO! NO! Marijuana BAD BAD BAD!” (OK, not really, but it would not surprise us if that had happened.)

California Growers Prove It’s Possible to Have Too Much Weed Flying in the face of centuries of pothead orthodoxy, California growers are proving there is indeed such a thing as having too much weed.

With medical marijuana sales on the rise, and the sale of cannabis for recreational use coming to fruition in January, California growers have increased production in preparation for a huge increase in demand.

After all, Nevada was completely unprepared for recreational sales, and the whole state ran out of weed. But now it’s coming to light that California growers may have overcompensated just a bit.

Depending on whom you ask, California growers are growing an estimated three to 12 times more bud than California needs, based on current demand and projections. Even the conservative end of the spectrum equates to a ton of extra bud. Add to that further restrictions (and enforcement) on interstate marijuana commerce going into effect Jan. 1, and people in the industry are starting to wonder what to do with all of that weed.

“We are producing too much,” said Hezekiah

Allen, executive director of the California Growers’ Association, according to the Los Angeles Times. “(Growers) are going to have to scale back. We are on a painful downsizing curve.”

Allen delivered his assessment to the Sacramento Press Club as part of a panel discussion. The panel also included Lori Ajax, chief of the state’s shiny new Bureau of Medical Cannabis Regulation, and Joseph Devlin, chief of Cannabis Policy and Enforcement for city of Sacramento.

This will surely lead to prices dropping across the Golden State. While this is great for the retail customer, it does not bode well for the massive mega-grows popping up around the Coachella Valley and elsewhere.

With operations like Sunniva’s Cathedral City campus slated to produce 90 tons of product

in 2018, and Desert Hot Springs licensing millions of square feet for cultivation, let’s hope interstate cannabis commerce can become a reality sooner than later.

Otherwise we’re all going to need to start doing our part to get rid of all that weed, somehow. … Got a light?

Palm Springs Sends Cannabis Tax Measure to Voters Palm Springs has a pension crisis looming, and the City Council is scrambling to make sure the city’s debts are covered.

In November, not only is the city asking voters for a half-cent sales-tax increase; the City Council voted unanimously to send a marijuana tax measure to ballot.

The measure sets the annual tax for cultivation facilities at $10 per square foot. In preparation for recreational sales going live in January, it would also put a tax structure in place for recreation retail businesses.

Dispensaries and other marijuana businesses would be taxed at a rate of 15 cents per $1 (or 15 percent). This rate would apply to recreational and medical retail sales alike.

The City Council could vote to lower this rate, but would require approval of four-fifths of the council to increase the rate.

Drug-prevention programs and public safety are mentioned in the ballot measure, but it doesn’t take a huge stretch of the imagination to see the city channeling these funds to help out with the pension crisis on the horizon.

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SEPTEMBER 2017

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