Coachella Valley Weekly - September 3 to September 9, 2020 Vol. 9 No. 25

coachellavalleyweekly.com • September 3 to September 9, 2020 Vol.9 No.25

Westfield Palm Desert

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Author Robert M. Fleisher

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Yovés

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Rodney Rice

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Pho Vu

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September 3 to September 9, 2020

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September 3 to September 9, 2020

PALM SPRINGS RESIDENTS URGED TO COMPLETE 2020 CENSUS

Coachella Valley Weekly (760) 501-6228

publisher@coachellavalleyweekly.com coachellavalleyweekly.com facebook.com/cvweekly twitter.com/cvweekly1 Publisher & Editor Tracy Dietlin Art Director Robert Chance Sales Team Kirby Club Crawler Nightlife Editor Phil Lacombe Head Music Writer Noe Gutierrez Head Feature Writer Crystal Harrell Feature Writers Lisa Morgan, Rich Henrich, Heidi Simmons, Tricia Witkower, Jason Hall, Esther Sanchez Writers/Contributors: Robin Simmons, Rick Riozza, Eleni P. Austin, Craig Michaels, Janet McAfee, Bronwyn Ison, Haddon Libby, Sam DiGiovanna, Dale Gribow, Denise Ortuno Neil, Rob Brezny, Dr. Peter Kadile, Dee Jae Cox, Angela Romeo, Aaron Ramson, Lynne Tucker, Aimee Mosco, Michelle Anne Rizzio, Ruth Hill, Madeline Zuckerman Photographers Robert Chance, Laura Hunt Little, Chris Miller, Iris Hall, Esther Sanchez Videographer Kurt Schawacker Website Editor Bobby Taffolla Distribution Phil Lacombe, William Westley

DEADLINE MOVED ONE MONTH EARLIER TO SEPT. 30

B

e Counted! The 2020 Census is underway and due to the U.S. Census Bureau’s announcement that the deadline to complete the survey has been moved one month earlier to Sept. 30, it is now more important than ever that every Palm Springs household move quickly to submit their response.

A high Census turnout can lead to millions of dollars in federal funding for local education, healthcare and hospitals, and important infrastructure that will help shape the future of Palm Springs for generations to come.

The U.S. Census takes place every 10 years and is more than just a head count. The Census provides a picture of our nation that helps determine where to build new schools, hospitals, and businesses; how federal funding is distributed; and how Congressional seats are apportioned. It also helps the government see how many communities have changed over time.

By law, Census responses are required to be confidential and cannot be used against anyone in a court of law or by a government agency such as the FBI, Department of

Homeland Security or U.S. Immigration Enforcement. The survey is available in 12 different languages, including Spanish.

“Completing the Census is easy and only takes about 10 minutes,” said Palm Springs City Manager David H. Ready, who noted the survey can be completed by mail, online or by telephone.

“Every resident is critically important to our Census count,” said Ready. “If we have

BY AMY BLAISDELL

an undercount, Palm Springs will lose out on important federal dollars that will help improve quality of life and shape the future of our community for years to come. Your voice matters and we urge every resident to be counted.”

To complete the survey or for more information, visit www.My2020Census.gov.

This announcement is paid for by the City of Palm Springs, California.

CONTENTS U.S. Census 2020 - Palm Springs ............. 3 Westfiled Palm Desert Reopens .............. 5 Travel Tips & Local Happening 4 U Author Robert M. Fleisher ..................... 5 Local Music - Yovés .................................. 6 Consider This - Rodney Rice..................... 7 Pet Place ................................................ 8-9 The Vino Voice ....................................... 10 Brewtality ............................................... 11 Good Grub - Pho Vu............................... 12 Screeners ............................................... 13 Health - Keto .......................................... 13 Haddon Libby ........................................ 14 Dale Gribow ........................................... 14 Swag For The Soul ................................. 15 Free Will Astrology................................ 15 Safety Tips ............................................. 16

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September 3 to September 9, 2020

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LOCAL BUSINESS

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iverside County has experienced a number of closures from different businesses due to the rising cases of COVID-19. Much to the excitement of eager retailers and shoppers, it was announced that indoor malls at 25 percent capacity, along with salons and barbershops, could resume operations under a new four-tier system unveiled last Friday by Governor Gavin Newsom.

These new guidelines are in place for California counties to move toward reopening and are designed to make the process more gradual than it was when businesses first started opening up back in May to prevent rising cases of coronavirus. Riverside County, along with most of California, is currently classified in the highest risk category of purple, meaning widespread coronavirus remains in the community.

The new color-coded framework is divided into Widespread, Substantial, Moderate and Minimal tiers, based on COVID-19 case rates and positivity rates. The Widespread purple tier is the most restrictive, consisting of more than seven daily new cases per 100,000 people in the county, while the Minimal yellow tier has the least stringent restrictions with less than one daily new case per 100,000 people.

The in-between stages include Substantial (red) and Moderate (orange).

For approximately six weeks, exterior stores at the mall remained open, but had limited indoor operations. Westfield welcomed back their indoor retailers on Monday, August 31 with hours from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

“Westfield Palm Desert is not only located in the heart of the Coachella Valley, but we’re a central gathering space for our community,” said Westfield Marketing Director Franchesca Forrer.

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September 3 to September 9, 2020

WESTFIELD PALM DESERT REOPENS

BY CRYSTAL HARRELL

The shopping center is taking precautionary measures to ensure the health and safety of both staff and customers with new rules of operation. Employees with a fever or cold and flu-like symptoms such as a cough, sore throat, runny nose, or body aches are required to stay at home. Masks are also required for employees and customers while inside the shopping center. Common areas, particularly busy locations such as restrooms, seating, dining, and play areas will be regularly disinfected.

As for the design modifications of Westfield Palm Desert, there are more hand sanitizer stations in the common areas and several social distancing reminders, including the use of distancing markers and extra spaces between seating, that are posted throughout the center. Signage reminding shoppers and employees of safety precautions recommended by the CDC is also posted throughout the center.

“We are most excited to welcome back our community because it is so important to shop and dine locally. Everyone benefits when we support each other!” said Forrer.

Along with the reopening, Westfield has new events that will take place through the

rest of the summer. Picnic on the Patio lasts until September 7, as a pop-up marketplace each weekend featuring Westfield pop-up shops, Flat Black Art Walk artisans and makers, al fresco dining with shaded areas and misting fans, a soothing massage station, a house DJ, and contests.

All seating and pop-up shops at Picnic on the Patio will be socially distanced and sanitization stations will be on hand as well, located in the Grand Entrance near Stuft Pizza. Now that Westfield is open again, the outdoor marketplace has shifted indoors.

Another popular new event is the El Toro Flicks state-of-the-art drive in movie experience. Situated at the third level parking deck under the stars, guests can experience

TRAVELTIPS&LOCAL HAPPENINGS4U

El Tori's giant screen showing family favorites all summer through November 1. Concessions are available for purchase, along with additional radio speakers for incredible sound quality.

“The drive in is enormously popular and sells out quickly. Reservations are a must and operators are taking requests for movies,” stated Forrer.

Tickets can be purchased on El Toro's Facebook page. Gates open at 6:30 p.m. and the film begins at approximately 7:20 p.m. or at sunset. One car pass is per car, not per guest with a recommended total of 2-8 passengers. Radio rental is optional and is not required, for external use. Guests must wear a mask anytime outside their vehicle, including visiting the bathroom and concessions, and social distancing must be practiced at all times. Movies are rain or shine with no refunds unless specified.

To keep up-to-date with announcements and upcoming events, visit Westfield.com/ palmdesert or follow the mall on Facebook or Instagram.

ARTICLE & PHOTOS BY LYNNE TUCKER

AUTHOR ROBERT M. FLEISHER ATLANTIC CITY, NEW JERSEY books, he looks forward to engaging in the active telling and selling his stories.

Robert is an active member of The International Thriller Writers.

He thanks his Facebook Friends for helping him have a NUMBER 1 BEST SELLER in the LEGAL THRILLER category.

For more information please visit www. novelsmithbooks.com.

Available on Amazon. Grab a cup of coffee and enjoy the read!

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obert holds a BA in psychology and DMD with a specialty in endodontics. Engaged in writing for the past thirty-five years, he has written for professional journals as well as having produced several non-fiction books.

After three self-published books, Forty

Something, Fifty Something, and Bedside Manner - How to Gain Your Patients' Respect, Love and Loyalty, he was fortunate to have made publishing deals for two nonfiction titles: The Sexless Marriage Fix – Basic Health Publications and From Waiting Room to Courtroom - How Doctors Can Avoid

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September 3 to September 9, 2020

LOCAL MUSIC

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he Coachella Valley and High Desert are well known for having a profusion of absurdly accomplished acoustic duos like Michael Keeth and Martin Barrera and Mikey Reyes and Bryanna Evaro. There are so many that Coachella Valley Weekly determined that there should be a “Best Duo” category at the Coachella Valley Music Awards, which has become one of the most regarded categories.

Yovés (pronounced ‘Yoh-vez’) is a new ‘Dark Rock’ duo from the East Coachella Valley. The band’s namesake comes from guitarist Bobby Taffolla’s great-greatgrandmother Augustina Yoves de Taffolla.

With Taffolla (Perishment) on guitar and Chelsea Sugarbritches (5th Town, Long Duk Dong) on vocals, the dense dyad has provided us with two superb interpretive cover songs and one provocative original song all engineered and produced by Taffolla in his home workshop, Saturnine Studios.

Taffolla’s work in Perishment has sustained Heavy Metal in the desert since 2005 while Sugarbritches’ vocalization in 5th Town since 2015 has produced some memorable Rock and Roll moments at their live shows. Sugarbritches has also decimated stages since 2012 in the 80’s, 90’s and beyond tribute band Long Duk Dong. All of this has, without reservation, established her as the ‘Frontwoman of the Decade’ in the Coachella Valley.

Coachella Valley Weekly checked in with the talented pair as they plot and plan their next single release.

CVW: How did Yovés begin?

Taffolla: ”Chelsea and I have been doing duo gigs on-and-off since 2015.

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A SNEAK PEEK AT YOVÉS

CHELSEA SUGARBRITCHES AND BOBBY TAFFOLLA

Mostly covers but over the past couple years we really began to entertain making something more official and incorporating more original material. So that’s what we did last fall, Yovés was born!”

CVW: Your first Yovés release was a really cool acoustic translation of a Misfits cover that is entirely Punk Rock. Why did it take so long to move forward?

Taffola: “Yeah, we released 'Hybrid Moments' (Misfits cover) last October and had every intention of beginning work on our debut album in February and March then, BAM! You know what happened.”

CVW: As music goes, artists always find a way. You two have been able to move forward despite the pandemic.

Taffola: “Luckily we have been able to be productive by sending music back and forth via the interwebs and occasionally hitting my home studio while practicing physical distancing.”

CVW: You’ve since released The Smashing Pumpkins cover and most recently an original song. What’s next?

Taffola: “Yes, we released 'Soothe' (The Smashing Pumpkins cover) and a live rehearsal recording/video of an original tune called 'Paradox' last month via YouTube. We are hoping to release our debut record this fall/winter!"

CVW: Chelsea, you’re remarkably quiet. What are your thoughts?

Sugarbritches: “Just wait until you hear the epic six minute song Bobby wrote!

How’s that for a teaser!?”

Below is our CV Weekly song review for each Yovés release: “Paradox” (Studio Sessions) Taffolla provides the substructure with his acoustic strumming and laying the inflections over top; a really pensive yet engaging beginning. Sugarbritches’ voice is operatic yet Rock-oriented. She begins with one voice and subsequently adds a rhythmic interval that is uniquely melodic and complementary. The only “paradox” here is analyzing the possible truth of expression within the lyrics; “Tears won’t be fallin’ again”. Taffolla’s solo on this song does not immobilize what the verse and chorus have formulated.

Although this is a “live studio session” and not the final master, the song is a great foreword to the Yovés novel of “Dark Rock”. I look forward to hearing the final cut on their debut.

Paradox (Studio Sessions) 2020 https://youtu.be/MyGyvwHHUUY Music by Bobby Taffolla Lyrics by Bobby Taffolla and Chelsea Sugarbritches Vocals by Chelsea Sugarbritches Guitars by Bobby Taffolla Soothe (The Smashing Pumpkins cover) The "dead of night” and mysterious guitar sound that Taffolla brings is heady.

With only vocals and guitar, the sound is

raw and lyrics convincing. This has more guitar effects than ‘Paradox’ which elevates the song and provides a musical à la mode.

Sugarbritches’ vocals are distinctly more memorable than Billy Corgan’s, sorry Billy.

The original song was released in 1994 on the Pumkins’ ‘Pisces Iscariot’ release, a B-sides and outtakes compilation.

Soothe (The Smashing Pumpkins cover) https://youtu.be/PaAyAh3XTLM Vocals By Chelsea Sugarbritches Guitars By Bobby Taffolla Hybrid Moments (Misfits cover) This was the first song shared by Yovés in October 2019. An acoustic cover of the Misfits song ‘Hybrid Moments’. The Yovés version is at a ballad-tempo and introduces us to the Taffolla/Sugarbritches partnership which features steady guitar work and pleasantly embellished vocals.

BY NOE GUTIERREZ The original was recorded in 1978 and was supposed to be on the Misfits debut album but wasn’t officially released until 1996.

The song is extremely short (1:42) and the Yovés version is not much longer (2:51) but it packs a wallop of melody that leaves you yearning for more.

‘Hybrid Moments’ (Misfits cover) https://youtu.be/QuV2DUJjv8Q Vocals By Chelsea Sugarbritches Guitars, Keys & Percussion By Bobby Taffolla Additional Hand Drums By Steve Taffolla Follow Yovés: www.facebook.com/yovesmusic IG: @yovesmusic

CONSIDER THIS

“Trying to find a hint of hope passing time smoking dope wondering what the world is coming to…” hat’s Rodney Rice, looking for some peace of mind (and maybe a piece of something else), on “River Runs Backwards,” a song from his new album, SAME SHIrT, DIFFERENT DAY. A native of West Virginia, Rodney and his cousin Tyler both picked up guitars when they were about nine years old. Woodsheding at their grandparents’ house, they received encouragement and fielded requests for classic Country songs from Hank Sr., Willie and Waylon.

Growing up in the small city of Morgantown, Country radio and Gospel favorites were his constant companions as a kid. By raiding the cassette collections Uncles and older siblings and perhaps “forgetting” to return them, he set out on a path of musical enlightenment. Bob Dylan, the Grateful Dead and Tom Petty became early touchstones.

Just as puberty hit, he attended his first concert. Seeing John Prine was a revelation.

The revered singer-songwriter (who recently passed away from the Coronavirus), displayed an ease and intimacy with his audience that Rodney wanted to emulate.

He received some formal musical training, his initial goal was to play the Grateful Dead’s 1981 live album, Reckoning, in its entirety.

But patience and adolescence don’t really mix, and pretty soon he was blowing off music lessons and writing his own songs.

Even though the venues of Morgantown didn’t really welcome bands playing original material, Rodney and Tyler began plying their trade as Buford & Pooch, a moniker derived from nicknames their salty grandpa had given them. They honed their skills playing juke joints, bars and Honky Tonks, but the band reached its natural conclusion once the cousins finished high school. Before he began college at West Virginia University, Rodney crisscrossed the country earning his keep as a kayak instructor.

Once he had completed his Geology studies, he relocated to Texas for work.

Although he missed the rivers and mountains of his hometown, the trade-off wasn’t too bad. Austin, Texas is known for its thriving music scene. It was there Rodney became reacquainted with a family favorite, Billy Joe Shaver. The Outlaw Country outlier, first made a name for himself as a songwriter in Nashville. His songs became hits for Waylon Jennings and David Allan Coe, among others.

Observing the way Billy Joe was able to write, record, and play consistently compelling music, quietly rekindled Rodney’s musical aspirations. Billy Joe’s drummer, Jason McKenzie, suggested he check out Congress House, a recording studio in Austin.

He found a kindred spirits in owner Mark Hallman as well as house producer/multiinstrumentalist, Andre Moran. Pretty soon, he put together a band and recoded his debut, Empty Pockets And A Troubled Mind.

Released in late 2014, the album garnered positive reviews and a loyal fanbase. His

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September 3 to September 9, 2020

SHIRT, DIFFERENT DAY” RODNEY RICE “SAME (MOODY SPRING MUSIC)

songs walked the line between Folk and Country, mixing sharp observations with memorable melodies. Recently Rodney and his wife moved to Denver, Colorado, but he still found time to return to Congress House to record another album. The result is SAME SHIrT DIFFERENT DAY. The record gets off to a caustic start with “Ain’t Got a Dollar.” Barbed-wire guitars wrap around sinewy bass lines, wily Hammond B3 notes and an insistent kickdrum beat.

Rodney’s out on the pavement, singing about the government, busking just to make ends meet. The first verse offers a withering assessment of our current Cheeto-In-Chief; “A man from the TV and now he’s President, the bible belt thinks he’s heaven sent/Because he’s made lots of money, he’s gonna take our troubles away, by the sound of that, my troubles are here to stay.” As he ponders the plight of our veterans, and pays homage to the woman who “gives me shade summer, keeps me warm in the winter time,” guitars shudder and swirl, bookending a scorching slide guitar solo.

Not unlike fellow Texas Troubadours Steve Earle and Todd Snider, Rodney has found a way to balance the personal and the political, without ever sounding sappy or solipsistic. No matter the circumstance, his wry humor acts as a through-line for each narrative.

Take “Free At Last,” a twangy two-step powered by tart mandolin runs, sawing fiddle, burnished dobro notes, slapping bass, intertwined acoustic guitars and a shuffle rhythm. The opening verse sounds like a glib kiss-off; “We stood up and said our vows of always and forever, now all I got is a long divorce and some ugly Christmas sweaters/It don’t matter much to me to matter much to you, I was down but I’m bouncing back, now that we are through.” But that’s some tough talk meant to camouflage a broken heart.

Midway through as the fiddle, mandolin and dobro hug the hairpin turns of every mixed emotion, the truth is revealed; “I threw out my vitamins, I got Percocets and Vicodin, and all these other pills they pass the time/One to keep this hand from shaking, one to keep this heart from breaking, one to keep you far away from my worried, worried mind.”

On “Can’t Get Over Her,” there’s no pretense, here he wears his heart on his sleeve. This heartsick Honky-Tonk lament blends stately, upright piano, keening fiddle, lachrymose pedal steel, a rush of acoustic, electric and baritone guitars, walking bass lines and a sturdy backbeat. Rodney is the hapless cuckold drowning his sorrows; “So make it a double gin, the future’s looking so damn dim/And I can’t get over her while she’s lying next to him.”

There’s a bit more backbone to “Right To Be Wrong.” Jangly acoustic notes dart around muscular electric riffs, stealthy bass lines angle round a majestic Hammond B3 wash that is corralled by rustic harmonica and an off-kilter beat. The lyrics offer some rueful self-recrimination, but still manage to display a bit of gallows humor; “I know this house looks empty, but believe me it’s full of doubt,

BY ELENI P. AUSTIN

I can’t help but wonder sometimes maybe we could have worked it out/The nights they get lonely, in this cheap, inflatable, double-sized bed, Me and the old dog, and some books I still ain’t read.”

On two tracks, “Walk Across Texas” and “Memoirs Of Our Youth,” Rodney is joined

by Austin’s own Bonnie Whitmore. While she has sung with everyone whose anyone (Hayes Carll, Jimmie Dale Gilmore and James McMurtry, to name a few), in 2016 she jumpstarted an auspicious solo career. The former opens with some shivery fiddle, gritty guitars, roiling bass and a Waltz-y, rhythm. Pledging his undying fealty to a woman, he manages to sneak in a little self-deprecation; “I’d swim across the ocean for a woman like you, I’d swim across that ocean blue/But on my own, I’d sink like a stone, I can’t swim a lick, it’s true babe, I’d walk across the bottom for you” Bonnie’s feathery vocals shade his on the chorus.

The latter starts out like a wistful recollection of childhood, propelled by braided acoustic guitars, sparkly mandola, stalwart upright bass and a chugging backbeat.

But the family flashbacks paint a stark portrait of a Mama tried, but not for long, faced with a father who spews threatening invective like “I brought you so I can take you out, settle down before I give you something to cry about/You kids think you learned it all in the few years you’ve spent at school, you might think you walk on water now, but remember shit floats too.”

Current events are front and center on three tracks. The lyrics of “Pillage And Plunder” feel ripped from the headlines, as they take aim at the current administration’s perverse need to rape the land in the service of big business. Rodney pulls no punches; “...

The ice caps are shrinking, the Polar Bear’s thinking ‘is it me, or just a hotter than hell’?”

He addresses the country’s divisive political climate; “Fighting for something, something no one can see/To be on par with the Joneses, throw the first stone at who don’t agree.”

All the while, courtly Spanish guitars slide over loose-limbed bass lines and shimmering Hammond notes wrap around a meandering melody that’s played in ¾ time.

Picking up where Merle Travis and Lee Dorsey left off, “Company Town” feels like the logical successor to the former’s “Sixteen Tons” and the latter’s “Working In A Coal

Mine.” The melody and instrumentation, which includes acoustic and electric guitars, Hammond B3, Wurlitzer, bass, drums, trumpet and tenor tenor sax hit that sweet spot between good old Country comfort, Big Easy Savoir Faire and Muscle Shoals grit.

Mournful and Soulful, the lyrics speak to the backbreaking tradition passed from father to son; working in the coal mine; “We take our pride in all we do, gave our lives to put the lights on for you/So Hollywood, you don’t understand all the troubles of a coal mining man.”

Finally, he pleads the case of the white collar worker on “Middle Managed Blues.”

Acoustic and electric guitars connect with upright bass, stinging Resonator riffs and a shuffle rhythm. Something of a shaggy dog story, the lyrics still manage to convey the dread we’ve all felt at some point on the job; “The boss man gave me my review and said here is what I think of you, before I rip you apart, just know I never liked you right from the start.” Naturally, by the end of the song the guy is working part-time construction with a guy named Bob. Other interesting tracks include the propulsive jangle of “Hard Life” and the aforementioned “Rivers Run Backwards,” which includes this brutally candid couplet; “I’m going to love you forever girl, but I’m staying just for the night.” The album closes with “Don’t Look Back.” Rodney’s rough-hewn vocals are mirrored by smoky harmonica notes, acoustic, electric and slide guitars, slithery bass lines, gossamer keys and a chugging rhythm. Lyrics catalog the highs and lows, blood, sweat and tears, whiskey, smoke and beer, love lost and found and a life well spent. Something of a restless carpe diem, lyrics like “So goodbye tomorrow, if you ever come, if I could start over, I’d do exactly as I done,” offer no apologies.

Produced by Andre Moran, Rodney provided lead vocals, acoustic guitar and harmonica. He received stellar support from drummer Rick Richards, guitarist Woody Woodruff, plus bassists Tom Grail and David Carroll. Eddie Dickerson added some fiddle, Jeff Plankhorn played dobro and Mike Hardwick provided some weepy pedal steel. Also on hand was Austin De Lone on Wurlitzer, Erk Telford on trumpet and Marcus Caldwell on tenor saxophone. The album’s MVP title goes to Andre who played bass, Farfisa organ, all manner of guitar; electric, slide, baritone, acoustic and Resonator. Mark Hallman tackled octave mandolin, upright piano and tambourine.

With his second effort, Rodney has matched rich narratives with indelible melodies. Each song is shot through with humor, grace and tenderness. Life may feel like the Same Shi(r)t Different Day, but he manages to greet it with a knowing grin.

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September 3 to September 9, 2020

PET PLACE

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our pet is missing! Maybe your dog or cat dodged out the front door of an unfamiliar home with a pet sitter.

Maybe a gardener left a gate open, or maybe Fido dug under a fence during the many days of Fireworks 2020. Maybe a dog napper grabbed your pet while you dodged into Starbucks for a quick cup of coffee. Sadly, dog theft is up during the pandemic when a thief can “flip” your beloved pet for $100 in quick cash.

Do not give up. Dogs and cats that are microchipped have shown up years later in shelters thousands of miles away. Sammy’s story provides ideas for pet owners in case their beloved pup or kitty gets lost. This can happen to the most conscientious and careful pet owner. If your pet does not have an engraved ID tag with your cell phone, get

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SAMMY’S STORY – THE JOURNEY TO FIND A MISSING DOG

one now at Petco or PetSmart.

Social media is one of the best tools at your disposal for finding lost animals. The website www.NextDoor.com can send a photo and information about your pet to thousands in your surrounding community. Most communities have a Facebook page dedicated to help find missing pets. A REWARD listed on flyers will get more attention, including that of someone who may be holding your pet. Notify your microchip company of your pet’s status, make flyers to hand out and post, mobilize search parties and go door to door. Talk to people in the locale where your pet went missing. Bring your dog’s canine companion to help search. Pebbles, the brown dog pictured here, is a hero dog that helped find buddy Sammy.

Here is the story of Sammy, a small dog

who recently defied the odds after going missing in a remote mountain area for 5 days.

Animal lover Lyn Thornton best describes her incredible efforts to find her dog on her personal Facebook page. While you might not have to climb up a steep ravine to find your pet, we learn from the success stories.

Knowing your dog and your neighborhood determines what you do to find him. Sammy was a frightened pup when adopted from a Riverside County shelter, and Lyn knew she was unlikely to approach strangers, particularly when in flight mode. Lyn offers more good advice to searchers, “Don’t chase a dog on the run. Try to get them to come to you.”

Lyn tells Sammy’s story with the heading “LONG POST ALERT”.

“So last Thursday, while at our home in the mountains, a worker left the door open after being told not to even open it. Sammy was frightened by them, bolted out the door, and up the street to the Sheep Creek Wash. I ran up there in time to see her run down into the wide wash, cross over to the other side, and disappear into the forest. I was distraught! I knew we were in trouble.

It was early morning so I sprang into action, contacted my people to try to help bring her home.

Lisa Fein Blodgett did all the work from home base; compiling posters, getting contact numbers, brainstorming, and crying with me. This isn’t our first ‘Rodeo’ so we knew what to do. I called the Pet Psychic (Cherie Vergini). Also the Animal Tracker, Mike Noon. Together these three kept me semi-sane so I could tackle this job at hand and bring her home. I knew I was pretty much on my own otherwise. Mike gave me instructions how to set my scent at strategic places to try to lure her into staying in the same spot. The Pet Psychic was giving me locations of visions Sammy was sending her.

Over the next few days I would continue working with them, spending hours sitting in certain spots, talking to my other dog Pebbles animatedly in hopes Sammy would hear us. It also made me very hoarse. The sleepless nights were worse cuz all I could

MEET MAMA NONNIE

MEET MAX

This precious kitty loves to spin on the giant wheel at the Humane Society of the Coachella Valley. She waits for a home there with 42 other cats & kittens in their beautiful cattery. Call (760) 329-0203 for an appointment to meet/adopt Mama Nonnie. www.orphanpet.com

This handsome big fellow is command trained and ready to go home with you! Max was rescued by the Humane Society of the Coachella Valley in N. Palm Springs.

Call (760) 329-0203 for an appointment to meet/adopt this special dog. www.orphanpet.com

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BY JANET McAFEE do is stay home and pray she didn’t get eaten by a predator, coyotes, bobcats, rattlesnakes! Every Wrightwood full timer had to remind me how dangerous that was for not only Sammy, but for me as well. Most told me not to expect to find her. My buddy, Valerie Griego, helped me spread awareness by hanging flyers in town and up strategic streets.

On Sunday morning I hiked around the streets near the wash and ran into a lady at the very top who told me on Saturday morning she spotted a little black dog run up into the ravine above the wash. It’s steep up there and she thought it was really odd since she looked well cared for and was wearing a pretty purple collar with a heart shaped name tag. She tried but couldn’t catch her.

That was our break! With her direction and the advice of the Pet Tracker, Pebbles and I hiked up the ravine and sat for a couple of hours. I swapped out my shirt and left it secured with rocks in that spot. Also a wash cloth my dogs had been sleeping with.

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Early the following morning I got a call from the Pet Psychic who told me she was getting a vision from Sammy…..She was drinking from a stream….She had been frightened by a big white dog and ran back into the bushes. (I later learned that big white dog was a lady’s dog that lives near the wash. They were on their morning walk!!) I was exhausted, but I got up there as quick as I could. Pebbles and I hiked way back up into the ravine. Sometimes I had to carry Pebbles as it was so steep. With the psychic’s direction I found the spot she thought she had seen Sammy drinking. Ironically it was just upstream from where I had left my shirt the day before. Pebbles seemed to be still looking everywhere, all of a sudden she tried to dart off my lap after something. Pebbles was looking at something at the steep top of the ravine.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Sammy!

She was way up above us! I started giving Pebbles treats and soon Sammy started crying. I didn’t look at her. I knew she couldn’t make it down from where she was because it was so steep. I got up to walk downhill, downstream, to see if I could find a better place for her to make it down to us.

I was hoping she would follow. In the process I fell on the rocks and really messed up my knee. After getting up I found a place to sit with Pebbles. Within 60 seconds of us sitting down Sammy made her way down the side of the ravine and came running up into my lap!

I was overjoyed, however in my rush to leave I forgot to pick up the extra leash off the table. I had to remove Pebbles leash and put it on Sammy. Poor Pebbles had to walk out with me, off leash while I carried Sammy.

Once out of the ravine I stopped to take a couple pictures, hanging onto Sammy with all

my might. We all three got into the car and drove home. It was a joyful reunion with the other dogs.

Besides being starved and dirty Sammy seemed pretty much unscathed. She’s limping, her rear leg is sensitive and one of her paw pads was ripped off. I think my knee is something a good steroid injection can fix.

The scrapes, cuts bruises, and bug bites are healing! And oh…between the sweating and worry I managed to drop 8 lbs!

So there were many lessons I learned here. But the two most important are I will never jeopardize my pets’ safety to accommodate a worker who is coming into my home. And….I will ALWAYS have a good pair of running shoes at the mountain house from now on. It seems that slip on Sketchers tennis shoes are not ideal to hike or run in!

Tonight our WHOLE family is together again!

I chose not to post anything about this on Facebook while it was going on. I simply could not focus on anything other than the situation at hand. I thank from the bottom of my heart all of the people who helped make this horrible experience turn out so well.”

Janetmcafee8@gmail.com ------------------------------The shelters remain closed for walk-ins.

Call for an appointment to meet/adopt.

You can view most of their animals online in advance of calling.

COACHELLA VALLEY ANIMAL CAMPUS – This county shelter is closed but you can call for an appointment to adopt. You can view the animals at all 4 Riverside county shelters at www.rcdas.org, and get the ID number of the animal you want to meet. Email them with the animal’s ID number at shelterinfo@ rivco.org and call (760) 343-3644. Located at 72050 Pet Land Place, Thousand Palms.

(Public) PALM SPRINGS ANIMAL SHELTER – The shelter is closed but you can call for an appointment to adopt. They schedule appointments Wednesday through Monday, closed on Tuesday. View their animals online at www.psanimalsshelter.org, 4575 E. Mesquite Ave, Palm Springs, (760) 416-5718.

(Public) ANIMAL SAMARITANS – The shelter is closed but you can call for an appointment to adopt. View their animals at www. animalsamaritans.org. Email acorrow@ animalsamaritans.org to foster. Located at 72307 Ramon Rd, Thousand Palms, (760) 601-3918. (Private) CALIFORNIA PAWS RESCUE - The shelter is closed but you can call for an appointment to adopt. Located at 73650 Dinah Shore, Palm Desert. View their animals at www. californiapawsrescue.com, (760) 656-8833.

(Private) HUMANE SOCIETY OF THE COACHELLA VALLEY – The shelter is closed but you can call for an appointment to adopt a dog or cat.

View their animals at www.orphanpet.com.

Located at 17825 N. Indian Canyon, Palm Springs, (760) 329-0203. (Private) KITTYLAND – The shelter is closed so call for an appointment to adopt a cat. Located at 67600 18th Avenue, Desert Hot Springs, www. kittylandrescue.org, (760) 251-2700. (Private) FOREVER MEOW – Foster based rescue for cats located in Rancho Mirage. Contact them at www.ForeverMeow.org, call (760) 335-6767. (Private)

September 3 to September 9, 2020 PRETTY GOOD CAT – Foster based rescue for cats located in La Quinta. Contact them at www.prettygoodcat.com,call (760) 6603414 (Private) LOVING ALL ANIMALS – The shelter is closed but you can call for an appointment to adopt. Located at 83496 Avenue 51, Coachella, www.lovingallanimals.org, (760) 834-7000. (Private) MORONGO BASIN HUMANE SOCIETY – Located at 4646 Sun View Rd, Joshua Tree, www.mbhumanesociety.com, call between 11am-4pm for updates (760) 3663786 (Private) CITY OF SAN BERNARDINO ANIMAL SHELTER – Shelter is closed but you can call for an appointment to adopt. Google “City of San Bernardino Animal Shelter” for website to view animals and get the ID number of the animal you want to meet. Located at 333 Chandler Place, San Bernardino, (909) 3841304 or (909) 384-7272. (Public) SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY ANIMAL SHELTER AT DEVORE – Shelter closed but you can call for an appointment to adopt. Call (909) 386-9280 daily between 9am & 5pm.

View animals at www.sbcounty.gov/acc and get the ID number of animal you want to meet. Located at 19777 Shelter Way, San Bernardino (Public).

DREAM TEAM ANGELS RESCUE - Foster based rescue located in Grand Terrace/San Bernardino area. Contact them through website www.DreamTeamangelsrescue. com, (360) 688-8884. (Private)

9

September 3 to September 9, 2020

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THE VINO VOICE

S

o when the sun is shining out here in the desert—as it well tends to do!--there are a few things more refreshing than a glass of chilled white wine.

Now whether you prefer a light rosy & apple-y dry German Riesling, an aromatic California Viognier, a new un-oaked Chardonnay just out on the market, or something else that reminds you of the summer holidays (of the past perhaps), there are some delicious whites still to be savored in time for the setting summer.

I know; we’ve been sequestered at home for an unbelievable length of time, no one’s really concerned this year on the particular wines we’re enjoying in any weather season be it spring, summer, or fall. Traditionally, it’s always been fun writing about the particular

10

LAST CHANCE 2020 SUMMER WINES!

wines that fit a particular time of the year. Of course, all beverage bets are off these days.

Actually the title of this piece is meant to be ironic.

If a bombastic Petite Sirah puts a smile on your face during a late patio dinner while it’s still 100 degrees out—the more power to you! It’s kind of crazy, but I’ve noticed I’m enjoying a lot more chilled down Pinot Noir this summer than I’m used to at this time in our desert. Usually—I’m trying out all kinds of refreshing white wines to deal with the heat.

The point these days it that we’re getting by with any decent bottle of wine that comes our way. But—it wouldn’t hurt to talk about and highlight some of the delicious white wines that are still making through the wine

ethos in these most challenging of times.

One of “reasons” traditionally for enjoying refreshing whites in the hot summertime, is that they are light in body and light in alcohol! I’m not sure “lighter in alcohol” is such a persuasive argument these days! I’m hearing from many quaffers out there that they desire a “stiffer” white wine to help cope during these difficult days.

A tasty wine that come to mind and fits the bill of substantial summer sipper is The Prisoner Wine Company 2018 Blindfold White Wine Blend ($30). It’s a wine that is both relatively crisp and full-bodied—which means it’s capable of being sipped on its own and can match up with a full-course meal.

And this is what we’ve come to expect from the portfolio of the Prisoner Wine Company.

Most of you are familiar with their red blend Prisoner wine and the just as popular Saldo Zinfandel wines. These are fruit-forward wines that are interesting and complex in the taste profile.

The Blindfold White Blend is a unique California spin in the “blended wine” category. It begins with a classic Chardonnay wine base and then combines Rhone and aromatic varietals resulting in an interesting blend with distinct quality and character.

Blindfold sources Chenin Blanc from a vineyard in Mendocino, while its Grenache Blanc, Roussanne and Viognier originate from growers in Santa Barbara.

As I mentioned above, this wine can be sipped on its own—sort of a tropical-style cocktail with aromas of lychee, stone fruit, citrus, apple pie and peach. The flavor profile continues with some toasted hazelnut and Mandarin orange notes; it’s balanced by bright acidity and minerality. The finish continues both bright and a creamy richness with flavors of lemon zest and caramelized sugar. It’s kind of a wine for all seasons and reasons—both refreshing and substantial. It pairs well with chicken, seafood, and salads.

And you’ll wish to chill this wine down to around a perfect 50 degrees.

Another white wine that I found to be surprisingly tasty and so reasonably priced is the 2018 Hess Select Monterey County Chardonnay ($14). You Chardonnay fans know already the quality that comes from Monterey's combination of moderate climate and marine influences from the Pacific Ocean—an ideal climate for growing

BY RICK RIOZZA Chardonnay. This wine offers tropical aromas of grilled pineapple with a hint of lemon zest.

Nicely balanced, this Hess Select is mediumbodied with layers of sliced peaches and golden delicious apples, finishing crisp and clean with well-balanced acid.

As I continue to mention, during the pandemic, we wine columnists have kept in touch with many wineries and winemakers by way of virtual wine tastings where we sample wines in real time and zoom in with the winemakers on the computer. Just last month, I had the privilege to meet and greet on Zoom with one of Italy’s best sommeliers, Roberto Anesi, who, from location on the peaks of the pristine Dolomites, walked us through Italy’s most artisanal sparkling wine areas: the Trentodoc.

Sparkling Trentodoc wines come from Trentino, a mountainous region in the northeast of Italy. They are made using exclusively the Classic Method/“true Champagne style”, or “Metodo Classico,” as they have been for 150 years. Only four grape varieties grown in Trentino can be used to make Trentodoc wine—two French & two Italian varietals: Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier & Pinot Nero, Pinot Bianco.

Many of the wines from the area are 100% Chardonnay; and,Trentodoc Chard gives the wine its longevity, its intense aroma, and its classic varied fruit flavors.

Everyone loves a European brut sparkler, especially when they are world-class and under $20 a bottle! One of these “hidden gem bubblies” can be found at our local markets and wine stores.

The 2013 Rotari Brut ($18) is an iconic expression of viticulture from the hills and terraces which lie along the swift flowing Adige River, in the heart of the Dolomite Mountains; produced with 100% Chardonnay grapes from the best vineyards in the hills of Trentino. It’s fragrant, intense and elegant; showing crisp minerality and finesse that only can be found in the Dolomite region. The nose is precise, expressive, and refreshing, with notes of jasmine, white flowers, nuts and brioche. The palate is all good citrus with a touch of salinity. Taste the Trentodoc!— Cheers!

BREWTALITY

T

he coffee IPA; nothing brings my enthusiasm for artisan craft to a screeching halt like those three words tossed together so sloppily, my high school lunch lady could have made it. On paper, coffee and hops go together like Jada Pinkett Smith and marriage fidelity. Yet, coffee has successfully made the leap from stouts and porters to Kolsches and IPAs, with some of the country’s biggest independent breweries making coffee IPAs. San Diego’s Stone Brewing did a collaboration back in 2013 that yielded their excellent Dayman Coffee IPA, and they’ve done it once again in 2020, this time collaborating with Modern Times for the new Wizards and Gargoyles Hazy IPA. Modern Times Brewing Co has made a name for themselves not just as one of San Diego’s premier breweries, but also as an exceptional coffee roaster. Brewery founder Jacob McKean explained, “Roasting coffee has been part of Modern Times from the very beginning. At some point during my career in the beer industry, I started to apply the same level of passion I have for beer to specialty coffee. I really wanted to incorporate coffee into the DNA of the brewery.” Modern Times now sells several varieties of roasted coffee beans, but it was Black House, a 5.8% ABV coffee stout full of roasted flavor, that first gave the public a taste of how well the brewery mixed coffee with beer. Modern Times may have a winning beer in their

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September 3 to September 9, 2020

BREWTALITY REVIEWS WIZARD’S AND GARGOYLES HAZY IPA

BY AARON RAMSON

signature coffee stout, but the company’s IPAs have gained them just as many fans.

It’s a surprise that Modern Times hasn’t made a coffee IPA before this collaboration with Stone, as the style seems to be one that brewers enjoy making.

Sierra Nevada released their “No Middle Ground” coffee IPA a few years back, and the Bay Area’s 21st Amendment Brewery is currently teaming up with Peet’s coffee for a

collaboration IPA called 1966, named for the year Peet’s opened their first coffee shop.

Oregon’s Rogue Ales created a brew simply called “Cold Brew IPA”, while Colorado’s Oscar Blues has their “Hotbox Coffee IPA”. What sets Stone and Modern Times collaboration apart from other coffee IPAs is the substyle of hazy, giving it a different flavor profile and mouthfeel than a standard IPA. Press releases for Wizards and Gargoyles Hazy IPA include the fact that this beer is made from Citra, Cashmere, and Centennial hops, as well as two new experimental hops not yet on the market, simply called HBC 685 and HBC 692. While the title of the beer calls attention to its hazy nature, it makes no claims to be a NEIPA, or New Englandstyle IPA. There’s some confusion as to the correlation between hazy and NEIPAs, with many people thinking they’re the same thing. While NEIPAs are hazy, not all hazies are NEIPAs. Many west coast hazy IPAs are just that, turbid versions of the big, bold hop bomb, with an emphasis on tropical-fruitprofile hops instead of the classic citrustasting varietals. The true NEIPA is much less aggressively hopped, featuring almost no bittering, with the hop character coming

across as juicy more than dank.

This beer was released on August 10th, and was readily available at Total Wine, featured on their promotional endcap. Sold in 4-packs and featuring retro artwork meant to invoke the classic 8-bit game “Wizards and Warriors”, I purchased Wizards and Gargoyles to see just what this beer had to offer.

WIZARDS AND GARGOYLES COFFEE IPA – Stone Brewing, Escondido, CA. 7% ABV, 51 IBU. APPEARANCE: Pours an opaque, French gold color that doesn’t seem to be especially turbid or thick with suspended matter. A billowy white cap of foam retains nicely, leaving a sticky lacing down the side of the glass. 4.25/5 NOSE: Notes of orange, pineapple and hatch chili upfront; these fruity, herbal aromas of peppercorn permeate the nose.

Citrusy and a bit spicy. No roasted coffee notes to be found, leading me to believe green coffee beans are a component. 4.25/5 TASTE: The taste follows the nose with the fruitiness of peppercorn and the greenness of hatch chili giving this a flavor more akin to a chili IPA instead of a coffee IPA. Lots of orange zest and grapefruit pith. The hop character is indeed dank and not very juicy.

Each sip finishes dry and mildly astringent.

The woody, earthy notes of coffee show up in the after taste. No roasted flavors present.

4/5 MOUTHFEEL: Creamy but thin. Coats the tongue for a second before drying your mouth with astringency. 3.5/5 OVERALL: With its dry finish, resiny, pithy hop character, and decidedly green overtones, the title of “coffee IPA” is deceptive for this beer. It isn’t coffee in the roasted sense like you expect from a stout, rather the beans give a vegetal brightness that has more in common with chili peppers.

Seek it out, if for no other reason than it being a rather unique and well-made interpretation of a style that has yet to prove its staying power. OVERALL SCORE: 4/5

11

September 3 to September 9, 2020

PHO VU

M

BY DANIEL PARIS

any feel hesitant to patronize a restaurant simply because they don’t know how to pronounce the ethnic names of the menu items, even if the translation is next to the choice. Think of a Vietnamese restaurant as a comfort food diner where the food is full of flavor with the added benefit of fresh, healthy ingredients infused with light sauces instead of sitting in one-note gravies.

When I feel a sore throat coming on, my first impulse is to head to Pho Vu for a steaming bowl of Pho (pronounce Fa) with its deep-flavored broth including a choice of thinly-sliced steak, chicken, dense pork meatballs, seafood or tofu.

All are accompanied by sprigs of fresh Thai basil, thinly-sliced jalapeno and fresh bean sprouts. You mix these into the broth according to your desired level of heat. Finish off with a squirt or two of Sriracha and hoisin sauce.

During the endless desert summer, I often order fresh spring rolls. A filling of cold vermicelli noodles, shrimp, pork, thinly-sliced carrots, cucumber, and mint wrapped in a see-through thin rice paper wrapper. An order of two makes for a satisfying light lunch or dinner.

The next time you need a fix of wings, I suggest you try the Vietnamese crispy chicken version with spicy salt, onion, and garlic and a spicy lime and vinegar dipping sauce. You will be hooked.

Other highlights include the Bún dishes which are your choice of grilled and chilled lightly-sauced beef, chicken, pork or tofu with shredded carrots, onions, cilantro, sliced cucumber, and greens served on a bed of vermicelli noodles all dressed in the classic light, sweet and sour sauce. It makes for a great summer salad.

When you are in a hurry, call ahead for a

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GOOD GRUB

classic meal-in-a-bun Bahn Mi sandwich. With pickled red onion, carrots, mint, cilantro and your choice of pork, beef, or chicken all served in a soft Vietnamese bread roll.

All these foods hold up well for take-out orders which is what Pho Vu is doing at this time. Prices are very reasonable and the food is high quality.

Give it a try and mix up your take-out routine.

Pho Vu - 34260 Monterey Avenue, Palm Desert, CA 92211 - 760-324-1888 Monday – Sunday 11a.m. to 9p.m.

Pho Vu - 79630 Hwy. 111, La Quinta, CA 92253 - 760-775-2417 Monday – Sunday 11a.m. to 9p.m.

W

SCREENERS

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

No. 437

A TIMELESS ROMANCE

BY ROBIN E. SIMMONS

ith indoor movie venues still closed, and a reluctance of movie goers to return to traditional cinemas -- even if open again -- in this time of global contagion ravaging our country and the planet, it’s a real treat that some great older films overlooked or forgotten are finding their way to the home theater in pristine, hi-def editions.

ROMAN HOLIDAY (1953) This treasured and enduring classic debuts on Blu-ray September 15 as the ninth title in the Paramount Presents line.

Audrey Hepburn lights up the screen in her first starring role (!) opposite charismatic Gregory Peck in this funny, beautiful, life-affirming and intoxicating romantic comedy.

Ranked as the #4 greatest love story of all time by the American Film Institute, the film earned 10 Academy Award® nominations, including Best Picture, and won Best Actress for Hepburn, Best Costume Design for legendary designer Edith Head, and Best Writing for Dalton Trumbo.

Director William Wyler’s 1953 fairy tale was one of Hollywood’s first on-location motion pictures and memorably captures the bustling streets and iconic sites of Rome.

Wyler’s movie expresses the exhilaration against the backdrop of post-war Europe embracing long-awaited peace.

Screenwriter Dalton Trumbo was blacklisted for refusing to cooperate with the

HEALTH

September 3 to September 9, 2020

frame was reviewed, and the film received extensive clean up to remove thousands of scratches, bits of dirt, and other damage.

Because the audio elements to properly upmix to 5.1 do not exist, the original mono track's minor anomalies were corrected -and the results are breathtaking. The film has been resurrected to it’s original vibrancy and beauty that now fully reflects Director William Wyler’s original intent and vision.

The generous extras include fascinating featurettes on Hepburn, Trumbo, Paramount in the’50s and more. Recommended. This is one for the home library. Paramount Home Entertainment. robin@coachellavalleyweekly.com

House Un-American Activities Committee and his name was not included in the film’s original credits. In 1992 the Board of Governors of the Academy voted to finally credit Trumbo for the “Story Writing” Oscar and his widow received a statuette in 1993.

In 2011, the Writers Guild restored Trumbo’s name to the screenwriting credit. This is the first physical home entertainment release to correctly credit Dalton Trumbo with both the screenplay and story by credits both on packaging and the film itself.

For the restoration (newly remastered

from a 4K film transfer), the original negative was processed at a local film lab in Rome and was unfortunately badly scratched and damaged. The film had to be pieced back together, but the splices were so weak due to the damage that extensive amounts of tape had to be used to allow the negative to make it through the printing machine. Because of the fragile state of the negative, a Dupe Negative was made and then enlarged a few thousandths of an inch to cover all the splice tape that held the original negative together.

In anticipation of this new Blu-ray release, the film was digitally restored using the Dupe Negative and a Fine Grain element to capture the best possible image. Every

LADIES…WHEN THE BARS OPEN…WILL YOUR JEANS CLOSE?

…. ISN’T IT ABOUT TIME TO TURN YOUR COVID 15 WEIGHT GAIN AROUND?

J

ust like the shutdowns went from “15 days to slow the spread” to an ongoing shutdown with no end in sight, Covid-15 weight gain is very real and is now venturing into Covid-25 and Covid-30. Yikes!

First, the good news: The sooner you look to reverse weight that was gained…the quicker it can be lost. So, in this article we’ll talk about how “to slow the spread” of your waistline to get your ideal body back.

Ladies, how do you get reignited with your nutrition goals while “stuck" at home and doing everything else required of you?

The pressure is on to be “Wonder Women” and do it all between work, relationships and if you have children you are home schooling as well.

So, grab a friend or partner and keep each other inspired, motivated and accountable.

Most of all…get started.

CREATE A SACRED SPACE OUTSIDE OF THE KITCHEN. The kitchen is often the heart of our home, where we build fond memories of sharing meals together or preparing meals for loved ones. Yet, the pandemic led many to eat mindlessly. So, create a new favorite

BY MICHELLE BORTHWICK

boosting your confidence as woman!

Pandemic is the perfect time to take charge of your health and start a new daily routine to ensure you come out of quarantine healthier than you went in. With his approach you will find yourself creating a more positive and empowered lifestyle while you make “lemonade out of lemons” and take steps to create the body you want. In doing so, you will inspire others to do the same (including your co-workers, family, and friends). Isn’t that what we do?

About Michelle Borthwick: Michelle is a Keto Lifestyle coach, a Seasoned expert on Customized Keto for Women. Keto weight loss results can be improved with Coaching, Customization, accountability, and a trusted partner to guide you every step of the way.

Michelle offers private sessions, proven Keto diet hacks, meal plans, proprietary customization, accountability, goal setting and more. If you are interested in learning if Keto fits your lifestyle, book a complimentary 30 minute private coaching session online at KetoIsEasyCoach.com.

13

September 3 to September 9, 2020

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HADDON LIBBY

DOW 30 GETS A MAKEOVER

T

he Dow Jones Industrial Average (aka Dow 30, the Dow, DJIA) represents a cross-section of some of the best companies in the United States. Due to the use of stock prices in the calculation of this index, companies with very high prices per share like Amazon, Google and Berkshire Hathaway are not included. While this is an archaic way to build an index, it provides more stability than another popular index - the S&P 500. A major challenge to the S&P 500 is that five stocks represent 25% of the entire value of this index.

The Wall Street Journal debuted the Dow in May 1896. Back then, the index consisted of only twelve companies with a focus on industrial companies. The original lineup included US Rubber (now part of Michelin), Chicago Gas (part of Integrys Energy), General Electric, US Leather (dissolved in 1952), National Lead (now NL Industries), American Sugar (now Domino Foods), Tennessee Coal & Iron (part of US Steel) and American Cotton Oil (part of Unilever).

At the end of the Roaring Twenties when markets were peaking, 18 more names were added to the index. Following the Great Depression in 1932, a large make-over of the index led to the addition of Proctor & Gamble, IBM, and Coca-Cola.

The Dow replaced three of its thirty stocks in this index on August 31st.

Salesforce, Amgen and Honeywell replaced Exxon Mobil, Pfizer and Raytheon in the index. At the same time, Apple completed a 4:1 stock split meaning that their $500/ share price will drop to $125/share. By splitting their stock, Apple are reducing

their weighting in the Dow 30 as this index uses stock prices in the calculation of its average. By making changes to the index, the Dow is offsetting some of the impact caused by Apple’s stock split.

Following the split in Apple’s stock, Apple dropped from over 10% of the Dow to 3%. The largest components of the Dow are now United Health and Home Depot at about 8% of the indices value. The smallest components of the index at about 1% of the indices value are chemical company Dow (spin-off of DuPont), Cisco and Walgreens suggesting that these three components of the Dow may soon be replaced by better representations of American business.

Aerospace is limited to Boeing with the departure of Raytheon following its merger with United Technologies and spin-off of Carrier and Otis Elevator. By replacing Raytheon with Honeywell, the index adds a

DALEGRIBOW ON THELAW

LEGAL REPRESENTATION OF THE INJURED & CRIMINALLY ACCUSED

CAN YOU GET MY LABOR DAY DUI DISMISSED?

T

he honest answer is maybe....but the odds are against it. Any lawyer that tells you YES they can dismiss your DUI without examining the facts is lying to you.

The first question on every new client's mind is what can you do for me? ...and what will it cost? If I was a doctor and you had stomach pain, you would not ask me "what is wrong with me and what will it cost" when you first met me and before I examined you.

You would understand a doctor would have to take a history, perform a physical exam, order blood tests, X-Rays, and MRI's etc. Maybe the doctor would even perform exploratory surgery before telling you what was wrong. If it was Cancer the surgeon might stitch you up and explain there is very little he or she can do to cure you of Cancer.

A DUI is usually not cancer, but with a (1) High Blood Alcohol Reading of .15+; (2) Drugs (Prescriptive or street drugs) or (3) a Traffic Accident, your case becomes more challenging. This means that the results your lawyer can achieve are problematic and the possible sentence will probably involve

14

more diverse company that is also involved in aerospace and defense. Also, its price per share is higher.

With energy companies representing only 3% of the market, having both Exxon and Chevron caused an overweight toward oil. By removing Exxon, the Dow was able to add Salesforce, $250/share technology company with a strong place in cloud computing. This addition helped to offset the negative impact caused by the stock split at Apple while adding an important company to the index.

Amgen replaced Pfizer to add a higher priced stock with a stronger biotech presence. While Pfizer is one of the leaders in the hunt for a vaccine to COVID-19, its stock price is in the high $30s whereas Amgen is about $250 per share despite having a market valuation that is 35% below Pfizer.

Below is a grouping of the Dow 30 by sector: Technology: Apple, Cisco, IBM, Intel, Microsoft, Salesforce Healthcare: Amgen, Johnson & Johnson, Merck, United Healthcare, Walgreens Financials: American Express, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase, Travelers, Visa Consumer Staples: Proctor & Gamble, Coca-Cola, Walmart Consumer Discretionary: Home Depot, McDonalds, Nike Industrials: Caterpillar, 3M, Boeing, Honeywell Communications: Disney, Verizon Basic Materials: Dow Energy: Chevron While the Dow 30 may not be a perfect gauge as to the performance of America’s blue-chip businesses, it is a good barometer on the health of America’s largest businesses across various business sectors. The Dow is a good if not perfect benchmark by which an investor can gauge the performance of their investment portfolio.

As a reminder, the health of a company stock is significantly different from the health of the underlying economy.

Haddon Libby is the Founder and Managing Partner of Winslow Drake Investment Management. For more information, please visit www.

WinslowDrake.com or email Hlibby@ WinslowDrake.com.

more jail time.

The Indio Court is much tougher on DUI's than many other jurisdictions and our local DA's ask for JAIL time on ALL DUI's.

This is probably because we have more DUI FATALITIES here in the CV than anywhere else in California...per capita.

On any criminal case there are different degrees of success. I usually explain to clients on their first appointment, that many years ago I was in the office of famed criminal attorney Robert Shapiro, my best friend at the time, who later became O.J. Simpson's lawyer. We were planning on going to dinner and discussing cases on which we were working together.

Shapiro got a call from a prospective client and had to stay late to meet with him. He asked me to sit in the office with him but of course I was to say nothing.

When the client came in Shapiro said "I don't want to know anything about your case." He merely asked "what are you looking for?" He then explained that there are different degrees of success. If I go into court and the DA wants a year in custody and

I can get you 6 months, that is success. If they want 6 months of custody and I can get you 2 months, that is success. If they want 30 days and I can get you 10 days, that is success.

If they want 10 days and I can get you a weekend and/or home arrest, that is success.

It is impossible to guesstimate what the success will be on a case when you only hear the client's side of the story. It is necessary to review the police report for probable cause for the stop, how well you did on the OPTIONAL field sobriety tests and chemical test results for the Blood Alcohol Reading and your criminal record.

Clients often think that because they have a clean driving record or have been a pillar of the community that will factor into their guilt or innocence. That is wrong. It may affect the sentence, but not GUILT or INNOCENCE. Sometimes a prior record will aggravate the sentence and philanthropic work in the community may mitigate the sentence.

However, they have nothing to do with GUILT or INNOCENCE. Many clients have "Black & White Fever" because they were nervous about the police stopping them. The driver may have innocently said something that was wrong

and that may negatively influence the case.

Of course failing the attitude test also makes the case more difficult as the DA is more likely to want to punish the driver.

The best advice I can give you is to Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over. So DON'T DRINK AND DRIVE OR TEXT AND GET A DUI OR ACCIDENT, CALL A TAXI OR UBER.........IT IS A LOT CHEAPER THAN CALLING ME. For ideas for future articles contact me at 760-837-7500 or dale@dalegribowlaw.com.

DALE GRIBOW Representing the Injured and Criminally Accused "TOP LAWYER" - California's Prestige Magazine, Palm Springs Life (PI/DUI) 2011-20 "TOP LAWYER" - Inland Empire Magazine 2016- 2019 PERFECT 10.0 AVVO Peer Rating "DON'T DRINK AND DRIVE OR TEXT AND GET A DUI OR ACCIDENT... CALL A TAXI, LYFT OR UBER....THEY ARE A LOT CHEAPER THAN CALLING ME"

SWAG FOR THESOUL

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BY AIMEE MOSCO

RELATIONSHIPS, HEALTH, MONEY, AND ENERGY

“Everything is energy and energy is everything. Energy comes into form through a very calculated process and follows a path laid out by our own higher levels of consciousness.” Gratitude + Forgiveness X (Love) = Happiness, by Aimee Mosco and Donald L. Ferguson, page 34. ur greatest challenges in life are often born of relationships, health, and money. When you find yourself in a struggle with one or more of these areas of life, emotions can take over. When you are at the mercy of your emotions, you are likely not managing the energy that drives your thoughts and actions. This greatly affects outcomes and the quality of manifestation.

Energy creates a foundation for anything in life that you create. Emotions are the fuel for that energy. Unfavorable emotions vibrate low and are not a good choice for energetic fuel efficiency. Any emotion that is based in love vibrates high and powers new energy patterns with the greatest of efficiency.

It is a bit of a sticky situation when you experience a challenge that pushes your buttons and evokes fear, sadness, or anger.

You know in your mind that these types of emotions are not going to support the result that you want, but how do you wrangle your emotions once they have run away with your ability to successfully manage your manifestation process?

It is never a good idea to ignore your emotions or push them down. That will come back to haunt you later. This does not mean that you must let them own you though. Even if you are not successful at reconciling your emotions, you can choose to exercise your ability to shift your focus. Start visualizing in your mind an outcome that aligns with your happiness, well-being, financial stability, or all of these things at once. Let your thoughts lead you on a journey and know that you are completely in control of where that journey leads. When you get off track, shift your thoughts back to a favorable outcome.

Capitalize on those thoughts by leaning into

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any favorable emotions that materialize in association with this journey.

Here is what happens energetically when you take control of your energy field in this way: Your favorable thoughts are homing beacons for energy. They send out a signal to the Universe, effectively asking for the vibrations that match your thoughts to be delivered to you. These frequencies are the ingredients for manifestation. You need to have them in your supply closet to “create” an experience. The authentic emotions you generate as you go on this visualization journey act as powerful forces to fuel and support the manifestation of events in your life.

The more often you engage in this process, the more comfortable you will get with it, and the more you will connect with your innate power.

In my pursuit to help human beings tap into their creative power, I invite you to join Facebook group Evolve through Love hosted

by Elizabeth Scarcella, BB Ingle, and me. Go to facebook.com/groups/evolvethroughlove and share with us your joy.

Aimee Mosco is an Author, Intuitive Channel, Spiritual Teacher and Co-Founder of Intentional Healing Systems, LLC. Aimee’s passion for helping others inspired her book “Gratitude + Forgiveness x (LOVE) = Happiness”. Find Aimee at ihsunity.com.

September 3 to September 9, 2020

FREEWILL ASTROLOGY

WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 3

ARIES (March 21-April 19): “A new idea is rarely born like Venus attended by graces. More commonly it’s modeled of baling wire and acne.

More commonly it wheezes and tips over.” Those words were written by Aries author Marge Piercy, who has been a fount of good new ideas in the course of her career. I regard her as an expert in generating wheezy, fragile breakthroughs and ultimately turning them into shiny, solid beacons of revelation. Your assignment in the coming weeks, Aries, is to do as Piercy has done so well.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): “Every day I discover even more beautiful things,” said painter Claude Monet. “It is intoxicating me, and I want to paint it all. My head is bursting.” That might seem like an extreme state to many of us. But Monet was a specialist in the art of seeing. He trained himself to be alert for exquisite sights. So his receptivity to the constant flow of loveliness came naturally to him. I bring this to your attention, Taurus, because I think that in the coming weeks, you could rise closer to a Monet-like level of sensitivity to beauty. Would that be interesting to you? If so, unleash yourself! Make it a priority to look for charm, elegance, grace, delight, and dazzlement.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Author Renata Adler describes a time in her life when she began to notice blue triangles on her feet. She was wracked with fear that they were a symptom of leukemia. But after a period of intense anxiety, she realized one fine day that they had a different cause. She writes: “Whenever I, walking barefoot, put out the garbage on the landing, I held the apartment door open, bending over from the rear. The door would cross a bit over the tops of my feet”—leaving triangular bruises. Upon realizing this very good news, she says, “I took a celebrational nap.” From what I can tell, Gemini, you’re due for a series of celebrational naps—both because of worries that turn out to be unfounded and because you need a concentrated period of recharging your energy reserves.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): “I like people who refuse to speak until they are ready to speak,” proclaimed Cancerian author Lillian Hellman.

I feel the same way. So often people have nothing interesting or important to say, but say it anyway. I’ve done that myself! The uninteresting and unimportant words I have uttered are too numerous to count. The good news for me and all of my fellow Cancerians is that in the coming weeks we are far more likely than usual to not speak until we are ready to speak. According to my analysis of the astrological potentials, we are poised to express ourselves with clarity, authenticity, and maximum impact.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Of all the mournful impacts the pandemic has had, one of the most devastating is that it has diminished our opportunities to touch and be touched by other humans. Many of us are starved of the routine, regular contact we had previously taken for granted. I look forward to the time when we can again feel uninhibited about shaking hands, hugging, and patting friends on the arm or shoulder. In the meantime, how can you cope? This issue is extra crucial for you Leos to meditate on right now. Can you massage yourself?

Seek extra tactile contact with animals? Hug trees?

Figure out how to physically connect with people while wearing hazmat suits, gloves, masks, and face shields? What else?

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): “Like any art, the creation of self is both natural and seemingly impossible,” says singer-songwriter Holly Near. “It requires training as well as magic.” How are you doing on that score, Virgo? Now is a favorable time to intensify your long-term art project of creating the healthiest, smartest version of yourself. I think it will feel quite natural and not-at-all impossible.

In the coming weeks, you’ll have a finely tuned intuitive sense of how to proceed with flair. Start by imagining the Most Beautiful You. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): I propose we resurrect the old English word “museful.” First used in the 17th century but then forgotten, it meant “deeply

© Copyright 2020 Rob Brezsny

thoughtful; pensive.” In our newly coined use, it refers to a condition wherein a person is abundantly inspired by the presence of the muse. I further suggest that we invoke this term to apply to you Libras in the coming weeks. You potentially have a high likelihood of intense communion with your muses. There’s also a good chance you’ll engage with a new muse or two. What will you do with all of this illumination and stimulation?

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Each of us has a “soul’s code”: a metaphorical blueprint of the beautiful person we could become by fulfilling our destiny. If our soul’s code remains largely dormant, it will agitate and disorient us. If, on the other hand, we perfectly actualize our soul’s code, we will feel at home in the world; all our experiences will feel meaningful. The practical fact is that most of us have made some progress in manifesting our soul’s code, but still have a way to go before we fully actualize it. Here’s the good news: You Scorpios are in a phase of your cycle when you could make dramatic advances in this glorious work.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): “Life is the only game in which the object of the game is to learn the rules,” observes Sagittarian author Ashleigh Brilliant. According to my research, you have made excellent progress in this quest during the last few weeks—and will continue your good work in the next six weeks. Give yourself an award! Buy yourself a trophy! You have discovered at least two rules that were previously unknown to you, and you have also ripened your understanding of another rule that had previously been barely comprehensible.

Be alert for more breakthroughs.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): “If you’re not lost, you’re not much of an explorer,” said rambunctious activist and author John Perry Barlow. Adding to his formulation, I’ll say that if you want to be a successful explorer, it’s crucial to get lost on some occasions. And according to my analysis, now is just such a time for you Capricorns. The new territory you have been brave enough to reconnoiter should be richly unfamiliar. The possibilities you have been daring enough to consider should be provocatively unpredictable. Keep going, my dear! That’s the best way to become un-lost.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): “Dreams really tell you about yourself more than anything else in this world could ever tell you,” said psychic Sylvia Browne. She was referring to the mysterious stories that unfold in our minds as we sleep. I agree with her assessment of dreams’ power to show us who we really are all the way down to the core of our souls. What Browne didn’t mention, however, is that it takes knowledge and training to become proficient in deciphering dreams’ revelations.

Their mode of communication is unique—and unlike every other source of teaching. I bring this up, Aquarius, because the coming months will be a favorable time for you to become more skilled in understanding your dreams.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): In June 1876, warriors from three Indian tribes defeated U.S. troops led by General George Custer at the Battle of Little Big Horn in Montana. It was an iconic victory in what was ultimately a losing battle to prevent conquest by the ever-expanding American empire.

One of the tribes that fought that day was the Northern Cheyenne. Out of fear of punishment by the U.S. government, its leaders waited 130 years to tell its side of the story about what happened.

New evidence emerged then, such as the fact that the only woman warrior in the fight, Buffalo Calf Road Woman, killed Custer himself. I offer this tale as an inspiration for you Pisceans to tell your story about events that you’ve kept silent about for too long.

Homework: Maybe sometimes it’s OK to hide and be secretive and use silence as a superpower.

Example from your life? FreeWillAstrology.com ---------------------------------------------------------Rob Brezsny - Free Will Astrology freewillastrology@freewillastrology.com

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September 3 to September 9, 2020

SAFETY TIPS

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FROM THE CHIEFS CORNER

LABOR OF LOVE AND SAFETY!

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n the first Monday of September, many workers take the day off and enjoy time relaxing with friends and family for Labor Day. Many Americans will turn the time off into an extended weekend by hosting barbecues, going on a mini vacation or spending time outdoors, reminds Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna.

Barbecue and Picnic Safety First and foremost, it will be warm and dry. Do not use your barbeque near vegetation or combustible material.

Cooking outdoors can trigger a number of physical and health safety concerns.

Make sure to thaw meat out completely by placing it in the refrigerator, which will reduce the chances of bacteria growing.

Keep cold foods in an insulated cooler when transporting to someone’s house or to the park. Keep a close eye on the grill to ensure children do not put their hands on the hot

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grates.

Water Safety Last year Labor Day weekend was the deadliest for drownings since 2010.When at the beach, remember to protect skin and eyes from the rays of the sun by wearing cover-ups, sun screen, sunglasses and hats. Take a dip in the water periodically throughout the day to cool off your skin and body. Keep kids within sight and arms reach when in the water and never swim alone.

Road Travel An estimated 2.5 million Southern Californians are expected to travel this Labor Day weekend. The National Safety Council estimates 398 people may die on U.S. roads this Labor Day holiday period.

Whether driving to the beach or going away for Labor Day weekend, you will want to take your time to ensure you and your family arrives safely. When driving through

BY FIRE CHIEF SAM DIGIOVANNA parking lots and neighborhood streets, keep an eye out for kids who may be out and about playing. Always look twice when turning and crossing streets, especially for motorcycles and bicycles which are smaller and not as visible as cars. Remember to not drink and drive. Always wear your seat belt.

Did I kindly mention PUT AWAY THAT CELL PHONE! Boating/Kayak/Paddle Board Safety Put your watercraft in the water for one last time this summer and relax. Before leaving make sure you are equipped with all necessary safety equipment, including

enough gas, life vests and a first-aid kit (for a boat). Leave your float plan with a trusted friend or family member and when you are expected to return. This way, authorities have an idea where to search if you do not make it back home.

Stay hydrated, use common sense, be patient on the road and give yourself plenty of time!

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September 3 to September 9, 2020

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September 3 to September 9, 2020

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September 3 to September 9, 2020

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