The Many Moods of Ben Vaughn hosted by Ben Vaughn 27724o

An estimated 700 Marines were deployed from Camp Pendleton and the Twentynine Palms Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center (MCAGCC) yesterday, on orders from President Trump to “stop Los Angeles from burning down.” The marines are expected to the nearly 2000 National Guard who have been deployed against the wishes of California Governor Gavin Newsom who said the state would be pursuing legal action against the deployments, calling the President “deranged” and “dictatorial.” On Monday afternoon (6/9) at around 2:00 pm in Joshua Tree, a growing group of ten to twelve people gathered in the shade of the Mel Benson Real Estate Building at the intersection of Park Boulevard and Twentynine Palms Highway. The group says they were creating signs after hearing that the Marines would be coming from the combat center located 15 miles east of Joshua Tree in neighboring Twentynine Palms. Shortly after 4:L00 p.m. a man identifying himself as a representative of the property owner asked the group to leave the property. The small office has two “NO TRESING” signs in the window, and as the group moved across Highway 62 to the opposite corner, the man stayed on the phone with the Sheriff’s office and briefly spoke to Z107.7: Todd, property owner of Mel Benson Real Estate: “They want to protest? I’ve got no problem with that. Stand in the (expletive) highway. Get hit by a car, I don’t care. You’re not going to do it on my property. They’re mad because the military is going? Ok, great. Be mad. But it doesn’t give you the right to stand on people’s property and do what you are doing.” San Bernardino County Sheriff Deputies stayed on the Mel Benson property after the property owners asked demonstrators to leave. The demonstrators moved to the south side of the intersection. Photo: Robert Haydon The group stood on south side of the intersection with signs that read “U.S. in Distress,” “Keep America Free 4 Every One” and “ICE – this is a MORAL MOMENT.” Earlier in the afternoon white transport buses were spotted traveling east toward Twentynine Palms, and as word spread that those same busses were heading back west toward Joshua Tree, the small but growing group moved back to the north side of the street, this time staying on the sidewalk. Demonstrator: “The purpose of taking a stand and standing out here in the heat… it may not seem like we are doing much but we’re not going on with ‘business as usual.’ The cars are seeing it, we are right here next to a National Park, they are seeing that the people are not happy and we’re going to stand up in every town, everywhere.” Demonstrators stood on the corner of Park Boulevard and Highway 62 on Monday afternoon. Looking south from the intersection from the sidewalk right outside the “Mel Benson Real Estate” building. The corner is a popular spot to gather for demonstrations. Park Boulevard leads into Joshua Tree National Park, and Highway 62 is the only direct highway that connects Twentynine Palms, Joshua Tree, Yucca Valley, and the 111 down the hill through Palm Springs. Around 5:00 p.m. the convoy of buses and military vehicles appeared on Highway 62 and were escorted by CHP through the intersection. A few people in their cars honked and shouted at the police and military as they rolled through Joshua Tree. The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s department told Z107.7 that Deputies were requested to escort the Marine convoy to the Riverside County line, as a “precaution in case any issues arose.” As the convoy made its way through Yucca Valley and approached the grade, one person was arrested during the escort after they stopped their pickup truck in the roadway near Hess Boulevard, briefly blocking the convoy and other traffic from traveling down the hill. Cy Earl, 28, was arrested and released for Obstruction of a Public Officer. The San Bernardino Sheriff’s department continued the escort until the Riverside County line, where Riverside County deputies took over the escort as the convoy continued toward Los Angeles. California Highway Patrol were parked on Highway 62 and Park Boulevard before the convoy from Twentynine Palms came through Joshua Tree. Photo: Robert Haydon As of 6:00 a.m. on Tuesday morning, there were reports of some arrests overnight in Los Angeles, and the Los Angeles Times characterized the protests as “calmer” than Sunday night’s demonstrations. Here in the Morongo Basin there were unconfirmed reports of more buses of troops being deployed overnight. Z107.7 reached out to the Twentynine Palms Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center for comment, but as of Tuesday morning we’ve yet to hear back. We will continue to update this story as more details become available.

Known as the ‘unofficial mayor of Joshua Tree,’ the Morongo Basin has lost one of its brightest lights with the ing of assemblage artist Bobby Furst late Saturday evening. News of his death spread quickly on social media as Furst loomed large in the community, not just as an artist but as the developer of a fertile atmosphere of art and acceptance. An assemblage artist of note, Furst created with found objects – industrial discards, household items, weapons, shell casings, musical instruments, letter blocks – anything ‘unwanted’ that could be repurposed into statement art, with environmental concerns and the futility of war being favored topics. Furst had a gift for breathing new life into the discarded and forgotten as he moved through his unique life with curiosity and comion. Born August 7, 1953, in Long Island, New York, Furst was just 18 months old when the family moved first to Hollywood, California, before again moving to nearby Laurel Canyon in 1959 just prior to the turbulent Bel Aire fires. The new neighborhood was a hotbed of colorful characters like Joni Mitchell and Frank Zappa – musicians, artists, poets, activists – and the new arrival soaked it all up. Exploring his new hometown, young Furst brought home sticks, bones, rocks, and a lifelong love of collecting began. Coming of age in the 60s, Furst was inspired by the work of his stepfather, Peter Furst, an anthropologist and art collector, who documented the life and art of the Huichol Indians of Mexico. In his early teens, the family frequently traveled south of the border, often camping in Baja, where his collecting habits flourished. At one point, the family formally relocated to Guadalajara to continue his stepfather’s work which included shooting a documentary on the tribe’s ancient 40-day peyote ritual, which Furst participated in … at age 15. Bobby Furst in 2017. Photo Credit: Diane Kuntz In 1971, the family moved to upstate New York, where Furst quickly realized he was, indeed, a Californian in every sense. After turning 18 and dutifully ing for the draft, Furst flew straight back, arriving in Hollywood with $4.89 in his pocket. Furst then picked up his own camera to capture musicians, concerts, street people, and ultimately returned to Mexico to document renowned potter, Juan Quesada. In 1998, he studied under assemblage artist George Herms at the Santa Monica College of Design Art and Architecture. After a wild initial visit to Joshua Tree involving mescaline and breakfast with George Van Tassel (creator of the Integratron) in 1972, Furst returned to LA, working in carpentry, and exploring his own art instincts. Somewhere along the way, he befriended Noah Purifoy, who undoubtedly inspired and encouraged Furst to explore his assemblage leanings. Furst bought a house in Laurel Canyon in the late 80s and his neighbor, singer Victoria Williams, deliberately put Joshua Tree back in his mind. On a return visit to the Hi Desert, he unexpectedly reconnected with numerous artist friends happily living here and enjoying a freedom that was unattainable in the big city. A decision was made. After an exhaustive search for the ideal location – visiting 70 properties over 18 months – he finally found the spot for his vision near the border of Joshua Tree National Park off Desert Shadows Road. Furst officially moved to Joshua Tree around Thanksgiving 2008 amidst a rare snowstorm and landed on the community radar when he opened his steel Quonset hut studio/gallery for the Highway 62 Open Studio Art Tours. After an impromptu performance of Gram Rabbit for a birthday party at the new space, word spread and the concept of Furstwurld was born. Furst was now welcoming artists, locally and globally, in all manner of events – music concerts, comedy performances, fundraisers, fashion shows, live theatre, film screenings, and so on. He would often shake his head and marvel, “I still have never asked anyone to perform here.” In truth, it was always the other way around. Image Credit: Furstwurld For a man small in stature, he loomed large, both in the scale of his art and in the generosity of his heart. In creating Furstwurld, he thought beyond himself and saw how it grew organically out of the community. Indeed, as Furst stated to Gary Daigneault on the “Up Close Show” on January 27, 2023, Furstwurld will “be left to the community.” The details of how exactly that might happen will likely be revealed in the weeks and months ahead. “Connecting people through music, voice – be part of the solution. Get involved. You gotta make yourself happy before, you know, you go out, otherwise, everything you share is anger, frustration, being pissed off, and it brings everybody to a stuck place. That’s my message. Get over it. Make it happen.” Read more: Furstworld raises around $100k for county-closed Joshua Tree event space

Listen to a longer version of Sunday’s radio story here: Unknown voice: “June 28th, 4:55 in the morning in 1992. Turned the radio on to hear a noise, it shook the trailer off the jacks. Everything in the house is upset down. The ground is still trembling as I’m speaking. Early in the morning… just as the moon is there and the sun isn’t up yet… I guess this will cancel our trip to Big Bear.” A still from the “Landers Earthquake VHS” looking out toward Hondo, according to the narrator. Robert Haydon: What you’re hearing is the voice of a man shaken awake by a series of earthquakes 33 years ago, culminating in the magnitude 7.3 Landers earthquake which shook the hi-desert, injuring hundreds, killing three, and damaging or destroying homes and businesses all across the basin. The Landers quake is still discussed by longtime residents who experienced it, especially as we approach the anniversary each June. There are a lot of locals and historical organizations with photos and other ephemera from the earthquake, but video footage from the event while it was happening is hard to find… a common problem for something that occurred back in 1992. That’s what makes the tape you’re hearing so incredible, it’s a visual document of the Landers earthquake playing out in real time. The tape was rescued from its fate in the Landers Landfill by a local Landroid, Colin Maccubbin and his partner Aimee used to volunteer at Belfield Hall and the Landers thrift store when he found the tape in a box of other Kodak-brand self-tapes. Colin: “Oh, that’s probably five years ago, maybe six years ago. Yeah, probably 2019. I think there was a box of VHS tapes that were most likely on its way to the dump, not something you can really sell at the thrift store. So I was looking through them and saw this one that said ‘Landers Earthquake’ and I thought, well, that’s interesting. Colin found the “Landers Earthquake” VHS in a box at the Landers thriftstore at Belfield Hall around 2019. “We popped it in and we’re just kind of astounded by all this footage from that time period of this big event in our town. It was really cool… it was just all this footage from 30 years ago. Interviews with locals. I had been interested when we first moved to Landers about the earthquake and I’d looked into it a little bit but there’s not a ton of material out there… reporting on it and stuff like that.”  Unknown voice from VHS: “That’s up towards our store over in that direction by Hondo Trail, I think. By Hondo Trail and Old Woman Springs Road .But we got a cloud of fire smoke above town and the whole desert has a layer of dust between here and the monument from this thing shaking.” Colin:”We had a big screen in our yard and a projector and so we projected it and played it for a bunch of people. And since then, you know, we’ve showed it a few more times with people. A friend of mine used it for an art project up at the Copper Mountain Mesa Community Center. But other than that, it’s just kind of sat on the shelf. The videotape has lots of footage of faultlines and the damage caused by the magnitude 7.3 earthquake. Old Woman Springs Road shortly after the earthquake. Unknown voice: “I got up this morning, run into the back house, jumped the refrigerator, got my camera and a pair of shoes and went out the front door before everything was done falling and had this camera working. So I’m going to have to charge my battery up again here real quick. I got a generator at the house.” Colin: “Now that everyone has cameras all the time and is ready to start filming all the time… in ’92, that’s a pretty special thing that somebody was ready to go and to document that.” Unknown voice: “We’re looking at Terry’s place now where this mobile home with a double slide-outs on it has slid and fell clear off its foundation, breaking everything all to hell. I come around looking at these places here and I realized that my place wasn’t as bad hit as I thought it was.” Colin: “It would be really exciting to see if anybody knows where this tape came from, who shot it… just to know. But then also, you know, it’d be kind of cool to see if it itself maybe dislodges some other stuck pieces of history. Are there other tapes out there? Not even just earthquake material, but just historic material in general?” Robert: There are a lot of clues to who the identity of the man behind the camera is. There are parts in the video where he turns the camera around and films his wife, Barbara. They own a store in Landers and they also seem to own a small Cessna airplane. The two-hour tape ends with a Cessna tour of the Landers area, surveying the damage later that week from the air. The video is a goldmine of local residents and businesses as the cameraman goes from home to home interviewing neighbors. The narrator’s wife Barbara standing in front of the couple’s home and Volvo. An address reading “56675” can be seen in the upper right corner. A few shadows are the only glimpes we catch of the cameraman. Selfies weren’t a common practice in 1992. There are plenty of interviews with neighbors and footage of homes, businesses, and roads around Landers and Flamingo Heights. The cameraman surveyed footage immediately following the earthquake and for a few days afterward with footage up to July 3rd. We’ve digitized the tape, but we’re not releasing the full version until we can make an attempt to ID the original owner. There are plans for full screening and public release of the two-hour long tape in partnership with the Morongo Basin Historical Society. We’ll have those details as we get closer to the anniversary on June 28th. Here are the first 10 minutes from the “Landers Earthquake VHS”: In the meantime, we will continue to update this story right here on our website with captures and screengrabs and information that we are gathering on the VHS. Follow Z107.7 on Facebook and Instagram for updates, and email me if you recognize any of the folks on the tape: [email protected] Neighbors on dirtbikes stand on a fault after the Landers Earthquake.

The 29 Palms Art Gallery celebrates their June exhibition opening on Saturday, June 7 from 5:00-7:00 p.m. featuring Reeyna Daniel and Ruben Rodriguez in the gallery’s West Wing, and Edward Montgomery in the East Wing. 29 Palms ceramicist Reeyna Daniel’s “Fractured Oasis” collection explores the beauty and tension in brokenness: cracked, fissured and repaired surfaces that mirror crumbling systems, fragmented architecture and the quiet resilience of nature. Daniel’s work challenges the notion all fractures must be repaired or that broken equals discarded. Ruben Rodriguez’s “My American Review” collects album covers from the 50s-80s on which Rodriguez has painted around the figures to redefine the context. The collection is supplemented by hand-tinted postcards, black-and-white photos, and smaller historical canvases.  From Victorville, Edward Montgomery’s Kinetic Ambiguity Project features his signature post-production formula, using camera movement with long exposures to create the illusion of accelerated reality. Joshua Trees, power lines, and mountain ranges are principal characters in this story about the south-western edge of the Mojave Desert. The exhibition will be on display June 6-29, open Friday through Sunday, 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The historic 29 Palms Art Gallery is located at 74055 Cottonwood Drive at the corner of National Park Drive in Twentynine Palms. For more information, visit www.29palmsartgallery.com.

There is a FREE all-ages show tonight at the Giant Rock Meeting Room, and it’s featuring a hi-desert favorites The Hot Patooties. On bass guitar is Z107.7’s own DJ Kim, and she talked with me about how the punk trio (now foursome) began and what you can expect out at the show tonight. Kim: “The Hot Patooties is me, Beth, and Shonzie. Beth and I actually had played a show a very long time ago together in San Francisco in two separate bands that we were in. She was in the Loudmouths, and I was in a band called the Distillers. And then cut to many, many years later. I came out here to live, and everyone said: have you met Beth? Have you met Beth? Do you know Beth? And so I met Beth, and I met Shonzi. Their bass player had just moved out of town, and they were looking for a bass player. And so it just kind of like – boom – it just kind of happened. We’re all very silly and have a lot of fun. “I kind of joked around calling it punk rock meets truck stop. Garagey, kind of loose and fun. We say to shake your booties to the Hot Patooties!” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Beth Allen (@hotpatootiesrocknroll) Kim: “The last couple shows we played at Giant Rock Meeting Room, there’s been a little pit for us, so it’s usually about fun and dancing. We have a dance contest where the best dancer gets a pair of our Hot Patooties underpants, because we sell underpants as well. We’ve sold out of them several times. There’s a small suitcase full of them. “There’ll be music from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. There’s two bands, and then there is going to be someone playing acoustically in between. You’ve got to get your pizza, you can get some beverages. It’ll be a really nice night.” The show is at Giant Rock Meeting Room located at 1131 Old Woman Springs Road. Don’t miss the opening band “The Smokey Lonesome” – a duo out of Los Angeles that bills itself as a little country and a little rock and roll: View this post on Instagram A post shared by Dave Porter (@thesmokeylonesome)

On the first Saturday of every month, Copper Mountain Mesa holds the Community Pancake Breakfast at the Center from 8:00 to 11:00 a.m. Serving the best breakfast around, Copper Mountain Mesa Volunteers make it happen every month. All the chefs, wait-staff and clean up crew donate their time to serve you the most delicious breakfast. Kip slow cooks the gluten-free oatmeal, and fresh-squeezes the oranges for your morning shot of Vitamin C. Desert Rat Roasters provide the delicious coffee that’s going to get your day started right. For only $12 or $6 for a senior half-portion or kid’s meal, you get juice, coffee or tea, eggs cooked your way, served with bacon or sausage, pancakes, hash browns and toast or biscuit and gravy. A vegan scramble is also served if you prefer. Enjoy your meal surrounded by all your favorite neighbors from far and wide! The breakfast is located at the Copper Mountain Mesa Community Center, 65336 Winters Road in North Joshua Tree. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Copper Mountain Mesa Community Association (@copper_mountain_mesa)

Alchemy Arts Collective presents Soul Skin Dance for a show entitled “Beauty” at the Joshua Tree Retreat Center this Friday and Saturday (June 6 and 7) at 7:00 p.m. After the show’s recent sold-out success in New York City, dancer Barbara Koch and her crew have re-staged this 45-minute ballet for the contrasted expanse of Joshua Tree. With emphasis on warmth, power, and a “very human” experience, Barbara Koch lends the intensity of Soul Skin Dance show to her and her eight co-dancers “willingness to go there.” “We push ourselves to go inside ourselves to pull out what is real and what is human.” Koch cites German choreographer Pina Bausch as a personal inspiration for her role in the show and sees a similar approach from the show’s choreographer Adriana Thompson. “She would hire dancers who had the ability to delve into themselves and pull that and magic out whatever that magic would be: if it’s dark, if it’s light, if it’s beautiful, if it’s painful––I think all of that is within this piece.” Koch says the show’s grand theme of “Beauty” might be a luxury concept given the “chaotic” state of our current world, but she reminds us that is part of the point. “We are all human and we are searching for something that is silent in us, something that’s real in us, something that’s human in us, and I think that is the experience that you will be pulled into because the sound score, the visuals, the dancers… it will pull you into a visceral experience.” Soul Skin Dance’s “Beauty” will show Friday and Saturday night at Joshua Tree Retreat Center’s Sanctuary. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., show begins at 7:00. For more information, including ticket link, visit https://www.soulskindance.org

Tuesday night’s meeting of the Yucca Valley Town Council included a presentation of the completed Operational Review of the Yucca Valley Animal Shelter. The review was announced at a Council meeting in March, following an increase in public concern about practices and policies istered by the shelter. Town Staff presented interim reports at meetings on April 1 and May 6. Deputy Town Manager Shane Steuckle presented the majority of the report along with Town Manager Curtis Yakimow. Stueckle began the presentation with data taken that day: the shelter currently has 101 dogs spread between 33 kennels in the impound building and 26 in the Adoptable Building. He noted that this was the shelter’s highest number of dogs as of yet. Shelter data from June 3, 2025 Stueckle and Yakimow presenting the report. The report then highlighted actions the Town has initiated to improve operations, many of which have already begun implementation. These include reaching out to rescue groups, scheduling low-cost spay/neuter clinics, biweekly updates of animals on Petfinder, utilizing local and social media, hosting special adoption events, and coordinating with County resources. Yakimow emphasized the importance of data collection and new software for improving operations. Staff initiated the creation of a Council subcommittee to meet quarterly on Animal Care and Control issues; Council Member Jim Schooler and Mayor Jeff Drozd both volunteered to serve on the board. The meetings will be open to public participation and begin in August or September of this year. As has been the trend with recent Town Council meetings, the item garnered much public interest and comment. Several attendees questioned the fact that the report contained little new information since the update on May 6. Others again raised concerns about shelter management and emphasized the need for continued ability, as expressed by Pioneertown resident Susan Herring. “We appreciate your input and your . As Curtis indicated, this is the start of the review. I can assure you that for many people in the community, even though we will not necessarily be in the audience here, we will be watching. If we don’t see things happening, we will be back.” Attendees show during public comments. The two-sided signs have a green “thumbs up” on one side, and a red “thumbs down” on the other. Human Resources and Risk Manager Debra Breidenbach-Sterling then presented the Council with a review of the Town’s istrative Volunteer Policy, as it would apply to a volunteer program at the shelter. Breidenbach-Sterling explained that Town Staff had surveyed over ten shelters in the Inland Empire region, the vast majority of which conduct background checks for volunteers; the two that did not were the Palms N Paws Shelter in Twentynine Palms and the Joshua Tree No-Kill Shelter. Town Staff recommended that the Council implement the policy with background checks and a minimum age of 18 for volunteers. This item also had over ten public comments, the majority of which were critical of background checks and the minimum age requirement of 18. Attendees noted children as young as seventh grade can volunteer in other Town areas such as on the Youth Commission, and that educating the youth earlier about the importance of spay/neuter programs and microchipping will help foster responsible future pet owners. The Council voted to approve the requirement of background checks but reduced the age requirement to 16 with parental or guardian consent; all seemed open to allowing younger volunteers with adult supervision in the future. The program is expected to roll out in mid-July or August.

Following the presentation of the Youth Commission End of Year Report, last night’s Yucca Valley Town Council meeting began with an item concerning the 2025 General Plan. Deputy Town Manager Shane Stueckle recommended the Town enter into a Professional Services Agreement with Placeworks, who will prepare the changes required since the last General Plan update in 2022. These include revisions to the hazard maps, hazard mitigation plan, and safety elements. Western Joshua Tree Conservation Act mitigation The item also concerned the Western Joshua Tree Conservation Act, which requires an approved CEQA document and mitigation measures for Incidental Take Permit applications. Town Staff presented this item at numerous Council meetings, as the legislation raised concerns about the expenses that would be ed onto homeowners looking to develop. Stueckle explained that The Town collaborated with the Department of Fish and Wildlife to include a mitigation measure in the General Plan Environmental Impact Report, requiring developments to comply with regulations and standards. Single-family homeowners can utilize this report to qualify as the CEQA document for Incidental Take Permits, thus eliminating the costs associated with CEQA preparation. The Council voted to approve the proposal and applauded the development pertaining to the Western Joshua Tree, as noted by Mayor Pro Tem Merl Abel. “Whatever we can do to help the local property owner, the homeowner, try to save money in the CEQA process, and also cooperate and work with Fish and Game. I’m glad we’re moving forward with it.” Yucca Valley Animal Shelter 90-day review Town Staff then presented its completed Operational Review of the Yucca Valley Animal Shelter. Following public discourse and concern about shelter practices, the Town initiated the 90-day review at the Council meeting on March 4. Stueckle highlighted changes the Town has already implemented to improve shelter operations, including utilizing social media to post adoptable dogs online, outreach to rescue groups, and scheduling adoption and low-cost spay/neuter events. The Council also moved to create a sub-committee that will meet quarterly on Animal Care and Control; Council Member Jim Schooler and Mayor Jeff Drozd both agreed to serve on the committee. This was followed by a presentation on updates to the Town’s volunteer program and guidelines, as it would apply to shelter volunteers. The meeting was well-attended, and residents contributed nearly 30 public comments between the two items regarding the shelter. Many comments echoed sustained concerns about shelter management and highlighted the need for ability moving forward. Ideas for the Founders’ Plaza sign presented by Staff. Photo by Adeline J. Wells Founders’ Plaza at Old Town Lastly, Town Staff presented the Council with the recommendation for the official name of the new facility on Elk Trail, currently referred to as the Old Town Beautification and Sustainability Project. The Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Commission opened submissions for the new name and received 77 unique suggestions from 312 contributors. Several referred to names of various founding families of Yucca Valley; for this reason, the PRCC recommended the name “Founders’ Plaza at Old Town” as an alternative, collective name that honors the Town’s founders. The Council approved the name of the facility. In closing remarks, Stueckle noted that the application for the Vertical Bridge Monopine project application has been rescinded. The proposed cell phone tower on Mountain View Trail was met with significant neighborhood opposition; the applicant is considering other sites within Yucca Valley for the project. This is the first of two stories concerning the Yucca Valley Town Council meeting. Tune in to Z107.7FM tomorrow for a deeper dive into the Yucca Valley Animal Shelter Operational Review and the associated volunteer program.

Go Skate Day is coming up on Saturday, June 21st, and the Twentynine Palms skate community behind the annual tradition is accepting donations for the event. Formerly known as Aaron and Paul’s Go Skate Day event, now the crew has united under the name SKATE 29, with a new skate shop serving as a meeting spot and general headquarters for the Twentynine Palms skate community.  The full details are still being run through for the Go Skate Day, but this year you can expect a full range of best trick battles, and friendly skateboard competition. Kids and adults of all skill levels are invited to come out and enjoy the blissful feeling of a board under your feet on a warm desert evening. The event is sponsored by the City of Twentynine Palms and is free for everyone and the organizers say that donations of water, snacks and raffle prizes would be greatly appreciated. You can swing by Escapade Skate in Twentynine Palms, they are located in the back of White Label Vinyl in Corner 62 – Dann would be happy to talk to you about skateboarding and accept some donations for the event. If he’s out, Steve at White Label can help too. Water bottles, sports drinks, individually wrapped snacks, or raffle prizes from your local business are all on the donation want list, and you can always reach out to the organizers to see if there is anything they specifically need.  If you want to donate but can’t make it out to Twentynine Palms, you can always skate by the Z107.7 offices here in Joshua Tree and drop it off and we’ll make sure if gets out to the crew. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Escapade 29 (@escapadeskate29) Stay tuned to Z107.7, we’ll have more on the Skate 29 group that are putting on what is sure to be the best Skate Day event in years. Previously Reported: New Yucca Valley Skatepark re-enters limbo along with rest of Community Center master plan “Go Skateboarding” tonight at Twentynine Palms’ annual skate event and contest in Luckie Park

Morongo Unified School District’s graduation season is upon us this week for our local student’s 2024-25 school year. For Twentynine Palms High School, graduation night is this Friday, June 6 at 7:30 p.m. on campus at the football field, led by valedictorian Amiel Escoba who will speak on behalf of his classmates. For Yucca Valley High School, graduation night is this Thursday, June 5 at 7:00 p.m. on campus at the football field, led by valedictorian Jaden Cadwising who will speak on behalf of his classmates.  When the two valedictorians recently spoke to Z107.7’s Jef Harmatz regarding their post-graduation plans, Escoba said he will be “attending Cal State Los Angeles in the fall as a pre-nursing major,” while Cadwising said he plans to continue at Copper Mountain College to get his associates so he can transfer to a university to pursue environmental biology. Z107.7 sends a heartfelt congratulations to Escoba, Cadwising, and the rest of the graduating class at Twentynine Palms and Yucca Valley High School. Full list of graduation and student promotion events for MUSD campuses: Previously Reported: A conversation with the Yucca Valley and Twentynine Palms High School 2025 Valedictorians

If you walk around the hi-desert, you’re likely to see some big hats. And Saturday night (May 31) there’s going to be a whole new batch of hats hitting Landers. New Orleans based artist Oliver Manhattan is bringing her hats to the hi-desert for what organizers are calling a “Hat Show and Party.” Jef Harmatz sat down with organizer Ali Miyares for a conversation about haberdashery. Ali: “Our good friend, New Orleans’ favorite milliner, which is a hat maker, has come to the high desert with 10 to 20 epic hats for sale.  You know, it would be almost wrong to say they’re party hats because they’re more than that. They’re hats for any fabulous occasion.  Brimmed hats with feathers, ruffles, paintbrushes sometimes. All the hats are for sale. So show up with no hat and you might leave with one or two. “The hat party is inside of  Al’s Metal Shop, which is an awesome quonset hut turned metal shop. We’re gonna have a show inside and cocktails for free and food from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. at 1142 Yucca Mesa Road, Landers, California. Come ready to have a good time. It’s gonna be fun.”

Fighting any wildfire relies on people. From the boots on the ground who initially report the fire and coordinate efforts to fight it, to the state and federal agencies that respond from outside the fire’s area. When a wildfire breaks out on public lands like Joshua Tree National Park, Rangers are almost always the first ones to the scene, as they are the most familiar with the terrain and the environment that the fire is burning through. They also may be the only people in an area where a fire is reported, especially in a park like Joshua Tree which is over 1200 square miles of open desert and rugged mountains. An understaffed park received more cuts in February At the beginning of this year, Joshua Tree National Park (JOTR) was already understaffed when the Department of the Interior fired around 1000 probationary workers across the National Park System, resulting in a reduction of six rangers at Joshua Tree National Park. Those workers eventually got their jobs back through a federal judge who ruled the firings unconstitutional. Those firings and rehirings made big news, including coverage here on Z107.7. However, staffing struggles inside the park remained behind the scenes as rounds of buyout offers and early retirements continued to reduce the workforce inside Joshua Tree National Park. The reduction in staff is an effort spearheaded by the Trump istration and Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency to cut what they characterize as wasteful spending. A hiring freeze was also put in place by Department of the Interior Secretary Doug Burgum right before the busy Spring season for most public lands, which means that for every employee that was badgered to accept a buyout or take an early retirement, their now-vacant position couldn’t be filled. Joshua Tree National Park rangers already face over three million visitors a year and the shrinking skeleton crew of park staff were are now forced to work extra hours in positions they didn’t normally do. Rangers were tasked with new responsibilities in public facing jobs like fee collection or campground maintenance which are necessary jobs in a popular park like Joshua Tree National Park. However those more visible roles hide the true cost of a reduced workforce, with less Rangers available to respond to emergencies or take on tasks such as Preventative Search and Rescue. Residents gather to show for fired Joshua Tree National Park Rangers Potential impacts of Eureka Fire on JOTR visitors We asked a source inside the park about the potential impact the Eureka Fire could have on the National Park as we enter another busy weekend. The source, who wishes to remain anonymous, said that fighting the fire and the mop up efforts may initially take away personnel away from other parts of the park and their regular tasks, and more “behind the scenes” projects and will suffer. However, visitors are unlikely to notice the impact in the short term, as the park has already been operating on a reduced but dedicated crew. The source says once the Eureka fire is no longer active, the National Park will face a complex restoration in the impacted area from both from the fire itself and the efforts to contain it. Park employees will be working to restore roads and cultural trails, and wildlife and vegetation scientists will be working alongside fire cleanup and prevention. The National Park Conservation Association’s California Desert Program Manager Luke Basulto spoke with me about reduced workforce inside the park:  Luke Basulto: “Our parks need to be fully staffed in order to operate efficiently and keep the parks in a way that is safe and enjoyable for visitors. Heavily visited parks like Joshua Tree are being asked to do more with less. You may not see the effects obviously, but park staff that have to do the jobs of two or three employees are certainly feeling the pressure to make sure visitors have the best experience possible.” Park Rangers are essential for all public lands It’s hard to imagine what the Eureka fire could have been, as winds were mercifully light and temperatures were still mild on Friday (5/30). However, favorable weather conditions aren’t the only reason the fire didn’t reach more catastrophic levels. Joshua Tree National Park rangers showed up yesterday to help fight the fire and coordinate efforts in the park even if it was their day off. For an overworked crew that has been stretched thin by illegal firings and misguided attempts to cut costs, it shows that our Park Rangers still care about Joshua Tree National Park and the people and lands that surround it. Summer slows down in the hi-desert but the fire dangers don’t, and a fire season that was once only a few summer months has now stretched into a year long problem. When visiting Joshua Tree National Park, take extra care with anything that could cause a fire and be mindful of the crew of workers that are making Joshua Tree National Park a safe place to visit. Thank a Park Ranger, a firefighter, a first responder, or anyone who makes an extra effort to preserve and protect our public lands during a time that they are facing threats both natural and manmade. You can read more about the National Park Conservation Association on their website. They are a non-profit partner of the National Park system. There are buttons on there you can push to donate to them. As always, thanking a ranger is free. More to read: Joshua Tree National Park layoffs: “I owe my life to the Rangers”

Just over a year ago the Town of Yucca Valley invited local skateboarders to a series of meetings where they asked for on the current Yucca Valley skatepark, and what they would want to see in a new skatepark. It took a couple of meetings to spread the word and get folks out, but famed skatepark builder Spohn Ranch came out to the second meeting, and so did local skaters from around the Morongo Basin. They shared on an older redesign that dated back to 2019, and plans seemed to be coming together for a new spot to replace the functional but not-very-versatile skatespot located on the northern side of the Yucca Valley Community Center. That last meeting was on April 16th of 2024, so you may be wondering what’s happening with the long-delayed project. The skatepark is only one part of a larger master plan for the Coommunity Center, which also in expected to include eight pickleball courts, new restrooms, resurfaced basketball courts, more parking, and more shade. Construction for Phase 1 was anticipated to begin in October 2024 and was hoped to be completed this spring. The Yucca Valley Skatepark can be empty in the middle of a weekday, but plenty of skaters hit the spot when school isn’t still insession. The park is open sun up to sun down, and summer is right around the corner. The Town of Yucca Valley’s Parks and Recreation Supervisor Jakub Kusmierak says that the new skatepark is still in the works, and part of a later phase of the Community Center Master Plan. That Master Plan currently doesn’t have a finalized timeline, and Kusmierak says that’s because the Town is still waiting on direction from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) regarding the Joshua Trees in the area. The Western Joshua Tree Conservation Plan is currently in review at the CDFW and is expected to be finalized and delivered by June 30th. On Wednesday (5/28) the CDFW released revised guidelines for Western Joshua Tree Take Permits and audits, which will be required for ground disturbing construction near a Western Joshua Tree, or the complete removal or transplant of a tree if deemed necessary and viable. That means skaters hoping for fresh lines and updated features will have to wait a little longer. However, the current skatepark remains open from sunup to sundown. Visiting the park during the day you can understand some of the gathered from last year’s meetings. There is a lack of shade around the skatepark, and the features themselves are looking a little worn down and aged. Despite what these photos may seem to depict… skateboarding is alive and well in the Morongo Basin with both kids and adults hitting the Yucca Valley Skatepark when school isn’t in session. This also isn’t the only skatepark in the hi-desert… far from it. There are thriving and reviving skate scenes around each of the parks in Twentynine Palms, Yucca Valley, Joshua Tree and Morongo Valley. Landers and Wonder Valley have a scene, too, despite a public park. Skateboarding is not a crime, and luckily most cities have grown past the skateboard panic of the 80’s and 90’s, when “NO SKATEBOARDING” signs dotted city sidewalks and every grindable surface.  Z107.7 will keep you updated on the Yucca Valley Community Center master plan, and over the next few weeks we’ll be looking at each of the skate scenes around the hi-desert and we’ll talk to longtime locals and new faces that are progressing the sport out here in the middle of the Mojave. If that’s you – email me at [email protected] and let’s meet up and skate your local. (Just don’t ask me to do a kickflip)

The first Joshua Tree Accordion Festival will be taking place this Saturday, May 24 at Art Queen from 3:30 to 9:00 p.m. The fest will feature eleven accordion acts, an accordion raffle, and a free accordion lesson at 3:30 for anyone interested in this iconic and evocative instrument. Sponsored by the Accordion Apocalypse Repair Shop and Joe Alvarez Studios, the event is organized by Skyler Fell, accordion and singer of local trio Tumbleweed Timemachine. Twenty-five years ago, Skyler Fell found herself in Spain where she was recruited by a traveling band of folk musicians in the middle of their own unique journey––traveling around the world by horse and cart.  “I was in Barcelona, and I was staying at the circus squat warehouse, and I met these amazing traveling folks that had this little horse. I was helping them with some gardening projects and they invited me to come out and play accordion on the back of their cart that they were taking. The horse and cart was going around the whole world and so they were like, ‘Come play accordion on the back of our cart and we’ll drink wine and our horse will be pulling it!’ So there we were in Barcelona, going through the cobblestone streets with the clip clap of the horses’ hoofs. I didn’t play accordion yet, but I sure learned fast. When I got back from that trip, I found a broken accordion in the art warehouse that I lived in in Oakland, repaired it myself a little bit and then took it into a shop for more info on repairs and ended up getting an apprenticeship at that shop and the rest is history.” Skyler has since brought her own Accordion Apocalypse Repair shop from downtown San Francisco to Joshua Tree where they repair, sell, and teach accordion. Through her shop as a local hub where she’d meet other players, she saw a reason to celebrate the instrument further through this first official gathering: “Originally I had no idea there were that many accordion players in the hihigh desert but as time went on, I just met more and more, and we decided that it was the perfect moment to start the festival.” Skyler’s group Tumbleweed Timemachine will play at 6:00 p.m. surrounded by ten other accordion acts like Doug Legacy of Zydeco Party Band, Mudbugs, Jenifer Palmer Lacy, the Beauty Bubble’s own Jeff Hafler and more. The event is free and open to the public. 

The finale production of Theatre 29’s groundbreaking 25th anniversary season, “AND THEN THERE WERE NONE” by Agatha Christie, has announced their cast at Theatre 29.  The spine chillingly murderous romp set on a lonely island off the coast of England will run June 13th through 29th. Award winning director Kathryn Ferguson reveals an ensemble cast featuring many new faces as well as some award-winning veteransm including Rebecca Osier as Vera Claythorne, Miguel Gomez as Philip Lombard, Joseph Rego as William Blore, Laura Harwood as Emily Brent, Equinox Kramer as Anthony Marston, Makasi Boykin and Salome Fischer playing Thomas and Ethel Rogers, Mick Dean is General John MacArthur, Catherine Inscore is Doctor Edwina Armstrong and Charles Harvey as Justice Lawrence Wargrave. “And Then There Were None” is rated 13+ for adult content that may not be appropriate for younger audiences. The production will open June 13th with an opening night gala hosted by the Twentynine Palms Community Food Pantry.  Tickets for opening night and the rest of the run are available now at theatre29.org/tickets. This production is proudly ed by Visit 29.

During Tuesday night’s Yucca Valley Town Council meeting, local leaders reviewed a range of state, federal, and municipal updates, including state budget projections, infrastructure improvements, and public safety operations. A report on California’s May budget revision outlined the state’s growing 14 billion deficit, driven by higher medical costs and declining tax revenues. Although no immediate funding cuts are expected for the town, staff warned that future state deficits could put financial pressure on education, Medi-Cal services, and wildfire programs. Last month, the town submitted a request to Congressman Obernolte’s office for federal funding to pedestrian and stormwater improvements along Palm Avenue. If selected, the project will be posted on his website by June 13 as part of the FY 2026 federal budget process. Caltrans presented updates on the 21 million Highway 247 rehabilitation project, now underway from Highway 62 to just beyond Gin Road. The project includes new eight-foot shoulders, drainage improvements, and Class II Bike lanes with signage. Night work will continue through the fall. Council honored Public Works staff for National Public Works Week and approved a 1.5 million town-wide slurry and cape seal contract with American Asphalt to begin in June.  The council also approved renewing its 6.5 million contract with the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department. Captain Justin Warwick highlighted strong crime resolution rates, including an 81% felony case closure, updates on new resources like the K9 unit dog, Naji, and a growing explorer program that allows youth to learn about law enforcement and public safety careers. Warwick credited the Measure Y-funded detective and sheriff service specialist positions with enhancing efficiency and response. Graffiti eradication, proactive youth engagement, and community trust-building were all cited as essential efforts for public safety. Council praised the department’s visibility, responsiveness, and collaboration with local organizations. As the meeting ended, over a dozen of the public expressed concerns and suggestions regarding the town’s animal shelter. Many cited high euthanasia rates from 2024 and called for the removal of the current shelter leadership. Several individuals noted that since public pressure began in February, cat and dog euthanasia rates have dropped significantly. However, they pointed out that no structural or staffing changes had been implemented, suggesting that the improvements were not sustainable. Suggestions included: Fast-tracking a dedicated volunteer program Extending shelter hours, including Sundays ing no-kill efforts like those in Riverside County Increasing public transparency and timely posting of intake/adoption data Forming a community advisory committee Other speakers ed fostering and networking. An out-of-town rescue organization also expressed a willingness to partner with the shelter but noted that their outreach emails had gone unanswered. Council acknowledged the criticism and expressed appreciation for the public’s persistence. They confirmed that staff would present a report on animal shelter operations and revised volunteer program policies at the June 3 meeting. Mayor Jeff Drozd said, “We have made changes: Petfinder, sedation protocols, more partners, but we know more needs to be done.” He encouraged ongoing dialogue and promised continued attention to the issue. The Future agenda items include the return of the Old Town Naming Project, a farmers’ market, and the Youth Commission’s end-of-year report. Planning Commissioners will meet on June 10 to discuss senior housing preservation and state fire hazard updates. Meanwhile, Memorial Day weekend festivities, Thursday, May 22 to Sunday, May 25, kick off with Grubstakes Days, hosted by the Yucca Valley Chamber of Commerce. The town’s 34th annual Grubstakes Fun Run begins Saturday morning, and the final Friday night movie, The Bee Movie, will be screened this week. Visit the Town of Yucca Valley and Yucca Valley Chamber websites for complete schedules.

The Morongo Valley Community Services District will hold their regular 6:00 p.m. meeting tonight in Covington Park’s multipurpose room. For the meeting’s agenda in continued business, the Board will have further discussion on effective methods to manage Covington Park; on whether to move forward with establishing a Morongo Valley dog park; and on the Covington Park mural project, the latter which the Board will discuss and approve the concept, parameters, and authorization of staff to move forward with planning and coordinating efforts.  For new business, there will be a public hearing on the preliminary budget for fiscal year 2025-26, followed by the final budget approval. The Board will discuss and accept Resolution 25-01, approving the assessment fee and ordering the levy and collection of annual assessments within the Morongo Valley Fire Suppression Assessment service area. The Desert Fire Region FireSafe recommends establishing a Fire Safe Council Center at the underutilized Morongo Valley Fire Station #2 at the bottom of Bella Vista, at no cost to the CSD, and its recommended the Board review and approve the proposal and staff to proceed.  The Board will take stronger steps to enforce San Bernardino County’s dog leash law at Covington Park and will discuss purchase of stronger signage for an amount not to exceed $250. To enhance park security and deter vandalism, the Board will discuss the installation of security cameras and better lighting at Covington Park and Geeson Field, along with ADT monitoring fees in the amount of $861.19 and $96.30.  The Morongo Valley Fire Department seeks to enter into an Instructional Services Agreement with Copper Mountain College starting in July, allowing the fire department to receive financial reimbursement for essential training hours at a locally accredited fire train.

The Joshua Tree Shakespeare Festival proudly announces its 2025 production of King Lear, a breathtaking adaptation of Shakespeare’s timeless tragedy, performed under the open desert sky at Wind Walkers Medicine Wheel. Running from May 23rd-June 1st, on Fridays & Saturdays at 7:30 PM and Sundays at 2:30 PM, this production continues the festival’s mission to bring world-class, accessible Shakespeare to the Joshua Tree community. The production will feature a talented ensemble of actors, including festival alumnus Kurt Schauppner as King Lear, Molly Katelbach, Cooki Bilsborough, Kevin Hayles, Andrew Catlin, Brian Hennessy, Bobbie Breckenridge, Malcolm Stanley-Wolfe,  Liz Wessel, & Cris Matthews. The production will be set against the stunning natural backdrop of Joshua Tree in a Theatre-in-the-Round atmosphere. For more information and to buy tickets, visit their website at www.jtshakesfest.org.

Following a presentation by CalTrans on the Highway 247 Project Update, the Yucca Valley Town Council meeting will begin with a review of the Annual Street & Drainage and Landscape & Lighting Assessment Districts for Fiscal Year 2025-2026. The Council previously formed these maintenance districts as part of approvals for private subdivision development projects. The Assessment Engineer’s Reports must be updated and approved each year. The Council will then consider the construction contract for the town-wide crack/slurry/cape seal project. This public works initiative is an annual maintenance effort to maintain the pavement throughout Yucca Valley. The Town received five bids for the project, and Town Staff recommends that American Asphalt South, Inc. of Riverside be awarded the contract. Construction is anticipated to begin in June and be completed by September. Lastly, the Council will review a Public Safety Contract Amendment for Fiscal Year 2025-2026 with the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department. The Town contracts with the department for services annually; the approved budget for the new fiscal year includes an anticipated increase of 2%. Tomorrow night’s meeting is open to the public and begins at 5 p.m. at the Yucca Valley Community Center.