DESERT LOCAL NEWS • FEBRUARY 11, 2009 EDITION
PLAYBOY
©
Playboy Playmates, Miss February 2009, JESSICA BURCIAGA and Miss March 2009, JENNIFER PERSHING at
Fantasy Springs Resort Casino
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DESERT LOCAL NEWS • FEBRUARY 11, 2009
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BY LESLIE ANDREWS EDITORIALSince 1972, the City Council of Desert Hot Springs has been meeting at the Carl May Center. Now after thirty-seven years, the council still meets there. Experts say that with the population growth, the city has outgrown its facilities, and now it’s time to expand and grow like the other valley cities. When the Desert Hot Springs Police Department resurrected after seven years with contracting with the Sheriff’s Department in 1997, they all shared one roof with the current city hall. Nearly a decade later, the police department takes over the whole building and moves the city manager’s and city departments’ offices
into three portables set up behind the police station on Pierson Boulevard. For a city like Cathedral City, back in the early 1990s, nearly ten years after incorporation, the Police Station was located in a business complex, as was the city hall. Later in that decade, they relocated into a huge Civic Center at the corner of Cathedral Canyon Drive and East Palm Canyon Drive (Highway 111). Through eminent domain, they demolished old tattered neighborhoods and run down businesses and acquired those lands to build what has the Civic Center, some higher-end coffee shops and eateries, plus two theatres, including the Mary Pickford and the IMAX. Now Desert
Hot Springs wishes to do the same thing Cathedral City has done back in the late 1990s. At the recent City Council Study Session held on Monday, Rudy Acosta, the city’s Assistant City Manager/Public Works Director discussed the plans for Desert Hot Springs to have a multimillion dollar Civic Center, which includes plans for a new City Hall, Police Station, Fire Station, Senior Center, Library and Boys and Girls Club facility. It would be located on Pierson Boulevard between Cholla Drive and West Drive, adjacent to the High School. As was previously reported, the city needs to break ground on the new Boys and Girls Club center before the end of the
DESERT HOT SPRINGS CITY COUNCIL
Million Dollar’ Civic Castle?
Good news on the horizon? A truly amazing thing is happening in Desert Hot Springs. Right in the midst of the worst financial crisis in modern times for the entire world and more specifically for the United States, DHS is planning to spend more money than ever in its history! Truly amazing! A few months back, the Desert Hot Springs city council pushed the panic button under the direction of City Manager Rick Daniels, year, otherwise they lose the land. “We have to be on the way to do something by December 27th of this year,” Acosta added. With the new centers being built, the existing Senior Center and Carl May Centers will have to go. The Police and Fire stations will remain the same, but get facelifts. The new City Hall will be a two-story building, while retail centers surrounding the area will only have one. The price tag for all of this? Nearly $60-75 million, according to Acosta as he explained to Desert Local News. “Redevelopment Agencies cannot fund city halls, so we have to tap into private sources,” said Acosta. “For this first pass, we’re looking into go-
warning citizens of the dire financial consequences of not having funding for police and fire protection unless the Public Safety taxes were extended beyond the sunset clause occurring this year. Now that same city council, again under the direction of the city manager wants to spend $70 million or more on a new civic center. Are we missing something? Has the city suddenly come into new wealth? Can DHS citizens now rest, knowing that there is sufficient funding for police
ing after some economic stimulus money.” The plans have been in the talks for many years, long before City Manager Rick Daniels was hired, Acosta added. He stated that retail is very important for a civic center park like Desert Hot Springs, as this new project tie in with the Downtown Redevelopment. Councilman Russell Betts discussed the possibility of a transit center to be added to the whole thing, which would connect Desert Hot Springs to San Bernardino and/or Riverside. He suggested that airport shuttle busses or taxis could use this part to connect to the Palm Springs International Airport. The priority is the Boys and Girls Club building,
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and fire protection and enough left over for building a new civic center? If so, that is really good news! Maybe the city manager and council should bring the budget into the light of day for everyone to see where all this new found funding is coming from. Once they have shown everyone this amazing alchemic method of creating wealth, they can share it with the rest of the world. Bill Effinger
which would alone cost $10 million. This would have a new gym, a pool and a larger teen center. Already the city has a hold of $1.7 million in federal grants lined up thanks to Representative Jerry Lewis for this project. But when will it be built? Acosta said, “It would be nice if it were to be built in seven years.” Realistically, it could take a little longer, by 2020 if it takes eleven years. What would the city’s benefit be from all of this? “There’s an economy of scales when it comes to have all of this,” said Acosta, comparing Palm Desert’s Civic Center as an example. “It’s kind of a single area that feeds a lot of different uses, and it works very well for a city like Palm Desert.”
For that city, they have the Sheriff’s Department, City Hall, Public Works, CVAG, State Senator Offices and a public park all within a block on Fred Waring Drive between Portola Avenue and Monterey Avenue near the College of the Desert. The Cathedral City Civic Center took less than three years to complete, nearly seventeen years after their incorporation as a city. Will Desert Hot Springs take action after nearly forty-six years of incorporation to have the civic center it finally deserves? A little less talk, and a lot more action, as Cathedral City and Palm Desert have done as their younger sister cities. On Monday, no action from City Council was taken.
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DHS Citizens … beware the Tr ojan
BILL EFFINGER Opinion
The recent unveiling of the city’s purported plan to build a civic center that will take “11 years, or until 2020” as stated in the recent council session, is a disguise for what is the real plan. Very soon, the city manager and/or city council will announce that a deal has been struck with John Wessman’s company for the building of the new Boys and Girls Club Building and for the city to become prime tenants of a soon to be proposed Wessman project of office buildings adjacent to the existing city offices on grossly overpriced land Wessman owns and has been trying to sell for a long time. This plan has been in the works for over a year, just shortly after Rick
Horse
Daniels arrival in Desert Hot Springs. Desert Hot Springs citizens will be told that the Wessman project will be a “Private/Public Partnership” and will jump-start the city’s need for a civic center and beat the stated time-table by several years. I am not clairvoyant; I heard this plan from the city manager’s mouth to my ears in his office during the spring of 2008 while discussing a similar option on a competing property with another developer. I am unclear why DHS citizens aren’t being told the real story at this time. If leasing city buildings is good for the city, why keep it a secret?
...beware the Trojan Horse
MSWD’s Wins Awards
Mark Graham, CORBS Awards Chair/Past President; Lee Boyer, Lead Plant Operator and Incoming CORBS President; Chris Jacobson, Operator II; Shane Wienecke, Operator I; Greg Chapman, Operator II; Wayne Robertson, Chief Plant Operator
ON THE INTERNET DESERTLOCALNEWS.COM
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Lee Boyer, Lead Plant Operator and Incoming CORBS President; Arden Wallum, GM; Nancy Wright, President; John Furbee, Vice President; Randy Duncan, Director; Mary Gibson, Director MEILANI MACDONALD Desert Hot Springs, CA – The staff at Mission Springs Water District’s Horton Wastewater Treatment Plant (HWTP) is outstanding, and recognition of this has come in the form of two awards presented February 7 by CORBS (Colorado River Basin Section), the local section of the California Water Environment Association (CWEA). The “Plant of the Year” award (less than 5 million gallons per day) and the “Collections System of the Year” award (less than 249 miles of pipeline) were based on 2008 performance in criteria such as State Water Resource Control Board discharge requirement compliance, safety records, plant and equipment operation and maintenance, training and certification of operators, economizing operations and overall appearance at the plant. The Horton Wastewater Treatment Plant treats wastewater coming from more than 6,000 connections through 75 miles of sewer mains. The District
has been aggressively working towards its goal of expanding sewer service to its customers as part of its Groundwater Quality Protection Project. When HWTP staff aren’t busy winning awards, they can be found hosting local schools’ field trips to the treatment plant, where students learn about the processes involved in wastewater treatment, usually as part of environmental sciences classes or career development programs. District staff also lend themselves out as guest speakers to community groups, giving presentations that include a “virtual tour” slideshow. In addition to the “Plant of the Year” and “Collections System of the Year” awards for the wastewater treatment plant, MSWD is receiving an “Agency Support Appreciation Award” in recognition of Lead Plant Operator Lee Boyer’s time as an active CORBS Director. Lee has been active with CORBS for several years and has served as Director and
past President, in addition to being the incoming President for 2009. HWTP staff are regulars at these banquets, as the plant has received numerous awards over the years, including Plant of the Year in 1989, 1991, 1992, 1996, 2004 and 2006; Collections Systems of the Year in 1992 and 2006; the State Safety Award in 1992; and numerous Operator of the Year and Collection Systems Person of the Year awards. Wayne Robertson, Chief Plant Operator and 20-year employee, has been with MSWD throughout all its wins. With staff members Wayne Robertson, who won Supervisor of the Year in 2006, Chris Jacobson, 2007 Operator of the Year, Chris Pepple, Shane Wienecke, Greg Chapman, and Lee Boyer, who won Operator of the Year in 2001 and 2004, it’s no wonder MSWD’s impressive awards collection keeps growing.
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THE IMPROV COMEDY CLUB At Fantasy Springs Resort Casino
Jill Michele Melean
MIKE BURTON
Th e KIVI ROGERS INDIO, CA –
Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, the deserts premier gaming and entertainment destination, presents another great weekend of comedy featuring the talents of KIVI ROGERS, MIKE BURTON and JILL-MICHELE MELEAN at THE IMPROV COMEDY CLUB on Friday and Saturday, February 13th and 14th. KIVI ROGERS has been making people laugh his entire life. As a juvenile jester, with a lightning fast comeback, Kivi had family, friends, classmates and co-workers doubled over every day. After killing the crowds at the local open mic nights, Kivi decided to “turn pro” and never looked back. A winner at the 1996 HBO/US Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen, CO, Kivi continues to tour the country and has appeared in feature films (“Romy and Michelle’s High School Reunion”, “Hollywood Pictures”) TV shows (“The West Wing”, “Everybody Loves Raymond”, “Home
IM
PRO
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Improvement”) and the late night talk show circuit (“The Tonight Show with Jay Leno”). Chicago born comic, MIKE BURTON has been in the comedy game for almost 20 years. In that time, he has visited 45 states and has the distinct honor of performing for the US armed forces in over 40 different countries around the world. Mike has appeared on “The King of Queens” with Kevin James and countless TV commercials. Known as “the hot, sexy chick of stand-up comedy”, JILL-MICHELE MELEAN is an accomplished comedienne and actress. “Jilly” is a cast member on Fox’s popular sketch comedy show, “Mad TV” and has been seen on “Reno 911”, “Til Death” and “The Parkers”. Jill is working on her own one woman show, titled “Rule Breaker” and continues to work to promote the humanitarian efforts of the Global Network for Tropical Disease. First opened in the Fall of 2006,
THE IMPROV COMEDY CLUB at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino has welcomed the cream of the comedy crop to its stage. The clubs’ founder Budd Friedman, continues to scour the nation for the best and funniest comics to showcase their talents. Veteran headline comedians from Comedy Central, HBO and NBC’s “Last Comic Standing” as well as up and coming comic talents have played the Improv Comedy Club at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino. THE IMPROV COMEDY CLUB at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino features 3 different comedians each week and the shows are scheduled at 8pm and 10pm every Friday and Saturday night. Advance tickets are available for only $20 dollars at the Special Event Center Box Office or by calling 760-342-5000 or toll free 800-827-2946. http://www.fantasyspringsresort. com/entertain/entertain.html
DESERT LOCAL NEWS • FEBRUARY 4, 2009
NOW AVAILABLE! Online Bill Pay at MSWD Pay Your Bills Online at www.MSWD.org! Did You Know?
There are many ways to pay your MSWD bill:
• Via the Web - visit www.MSWD.org to set up your username and pay your bill online with your debit or credit card. • SafePay Auto Debit your payment may be automatically deducted from your checking account each month. • By Mail - send your check and bill stub to MSWD, 66575 Second Street, Desert Hot Springs, CA 92240 • In Person - pay at the lobby customer service window or drop your payment into our convenient drop box beside the door.
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Our garden — The resort has a lush green garden with great views. A murmuring waterfall spills into a lovely koi pond. You will find little niches to sit and relax and be totally yourself. Email: email@swisshealthresort.com
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MOORE ON GOLF
Moore on
Go
How do I achieve distance control?
BY PHILLIP MOORE
Through playing with golf clubs that promote distance control and through focusing more on quality contact than swing mechanics and clubhead speed. Moore on Golf By Phillip Moore How do I achieve distance control? Through playing with golf clubs that promote distance control and through focusing more on quality contact than swing mechanics and clubhead speed. You need to play with the clubs with which you’re able to make square and centered contact and achieve a playable trajectory the highest percentage of time. This may require not only altering your club specifications but, more importantly, your set composition. One of the primary keys to distance control is to play with the clubs that are easy for you to use. That may not sound high tech, but it’s the truth. Properly fit golf clubs can be acquired through working with a qualified clubfitter. Then during your warmup and practice sessions,
instead of focusing on your swing mechanics (body) and your clubhead speed (distance), you need to focus on improving the quality and consistency of your ball-striking (impact dynamics). That can be accomplished through repeatedly asking yourself the following questions: Where am I making contact on the clubface today? You maximize the transfer of energy to the golf ball when you make contact in the center of the clubface (in-line with the clubhead’s center of gravity). The easiest way to become aware of where you’re making contact is to practice with impact tape. When playing, you can usually tell by feel or looking at the clubface. When you make contact toward the toe or heel of the clubface, the clubhead will turn at impact and you’ll feel the vibration in your hands. There is a distinctive feel associated with where you make contact on the clubface. With a little effort, you can train yourself to feel where you’re making contact on every shot. If you find, on a given day, that you’re repeatedly making contact toward either the heel or toe, you can bring it to center
through adjusting your setup position. Where is the bottom of my swing arc today? Your divots not only reveal the direction the clubhead was traveling at impact, but also the bottom of the swing arc. You need to understand where your swing is bottoming out, so you can position the ball accordingly at address. Ball position is probably the most underrated aspect of your setup position. When hitting an iron, you want to position the ball very slightly behind the bottom of your swing arc, slightly behind where you normally take a divot. Doing so will insure that you strike the ball with a downward blow that’ll create added backswing. The added backspin will provide added trajectory and insure that the ball lands softly. Clubs that are designed with a lower center of gravity (fairway metals and hybrids) are meant to be played with a sweeping motion. Contact is made with the club moving either parallel to the ground or very slightly downward. For these clubs, the ball should be positioned at the bottom of the swing arc. The driver is teed-up and positioned forward in the stance so contact can be
made with the clubhead ascending upward. Regardless of the club you’re using, proper ball position is critical for quality contact. That’s why you have to know where your swing is bottoming out on a given day. Like every other aspect of your swing motion, the bottom of your swing arc is subject to change slightly on a daily basis. On what line is the clubhead moving today? Your divot or the initial direction of the ball will tell you the line on which the clubhead was moving at impact. You should strive to have the clubhead moving straight down the target line. If it’s not, you’ll probably have to make an adjustment to your setup position. The alignment of your shoulders and ball position will greatly influence the path of the clubhead. Where am I squaring the clubface today? To insure that your ball is spinning toward your target, you should strive to have the clubface square or perpendicular to the target line at impact. If the ball is spinning away from the target, it’s because the clubface was either too open (heel leading toe) or too closed (toe lead-
olf ing heel) at impact. You can alter the alignment of the clubface at impact through making a slight adjustment to your grip, ball position, or how you initiate your swing motion. What caused that ball flight? You should always define ball flight in terms of impact dynamics not swing motion. Remember, you can never know exactly how you swung because you can’t see yourself swing. The flight of the ball will, however, perfectly reflect impact dynamics. If a right-handed golfer hits a pull hook (ball starts on a line left of the target and then hooks further left of the target) he knows exactly how the clubhead was moving and how the clubface was aligned at impact. The clubhead was moving on a line left of the target and the clubface was closed (toe leading heel) to the direction the clubhead was moving. Because there is no guesswork involved, he can deal with the problem in a more direct manner. How do I carry the ball that many yards without effort? When practicing, instead of trying to maximize the carry distance of every club, try to identify the approximate carry distance of every club when you swing at your natural tempo. Your average shot is always
DESERT LOCAL NEWS • FEBRUARY 11, 2009
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INDIO, CA – Eagle Falls Golf Course offers golfers the chance to save money and play on the championship rated, Clive Clark designed course, through April, Phillip Moore 2009. going to be a slight miss hit, so make your estimates conservative. Then put your conclusions in writing and practice hitting those numbers not increasing those numbers. The goal is to learn how to carry the ball a specific distance at a playable trajectory with the least amount of effort. The number on the club you use does not matter. Through staying centered on these questions, you’ll start to perceive the game differently. Your fixation on raw distance will slowly diminish, as you give more consideration to the quality and consistency of your ball striking. Instead of focusing exclusively on swing mechanics, your attention will shift to impact dynamics. You’ll acquire added distance control and you’ll find yourself on the road to becoming a better golfer. Next Month: What should be my primary objective on every swing. Philip Moore is a resident of the Coachella Valley and author of the book, The Mad Science of Golf. He can be reached through his website, MadScienceGolf.com and his book is currently available at both Amazon.com and BarnsandNoble.com
From now until April 30th, 2009, golfers can tee it up at Eagle Falls Golf Course any Monday through Thursday for only $75 dollars. For weekend play, any Friday through Sunday or holidays, the rate is only $95 dollars. Rates include greens fees, pre-game practice at the spacious driving range and putting greens plus a smooth riding, environmentally friendly, electric golf cart featuring digital, on-board GPS technology. To add to the golfers comfort during their round at Eagle Falls Golf Course, each golf cart is supplied with ice and water. Plus, a fully stocked, mobile beverage cart provides players the chance to grab a snack or refill their drinks any time while they are out on the course. For golfers trying to overcome driving or putting challenges to their game, Eagle Falls Golf Courses’ practice facility is now open to the public. Players are invited to come out and hit off the natural grass surface. The professionally manicured practice putting greens mirrors the conditions out on the course, giving the player a better read for the speed on the greens. Improve your game at Eagle Falls Golf Course for only $20 dollars. Home to such prestigious events at the annual Playboy Golf Scramble (Nov. 13-14, 2009) and the 2008 Pro Sports Team Challenge featuring Charles Barkley, LaDainian Tomlinson, George Brett and Mario Lemieux; Eagle Falls Golf Course is one of Golfweek Magazines “Top 50 Golf Courses” and a back to back “Best Value” award winner from Greenskeeper.org. Make your next tee time at Eagle Falls Golf Course by calling toll free 800- 827-2946 or 760-342-5000.
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HEART AT MORONGO CASINO
Rock Your Heart Out With Heart!!!
STORY AND PHOTOS BY ANDREW YELICH CABAZON, CAFans of the popular super group ‘Heart’ were swept off their feet Sunday night during a rocking show on Sunday night at the Morongo Casino outdoor amphitheatre. Though it’s not Valentines’ Day yet, hearts were set afire with a night of great rock and roll. Classic rock divas Ann and Nancy Wilson brought down the house despite the rain and cold outside with their repertoire of so many classic hits like Magic Man, Dreamboat Annie, Barracuda, Crazy On You, Dog and Butterfly and so many more. This show was near perfect
and the Wilson Sisters showed us that girls can rock just as hard as the guys. “It was one of those shows where you could walk out and say, ‘Wow I wish that show never stopped,’” said a fan that was interviewed after the show. Coming soon to Morongo Outdoor Amphitheatre are Pepe Aguilar on Friday, February 13th and 14th, B.B. King on Sunday, April 19th, UB40 on Saturday, April 25th and Bill Cosby on Sunday, May 9th.
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Desert Local News Feb. 11, 2009
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PHOTOS BY ANDREW YELICH
PHOTOS BY ANDREW YELICH
Desert Local News Feb. 11, 2009
FANTASY SPRINGS RESORT CASINO
Playboy Playmate Miss March 2009 Jennifer Pershing
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Desert Local News Feb. 11, 2009
INDIO, CA- Fantasy Springs Resort Casino is proud to introduce the beautiful and sexy Playboy Playmates, Miss February 2009, JESSICA BURCIAGA and Miss March 2009, JENNIFER PERSHING to the public at a special Playboy Magazine signing party on Saturday, March 7th from 9PM to 12Midnight, on the casino floor. Attendees will have the chance to meet the Playmates in person and receive a signed copy of Playboy, while supplies last. Admission into this special event is absolutely FREE!!! Patrons must be 21 or older to enter the casino. This is the 4th Playboy Magazine signing event to take place at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino. In the past year, Fantasy Springs Resort Casino has been proud to welcome Playboy Playmates MICHELLE McLAUGHLIN, Miss February 2008; IDA LJUNGQVIST, Miss March 2008, KAYLA
COLLINS, Miss August 2008; VALERIE MASON, Miss September 2008 and the beautiful twin sisters, JENNIFER and NATALIE CAMPBELL, Miss December 2008. In a continuing partnership with Playboy, Fantasy Springs Resort Casino will team up once again with Playboy Golf for the 3rd Annual Playboy Golf Scramble at Eagle Falls Golf Course, November 13th and 14th 2009. Join Playboy Playmates, JESSICA BURCIAGA and JENNIFER PERSHING for a special Playboy Magazine issue signing event, on Saturday March 7th, from 9PM to 12Midnight…Only at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino. About Fantasy Springs Resort Casino: Fantasy Springs Resort Casino is the desert’s leader in gaming and entertainment. Featuring 2000 slots, 40+ table games including TableMAX electronic gaming taDesert Local News Feb. 11, 2009
Jessica Burc bruary 2009 mate Miss Fe Playboy Play
PLAYBOY MAGAZINES REIGNING MISS FEBRUARY & MISS MARCH AT FANTASY SPRINGS RESORT CASINO
iaga
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bles, headline comedy at the Improv Comedy Club, live music at the Rock Yard and A-List performers inside the Special Events Center. Eagle Falls Golf Course is the new Palm Springs home for the PLAYBOY GOLF SCRAMBLE. Dance and party at the Velvet Palm Nightclub atop the luxurious, 12 story tall, 250 room hotel. Dine in one of the 5 restaurants. Enjoy casual dining at the all new POM Restaurant or an elegant evening at the Bistro. Roll strikes inside Fantasy Lanes Bowling Center.
Visit at HYPERLINK “http://www. fantasyspringsresort.com” www. fantasyspringsresort.com. Fantasy Springs Resort Casino is owned and operated by the Cabazon Band of Mission Indians.
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DESERT LOCAL NEWS • FEBRUARY 11, 2009
Sanchez Speaks: Former Boys and Girls Club CEO Tells His Side
Sanchez with Congressman Jerry Lewis and former DHS Mayor Matt Weyuker
Sanchez with Assembly woman Bonnie Garcia LESLIE ANDREWS EXCLUSIVE- Last week, long-time CEO of the Desert Hot Springs Boys and Girls Club Adam Sanchez was released from his position after nine years of service. Desert Local News gets to the point with Sanchez, as he explains his side of the story. “The board asked me to do a separation agreement, and what you heard from the Board President was that this was the best decision for me. The truth of the matter is, it’s not in my best in-
terest,” said Sanchez. “My goal was to take it to the next level.” Sanchez had three goals. One was to get more money. During the past seven years, Sanchez managed to secure funding for the BGC, totaling $2 million. He lobbied with Congressman Jerry Lewis to obtain these funds, going as far away as Washington, D.C. to get them. Two was to make sure that the BGC always had money in the bank. “We had $250,000 in the reserve account when
I first started. Now I pumped it up to $650,000,” he added. “To make sure we were stable financially.” Three was to obtain lands for the future building. How was obtaining money from Riverside County Supervisor Marion Ashley. In the past, Sanchez ran for City Council and for Mayor. His reasons were for the youth of the community, and that he had to get politically involved in order to make the goals of the BGC a reality. “My job is to make sure
DESERT HOT SPRINGS
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Congresswoman Bono-Mack with Adam Sanchez it gets done,” he said. “My job as director of the BGC is political. People took that as a negative, but it’s a positive, because it improves the life of the community. The BGC is a connection that needed to be fostered. If we don’t stand up for the kids, we don’t stand up for much. It was positive politics.” Sanchez questioned why it took seven years to handle the $2 million set aside for the BGC projects. Part of the reasons he stated were that the city was steered in too many different directions and no right path was chosen. Also, previous city councils wanted a YMCA rather than a BGC, but due to Desert Hot Springs’ rankings in terms of median household incomes, the city doesn’t meet the standards of the YMCA organization. “The board was so fixated on a YMCA that they lost focus on what they wanted, and finally Congressman Lewis sent a message to the city of Desert Hot Springs saying that the money must be used to build a BGC building,” he stated. “So they began a feasibility study, doing a survey of 48 residents.”
Desert Local News obtained a copy of the study, done by Robert Ross and Associates, which cost the city $12,000. A total of 48 people were surveyed and 30 of them gave negative reviews of the BGC, ranging from saying that they are unfamiliar with the club to saying that the BGC consists of kids involved heavily in gang activity. This, Sanchez believes, is false information and that it led to his separation. “How could they say something negative about me?” he asked. “It was very unfair to make those comments when they’re not familiar with the work that I do.” U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer has praised the DHSBGC, giving them an award for their excellence in educational programs. “I was the only person in the Coachella Valley who was a CEO of a BGC to get this award,” Sanchez said. “Focusing on education, we received her first award for the work we’re going here. This shows the effort that I was doing for the kids.” Giving up his Saturdays was something Sanchez did in order to start
programs for the kids, like the Junior Golf Program, for example. “I gave up my family time for the kids,” he said. “This shows the effort that I’ve done for them. People forget about those things. We do excellent work.” Other Saturday programs Sanchez started were trash/recycling pickups throughout neighborhoods. “You create jobs for teenagers this way,” he added. One important program that Sanchez was responsible for was a U-turn program, which helped deter kids from gang activity and crime. “60 percent of the crime committed in this city is done by juveniles,” he said. “That is why the BGC stepped in. The city has eight to ten known street gangs. People are saying that we have gang members in our club. Those were just rumors and there’s no truth to that. You’ll find out that none of our kids are.” Sanchez wishes to continue his involvement with Boys and Girls Clubs and for the youth, as he has dedicated his life to doing so.
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DESERT LOCAL NEWS • FEBRUARY 11, 2009
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DESERT LOCAL NEWS • FEBRUARY 11, 2009
2009 will be challenging for the Coachella Valley and Palm Springs area business owners to come up with new and cost-effective advertisement solutions. Conventional print, Cable TV and Radio advertisement is expensive and takes special production steps. Many small businesses still do not have web sites, which precludes them from presenting timely and detailed content in the natural search results on major search engines (SEO). Desert Local News *Virtual Paper solves this problem by enabling these businesses to automatically convert any print-ready marketing materials (ads, flyers, brochures, catalogs, newsletters and more) into search engine optimized web pages. Consumers find when they conduct searches for local businesses on their favorite search engines and insert them into the regular weekly virtual newsmagazine edition. (Published every Wednesday evening) Desert Local News is making this new service available to the Coachella Valley and Palm Springs area businesses to provide them an added powerful way to reach potential customers via the Internet without great costs. Local City Governments and Non-profit Organizations can post important notices anytime. For example, a spa resort, or restaurant will be able to seamlessly post a brochure or menu on the Internet, making it search engine friendly, providing enhanced ranking, increased traffic, and tangible return on their investment. Ads, and newsletters can be published by Desert Local News virtual edition and directly emailed to their customers, as well as, to the readers of the newspaper for a fraction of the cost. Thousands of people will be reached locally, regionally and worldwide. This will be particular valuable for the tourist trade, like the Spas, Casinos and Resort Hotels.
Special 4 Page Flyer insert $75 per issue *Desert Local News started its Virtual paper in 2007, and is now a weekly 32-page full color newsmagazine. With a simple click, you can browse (zoom) through the virtual publication in 3D turning page animation as if you had our regular print newspaper in front of you. The publication is alive and interactive, including clickable ads (links back to customer web site and directly e-mail from ads.) You can flip through the pages, search for information or articles. You can print your
newspaper on the fly, or send it with a click via the e-mail button to your customers, friends and family anywhere in the world. In Germany, the Virtual Newspaper has taken off like a storm. The world’s first virtual paper, the AvaStar was launched in early 2007. The world’s oldest newspaper in Sweden went paperless not long afterward. Across the country, a few cities and companies have virtual e-newspapers. For the Coachella Valley, Desert Local News
Guaranteed Online Distribution No Downtime! Desert Local News Newsmagazine offers a solution that guarantees higher reader distribution while reducing advertisement costs. Furthermore, Desert Local News Newsmagazine enables real-time publication - delivering your advertisement message immediately. Desert Local News noticed visitors returning more than 3 times each viewing, more than 66,000 page views a month collectively. Nearly, 40% of the audience browsed through the online newsmagazine for more than 15 minutes. Desert Local News is streamed by *Akamai and provides instant pageloading and uninterrupted availability of your ads, flyers or multimedia inserts. *Akamai serves the world’s most demanding customers such as MySpace, Adobe, Apple iTunes and many more.
is the first exclusive virtual-paper. The advantages of an e-paper are countless. First, it saves trees and is good for the environment. Second, e-papers don’t get your fingers all messy. And most importantly, they are the wave of the 21st Century. Our virtual Newsstand will be open 24/7 *http://dlnewsstand.com read past Desert Local News Editions.
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DESERT LOCAL NEWS • RATE SHEET
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The Best Rates, No Contracts, 100% Satisfaction We believe everyone should have access to inexpensive advertisement. We’re making this a reality by keeping our rates simple and affordable. Plus you’ll never have to sign a long–term contract. All advertisement has to paid in advance, no exception. We take cash, checks and Visa and Master Card. Advertisement prices are based on camera ready artwork (high-resolution PDF files 300DPI) If you do not have an ad, our art department can create your ad for a small fee.
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DESERT LOCAL NEWS • FEBRUARY 11, 2009
Do you or a family member have diabetes or high blood pressure? or Does an immediate family member have kidney disease? If you answered YES, you are at risk for kidney disease.
Our FREE KEEP SCREENING is just for you! When: Thursday, February 12, 2009 Time: 10:00AM-2:00 PM Where: La Quinta Senior Citizens Center 78450 Avenida La Fonda, La Quinta CA 92253
Make your FREE appointment today! Space is limited! Call The National Kidney Foundation of Southern California at 800.747.5527 or 818.783.8153
DESERT LOCAL NEWS • CRIME
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Woman Raped At Four Families College Of The Desert Face Discrimination at Local Mobile Home Park VICKI LAWSON
LESLIE ANDREWS
DEVELOPING STORY DESERT HOT SPRINGS CAFour families are seeking help from Assemblyman Manuel Perez when it comes to being allowed to manage their own homes at a Desert Hot Springs trailer park. Desert Local News spoke via a translator to these family members, who wish not to be named in an exclusive interview on Tuesday. According to one family, their claim is that their property manager is refusing to allow them to sell the mobile home, refuse to allow any prospective buyers or renters to have access to it. “They come up with excuses, saying their credit is no good, they’re illegal aliens, or some other poor excuse,” said our translator. “The lady doesn’t want them on the property, despite the fact that the family owns the trailer outright.” Another family is trying to move back into the park, which is the Double R Trailer Park on Palm Drive. Management has refused to accept their payments. And another family claims that security fees are being illegally imposed. “They’re paying $50 a month for the security services and they come every once
in a great while,” the translator continued. One claim is due to the fact that these families do not speak English and are of Hispanic origin, this is why they are being discriminated by the management at Double R. Racial discrimination is definitely illegal in all 50 states when it comes to real estate and renting. Desert Local News has not yet attempted to contact the management at Double R at this time, but will intend to do so within the next day of this report. So far, Greg Cervantes, a member of Perez’s team, has agreed to send his team over to meet with the same residents to see if anything illegal has been done on the management’s behalf. “Basically, they will set up a meeting to listen to their concerns and see if they’re in compliance with their contracts,” he said. “We understand that the landlord may be discriminating, but we need to see if we can hold the landlord accountable for the deficiencies. We’ll come back on that.” Stay tuned to Desert Local News for more details as this investigation continues.
PALM DESERT, CA- Friday afternoon at approximately 5:00 P.M., members from the Palm Desert Police Department responded to the College of the Desert regarding a sexual battery. A 28-year-old victim reported she was sexually battered in the parking lot at the College of The Desert campus. A few moments later, officers from the Palm Desert Police Department located a subject matching the description leaving the College of The Desert campus. The victim positively identified Jose Alexander Rojo, age 18 of Palm Desert for the sexual battery. Rojo was booked into the Indio Jail. The victim’s name is being withheld pending further investigation. Rojo is being held in lieu of $25,000 bail. He is scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday, February 11th.
UPDATE: Convenience
Store Clerk Shot To Death in Desert Hot Springs VICKI LAWSON
DESERT HOT SPRINGS, CAA convenience store clerk is dead following a shooting that took place Wednesday night at around 9:00 p.m. in Desert Hot Springs. The shooting took place at the Super One Convenience Store at the corner of Hacienda Avenue and Mountain View Road. The clerk, Juan Pablo Munoz-Tovor, age 33 was shot after handing the robber/ shooter an undisclosed amount of money. The suspect, a young black male between the ages of 20 and 30 entered the store with a gun and shot MunozTovor, sending him to a local hospital where he later died from his injuries an hour later. The suspect was last seen wearing a dark colored sweatshirt and light colored pants. When he got away, he fled on foot. Police say that this is a robbery gone wrong. If you have any information, you are urged to call the Desert Hot Springs Police Department at (760) 329-2904.
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DESERT LOCAL NEWS • FEBRUARY 11, 2009
DESERT LOCAL NEWS • FEBRUARY 11, 2009
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DESERT LOCAL NEWS • FEBRUARY 11, 2009
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