LUCERNE VALLEY— Cooler weather should bring out more motocross riders, now that the BMX track in town is ready and groomed after that last hard rain. The BMX track sits next to the Senior Center beyond the fenced off area to the east. It offers racing courses and practice sessions so expert, intermediate, and novice riders can get some time to hone their skills.
Read more on page 13
The annual Calico Days event at the Calico Ghost Town Regional Park was held this year on September 24th and 25th. After a long period of Covid restrictions, the Calico Days event appeared to be back in full force. The crowds were somewhat lighter than I expec ted but that could have been due to the triple digit temperatures. According to the calen dar, it is officially autumn. Apparently, the High Desert did not receive the memo.
I’m ashamed to say, although I practically live in the shadow of the Calico Mountains, I had not been there in many years. Looking at the scheduled events, which filled an entire page each day, I chose to go on the Sunday. There were several events on Sunday that were either new, or new to me, since my last visit.
All of the “usual” events were still there, just more of them. Read more on page 4
6
OPE YOU ALL HAD A GREAT SUMMER
Less daylight and more jacket/sweater
ready for
ahead.
have been busy adding new members to our TEAM, new areas of coverage and even more important new advertisers
New TEAM members are John Wease, writer, read his articles in this issue. Brenda Anders who joins the Lucerne Valley Edition working with Rusty LaGrange.
In this issue we have important articles for seniors and veterans. As is always our mission we feature articles that affect your health and life style. With a few stories of places and people in our areas.
If you are a writer/photographer, involved in your community or feel you have a talent for ad sales please get in touch with us. We are expanding and have a need for good people to join our TEAM.
Our mission is to be a resource for you on matters that affect your life, health and financial well being. Those folks that serve on our local school boards, at all levels have the most profound impact on our future, our young minds. I am endorsing three gentlemen that are running for local, county and college community. John Kozyra Snowline School district, Ryan McEachron SB County School Board and Joe Brady Victor Valley Community Board. All three are OUTSTANDING members of our communities. Although I endorse them I am not in the districts they represent so I am unable to vote for them.
I include CSD’s, Chambers and local service organizations in our list of who we support. Schools, youth groups, churches and all civic minded groups are also on this list.
By the way I will, once again, be a judge for the Pageant at the Oct 8 Route 66 event in Barstow. All the local events we feature in the PULSE are an open invitation would like you to come join them for great fun and supporting your community.
JAMES
CARY
LUCERNE
IT IS BILLED AS A CELEBRATION of life in the Wild West of the 1880’s. Three different groups performed gunfighter reenactments. Music could be found somewhere in town all day long. Fast draw pistol demonstrations, horse shoe, egg toss, bucket brigade, mustache and beard contest, were just some of the old standards. There were many activities for children as well. New to me were the “Burro Run” and “Miner Triathlon” events.
The Burro Run was limited to ten contestants, drawn by chance from the many applicants. The lucky ten contestants were given saddle bags and a bed roll. At the start, they ran to select a burro, and then led it through a long course around town. Stops along the course included picking up a bag of “ore” samples, registering their claims, and driving a claim marker stake. The event was timed, so the first one back won. And, just like there is fast food and the much slower food, apparently there is racing and then there is burro racing. None of the burros were abused or mistreated, and the event was marshalled by men on horseback. Many of the burros were not very cooperative, to the frustration of the contestants.
The Miner’s Triathlon was a three-event contest with separate divisions for men and women. “Rock Pulling” consisted of moving a very large boulder for sixty seconds, across the never level terrain of Calico. Movement of the boulder in any direction was measured and recorded. “Muck Raking” was filling an ore cart with gravel for sixty seconds. Height of the load was measured to find the winner. The final event was called “Cliff Hanger.” It is a rope-pulling event between two contestants, with opposing contestants balanced on wooden blocks (the cliffs). Winner either pulls the rope from the opponent, or causes the opponent to step off of his “cliff.”
Another interesting, and new to me, feature was the Calico School House classroom session. As we sat in the period-correct desks, the “teacher” explained what going to school in Calico in the 1880’s would have been like in the one room, all grades, classroom. This school house was replicated by Walter Knott using old photographs, and built in its’ original location. The original school house was built in 1885. From 1882 through 1884, classes were held at the Silver King Mine boardinghouse.
Calico was an important part of our local history. Silver was discovered in 1881.
Calico was established in 1882. The town grew to support the more than three hundred silver mining claims in the Calico Hills. In the winter of 1882-1883, borax was discovered in Mule Canyon. Between 18861896, Calico had a population of up to 1,200. The business district included more than seventy businesses which included twentytwo saloons, hotels and boarding houses, a post office, a newspaper, and the one-room schoolhouse that served as the church on Sundays. A Chinatown was located on the east silico.
In 1896, silver prices fell to $.65 an ounce. Most of the silver mines closed. The school and post office closed in 1898. Some of the town’s buildings were moved to Yermo or Daggett. The borax mines closed in 1907.
Estimates of silver and borax production between 1881 and 1907 are $20 million in silver and $9 million in borax. There were attempts in the early 1900’s to mine deeper,
By John Weaseand process mine tailings, by the Zenda Mining Company. These efforts also ended.
The Zenda Mining company sold their holdings to Walter Knott (the owner of Knott’s Berry Farm} in 1951. Walter Knott had worked as a carpenter during the latter stages of mining there. Interestingly, he was the nephew of Sheriff John King. King “grubstaked” the men that found the first silver on what would become King Mountain and the Silver King Mine. Knott worked to restore Calico until 1966. He then transferred his 480 acres there to San Bernardino County, to be used as a regional park. Calico was designated a California Historical Landmark and the official Silver Rush Town of California.
I spoke with several of the shop owners while I was there. All were struggling with the effects of the pandemic. The stores were closed completely during the peak of the covid restrictions. Then, they were only open on the weekends. One store owner told me I should come back during the week, if I wanted to see a real ghost town. Apparently, the shops survived in the past by the tour busses that brought “foreign tourists” during the week. Those tour buses have stopped completely. They could really use customers. The store owners I spoke with are locals and many of the products are
handcrafted. If you are looking for unique gifts, and want to shop locally, keep Calico in mind.
Aside from Calico Days, there are several other special events throughout the year. Next up is the Halloween festivities the last two weekends in October. In February, they will have “California Days.” This was, in the past, the very popular, Civil War reenactment event. Every Mother’s Day weekend is the bluegrass music festival. All events are on the San Bernardino County Regional Parks website, with dates and current information.
I would like to thank Ryan Isom, the Parks Operations Chief for the San Bernardino Regional Parks. When I arrived at the gate, I asked the ranger if there was an office, or information booth, as I was writing a story about Calico Days for the Pulse of the High Desert and wanted information on how the
pandemic had affected the park operations. I was told I could not photograph for publication without the permission of the Regional Parks Director. The office was locked, but I managed to find a ranger, and approached her. She repeated the same thing to me. Luckily, Ryan was there also. Although busy with the event, he took the time to text the director (who happened to be on vacation, as well as it was Sunday) and get the permission for me. So, thank you Ryan Isom. If all our county personnel are as dedicated, and helpful, as Ryan, we are in good hands.
John Wease resides in Newberry Springs with his wife, Susana. Now retired, he enjoys gardening, restoring old cars, and writing. He is a published author, with his modernday western fiction novel “The Horseman” available at the usual online sources. He is now seeking ideas for articles for The Pulse of the High Desert newspaper.
So, if you have suggestions for stories about interesting people, events, or places in Barstow, or the surrounding communities, contact him at jnwease@gmail.com.
HIGH DESERT, CA – A NEW REPORT HAS JUST BEEN RELEASED WHICH REVEALS 7 COSTLY MISTAKES that most homeowners make when selling their home, and a 9–Step System that can help you sell your home fast and for the most amount of money. This industry report shows clearly how the traditional ways of selling homes have become increasin gly less and less effective in today’s market. The fact of the matter is fully three quarters of home sellers don’t get what they want for their homes and become disillusioned and-worse- financially di sadvantaged when they put their homes on the market. As this report uncovers, most homesellers make 7 deadly mistakes that cost them literally thousands of dollars. The good news is that each and every one of these mistakes is entirely preventable. In an answer to this issue, industry insiders have prepared a FREE spe cial report entitled “The 9-Step System to Get Your Home Sold Fast and For Top Dollar. “
To hear about how to order your FREE copy of this report call toll -free 1– 800–596–5137 and enter 1000. You can call anytime 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Get your FREE special report NOW and find out how you can get the most money for your home.
The U.S. Social Security Administration will make a big announcement.
SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS have become a key source of income for many retired Americans, and for those with disabilities.
In fact, the Social Security Administration (SSA) has found that among participants in the program, more than one-third of both men and women receive roughly half of their income from Social Security benefits. For more than 10% of both men and women in the program, Social Security benefits account for 90% of their income. Needless to say, Social Security is a centerpiece of many Americans’ financial lives, which is why those in the program should monitor changes and updates carefully. One day that Social Security recipients will want to mark on their calendars is Oct. 13. Here’s why.
In 1975, Congress implemented the cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) into Social Security, ensuring that when inflation went up, Social Security benefits would follow suit. After all, if consumer prices are rising at a high rate, then people receiving the same amount of Social Security would see their purchasing power decline.
As you’ve probably seen, inflation has been at a 40-year high all year. The Consumer Price Index, which tracks the prices on a basket of daily consumer goods and services, rose 9.1% in June on a year-over-year basis. The prices on everything from gas to rent and food have skyrocketed this year.
The SSA calculates the COLA by looking at the growth in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) in the third quarter of each year, which comprises the months of July to September. The SSA averages the CPI-W in each
By Bram Berkowitzof these three months and then compares it to the same period of the prior year. For instance, the average monthly CPI-W in the third quarter of 2021 was 268.421. In 2020, the average monthly CPI-W was 253.412. That means the CPI-W rose by 5.9%, which is how the SSA arrived at its COLA increase for 2021.
The COLA is then applied to a retiree’s primary insurance amount (PIA), which is the amount a person would get if they start collecting Social Security at their normal retirement age. The PIA is calculated through a fairly complex formula.
While we don’t yet know what the CPI-W will be for August and September of this year, the CPI-W in July came in at 292.219, which is roughly 9.1% higher than in July of 2021. Inflation may have already peaked, but there really is not enough data to confirm that yet.
The non-partisan Senior Citizens League is predicting the Social Security COLA adjustment could come in at 9.6% when everything is said and done, although past reports have suggested the COLA adjustment could be as high as 10.5%. Regardless, this would mark Social Security’s largest COLA adjustment since 1981.
While it could vary by a day or two, the SSA is expected to announce this COLA adjustment on Oct. 13. Even if the adjustment was just 9.1%, that would still be 3.2 percentage points higher than last year’s COLA, which was the largest COLA adjustment since at least 2009.
The average monthly Social Security check program-wide in July was $1,544.70, which means a 9.6% COLA adjustment would increase the average payment by more than $148.
Additionally, the new Social Security COLA adjustment could end up leading to more of your Social Security benefits being taxed, so there are more implications than just increased benefits. That’s why Social Security participants will certainly want to tune in on Oct. 13 to hear about the new COLA adjustment right away, so they can prepare accordingly.
The $18,984 Social Security bonus most retirees completely overlook
If you’re like most Americans, you’re a few years (or more) behind on your retirement savings. But a handful of little-known “Social Security secrets” could help ensure a boost in your retirement income. For example: one easy trick could pay you as much as $18,984 more... each year! Once you learn how to maximize your Social Security benefits, we think you could retire confidently with the peace of mind we’re all after.
informational meetings are a great way to learn about different Medicare health plans before you sign up for one.
A general overview of the Medicare program
An in-depth look at the Medicare plans offered
Time to get your questions answered during a Q&A
• No pressure. If you’re just there to learn and aren’t ready to make a decision, the re’s no pres sure to sign anything or enroll in a plan until you’re rea dy. You’re welcome to sit back, relax and learn.
• Extra perks. When you research Medi care health plans online, it’s hard to com pare apples to apples. Medicare meetin gs give you a chance to learn about the perks that are unique to each plan – thin gs like fitness programs, travel benefits, and discounts for eyewear and hearing aids.
• Someone you can call. When the mee ting is over, you’ll walk away with a per sonal contact of a Medicare Specialist, If you have a follow-up question or decide
to enroll in one of their plans, you now have someone you can call whenever you need.
Annual Enrollment Period is October 15th – December 7th. Be sure to sign up for an in-person meeting in your area to connect with a Medicare Specialist and to learn from other attendees like you.
Every year, Choice Medical Group offers educational meetings for the senior commu nity to help them understand what the be nefits are for the upcoming year. They en courage all seniors to attend, to educate themselves and to meet a specialist that can answer their personal questions. Corky Pie Voucher provided at end of meeting for your time.
Visit HDMedicare.com for a list of dates/ locations, view the dates on the back page of this publication or call Senior Resource Center 760.338.0914. Reservations are re quired as meetings fill up quickly. Call today.
Meditation is a simple way to improve caregiver health and well-being
CAREGIVING IS A TOUGH JOB and the stress can seriously affect your physical and mental health.
An effective and simple way to combat that is to meditate. Rest assured, you don’t have to be a zen master before you benefit from meditation – even a few minutes a day can make a big difference in well-being.
We explain what meditation is and how it improves your health and mood.
We also share 4 excellent (and free) apps that make it easy and convenient to start meditating.
In these apps, there are many types of meditations to choose from and different lengths of time – even as little as 1 minute.
You’ll easily find something that suits your mood and fits into your busy day.
4 apps that make meditation quick and simple for caregivers
Insight Timer is one of the most popular free meditation apps available. It has nearly 7,000 free guided meditations from thousands of teachers.
It’s easy to find meditations based on topic or by the length of time, like 0 – 5 min, 6-10 min, etc. The topics cover stress, sleep, self-compassion, nature, and more.
If you like quiet meditation, the timer lets you meditate to intermittent bells or calming ambient noise.
Insight Timer also has a community aspect. The home screen shows how many people are meditating right now.
You can also get inspired by other people’s public meditation activity. After you finish a meditation, you’ll learn exactly how many people were meditating at the same time.
Based on your privacy settings, you can choose to display information about your meditation sessions or keep everything private.
You can also invite friends to join or join an Insight Group for discussion or meditation challenges. (Free, Get app for iPhone and Android)
Smiling Mind is an Australian not-for-profit organization that’s making mindfulness meditation simple and accessible to everyone.
All of their meditations are free and there are dozens of options with different focuses and varying lengths of time.
Some meditations are just one minute long – something you can fit into even the most hectic day. (Free; Get app for iPhone or Android)
Sanvello gives you tools to reduce and manage stress, anxiety, and depression.
These tools are based on cognitive behavioral therapy and mindfulness techniques. They help you cope with difficult situations and emotions.
Meditation doesn’t require any equipment, is free, and is easy to do.
All you need is a quiet spot where you can sit and try to focus your attention in a way that helps your body and mind relax.
Guided meditations make this easy because you just follow the calming voice prompts.
Don’t worry if your thoughts wander while you’re meditating, that happens to everyone. The only thing that’s important is just to do it, there’s no right or wrong way.
Meditation has dozens of impressive benefits, including:
• Helping to regulate emotions
• Reducing the physical effects of stress
• Boosting immune system
• Improving sleep
• Reducing depression
• Lowering blood pressure
The app can also help you track your thoughts, mood, health, and goals so you can view your progress and get some of the benefits of journaling too.
There are many free tools available, but you’ll need to create a free account in order to use the app.
But programs and services like coaching or therapy will require payment or subscription. (Free, Get app for iPhone and Android or use on web)
Headspace is another great app for beginners or those wanting more tips on how to get started with meditation.
There’s a helpful Basics course that will ease you into it.
There are many great free meditation programs, but the majority do require a paid subscription. (Free, Get app for iPhone and Android or use on web)
The Holcomb Valley gold rush was the largest in Southern California, bringing fortune seekers to the Victor Valley after the discovery of gold here in 1860 About five
miles north of Big Bear Lake, Holcomb Valley and the miners it attracted affected U S history by helping to fund both sides of the Civil War World War II brought the end of the gold era in the Cushenbury Canyon, but another mineral rush began California's post war population boom brought the industrial minerals revolution The Cushenbury quarry was initially developed by renowned industrialist Henry J Kaiser to supply his steel making operations in Fontana He built the cement plant in 1957, and the facility was modernized in 1982 before Mitsubishi Cement Corp purchased it in 1988
Today, the C ushenbury Plant is one of the leading industries in the greater High Desert area San Bernardino County provides the largest source of mineral commodities in the U S , with the minerals mined in the Victor Valley helping to fuel California's economy
The Cushenbury cement plant has operated in the foothills of Lucerne Valley for over 50 years. As a part of County Service Area 29, much of Mitsubishi Cement Corp's $2.4 million yearly property tax is channeled back into the community. The plant employs about 150 people and spends more than $12 million annually on purchases from regional vendors and in support of community projects.
VALLEY— More activity, more traffic moving through town, more new faces opening their new businesses— those are the encouraging signs that Lucerne Valley Chamber members have noticed in recent months.
Many new owners are coming from city environments that are too draining for their energy and family lifestyles. Basically, new families see Lucerne Valley as an escape from the city.
New folks note that this town is quiet, friendly, and offers the space and freedoms that the cities just can’t provide anymore.
With that truth comes the big move to the High Desert and starting over. Getting a foothold here requires investment, time, money, and a lot of help.
Stepping up to the challenge is our Lucerne Valley Chamber of Commerce climbing out of the doldrums of the COVID pandemic. They are the go-to place for new entrepreneurs who can generate more exposure, a ribbon-cutting Grand Opening ceremony to introduce them, and other necessary perks to get them off to a good start.
However, joining the Chamber is their first step. By helping their dollar go farther, each new business has the internal community of business owners who can help share ways to avoid pit-falls, share ideas, join in community events that strengthen their exposure to new
and local consumers, and the camaraderie of ownership.
In some of the Chamber changes are a reorder of office personnel: Donna Soria will be stepping down from her board duties by December, interim Manager Angie Miller will continue helping, and Mo Jordan has just retired, while new Office Manager Molly Porter has stepped into her new role.
“We want to wish our retiring Office Manager, Maureen “Mo” Jordan a Happy Retirement! Mo has done a great job running our office and organizing our many events for the past seven years. Mo also served as Honorary Mayor in 2019 and has dedicated countless volunteer hours to our little town. Thank you, Mo, for all of your contributions and many volunteer hours!” — comments from their Facebook pages.
Stepping into her new role as Office Manager, Molly took over from Mo in the beginning of August.
“We’ve been working on getting all of our systems up to date and making new contacts,” she noted. “I grew up in Apple Valley. I started bartending at LV Moose Lodge four years ago. I moved here probably a year ago to live with my boyfriend, Tyler.”
Currently expecting her first baby in February, she also has a small cake decorating business.
A fresh start after a long hot Summer may be just what our community needs right now.
Speaking for The Pulse of the High Desert’s Lucerne Valley Edition, we encourage homebased entrepreneurs to join others with brickand-mortar places by letting us know you, too. A special “Get to Know You” advertising square is now available for a one-time price of $25. Let our community know that your services are here. The Square is 1.5” by 1.5” —just enough room for a maximum of three (3) lines: your business name, type of service, and phone number or link.
A our “Special” you don’t need to be a Chamber member, and you only get to publish once in this format. We highly encourage you to join the Chamber and increase your visibility more than online, a events booth, or printed flyers.
We also wish to thank the Chamber for eagerly supporting The PULSE in ways that will encourage ad sales, exposure through articles, and premium locations in town to find the “newest” printed newspaper covering the news that we have all been missing.
You can always contact me 760.646.2661 or text. And I’m introducing my new Sales Rep Brenda Anders, also a part-time bartender at the Moose Lodge and part-time staffer at an animal shelter.
THIS YEAR’S YEARBOOK STAFF AT LUCERNE VALLEY MIDDLE/ HIGH SCHOOL has given students a chance to showcase their art skills in a special yearbook cover art contest. Students could submit their art for a chance to win one deluxe yearbook package and a feature in the yearbook. One rule was that it had to be a student’s own work; in addition, it had to be on a piece of blank, white paper. The artwork also had to include a title.
STARS AND STRIPES BMX is owned by Theresa Rojas and her Track Manager is partner, Paul Datuin. They are part of the national organization known to dirt bike pros as USA BMX. With this affiliation, riders get better insurance coverage so little towns like Lucerne Valley can offer the sport. As a national member-based organization, members can ride anywhere in the network by just paying their track fees.
With the track under new management as of July, they can also offer Riding Clinics by former BMX Pro Rich Anderson. Learning the skills is offered through Avalanche Training. Clinics are open on Wednesday evenings from 6-8pm. Riders pay $30 per race. On Saturdays, the course is set up for racing if enough sign up or for just practice. The practice fee is just $5.00. For current details follow their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ starsandstripesbmx/
The winner of the contest was Shania Tearse, a senior at Lucerne Valley MHS. According to Yearbook Advisor Mr. Haeker, “Shania Tearse did a very good job and is a very talented artist.”
The winner
“We can take the very youngest riders and up to adults who have great time just as our practice track time,” Rojas explained. “There isn’t much here for kids to do, so this is one activity where they can learn and grow before heading off to other race tracks for competitions.” She also said that even if each BMX family doesn’t plan to compete, they learn skills in racing, balance, strength, and a bit of excitement
LUCERNE VALLEY— If you’ve wondered who could step into the Barber Shop after buying out the legacy of John Colusa, no worry.
Matt Smith slipped right in like he was born here. Hey! He was a local kid in his high school days. His interest in that barber shop grew from the early interest in barbering.
“I’m back home.” Matt grinned during a break after his current client cleared the chair. He admits that after heading out to the big cities in 1998 and nearly 25 years of “renting a chair” in some high-end studios. We’re talking Burbank, Los Angeles, in other top regions that carries a large clientele.
When 2008 hit the nation with outrageous inflation and a surge in rents, Matt knew it was time to change. He started returning to the quieter environments and lower rents in the High Desert. Little by little he came by way of Victorville, Apple Valley, Hesperia, and then called John Colusa again.
What we didn’t know was, Matt had been pestering John for many years, calling just to ask if he was ready to retire.
“I guess I wore him down. He called me and we knew the time was right.”
So, buy the time we knew John was heading for retirement in our last PULSE edition, we didn’t know that Matt was waiting impatiently
to return home. Matt Smith is now the new owner.
When I asked how settling in was going, he actually smiled and said, “It’s really something. I have people stop in just to sit down and say hi. We talk awhile and it’s nice.”
While I was there, one of his clients had followed him out from Apple Valley, and admitted he follows Matt for the best cut.
“Is there a goal for your future? It sounds like you were meant to be here,” I asked. He’s a bit on the quiet side. He did grin again as he put this thoughts together.
“I do feel I was meant to be here. It seems like that. I see myself sitting on the porch waving at the cars. It’s a slower life. I’ll be here for the next 35 to 40 years until I’m ready to retire.”
His hours and days of operation haven’t changed either. Looks like we’re in good hands.
LUCERNE VALLEY — People driving by the glass storefront business right next to the barber shop have noticed activity, waiting to see who arrives. The Littles, Clint and Andra, are excited about the new promise of selecting Lucerne Valley as their home.
Clint Little is establishing a luxury vinyl, tile, and carpet flooring business. They had been looking for a quiet town with a country feel.
“My wife and I wanted to find a place where we can raise a family, provide a local service that is missing here,” he said. “We wanted a safer environment to raise our blended family and infant son, Wyatt.”
He explained that it was about the comfort, quiet, and friendliness that attracted them to the valley. Although other décor businesses have tried in the past, they’re hoping and investing that planting their lives here will be great for them.
By Rusty LaGrange
Little just open Floored, a clever name for his store, and should have his complete inventory on display by the time you read this. He has years of experience and his stock is coming in load by load. Startups are always those hopes and dreams balanced on the local interest of buyers who wish to shop in town, and know they are helping establish a new family business.
While Little was out on his first install job, his wife, Andra, baby, and daughter Charlotte, stood in their new establishment now ready for clients. Stop in and say hi.
IHAVE HAD MY SUCCESSES. Sometimes the successes are hit or miss. The frustration of the misses made me very happy to learn of the Desert Gardeners group, right here in Newberry Springs. They meet on the fourth Saturday each month at the Newberry Springs Community Services District building by the park. I expected to find a half dozen Newberrians sitting around, complaining about the weather. What I found was a group of very friendly, welcoming people. People, apparently from all walks of life, sharing a common interest in gardening. Unlike other hobby interest groups, there is no hesitation to share secrets for success, or to laugh at previous failures.
The monthly meeting is well organized, and each month there is a guest speaker, or other informative program. There is no membership application or dues. All are made to feel welcome. With twenty to thirty gardeners in attendance at each meeting, someone is always able to answer any question. Incredibly, there are seventy-eight names on the group’s mailing list.
In an area known for its fiercely independent residents, I was very curious how a group such as the Desert Gardeners ever got started in the first place. The group’s leader, Paul Deel, was kind enough to discuss the group with me, and give me a tour of the under-construction community garden project. Forgive the pun, but the seeds for the Desert Gardeners group were planted when the
NSEDA, the Newberry Springs Economic Development Association, formed in 2016.
The NSEDA originally formed in hopes of securing for Newberry Springs a Promise Zone grant. This was a program for disadvantaged communities during the Obama presidency. Although the Promise Zone didn’t work out, the NSEDA continued, with the goal of developing the economy, while promoting the rural desert lifestyle and values. It is their belief that the four pillars necessary to support the economy are agriculture, a civic hub, tourism, and cottage industry.
The Newberry Springs economy has always been based on agriculture. There have been many changes throughout the years. Turkeys, chickens and eggs, apricots, fish, and open-range beef all had there time here. Alfalfa died off, but made a big comeback with the pivot irrigation systems. Pistachios are a more recent product, enough to support a Pistachio Festival each year. Much like the Apricot Festivals some of us may remember from many years ago. The recent surge of “grow sites” of hemp and marijuana, appear to be in decline.
With the severe overdraft of the water table, sustainable land use is now more important than ever. The NSEDA has a community gardens project under construction that, once completed will address this and more. The Coppi-Mumford Community Gardens, named after the family that generously donated twenty acres to the NSEDA, is to be a demonstration farm of sorts. A “living laboratory of sustainable desert agriculture and living.”
Plans include developing systems to profitably grow crops, while being water-wise. Long-range plans include classes, tours, and demonstrations. A cooperative is planned to provide a market for the small-scale or craft producers. They also hope to include alternative building techniques such as straw bale or adobe, using local materials. Electricity is a fair distance from the property. It is believed solar power would cost the same, and better fit their objectives.
The pandemic, unfortunately, put the project on hold. With a grant and donations, they were able to have a well put in, as well as water mains, and some fencing. Twenty “square-foot garden” plots with drip water systems are built, and growing green beans to help enrich the soil. These will be the typical community garden plots for individuals in the future. Although it may not be much to see, compared to the grand overall plan, even this small part is being used to test growing plants. Growing with a heavy mulch layer, and with infrequent watering, as a generator is used for now to run the water well pump.
The NSEDA is a 501c(3) non-profit organization. I’m sure donations and corporate sponsors would be welcome. Now that the summer heat is easing, an official work day has been established. The Saturday following the Desert Gardeners meeting day, all those that
would like to help, are asked to pitch in as much as possible. Those unable to do the physical labor could help by donating materials, or making tax-deductible contributions. Help is needed to secure grants to continue funding as well.
So, join me at the Desert Gardeners the fourth Saturday of each month. I’ll be the guy asking more dumb questions than giving smart answers. I can guarantee someone there will have the answers. And, I can guarantee, you will be made to feel most welcome.
FOR WORK , I often tell her, “Remember, you are the hand of God today.”
And she is.
My wife is a hospice nurse. She boldly steps into the most serious situations imaginable, when death looms over a family like a filthy stench. In those darkest hours, my wife brings light.
Although she doesn’t tell me about her patients—she can’t by law—my wife will share when one passes away (which they all do), or when a family, or spouse is having a particularly difficult time.
Hospice is a challenging choice for nurses. Whereas they go into nursing to aid in the healing process, there is no more important time for a patient or a family than when getting better is no longer an option and the body begins to shut down. Unfortunately, many spouses and families find it nearly impossible to let go of their loved ones. They will demand that something be done to reverse the inevitable, asking, “Why aren’t
they getting better?” Some even get angry (one of the stages of grief), and they will take
By Mike Apodacatheir vitriol out on my wife. Fortunately, she has pretty thick skin and can factor in the agony these people are going through.
My wife is straight with her patients and their families, without being harsh or uncaring. She helps them come to grips with the reality in front of them—something she didn’t learn in nursing school.
Oh, and the things she has to deal with! Sores, wounds, impacted bowels, and things I will not describe in case you’re eating while reading this. Believe me, for most of us, we wouldn’t last a day.
On top of all this, hospice nurses are traveling nurses who work with patients in their homes throughout their region (there are days my wife puts a hundred miles on her car). As experts in the field, they personally manage each case, conferring with a doctor on the best therapies and medications, then they deliver the care.
We will need someone to care for us when our last breath draws nigh. My hope is that we get a nurse like my wife, one who is genuinely the hand of God.
IN JANUARY 2023 , the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will launch a new life insurance program called Veterans Affairs Life Insurance (VALife), which provides guaranteed acceptance whole life insurance coverage to veterans age 80 and under, with any level of service-connected disability. Some veterans age 81 and older may also be eligible.
Created by Public Law 116-315, the new program meets the needs of service-connected veterans who may not have previously qualified for life insurance with VA. VALife offers guaranteed acceptance
whole life insurance coverage that lasts for an individual’s entire life and provides the following benefits:
• All service-connected veterans age 80 and under with 0 - 100 percent VA disability ratings are eligible.
• Fully automated online enrollment with instant approvals.
• Coverage comes in increments of $10,000, up to a maximum of $40,000, and premiums are competitive ‚Äî or better ‚Äî than what‚Äôs available in the private sector. There is a twoyear waiting period for full face value coverage to take effect for veterans age 81 and older.
• No medical requirements for enrollment.
• Cash value that builds over the life of the policy after the first two years of enrollment.
Rates are best the earlier you sign up. Once locked in, premiums will never increase.
VALife opens life insurance coverage to more service-connected veterans than ever before. In contrast to ServiceDisabled Veterans Life Insurance (S-DVI), VALife has no medical requirements and there is no two-year time limit to apply if a veteran is age 80 or under. Veterans who currently hold an S-DVI policy can either keep their current coverage or apply for VALife when the application goes live. Veterans can keep their S-DVI policy until the full coverage of VALife begins two years after enrollment as long as the application is received between Jan. 1, 2023, and Dec. 31, 2025.
The application for VALife will go live on Jan. 1, 2023. Once the program is open, the application will be available online at https://
www.benefits.va.gov/insurance/VALife.asp. If you are interested in applying for S-DVI before VALife opens, or would like to learn more about the coverage, please visit the S-DV| webpage here: https:// www.va.gov/life-insurance/ options-eligibility/s-dvi/.
If you had military service earnings for active duty (including active duty for training) between 1957 and 2001, you may have extra Social Security wage credits added to your earnings record. These extra earnings credits may help you qualify for Social Security or increase the amount of your Social Security benefit.
• From 1957 through 1977, you are credited with $300 in additional earnings for each calendar quarter in which you received active duty basic pay.
• From 1978 through 2001, for every $300 in active duty basic pay, you are credited with an additional $100 in earnings up to a maximum of $1,200 a year.
In January 2002, Public Law 107-117, the Defense Appropriations Act, stopped the special extra earnings that have been credited to military service personnel. If you enlisted after Sept. 7, 1980, and didn‚ did not complete at least 24 months of active duty or your full tour, you may not be able to receive the additional earnings.
When you apply for benefits, the SSA automatically verifies your military service. If your military service increases your benefit and they cannot get proof of your service, they will ask for your DD Form 214 or other proof of service before they process your application. In all cases, the SSA adds military wage credits to the earnings average over your working lifetime, not directly to your monthly benefit payment amount.
HELLO DESERT DWELLERS AND READERS OF THE PULSE , a community newspaper started last March and now publishing Edition #8. Thanks to Jim Conkle and staff for filling the void and allowing me to participate. I represent and try to publicize some area non-profits including the Mohahve Historical Society, the Friends of the Apple Valley Library, the Apple Valley Legacy Museum, the Victor Valley Legacy Museum, Victor Valley NAACP Branch 1082, the Apple Valley Historic Advisory Committee, and anything else that comes along, including town and community events.
I am a retired teacher who opened the two small museums mentioned above. I sit on several boards and try to contribute what I can to the good of the community, by participating in community events and sharing local history. Catch us at the Apple Valley Village Parade with our float celebrating the history of movie making on the desert. I hope you enjoy the articles I write.
August fieldtrip to Wrightwood certainly gave the desert dwellers some heat relief, with an 80 degree plus day feeling cool to us. The trip up Highway 2 provided a clear view of the devastating summer fire damage, most seeming to be on the south side of the highway. That is until, going around a bend, there appeared on the north side a huge grove of endangered joshua trees, charred to a crisp. One glimmer of hope... some green sprouts peeking their little heads up around the black tree trunks.
Our first stop was the famed Wrightwood Museum, located in the old firehouse. New Historical Society President Lauren Kozyra, along with her husband and two young children, greeted me, then busied themselves with preparation as we awaited the group to arrive. The twenty-three MHS members (two who joined that day) and eight guests (six of whom were members of the Sierra Club) learned many interesting facts and stories about the history of Wrightwood- a vacation get-away for the wealthy Los Angeles area socialites, as well
as a gold-mining mecca for those who had come to make their fortune.
The main part of the museum is now devoid of the old fire engines, but was full of display cases and a large table of books and scrapbooks, more than anyone could digest in one visit. Visitors could also climb the stairs to the reconstructed firemen’s quarters, go outside to check out the replica weekender’s cabin, view gold mining equipment, and the restored antique hose cart display. Perched on a high stool so she could be seen and heard by all, President Lauren did an awesome job introducing us to the exciting history of Wrightwood.
The next stop was the Big Pines Visitor Center, across the Los Angeles County line, and just before the remaining right side of the old stone archway. After climbing a beautiful set of stone steps, we stood on a large wrap-around front porch, where we were met by Smokey the Bear and Carol Bishop, President of the VANF, Volunteers of the Angeles National Forest. After her introductory talk inside the huge main building with high raftered ceiling and two gigantic stone fireplaces, we were
free to look around at the vintage photos on the walls. An adjoining room housed taxidermied mountain animals and other displays, and led to the office area where we could pick up additional information and two complimentary postcards. Three other members of VANF were quite welcoming, eagerly answering all of our questions.
The final activity was the half-mile nature loop trail behind the building. So after climbing up an even larger set of stone steps, which once led to rental cabins on the hillside, the twenty-one hikers were off. Along the way we stopped at a number of plaques, with information about the native plants and animals, and their various uses by the Serranos and other local tribes who inhabited the area.
Our thanks to both groups of docents who gave us a great educational experience. If you missed this trip, you can always plan your own. The Wrightwood Museum is open Saturdays and the Pig Pines Visitor Center Saturdays and Sundays.
THE BILLY HOLCOMB CHAPTER 1069 of E Clampus Vitus came through for us again. Dennis Parker of Hesperia and Dave Dutcher of Rialto gave up their day Friday September 2 to work for seven hours in 105 degree heat to attach beautiful black granite plaques to two Mohahve Historical Society monuments. The location is on C Street just east of 11th St. near the entrance of the Victor Valley Memorial Park. The plaques read “Historic Names of the Mojave River” and “Historic Bridges of Mojave Narrows.” Our two other monuments at the same location read “Victor Valley Memorial Park” and “John Brown.” Stop by to see all four.
The two new plaques were created by JL Endicott Inc. of Palm Desert, using funds generously donated to the monument fund by MHS members. The new plaques cover the old engraved (and no longer legible) lettering on two Eagle Scout projects, circa 2000, sponsored by the MHS, Past President John Bascom, the Victorville Historic Advisory Committee, Sooter Signs, and Graham
Equipment. You may remember reading in the Mohahve Muse or Sr. News of Lee Graham relocating three of our monuments from a dangerous and inaccessible location on 11th Street to their present location at the cemetery entrance. Yes, that is the same Lee Graham who originally retrieved four large boulders from the Mojave River bed for use by the Eagle Scouts over two decades ago.
Thanks to several recent donations to the monuments fund, we will be able to cover the cost of sealing several monuments and plaques, including “Rivers” and “Bridges,” as well as the actual rock known as “Temple Rock” at the Victor Valley Museum. We will have money left for the printing of our revised and updated MHS monuments booklet, hopefully going to print very soon. The County recently took care of sealing the newly refurbished tortoise sculpture located at the Victor Valley Museum. We are hoping to always stay ahead of the spray-painting graffiti vandals.
(MDAQMD) wants to buy your old car.
The District’s Car Buy Back and Scrap program offers $1,000 to residents in exchange for their operable, registered vehicle at least 20 years old or more.
MDAQMD funds the program and contracts Environmental Engineering Studies, Inc. to operate it. Funds are available for the program until they’re exhausted each year.
Aside from the 20-years-or-older requirement, a qualifying vehicle is in working condition; has been registered as operable in MDAQMD’s jurisdiction (which includes the High Desert portion of San Bernardino County and Palo Verde Valley in Riverside County) for the preceding 24 months; and passes a smog check if the vehicle is due for one within 60 days of the surrender date. Other restrictions apply.
Once the local scrapper receives the vehicle and verifies compliance with the requirements, the registered vehicle owner will receive a check for $1,000.
This program is not operated by the State of California. For more information on how to participate and additional requirements to qualify a vehicle, call 800-717-7624.
For more information about MDAQMD and its mission to attain and maintain healthful air quality, visit mdaqmd.ca.gov or find them on social media.
WITHIN THE LAST SIX MONTHS several newsletters, as well as the Daily Press newspaper, have printed stories about Barstow resident Kay Whitecloud. You might remember her as the Native American lady who has her own mural as part of the Barstow Main Street Mural project. Family members performed traditional dances in full costume at its dedication. Steve Smith, our January fieldtrip leader, told us the full story, as well as the meaning of various parts of the mural.
After meeting Kay on a “museum hopping” fieldtrip about five years ago, I learned that her relatives performed at some of the old Apple Valley Pow Wow Days parades and pageants. And I actually uncovered an old black and white official Apple Valley Ranchos photo of a teenage Kay in the audience at the 1955 grand opening of the Buffalo Trading Post, watching relatives perform the Buffalo Dance for town residents.
Kay became a great supporter of many of our events, always arriving with her son Ernie in the “Whitecloud” pick-up. She attended events at the Apple Valley Legacy Museum and the Apple Valley Inn, and just this spring showed up at the “75 Years of the San Bernardino County Fair” display at the Fairgrounds, the June 8 Tortoise re-dedication at the Victor Valley Museum, and the Mojave River Valley Museum’s May 14 BBQ. Ernie always made sure she got where she wanted to go.
During the COVID outbreak, when certain ethnic groups were hesitant to get vaccinated, St. Mary’s Hospital sponsored the “Mask-up” campaign. When I was asked by Regina Bell if I knew of a Native American who might want to participate, of course I recommended Kay, who enthusiastically did her part. Many members of the community received a beautiful red bag with a Native American design, containing a mask of the same pattern. That’s an example of working together for the good of the cause.
I attended two recent Barstow events to honor this amazing lady. First was her May 21 high school graduation from the Barstow Adult School at age 83. She stole the show from the much younger graduates, but they didn’t seem to mind. Several rows were full of members of her large extended family, some in traditional dress. The second event was the July 18 City Council meeting, where she was recognized for her perseverance for fulfilling her promise to her
late father that she would get her high school diploma. Again her family and friends filled up a large section of the room.
So needless to say, I was shocked and in disbelief when I got a phone call August 23 from Kay’s son Ernie telling me his mom had suddenly passed away. I never dreamed I’d be writing this final tribute to Katherine (Kay) Whitecloud the matriarch of her family, who has done so much for the Barstow community, all the while keeping her beautiful culture alive.
The family decided to take Kay on one final ride, one last tour of her beloved Barstow. So following the visitation and funeral service, the procession drove passed her family home, her favorite store the Walmart(!), and most importantly the Indian campsite east of town where Kay met her husband-to-be, and their son Ernie was born.
Kay, thank you for your many contributions to the Victor Valley and Mojave River Valley, and mostly thanks for just being you, a role model that so many looked up to. We will all miss you, but your mural will preserve your legacy. Rest in peace, dear lady.
THE NEW PAVILION AT CIVIC CENTER PARK in Apple Valley was the site of the “Family Fun Event” on Saturday September 3, hosted by NAACP Branch 1082. Sponsored by a number of local organizations, including the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, National Council of Negro Women, On Watch TV, and Young Visionaries, its purpose was the
collaboration of High Desert groups in “Building bridges across communities and organizations.”
Attendees were greeted by two popup booths offering voter registration, membership sign-ups, t-shirt sales, flyers, and information. Despite the heat, guests at the well-attended event enjoyed good music, great food, games, and the
chance to win a variety of raffle prizes. The park and playground facilities kept the youth busy. There’s no question that community involvement, groups working together to support each other and share responsibility, can lead to solution to many local and national issues and concerns.
LUCERNE VALLEY— It’s not too late to signup for a booth at seven different locations around town. Gather your goods for the biggest autumn, October 15, Mega event planned right before the holidays. The Lucerne Valley Chamber hosts this event twice a year.
But first, reserve your $15.00 booth by calling ahead. Each venue will manage a number of booths based on their space capacity. The earlier you call, the better booth position you’ll get.
More details can be found on Facebook or the Chamber’s website. Here are the venues: Jack O’Landia (Pete 760.220.6040), Café 247 (Alyn 951.751.1039), LV Market and Hardware (Kathryn 760.248.7311), LV Senior Center (Mandy 760.248.2248, 9am-1pm), His Closet (Don na 760.412.0431), Henry’s Bargains (Henry 760.524.8519), and at the LV Chamber office (760.248.7215).
This event runs one day only Saturday, Oct. 15, from 8am to 3pm. Contact Donna Soria for info: 562.522.8775 or Chamber office 760.248.7215.
