Desert Star Weekly

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The Coachella Valley Number ‘One’ Desert Local Newspaper

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Dierks Bentley, Shania Twain and Kenny Chesney will headline next year’s Stagecoach Festival in Indio, festival organizers announced. The festival will be held April 28-30 at the Empire Polo Club. Tickets go on sale this Friday starting at 11 a.m. at www.stagecoachfestival.com.

Desert Hot Springs, CA PERMIT NO 00005

November 16, 2016 Vol. 9 No. 92

5th Star for Patton

CA Senator Jeff Stone, Riverside Cty Supervisor John J. Benoit, Helen Ayer Patton, Mayor Rob Moon, CA Assemblyman Eduardo Garcia. Photo by Pat Krause

Palm Springs Walk of Stars Honors General George S. Patton, Jr By Pamela Price America’s most famous four-star General received his fifth Star on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars dedicated on November 12th at 128 S. Palm Canyon Drive. The former commander of the U.S. Seventh Army in the Mediterranean and European Theatres of World War II is a familiar name in the desert because of the General Patton Memorial Museum off the, I-10, east of Palm Springs at Chiriaco Summit.

The Museum sits on the site of Camp Young, which was part of the Desert Training Center during World War II. Honoring the memory of General Patton was Senator Jeff Stone, CA Assemblyman Eduardo Garcia, Mayor of Palm Springs Robert Moon, Riverside County Supervisor John J. Benoit and Margit Chiriaco Rusche, of the Chiriaco Summit Travel Center (near to the Patton museum). General Patton’s granddaughter Helen Patton, who resides in Paris,

spoke of her grandfather prior to the unveiling of the 402nd Star. David and Susan Miller, friends of the George S. Patton Museum, were instrumental in raising funds for the Star. Stan Wolcott, who “stands in” for General Patton at official functions, gave a stirring speech, which was verbatim the speech that opened the 1970 film Patton, which won seven Academy Awards, including Best Actor (George C. Scott), Best Original Screenplay and Best Picture. The actual

Story and Photos by Pat Krause The Fantasy Springs Casino Resort Spa filled the Special Events Center to capacity for two nights in a row. There was almost standing room only for Boy George and Culture Club on Friday and again on Saturday night for Ringo Starr and the All Starr Band. Ringo Starr started the night by singing the first three songs before heading for his famed drums. The band has been together for five years, and the members are all well known names in

their personal right, being part of other bands or leaders of their individual bands. It was like a MINI-Concert as each member of the band performed a song he was famous for or a favorite song. Fantasy Springs showed videos of the artists performing. There were close-ups of their fingers on the guitar and the speed of their fingers as they play. It’s amazing how they can make a guitar sing. It was the same for Ringo and the other drummer as you could see the sticks fly almost like

a blur. Each musician had a solo or part of a song with the others. They showed their talents as many played different items like the bongos, horns and even harmonicas Ringo Starr sang many of the songs, mostly the Beatles hits; he was known for. He was the vocalist on these songs like; I Wanna Be Your Man and Don’t Pass Me BY. He asked the fans to stand and sing along as he thought most everyone would know the

Ringo Starr at Fantasy Springs Casino

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speech was delivered to the Third Army before D-Day. Seen in the audience was Sy Kaplan, WWII veteran and one of the first to arrive. The placement of this longawaited Star was ideal, in front of the theater where the Palm Springs Follies was performed (and a famous movie house prior to that). This is where producer Riff Markowitz honored American veterans at each performance. The dedication of General George S. Patton, Jr. right after

Ringo Starr. Photo by Pat Krause

Veterans Day was perfectly timed. A highlight of the event was women representing Rosie the Riveter, the home front heroines of WWII who worked in America’s defense plants. The group, in “Rosie” themed shirts, sang a few songs from the 1940s bringing a tear or two to the audience, many who lived through the war years. Bringing WWII close to Palm Springs, Bob Alexander, President of the Palm Springs Continues on Page 12


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