BElIEvING fOR DESI
The Coachella Valley Number ‘One’ Desert Local Newspaper
desert
STAR W E E K L Y
PRESORTED STANDARD
Valley resident five-year-old Desirae Cechin was diagnosed back in April with a rare form of cancer. A fundraiser was held for young Desi Saturday at the fairgrounds in Indio with multiple entertainers and vendors. - By Angela Monroe
US POSTAGE PAID Desert Hot Springs, CA PERMIT NO 00005
August 1, 2014 Vol. 7 No. 57
Drought – It Is Upon Us Governor Brown asked Californians to “redouble their efforts to conserve water” By John Souillere Administrative Officer MSWD The word “drought” probably means more to you now than it did about six weeks ago. Drought discussions have dominated the media as well as activities in Sacramento since January when Governor Brown declared a drought state of emergency due to the
unprecedented and enduring lack of precipitation in the state. In April, 2014, Governor Brown asked Californians to “redouble their efforts to conserve water” and set a 20 percent water use reduction goal. Then on July 15, 2014, the State water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) adopted “An Emergency
Regulation For Statewide Urban Water Conservation.” The regulation outlines numerous practices that will become illegal beginning of August 1, 2014. The regulation will endure for at least 270 days thereafter. Further, the SWRCB regulation requires urban water purveyors—including MSWD— to enforce the level of their
By Fenit NirappiL and Sudhin Thanawala Associated Press SHINGLE SPRINGS, Calif. (AP) - Some firefighters battling a Northern California wildfire that prompted evacuation orders for more than 400 homes before it was brought under control were dispatched to other fires, while evacuation orders for about half of the homes in the path of a blaze in Yosemite National Park were lifted. Fire officials on Tuesday reported good progress against both blazes. The fire in the Sierra Nevada foothills east of Sacramento was 80 percent contained and holding at a little under 6 square miles.
Crews discovered six more homes destroyed by the fire, bringing the total to 19, state fire Battalion Chief Scott McLean said. The fire, which began Friday, also has claimed 48 outbuildings. McLean said some firefighters were released Monday and more were expected to be taken off the blaze Tuesday. The total fire force was down to about 1,600, about 300 fewer firefighters than Sunday. The Yosemite fire about 100 miles away, meanwhile, has burned through nearly 5 square miles and was 19 percent contained. Residents of the community of Old El Portal were allowed to return home at 9 a.m. Tuesday.
About 45 homes in the community of Foresta remain evacuated, park fire information spokeswoman Jennifer Wuchner said. Both fires grew rapidly over the weekend before they were brought under control, underscoring the tinder-dry conditions resulting from California’s third year of drought. Residents of the Sierra foothills fire said they were forced to evacuate quickly, and some vowed to keep a list of items to take with them if another fire hits in the future. Laurel Fulton, a 66-year-old evacuee, had to leave behind an obstinate horse. “When the sheriff is banging
Crews Make Gains on Wildfires
Continues on Page 7
local ordinance that meets, at a minimum, the water restrictions required by the state. MSWD will respond by enacting the section of its Water Ordinance that pertains to a water shortage. This will require a public hearing—scheduled for August 18th at 3 p.m. at MSWD. The four base requirements from the state in addition to
some new reporting requirements are as follows: 1. The application of drinkable water to outdoor landscapes in a manner that causes runoff such as that water flows onto adjacent property, non-irrigated areas, private and public walkways, roadways, Continues on Page 7