Coachella Valley Weekly - December 23 to December 29, 2021 Vol. 10 No. 41

coachellavalleyweekly.com • December 23 to December 29, 2021 Vol.10 No.41

Olive Crest

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Sergio Villegas

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PSIFF Awards Gala Cancelled

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C.O.D. Street Fair

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Stories For Grownups

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December 23 to December 29, 2021

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December 23 to December 29, 2021

BY CRYSTAL HARRELL Coachella Valley Weekly (760) 501-6228

to the Outdoor Lounge Area and two complimentary cocktail tickets. The Palm Springs Block Party will feature midnight fireworks to welcome the New Year, iconic look-alikes, food trucks and booths, an outdoor bar garden and live entertainment and dancing. In Cathedral City, a Party Under The Stars will take place at 7 p.m.

Music will be provided by DJ Citizen Jane, DJ Femme A, and DJ Sugar Free. Guests are invited to dance under the stars in the outdoor venue and welcome in the New Year with live entertainment, outdoor bars and food trucks. Entry is 20 dollars plus 22 dollars in Free Play.

publisher@coachellavalleyweekly.com coachellavalleyweekly.com facebook.com/cvweekly twitter.com/cvweekly1 Publisher & Editor Tracy Dietlin Art Director Robert Chance Sales Team Kirby, Raymond Bill Club Crawler Nightlife Editor Phil Lacombe Head Music Writer Esther Sanchez Head Feature Writer Crystal Harrell Feature Writers Lisa Morgan, Rich Henrich, Heidi Simmons, Noe Gutierrez, Tricia Witkower 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, Esther Sanchez Videographer Kurt Schawacker Website Editor Bobby Taffolla Distribution Phil Lacombe, William Westley

CONTENTS

New Year's Eve Events in the CV .................. 3 Society Scene - Olive Crest ........................... 5 Club Crawler Nightlife .................................. 6 Sergio Villegas ............................................... 7 Consider This - Nocona.................................. 8 Palm Springs Intl. Film Festival ................. 11 COD Street Fair............................................. 11 Breaking The 4th Wall - Stories For Grownups! ................................................ 12 Breaking The 4th Wall - The Sound of Music ......................................................... 12 Screeners...................................................... 13 Pet Place ................................................. 14-15 The Vino Voice ............................................. 16 Safety Tips .................................................... 18 Cyber Corner ................................................ 18 Haddon Libby .............................................. 19 Dale Gribow ................................................. 19 Swag For The Soul ....................................... 20 Free Will Astrology ..................................... 20 Send Me A Trainer ....................................... 21 Cannabis Corner .......................................... 22

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t seems like 2021 has passed by in the blink of an eye, but now is the time to get 2022 off to a fun start with these New Year’s Eve celebrations right here in the Coachella Valley. From dinners to entertainment, it will be a night to remember and a whole year to look forward to in the desert.

Marvyn’s Magic Theater - Host Jeff Hobson and a special guest will be presenting a New Year’s Eve show at Marvyn’s Magic Theater in La Quinta. Festivities begin at 6 p.m and all ticketed guests at this event will receive complimentary party favors and a champagne toast. Jeff Hobson has been seen on NBC’s The Illusionists Prime-time special, HBO, Showtime’s Comedy Club Network, Fox Family’s Masters of Illusion, NBC’s World’s Greatest Magic as well as the star of Thames Television’s Magic Comedy Strip—a 16-week television series in England and the top-rated U.K.’s iTV with The Illusionists – Live from Broadway. To purchase tickets, visit marvynsmagictheater.com.

5th Annual “Drag Me to 2022” at The Saguaro - The Saguaro in Palm Springs will be presenting its 5th annual “Drag Me to2022” disco gala on New Year’s Eve from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. It will be a one-of-a-kind New Year’s Eve soirée filled with comedy and disco with plenty of holiday surprises and treats, hosted by Miss Rusty Waters.

General Admission includes complimentary buffet style light bites, a complimentary champagne toast at midnight, cash bar drink specials, and live entertainment.

The cost for this 21 and over event is 75 dollars per ticket plus tax and fees. VIP tickets include access to the VIP lounge on SagoTerrace, and a private hosted beer, wine, and champagne bar at 150 dollars per ticket. Visit thesaguaro.com for tickets.

Chef George’s Picasso Lounge - Chef George’s Picasso Lounge in Bermuda Dunes has been open since 2003, serving delicious Hungarian and Italian food to patrons with five-star entertainment. This New Year’s Eve, Chef George’s will be hosting a special

dinner to mark the occasion, from 7 p.m. to 12 p.m. Four and a half hours of showstopping entertainment will be provided, featuring Jimmy Street, Darci Daniels. and Michael D’Angelo. A three-course meal will be served, including a salad, a main course of steak, white fish, or chicken marsala, and dessert.The event will end with a champagne celebration at midnight.

Admission is $79.95 and guests must make reservations by calling 760-200-1768.

The Four Twenty Bank New Year’s Eve Party - The Four Twenty Bank Dispensary and Lounge will be hosting the only free New Year’s Eve Party in Palm Springs this year, with no cover charge. The event will feature The No BS as musical guests and starts at 6 p.m. Come join the party filled with food, fun, giveaways, and specials while you dance the night away. Free tickets can be found at eventbrite.com.

Palm Canyon Road House - The 14th annual New Year’s Eve Bash at the world famous Palm Canyon Roadhouse in Palm Springs will ring in 2022 in style on December 31 at 7 p.m. Entertainment will be provided

by The Toyz. You will not want to miss this outrageous party, including party favors and a champagne toast at midnight. Tickets are 20 dollars in advance at the bar and at eventbrite.com. The cost for entry at the door is 25 dollars with no refunds. For more information, call 760-327-4080.

Agua Caliente Casinos - There will be three celebrations held across the Agua Caliente Casinos in Rancho Mirage, Cathedral City, and Palm Springs. The Dance Party at The Show in Rancho Mirage will feature music from DJ BOBA and begin at 8 p.m. General admission tickets are priced at 40 dollars and all attendees must be 21 and older. Agua Caliente Palm Springs will be hosting a New Year’s Eve Block Party from 8 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. Entry only tickets are 20 dollars in advance and 25 on the day of the event. VIP access tickets are 85 dollars in advance and 100 dollars the day of the event, which includes VIP Access

Fantasy Springs Resort Casino - Get ready for a night of music and memories as Fantasy Springs Resort Casino hosts a free New Year’s Eve concert celebration, starting at 9 p.m. Featured artists at the event include Steel Rod performing at twelve: Cocktails Above – a luxurious, newly renovated space featuring mid-century modern furniture, an expansive balcony, and sweeping views of the Coachella Valley and surrounding mountains—as well as Reel Band & DJ Nano performing at the LIT stage. This New Year’s Eve celebration will also feature free party favors for casino guests! while supplies last.

Spotlight 29 Casino - Kick off 2022 in the best way possible by attending the Coachella Crossroads New Year’s Eve show at Spotlight 29 Casino. Looking to be a can’t-miss performance, the Coachella Day One 22’ NYE concert event will feature headliners like Lil Wayne and Diesel aka Shaquille O’Neal, and special guests E-40 and Getter starting at 8 p.m. Tickets are still on sale for this star-studded experience, available for purchase on ticketmaster.com and ranging between 99 and 250 dollars.

Bubba’s Bones & Brews - Bring in the new year with a 12 a.m. cash drop at the Coachella Valley's hottest New Year's party at Bubba’s Bones & Brews located in the heart of downtown Palm Desert.

The event will have live performances by Banko, Jaelyn, Joy Road, Mike Lavish, and Spaceboyuno, as well as DJ sets by The Deep Ones, Dustin Taylor Peery, and hosted

by JPatron. There will be five dollar drink specials and delicious food with VIP tables on a first come, first serve basis. Call now to reserve a VIP booth at 760-837-3900. This event is 21and over and attendees must have a valid photo ID to enter. There is free entry with absolutely no cover charge.

The Purple Room Palm Springs - Enjoy the finer things this New Year’s Eve at the swank nightclub where Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack hung out, The Purple Room Palm Springs. This event offers threeseparate seatings featuring live jazz and a three-course dinner. Guests can choose between 5 or 7:30 p.m. with singer Rose Mallett or 10 p.m. with Sharon Sills at the mic. There will be party favors and a champagne toast at midnight as well.

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December 23 to December 29, 2021

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SOCIETY SCENE

December 23 to December 29, 2021

BY MADELINE ZUCKERMAN PHOTOS BY GREGG FELSON

(left to right) Steven Hernandez, Mayor of Coachella, Jan Harnik, Mayor of Palm Desert, and Riverside County Board of Supervisors Manuel Perez. Harnik and Perez presented proclamations during the event to Olive Crest.

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live Crest, the recognized leader in the prevention and treatment of child abuse for over 45 years, celebrated the opening of a new outpatient Counseling Center for the Desert Region of Riverside County. The Center has offices in the Berger Center building, located at 75105 Merle Drive, Suite 100, in Palm Desert. This new Counseling Center will provide a broad range of priority Mental and Behavioral Health services for children who are MediCal eligible from birth through age 21. “We are excited for this growth opportunity, and grateful to see our impact extend further into the community,” stated Tracy Fitzsimmons, Olive Crest Executive Director.

“Olive Crest is a COA accredited organization, providing a broad range of programs in the service of children and families,” states Kelly Duguay, Olive Crest Regional Programs Director. “As an organization, we are dedicated to ensuring the safety, well-being, and permanency of children. In fact, our programs maintain a 99% placement stability rate and achieve 90% permanency,” she continued.

The Center will provide comprehensive and individualized assessment and services to children and young adults, with emotional and behavioral problems impacting their ability to thrive at home, in school, or in other social settings. In addition, individual, family, and group therapy programs will be provided. The Center will also offer

(left to right) Hyla Wetherill and Judy Sanders, Event Committee Members for the opening of the new Olive Crest Counseling Center in Palm Desert, inviting guests to select a stuffed animal and write a personal note to the children Olive Crest serves for the holidays.

crisis intervention,/rapid response, case management, medication support and monitoring, intensive care coordination across multiple agencies, as well as intensive home-based services when applicable.

“Our services will be provided at whatever sites and in whatever combinations are necessary to address our consumers’ mental health needs,” states Duguay. “The opening of this Counseling Center is an extension of our agency’s strategic vision of “Child Abuse Stops Here®.” According to the County Department of Public Social Services, more than 31,000 allegations of abuse or neglect are made to their hotline annually. Our intent is to divert children from the welfare system by providing them with prevention and/or early intervention services long before trouble in the home leads to incidents of substantiated abuse or neglect.”

The Center’s staff will start with two clinicians, a peer specialist, a parent partner, and a program manager, providing direct care services.

“Our experienced staff is highly-trained and brings outstanding expertise to this Counseling Center,” states Rhonna Tan, MA, LMFT, Mental Health Director. “Our clinicians are bilingual, and experienced with the population we look forward to serving. Olive Crest’s mental health services are designed to be highly individualized and comprehensive in nature. Given the complexity and severity of the population

Olive Crest serves, we constantly monitor the symptomology and behaviors of our clients upon intake and discharge from the program, and we modify our approach to engagement, planning, implementation, and the transition of services based upon current and relevant data. Our programming is data informed and child focused, which is highly effective when treating children with complex needs. Our clinicians are trained in several modalities and areas of focus in therapy, to meet the complex needs of the children and youth we serve, including Trauma Informed Care, Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Seeking

Safety, Substance Dependency, Aggression Replacement Training, Domestic Violence, Gang Awareness, Human Trafficking, etc.”

ABOUT OLIVE CREST Since 1973, Olive Crest has transformed the lives of more than 150,000 abused, neglected, and at-risk children and their families. Olive Crest is dedicated to the belief that “once an Olive Crest family, always an Olive Crest family.” The organization’s commitment of helping children and families through a caring community goes well beyond the time of crisis. The organization works tirelessly to meet the individual needs of kids in crisis by providing safe homes, counseling, and education for both youth and parents. Olive Crest’s many innovative programs reflect the organization’s conviction that strengthening the family is one of the most powerful ways to help heal children. With unwavering compassion, the Olive Crest family maintains a lifelong commitment to the youth and families it serves, even after they have graduated from their programs.

Olive Crest serves nearly 4,000 children and families each day throughout California, Nevada, and the Pacific Northwest. For more information on Olive Crest, please call 1-800-550-CHILD (2445) or visit www. olivecrest.org.

(left to right) Dr. James Brinton, Olive Crest Trustee, who along with his wife Lorraine, started the Olive Crest Desert Communities Chapter here 20 years ago, Lorraine Brinton, Olive Crest Trustee, Donald Verleur, CEO of Olive Crest, Patrick Evans, who served as Emcee for the new Counseling Center opening, and Tracy Fitzsimmons, Executive Director of Olive Crest, Inland & Desert Communities.

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December 23 to December 29, 2021

Thursday, December 23

Casuelas Café – Avenida – 5:30pm Chef George’s – Marc Antonelli – 6:30pm Coachella Valley Brewery – Open Mic – 6-8pm Cunard’s Sandbar – Bill Baker – 6pm Jazzville @ Agua Caliente – Sacha Boutros Quartet – 7pm Lit @ Fantasy Springs – Sarah Winchester – 7pm O’Caine’s – Midlife O’Crisis – 6pm Plan B Entertainment & Cocktails – Comedian Andrew Edleman and Friends w, Music by Marco Thoma, Christian Hower, Mario Quintero and Versastyle – 8pm Shanghai Red’s (Palm Springs) – Lisa Lynn and the Broken Hallelujahs – 7pm

Friday, December 24

Bart Lounge – DJ Pico and Friends – 8pm

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Chef George’s – Lizann Warner – 6:30pm Cunard’s Sandbar – Bill Baker – 6pm Lit @ Fantasy Springs – Vice Versa – 9pm The Village – Rob & JB – 5:30-8:30pm, Rapmarz – 10pm, DJ LF – 10pm, DJ Gio the Ace – 9pm Twelve @ Fantasy Springs – Mark Gregg and Co. – 7-10pm

Saturday, December 25

Bart Lounge – DJ Manny – 8pm Chef George’s – Michael D Angelo and Tim Burleson – 6:30pm Cunard’s Sandbar – Bill Baker – 6pm Lit @ Fantasy Springs – Vice Versa – 9pm Palm Canyon Roadhouse – Music Videos – 9pm The Hood – Krystofer Do – 9:30pm The Village – Rob & JB – 1-4pm, Rapmarz – 10pm, DJ LF – 10pm, DJ Gio

the Ace – 9pm Twelve @ Fantasy Springs – Mark Gregg and Co. – 7-10pm

Sunday, December 26

Bart Lounge – Latina Night w/ DJ LF – 8pm Casuelas Café – Las Tias – 12pm, Barry Baughn Blues Review – 5:30pm Coachella Valley Brewery – Acoustic Afternoon w/ Josh Heinz, Rod Van Buren and Courtney Chambers – 3pm Kitchen 86 – Jojo Malagar – 7pm Melvyn’s – Mikael Healey – 5pm Palm Canyon Roadhouse – Mikole Kaar Jazz Show – 2pm, Sunday Night Jam w/ Derek Jordan Gregg – 6-11pm The Nest – Jojo Malagar – 7pm The Village – Rapmarz - 10pm

Monday, December 27

The Village – DJ Gio the Ace – 9pm

Tuesday, December 28

Casuelas Café – Desert Suite Band – 5:30pm Chef George’s – Lizann Warner – 6:30pm Cunard’s Sandbar – Bill Baker – 6pm Lit @ Fantasy Springs – Brad’s Pad – 7-10pm The Village – DJ Gio the Ace – 9pm

Wednesday, December 29

Casuelas Café – Lisa Lynn and the Broken Hallelujahs – 6pm Chef George’s – Tim Burleson – 6:30pm Cunard’s Sandbar – Bill Baker – 6pm The Cantina – T- Bone Karaoke – 7pm The Village – DJ Gio the Ace – 9pm, Banda Revolucion – 10pm

LOCAL MUSIC

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December 23 to December 29, 2021

SERGIO VILLEGAS & PC MUSIC PRODUCTIONS

MAKING WORLD CLASS MUSIC PRODUCTION ATTAINABLE FOR THE MASSES

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ny of us who have aspirations regarding the music industry, (whatever that even means these days), can tell you that one of the most, if not, THE most difficult and seemingly unattainable aspects of making your dreams come true has to do with the sheer economic costs of attaining the quality recordings and production that is needed to put out a decent product be it an EP, a full album or even a single. I would challenge anyone who is curious about this subject to do a Google search on the subject because chances are if you do so…your jaw will hit the floor from the sticker shock.

With all of that in mind, CV Music Award winner for best instrumentalist, Sergio Villegas has put together a stellar group of musicians/producers/engineers who have not only the talent…but the experience and equipment to make that happen and aim to do so at an attainable price. In other words,

musicians have dreams and PC Productions is aiming to make them come true.

An immigrant from Santiago, Chile and lifelong musician, Villegas has been honing his skills as far back as he can remember.

The story of his journey in life is very much the story of his career in music which has led him all over the planet…just to land here in the music Mecca that is the Coachella Valley. In order to understand the conception of PC Productions, it might be helpful to know the stories of the folks who conceived of this idea in the first place.

PC Productions consists of musicians/ producers/engineers, Sergio Villegas, Pedro Cortes and Seba Cortes along with artistic director Yadhira Robles. This time around we are going to focus on Villegas.

Villegas: “I started studying music in Santiago when I was around 6 years old and my parents enrolled me in the conservatory of music where I originally studied the accordion. That was because in the south of Chile we had a lot of German influence and language in our culture which led to the popularity of studying classical, European music such as Chopin, Tchaikovsky, Mozart, etc. Eventually, after I graduated from the institute I naturally gravitated towards popular music at the time in the early 70s.

Basically a lot of rock and roll and motown.”

Villegas continues: “At the same time, there was a political movement happening with the youth of South America that inspired me to begin studying the music of the Indigenous peoples of the Andes and beyond. I started learning to play guitar along with a lot of different exotic instruments which led me to start playing with a lot of musical groups in Chile which I did until I came here to the US when I was 18 years old.”

CVW: You say your parents enrolled you into the music conservatory in Santiago when you were 6 years old. You were so little. Was that somehow something that was expected of you or was being a musician a desire that you expressed to

them?

Villegas: “You know, my mother always said that when I was a baby I was good when music was playing and as soon as they turned the music off, I would start crying.

Then my mother told me that as soon as I started walking, I would walk over to the radio to turn it on. So she was like, “This kid likes music, I guess!” The most important thing about this was the fact that my mom and dad didn’t have a lot of money. They sacrificed and did the best they could to pull together whatever they could to pay for those music lessons in order to make my career possible.”

Villegas continues: “For me, that has been the ultimate blessing because up until this night I have been able to do what I love the most, which is music. I have raised my kid and paid my bills all of these years with the little bit of talent that I have been blessed with.”

CVW: That “little bit of talent” that you speak of has taken you all over the world and given you the opportunities to collaborate with a lot of really cool artists, right?

Villegas: “It truly has been a dream come true. I come from a little country, all the way down south…practically the last country in the world. Then I came to the US and was able to meet and play with artists who I could never imagine meeting and playing with. I’ve played with Quincy Jones and The Gypsie Kings…I’ve played with a lot of groups and I’ve recorded more than 50 albums as a session musician. I’ve had the opportunity to not only perform in every state in the nation, but dozens of countries.”

CVW: How did you end up in the Coachella Valley?

Villegas: “I lived in Los Angeles for around 20 years as a working musician and eventually ended up here where I met (renowned CV Vocalist and icon) Sherry Evaro. We got married and I started playing music with the Evaros here in the desert.

BY ESTHER SANCHEZ

(Laughing)...Sherry was the one who told me that I couldn’t sing. She said, ‘You sing like crap! Take that voice and apply it to your hands on the guitar. Every song that we sing…play the notes like that on the guitar and see what happens.’”

Villegas continues: “I thought, ‘Hmmm, that’s interesting.’ Then I started playing the guitar like that. I started playing the guitar to the notes that they were singing.

It turned into something that I could do really well and I was definitely one of the first ones to do that out here. Since then, I have been able to perform all over the valley from The McCallum Theater with Fitz Fitzgerald to pretty much every country club and major event that exists out here.

These days I’m playing consistently at Sammy G’s, The Trilogy, Shield’s and a bunch of other places.”

CVW: All this has led to your new project, PC Music Productions.

Villegas: “Yes! So, these friends of mine from Chile, that are more like family to me…I’ve known since highschool are very successful producers. A father and son team, Pedro and Seba Cortes are some of the most amazing musicians you can imagine and they are currently staying in the desert. We got together and decided that we wanted to do something for the people. Specifically the musicians who want to produce their creations and can’t afford it. We want to help the people who really have a dream to record something, whatever talent that they have. Even if it’s just a song that they wrote and they need musicians to put it together. We can do that for them. We have a lot of experience behind us and some of the highest quality equipment money can buy. It doesn’t matter the genre because we all have a lot of experience and we are really excited to share it with everyone.” sergiovillegasguitar.com

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December 23 to December 29, 2021

CONSIDER THIS

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iscovering new music (or music that is new to you), is one of life’s greatest pleasures. I had that experience recently when I attended the 25th edition of Gram Fest (on what would be Gram Parsons’ 75th birthday), with my best pal, Rick Shelley.

Headliners included favorites like Freedy Johnston, Carla Olson, Louise Goffin and High Desert doyenne, Victoria Williams. Leading up to that there was a surfeit of Americana/alt.country bands (which seemed wholly apropos since it’s a genre Gram, along with Rick Nelson and Mike Nesmith (R.I.P.) pioneered in the late ‘60s), mixing their own music with songs associated with Gram. One band stood out from the pack, NOCONA. Four songs into their set, I knew I was in love.

NOCONA has been a going concern since 2013. The nucleus of the band is Chris Isom (lead vocals, lead guitar) and Adrienne Cohen Isom (bass, vocals). A Texas native, Chris was introduced to seminal bands like the Sonics, Can, The Who, The Minutemen and The 13th Floor Elevators, compelling him to pick up the guitar. A turning point in his musical education came when his family relocated to New York City and his dad took him to see Johnny Cash at Radio City Music Hall. By his early teens it was all about underground thrash and Death Metal. He cycled through a series of bands in high school, including Noise Culture who recorded a 7” single that was released in Germany.

Originally from Montreal, Adrienne came of age in Los Angeles, living around the corner from the infamous Sunset Strip.

She attended plethora of Punk shows, influenced in equal measure by X and the Grateful Dead, Pretenders, The Clash, Classic Rock, and essential L.A. bands like Love and The Doors. She made her bones in bands with names like Mushmouth.

Introduced through a mutual friend, she connected with Chris in college and the rest, as they say, is history.

Although they made music together informally for years, Adrienne’s main gig was in fashion photography, (in fact, she’s currently making a documentary about the world famous Palomino, arguably the most important Country music venue on the West Coast), while Chris lent his prodigious talents to bands like Grand Mal, The Mooney Suzuki, 20 Miles, Men Without Pants and Moldy Peaches’ Adam Green. After the birth of their first child, the couple relocated from NYC to L.A. and their casual collaboration yielded a tight set of songs. So, they recruited drummer Justin Smith, Elan Glasser on harmonica, Xander Hitzig on fiddle, Dan Winstrom on pedal steel and Carl Byron on keys. They chose their band moniker with care. Not only is Nocona the Texas town where Chris’ family settled in the 1800s, it was also the site of plenty of family reunions that invariably evolved into cousinly jam sessions and included a generator, a p.a., amps and a makeshift stage. Roughly translated, Nocona is a Cherokee term for wanderers,

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NOCONA

“LOS DOS” (MULE KICK RECORDS)

which seemed appropriate. Logo-wise, they wanted a name that featured two “O’s” because that kind of symbolized infinity and looked like eyeballs. Their self-titled debut arrived in 2013, followed two years later by Long Gone Song. Their latest effort is entitled Los Dos. The record kicks into gear with “Stabby Mike.” Strummy acoustic guitars flank Chris’ lanky tenor, which occupies the same bandwidth as Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy, The Shins’ James Mercer and Sea Wolf’s Alex Brown Church. As the stream-of-conscious opening verse recedes, a walloping big beat, throbbing bass, jangly electric guitar shadowy pedal steel and wheezy keys considerably up the ante. Chris stands his ground insisting “Love is leaving things that you loved behind.” As the arrangement gathers speed on the break, spiky pedal steel succeed a series of spirited “Oh-ohohs.” The song winds down with a last bit of Jabberwocky; “You know seeing is believing, any damn thing you’re told to believe, you got your money and the weekend, a little hatred to defend and Stabby Mike wants it/A little bit louder, and just a little more power, no, I can hear you crying underneath the crankcase, and Napoleon’s dumb face… oh, oh, oh.”

Back when Gram Parsons created the sound he dubbed Cosmic American Music, his primary goal was finding a throughline from Honky-Tonk Country to Rock & Roll. Bands that followed, from the Eagles to Uncle Tupelo to Mumford & Sons kind of stuck to that blueprint. But it’s clear NOCONA prefers to color outside the lines.

Take “Free Throw,” gutbucket guitars glide atop rippling piano, chunky rhythm riffs, wily bass lines and a chugging beat. Something

BY ELENI P. AUSTIN

of a Dixie-Fried charmer, the lyrics offer a wry meditation on life’s vagaries; “One and a million miles to go, as life, it pulls us row by row, while we’re sitting here waiting- on a free throw.” On the break Chris unleashes a scorching guitar solo that’s kinda sorta Skynyrd-riffic.

Then there’s the suitably shambolic “Post Apocalyptic Blues.” Ambient chatter gives way to knotty electric guitars, nimble keys, spidery bass and a ramshackle beat.

Sad-sack lyrics are mired in a post break-up malaise; “Well, tie my head to the railroad tracks, I don’t want nothing but you, got my strait-jacket, padded cell, looney tunes post-apocalyptic blues/You can keep my old records and movies too, they just remind me of you, gonna do a little walkin’ and count the runes in some post-apocalyptic blues.”

A filigreed guitar solo partners with dusty pedal steel and jittery piano on the break, revealing a predilection for the Gypsy Jazz of Django Reinhardt. The song crests to a close with a smoky harmonica outro and scattered applause.

Meanwhile, the buoyant arrangement and instrumentation of “Never Come Back,” is juxtaposed by lyrics that offer a misanthropic kiss-off. Chiming guitars are matched by fluttery fiddle, loose-limbed bass, burnished pedal steel and a kickdrum beat. Verses jauntily excoriate an ex; “And your soul’s calloused over, and you’re quite prepared to die, but you’re throwin’ up blood, every time you try, maybe feeling a little run down, maybe life’s telling you gotta be somewhere, gotta be somewhere soon” As the song rounds the bend, sundappled guitar and Opry’-fied pedal steel lattice over shivery fiddle, locking into a courtly two-step.

The action slows, (or so it seems), on two tracks, “Chasing Your Shadow” and “Tabernacle Woes.” The former blends braided acoustic guitars with slashing electric licks, brisk fiddle runs and a thumpy beat. Enigmatic lyrics don’t exactly say no to drugs (somewhere Nancy Regan is wagging her finger in disappointment), as much as relive those times “when we were high on coke together,” through a dystopic lens. Rather quickly, the arrangement accelerates, slipping into a psychotropic hoedown, and the lyrics follow suit; “Now you can’t see nothing but banshees and all the hell you’ve been, down the road, looking for redemption, be grateful your pantry’s filled, aliens and crows come by in the morning…”

The latter unfurls like a Gothic murder ballad, kind of Nick Drake and the Louvin Brothers meet The Doors. Murky acoustic chord changes are matched by back porch fiddle, flinty pedal steel, menacing bass lines and a prickly beat. The spookiness is baked into lyrics like “And electric eyes rip out your soul, lines of lightning down those roads, fear and love and death down below, fear a god, don’t feel the gun as it lays you low, fear a god, don’t feel the gun as it lays you low.” The calibrated chaos of the extended instrumental outro wraps bramble-thick guitars around sawing fiddle and mournful pedal steel.

The best tracks are also the most ambitious. “Chester” careens out of the speakers with locomotive speed, as ricocheting guitar riffs collide with boomeranging bass. The fiddle revs as the pedal steel peels out. Something of a Cornpone-Psychedelic breakdown, the fractious arrangement mirrors ball of confusion lyrics like “What’d you say, I don’t know, but ya know that I can’t hear it, get a little older every day, but ya know that I ain’t dead yet, what’d they say, hey who’s this person yellin’ at me on the TV screen, living up in the L.A. hills, enslaved to the machine.” The velocity rachets on the break as Chris executes a high-octane guitar solo. On the final stretch, the song kicks into interstellar overdrive with an extended instrumental coda.

“Unseen Hand” opens with braided acoustic guitar, swirly electric licks, thready bass, searing pedal steel and a high-hat kick.

Following the first verse, time signatures shapeshift, pedal steel and guitar notes intertwine, as the bottom is anchored by shuddery rhythm riffs and some Bluesy harmonica. Chunka-chunka power chords underscore the theory that you can run, but you can’t hide from fate; “There ain’t no use in your hiding, there ain’t no hiding where you stand, and that wave you’ve been riding, it’s gonna come crashin’/No? Yeah? Hey man, you got no place to land, you may think you’re something, everything at your command, that kind of thing just

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ain’t nothing, you’re just workin’ for the unseen hand.” On the break, synchronized guitars lock into some epic Southern Boogie riff-age that would make the boys of Molly Hatchet blush. Hazy harmonica darts through the ether on the final two verses before the song powers down to a close.

“Old Bones” is powered by chunky guitars, quavery fiddle, willowy pedal steel, back-woods bass lines and a sly shuffle rhythm. Lyrics like “You know the field will be on fire before too long, it don’t matter what planet you might be on, it don’t matter if your mind is gone, and it sure as hell don’t matter what god damn side we’re on/Good ole Cthulhu’s got quite some plans for you, listen close, you might hear a word or two, as the sky turns black instead of blue, and everything you thought were lies, turns out all those things are true,” deftly sideswipes global warming deniers and facile politicians in one fell-swoop. Sugary pedal steel, smoky harmonica, cascading piano notes and shivery fiddle runs are salted in the mix.

Finally, “Too Much To Lose” could sandwich easily between the Brothers Allman and Doobie on any AM radio dial, circa 1975. This souped-up anthem (weirdly) shares some musical DNA with The Stones’ “Dead Flowers” and Echo & The Bunnymen’s “Bring On The Dancing Horses.” Rollicking piano snakes around spidery bass lines, rip-snortin’ guitars and a pummeling backbeat. Much as Bruce Springsteen enticed Mary off that porch and out to Thunder Road, these lyrics

December 23 to December 29, 2021

persuade a reluctant girl to defy parental expectations “Yeah, your mama don’t want you runnin’ round town with a dreamer none, ya better go get yourself a rock n’ roller, a bona fide son of a gun/Yeah your daddy wants a man with prospects so you can marry a damn millionaire, ya know you can die that slow if ya wanna, or we can get out of here.” Whipsaw guitar riffs connect with splintery piano on the break, perfecting an AOR crunch that proves irresistible.

The record ends on a contemplative note with “Ace In The Hole.” Shimmery acoustic arpeggios wash over high lonesome pedal steel, sturdy bass lines and a drifty ¾ rhythm.

Chris and Adrienne’s plaintive harmonies wrap around a melancholy meditation on the vicissitudes of romance; “We’re all in the darkness, bar rowed moon beams and more, stars in the blackness mortgage your soul/Withering madness, the executioner’s blindfold, may bring you sadness, but it’ll take you back home.” The instrumentation expands and contracts over two lengthy breaks, layering in keening fiddle, sparkly electric guitar and incandescent organ colors. Although the odds are stacked against them, they willingly roll the dice, taking one last gamble on love.

NOCONA has distilled their influences into a heady brew that feels fresh and familiar. By fusing rich Country tradition with a healthy dose of Psychedelia, they’ve forged a sound that simply crackles with authority.

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December 23 to December 29, 2021

10

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FILM

T

he Palm Springs International Film Society has announced that the Film Awards Gala will not take place this year on Thursday, January 6, 2022. We are taking this action due to the recent spike in COVID cases and out of an abundance of caution to ensure the health and safety of the honorees, patrons, and staff. The Palm Springs Film Awards Gala is one of the largest events in the film world with 2500 guests and more than 1000 staff

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December 23 to December 29, 2021

in the room. The screening portion of the Palm Springs International Film Festival will take place January 7 through January 17, 2022 and will require proof of vaccination and the wearing of a mask. The Film Awards will partner with Entertainment Tonight to celebrate this year’s honorees with details to follow. Those who purchased tickets for the Film Awards will be reimbursed. We hope to return to the Film Awards to an inperson event in 2023.

LOCAL BUSINESS

T

he new year brings new opportunities to enjoy a unique mix of food, fun, and great deals as The Street Fair gets back to business starting Saturday, January 1, 2022.

“After a long absence due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are excited to welcome everyone back to our new and improved Street Fair,” Executive Director Betsy Young said. “Familiar and favorite merchants will be joined by new vendors, allowing us to continue offering the wide

mix of unique merchandise for which we are so well known.”

Proceeds support College of the Desert students by raising money for the Alumni Association, which provides scholarships, financial aid, and other programs and projects that advance the educational needs of students.

The Street Fair is open Saturdays and Sundays, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. The outdoor event is held in the northwest corner of campus at 43500 Monterey Ave. in Palm Desert. Free

shuttle service is available to and from all campus parking lots.

The Street Fair resented by the College of the Desert Alumni Association has been a staple weekend event in the Coachella Valley for more than 36 years. The family-friendly shopping experience offers an open-air farmer’s market-type setting, with dozens of vendors selling everything from clothing and home goods to furniture, vintage cars, and much more. Shoppers can also enjoy live entertainment and a wide selection of

gourmet food vendors.

The weekend event reopens with a renewed focus on health and safety.

To protect merchants, staff, and the community, The Street Fair will follow all precautions recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and local and state health officials.

To apply to be a merchant or learn more about The Street Fair at College of the Desert, visit codaastreetfair.com or call 760636-7957.

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December 23 to December 29, 2021

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BY DEE JAE COX

O

nce upon a time, back in 2011, three writers met at the Body Builders Gym in the Silver Lake area of Los Angeles. It was a very fortunate meeting because the daughters of Greek Gods Zeus and Mnemosyne, known as the Muses, who preside over the arts and sciences, also happened to be visiting this Silver Lake location. Zeus, threw a thunder bolt and great inspiration was granted by the Muses. These writers came together, called upon other writers, performers, musicians and artists and created, “STRONG WORDS, Voices of the City.” Strong Words, is self-described as a community of artists and aficionados who congregate for the world’s second oldest form of entertainment: the story.

Novelist Margaret Atwood once said; “You’re never going to kill storytelling because it’s built into the human plan. We come with it.” And no group epitomizes this revelation better than Strong Words, crafting monologues that tell stories about families and traditions, singing original songs, giving insight to the human condition through laughter and poignancy. This group of talented artists will remind you of the Bards of old, the poets, singers and storytellers who traveled from town to town reciting epic tales in an oral tradition.

Strong Words, produces a monthly show at its outdoor courtyard venue located at 3621 Brunswick Ave. in the Atwater Village, area of Los Angeles, but on December 19th, Coachella Valley Repertory presented a magical holiday themed performance of this LA based troupe, Stories for Grownups! An afternoon of performance art and storytelling.

Stories included a nativity pageant where

I

t’s near impossible to think of a classical stage production that has stood the test of time better than, “The Sound of Music.”

And you’d be hard pressed to find a theatre who reproduces Broadway classics better than the Palm Canyon Theatre. If you’re in need of a holiday hug wrapped in timeless music with top tier performances, the Sound of Music, now in production at the Palm Canyon Theatre is the show to see.

Based on the 1949 memoir of Maria Von Trapp, The Sound of Music was written in 1959 with music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein and book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. Maria’s book, “The Story of the Trapp Family Singers,” was a best seller. But it was the five-time Tony Award winning musical, (and the later Oscar winning film,) that made the Von Trapp family’s story an international hit.

The Sound of Music, is set in Austria, on

costumes became the highlight of the show, the story of a non-traditional Jewish hippy family that is “one toke over the line,” and a day in the life of a Macy's store Santa. Who knew being the holly-jolly St. Nick could be so much work? Original songs that put ‘dreidels’ in a whole new light and memories of poignant family gatherings, are a few of the stories told in this delightful holiday show.

Founder/Artistic Director, Larry Dean Harris, is a playwright and storyteller and is a member of the National Council for the Dramatists Guild of America. Along with author and performer, Sandra Tsing

Photos By Michele Weiss

12

Loh, actor, singer Kevin Chamberlin, actor, musician, writer Molly Kirschenbaum, actress, comedian, writer and spokenword artist, Vicki Juditz, Emmy-nominated comedian, director, actress and author, Johanna Stein, and actor, visual artist Roy Cruz, this group of multi-talented performers brought Zeus’ daughters to the desert on a beautiful Sunday afternoon and made magic right before our eyes.

Palm Springs, residents, Financial Advisor Sean Heslin and his husband Stephen Heslin, Founder of Heslin Cinematic, sponsored this one-time CV Rep event.

BY DEE JAE COX the eve of the Anschluss, (the annexation of Austria into Nazi Germany in 1938.) It tells the story of Maria, (SE Layne,) who is on her way to becoming a nun when she takes a job as the governess for a large family. She ends up falling in love with the widowed Captain Von Trapp (Keith Alexander,) and his seven children, Liesl (Grace Cary,) Fredrich (AJ Fernandez,) Gretle, (Dayanara Huerta,) Marta, (Reagan Kaminsky) Kurt, (Ryan Rodriquez,) Louisa, (Audrey Steepleton,) and Brigitta (Alice Steepleton, -who did a wonderful job of pushing on with an injured arm).

Captain Von Trapp, is ordered to accept a commission in the German Navy, but due to his serious opposition to the Nazis, he and Maria, decide to flee Austria with the children. In real life the family left Austria by train and eventually ended up in America, continuing their musical careers as the Von Trapp Family Singers, but

BREAKING THE4TH WALL

For more information on STRONG WORDS Voices of the City - visit their website: strongwordslive.com Coachella Valley Repertory, 68510 E. Palm Canyon Drive, Cathedral City.

For Information on upcoming shows: call 760-296-2966, or visit www.cvrep.org Dee Jae Cox, is a playwright, director and producer. She is the Cofounder and Artistic Director of The Los Angeles Women’s Theatre Project. losangeleswomenstheatreproject.org And Co-Creator of the Palm Springs Theatre Go-To-Guide, palmspringstheatre. com.

BREAKING THE4TH WALL

the play’s portrayal of the family escaping in the dead of night and hiking over the mountains into Switzerland makes for a much more satisfying and dramatic conclusion.

Though set in a very serious period of time, the inspirational music and uplifting storyline will have you wanting to “Climb every mountain.” SE Layne, directs and leads in this classic musical and without doubt demonstrates why she is a force to be reckoned with when it comes to quality theatre. Her vocal and acting range is astounding and just when you think you’ve seen her do it all, she will surprise and delight you.

Jaci Davis, as Mother Abbess, is a stand out in this show and blew me out of the water with her voice. Davis’ singing will capture your attention and remind you why no stage in America is more fortunate than the one she’s on. Denise Cary, as the Baroness Elsa Schräder, Captain Von Trapp’s fiance and Sheldon Safir

as Max Detweiler, the family friend and music producer, are both crown jewels in this large cast of talented performers.

Standing Ovation for J.W. Layne’s Scenic and Lighting design. The set was one gorgeous painting. Combining hard walls with projected images allowed for such a beautiful ease of travel between scenes. Derek Shopinski’s costumes are always a supporting character in any Palm Canyon Theatre production and hats off to David Brooks’ spotlighting skills.

The live orchestra, Scott Smith (piano/ musical director,) David Bronson, (drums,) Larry Holloway, (Bass,) and Lee Wolf, (Violen,) put their talents to full time use in this show with twenty plus musical numbers, as they seamlessly transition from one beautiful melody to the next.

The show is top quality and there is something about this beautiful musical filled with love and hope that makes it the perfect holiday gift to yourself and your family. Take the time to go, sit back and treat yourself to Palm Canyon Theatre’s outstanding production of, “The Sound of Music.”

The Sound of Music is showing at the Palm Canyon Theatre through December 19th. Don’t miss it! For ticket information please visit www. palmcanyonthatre.org.

Dee Jae Cox, is a playwright, director and producer. She is the Cofounder and Artistic Director of The Los Angeles Women’s Theatre Project. losangeleswomenstheatreproject.org And Co-Creator of the Palm Springs Theatre Go-To Guide, palmspringstheatre.com.

SCREENERS

THE HILLS HAVE EYES 4K/UHD Limited Edition (1977) “The lucky ones died first...”

Horror master Wes Craven achieved critical and commercial success with the likes of Scream and Nightmare on Elm Street but for many movie fans, the director’s seminal 1977 effort remains his masterpiece. Taking an ill-advised detour en route to California, the Carter family soon run into trouble when their camper-van breaks down in the middle of the desert.

Stranded, the family find themselves at the mercy of monstrous cannibals lurking in the surrounding hills.

With their live under threat, the Carters

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No. 505

December 23 to December 29, 2021

NEW OLD HORROR

BY ROBIN E. SIMMONS

have no choice but to fight back by any means necessary.

Following on from his notorious 1972 directorial debut (The Last House on the Left). Craven’s The Hills Have Eyes stands alongside the likes of Texas Chain Saw Massacre and Night of the Living Dead as one of the defining classics of American horror cinema. This special edition includes huge treasure trove of watchable extras. .Arrow Video.

ALSO NEWLY AVAILABLE VENOM: Lest There Be Carnage Tom Hardy returns as the lethal protector Venom, on of MARVEL’s greatest and most complex characters.

In search of his next big story, journalist Eddie Brock lands an exclusive interview with

convicted murderer and death row inmate Cletus Kasady (Woody Harrelson), who discovers Eddie’s secret and becomes the host for Carnage, a menacing and terrifying symbiote. Now, Eddie and Venom must get past their contentious relations to defeat him. Directed by Andy Serkis with a story by Tom Hardy & Kelly Marcel and screenplay by Marcel, this new edition also stars Michelle Williams and Naomi Harris as Shriek. Blu-ray.

Sony.

What are you watching? Drop me a line. I like hearing from readers. robin@coachellavalleyweekly.com

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December 23 to December 29, 2021

PET PLACE

A

s freezing temperatures grip our nation this winter, countless dogs and cats suffer and perish when kept outdoors in the extreme weather. While snow is a rare occurrence in the Coachella Valley, 2021 winter nights dropped below freezing in some regions. The East Valley and high desert regions had frost advisories last week.

Patrick Evans, local animal lover and meteorologist with KESQ news Channel 3, reports, “White it’s not the coldest winter we’ve ever had, it’s been consistently colder than our average winter. We’ve seen periods of overnight lows in the 30’s. Just like us, our pets aren’t used to these colder conditions. It’s hard on their system as it is on ours.” Please bring your pets indoors for shelter when extreme weather hits. Young and senior animals are particularly vulnerable to hypothermia. There are many other compelling reasons to include your pets as inside family members.

Most Coachella Valley residents are wonderful pet owners, and their pets are kept safely indoors. However, I recently spoke with a young woman who keeps her dogs outside 24 hours a day. She believed they are “unclean”. Why do people have such beliefs? What information do they need to change those beliefs? An indoor dog near it’s humans improves the human immune system, emotional well-being, physical health, and makes you happy!

Some people were raised by parents whose admonition, "Dogs belong outside!" still rings in their subconscious. Some people grew up

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KEEP BENJI INDOORS!

on farms or in countries where dogs are often kept as outdoor-only animals. However, we live in a geographical area of extreme weather where keeping an animal outdoors 24 hours a day can jeopardize his health and even cost him his life.

Dogs are social pack animals, and want nothing more than to be by your side. They are highly social creatures, born to be part of a pack or a human family. Most outdooronly dogs suffer physically and psychologically when deprived of social contact.

It is a sad sight to see a neighbor's dog tied to a post day after day, forlorn and bereft of human companionship. Some of these animals become a neighborhood nuisance with their barking. Under California penal code section 597, it is pub illegal to tether or chain a dog to a doghouse, post or other structure for longer than 3 hours in a 24 hour time period.

If you decide to approach offending friends and neighbors, do so in a nonjudgmental way, trying to educate them about the hazards of keeping their dog outdoors. Ask them, “Why do you leave your dog outside all the time?”

Rising temperaments in the summer can cause a multitude of medical problems including death from heat stroke. Older dogs and puppies are particularly vulnerable to heat stroke. Think about a dog having to drink hot water out of his bowl in the sizzling summer weather, and worse yet having the water dry up. Think about your dog trying to drink a bowl of water when it’s covered in frozen ice.

Ironically, keeping an outdoor dog for

home security doesn't do much good when the burglars break into the dwelling where the valuables are kept. Outdoor dogs are indiscriminate barkers, and no one can tell if they are barking at a prowler or a child riding a bicycle down the street. An inside dog is a true deterrent to thieves. Outdoor dogs can be stolen by thieves with a variety of sinister motives. During these challenging economic times, dogs are increasingly being stolen out of yards when the thief knows they are outdoors and unsupervised. Others escape only to be hit by cars or picked up by animal control.

Small animals are subject to prey when outdoors unsupervised. Small dogs and cats may be seized by coyotes and birds of prey such as hawks and owls. Last month, a friend’s large size dog was killed by a coyote.

Bored and lonely, outdoor-only dogs develop bad habits. They dig holes in the yard.

They chew on various objects out of boredom, including patio furniture, and the result can be expensive vet bills and even death. Lonely dogs bark day and night, disturbing the neighborhood. Lacking socialization, they may fail to bond with their humans.

If you are transitioning a pet from outdooronly to inside and need help with potty training or other issues, please email me. I will help with house training assistance if you decide to bring your dog indoors. You can keep a dog in a tiled bathroom or kitchen with a baby gate blocking the door while house training.

Here is the best reason for keeping your dog

MEET BINX

MEET NOX

It’s raining cats and kittens at the Coachella Valley Animal Shelter! Come meet 8-moold Tuxedo boy Binx and his buddies between 10am to 4pm, 72-050 Pet Land Place, Thousand Palms, www.rcdas. org, (760) 343-3644. Binx has 46 feline friends there!

This handsome Shepherd mix boy is decked out for the holidays hoping you will bring him home!

He’s only 1 yr 8 mo old, 75 lbs of doggie love! Dog ID #A1594902. waiting at the Coachella Valley Animal Campus, 72-050 Pet Land Place, Thousand Palms, 760-3433644, www.rcdas.org. Don’t be alone during the holidays!

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BY JANET McAFEE (or cat) in the house with you. He will become your loving companion, amaze you with his unique personality, comfort you when you are sick, and communicate without speaking in ways you could never imagine.

Janetmcafee8@lovingallanimals.org -------------------------------------------------Here is a partial list of Inland Empire shelters and rescue groups where you can adopt a wonderful dog or cat.

COACHELLA VALLEY ANIMAL CAMPUS – This county shelter is now open for walk in visitors 10am-4pm Mon through Sat. You can view the animals at all four Riverside county shelters at www.rcdas.org, and get the ID number, 72050 Pet Land Place, Thousand Palms, (760) 343-3644. (Public) PALM SPRINGS ANIMAL SHELTER – This shelter is open every day except Tuesday. View their animals online at www.psanimalsshelter. org, 4575 E. Mesquite Ave, Palm Springs, (760) 416-5718. (Public) DESERT HOT SPRINGS ANIMAL CARE & CONTROL - Open daily 9:30-4:30. View their animals at www.cityofdhs.org/animal-carecontrol.com, 65810 Hacienda Ave, Desert Hot Springs, (760) 329-6411 ext. 450.

ANIMAL SAMARITANS – Call for an appointment to adopt. View their animals at www.animalsamaritans.org. Email acorrow@

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animalsamaritans.org to foster. Located at 72307 Ramon Rd, Thousand Palms, (760) 6013918. (Private) CALIFORNIA PAWS RESCUE - Call for an appointment to adopt. Located at 73650 Dinah Shore, Palm Desert. View their animals at www.californiapawsrescue.com, (760) 6568833. (Private) HUMANE SOCIETY OF THE COACHELLA VALLEY – Call for an appointment to adopt a dog or cat. This shelter has lots of big dogs and some cats. View some of 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 visit and adopt a cat.

Located at 67600 18th Avenue, Desert Hot Springs, www.kittylandrescue.org, (760) 2512700. (Private) FOREVER MEOW – Foster based rescue for cats located in Rancho Mirage. Contact them at www.ForeverMeow.org, (760) 335-6767.

(Private) PRETTY GOOD CAT – Foster based rescue for cats located in La Quinta. Contact them at www.prettygoodcat.com, (760) 660-3414 (Private) BFF4pets – Foster based rescue for dogs

December 23 to December 29, 2021

and cats located in La Quinta. Email them at rescues@bff4pets.com, (310) 431-7818 (Private) LOVING ALL ANIMALS – Call for appointment to visit and adopt dogs. Located at 83496 Avenue 51, Coachella, www. lovingallanimals.org, (760) 834-7000. (Private) ANIMAL RESCUE CENTER OF CALIFORNIA (ARC), Foster based rescue for dogs and cats in Indio. www.thearc-ca.org, (760) 877-7077 (Private) LIVING FREE ANIMAL SANCTUARY – Large outdoor shelter for dogs and cats up Hwy 74, Mountain Center, view animals at living-free. org, and call (951) 659-4687. (Private) MORONGO BASIN HUMANE SOCIETY – Located at 4646 Sun View Rd, Joshua Tree, www.mbhumanesociety.com, call between 11am-2pm (760) 366-3786 (Private) CITY OF SAN BERNARDINO ANIMAL SHELTER – The shelter is now open for Walk in visitors 12 – 3pm Tuesday through Saturday.

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) 384-1304 or (909) 384-7272. (Public) SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY ANIMAL SHELTER AT DEVORE – Shelter is now open for walk ins 7 days a week. Call (909) 3869280. View animals at www.sbcounty.gov/ acc and get the ID number of animal you are interested in adopting, 19777 Shelter Way, San Bernardino (Public).

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

15

December 23 to December 29, 2021

THE VINO VOICE

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BY RICK RIOZZA

THAT CHRISTMAS SWING!

So this is Christmas! We hope you have fun! n this column, almost seven years ago, we wrote an article titled in part, “That Sinatra Swing is Underway...” And we continued with, “Start spreading the news— the yearly cluster of celebrity sightings are going on at the Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, the venue to the 27th Annual Frank Sinatra Starkey Foundation Celebrity Invitational Golf Tournament, co-hosted by Barbara Sinatra and Robert Wagner . . .”

Attending those annual charity/celebrity events was a major highlight to the Palm Springs scene and kept resonating Frank Sinatra’s hold on the thoughts and minds of fans and artists alike. Since it was one of the best food & wine parties in the desert, we media folk had the best times sampling Fantasy Springs’ Chef Freddy’s cuisine.

And was it not a kick-in-the-head, rubbing shoulders with New York and Hollywood royalty, and of course, the friends and families of the famed “Rat Pack”.

To further remind our desert readers, we also wrote, “Known affectionately as “Frank’s little party in the desert”, Barbara and Frank Sinatra founded this celebrity invitational in 1988 to raise funds for the Barbara Sinatra Children’s Center for Abused Children at Eisenhower Hospital in Rancho Mirage, California. More than 18,000 children have been helped since the Center opened its doors in 1986. This celebrity invitational has become one of the most successful fundraising events of its kind.”

Barbara Sinatra passed in 2017 and although the annual golf celebrity/charity event still continues in our desert, “partying with the Sinatras” has definitely waned somewhat. But just in time for your Christmas jam, we desert dwellers have learned of a new Frank Sinatra gathering at the JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort.

It was great to hear from my friend Emma Haber, owner & founder of the EH PR Group a full-service public relations firm with a focus on lifestyle, hospitality and the arts. And here is the news she’s spreading: “JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort is unveiling their “Sinatra Smash” Happy Hour in honor of hosting Frank Sinatra’s last live performance at the property! The hotel now pays tribute to Frank Sinatra daily by raising a flag in true Sinatra-style to signal the new Sinatra Smash Happy Hour, which takes place every day at 4:05pm in the lobby bar, Aquifer65.” Don’t be late!

“As you know, the Coachella Valley has been home to some of the most notable names in entertainment, including Ol’ Blues Eyes himself who gave his very last live performance in the property’s Grand Ballroom in 1995, which recently underwent a renovation and was renamed the “Sinatra Ballroom” in his honor.

“Legend has it that when Mr. Sinatra was home just a few short miles away in Rancho Mirage, every afternoon, he would raise a flag atop a tall flagpole, signifying to his friends & neighbors that it was time to go to Frank’s house for Cocktail Hour. The hotel pays homage to this tradition.

I

16

“bESt SUNDAY bRUNCH”

great food! great drinks! great fun!

the deSert Sun

award-winning

big beautiful

“The daily ritual features two Frank Sinatra songs “Come Fly with Me” and “The Best is Yet to Come,” which was the last tune he ever sang live in a performance that took place in the hotel’s very own ballroom. The hotel invites travelers and locals alike to enjoy a sampling of the “Sinatra Smash” cocktail and cozy up to a large poster of Sinatra!

The Sinatra Smash is garnished with 2 blackberries and a sprig of mint. Ingredients are: 1.5 oz. Jack Daniels Old No. 7, 1.5 oz. sweet and sour, 3/4 oz. Creme de Cassis, 1/4 oz. vanilla infused simple syrup & 5 blackberries. The drink also debuts on the Aquifer65 cocktail menu for $17.”

Thanks Emma—let’s catch up soon. See ya at Aquifer65.

Through the few years that I’ve been out here in the desert, I’ve spoken to some of the bartenders who indeed served the Chairman of the Board his favorite “gasoline”, as Sinatra would refer to it. And it was certainly—Jack Daniels Old No. 7. And on occasions, I was told he also enjoyed the smoother Gentlemen Jack. Cheers!

Aquifer65 at the JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa 74-855 Country Club Drive, Palm Desert, CA 92260 Thank you readers for hanging in there and considering our comments, wine picks and recommendations during the past year.

Cheers to all!—a very merry Christmas, and a happy new year; let's hope it's a good one without any fear.

Rick is your somm-about-town enjoying his Christmas quaffs as we speak. Contact him at the very olde email address: winespectrum@ aol.com.

plenty of Cool and

Comfortable

Indoor & Covered outdoor SeatIng

is our

HOURS MONDAYFRIDAY:

11 am - closing

SATURDAY & SUNDAY:

9 am - closing

WEEKEND BRUNCH:

9 am - 2 pm

D O W N T O W N PA L M S P R I N G S 760 327-LULU (5858) L U L U PA L M S P R I N G S . C O M

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December 23 to December 29, 2021

17

December 23 to December 29, 2021

SAFETY TIPS

N

ew Year’s Eve is a night to have fun and celebrate the coming year says Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna.

However, safety is a must when participating in the festivities. Whether you’re staying in and celebrating with friends and family, or you’re traveling to a party or city bash, following a few safety tips will ensure that you’re safe and sound when the clock strikes midnight, ringing in the New Year!

With various Covid and Flu strains, you

CYBER CORNER

W

e all know by now that if you’re sick, you should stay home. That is more important now than ever.

With the recent COVID-19 variant, “Omicron” outbreak, you may be asking about how to enable your employees to work from home, and more importantly, keep your remote workforce secure. This global pandemic isn’t the only time a remote workforce might be needed. Natural disasters, office building issues, or other unforeseen events that make it impossible to get to a physical location can all be accommodated with a secure remote workforce.

As more small businesses embrace a remote workforce and have a preference for

18

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RESPONSIBLE AND ACCOUNTABLE THIS NEW YEAR’S EVE!

may want to consider hunkering down for a quiet evening. But many will be heading out, so let’s talk safety: • Designate a Driver: If you are going to be driving New Year’s Eve, don’t drink and drive.

If you have a friend who does not prefer to drink, make sure they take the wheel. You might even be on the water this New Year’s Eve. The person in charge of navigating the boat needs to be cautious, and this still applies to them! It is important to be safe on

sick employees to work from home if needed, it’s a good time to develop a comprehensive set of guidelines, expectations, and processes to support your remote workforce and how to keep them secure.

There are many steps a company must take to create a solid policy on how to secure remote workers. It’s not just the word template that needs to be reviewed by their attorney to align with the industry and state laws, but that’s a great place to start. Ideally, a few more steps will be taken to make sure the implementation and support of a secure remote workforce are done as effectively as possible.

the water as well, so drink sensibly.

• Be Alert: Be aware of your surroundings and how others are acting. Stay away from those who are out of control and might cause harm. Taking preventive measures is the key.

If someone is really intoxicated, prevent them from trying to drive or leaving with someone they do not know. It’s important to keep an eye out for each other.

• Don’t Drive: If you don’t have to go behind the wheel, avoid it. More people will be driving under the influence on this particular night, so avoid a potentially dangerous accident by staying off the road.

Otherwise, be alert and drive defensively.

Most importantly, wear your seatbelt! Also, using public transportation is a wise option.

If taking a cab is too expensive, crashing at a friend’s place nearby is a convenient solution.

• Stick Together: This way we can look out for our friends and family. Going out to parties and nightclubs means a fast-paced, crazy night; so be sure to travel in groups. Having a safety net around you in this environment is imperative.

• Monitor your Alcohol Intake: A majority of people will be drinking on New Year’s Eve, and there is nothing wrong with that. Just be

1. Customize the Policy to Fit All of the Client Needs The policy you create should be customized to not only legally protect the employer and employee rights, but it needs to reflect the capabilities of the corporate infrastructure.

Take VPNs and firewalls, for example: If a good firewall is in place with adequate VPN licenses, has it been configured correctly?

Do the users already know how to install the VPN and connect, or do step-by-step instructions need to be provided?

Do additional VPN licenses need to be procured and provisioned to accommodate the larger than normal remote workforce?

2. Make the Policy Easy to Understand The policy you put in place for remote workers needs to be understandable and taught correctly to the entire workforce. Clear and concise instructions will help the new process go smoothly. To ensure everyone understands what they need to do and what is expected of them, we suggest a webinar or in-person training to explain why the policy is in place.

It’s common sense that people won’t take actions that slow down their tasks if they don’t have an emotional buy-in to the importance of following the policy. You need to change their behavior. Explain why the policy is in place, what is at stake for the company if the policy isn’t followed, and importantly, how they will benefit from following the policy.

When this particular policy is taught, we recommend it includes information on tips to protect their home network. This makes them consider how they are protecting themselves and their family from cyber threats, and will, in turn, lead to a better, more secure environment for the company. It’s a win-win.

3. Have Employees Sign the Policy for Acceptance and Compliance After you have created the policy,

BY FIRE CHIEF SAM DIGIOVANNA sure to pay attention to how much you and others are consuming. Drinking too much alcohol can have lethal affects. Be responsible.

• Don’t forget about your pets! They are just as much a part of the family as everyone else. If you are using fireworks, anything with loud noises, or fire, be sure that pets are kept at a distance as well as children. None of these are a good mix.

• Be careful with open flames: If you’re burning candles, incense or oil burners, remember to extinguish them before you turn in or before you leave the room they are burning in. Pay extra attention to pets and children around open flames. If you attend an event, concert, hotel – identify all exits in the event of an emergency.

• Plain and simple, No Fireworks!

Everyone wants to have an unforgettable night (in a good way!). By simply using some common sense, we can keep it that way.

Happy New Year!

BY DENNIS SHELLY presented it to the employees, and have buyin from the staff, pass the final policy off to employees to sign and acknowledge they understand what’s in the policy. This lets you know the employees have read the policy, they accept what is in it, and shows you’re complying with any standards or regulations.

We hope these tips will help you be proactive in education and security for your remote workforce.

Have a suggestion for our next article or need help with remote workforce technologies? Our Eggsperts are eggselent in remote access and network security and are standing by to help. Please contact us by calling (760) 205-0105 or emailing us at tech@eggheadit.com and our Eggsperts are happy to help you with your questions or suggestions.

Remember, We all stand together, by staying apart.

IT | Networks | Security | Phones | A/V | Integration

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HADDON LIBBY

THE COVID GRINCH

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he COVID Grinch continues to wreak havoc, illness and shortages throughout society.

You may not have noticed but there was a Santa shortage this season. Demand for golly ‘ol fellows was up yet wages were inadequate to recruit a bunch of white bearded men to allow typically unvaccinated children to sit on their laps.

COVIDs rise also caused a shortage in COVID tests and showed the inadequacy of tests and test sites. As COVID faded over the summer, we became complacent and did not prepare for rise in cases as the climate cooled. As Vice President Kamala Harris stated in an interview last week, the Biden Administration was focused on vaccination and did not properly prepare for the rise of a new variant or increase in cases amongst the unvaccinated. This rare moment of candor is reflective of the short-sightedness of governmental authorities.

Live Christmas trees were harder to find while artificial trees were in short supply. Live tree shortages were due to climate change which led to a scorched Northwest over the summer. There was also a shortage of truckers needed to distribute the trees. For those interested in removing the fire hazard of a dead tree through the purchase of an artificial tree, supplies were limited. Some of this shortage was caused by the high cost of shipping containers which served to constrict supply as China is the primary maker of artificial trees.

Old men, trees and tests were not the only things in short supply as cream cheese supplies were also challenged. Some of this

BY HADDON LIBBY

shortage was due to higher demand from consumers as more people stay at home.

Another part was due to bottlenecks in the supply chains caused by a trucker shortage.

The part many forget was a cyberattack on Schreiber Foods that shut down their operations in late October. Schreiber is one of the largest producers of daily products like cream cheese in the United States. Schreiber is responsible for 75% of the cheeses you get atop burgers and sandwiches in the United States. The NSA and CIA believe that a Russianaffiliated group shut down the operation for a ransom. It is unknown if Schreiber paid.

Holiday essentials were not the only things in short supply.

Chicken prices were up as the supply of chickens was down.

Twenty-five million pounds of fish sticks

DALEGRIBOW ON THELAW

were left in cold storage north of the border in Canada due to custom issues between the U.S. and Canada.

Another cold storage staple was in short supply – Ben ‘N Jerry’s Ice Cream. The key issue here was a labor shortage. Without enough workers, the flavors available were curtailed to help keep production levels higher.

Coffee is also beginning to experience long-term supply constraints due to weaker harvests. Climate change is believed to be playing a significant part in lower plant yields.

While these food shortages in the United States pinch us in the pocketbook, our challenges are nothing when compared with many around the world.

Nearly 1 billion people are undernourished with most having no safe or reliable sources

of drinking water. These 1 billion people live on less than $1.25 per day.

Every ten seconds, a child somewhere in the world dies of hunger.

I share these things to help us remember that we are all blessed to live in the United States of America. As messed up as our country is, it remains one of the best places to live in the world.

Your challenge and mine is to serve not only those we love and care about but to make some effort to make the world around us a better place to live. Think about what you can do to improve the community that you are part of. What can you do that is selfless, not selfish?

As we enjoy the holidays with friends and loved ones, we should remember the plight of our neighbors both here and abroad.

Haddon Libby is the Founder and Chief Investment Officer of Winslow Drake Investment Management, a fiduciary investment advisory firm. For more information, please visit WinslowDrake.com.

LEGAL REPRESENTATION OF THE INJURED & CRIMINALLY ACCUSED

COVID HOLIDAY CHECKPOINTS?

IF YOU DON’T BELIEVE THEY WILL BE OUT, THEN LEAVE THE LIGHTS ON FOR JIMMY HOFFA…and if you don’t know who Jimmy Hoffa was, look him up in the dictionary…

UNDER CEMENT! You can bet your “bippy” there will be Checkpoints between Christmas and New Year’s Eve, and throughout 2022! Many are bored with the Covid Hibernation restrictions, and thus drink to feel better.

Then after drinking, the alcohol contributes to the use of bad judgement. The impaired person gets in the car to go to McDonalds or for a pizza… and you know the rest of the story.

Of course, DUI sobriety checkpoints are legal in 2021, and they are not a 4th Amendment illegal search and seizure violation… if the DUI Checkpoint complies with all the regulatory rules. Turning onto a side street or turning around before passing through a checkpoint is generally not against the law.

Your turning around should not, in and of itself, give the police a reasonable suspicion to make a DUI stop. However, the officer may be able to stop you if he observes any driving that would be sufficient for reasonable suspicion. Thus, slow or erratic driving, straddling the line or making

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an illegal turn could attract the officer’s attention, and he then could stop your car.

Of course s/he could also make up Probable Cause.

To deter holiday drinking, Checkpoints are implemented to meet the increased number of people who will be drinking and driving. A word of advice, Use a Taxi, Uber or Lyft. They are a lot cheaper than getting arrested or being in an accident and having to call me the next morning.

The most important thing to know is that if you are stopped you be as polite as possible. The single most important thing to remember is what is listed in my admonition below about giving the card to the officer.

If you show you are happy to comply with anything the officer wants, but you first want to get authority from your lawyer, then you will look like the good guy and the lawyer is the bad person.

Of course, the police are not going to call me or any other lawyer. However it will not look like you are avoiding the police, but rather that you are following your lawyer’s orders.

In the Coachella Valley, few realize we have more DUI FATALITIES…per capita, than anywhere else in California. That makes DUI Checkpoints and Saturation Patrols essential to save lives of the drivers …and ours. A saturation patrol is a large number of law enforcement officers making their presence known by conducting stops, targeting inebriated, distracted, aggressive and speeding drivers, as well as those with seatbelt or cell phone violations….the whole nine yards of traffic violations.

Remember: Silence is Golden and Handcuffs are Silver so DON’T TALK to POLICE without your lawyer’s permission.

DON’T TALK WITH ANYONE ABOUT AN ACCIDENT OR CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION WITHOUT YOUR ATTORNEY’S PERMISSION.

IT IS OFTEN NOT WHAT YOU SAY BUT WHAT THEY THOUGHT YOU SAID. Though often referred to as a DUI criminal defense lawyer, I choose to not view my DUI clients as "criminals". I prefer to view them, and more importantly to treat them, as good, honest people that have found themselves in a scary and unfortunate situation after screwing up.

I look upon my job as protecting the Constitutional Rights of every American who drinks, drives and gets arrested for a DUI or has an ACCIDENT. I do however “Change Hats” when I SUE Drunk Drivers for damages to my Injured or Deceased (Wrongful Death) clients.

SUGGESTIONS FOR FUTURE ARTICLE? CONTACT DALE GRIBOW 760 837 7500/ dale@dalegribowlaw.com DALE GRIBOW REPRESENTING THE INJURED AND CRIMINALLY ACCUSED “TOP LAWYER” - California’s Prestige Magazine, Palm Springs Life (PI/DUI) every year.

“TOP LAWYER” - Inland Empire Magazine “PERFECT 10.0”- AVVO Peer Rating “PREEMINENT”- Martindale Hubbell

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December 23 to December 29, 2021

SWAG FOR THESOUL

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BY AIMEE MOSCO

T

here is no doubt we learn profound lessons from our mistakes and experiences that cause us heartache.

Sometimes our souls even have us repeat the lessons over and over to ensure we integrate the highest level of growth. The trauma that leads us to this growth can leave scars and these scars often revive memories of the pain we experienced all over again. The healing of these deep wounds and the marks they leave can feel like an impossible task!

It is easy to forget that we actually have a say in how the journey goes. We keep our old stories alive with outdated thought patterns and we have the power to change these thought patterns when we choose to do so.

Our thought patterns are sandwiched in between our beliefs and emotions. Thought patterns are fueled with beliefs on one side and emotions on the other. When you purposely and intentionally adjust your thoughts, your beliefs and your emotions are automatically influenced. If you connect with purposeful thoughts with repetition, you train your emotions and your beliefs to support them.

One way to affect this shift is to revisit your painful experiences one at a time.

Think about what you learned from each experience and how it is you grew from it.

Focus your attention on your growth and express gratitude for it. Understand that you may not have had the awareness at the time to integrate that lesson had you not experienced the pain. Understand too, that the point of it from your soul’s perspective was the growth. Even others who played a role in your experience may have agreed on the soul level to participate for the purpose of helping you to grow.

When you revisit your experiences from this mindset, you are looking for opportunities to feed your soul. As you identify these opportunities, this influences your emotions and your beliefs, creating a domino effect in your entire energy field. While you may not have changed the physical circumstances of

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the past event, you have changed your healing trajectory. Expanding your consciousness by intentionally tasking your mind in this way puts you on a fast track to healing your scars.

To further accelerate your healing timeline, incorporate forgiveness. Forgive yourself and forgive others as well. Afterall, if you grew, you met your spiritual objective and harboring ill-will serves no legitimate purpose.

If you choose to exercise a different mindset when you revisit your old stories, here are some affirmations you can state with repetition to keep yourself aligned with accelerated healing: “I am grateful for what I have learned.”

“I forgive myself and others.”

In my pursuit to help human beings connect with their highest level of conscious awareness, I invite you to join Facebook group Evolve through Love hosted by Elizabeth Scarcella and me. Go to facebook.com/ groups/evolvethroughlove and share with us.

Aimee Mosco is an Author, Intuitive Channel, Spiritual Teacher and Co-Founder of Intentional Healing Systems, LLC. Aimee’s desire to help others inspired her first book “Gratitude + Forgiveness x (LOVE) = Happiness”. Aimee serves as Vice Chair to the World Game Changers Board of Directors, a charitable CIC based in the UK. Find Aimee at www.ihsunity.com.

FREEWILL ASTROLOGY

WEEK OF DECEMBER 23

ARIES (March 21-April 19): You may become a more audacious storyteller in 2022. You could ripen your ability to express the core truths about your life with entertaining narratives. Bonus: The experiences that come your way will provide raw material for you to become even more interesting than you already are. Now study these words by storyteller Ruth Sawyer: “To be a good storyteller, one must be gloriously alive. It is not possible to kindle fresh fires from burned-out embers. The best of the traditional storytellers are those who live close to the heart of things—to the earth, sea, wind, and weather. They have known solitude, silence. They have been given unbroken time in which to feel deeply, to reach constantly for understanding.”

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Taurus author May Sarton wrote a poem celebrating her maturation into the person she had always dreamed she would be. “Now I become myself,” she exulted. “It’s taken time, many years and places; I have been dissolved and shaken, have worn other people’s faces.” But at last, she said, “All fuses together now, falls into place from wish to action, word to silence. My work, my love, my time, my face: gathered into one intense gesture of growing like a plant.” I invite you to adopt Sarton’s poem as a primary source of inspiration in 2022. Make it your guide as you, too, become fully and richly yourself.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): In 2012, the writer Gore Vidal died the day after Gemini writer Maeve Binchy passed away. They were both famous, though Bincy sold more books than Vidal.

Vidal was interesting but problematic for me. He was fond of saying that it wasn’t enough for him to succeed; he wanted others to fail. The misery of his fellow humans intensified his satisfaction about his own accomplishments. On the other hand, Binchy had a generous wish that everyone would be a success. She felt her magnificence was magnified by others’ magnificence. In 2022, it will be vital for your physical and mental health to cultivate Binchy’s perspective, not Vidal’s. To the degree that you celebrate and enhance the fortunes of others, your own fortunes will thrive.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Cancerian political leader Nelson Mandela was wrongly incarcerated for 27 years. After his release, he became President of South Africa and won the Nobel Peace Prize. About leaving jail in 1990, he wrote, “As I walked out the door toward the gate that would lead to my freedom, I knew if I didn’t leave my bitterness and hatred behind, I’d still be in prison.” Although you haven’t suffered deprivation anywhere close to what Mandela did, I’m happy to report that 2022 will bring you liberations from limiting situations. Please adopt Mandela’s approach as you make creative use of your new freedom.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): French poet André Breton wrote, “Je vous souhaite d’être follement aimée.” In English, those words can be rendered as “My wish is that you may be loved to the point of madness” or “I wish you to be loved madly.”

That’s got a romantic ring to it, but it’s actually a curse. Why would we want to be loved to the point of madness? A person who “loved” you like that might be fun for a while, but would ultimately become a terrible inconvenience and ongoing disruption. So, dear Leo, I won’t wish that you will be loved to the point of madness in 2022—even though I think the coming months will be an interesting and educational time for amour. Instead, I will wish you something more manageable and enjoyable: that you will be loved with respect, sensitivity, care, and intelligence.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Many people in our culture are smart intellectually, but not very smart emotionally. The wisdom of feelings is undervalued. I protest! One of my great crusades is to champion this neglected source of insight.

I am counting on you to be my ally in 2022.

Why? Because according to my reading of the astrological omens, you have the potential to ripen your emotional intelligence in the coming months. Do you have ideas about how to take full advantage of this lucky opportunity? Here’s a tip:

© Copyright 2021 Rob Brezsny

Whenever you have a decision to make, tune in to what your body and heart tell you as well as to what your mind advises.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Holocaust survivor Viktor Frankl said that a sense of meaning is crucial. It’s the key gratification that sustains people through the years: the feeling that their life has a meaning and that particular experiences have meaning. I suggest you make this your theme for 2022. The question “Are you happy?” will be a subset of the more inclusive question, “Are you pursuing a destiny that feels meaningful to you?” Here’s the other big question: “If what you’re doing doesn’t feel meaningful, what are you going to do about it?”

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Scorpio guitarist Rowland S. Howard spoke of “the grand occasions when love really does turn into something far greater than you had ever dreamed of, something auto-luminescent.” Judging from the astrological configurations in 2022, I have strong hopes and expectations that you will experience prolonged periods when love will fit that description. For best results, resolve to become more generous and ingenious in expressing love than you have ever been.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): “I’ve been trying to go home my whole life,” writes poet Chelsea Dingman. I know some of you Sagittarians resist the urge to do that. It’s possible you avoid seeking a true and complete home. You may think of the whole world as your home, or you may regard a lot of different places as your homes. And you’d prefer not to narrow down the feeling and concept of “home” to one location or building or community. Whether or not you are one of those kinds of Centaurs, I suspect that 2022 will bring you unexpected new understandings of home— and maybe even give you the sense that you have finally arrived in your ultimate sanctuary.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): To ensure that 2022 will bring you the most interesting and useful kind of progress, take good care of your key friendships and alliances, even as you seek out excellent new friendships and alliances. For best results, heed these thoughts from author Hanya Yanagihara: “Find people who are better than you are—not smarter, not cooler, but kinder, and more generous, and more forgiving—and then appreciate them for what they can teach you, and listen to them when they tell you something about yourself, no matter how bad—or good—it might be.”

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Sometime during the Northern Song Dynasty that ruled China from 960 to 1127, an artisan made a white ceramic bowl five inches in diameter. About a thousand years later, a family in New York bought it at a garage sale for $3. It sat on a mantel in their home for a few years until they got a hunch to have it evaluated by an art collector. A short time later, the bowl was sold at an auction for $2.2 million.

I’m not saying that 2022 will bring a financial event as dramatic as that one. But I do expect that your luck with money will be at a peak.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): In the Quechuan language spoken in parts of Peru, the word takanakuy means “when the blood is boiling.”

Every year at this time, the community of Chumbivilcas stages a holiday called Takanakuy.

People gather at the town center to fight each other, settling their differences so they can forget about them and start over fresh. If my friend and I have had a personal conflict during the previous year, we would punch and kick each other—but not too hard—until we had purged our spite and resentment. The slate between us would be clean. Is there some humorous version of this ritual you could enact that wouldn’t involve even mild punching and kicking? I recommend you dream one up!

Homework: A year from today, what do you want to be congratulating yourself for?

Newsletter.FreeWillAstrology.com ---------------------------------------Rob Brezsny - Free Will Astrology freewillastrology@freewillastrology.com

SENDME ATRAINER

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

BY NADIA POPOVA

Move it or Don’t Lose it.

Activities! Don’t sit for too long at any party. Plan an after-lunch family activity.

Go for a walk! These small calorie-burning activities will help ward off some of the holiday weight gain. Plus, a Christmas morning flag football game can be tons of fun!

Keeping active during the festive season is a simple and important factor that can help keep you fit and strong. Work hard in training and enjoy your favorite carb-based festive treats as recovery foods after your workout.

We teach our clients 80/20 approach.

What is this?

This rule doesn’t just apply to festive

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oliday weight gain is real. I’m sure this comes as no surprise considering the increased amounts of fattening foods, high sugar treats, and holiday drinks. Don’t let the holiday ruin your waistline this season.

Stop Stressing Christmas is stressful. Between all the spending and family drama, a lot of people will turn to stress eating. Take steps to stop this from happening. Don’t let your schedule get too full, take a break, and focus on your breathing during times of high anxiety.

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periods…it’s all year round! Sticking to a wellplanned diet that meets your energy and nutrient requirements 80% of the time, allows you to enjoy a treat the remaining 20%. This is not only good for you mentally, but you’re also more likely to stick to a diet and healthy lifestyle if you reward yourself every now and then. Give it a go this Christmas, and if you’re like me and love a mince pie, reward yourself so long as you’ve trained hard and eaten well the majority of the time.

Merry Christmas to all our community of Coachella Valley!

When the family gets together, avoid touchy subjects and remember to tell yourself to relax.

Indulge Mindfully Let’s be real here, you’re going to indulge at some point during this season. It doesn’t have to ruin your waistline though. When you indulge, make sure it’s something you love. Don’t just go for the gingerbread man because it’s there and it’s a holiday tradition.

It’s easy to eat something just because it’s in front of you, so at your next holiday party, don’t socialize in front of the dessert table.

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CANNABIS CORNER

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hristmas cheer to all my readers throughout 2021. Let us celebrate by partaking in a Christmas Tree strain of cannabis. The growers it is believed, took this beautiful batch of Pine OG, a unique OG phenotype that smells and tastes exactly like a Christmas tree and named it Christmas OG. The buds are beautiful and come highly recommended by some of the best medical marijuana growers in Southern California.

Despite not knowing the strain’s parents, we can still learn a lot about where this strain came from and what to expect when medicating with it. For instance, the tight, condensed bud structure is reminiscent of popcorn. This is a tell-tale sign of any OG Kush phenotype. Most tend to be Indica-dominant, producing a heavy feeling, although each batch of OG will be different depending on the specific phenotype you have.

On a more serious note, Proposition 64 was passed into law to expand the growth and sale of cannabis in a way that drives out the illicit market, discourages use by minors, and abuse by adults. However, two dozen executives, and industry officials are claiming they can no longer compete with the widespread illegal economy when prices are far lower, and sales are double or triple the legal business.

These leaders sent a letter to Governor Newsom urging him to immediately lift the cultivation tax placed on growers, grant a three-year holiday from the excise tax, and an expansion of retail shops throughout much of the state. The letter has been

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MERRY CHRISTMAS WITH A CHRISTMAS TREE STRAIN

published as part of a Change.org petition urging immediate action. SIGN THE PETITION. Hundreds of California cannabis farmers are choosing to let crops rot in the fields rather than risk a money-losing harvest or letting it return to the illicit market. Now, the California legislators are wanting to impose another cultivation tax of 5%.

Compare cannabis taxes to wine grapes almonds or raisins. It is not possible, because no other agricultural product has a cultivation tax. Other agricultural industries are supported by federal crop subsidies to protect family farms from market fluctuations that could put their homes and livelihoods at risk. We are a long way from expunging the stigma of the marijuana stoner instead of a miraculous medicinal plant.

The good news is 2021 saw a tremendous positive change in the industry. Ryan’s law was passed to allow terminal patients the use of cannabis if they become admitted to a hospital. Currently, due to federal law, health institutions that receive money from the government, prohibit the use of cannabis.

Go to this website to see all the proposals and laws updated in the U.S. (en.wikipedia.org/ wiki/List_of_2021_United_States_cannabis_ reform_proposals) We in the cannabis industry are hopeful for these ambitious goals in 2022. Sending letters to legislators does work to influence change.

First the elimination of pre-employment marijuana testing on urine and hair should be enacted. These tests do not predict job performance. Second, the reason marijuana

costs so much is the burdensome taxes. Let us vote to remove these taxes for medicinal use.

Next eliminate the prohibition of vaping marijuana at home if living in a governmentsubsidized housing. End this discrimination to the elderly. Write to your congressmen.

The laws for cannabis should be no different than the laws for smoking. Elderly users of medicinal cannabis should not be prohibited from vaping or ingesting while living in assisted living facilities or subsidized housing.

These apartments are their only home.

There are too many local bans on cannabis businesses. Local voters should call their supervisors, mayors, and council members to share their views that medicinal cannabis should be equally accessed. There are several

BY RUTH HILL R.N. bills in the Senate and Congress that have very few cosponsors. Senator Feinstein has not cosponsored all the bills pending on cannabis reform. Make your representative accountable. Ask why he/she is not supporting removing federal prohibition.

In the spirit of the season giving donate some medicinal cannabis for an elderly person or veteran living in your neighborhood. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Ruth can be reached at cannabis16@ gmail.com

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