Desert Star Weekly Nov. 30, 2022 issue!

W E E K L Y

“Cahuilla Indians Powwow”

39th Annual Powwow & Native American Festival

The

on November 25th-27 at Fantasy Springs Special Events Center. The Powwow is a celebration of life. It is a time for people to get

together, sing and dance, renew and make friends. The Powwow is also a prayer to the Great Spirit. Tribal members from many tribes

come from all over the United States for this Powwow.

These days a Powwow is also a place for competitive singing and dancing for prize money. Only registered contestants are eligible for prize money, but everyone

can participate in an intertribal dance, even spectators. Entry is free, and anyone is welcome. People come to witness the pageantry of a Powwow and the

The Nutcracker 9 Magical Performances

Inland Pacific Ballet, Southern California’s premier professional ballet company.

By Desert Star Staff

The Nutcracker:

Experience the magic of the holidays with family and friends at southern California’s most spectacular production of The Nutcracker from the critically acclaimed Inland Pacific Ballet.

The Nutcracker comes to life in this magnificent ballet with beautiful sets, dazzling costumes, Tchaikovsky’s classic score, and more than 80 dancers on stage. This annual holiday production tells the story of a young girl named Clara who receives a magical

nutcracker doll on Christmas Eve and sets out on a wondrous journey to the Land of the Snow and the Kingdom of Sweets. Toy soldiers, lifesized dancing dolls, falling snow, a fantastic dream with battling mice, dancing snowflakes, waltzing flowers, gingerbread characters, and the delightful Sugar Plum Fairy stir the imagination. This is family entertainment at its best.

Lewis Family Playhouse, 12505 Cultural Center Drive, Rancho

Getting for the Grand Entry. Photo by Pat Krause.

Story and Photos by Pat Krause

Cabazon Band of Cahuilla Indians held their 39th annual Powwow & Native American Festival

New American Airlines Flights to Austin Takeoff from Palm Springs see

Soul and Blues Take Center Stage MUSIC

Songstress Ruthie Foster, rock and roll great Bruce Springsteen, and classic rock notables Janis Joplin and Jorma Kaukonen are featured on new releases.

Artist: Ruthie Foster

Title: Healing Time (Blue Corn Music)

You might like if you enjoy: Mavis Staples, the Staple Singers, Ruthie Foster

Tell me more: Ruthie Foster’s stirring ninth studio album Healing Time is a fantastic disc of genuine and authentic soul. No surprise that Foster delivers another batch of winning songs that soar, her vocals a constant wonder across the dozen-track disc that simultaneously showcases her immense skills as a toptier songwriter. The gospel

BY ROBERT KINSLER

mining “Feels Like Freedom” brings chills with its power and beauty all while avoiding the modern day bombast that would diminish the might of the track. The potent and anthemic “Soul Searching” is an explosive celebration of love. Blues lovers will appreciate the longing “What Kind Of Fool,” where the Austin songstress uses her full vocal range across the song’s wonderful arc. The wistful “Lie Your Way To The Truth” dips into pop, but the soundscape shares more in common with the artful sonics of Florence + the Machine than the disposable and robotic approach of so many contemporary R&B hitmakers. Other memorable selections on Healing Time include the spiritual-minded “I Was Called,” tuneful “Finish Line,” acoustic blues foray “4

AM” and majestic “Paradise.” Information: RuthieFoster.com.

Artist: Bruce Springsteen

Title: Only The Strong Survive (Columbia Records) You might like if you enjoy: Sam Moore, Bruce Springsteen, classic Motown

Tell me more: On his first new album since 2020’s Letter To You, Bruce Springsteen revisits a number of Gamble and Huff, Motown and Stax classics on the rousing 15-track Only The Strong Survive. Rather than recreate faithful takes on the material (such as the approach KISS lead singer Paul Stanley took on Paul Stanley’s Soul Station’s impressive debut album in 2021), Springsteen fuses his own signature sound with the well-known musical stylings identified with the

original versions. Among the memorable tracks is an emotive take on the Commodores’ 1985 track “Nightshift,” the joyous Frank Wilson 1965 hit “Do I Love You (Indeed I Do),” nuanced reading of the Walker Brothers 1966 hit “The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine Anymore,” a tender version of the Four Tops’ “When She Was My Girl” and the sorrowful “I Wish It Would Rain,” the latter a song recorded by the Temptations in 1967. Springsteen is joined by 87-year-old soul music great Sam Moore on the inspired “Soul Days” and lovely “I Forgot To Be Your Lover.” Across the album the receives backing from The E Street Horns, full string arrangements by Rob Mathes, as well as backing vocals from Lisa Lowell, Doozie Tyrell, Curtis King Jr., Michelle Moore, Dennis Collins and Fonzi Thornton. Information: BruceSpringsteen.net.

Artist: Janis Joplin & Jorma Kaukonen

Title: The Legendary Typewriter Tape: 6/25/64 Jorma’s House (Omnivore Recordings)

You might like if you enjoy: Janis Joplin, Jefferson

Airplane, Hot Tuna

Tell me more: Set for release on Dec. 2, The Legendary Typewriter Tape: 6/25/64

Jorma’s House is an important and historical release featuring singer Janis Joplin and guitarist Jorma Kaukonen (Jefferson Airplane, Hot Tuna) — along with Jorma’s wife Margareta Kaukonen typing away intermittently in the background — recorded on a reel-to-reel machine at the beginning of their respective careers. Although the recording has previously been available via inferior bootlegs, the official version released by Omnivore Recordings on Dec. 2 features restoration and mastering from Grammywinner Michael Graves and sounds wonderful. There are a mix of originals and reworked blues standards. Joplin’s own “Kansas City Blues,” the evocative “Hesitation Blues,” a moving take on Jimmie Cox’s “Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out,” and the fiery Joplin-penned “Daddy, Daddy Daddy” are among the winning performances captured back in the summer of 1964. Information: OmnivoreRecordings.com.

Flashdance Singer Irene Cara Dies At 63

By Desert Star Staff

One of the most dazzling figures in the music and film industry from the 1980s is dead. As reported by several media, including

the British “Sun,” the singer Irene Cara died at 63. The newspaper referred to Cara’s spokeswoman Judith Moose.

Irene Cara became world famous with her theme songs

for the films Fame (1980) and Flashdance (1983). In 1984 she won a Grammy and an Oscar for Best Original Score for “What A Feeling.”

As Moose announced, Cara died Friday at her home in Miami (US state of Florida). The family is planning a funeral service that is also accessible to fans.

Moose is shocked: “It is with deep sadness that I announce the passing of Irene

Cara on behalf of her family. The Oscar-winning actress, singer, songwriter, and producer died at her Florida home. She was a wonderfully gifted soul whose legacy will live forever through her music and films.” Moose added that the cause of death is still unknown. It will be announced shortly.

Moose asked fans to share their thoughts and memories of the singer with her. “I’ll

read every one of them and know she’ll be smiling from heaven. She loved her fans.”

Cara had her breakthrough even before the mega-hit “What A Feeling”: As “Coco,” she played in the musical Fame, singing the title song of the same name. She also received a Grammy (double) for this performance – as a best new artist and pop artist.

Irene Cara won a Grammy and an Oscar with her mega-hit “What A Feeling.” Now the singer died at the age of 63

Colleges Turn to Data Analytics to Smooth Path for Transfer Students

By Desert Star Staff

Some local colleges and universities in Southern California are turning to data analytics to streamline their programs, so students can quickly transfer from two- to four-year schools.

The Transfer GPS software is being used at two community colleges. Chaffey College in Rancho Cucamonga and San Bernardino Valley College help students who want to transfer to Cal State San Bernardino and not lose credit for the coursework they’ve already done.

Carlos Ayala, president and CEO of the nonprofit Growing Inland Achievement

said Transfer GPS helps schools troubleshoot.

“You’re able to visualize where students are ‘stopping out of particular programs,” Ayala pointed out. “And so then, faculty can make adjustments so that it’s easier for students to flow through the program.”

The program is funded by the College Futures Foundation and is a collaboration between the John N. Gardner Institute, Growing Inland Achievement, and the three schools. In addition, growing Inland Achievement released a study on why students drop out. The top four reasons include financial struggles, confusing pathways to success, lack of mental health and social support, and fear of academic failure.

Robert Rundquist, dean of institutional effectiveness at Chaffey College, said the Transfer GPS program tries to pave a student’s pathway to success by promoting an integrated

four-year plan instead of a “two-plus-two-year” model.

“We’ve just never had that lens to be able to see both the pathway design and the actual student course-taking behavior to better understand what’s

happening along these journeys,” Rundquist explained. “Not just in theory, but also in practice.”

A 2017 federal Government Accountability Office study found that more than a third of college

students transferred schools over five years. Ayala added he hopes to expand the Transfer GPS program to many more schools in the next few years.

Heart Health Tips for the Holidays

feel your best while eating and drinking in moderation.

* Practice goodwill toward yourself. Make time to take care of yourself during this busy season. Reading a favorite book, meditating, or even playing with pets are productive ways to reduce stress from family interactions, strained finances, hectic schedules, traveling, and other stressors that can be brought on by the holidays.

* Keep moving. The hustle and bustle of holiday preparation often push exercise to the side, but staying active as much as possible is essential. Get creative to keep moving by going for a family walk or playing physically active games with loved ones.

Arlette Capel

Desert Star Weekly

13279 Palm Drive Suite 4 & 5, Desert Hot Springs, CA 92240 760-671-6604

Food, drinks, gifts, and time with family make the holidays a merry occasion for people across the country. However, all that celebrating can sometimes become a distraction from maintaining heart health.

The season’s joys can become marred for many as research shows an uptick in cardiac events and heart attack deaths during the final week of December. According to a study published in the American Heart Association journal, “Circulation,” more cardiac deaths occur on Dec. 25 than any other day of the year, followed by the second largest number on Dec. 26 and the third largest on Jan. 1.

“The holidays are a busy, often stressful time for many of us,” said American Heart Association Chief Clinical

“Routines are disrupted. We may tend to eat and drink more and exercise and relax less. As a result, we’re getting too little sleep and experiencing too much stress. While we don’t know exactly why there are more deadly heart attacks during this time, it’s important to be aware that these factors can snowball, increasing the risk for a deadly cardiac event.”

Awareness of this annual phenomenon and taking critical, heart-healthy steps can help save lives. Consider these tips from Dr. Elkind and the experts at the American Heart Association.

* Know symptoms and take action. Heart attack signs vary in men and women, but it’s essential to recognize them early and call 9-1-1 for

help. The sooner medical treatment begins, the better chances of survival and preventing heart damage.

* Celebrate in moderation. Eating healthfully during the holidays doesn’t have to mean depriving yourself. There are ways to eat smart, such as limiting sodium intake and looking for small, healthy swaps, so you continue to

* Stick to your medications. Busy schedules can cause some people to skip pills, sometimes even to forget them at home or not get refills on time. Try using a medication chart as a reminder, and keep tabs on your blood pressure numbers.

Discover more ways to live heart-healthy during the holidays and throughout the year at heart.org. Family

Features Source: American Heart Association

By Desert Star Staff

Science Officer Mitchell S.V. Elkind, M.D., M.S., FAHA.

You’re being out and about in the world is curtailed at this time with Mars retrograde. You can’t help but miss all the people, events, food, travel, adventures, mountain peaks, plains, culture, cultures and civilization– summoning you to participate. Perhaps you will consider a more contemplative practice – beginning a Journal of Gratitude. Think deeply on your goals. Ponder more, especially upon this statement, “I see the goal, I reach that goal and then I see another.”

You always have goals and your gift is the strategies on how to accomplish those aims and goals. Do observe the many and varied goals, dreams, hopes & wishes filtering through your mind. There seems to be not enough time each day to accomplish everything, Time seems to have changed, accelerated. You have many plans to fulfill. Visualize yourself in the midst of abundant resources and money. See yourself as the Law of Attraction. Accomplishing all dreams, wishes, desires and aspirations. Hand write everything down.

you. A silver light is shining on your relationships. Compassion provides you with the heart felt intimacy needed. It’s actually being called for. Past, present and future seem to be bundled together. You and another need to travel. Down a river or lake or stream somewhere. Blue mountains ahead.

Your health at this time is what matters most. Focusing on health is good because you have the capacity to purify, harmonize and heal more quickly now. Foods are also on your mind. Are you considering preparing food to offer as gifts? Or are endless tasks and responsibilities appearing moment by moment? Till you have no time? Say no to some. Say yes to what brings happiness and joy. Then rest more.

to your family. You are the one who can connect them, one to the other. You are the one to create festivities that helps everyone feel comforted, nourished and at home. You might begin to consider planning a large gathering so that those who have no family are welcomed. You must merge separate realities, unify oppositions, and synthesize all parts and pieces. You love these tasks. They use your talents for detail and organization.

you as internal, hidden, watchful. Your ruler, Mars, is retrograde. So notice if you tire more easily. That is a message to be heeded to maintain health & well-being.

What are you planning for the holidays? Will you prepare with family or friends or both? With someone in particular? Or will the holidays be more of a retreat, a solemn occasion? Tend carefully to the ones closest to

Your heart seeks more adventure, fun, play and being tended to in a very creative way. You need to come out of the shadows and begin to accept invitations to parties and festivities, be with friends, attend plays, art shows, dances, and visit other people’s homes. You need both a Christmas tree and a Hanukkah bush with lights and candles everywhere. You need to be loved, cared for, recognized and then loved some more. Who can do this for you?

You are the light of the world

Being out and about in the neighborhood, dropping in on neighbors, driving around town seeking the most dramatic holiday decorations, having dinner with friends, gathering holiday decorations, seeing relatives, talking on the phone, sending holiday cards – all these you have the capacity for and love to do. You look forward to the festivities and lights and beauty of this season all year long. A question for you this year? Who is your family these days? A suggestion too. Rest more.

For the next several weeks you sense a light shining on you. You’ll feel lucky, able, capable, resourceful, wealthy, emotionally supported. Don’t run out, however, and buy everything you fancy that’s shining brightly. Unless it’s for a loved one. In gift giving, most appreciated would be your heart, given to another. Even if it’s to a friend. We think of

All parts of you are active, energetic, hopeful (we hope). You also may become a bit more impulsive, quick to anger, quite impatient, wanting and needed your own way (for a time). We see you as being more assertive, daring like a warrior. You become very attractive. However, be careful with everything – communicating, driving, walking, running, using tools, implements. Things red, hot and sharp (all of which, to some, you are) might attack. You’re laughing. That’s good. Caution with language. Stay hopeful.

careful not to be reckless. You have energy and enthusiasm, you have hopes and wishes, you have opportunities and invitations. Amidst the many possibilities, attend only to one or two at a time. Say thank you, exit gracefully, then focus on several more. Pay all bills promptly, don’t worry about money. You always have the needed resources and resourceful people. You always will. Write down your needs by hand in a journal. Focus on them. What are your current goals?

You may feel fatigued, weary and in need of rest. Soon you will need to be out and about in the public more, so take this time to draw back, do less work. Pluto, the lord of deep and permanent transformation has been working on your selfidentity for years now. You are changing day by day. Continue to plan and create goals. However, be patient acting upon them. Make health, rest, and well-being your central focus. Allow these to be your directives for at least a month or more. What books are you reading?

PISCES: You become more public, more of your leadership qualities are summoned. A forum or group invites you to teach, to offer your gifts of communication, counseling, intelligence and knowledge. You prepare. However, you are aware that at any time, things (ideas, plans) may dissolve away. So, you are hopeful, patient, accepting, acquiescing, yet you are also wary, cautious, circumspect, careful and coiled like a kundalini snake, its body emanating the Seven Rays of Light.

Risa D’Angeles is the founder and director of the Esoteric & Astrological Studies Research Institute: Risa’s Esoteric Astrology. She can be reached at risagoodwill@gmail.com.

As you go out and about be

Our Manager is Controlling Us, and What is “Four

By Kelly G. Richardson, Esq. CCAL

Hello Mr. Richardson, I live in a relatively new development. Until a few months ago, the builder had control of the board. We had elections and now have resident board members. We have the same management company that existed before the residents became elected. This management company still wants to control everything - run the meetings, prepare the minutes, plan all the community events, and submit all the financials.

The board members have been told we are not allowed to meet to discuss anything among ourselves. We are unhappy with many things about the current status, but feel powerless to improve the situation. A friend on another board says that they have “study sessions” with no votes taken, but consensus reached on various topics without the management

company in attendance. Is this ok? Regards, G.P., Irvine

Dear G.P.: Your management company should be helping and advising, not controlling. The HOA is allowed per Corporations Code Section 7210 to delegate the management of the corporation to a person or company, but that power is still ultimately under the control of the HOA board. Perhaps, the board could take some training from your local Community Associations Institute Chapter to be more confident in directing your management and better serve the HOA community.

As to “study sessions,” no – it doesn’t matter what you call it. If a quorum of the board discusses anything under the board’s authority in person, telephonically, or electronically, it is a “board meeting” under Civil Code 4090; and all the Open Meeting Act requirements of Civil Code Sections 4900-4955 apply to that discussion. These statutes

actually protect the board from being “on call” 24 hours a day- outside board meetings, you’re “off the clock.” Stick to discussing HOA business in HOA meetings, and you’ll find the board work less demanding on your time as volunteers.

Thanks, Kelly

Kelly, thanks for your informational HOA articles. The 4-day notice period for board meetings is highlighted in a number of places but the legislature did not specify if 4 days equals 96 hours. We are left to assume the requirement is four calendar days. My HOA management firm places notices in the mail after Friday’s pickup to provide notice for a meeting scheduled on the following Tuesday, making advance notice nearly useless. Are you able to offer any specifics on when a notice period starts the day count?

Thank you for your contributions to helping average homeowners like me understand the ‘rules of

the road.” J.R., San Diego

Dear J.R.: Civil Code Section 4920 refers to four days advance notice, which under Civil Code Section 10 is calendar days, and so could be less than 96 hours.

Announcement of board meetings may be given by “general notice,” which under Civil Code Section 4045 includes postal mail, posting in a “prominent location” in the HOA, or posting on the HOA’s website. Mailing the meeting announcement and agenda is an unnecessary expense and is slower, giving members less time to decide if they wish to attend. So,

for both reasons, ask your manager to post the notice in the HOA announcement areas and website. Also, make sure that all members are informed about how meetings and agendas are announced.

Best, Kelly

Kelly G. Richardson

CCAL is a Fellow of the College of Community Association Lawyers and Senior Partner of Richardson Ober LLP, a California law firm known for community association advice. Submit column questions to kelly@ roattorneys.com. Past columns at www.HOAHomefront. com. All rights reserved®.

CANCER

LEO

VIRGO

LIBRA SCORPIO

SAGITTARIUS

CAPRICORN

GEMINI

ASTROLOGICAL FORECAST BY RISA D’ANGELES

L.A. ‘Trash Club’ Helps Unhoused People and the Community

By Caroline Tracey for High Country News.

On a late August morning, the Echo Park Trash Club approached an underpass below Los Angeles’ 101 Freeway. Months earlier, the city had dismantled a homeless encampment located there during one of its routine sweeps. It was the Trash Club’s first return to the site since its residents had come back to and set up tents on the median between opposing lanes of traffic on Silver Lake Boulevard and in the alcoves where the bridge above intersected with the sloping hillside. Erin Fein, the club’s founder, and the 20some volunteers came to help clear the encampment of trash - a necessary hygiene service that also helps the community avoid another sweep. They approached the residents, introducing themselves and offering to take any trash they wanted to get rid of. One resident joined the cleanup, sweeping disintegrated pieces of Styrofoam and broken CDs into a dustpan. Two others joined the group photo at the end of the morning.

The environmental movement started with picking up trash. On April 22, 1970, schools and community groups held trash cleanups all across the U.S. Fifty years later, during the COVID-19 shelter-in-place order, the Echo Park Trash Club began bringing together neighbors for the very same activity - but with new significance in the midst of worsening housing and climate crises. The group uses cleanups not only to beautify their neighborhood but

also to support its unhoused community, whose trash buildup can result in encampments being dispersed, or “swept.”

Trash buildup is a key factor in the city’s decision to sweep encampments, according to club volunteers, sanitation department workers and housing activists. While the city justifies sweeps on hygiene grounds, they also displace residents, pushing them out of the shelters they rely on to mitigate the effects of extreme heat and weather.

The sudden dispersal leaves housing-insecure communities even more exposed to the effects of Southern California’s increasingly hot, and increasingly unpredictable, climate.

Isolated in her studio apartment in spring 2020, Fein thought of the idea of a trash pick-up group to simultaneously address increasing trash in her neighborhood and build community in a socially-distant way. When she put an initial post on the social media network NextDoor, “it exploded with comments.” Others in her community were also worried about the aesthetic aspect of trash-filled streets and its broader environmental impacts, such as the possibility of toxic trash like cigarette butts ending up in the ocean.

During the club’s first pickups, Fein used her own car to bring the filled trash bags back to her apartment dumpster. Others started to help her ferry and unload the trash, but what Trash Club members really wanted was the city’s support. They started, in Fein’s words, “a heavy-duty

campaign” of emailing the city to request a sanitation department truck at their cleanups. They went weeks without a response, but one day, a truck showed up. “We were like, huh, that garbage truck is just sitting there,” said Fein. They approached the driver. “Is there any chance you’re here for Echo Park Trash Club?” they asked. The driver said he was.

Once they had a truck regularly coming to the Sunday morning pickups, Fein expanded the club’s efforts to collect trash at the neighborhood’s homeless encampments.

Between 2018 and 2020, homelessness in Los Angeles climbed 32%. Other cities in the West saw similar increases, a symptom of rapidly increasing housing costs and the defunding of social services. Currently, there are an estimated 41,980 unhoused people in LA.

In Echo Park - as in many other neighborhoods - gentrification is part of the reason that many have ended up without housing. At the end of the 1990s, housing prices in the once working-class, majority-Latino neighborhood increased by 50% in three years Today, the neighborhood’s median home value is $1.5 million.

“It’s getting gentrified, so it’s pushing people into corners - there are sometimes 50 or 100 people living in one place. That creates a massive amount of trash,” said Joe Rodríguez, one of the garbage truck drivers who often takes a Trash Club shift. Rodríguez started his career in Los Angeles Sanitation and Environment’s

homeless cleanup branch, working as a maintenance laborer for five years before becoming a driver. He said that trash often built up so much at encampments that they had to use an excavator to remove it.

Tensions around Echo Park’s unhoused community came to a head in March 2021, when the city of LA shut down a large encampment at Echo Park Lake, the neighborhood’s central green space. The encampment had formed during the pandemic, when the city was not enforcing its anti-camping laws. As word of an impending sweep spread, protesters came to the community’s defense. But on March 24, 400 police officers entered the park to evict the encampment’s remaining residents, whose numbers had dwindled from around 200 to fewer than 20 as warnings circulated. In the process, they arrested 182 protesters - including some Echo Park Trash Club members - and detained at least 20 journalists.

Though it was uniquely high-profile, the Echo Park Lake sweep wasn’t a singular event: The city of LA undertakes multiple sweeps daily throughout the city. These involve multiple city agencies, including the departments of sanitation, homeless services and police, and are hectic. The Los Angeles police department and the department of sanitation close the area with barrier tape, and “once they do that, you can’t go back in, so people will be rushing to get their things,” said UCLA sociology graduate student Sam Lutzker. “It’s a big issue in terms of losing

documents and medicines.”

Just two weeks after the August pickup, Los Angeles experienced a record-breaking heat wave. Unhoused people were some of those most acutely affected by the extreme weather. Addressing housing and environmental crises most meaningfully requires addressing them in tandem. Reducing the urban heat island effect and providing cooling centers, for instance, helps all city residents mitigate and adapt to climate change - but especially those who are directly exposed to the ambient weather. And to keep encampment trash from building up, some cities have created initiatives to pay unhoused residents for trash collection, simultaneously employing those in need of work and keeping the city clean.

Now studying for a master’s degree in psychology, Fein hopes that Echo Park Trash Club can be part of restructuring sweeps to center encampment residents’ health, hygiene and sanitation needs, including trash pickup and mobile showers.

“If they were led by gentle people with mental healthrealm experience, they could do it in a helpful way: provide lunch, put belongings into tubs, clean the area and then set it back up together,” she said.

Rodríguez said Fein has already made a difference.

“Trash Club is a big accomplishment for the city,” he said. “It’s hard to do as much as Erin has done. I hope people piggyback on her work.”

Caroline Tracey wrote this article for High Country News.

Source: Suzanne Potter

Low-Income L.A. Neighborhoods Offered Internet at Higher Prices

By Desert Star Staff

Internet

service

in Los Angeles County is often offered at higher prices in low-income neighborhoods. In contrast, better deals are offered in wealthier areas, according to a California Community Foundation and Digital Equity LA report.

Researchers picked random addresses in every city in the county and shopped for internet service on AT&T, Frontier, and Charter Spectrum, which has a monopoly in parts of the county.

Shayna Englin, director of the digital equity initiative at the California Community Foundation, said the disparities in Spectrum’s promotional offers were glaring, for example, between low-income Watts and wealthier Mar Vista.

“Internet Ultra, the slowest speed that they offer in the highest-income neighborhoods, is offered for $70 a month, good for just one year, in Watts,” Englin outlined. “A few miles

away in Mar Vista, they offer the same thing for $30 a month, a good price for two years.”

Charter Spectrum, in a statement, said its plans, speeds, and prices are the same for every ZIP code nationwide. It disputed some of the data and claimed the report cherry-picked promotional offers. The company noted it has built the most extensive internet infrastructure in the county and participates in the Emergency Broadband Benefit program and the Affordable Connectivity Program, which offer low rates for low-income subscribers.

Jorge Rivera, executive co-director of The People’s Resource Center in Long Beach, one of 40 community groups that helped gather data for the study, called the prices discriminatory.

“Even if they are customeracquisition strategies, they’re still discriminatory because you’re offering less price in

higher-income areas than in lower-income areas,” Rivera argued. “So the fact that it’s just promotional is not an adequate response to the discriminatory practice.”

Rivera asserted internet service should be treated like a utility, not a luxury because people depend on it for work, school, telemedicine, and more.

Disclosure: The California

Community Foundation contributes to our fund for reporting on Education, Health Issues, Housing/Homelessness, and Immigrant Issues.

“Decision to Leave,” “Holy Spider,” and “Aftersun”

& Medhi Bajestani Cinematographer: Nadim Carlsen

Edited by: Olivia Neergaard-Holm

Music: Martin Dirkov

Languages: Persian

Running time: 117 Minutes

Unrated

Check your local theatre listings for or “JustWatch” for possible streaming information.

“AFTERSUN”

Written & Directed

By: Charlotte Wells

Starring: Paul Mescal, Frankie Corio & Celia Rowlson-Hall

With the preponderance of international films vying for various awards, including the coveted Academy Award and the US Gotham and International Press Academy Awards, I’ve chosen three particularly award-worthy films.

“DECISION TO LEAVE”

Directed by: Park Chan-Wook Starring: Park Hae-il, Tang Wei, Lee Jung-hyun

Did he jump off the mountain, or was it a rockclimbing accident, or was this middle-aged, successful businessman given a little push by Song Seo-rae, his beautiful, young, mysterious wife well played by Tang Wei, whose sexuality is palpable. This is the beginning of a complicated spiraling trajectory of events trapping a seasoned, albeit bored, married detective Hae-joon, intensely played by Park Hae-il. He soon finds himself caught in a web of obsessive attraction invading all aspects of his life. With the death of her second husband, the detective’s obsession with this woman appears to be mutual. Is it mutual or is she just manipulating him? Stunningly directed by Park Chan-wook, who won the Best Director prize at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, this extraordinary neo-noir film digs deeply into the obsessive behavior of his characters with a haunting denouement almost operatic in its grandness. With subtle reminders of the directing style of consummate auteur, the late Alfred Hitchcock, the brilliant DECISION TO LEAVE, which has already won several awards, is South Korea’s Official Oscar entry for Best International Feature Film.

“DECISION TO LEAVE”

Directed by: Park Chan-wook

Starring: Park Hae-il, Tang

Wei, Lee Jung-hyun

Written by: Park Chan-wook & CHUNG Seo-kyung

Cinematographer: KIM Ji-yong

Music by: Yeong-wook Jo

Edited by: Sang-beom Kim

Languages: Korean & Mandarin with English subtitles

Running Time: 138 minutes Unrated

(Currently at local theatres including Laemmle Monica Film Center, Santa Monica.)

HOLY SPIDER”

Directed by: Ali Abbasi

Written by: Ali Abbasi & Afshin Bahrami

Starring: Zar Amir Ebrahimi & Medhi Bajestani

Iranian investigative journalist Rahimi, hauntingly played by Zar Amir Ebrahimi, is intrigued by a serial killer in the holy city of Mashhad. Despite the challenges she faces as a female reporter and the machinations she must employ to get the facts, she insists on interviewing the authorities about the ongoing murders of women of the night.

Under Ali Abbasi’s intense direction, we learn that the very religious killer, Saeed Hanaei, well-played by Medhi Bajestani, believes he is doing God’s work by ridding the streets of these evil women. His modus operandi is consistent in that riding through the dark streets on his motorcycle, he flashes money, enticing women to hop on, at which point he often takes them to his home, where he offers them a drink and then strangles them. As the body count mounts, he is dubbed the “Spider Killer,” with some locals even embracing him as a hero. However, with the police rather lax on bringing the murderer to justice, Rahimi comes up with a plan of her own that could be dangerous but thinking she

has a protection backup, she puts her idea into action with potentially life-threatening results. HOLY SPIDER is based on the true story of the serial killer Saeed Hanaei, who killed over a dozen women during his twoyear crime spree. This intriguing thriller, the Danish submission for Academy Award Consideration for Best International Film, will keep you on the edge of your seats. He is greeted as a hero, and it looks like he will not be held accountable for his actions, or will he?

“HOLY SPIDER”

Directed by: Ali Abbasi

Written by: Ali Abbasi & Afshin Bahrami

Starring: Zar Amir Ebrahimi

Charlotte Wells’ film “Aftersun,” which made its debut at the Cannes Film Festival, is a nostalgic walk back 20 years after 11-year-old Sophie, brilliantly played by newcomer Frankie Corio. Her playful dad Calum, skillfully played by Paul Mescal, enjoyed an unforgettable holiday together at a Turkish beach resort back in the 1990s. Looking at old photos and camcorder recordings, the now grown-up Sophie, played by Celia Rowlson-Hall, relives that particular time with her dad. He was a free spirit introducing her to experiences she might miss, such as playing computer games at an amusement arcade, doing Tai Chi on the beach, dancing to pulsating music in a club, enjoying ice cream, meditating, or just having her cuddled up in his arms. Their relationship is complex, and in retrospect, the grown-up Sophie, whose parents are now divorced, is

trying to fit all the pieces together, reconciling her memories with the dad of today. Although we don’t know the root cause of the joyous moments, there is also a deep sadness emanating from dad. She remembers him quietly smoking on the patio, deep in his thoughts, or wading into the ocean late at night. Despite the laughter, dad seems to have a touch of melancholia. As the camera closes in on scenes of their relationship, we see the love and warmth between them and the special love father and daughter have for each other. This film has gotten rave reviews, but that said, there are some technical elements that I found difficult. For example, some of the scenes were shot with a handheld camera, resulting in rather jerky takes, while other very brief scenes did not seem to connect to the prior scenes. However, all is forgiven for this young director, who clearly has the sensitivity to become a director whose future films we look forward to.

“AFTERSUN”

Written & Directed

By: Charlotte Wells

Starring: Paul Mescal, Frankie Corio & Celia Rowlson-Hall Cinematographer: Gregory Oke

Music by: Oliver Coates

Edited by: Blair McClendon

Music: Oliver Coates

Language: English (United Kingdom)

Running time: 102 Minutes Rated R

Check your local theatre listings and JustWatch

L-R: Frankie Corio and Paul Mescal star as father and daughter in AFTERSUN, a poignant film written and directed by first-time director Charlotte Wells. Photos Courtesy of A-24

Cucamonga, CA 91739

· Saturday, December

3: 2 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.

· Sunday, December

4: 2 p.m.

· Saturday, December 10: 2 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.

· Sunday, December 11: 2 p.m.

Fox Performing Arts

Center, 3801 Mission Inn Avenue, Riverside, CA 92501

· Saturday, December

17: 2 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.

· Sunday, December 18: 2:00 p.m.

Tickets: Starting at $24, with senior/child/ group discounts available

More Information:

• Tickets and program information: https://ipballet.org;

https://www.cityofrc.us/news/ inland-pacific-ballets-nutcracker (Lewis Family Playhouse);

https://www.riversidelive.com (Fox Performing Arts Center)

Continued from Page 1

extraordinarily colorful costumes used in the dances.

In addition, it’s a time to learn of the American Indian heritage, traditions, way of life, and their meaning of it.

The event always starts with The Grand Entry. An Eagle staff is carried into the Dance circle along with the Tribal and American Flags. A tribute to the American Flag is honored with the singing and dancing to the Great Victory song. Dignitaries and tribal princesses are celebrated during the Grand Entry.

Families of living and dead are honored at this time. It’s a time to honor the fallen in all wars.

Competitive dances are Men’s Traditional, Grass Dance, and Fancy Dance.

Women’s dances are Traditional, Jingle Dress, and Fancy Shawl dances. Highly respected tribal members judge these. In addition, various tribes bring drummers and Bird singers for contested awards. Watching some of the youngest members dancing in special dances for youth is fun. The very young and old are always a big part of any Powwow. Each Dancer is unique.

Vendors come bringing so much to sell. Beaded necklaces, earrings, and bracelets. A lot of Genuine Indian jewelry and clothing. The beauty they create is so extraordinary to see. Blankets, hats, shawls and skirts, furs, and leather goods. A bit of something for everyone. There is always more to a Powwow

Tribal Princesses. Photo by Pat Krause

than dances. There are the Peon Games, The Giveaway,

and The Whipman. Indian food vendors in the outdoor area kept the guests will feed.

Grand Entry. Photo by Pat Krause

New American Airlines Flights to Austin Takeoff from Palm Springs

By Desert Star Staff

Palm

Springs, California

– American Airlines is growing at Palm Springs International Airport with a new seasonal service to Austin, Texas, today! American’s new seasonal service will operate daily from November 17 – 29 and December 15, 2022 – May 4, 2023, providing Coachella Valley residents with a great way to visit Austin and Central Texas.

“American is excited to provide nonstop access from Palm Springs to Central Texas and more one-stop connections across the airline’s network this summer,” said Philippe Puech, American Airlines Director of ShortHaul Network Planning. “This additional flying directly responds to the demand we saw in 2021. We look forward to connecting customers with their family and friends

this holiday season.”

“We’re excited to welcome additional service to Austin,” said Harry Barrett, Executive Director of Aviation. “Our airport continues to offer more flight options for area residents, making it easier for them to choose to support their local airport. Again, I want to thank American for growing at PSP.”

American will operate the route on a dual-class Embraer 175 aircraft offering Wi-Fi and 12 First Class seats, 20 Main Cabin Extra seats, and 44 Main Cabin seats.

With this addition, American will offer year-round service to Dallas/Fort Worth and Phoenix and seasonal service to Chicago O’Hare and Austin from PSP.

Visit flyPSP.com to view all routes and airlines available at Palm Springs International Airport. Source: Pam Price

A daughter desperate to attend her father’s execution

sat forever in a Missouri jail, awaiting his death sentence.

But over the years, father and daughter found each other. She visited him in prison; in their phone calls and through letters and emails, they kept in touch, building a relationship. However, it wasn’t until October that she also introduced Johnson to his grandson, bringing him to prison with her.

As the day of the execution approached, Khorry decided: she wanted to be close to her father at the moment of death - she wanted to be present at the execution. But her request was denied: Missouri law says citizens cannot attend an execution until they are 21.

she is praying for the Missouri governor to pardon him.

Ramey continued, “If my father was dying in the hospital, I would be at his bedside holding his hand and praying for him until he died. As a support for him and also a support for me, as a necessary part of my grieving process and for my peace of mind.”

When

his daughter won’t be able to be by his side.

Johnson, who killed a police officer in 2005 as a

then 19-year-old, never really got to know his daughter, Khorry Ramey, 19: Since she was two years old, her father

Khorry Ramey shattered: “It breaks my heart that I won’t be able to be with my father in his final moments.” She says her father worked hard in prison to rehabilitate himself -

Though Johnson’s attorneys are also still fighting for a pardon, arguing that racism played a role in his conviction, Johnson’s chances are fading. Johnson’s execution would be the first of three in Missouri in the coming months. Convicted murderer Scott McLaughlin is scheduled to be executed on Jan. 3, and Leonard Taylor on Feb. 7. In all, 20 inmates await execution in Missouri. So far this year, 16 people have been executed in the U.S.

Sunnylands and Cathedral City invite to new Family Day

RANCHO MIRAGE, CA – Sunnylands Center & Gardens is inviting the public to a special Family Day on Saturday, Dec. 10, that focuses on skills related to science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics (STEAM).

Under the direction of students from Cathedral City High School’s International Baccalaureate CAS (Creativity, Activity, and Service) program, kids and their families can learn about aerodynamics, mechanical engineering, kinetics, and biology through activities such as making paper airplanes, balloons

cars, or mini ecosystems from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

All activities and admission to Sunnylands Center & Gardens are free.

Please note that the historic Annenberg estate and the Center & Gardens will be closed Wednesday, Dec. 7, for an employee appreciation day and on the following holidays:

• Christmas Day, Sunday, Dec. 25

• New Year’s Day, Sunday, Jan. 1

Aside from the dates above, Sunnylands Center & Gardens, at 37977 Bob Hope Drive in Rancho Mirage, will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday.

Kevin Johnson murdered a police officer in 2005. His daughter Khorry Ramey now wants to attend his execution

By Desert Star Staff

By Desert Star Staff

cop killer Kevin Johnson, 37, breathes his last breath on Tuesday,

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CVRep Presents Tony Award Musical “Fun Home”

By Desert Star Staff

CATHEDRAL CITY, CA

- Broadway veterans Leslie Tinaro (EVITA, MY FAIR LADY), Kristen Howe (ANNIE, JOSEPH, AND THE TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT), and Victor Wallace (MAMMA MIA!) will star in the five-time Tony© Awardwinning musical FUN HOME by Lisa Horn and Jeanine Tesori, at Coachella Valley Repertory. FUN HOME, the second show in the 2022-2023 Season at CVRep, received Tony’s top three awards: Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical, and Best Original Score. Fun Home, the book, is Alison Bechdel’s autobiographical graphic

memoir that uncovers secrets through three different ages in her life. FUN HOME isn’t just a coming-of-age or coming-out story but one that sets out to unravel the many mysteries of childhood that everyone can identify with. Moreover, it’s a moving journey of acceptance in a wholly original American musical. The NY Times review said, “[FUN HOME’s] universality comes from its awareness of how we never fully know even those closest to us, and of the undercurrent of grown-up secrets.

Performances of FUN HOME are Tuesdays through Sundays, December 6-10

and December 12-18. Curtain time for evening performances Wednesdays through Saturdays is 7 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday matinees are at 2 p.m. In addition, free Talkback Thursdays are held after every Thursday performance, allowing audience members to discuss the plays with the directors and cast.

Single tickets for FUN HOME are on sale now. Single tickets to FUN HOME are $58, $63, and $73. Tickets are also available for DIRTY BLONDE, ONCE, and HAND TO GOD. They may be ordered online at www.cvrep.org, by calling (760) 296-2966, ext. 115, or

at the CVRep box office at 68510 East Palm Canyon Dr., Cathedral City. Box office hours are Monday-Friday from 10:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and two hours before performances. Group tickets are available and

can be arranged by calling the box office. To better serve audiences, patrons requesting accessibility assistance are encouraged to contact the box office at least 24 hours before their ticketed performance.

5 Tips to Pull Off Holiday Hosting

FAMILY FEATURES

With stay-at-home holidays a thing of the past for many families, they’re now busy preparing for full-blown celebrations. The return of traditional festivities brings seemingly never-ending to-do lists and pressure to be the perfect host.

From mastering a mouthwatering menu and donning your home with decadent decor to ensuring guests enjoy the evening to the fullest, hosting duties bring plenty of responsibilities. This year, though, you can avoid those anxious feelings with some preparation ahead of the big day.

To help pull off a sensational seasonal soiree, consider these tips from the entertaining experts at Sun-Maid to make the holidays brighter and more manageable so you can navigate the stresses of hosting.

Invite Others to Share Favorite Traditions

Especially with stay-at-home holidays in recent years, some friends and family members may have developed their own special traditions from new recipes and foods to seasonal games and activities. Inviting your guests to bring or share something that represents their favorite part of the holidays can help everyone feel welcome.

Take Time for Yourself

Remember to make time for yourself so you can enjoy the fruits of your labor right alongside guests. The busyness of this time of year can add stress but reflecting on the true meaning of the season and reveling in your favorite parts of the holidays can help you avoid feeling overwhelmed.

Add New Ingredients to Your Menu

While pairing this year’s turkey or ham with the classics provides comfort and calls to mind holiday memories of the past, cooking with new ingredients and adding fresh recipes to the menu can put a fun spin on the season and maybe even create your own traditions to carry forward.

For example, baking with an option like Sun-Maid Raisins provides a whole fruit option with zero grams of added sugars per 1/4-cup serving. They’re an easy, better-for-you substitution to reduce overall sugar intake without compromising flavor or texture when compared with dried cranberries, which contain 27 grams of added sugars per 1/4-cup serving. The natural sugars of raisins make them a versatile, useful addition to a wide variety of holiday-worthy dishes.

Hop On Hot Food Trends

One of this year’s most popular trends in the kitchen is food boards, a fun and easy way to elevate flavor while incorporating favorites like cured meats, cold cuts, cheese slices and cubes, dips, nuts and more. Plus, you can keep your board balanced with nutritious items like vegetables and fruit, such as raisins, which provide sweet flavor without the added sugars.

A Time for Truce

Gathering for the holidays is about coming together with loved ones, family, friends and neighbors – and pulling it off means catering to everyone’s needs and wants. It’s a time for compromises and truces. To help add a little extra spark this year, try incorporating a theme to the party or coordinate fun activities and games that can be enjoyed by all. For example, holiday-themed charades, a seasonal “name that tune” game and gift exchanges all give guests ways to get in on the excitement.

To find more holiday entertaining inspiration and recipe ideas, visit SunMaid.com/PullOffTheHolidays.

Photos courtesy of Getty Images

Kristen Howe

Victor Wallace

Leslie Tinnaro