Desert Star Weekly 12-06-12

Jolly Spiritual Twins

By Dave Christensen “Tis the season to be jolly,” and in Desert Hot Springs, jolly “spiritual giants” lead the way on roads of compassion and community service. Twin brothers David and Dana Johnson of Food Now, some say, have hearts of gold.

“We’re not just a food bank, we are a community assistance program,” said David

Johnson, director of Food Now, a part of Family Services of the Desert located behind the UPS Store in the Von’s Shopping Center. Food Now distributes 45,000 pounds of food each month to needy citizens in the community. Services began to expand about a year ago when they received a telephone call from Lisa Houston of Future Physicians of America (FPA).

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Dana and David Johnson of Food Now

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December 6, 2012

SCE to Upgrade 1500 Streetlights Cathedral City and Desert Hot Springs, CA – Southern California Edison (SCE) recently began construction on a project to renew and replace nearly 1,500 street lights in the cities of Cathedral City and Desert Hot Springs.

SCE’s Street & Outdoor Lighting Department began the project on Tuesday, Oct. 30 and expects the work to be completed by midDecember. The electrical work will be performed by four, one-man crews from a outside contractor, E & E Electric.

“This project should greatly improve streetlight reliability within Desert Hot Springs, which is an aesthetic and safety benefit to the community,” said DHS City Manager Rick Daniels.

If anyone has any questions or concerns, please feel free contact Hal Goldenberg, Public Works Director hgoldenberg@cityofdhs.org.

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DHS Boys & Girls Club Opens Doors EDITORIAL PAGE 3

Valley Chamber Holiday Events Desert Hot Springs-Desert Hot Springs Chamber of Commerce Holiday Mixer sponsored by CPV Sentinel will be sure to bring holiday cheer to all. The mixer will be catered by Dillon Roadhouse and a Hosted Bar by Bar One Complete Beverage Catering. Admission free with an Unwrapped *Toy(s) *no stuffed animals/toys over $5 without unwrapped toy opportunity drawings, jolly mixing and mingling. The mixer will be held on Dec. 12 from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. at Family Services of the Desert, 14080 Palm Dr., Suite E. Palm Desert– Desert Willow will hold the monthly Palm Desert Chamber of Commerce Business Breakfast on Dec. 11 from 7 - 8:30 a.m. Desert Willow Golf Resort is located at 38-995 Desert Willow Drive. Admission is $22 at the door and $30 for prospective members.

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Eduardo Contreras and Elijah Molina shoot pool at the new Boys & Girls Club

UC Riverside Resurrects Health Care Facility

By Jackie Devereaux

DESERT HOT SPRINGS, CA – Representative from the University of California Riverside School of Medicine Primary Care Medical Center (UCR SoM) met with civic leaders last month to move forward a plan that will provide a teaching platform for two key residency programs including family medicine and OB-GYN in the county’s unoccupied building on Palm Drive.

The UCR SoM will occupy 19,802 sq. ft. of the 24,848 sq. ft. building; the remaining 5,048 sq. ft. will be operated by the County of Riverside Community Health Agency (CHA) to provide the Supplemental Nutritional Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC). The UCR SoM and the WIC are estimated to jointly employ 150 skilled and professional positions, according to DHS City Manager Rick Daniels.

“The Borrego Community Health Foundation will proceed to build on the already city-approved site known as the ‘Former Jewish Temple’ on East Pierson Boulevard.

Borrego is working with the city, the RDA successor agency, and the oversight board to expedite the sale of the property and the construction of the clinic.

“The 10,000 sq. ft. clinic should open by summer 2013.

Borrego will target 17,000 residents living at or below the 200 percent Federal Poverty Limit and will provide children and adult healthcare services regardless of a patient’s ability to pay. A total of 15 exam rooms will be staffed by seven healthcare providers to provide healthcare services to approximately 10,000 patients annually.

“Additionally, the new Community Health and Wellness Center includes four dental exam rooms and two medical exam rooms for the Youth Medical/Dental Clinic as part of the Health Center, Boys and Girls Club, and the John Furbee Aquatics Center. Borrego Community Health Foundation will operate this facility in collaboration with the UCR SoM. SEE PAGE 22

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December 6, 2012

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A Gift Too Big For

EditorialSTAR

Santa’s Sleigh

In a community that historically has been known for organized gangsters, crime and civic corruption, it’s heart-warming to see genuine pride beaming on resident’s faces because they feel grateful about the positive change made over the past five years.

Desert Hot Springs’ so-called bad reputation started back in the late 1920s when the infamous Chicago gangster Al Capone made the luxurious Two Bunch Palms Resort his west coast hideout. An average visitor can still see remnants of Capone’s presence at Bungalow 14, the gangster’s actual residence where his initials “A.C.” are carved into a desk and a bullet hole found in a mirror that allegedly was from an assassination attempt. On the roof still exists a former sentry tower and under the bungalow (which I toured in 2009) are escape tunnels large enough for his Dusseldorf cars to make a fast get-away.

Capone’s former gambling casino is now The Casino Restaurant serving breakfast, lunch and dinner to guests. However, in 1931, the gangster’s residence at Two Bunch Palms Resort ended when he was sent to Alcatraz prison for tax evasion.

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publisher Richard M. Perry Editor-IN-CHIEF: Jackie Devereaux OFFICE MANAGER: Mindy Witsiepe SALES TEAM: Abel Lujan ART DIRECTOR: Donald Henderson CONTRIBUTORS: Art Kunkin, Ren Yogamaya, Robert Kinsler, Reno Fontana, Frances Allen, Sherman Fridman, Dennis Hermann Theda Kleinhaus Reichman, Kevin Powell, Lizett Bond PHOTOGRAPHER: Pat Krause NEWS COORDINATOR: Jennifer Braun INTERN: Jorge Romero III ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER: Arlette Capel All advertising in the Desert Star Weekly newspaper subject to current rate card.

The newspaper reserves the right not to accept an advertiser’s order. The entire contents of the Desert Star Weekly newspaper © 2012. All rights reserved.

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That was our ancient history, but I think Capone’s vibes lingered over this town like a dark curse that couldn’t be lifted.

Over the past few decades the town (L to R) Director of Operations Tony Williams, Director of Unit Maria Jimenez, Board Member John Fitzhenry, hired more than 10 CPO Quinton Egson and builder Rudy Acosta police chiefs; we The 22,000 sq. ft. Boys and Girls Club is adjacent to the had numerous city council members and mayors come 8,200 sq. ft. Health and Wellness Center and the 2,000 sq. ft. and go, most with dubious reputations. Many former civic John Furbee Aquatic Center with a 25 x 25 meter swimming leaders were accused of making sweetheart deals with pool both slated for a January 2013 grand opening. land developers exempting them from basic amenities Children of this community can now go and play like sidewalks, street lights, parks and paved roads. basketball, ping pong, air hockey, billiards and other Some former civic leaders are blamed for allowing the games that don’t require killing people on a computer county and state to send their prison inmates released on screen. Unfortunately, by the time most kids reach 16 parole here so we became years old, they’ve killed millions of fictional character on known as criminally-infested, computer screens. This has to stop! When I was a kid my drug induced Wild West parents made us go outside and play ball with friends and town with one of the highest neighbors. Today’s kids sit on a couch staring at an animated crime rates in the state. computer game with little or no social interaction.

That was our recent past.

This gift too big for Santa’s sleigh, gives our What has happened over the past children a safe place to interact with others. Its offers five years in this small town “on general health and dental care. There are separate the other side of the tracks” will computer rooms for little kids and big kids. Everyone boggle most people’s minds until is encouraged to learn games, to interact. put into proper perspective. First, The local police have succeeded in ridding the the city hired Police Chief Patrick community of negative people. They have been replaced Williams and City Manager Rick with wholesome family-oriented events. Big kudos Daniels in mid-2007. Then the Jackie Devereaux go to the fraternal and service organizations who city leaders reorganized priorities volunteered their time and money to help our kids. to public safety. Daniels, with the It doesn’t matter whether a kid is black, brown, red, council’s approval, shifted approximately $2 million to the police white, yellow or other, everyone is welcome at the Boys department. Former Chief Williams hired more police officers, and Girls Club. We Baby Boomers weren’t allowed to including current Chief Kate Singer, and Daniels eliminated 20 sit in the house and watch TV all day. My Dad coached city administration jobs to pay for the new police force. Together a boy’s little league team and made his daughter’s play Williams and Singer implemented law enforcement strategies that Bobby Sox baseball. They weren’t afraid to send us to revolutionized public safety in DHS. By March 2008, they launched practice back then, and parents don’t need to worry now.

Operation Falling Sun where 750 officers from 38 different law The club has state of the art surveillance cameras, adult enforcement agencies descended on this town and arrested staffers to monitor all internal and external activities every known felon and chased out many criminal elements. which will discourage any juvenile delinquency.

It was the biggest law enforcement sweep in the state ever.

Computer rooms will encourage kids to read and write That was the beginning of the big change. Fast forward instead of spray painting graffiti around town. There are a to Monday, Dec. 3 when the new $17 million Boys & Girls Club lot of good and descent families who deserve recognition for officially opened. Daniels, along with many others in the city, the high standards they’ve taught their children. And there worked hard over the past five years to get this state-of-theare too many names to mention and too many organizations art facility constructed for the children of DHS. Philanthropist involved but each should get some milk and cookies for their John Furbee put up $500,000 of his own money to make it dedication and hard work for delivering the Boys and Girls happen. It’s probably the greatest gift the community received, Club - the ultimate Christmas gift to the youth of our Valley. but the only problem is, it’s too big for Santa’s sleigh.

EDITOR’S

Opinion

December 6, 2012

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...Inspire

One of Life’s Little Pleasures …Gone

Positive Thinking Books That Really “The power of the pen and the written word has an energy force more dramatic than an atomic weapon.”

People ask me all the time about my life story. They want to know how I went from growing up in a 650 sq. ft. rural farm house in Indiana in the 1950’s, to living in Elvis’ former Palm Springs home today and being the President of Presley Investments, Inc. There isn’t enough room in this column to give you all the twists and turns that got me where I am now. Even if there was, it’s a story I’d prefer someone else write. My joy comes from writing about others.

But I will tell you this. I had been living in Mexico for a few years after leaving high school. In early 1975, I met a couple of business men in Nuevo Laredo. They were delivering a truck to some Mexican buyers when our paths crossed. I did some translating for them and they took me to lunch. When we shook hands to say goodbye, one of the gentlemen gave me his card. He told me I should come to Houston, TX and work for him. Three weeks later at 22 years old, I caught a ride on a Greyhound bus and showed up at his office with $26 to my name. I still have the tattered old leather wallet I carried in my hip pocket that day. It’s a constant reminder for me that there is no telling how far you can go if you’ll just start from where you are.

I went to work right away doing mechanic and body repairs for this fellow, Victor Franco. A few days later, the other gentleman I’d met in Mexico, John Thompson, gave me a book called “See You at the Top” by Zig Ziglar.

Those 15 chapters became a book end to my Bible and literally transformed my way of thinking which then changed my life in a wonderful and extraordinary way.

The power of the pen and the written word has an energy force more dramatic than an atomic weapon. An inspirational letter written by one person can change the direction of a nation and millions of its citizens. Certainly Ziegler did that, and today the bookstores are filled with the motivational writings of Joel Osteen, Joyce Meyer and Anthony Robbins. Each has sold millions of books and their motivational speaking engagements can draw crowds of 50,000 people at a time.

In a world-wide business climate today that offers more uncertainly than at anytime in recent memory, it’s important to spend a portion of your day feeding your mind with a positive approach to modern living. A positive life philosophy is necessary to outlasting and overcoming the barrage of negative information that the mainstream news feeds the minds of anyone who turns on a TV or computer, or who picks up a newspaper.

Be habitual in your positive thoughts. It is guaranteed you will soon be saying positive words and phrases. Instead of saying, “I’ll try not to worry” say instead, “I’m confident and relaxed.”

If you are going to soar with the eagles, or swim fast enough with a dolphin to fly out of the water, then you are first going to have to believe the impossible is possible. Sitting down

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Money, Business

&Finance Reno Fontana

with a motivational book and reading a few paragraphs is a great mind tool. Harness the power of optimism and watch your life change.

Your customers will bring you new business.

Your banker will ask you what you are doing differently that has increased your deposits.

Your spouse will be happier at home, the kids will do better with their school work, and your

neighbors will want to hang around your house instead of theirs.

One of the things important in my company is to have “table time” of a couple of hours each week with my business staff. We’ll talk about the different things we’ve read or seen that inspire us and share it with one another. It is every human being’s duty to make certain everyone in your circle has a positive mental attitude, anticipating business and personal growth that leads to success. Expect great achievements and greatness will find its way to your door.

Zig Ziglar died this past week. But his words of inspiration will live on for centuries to come. It doesn’t matter if you find yourself at the bottom floor today laying your first brick in the foundation of your dream. Everybody starts somewhere. The key to success is simple; just start. If you’ll do that, then I’m certain at some point in the future, I’ll see you at the top.

Reno Fontana is the Founder of Presley Investments, Inc., and host of the new weekly ‘Money, Business, and Finance’ show on Money Radio 1200. Fontana may be reached by e-mail at biz@presleyinvestments.com.

December 6, 2012

By John Monte It is an absolute joy and pleasurable feeling when you pull into a metered parking space only to discover that the driver before you has left time on the meter, right? It’s like winning a mini-lotto, you feel overcome with happiness and can’t help but smile, right? Get ready, technology has destroyed this dream. Let me introduce you to “smart meters” coming to every town near you.

IntelliPark LLC, a company in Bethesda, Md., wants to take away this pleasure. It is marketing a parking meter called IntelliMeter that uses sonar technology to detect when a space is occupied and resets the meter to zero every time a car moves out.

So they take away our free lunch and turn it into tax revenue?

The company is one of several exploring technologically savvy parking systems as a way for municipalities to control street congestion and bring in extra revenue at the same time.

But wait, there’s more – these meters are so userfriendly. They allow for easier payment with credit cards, smart cards or even cell phones. That’s right – you will be able to pay the meter using

your smart phone. Why didn’t I think of that?

This is just the beginning folks. Additional features of this IntelliMeter range from when a meter expires, it will notify the closest police department Meter Maid of your location and chances are they will beat you back to your vehicle. Oops, there goes another hundred bucks.

Drivers can pay fees at a meter and print out receipts to put on their dashboards.

They can pay with cash, credit card or a prepaid parkingmeter card. Any unused time disappears because the next motorist in the parking spot has to pay and get his or her own receipt.

IntelliPark charges $175 for a meter – comparable with conventional parking meters – and $7 a month more to lease the vehicle sensors. This is your tax dollars working against you.

Isaac Asimov wrote “I, Robot.” I wonder if his next book will be “I, IntelliMeter,” and like the movie robots monitored every human move. Who’s to say these new IntelliMeters are not watching our every move, tracking where we are, placing us at locations without our permission? Taking our pictures or steaming video?

This is too much exponential growth of technology for me. I will be just fine rummaging through that ashtray in my car to dig out enough quarters to park, a simple process without complication. Ah, the good life.

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Palm Springs DINNER WITH MICKEY ROONEY

Ever since the glory days of motion pictures, Palm Springs has been the get-away place for movie star gods and goddesses to take off their halos and live as normal a life as possible, even if it was for only one weekend at a time.

There’s a lot of show business history in the Desert, and its best told by the people who were in the middle of it; like around a table, after a good meal.

Recently, Lyons English

Mickey Rooney Grille in Palm Springs, itself no stranger to notoriety, hosted a “Dinner with Mickey,” featuring the now 92-year-old motion picture icon, Mickey Rooney.

In what looks like the beginning of a trend, Melvyn’s Restaurant, located at the Ingleside Inn in Palm Springs – a historical landmark if there ever was one – is hosting “Dinner with Margaret O’Brien,” on Dec. 4. O’Brien will share show business stories and sign copies of the Margaret O’Brien “Paper Doll” book depicting costumes from her various movies.

All the proceeds go to Canine Companions, an organization supported by O’Brien that trains dogs to assist disabled people and veterans to walk.

Dinner with O’Brien is $65, and reservations can be made using a credit card and

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calling Melvyn’s at 760-3252323.

RITZ-CARLTON RANCHO MIRAGE

Members of the Rancho Mirage City Council were extra thankful this holiday season, the issue of what to do with the moribund RitzCarlton hotel project was going to be erased as one of the city’s biggest problems. Or, so they think.

It all looked great about six years ago when what was then an operating luxury hotel closed with big plans, including a major financial commitment from Lehman Brothers, for a new Ritz-Carlton hotel and development of the surrounding acreage.

Then, four years ago, Lehman Brothers was history, along with its funding for the Ritz-Carlton project.

Numerous efforts were made to get other hotel operators to take over the project, only to back out or fail to perform their contractual obligations.

In the meantime, the city

the load the City of Rancho Mirage is granting Kam Sang

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Desert Frances Allen

Long-time Getaway of Hollywood Icons

The market, which organizers hope can operate every Saturday during the season, features more than 100 vendors selling mainly handmade jewelry, art work and house wares.

The market is also pet friendly, with dogs permitted if they are on leashes.

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an “incentive loan” worth $20 million.

The hotel portion of the project is 80 percent complete, with the bulk of the remaining work needed for the grounds, including the pool and public areas. However, since the most of the hotel’s interior just needs cosmetic work, Lam estimates that occupancy can occur late summer or early fall of 2013.

Lam also estimates that because of the fact that so much money had been put into the project before it was shut down, the new RitzCarlton will be able to offer rooms starting in the $300 to $350 range, about onequarter of the starting rates at other Ritz-Carlton hotels worldwide.

By contract, construction of the Ritz-Carlton must begin

by Jan. 6, 2013, so it won’t be long now before Rancho Mirage city counselors can know if it’s OK to let out a sigh of relief.

SPA RESORT CASINO OPEN-AIR MARKET was losing about $1 million annually in ‘bed tax’ income.

The council’s new hope rests on the shoulders of Ronnie Lam, president of the Arcadia-based hotel developer, Kam Sang Company. Although Kam Sang is reported to have an annual net income of $100 milion, to help them carry

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Tourists and visitors now have a new way to spend money and have fun at the Spa Resort Casino without ever having to go inside. Starting on the black-and-blue Saturday that followed the bruising of Black Friday, the casino’s parking lot opened as the site the Palm Springs Open Air Market.

The post-Thanksgiving weekend presented another way for people to come together and shop while at a casino. Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, owned by the Cabazon Band of Mission Indians, hosted hundreds of Native American dancers last week, adorned in authentic dress in celebration of the 31st Cabazon Indio Powwow.

In addition to shopping for native craft items, visitors could take part in the celebrations, joining dancers representing more than 300 tribes from all over North America during the non-competitive intertribal dancing event.

In the past, Powwows were a means for various tribes to socialize, renew old friendships and create new ones. Powwows still serve as a means of getting Native Americans together, only now, in place of athletic competition, the powwows offer participants cash prizes for dance and custom contestants. Not only are powwows a true American cultural experience; as in any modern-day gathering that draws thousands of people, there is also the opportunity to purchase native food and other items from a variety of vendors.

December 6, 2012

Betty White Honored by Guide Dogs of the Desert

Dick VanPatten, Betty White and 2011 honoree Dr. Albert T. Mialuskas

Story and Photos by Pat Krause INDIAN WELLS, CA - Guide Dogs of the Desert held its 6th Annual Heroes Brunch on Saturday, Dec. 1st at The Renaissance Esmeralda Emerald Ballroom. This is the 40th anniversary of Guide Dogs of the Desert. The 2012 Hero of a Lifetime Award went to the fantastic actress Betty White. The award was presented by the 2011 honoree Dr. Albert T. Mialuskas. Event chair of the luncheon was Dusty Wings of the Desert.

White has been honored with many acting awards, seven Emmys, but her love of animals gave her this honor.

White has authored seven books and is known for her work as an actress on television and in movies. She held a book signing prior to lunch with co-author Tom Sullivan for their book, “The Leading Lady,” a true story about Sullivan’s first guide dog, Dinah. Sullivan is a graduate of Guide Dogs of the Desert.

Guests included many graduates, puppy trainers, puppy raisers and volunteers who brought their dogs to the event. A reception and large silent auction was held prior to lunch being served. This was one of the largest events in the history of Guide Dogs whose mission is to raise dogs to improve the lives of the blind through mobility, independent freedom and companionship of a loving animal. For more information go to info@Gddca.org.

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STARLocal Events Palm Springs International Film Festival to Recognize Zemeckis

Director Robert Zemeckis PALM SPRINGS, CA – The 24th annual Palm Springs International Film Festival (PSIFF) will present Academy Award® winning director Robert Zemeckis with the Director of the Year Award for “Flight.” Presented by Cartier, the Awards Gala will be held Saturday, Jan. 5, 2013 at the Palm Springs Convention Center. Hosted

by Mary Hart, the Awards Gala will also present awards to previously announced honorees Helen Hunt and Naomi Watts. The Festival runs Jan. 3-14.

“For 35 years, Zemeckis has been creating some of the most iconic and indelible images in cinema, garnering international acclaim as a filmmaker of extraordinary vision,” said Film Festival Chairman Harold Matzner.

“In his latest work, “Flight,” Zemeckis continues to tell fascinating stories by combining strong characters with groundbreaking visual effects, which includes one of the most memorable plane crashes in cinematic history, while following the compelling emotional journey of Denzel Washington’s character of an emotionally damaged man dealing with addiction. For these achievements the Palm Springs International Film Festival is honored to present the 2013 Director of the Year Award to Robert Zemeckis.”

Past Director of the Year honorees include Stephen Daldry, Ang Lee, Anthony Minghella, Alexander Payne, Sean Penn, Jason Reitman and David O. Russell.

Currently in theatres, Paramount Pictures’ dramatic

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thriller “Flight,” stars Denzel Washington as Captain Whip Whitaker, a seasoned airline pilot who miraculously crash lands his plane after a mid-air catastrophe, saving nearly every soul on board.

Afterwards, Whip is hailed as a hero, but as more is learned, more questions than answers arise as to who or what was really at fault and what really happened on that plane.

Directed by Zemeckis and written by John Gatins, the film also stars Don Cheadle, Kelly Reilly, John Goodman, Bruce Greenwood, Brian Geraghty, Tamara Tunie, Nadine Velazquez, James Badge Dale and Melissa Leo. Zemeckis won an Academy Award®, a Golden Globe and a Director’s Guild of America Award for Best Director for the hugely successful Forrest Gump. The film’s numerous honors also included Academy Awards® for Best Actor (Tom Hanks) and Best Picture. Zemeckis has also directed Cast Away, What Lies Beneath, Back to the Future, Back to the Future, Part II and Part III, Contact, Used Cars, Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, The Polar Express, Beowulf and A Christmas Carol.

The Palm Springs International Film Festival (PSIFF) is one of the largest film festivals in North America, welcoming 135,000 attendees each year for its lineup of new and celebrated international features and documentaries. The Festival is also known for its annual Black Tie Awards Gala, honoring the best achievements of the filmic year by a celebrated list of talents who, in recent years, have included Ben Affleck, Javier Bardem, Cate Blanchett, Danny Boyle, George Clooney, Daniel Day-Lewis, Leonardo DiCaprio, Clint Eastwood, Ron Howard, Sean Penn, Brad Pitt, Natalie Portman, Charlize Theron and Kate Winslet.

The 24th annual Palm Springs International Film Festival is presented by Title Sponsor, the City of Palm Springs, which is celebrating its 75 year anniversary in 2013. Presenting Sponsors are Spencer’s, The Desert Sun, Entertainment Tonight, Wells Fargo, Regal Entertainment Group, Bank of America and Wintec. Major sponsors are Panavision, Ocean Properties Development, Raymond|Lawrence, Chihuly, Telefilm Canada. The Festival’s Awards Gala is presented by Cartier and sponsored by Mercedes-Benz.

December 6, 2012

Annette Bloch Cancer Care Center at Desert AIDS

PALM SPRINGS, CA – The Annette Bloch Cancer Care Center at Desert AIDS Project was dedicated on Friday morning Nov. 30.

When Annette Bloch announced her $1 million gift at this year’s Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards, she said “Having learned some time ago that people with HIV are more likely than other people to develop certain types of cancer, I felt this gift might help to extend the compassionate care I saw at D.A.P. to become even more comprehensive for those clients also living with cancer. That’s why I am creating the Annette Bloch Cancer Care Center at Desert AIDS Project with a gift of one million dollars.

Although DAP seeks to meet the needs of all people in our community living with HIV/AIDS, only about 26 percent of its budget comes from the federal Ryan White program, which functions as a “payer of last resort” for some of the medical needs of people living with HIV/AIDS. With 45 percent of all D.A.P. clients living at or below the federal poverty level of $10,980 – compared with the average Palm Springs household income of $44,025 – ongoing funding for primary and HIV-specialty care is already a significant challenge for the organization.

“This will allow us to broaden our base of medical care in a way we could have only dreamed about before Annette’s very generous gift,” said David Brinkman, CEO of Desert AIDS Project.

“The new sign we dedicate in front of our building is a sign of renewed hope for those of our clients who may be unfortunately diagnosed with a variety of cancers, in addition to HIV or AIDS.” As Mrs. Bloch closed her remarks at the gala, she said, “This may not cure anyone of AIDS or cancer … I wish it was in my power to do so … but it will help to alleviate suffering while helping to advance the science of what we know about treating AIDS patients with cancer.”

In addition to recently being honored as Outstanding Philanthropist by the Desert Cities Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Annette Bloch will receive the 100 Women Award at the 2013 Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards gala for her additional generosity to women and children affected by HIV/AIDS served by D.A.P. Desert AIDS Project serves people living with HIV and AIDS by providing comprehensive support, including medical care, case management, and social services, like food, housing, and counseling.

D.A.P. also offers free and confidential HIV testing at a number of locations throughout the communities it serves. To learn more about Desert AIDS Project, please call 760-323-2118, visit www. desertaidsproject.org or find them on Facebook, Twitter, and You Tube.

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MusicSTAR DVD and Blu-Rays Make

The Perfect Gift bona fide classics (“Bohemian Rhapsody,” “We Are The Champions”).

One of the biggest surprises of the year was Paul McCartney’s album “Kisses On The Bottom,” where he performed some of his favorite songs pop standards with Diana Krall and several other noted jazz musicians. To celebrate that album, McCartney returned to Capitol Records in Hollywood with several of those musicians last February to perform an intimate live concert that has now been released in a deluxe 13-song film package. “Paul McCartney – Live Kisses” (Eagle Rock Entertainment) not only includes the full concert, but a 40-page hardback book with wonderful images of the concert and rehearsals.

Bonus features include several versions of the “My Valentine” music video

Music lovers have no shortage of fantastic gift ideas available on Bluray and/or DVD this holiday season.

Queen, Paul McCartney, Chris Isaak, The Doobie Brothers and even Steve Martin are featured are wonderful collections available now. Here is a roundup of many of the most sets.

I n 19 8 6 , Queen journeyed to perform in Budapest, Hungary as part of the “Magic Tour.” That historic concert – the first Western rock concert ever staged in a stadium behind the Iron Curtain – was seen as so important that many of the nation’s top film makers were brought together to document the event. More than 25 years later, “Hungarian Rhapsody:

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Queen Live In Budapest” (Eagle Rock Entertainment) is finally available to be enjoyed by everyone. An estimated 80,000 rock fans filled the Nepstadion in Budapest to catch Queen deliver a forceful mix of hard rock (“Tie Your Mother Down,” “Hammer To Fall”), infectious hits (“Another One Bites The Dust,” “Under Pressure”), beautiful ballads (“Who Wants To Live Forever”) and

Johnston, Michael McDonald, John McFee, Tiran Porter, Jeff “Skunk” Baxter and long-time manager Bruce Cohn offer a complete look at the band’s wide-ranging career. Fans who want to hear the band do more than reminisce can check out the bonus live performances of classic tunes including “Listen To The Music,” “Black Water,” “Takin’ It To The Streets” and “China Grove.”

Records). Backed by his top-notch outfit Silvertone troupe, Isaak is seen on the concert DVD performing potent versions of his retro ballad “Wicked Game,” as well as the haunting rocker “Baby Did a Bad Bad Thing,” Roy Orbison-minded “Somebody’s Crying,” a fiery cover of “Great Balls of Fire” and other rock ‘n’ roll gems.

Music audiences can’t live by concert films alone.

“Let The Music Play – The Story Of The Doobie Brothers” (Eagle Rock Entertainment) offers up the authorized story of The Doobie Brothers from their beginnings in San Jose, California back in 1970 to today. Interviews with Patrick Simmons, Tom

Music worth

Stuff” (Shout! Factory) the artist’s early work on television including comedy specials, early stand-up, guest appearances, speeches and several music videos is showcased in grand fashion.

For those who know the musical side of Martin strictly via his current role with the Steep Canyon Rangers, there are several choice bits on “The Television Stuff” to get a glimpse of Martin’s early use of the banjo.

Buying Robert Kinsler

Finally, the multitalented Steve Martin is increasingly being as celebrated for his skills as a banjo virtuoso as his high-profile success as a comedian, actor and playwright. On the newlyissued three-disc “Steve Martin: The Television

CENTRAL PRINTER RESOURCES starring Natalie Portman and Johnny Depp.

Sir Paul isn’t the only artist to mine the past with glorious results. Just a few days after McCartney filmed his “Live Kisses” concert, singer-songwriter Chris Isaak performed at the Moody Theater in Austin, Texas before a live studio audience. The results of that session shine on the newlyissued “Chris Isaak Live!

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STARTravel Parisian Couchettes, Megabuses, Vegas Parties Mayan New Years!

Thello Sleeper Train

The experience may not have the aura of mystery, murder and romance created by countless literary journeys on the Venice Simplon-Orient Express, but it’s still possible to

have dinner in Paris and wakeup to breakfast in Rome aboard the Thello Sleeper Train.

The modern-day railroad experience begins at London’s St. Pancras Station. It’s here that passengers board a train to Paris

where they will transfer to the Thello Sleeper Train for the overnight journey from Paris to Rome.

There are two classes of service aboard the Thello Sleeper Train: sleeper cabin or couchette.

Sleeper cabins are available in a choice of one, two or threebirth sleepers, which is ideal for couples or single travelers wanting a bit of privacy. With a sleeper cabin, guests enjoy such features as complimentary toiletries, bedding and towels.

A complimentary breakfast in the on-board restaurant is also included.

Couchettes aboard the Thello come in a choice of four or six-passenger compartments, with some being reserved for females only.

Dinner and breakfast is also served in the restaurant car

where French and Italian dishes are served, along with a variety of wine to choose from. For those lighter eaters, the Thello also has a buffet car where a variety of sandwiches, salads and hot and cold drinks are served.

All aboard!

It doesn’t have the cachet of the Orient Express, or even that of the Thello, but inter-city busses are making a comeback in the United States. “Big yawn,” you say; but not when the fares are only a buck, each way.

Megabus.com, an online, inter-city express bus company owned by Coach USA, has announced that their $1 dollar-per-ticket service will be expanded into California and Nevada effective Dec. 12.

Residents can now travel to and from Los Angeles, Riverside, San Francisco, Oakland, Las Vegas, Sparks/Reno, Sacramento and San Jose in a modern doubledecker bus equipped with WiFi, power outlets and wheelchair accessible restrooms.

NEW YEARS IN VEGAS

If you are really lucky, you might use a $1 ticket for a roadtrip to Las Vegas, the site of the biggest New Year’s Eve bash in the West.

8

DesertSTAR

Sherman Fridman

December 6, 2012

DEC. 21, 2012

In addition to being ‘partycentral,’ Las Vegas is planning to have one of the largest pyrotechnic fireworks shows in the world, with the dazzling show fired from the rooftops of seven hotels along the Strip.

While the fireworks display and excitement of Las Vegas are free, there are many ways you can spend all the money you saved when you bought your bus ticket.

Celine Dion, one of the bestselling female vocalist of all times will perform a special New Year’s Eve concert in The Coliseum at Caesars Palace, while a little bit out of town Henderson Executive Airport will host a black tie “Great Gatsby” themed bash, at which

If you believe one interpretation of the Mayan calendar, there may be nothing to celebrate this coming New Year’s Eve … much less no one around to do any celebrating.

According to some, the world will end Friday, December 21, 2012, at 11:11 p.m.

This has not deterred concert promoter Danny Chasan from producing what is being billed as the largest synchronized fundraising event in history, all in support of the World Organization for Peace.

The main event will take place at a sacred Mayan pyramid site; with live entertainment feeds from various simultaneous events occurring around the globe linked in.

Chasan expects two billion celebrators will unite to usher in a new era of a positive message of peace to replace the conflicts currently raging around the

partygoers will be taken back to the roaring ‘20s when glitz and glamour ruled.

Hungry revelers can make their way to Paris Las Vegas.

This is where Gordon Ramsay, internationally known Michelin Star recipient, will host a special five-course prix fixe menu at his Las Vegas restaurant. We’re told that one of the courses will be Ramsay’s signature dish, beef Wellington rossini.

And, what would a Las Vegas party be without its arm candy? We know that K.K., (Kim Kardashian), will host the

world.

The event is being offered free to broadcast media with exclusive access to a live video stream from numerous Mayan sites featuring the biggest names in Rock, Pop, Dance, Hip-Hop and Reggae. In addition to inconcert entertainment, there will be spiritual and sustainable messages from respected spiritual leaders including Gandhi’s great-grandson Tushar and Mayan High Priest Ac Tah. Details about how you can participate are available at www.2012wmf.com

Megabus.com

Here’s how the $1 ticketto-ride works. Fares for future bookings start as low as $1 every day, but increase gradually as the travel-date gets closer. So customers are encouraged to book early to receive the $1 fares.

Further details are available on Megabus.com’s Web site.

Getting away

festivities at 1 OAK Nightclub; we just don’t know if she will be with a husband.

www.desertstarweekly.com

FinanceSTAR Fiscal Cliff Solution: A Failing Economy Leadership

By John Monte

www.desertstarweekly.com

a resolution might be reached, we feel investors need to focus on their own personal situations.

This would be a great time to meet with your personal advisers and devise a plan that weathers the vast majority of storms that occur during every economic

cycle. We recommend investors keep a long term perspective with their finances and have a diversified and lower risk portfolio. Look for investments that are fiscally sound too. High fees and hidden costs can sink the best plans. It’s nearly impossible to ignore our

Investment Know-How Kevin Powell

emotions and all the noise in the media today. That’s why we can’t react to all the negative stories or every time the market drops a few hundred points.

Perhaps the biggest problem we are facing in our country is a lack of real

leadership. There are many great men and woman in leadership positions today. But real leadership finds solutions.

Leadership does the right thing even when it’s not popular or doesn’t follow the results of the most recent political poll. Real leadership helps those who can’t help themselves. But where have the great leaders gone?

We could sure use some leaders like Winston Churchill today. One of our favorite quotes was “He who fails to plan, is planning to fail.”

Churchill said this during World War II. We don’t want to attach that level of drama to our current situation but we strongly recommend that everyone heed Mr. Churchill’s advice.

Planning starts with an assessment of your current situation, your goals and your resources.

Some other Churchill favorites include, “You have enemies? Good. That means you’ve stood up for something, sometime in your life.” “There is no such thing as a good tax.”

“Courage is the first of human qualities because it is the quality that guarantees all the others.”

It’s easy to blame someone else for all our problems.

But how can we complain about a lack of leadership in Washington when many of us have a lack of control in our own homes. Many of us have too much debt. Many of us spend more than is necessary. Many of us put profits (money) ahead of people.

One last Churchill quote, “If the human race wishes to have a prolonged and indefinite period of material prosperity, they have only got to behave in a peaceful and helpful way toward one another.”

Kevin Powell has been a financial adviser for more than 25 years and can be reached at kpplanner1@aol.com.

Every four years “we the people” go to the polls and vote for who will be the next President of the United States. During election years the media overwhelms us with all the doom and gloom stories and one candidate or the other will always be there to ‘warn us’ that our economy is going to heck in a handbag and we are doomed to our fate of a failing economy. Sound familiar? We heard this throughout 2012.

People are losing jobs leaving families without an income and no savings.

OMG, what do we do?

I hope you are sitting down because we just had our Black Friday and Cyber

REDH T Holidays!

The Fiscal Cliff is the focal point story in the economic world today. But a lot of people are missing the real story. The Fiscal Cliff is something that never should have occurred. It has grown into a potential global economic catastrophe and it is totally the result of a lack of leadership.

And what did “We the People” do about it? We re-elected nearly the exact same group that got us into this mess. Hopefully the next article will be to talk about what the resolution means for our economy going forward. Unfortunately, it might be a while before we get to tackle that subject.

Four weeks have passed since the election. There are about four weeks to go until we go over the Fiscal Cliff. President Obama has met with nearly everyone who will talk to him about the subject. Republicans have been in front of anyone who has a camera and yet we’re no closer to a deal than we were last July when Congress last “kicked the can” down the road.

That might be a little harsh on our leaders since they’ve actually only been back to work for two weeks. Yes, they needed to take two weeks off after working so hard on their campaigns in spite of our precarious situation. If politicians would spend as much time on the job as they do trying to keep it, then we would probably be a lot better off. However, that would call for real election reform and would be a genuine dilemma. It’s probably best that they focus on something easier like the Fiscal Cliff.

Nevertheless, a resolution will likely present a great short term opportunity for investors.

The markets would likely rally but other issues would then become the focal point.

Instead of trying to guess when

December 6, 2012

Monday – the biggest shopping days of the year in our nation. A flop? Nobody spending money? That’s been the rhetoric.

Early estimates of Cyber Monday, the biggest online shopping day of the year, showed sales may reach $2 billion and a growing portion of that may come from the pockets of a record number of mobile shoppers. That’s $2 billion dollars!

It has been a big holiday weekend with a record $59.1 billion spent at U.S. stores and websites, according to the National Retail Federation.

Online sales on Thanksgiving D a y, traditionally not a popular day for online shopping, rose 32 percent from last year to

$633 million, according to comScore. Online sales on Black Friday were up 26 percent from the same day last year to $1.042 billion. It was the first time online sales on Black Friday surpassed $1 billion.

Maybe all these shoppers forgot to watch the news and did not pick up any newspapers during the year.

I see no slow down at all. So the economy is failing? Look again and think twice – the numbers do not lie – only politicians do. When will we learn.

John Monte has been a radio broadcaster news writer for more than 25 years in Southern California. He covers news, weather, traffic and sports for Clear Channel Broadcastng.

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Bob Hope: An American Treasure

Travels to Palm Springs Air Museum PALM SPRINGS, CA – Bob Hope was a longtime resident of Palm Springs and his name graced the PGA TOUR event for 47 years. It’s fitting the World Golf Hall of Fame Museum’s traveling exhibition “Bob Hope: An American Treasure” will open at the Palm Springs Air Museum Dec. 12 and run through April 2013.

The 2,500 sq. ft. exhibition highlights several aspects of Hope’s incredible life, made possible by the generous support of the Bob & Dolores Hope Charitable Foundation.

“Both my Dad and Mother would have loved to know that this exhibit would be housed just down the street from their much loved home on Southridge Drive,” said Linda Hope, daughter of the entertainer.

“They would also find great pleasure in the fact that the exhibition would be held at the Palm Springs Air Museum, founded by their good friends Bob and Jo Rose Pond. To know that school children from the area will have the opportunity to visit and learn about them and their love of the Coachella Valley, of golf and their commitment to helping their fellow man, I’m sure would warm their hearts.

Hopefully, thousands of their fans will enjoy many shared memories.”

“Bob Hope: An American Treasure” will feature more than 160 artifacts, including the famed golf cart shaped like Hope’s face, his Congressional Gold Medal, his honorary

10

Oscar statuette, Honorary Veterans citation, and PGA of America money clip.

More than 200 vintage photos and seven video displays tell the story about Hope’s early years as part of an immigrant family in the early 20th century, his rise as a star of stage, screen and radio, the relationships he had with U.S. presidents, his devotion to the U.S. military and his love of golf.

“The Palm Springs Air Museum is thrilled to have this exhibit on display, surrounded by our

this exhibition in Palm Springs,” said Jack Peter, Chief Operating Officer of the World Golf Hall of Fame.

“Bob Hope is synonymous with the area, and golf fans around the world know Palm Springs because of his incredible support of the golf tournament. It is an ideal place for the exhibition and we are thankful to the Bob & Dolores Hope Charitable Foundation for its support in bringing it here.”

For more information, including photos, about

Former World Boxing Champion Hector Macho Camacho

Macho Man

Down for the Count

By John Monte

Bob Hope wonderful Warbirds,” said Fred Bell, Executive Director of the Palm Springs Air Museum. “We’re looking forward to continuing, educating and expanding Bob Hope’s legacy to area tourists and residents.”

“It was a major priority for us to display

DesertSTAR

the World Golf Hall of Fame & Museum and “Bob Hope: An American Treasure,” visit www.

WorldGolfHallofFame.org/ hof/Hopeontheroad.php.

For information on visiting the exhibit at the Palm Springs Air Museum, visit PalmSpringsAirMuseum.org.

Heading into Thanksgiving week, Hector Macho Camacho, 50, former World Boxing Champion, ran into trouble and was gunned down in a drive by shooting in Bayamon, Puerto Rico.

“Shot in the face” was the initial report by police but hours later they changed their report to “shot in the head.”No matter, the shot was enough to render Camacho, according to hospital physicians “clinically brain dead.” Instead of planning a Thanksgiving feast, the family had to decide when to pull the life support.

Camacho, one of boxing’s most under-rated stars, left an enduring legacy that featured his dynamic but troubled personality.

Much like a smaller version of Muhammad Ali, Camacho had flare and flaunted his

December 6, 2012

presence at will. He held major championships in the super featherweight, lightweight and junior lightweight divisions, going on to win lesser titles in four more weight classes, becoming the first boxer to be recognized as a sextuple champion.

I attended a boxing match years ago in San Diego as a guest of Muhammad Ali and one of the fighters on the under card was Camacho. He won that night by decision.

After the fight, there was a party. Ali was there, along with Ken Norton and actor Pierce Brosnon, and other local sporting types.

I was on the dance floor with a “Mexican cutie’ and Camacho saunters out on the floor, looks at me and reaches out his hand to shake mine. He then realizes that he does not like the song the DJ was playing, so he asks his

dance partner to hold on a minute. Camacho runs up to the dais, lean forward and whispers something with the DJ nodding his head.

Camacho returns to the dance floor and the DJ announces that a “special request” has been made by Camacho and that he invites everyone to come out onto the floor and dance.

The music starts and it is the song “Show Me Love”

by Robin S. I will never forget how smooth on his feet Camacho was and the big smile on his face as he danced away, completely immersed in his own little world for the moment...I’ll remember him that way always.

John Monte has been a radio broadcaster news writer for more than 25 years in Southern California. He covers news, weather, traffic and sports for Clear Channel Broadcastng.

www.desertstarweekly.com

Palate PleasersSTAR

Celebrate Christmas at Fantasy Springs INDIO, CA – This Christmas Day, the acclaimed chefs at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino will be preparing a feast to remember for guests of every age to enjoy.

Three of the resort’s seven restaurants will offer dining specials on Tuesday, Dec. 25. Make plans to celebrate the holiday with friends and family at the resort’s Fresh Grill Buffet, POM or at Bistro.

At Bistro your stomach will celebrate with the Christmas night special of Blackened Boneless Rib-Eye Steak and Achiote Seared Jumbo Prawns. This will be served alongside Broccoli-Cheddar Gratine, Honey Glazed Baby Carrots, GarlicParmesan Roasted Yukon Gold Potatoes with Peppercorn Demi Glace and Chipotle-Lemon Butter Sauce for $38. Bistro opens for dinner at 5pm and will also be offering the usual menu.

There is also a Christmas night dinner special in POM, which includes Pan Seared Brazilian Lobster Tail with Linguini Pasta tossed with Asparagus, Mushrooms, Zucchini, Squash, Grape Tomatoes and Yellow Bell Peppers. This is served with Roasted Red Pepper Garlic Sauce and Asiago Garlic Toast for $33.

At the Fresh Grill Buffet, Christmas dinner will be served all day, along with the normal array of brunch delights including waffles, made-to-order omelets, Eggs Benedict, arrays of fresh fruit,

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an extensive salad bar and fresh, succulent meats from the carving station including Roast Prime Rib of Beef, HoneyDijon Baked Virginia Ham and Maple Glazed Turkey Breast.

Guests will also enjoy a wide variety of salads and soups, including Grilled Chicken and Shrimp Caesar Salad, Baby Spinach with Winter Pear, Sun Dried Cranberries, Walnuts and Blue Cheese, Vietnamese Glass Noodle and Vegetable Salad, Cream of Wild Mushroom Soup and Seafood Minestrone.

Fresh Grill Buffet also includes delectable dishes such as Alaskan Snow Crab Legs, Norwegian Smoked Salmon, and Poached Canadian Mussels. There are also Chef’s specialties including Stuffed Leg of Lamb with Feta Cheese,

Dates and Spinach and Roast Danish Pork Loin with Apricot, Apple and Plum Sauce. Be sure to save some room for a trip to the extensive dessert bar. Diners will enjoy sumptuous and freshly baked holiday cookies, pies, cakes, tarts, plus the makeyour-own sundae station. The dessert bar also features many sugar-free confections.

With large, open seating arrangements, the Fresh Grill Buffet is the perfect place for groups and families, as well as for smaller parties for the Christmas holiday or for any holiday.

Fresh Grill is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m on Christmas day. The cost is $26.99 for adults and $13.99 for children ages 3 to 11. Children under age 3 are free. Reservations are recommended at Bistro and POM and may be made via telephone at (800) 8272946 or online at www.

FantasySpringsResort.com.

Fantasy Springs Resort Casino provides an oasis in the desert, featuring 30 “Best of Gaming” awards from Casino Player magazine. Offering 2,000 of the hottest slots, world-class table games, entertainment, hotel, dining and golf at Eagle Falls, Fantasy Springs Resort Casino stands to meet and exceed the needs of its guests and the community. Fantasy Springs is conveniently located right off Interstate 10, only minutes from the Palm Springs International Airport. Fantasy Springs is a privately operated business of the Cabazon Band of Mission Indians.

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STARBeauty & Fashion

Beauty Report

By Judaysia

Holiday Hair

Show stopping holiday glamour starts with sexy hair.

Wearing your hair up is fun and easy. Up do’s add sophistication to any

occasion. Everyday hair can have a little flair when it is worn up. Bad hair can turn into good hair in an instant.

The only equipment needed to style your hair up is a comb, hair pins and

Palm Desert weather is perfect for show stopping glamour this holiday season.

For night time a sequined cocktail dress is guaranteed to have you shining all night long. Alice by Temperely.

If you do not have enough length try some add on hair pieces.

Long hair can be twisted into a neat little coil at the base of your neck. To get the look: Slick your hair back into a pony tail. Take the pony tail and twist it until it forms a coil. Secure it in place with bobby pins.

Spray it with Judaysia VS Shaper Spray to hold.

For baby fine and thin hair use Judaysia Explode to make your hair thicker and give it some body.

The extreme volumizer promotes growth and stops fall out. Your hair will be thicker and easier to handle without being sticky or stiff.

Just spray it on to towel dried hair before styling.

Long hair can also be swept into a messy twist.

Brush hair back into a very loose pony tail. Secure with decorative hair clips.

Easy everyday up do’s can be as simple as wearing your hair in a French Twist.

To get the look: Pull your hair up into a high pony tail.

Take your hair and roll it inward into a twist. Secure into place with bobby pins.

Spray with Judaysia VS Shaper Hairspray. Available at judaysia.com Decorative hair pins

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DesertSTAR

There’s a party on the ear lobe and all the best jewels are invited. Amethyst Sputnik drop earrings. These are a show-stopper. From Heath London heathlondon. com

Sequined Cocktail Dresses

open daily

Seasonal Sparkler

available at Nordstrom and at Claire’s.

Judaysia VS Shaper Spray.

CHARLOTTE MOORE

try Mac Fuchsia.

Cocktail Trousers

Exquisite and new to the party scene. From Miu Miu. Wear them with a white stiletto heel. Available at the Desert Outlets.

Fuchsia Fever

Fu ch s i a f eve r i s spreading all over the desert.

Lips and nails are drenched in the heavenly color. On lips we like Nars Schiap. For nails

Judaysia is the founder of Judaysia Naturceutical Hair Care, holistic products to thicken hair, reduce fallout and promote growth. She is the creator of Volumtechnics Haircutting the art of cutting volume into fine, limp and thin hair. Judaysia works from her private studio in Malibu Ca. She has a celebrity and local clientele.

Visit her web site Judaysia. com for products, books and more. She can be reached at judaysia@yahoo.com.

Shopping for the Holidays

By Angela Edmondson I love to shop! In fact I would pick shopping over all most every activity in my life. My dream vacation is a shopping spree at a mall.

Ok I am crazy over here, but people love to shop, they love to look nice. But they do not love spending money.

People love a bargain. That is why I love a good thrift store, now I am not talking a ratty pair of jeans and ten years worth of dust on someone’s old china thrift store. I am talking beautiful thrift store we have here in the Valley. I have purchased beautiful clothing from thrift stores, but it takes a little ingenuity to get quality items and a thrift store.

December 6, 2012

Here are my few tips.

1. Only buy what you think you would wear.

Don’t fill up your closet with something you have to fix or dry clean. You should only purchase items that can be worn after a washing. It is not worth it to spend a few dollars on something for it to remain in the bag you bought in until you have it repaired.

2. If you are looking for a certain trend you would like to follow read a magazine before going in. If you’re dead set on finding a lime green sweater you may not find that. But give yourself some wiggle room with the trend and you will some great pieces.

3. Have an open mind. No one will “know”

you got something at a thrift store, so why not?

Most thrift stores donate to a good cause, so that is encouragement in its own. Plus it is very “IN” to go thrifting.

4. Find a friend to take with it makes the experience more fun.

I have purchased great items at a thrift store including a beautiful pair of Cowboy Boots for 5.00.

I like to pair my thrift store items with more expensive pieces. Often I buy costume jewelry and wear it with high-end jewelry you would never know. Like I said go with an open mind and leave with a good bargin.

Happy Thrifting!

www.desertstarweekly.com

SocietySTAR McCallum Turns 25 PALM DESERT,CA -The McCallum Theatre celebrated its 25th anniversary with a dinner and fundraiser at four local restaurants followed by an 8 p.m. concert starring singer Reba McEntire. Guests dined at Wally’s Desert Turtle, Cuistot, Jillian’s and Ruth’s Chris Steak House restaurants. The evening events raised more than $1.2 million for the Performing Arts Theatre and

all its many programs.

Introductions were made by co-chairs Jim Houston and Harold Matzner. Former CEO and President of the McCallum, Ted Giatas was honored for his many years of service. Giatas took over the helm when the theatre was mired in debt and faced possible extinction. Both Houston and Matzner credit Giatas with saving the McCallum and making it one

of the most successful theatres in the nation.

The McCallum endured through many years of financial hardship, but under the leadership of Giatas and through the generosity of local philanthropists the theatre has been able to run without debt for the past nine or 10 years. The new President and CEO Mitch Gershenfeld has been with the

Theatre for years.

McEntire is a singer, musician, actress, author and superstar has won more than 40 awards during her career. She last performed in the desert 23 years ago where she made her first live audience CD. She was thrilled to perform for this special 25th anniversary celebration, and sang old and new songs for the audience.

Act for MS Christmas Tree Auction

PALM DESERT, CA – The Act for MS held its 12th Annual Christmas Tree sale and auction at the Denise Roberge store, Insanity and Augusta Restaurant Nov. 21 through Dec. 1. Trees were designed by local artists with all proceeds going directly to the local Act for MS charity.

Celebrity trees were

auctioned off on Dec. 1 at Augusta Restaurant. Celebrities donating their names or their tree included singers Barry Manilow, Jerry Vale and Carol Connors. The iconic actress Carol Channing, a long time supporter of Act for MS, watched her wreath auctioned off in a wheel chair suffering from two broken ribs, but that did not deter her from

attending the event.

Other celebrity trees included designer Michael Costello, Bryan Cranston, Andrew Neiderman, Fred, “The Hammer,” Williamson, Gene Autry, Carol Connors, Jim, “Fitz”, Fitzgerald and many local businesses.

Some trees were sometimes sold for thousands of dollars as buyers knew all the money went the Act for MS charity which provides therapy, mobility devices, financial assistance and emotional support. Other long time supporters Harold Matzner, Jim Houston and Jackie Autry were not able to attend so they came earlier in the week and bought several trees.

Celebrities hosts were Jack Jones and Ruta Lee, who both had trees for sale at the auction.

Auctioneer was Patrick Evans of CBS Local Channel 2 News, and music was provided by Bill Marx.

RANCHO MIRAGE, CA - The 17th Annual Dennis James Gala was held on Sunday, Dec. 2nd at Rancho Las Palmas. The event was a fundraiser for United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) of the Inland Empire.

Television Host and Actor Dennis James started the telethon 47 years ago and his wife, Micki, served as the honorary chair since his death in 1997.

The gala held a cocktail hour and silent auction. The Master of Ceremonies was Jim “Fitz” Fitzgerald with comments made by Brad James and Greg Wetmore. Kris Long was the auctioneer for three very special items. Entertainment

was provided by comedian Josh Blue, a victim of cerebral palsy, and a nationally known comic and the winner of NBC’s Last Comic Standing.

Following the gala, numerous celebrities played in a golf tournament at the Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage on Monday morning.

Actress Ruta Lee, singers Carol Conners and Jack Jones with Gloria Greer

Event co-chairs were Act for MS founder Gloria Greer and Caroline Williams. The presenting sponsor was Wells Fargo and co-sponsor was Travis Kleefeld. For more information go to Actforms.org.

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Brad James, Micki James, comedian Josh Blue and Randy James

December 6, 2012

DesertSTAR

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STARAt the Movies

‘Hope Springs’ and Disney’s ‘The Muppet Christmas Carol’ December has arrived so it’s definitely time to think about holiday treats. Nothing wraps up any easier than a DVD, plus it can provide hours of pleasure for the recipient.

For adult viewing pleasure there is “Hope Springs” from Columbia Pictures, starring Meryl Streep, Tommy Lee Jones and Steve Carell and for the younger crowd “The Muppet Christmas Carol” makes a fun filled stocking stuffer.

“Hope Springs” is a

touching romantic comedy for adults that explores a once loving marriage that has become stagnant. As it opens Kay (Streep) and her hubby of over 30 years have drifted apart emotionally. They now sleep in separate bedrooms, go through the same routine behavior day after day after day and are in a rut that leaves Kay feeling unappreciated and unloved.

She desperately wants to spice up their relationship so when she hears about a

renowned couples therapist (Steve Carell) in the small town of Great Hope Springs she is determined to check him out. The hard part will be convincing her skeptical hubby, Arnold (Tommy Lee Jones) to break out of his routine and come with her.

When he refuses she decides to go on her own even though she has paid for both of them to attend. When he sees how much this means to her he grudgingly comes along.

at times truly sad, since they once cared deeply and now the thrill may be gone. Or is it?

This charming DVD comedy comes with many special features that include a gag reel, an Alternate Takes Gallery, “Inside the Perfect Movie Marriage: Meryl Streep & Tommy Lee Jones Featurette” and commentary with Director David Frankel.

Columbia Pictures, rated PG-13 for mature themes involving adult sensuality.

The Muppet Christmas Carol

For youngsters and the young at heart, check out Disney’s “The Muppet Christmas Carol” which, of course, is rated G for good old family fun. This classic Christmas tale is out for the very first time on Blu-ray and it’s November 6th release marks the movie’s 20th anniversary.

In this Muppet retelling of the Charles Dickens classic Gonzo portrays the literary author Dickens and Scrooge is given voice by Academy Award winner Michael Caine (“The

Silver

Screen

Theda Kleinhans Reichman

Cider House Rules”). Good old Kermit the Frog is Bob Cratchit and Miss Piggy portrays his loving wife, Emily. Gonzo’s Muppet pal, Rizzo the Rat also makes an appearance as Rizzo the Rat ...who else? The film’s songs were composed by Oscar winner Paul Williams.

The DVD version has plenty of bonus features that include Audio Commentary with Brian Henson, a Blooper reel, “Gonzo: A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Weirdo” and Christmas Around the World.

There are even more bonus features on the Blu-ray version.

The 2-disc Combo Pack (Bluray and Digital Copy) is $26.50 and the l-disc DVD is $19.95.

Also in time for Christmas gift giving is the second installment of “Diary of a Wimpy Kid.” Ho! Ho! Ho!

Scene from “Hope Springs”

Anyone in a long term marriage can relate to the perils of allowing a once loving relationship to become boring and routine, and as Kay and Arnold’s therapy begins we see the two of them sitting uncomfortably on opposite ends of the couch in the good therapist’s office. Will they be able to rekindle the spark that once brought them together?

What ensues is genuinely funny as well as touching and

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DesertSTAR

December 6, 2012

Scene from “Muppet Christmas Carol”

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AutomotiveSTAR

2013 Cadillac Ats-

All-New Sedan has Caught Up With the German Brands

Cadillac has introduced the all-new ATS sedan, a formidable competitor to the BMW 3 Series, Audi A4, and MercedesBenz C-Class, with the only challenge being the combined heritage and reputation of the German trio. In this case it’s not about comparing apples to apples, but more so what orchard your apples came from. Cadillac will certainly win over curious buyers, yet will have a challenge with German loyalists, especially those that adore the number “3”! Since this is one of two all-new vehicles launched in three years, Cadillac has to continuously educate the public about their ATS offerings, which include a base model, Luxury, Performance,

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and Premium packages.

The fresh architecture for the four-door, RWD (optional AWD) ATS is oriented towards driving dynamics first. With a choice of three engines and two transmissions, pricing will start from $33,990. The base engine is a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder with 202-horsepower and 191 lb.-ft. of torque and built in RWD form only. It is paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission with manual shift and moves from 0 to 60 mph in 7.5 seconds.

In our experience the mid-level $35,795 2-liter 4-cylinder Turbo was the most exciting of the three choices, especially on the track. It kicks out 272-horsepower and 260 lb.-ft. of torque between 1700-5500 rpm’s and

moves from 0 to 60 mph in 5.7 seconds. Buyers can choose the 6-speed auto with manual shift or a 6-speed manual and either RWD or AWD. The automatic comes with large magnesium butterfly shifters and holds gears until redline when engaged in “Sport” mode.

This combo gives you a very focused drive and quick shifting when necessary such has downshifting into a turn or upshifting on a straightaway. The last engine of choice for the ATS is GM’s bread and butter 3.6-liter V6 ($42,090). In this iteration it puts out a commendable 321-horsepower and 275 lb.-ft. of torque and moves from 0 to 60 mph in 5.4 seconds. The 6-speed automatic is

2013 Cadillac ATS One of the ATS’ top innovations and probably our favorite technology is CUE (Cadillac User Experience) which debuted on the 2013 XTS. The touchscreen multi-media interface incorporates OnStar with automatic crash response, navigation, weather reports, audio, Bluetooth, climate control, and Pandora Internet Radio.

The interior, just like in the XTS, is inviting and finessed with multilayered materials and trim like wood and leather.

There are actually seven interiors to choose from such as the Morello Red with Jet Black accents and carbon fiber trim or Jet Black with Jet Black accents and brushed aluminum trim. Full color head-up display is optional as is the $600 Cold Weather Package that adds heated front seats and a heated steering wheel. The Safety Alert Seat is novel as well. It vibrates during certain acts -- for example -- when the vehicle veers out of its lane. Bose has

incorporated its noise cancellation technology into the ATS for concert style audio. If you’ve experienced their QC15 headphones on a plane then imagine this custom designed 7-speaker audio system on the road. The only drawback with the overall cabin configuration is the lack of space in the back row, especially when larger people are occupying the front seats.

Back on the road, we admired the playful skills of the ATS. An adjustable sport suspension with Magnetic Ride Control allowed the car to adapt instantly to the roadways turns and elevations. It will be interesting to see how the BMW 3 Series face-off goes. I’m always up for a good challenge.

And so is Cadillac! For more information, see your local Cadillac dealer or visit Cadillac.com.

By Vince Bodiford and Kimatni Rawlins TheWeekendDrive.com and AutomotiveRhythms.com

available with either RWD or AWD. Acceleration is good for everyday driving but lacks excitement.

Interior of the 2013 Cadillac ATS

December 6, 2012

DesertSTAR

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STARLocal Events Desert Hot Springs – Family Services of the Desert and Skyborne Community are hosting the 2nd annual 5K Walk/Run to end hunger. Join the community on Dec. 8 at 8 a.m. at Skyborne Clubhouse located at the corner of Pierson and Skyborne.

Desert Hot Springs– Food Now and Family Services of the Desert are hosting a pancake breakfast Saturday, Dec. 8 starting at 7 a.m. at 14080 Palm Dr. Suite E. All proceeds to Food Now go directly to providing food and necessities to those in need of basic human rights.

Desert Hot Springs– Dollar General is coming to Desert Hot Springs. On Monday December 10, 2012 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. there will be a Job Fair open to the public at the Chamber Office at 11-999 Palm Drive. Dollar General is looking for 2 Assistant Store Managers, Front End Manager and Sales Associates. All interested persons MUST apply in advance online at www.dollargeneral. com/careers KEYWORD: 13379.

Desert Hot Springs– The Desert Hot Springs Spa Tour tickets are now on sale. Spa enthusiasts will want to visit Desert Hot Springs for its 4th Annual “Spa Tour” on Thursday, Feb. 7 from 5 - 9 p.m. Visitors will have a chance to view the beautiful “Hidden Boutique”

Spas and Hotels of Desert Hot Springs, enjoy the wonderful views of the valley and “Feel the Power of Nature” which is unique to this city. All tickets can be purchased through the Chamber of Commerce office Monday thru Friday by calling 760-329-6403, or in person at 11-999 Palm Drive, Desert Hot Springs.

Palm Springs – Canada Fest will be held at the Palm Springs Convention Center

Calendar

Events Jennifer Braun

located at 277 N. Avenida Caballeros, Dec. 8-9 from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. With every $10 admission, Fest goers will receive will receive a $10.00 cash play ticket for use at the Spa Resort Casino. Children under 8 are free.

Palm Springs –The Girl Scouts of America is launching a new campaign for Girl Scout Cookies from now until Dec. 17. Any Girl Scouts (660 in the Coachella Valley) can submit a photo with the theme “got

Art Events and Briefs

Compiled by Dave Christensen

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&

DesertSTAR

milk?” The Girl Scouts Photo Contest is an opportunity for three Girl Scouts in California to each receive a $500 U.S. Savings Bond and to be featured together on a billboard in their hometowns. The contest is open to all currently registered Girl Scouts in kindergarten through Grade 12 (except Girl Scout adults) belonging to one of the eight councils in California. Submit photos and information to Elizabeth Adams Assistant Account Executive 11835 West Olympic Blvd., Suite 1155 E Los Angeles, CA 90064 310-473-4422 www. rlpublicrelations.com.

Cathedral Cit y– Cathedral City’s Annual Tree Lighting will be held on Dec. 6 from 6 - 7 p.m. followed by the Cathedral City Boys and Girls Club Wreath Auction. The tree lighting is free and the wreath auction is $15 with all proceeds going to benefit the Cathedral City Boys and Girls Club.

Cathedral Cit y– Simmons Christmas Lights Show, one of the largest residential light displays in the United States, will benefit FIND Food Bank. The Christmas lights show is made up of more than 150,000 eco-friendly LED lights and special effects, with 2,600 computer controlled lighting/animation channels just to start. The show runs nightly through Jan. 6, 2013 and

Palm Springs –The next QUEST, a salon for artists and writers with an outreach to Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley, will meet on Dec. 9 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Quest meets at Images Art Gallery, 2682 Cherokee Way, (in the Backstreet Art District). Presentations and discussions are encouraged. Quest meets on the second Sunday of every month.

Palm Springs - Poetry reading; Valley Voices of the Muse presents Michael Rothenberg II at the Savage Gallery 870 Research Dr. from 6 to 7 p.m. In addition there will be a preview art show of “Modern Splendor”. Rothenberg, II is Director of the Annual Global Poetry Festival of 100Thousand Poets For Change. Poets from China, France, Iran, Greece, Lagos Island, Lithuania and Mexico as well as other places around the globe, join in celebrating this event. For further information please call 760-329-6130 or 760-464-5978.

Indio – The City of Indio is holding a lighting and unveiling dedication ceremony for the Oculus Sol “Eye of the Sun” public art

John Tesh and wife Connie Sellecca were on hand last week at the Food Now event in Desert Hot Springs. Tesh, a widely-recognized voice as a syndicated talk-radio host is also a jack of numerous trades and 10 year run as anchor on television’s “Entertainment Tonight.” is free to the public. Show times are Sunday through Thursday, 5 - 10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday, 5 - 11 p.m. Visitors are asked to make a monetary donation to FIND Food Bank. A donation of even $1 provides seven meals for the hungry people of the Coachella Valley.

Rancho Mirage– Palm Springs Writer’s Guild is hosting their monthly meeting at the Rancho Mirage Library, Saturday, Dec. 8 from 2 - 4 p.m. This month will feature the “Grammar Game,” a fun and exciting way

to develop and improve the most necessary writing tool.

For more information on this event and future events, please refer to the website http:// palmspringswritersguild.org.

Rancho Mirage– CV Repertory Theater is reprising a play dealing with teen bullying and features local students in lead roles. “Thank You For Flushing My Head In The Toilet and Other Rarely Used Expressions,” by Jonathan Dorf, will be offering only two public performances on Sat., Dec. 8 at 2 p.m. and again at 7

project on Dec. 6 at 4:30 p.m. at the corner of Jackson and Highway 111. Indio City Council members will be in attendance as well as artist Buster Simpson.

Palm Desert – “A Tribute to Elvis” featuring Elvis tribute artist Greg Miller at the Indian Wells Theatre Cal State San Bernadino campus on Jan 11 at 7 P.M. Miller’s tribute performance captures the voice, energy, youthful good looks and physique, and the warmth of the “King of Rock ‘n’ Roll” at his peak.

Joshua Tree - Grab your camera and put on your hiking boots for an intensive all-day photo shoot in Joshua Tree National Park. The class will begin with early morning light at the Big Morongo Canyon Preserve followed by a mid-morning instructional program at Black Rock Canyon Visitor Center. Participants are encouraged to bring a tripod with their camera(s). The class meets at the Big Morongo Canyon Preserve, 11055 East Road, Morongo Valley, on Friday, December 8, 7:30 – 5 p.m.

The cost is $50 for JTNPA/PINE members

December 6, 2012

p.m. Tickets are $10 for ages 18 and up, free for under 18.

La Quinta– City of La Quinta Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony will be held Dec. 7 starting at 6 p.m. in Old Towne La Quinta and will feature a visit from Santa, festive music and activities for children.

Desert Hot SpringsDesert Hot Springs Chamber of Commerce Holiday Mixer sponsored

by CPV Sentinel will be sure to bring holiday cheer to all. The mixer will be catered by Dillon Roadhouse and a Hosted Bar by Bar One Complete Beverage Catering.

Admission free with an Unwrapped *Toy(s) *no stuffed animals/toys over $5 without unwrapped toy opportunity drawings, jolly mixing and mingling. The mixer will be held on Dec. 12 from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. at Family Services of the Desert, 14080 Palm Dr., Suite E. Palm Desert– Desert Willow will hold the m o n t h ly Pa l m D e s e r t Chamber of Commerce Business Breakfast on Dec. 11 from 7 - 8:30 a.m.

Desert Willow Golf Resort is located at 38-995 Desert Willow Drive. Admission is $22 at the door and $30 for prospective members.

or $60 for nonmembers. For brochure, information and registration call (760) 3675535 or visit www.joshuatree.org.

Indio – Second Annual Rhythm, Wine and Brews Festival, featuring American blues icon, B.B. King and R&B artists: Paul Thorn, Penny Unniversity and Alex A and the Fermented This year, the selection of wines available to taste has been expanded to include a variety of brands from various regions of California. For a list of participating wineries and breweries please visit the website. The festival will be on Sat., Feb. 23, 2013 at the Empire Polo Grounds. Tickets and additional information are on sale online at www.RWBfest.com.

La Quinta – The City of La Quinta is hosting a free nature adult walk, which is inspired by poetry, Winter Palette and is provided by the Stewards of the Fred Wolff Nature Preserve.

The nature walk begins at the shade shelter on the Bear Creek Nature Trail at the corner of Calle Ensenada and Avenida Montezuma in the La Quinta Cove, Saturday, Dec. 15 at 8 a.m.

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Living LongerSTAR

How to Improve Your Memory

This week I purchased from Amazon Books a $2.99 Kindle Book titled “Memory: Simple, Easy and Fun Ways to Improve Memory.”

Within seconds of clicking the purchase button on my computer screen, Amazon downloaded the book authored by John Parker to my computer and I was able to immediately access it with my free Kindle reader. I really love the Internet. Here I was after midnight in rural Joshua Tree, many miles from any bookstore, and I was able to make an inexpensive purchase using my PayPal account of a specific book that I felt I needed right then and there.

I was particularly interested in the third chapter of this book because five minutes earlier I had read on Amazon’s web site that this chapter contained self-talk affirmations to rapidly improve one’s memory. In recent Living Longer columns I have been advocating that changing one’s self-talk is a rapid and very effective method of getting organized, of developing good habits and benefiting from great life extension. And here was a memory book saying that in order to have success in anything, including supercharging one’s memory, a person must cultivate strong beliefs and self-talk compatible with success. You have to change your beliefs from “I have a poor memory” to “I have an excellent memory,” from “I can’t remember anything,” to “I have the capacity to remember everything.”

To help you get started in improving your memory, author John Parker provides a list of 10 affirmations. These self-talk statements cover various aspects of memory so that a well rounded improvement will result.

1) I have an excellent memory.

2) I can remember anything I choose. 3) Every day, in every

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way, my memory is improving.

4) I remember names, faces, places, facts, dates and events easily and effortlessly. 5) I recall information quickly. 6) My brain holds information that is easy retrieved. 7) My memory provides me with all the information I need.

8) I immediately r e m e m b e r everything that is important to me.

9) Answers come to me when I need them. 10) I have a strong memory of past, present, and future events.

B e f o r e affirming the above statements, it helps to get into a relaxed state where there is no resistance of the mind to the new thoughts. Close your eyes and recall a time when you were relaxed— perhaps stretched out on the beach or relaxing in the mountains. Then take a deep breath, hold it for 10 seconds and exhale slowly while saying to yourself “relax.” Inhale again, hold it for 10 seconds and exhale slowly, again while saying “relax.” Do this three more times.

When relaxed, repeat each of the above statements 10 times. Say them as if they were true right here and right now.

The relaxation helps you get deep into your inner consciousness and change your beliefs at a core level. It helps to do this exercise at least twice a day for 30 days. The best time to do this is once in the morning just as you are getting up and once in the evening before falling asleep.

In the beginning, you may resist doing affirmations. As you self-talk, pessimistic feelings in the background may come up like “This is silly” or “This won’t work.”

Realize that when you have a

long standing, strongly held idea, it is difficult for your mind to accept a new way of thinking. So it will resist thoughts not in line with what it already believes. A relaxed state helps eliminates some of this struggle. After a while, the statements will transform into new and positive beliefs -- beliefs conducive to having a strong and healthy memory.

You may find that there are specific areas of memory where you have more problems than in others. To deal with this, you can focus your affirmations. For example, if you have trouble remembering answers during exams, simply create a group of

December 6, 2012

Desert

STAR

Mr. Life Extension Art Kunkin

8 to 12 positive sentences that focus on your performing well during exams. If you regularly forget where you put things, create statements that help you better recall where you place items. Say to yourself, “I have a good memory. I remember everything I need to recall. The information I need is coming to me.”

Even if you don’t buy into affirmations or understand why self-talk works, still use them daily. Affirmations don’t require your understanding in order for them to work. Simply smile to yourself and self-talk, “Yes, I’ve had problems with memory but things have changed for the better.”

Art Kunkin is the 84-year young journalist who founded, published and edited the Los Angeles Free Press. He later became p re s i d e n t o f t h e Philosophical Research Society of Los Angeles.

A free download of a magazine cover story interview with Art about his research into stopping aging is available at www.alchemyrevealed.com.

Please come to Art’s Thursday “Circle of Friends” gathering from 7 to 9 pm at the Joshua Tree Retreat Center where interesting discussions are held about such important subjects as developing personal power, achieving enlightenment and how to possibly live for hundreds of years. For information about this Circle, please email Art at artkunkin@gmail.com or phone the Retreat Center at 760-3658371. Copyright 2012 by Art Kunkin, all rights reserved.

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17

STARBody, Mind & Spirit

Horoscop e Dec. 6-12, 2012 Sun In Sagittarius Most Affected are Sagittarius and All Fire Signs.

The month will begin in the sign of Sagittarius, for Vedic – Scorpio.

For Sagittarius: All Jupiter themes such as opportunity, expansion, honesty, leadership, higher learning, tremendous vision and elevation will rule supreme this month until December 22. A more heightened awareness of optimism, awareness itself, to see beyond the immediate.

The best side of Sagittarius is seen in their teaching manner done in “their own way”. The key is to not be so benevolent, to know when to let go by leaving justice in the hands of the Universe.

For All Signs: Celebrate this month with respect, action with and towards Fire around you, Fire within you; experience the transformational power of Fire in your 3rd Chakra by practicing Yoga, Solar-Plex, Core techniques.

Best Sacred Geometry: Tetrahedron (Fire).

Best Yantra: The colors Indigo Blue and Violet.

December 10 – Mercury Into Sagittarius Most Affected are Sagittarius, Gemini and Virgo. This transit will continue until Dec. 31.

For Sagittarius: Now with Mercury direct, the planet of communications and electrical impulses continues in your sign, you may feel a surge of energy moving easily, supporting your communications, travel and gadgetry. The sign of

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Gemini or Virgo may figure more prominently. Words are just words without depth or positive intention behind them. Choose your words carefully to help promote your intention with clarity.

For Gemini: The fun returns this week of this transit as your communications expand even further as well as your desire to learn more about the spiritual side of Life. Most challenges are now a thing

Astrological

affects Ren Yogamaya, M.A. E-RYT 500

of the past. You look into unknown territory with the fire to explore.

For Virgo: Your ruling planet takes on a little more fun. Fire expands your ways of thinking; you may choose to view metaphysics with an open mind and learn how to open your heart.

The sign of Sagittarius rules prominently.

For All Signs: We are encouraged to take a new route in exploring spiritual paths. Visit a specialty shop such as your local metaphysics, spiritual store that sell books, art and music.

New experiences may speak to you, your family, loved ones. If you cannot leave your home, visit a website that offers the same, on-line.

On-Going Astrological Affects:

DesertSTAR

Uranus Retrograde

M o st a f fe c te d i s Aquarius. This transit began on July 12 and will continue until Dec. 13.

For Aquarius: Your ruling planet is retrograde; the energies are inward.

Refrain from displaying negative emotions in front of others. Your best answers will come from within, not always from outside.

For All Signs: We need to continue to review some of our ideas, especially if it involves the off-beat, the unusual or the collective group. The revolution continues a little more quietly; rather than hurling it in the faces of others, it turns inward, reaching for inner freedom from psychological limits. Occupy your inner wisdom, your third-eye.

Venus In Scorpio Most Affected are Scorpio, Libra and Taurus.

(This includes Libra and Taurus, as the planet Venus is their ruling sign) This transit began on Nov. 21 and will continue until Dec. 15.

For Scorpio: Great News! The planet of Love and beauty is in your sign; you may now enjoy your new popularity and the good possibility of romantic interests. If you are already involved, this can be a very romantic or creative time for you, one of the best times of the year for your love Life.

However, when Venus is in any sign of the Zodiac, the senses are heightened as well. Exercise and refresh yourself: Take yourself to an art gallery or museum. Walk and enjoy the beauty of the season. The signs of Libra

and Taurus may figure more prominently.

For Libra: You may feel an emotional shift as your planet enters the water sign of Scorpio. Try to go with the flow of the changes that are beneficial in your Life; there is beauty in the mysterious and the unknown.

For Taurus: Your sexuality may get a boost with intensity as an established relationship can go to the next level. If single, you have a choice to delve into the unseen, unexplored or you can channel those energies into meaningful creativity.

For All Signs: In our relationships, the term “A little pain, a little gain” may feel much more intense now.

If you were one to let go and let God, then expect to see justice occur by natural forces. If not, obsessing over a relationship will only bring more suffering and wrinkles.

Be an outstanding example, turn off the dramas, quiet the tweets, texts, the emails and just be. When in doubt, practice silence.

Remember that challenges are a part of the passing phenomenon; don’t take it to heart. When in doubt, choose the optimal, positive choice. Enjoy the Holiday Season!

Ren Yogamaya is a Yoga teacher registered with the Yoga Alliance, a writer, the published author of EAT BY COLOR: Foods, Colors and The Chakras, a syndicated columnist and she is a natural channel for Universal Source. She offers solutions and she teaches at Dancing Shiva Yoga in L.A., Heal and Soul Yoga in Encino, Ca. and can be reached at 760 -567 5850 and on Facebook: Ren Rasa Yogamaya.

December 6, 2012

Winter Solstice Celebrated PALM SPRINGS – A Winter Solstice ceremony with Mari Mendoza will take place on Saturday, Dec. 22 starting at 6:30 p.m. Cost is $20 and includes a Pot Luck that immediately follows the ceremony at Urban Yoga located at 458 S. Palm Canyon Drive. Contact www.urbanyoga.org or call 760-320-7702.

Urban Yoga is offering two new classes midweek for the special promotional offer of $10 on Wednesdays at 6 p.m. with traditional Yoga with Brigitte Brassard. All levels will be taught on Thursdays at 6 p.m. featuring “Satta Shakti Power of Being” with Peter Clements.

Keep yourself in top shape, with a hopeful attitude, good sleep and spiritual connection s by committing to a regular yoga practice. You will be able to glide graciously and beautifully into the New Year.

Mark your calendars for the annual season Opening Party with Girish Sacred Kirtan on Saturday, Jan. 12, 2013, a pre-Bhakti Fest event.

Tickets are $20 in advance, $25 at the door, available online www.urbanyoga.org

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CommunitySTAR HS Soccer DHS vs. San Jacinto

Quinton Egson opens door at Boys & Girls Club

Story and Photos by Jorge Romero III The Desert Hot Springs High School Golden Eagles soccer team played San Jacinto High School in the season home opener on Nov. 26. The Golden Eagles didn’t leave the field with a win but they did leave with hopes for another championship game this season.

Team Captain Jonathan

Boys and Girls Club

OPENS DOORS

DHS High School soccer players warm up Mora, a senior still believes the Golden Eagles have a chance to make it to the championship game again.

“We did well against a team like San Jacinto, they’re a top notch group that has been as long as I can remember,” said Mora.

Although the Golden Eagles lost by a score of 3-0.

“The season is slowly proceeding and we will be

faced with tough challenges but we are determined to make it to the top as the previous years,” Mora said about the team’s performance. The Golden Eagles next game is Thursday, Dec.13 at 5 p.m. where they will face Redlands East Valley High School. Admission is free and there is a snack bar available.

that didn’t disappoint them.

They cheered for their fellow peers and were proud to be

part of the competition. The DHS HS Marching Band will work harder to fulfill their

Desert Hot Springs Golden Eagle Marching Band at State

By Clarissa Ayala

DESERT HOT SPRINGS, CA – Saturday, Nov. 17 marked an exciting day for the Desert Hot Springs High School Marching Band as they arrived in Romoland for the California State Band Championships.

The DHS HS Marching Band made it to the top 10 finalists of their division 3A. “As they turned their instruments upright they took the field and knew it was time for work.You guys really left and gave it your all on that field,” said Band Director Dr. Brian McDaniel speaking to the band after their performance.

The band received a plaque and banner for winning tenth place, but

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dream of winning first place in the California State Band Championships.

Builder Rudy Acosta and Maria Jimenez interact with kids

Desert Hot Springs Marching Band made it to the state championship

December 6, 2012

DesertSTAR

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December 6, 2012

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SeniorsSTAR Senior Center Struggles to Meet Needs of Homebound Seniors PALM SPRINGS, CA: Mizell Senior Center of Palm Springs has announced that the Center’s Holiday Gift Program for homebound seniors who will be alone during the holidays faces major challenges this year. “With our expansion of the Meals On Wheels program Valley-wide, there are even more seniors who are in desperate need of just the basic necessities” said Ginny Foat, executive director.

Gift baskets with household items, personal care items, and other gifts may not be delivered this year to all of those in need.

“The seniors we are serving are the poorest of the poor, forgotten in dilapidated trailer parks or living alone and isolated throughout the Valley”

said Foat. With the Meals On Wheels expansion to serving 350 per day, the need has nearly tripled from last year.

Mizell is receiving requests for basic needs such as toilet paper, stamps, paper towels, and soap as much needed and wanted Holiday Gifts.

Mizell Senior Center also does an annual Giving Tree.

Nearly 75 of the neediest homebound seniors from Palm Springs to North Shore Salton Sea are represented on the Giving Tree, each listing simple gift items they need for their home or personal needs. These seniors need sweaters, soap, blankets, and slippers. Our dedicated drivers will deliver many of these gifts to brighten the holidays for these lonely and forgotten

seniors. In addition, on Christmas morning, volunteers will deliver a Holiday Meal to additional seniors with a gift basket who would otherwise be alone. This year, Emeritus of Palm Springs has generously donated 100 meals that will be delivered to seniors who will be alone on Christmas day.

Mizell Senior Center is expected to provide more than 70,000 meals each year through its Meals On Wheels Program to approximately 350 seniors every day from Palm Springs to North Shore Salton Sea. During the Holidays, Mizell Senior Center puts forth extra effort to provide Holiday Meals, gift baskets, personal necessities and visits to seniors who will be alone.

“It is very difficult for

us to contemplate that these vulnerable and lonely seniors will be forgotten and without gifts during the holidays” said Foat. “This year, we are faced with a real challenge” said Ana Calderon, Mizell Senior Center’s director of nutrition.

“As we see others preparing for the holidays, we are reminded every day that there are frail and lonely seniors who are alone and forgotten during the holiday season” said Calderon.

This year, Mizell Senior Center is asking our community to help. Generous contributions of basic toiletries to those who have nothing as well as gifts to seniors who would otherwise be forgotten are desperately needed. We are reminded of the classic

Mizell Senior Center in Palm Springs childhood Christmas wish: “All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth.” Mizell Senior Center is serving the daily needs of seniors whose only want for Christmas is toilet paper, shampoo, slippers or a blanket to stay warm. “Mizell Senior Center is committed to making sure that seniors are not forgotten this Holiday Season. We will do all we can to brighten their holidays while meeting their basic needs” said Foat.

Mizell Senior Center has been serving Palm Springs and surrounding communities for nearly 40 years, and is the

community focal point on healthy and active aging. This is a place where Active Adults of all ages come together for service and activity which enhances dignity, supports independence and encourages involvement in and with the community. Mizell Senior Center also operates the largest Meals On Wheels Program in the Coachella Valley serving our most frail and at risk seniors. For additional information, call Mizell at 760323-5689, visit our website at www.mizell.org or drop by the center located at 480 S Sunrise Way.

Strategies for Caregivers

By Dwayne J. Clark There are few responsibilities more emotionally and physically taxing than taking care of a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease.

These tasks include bathing and feeding them, keeping them safe, performing household chores, paying bills, and communicating with other family members and the medical community.

However, the daily tasks can be so consuming that they often leave one critical task undone: taking care of the caregivers’ own

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physical and emotional needs.

This oversight puts them at higher risk for developing high-blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome and reduced immune function.

If caregivers hope to provide effective care to a loved one with Alzheimer’s, they must put their own basic needs first. Attend a support group for Alzheimer’s caregivers as soon as possible after diagnosis and then as often as you can. You’ll learn how others deal with problems associated with caregiving; gain a better

understanding of Alzheimer’s and how it progresses and affects those with the disease; obtain information about available health and social services, as well as financial and legal resources; learn how to ask for help and better take care of yourself; and safely share feelings of guilt and frustration. What’s more, you’ll have an expanded network of people who understand and share your experience and are available to you whenever you need advice or someone to listen. With a little research or by asking your loved one’s healthcare provider for a referral, you should have no trouble finding a group that meets your needs.

Some caregivers need at least nine hours of uninterrupted sleep, or need to spend time each day outside or at the gym. Or maybe your emotional vigor is contingent on daily prayer and church each Sunday morning. You might be especially effective at nurturing

your loved one and providing physical care but get stressed out over financial matters or dealing with doctors. Maybe you feel like you’ve got everything under control except when it comes time to shop for groceries.

Enlist help from others to effectively provide care for someone with Alzheimer’s. You must spread out the workload.

Reach out to family, church members, neighbors and friends and ask them to help in areas that you can’t handle. Not everyone is good at-or comfortable withphysically caring for a person with dementia. Ask church members or neighbors to bring nutritious meals, shop for groceries or pick up medications. A friend employed within the healthcare industry can help you fill out necessary paperwork or talk with healthcare professionals.

Ask a neighbor or family member to sit with your loved one for an hour in the morning so you can

December 6, 2012

take a walk or a nap. If your loved one’s wanderings at night make it difficult for you to get adequate sleep, ask a family member to stay over one or two nights each week. And if suitable, talk to your employer about changing your hours or allowing you to participate in telework or flextime.

Take a break. When stress levels get too high or you’re reaching your physical limits, consider professional help. There are a variety of new choices available. For example, there’s respite care, a program that allows your loved one to stay in an assisted living community for a weekend or even a multi-week stay so you can take a break.

Another option is adult day stay, a program available through assisted living communities or non-profit organizations that takes care of seniors during traditional business hours and can be utilized on a full- or part-time basis or just occasionally. Or you can simply

hire someone to come in on a regular basis to provide some extra personal care for your loved one or to simply help with housecleaning and other daily chores.

Choosing to personally care for a loved one with Alzheimer’s can be a noble responsibility to take on, but it is also one that requires a marathoner’s mentality.

If you try to do this at a sprint without the requisite support and personal care you need, you won’t be able to complete the journey-or you’ll end up limping along while suffering both emotional and physical pain. Find ways to take care of yourself along the way.

You and your loved one will both be better off for your efforts.

Dwayne J. Clark is the founder and CEO of Aegis Living, a community of 28 living facilities in Washington, California, and Nevada, and the author of “My Mother, My Son: A true story of love, determination, and memories.lost.”

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STARetc…

Spiritual Giants continued from 1

Sponsored by Dr Raul Ruis, (recently Congressmenelect Ruis), FPA sent six young pre-med students to test for early signs of diabetes and obesity among Food Now clients. The physicians also brought with them onsite testing, information, counseling services concerning prevention and awareness of diabetes and problematic obesity, all paid for by Dr. Ruis himself.

FPA continues to serve the community on a monthly basis as part of services offered by the Food Now assistance program.

Food Now also hosts to its beneficiary’s primary health care through Urban Community Assistance Program, (U-Cap). Through U-Cap, citizens receive primary health care to meet the medical needs of the community. U-Cap staffs one primary care physician and two registered nurses to care for those in medical need.

“Our clients do not have conventional health insurance, nor the means to obtain it,” Johnson added.

“We also have a pharmacy assistance program that saves up to 85 percent of prescription costs, saving those who have regular pharmaceutical needs hundreds of dollars per month.”

How does a food bank

offer such services amongst budget cuts and a lagging economy? According to Dana Johnson, about five years ago Food Now was mostly dependant on government assistance grants. In 2007, when the budget ax went down, the cuts were deep and grants were drastically reduced or cut off altogether.

“That is when we started looking at grants from private community foundations,” Johnson said.

The We i n ga r t Foundation; The Community Foundation; Desert Classic Charities; and Stater Brothers Charitable Foundation; among others. Since then, private donations have increased 50 percent.

“Community donations have contributed to the stability of this organization”. Johnson said.

Food Now operates on an annual budget of approximately $160,000.00 per year, with an estimated one-third coming from foundations and grants, a third from private donations, and a third from fundraisers, events such as golf tournaments, chili cook off, a Christmas Tree farm that offers major discounts for Christmas Trees, and events such as the pancake breakfast and 5K walk at Skybourne half-marathon this Saturday Dec. 8.

Both the twins have said that the devotion of their volunteers makes this

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program work, contributing more than $200,000 in labor costs and administrative services annually.

“Most of our volunteers are regulars, contributing a three day work week every week,” Johnson said. “This is not easy work that they do; besides distributing food, they unload trucks, fill orders, stock shelves, and clean the facility three days a week. It is hard work, and without them this program does not exist.”

For more information

about Food Now go to www. foodnowinc.org. The Desert Star Weekly salutes these two “Jolly Spiritual Giants,” and their selfless volunteers for their contributions to this community.”

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Health Care Resurrected continued from 1

UCR SoM will construct and staff 12 exam rooms with six healthcare providers providing services to approximately 12,000 patients annually. A robust residency training platform will include up to 50 medical school residents rotating annually.

“The WIC program will serve 2,500 individuals each

Desert Hot Springs Health Center month, and provide checks for buying healthy supplemental foods from WIC authorized vendors, nutrition education, breastfeeding support and assistance in finding health care and other community services. Eligible participants will include pregnant women, breastfeeding or new mothers, and infants and children. Participants who complete the initial requirements will be issued WIC checks that can be redeemed at Mother’s Nutritional Center, which is located at most grocery stores or next door to the WIC office.

This facility will be one of 17 WIC sites that serves 80,000 participants each month in Riverside county.

“The Educational Development Agency (EDA) is also proposing they jointly

December 6, 2012

develop with the College of the Desert a 10,000 sq. ft. campus on the 14 acre site occupied by the Family Care Center Building. COD would provide general education classes, allied healthcare education and certification.

The COD building would be built either adjacent to or across from the UCR SoM complex to facilitate collaboration between agencies,” Daniels said.

The total cost to complete the construction

(Photo by Mike Perry) of the UCR SoM space is estimated to be $1.5 million from the Healthcare District. EDA constructed $9.1 million building shell and external improvements estimated at $700,000. If this funding is secured promptly, construction is expected to resume Jan. 1, 2013 with the clinic fully operational by April 2013, he said.

“Of greater concern is that the county has repeatedly declined to pay the city’s Development Impact Fees estimated to be $239,044. Only after withholding an easement did they agree to pay $127,000 to reconstruct and widen Park Lane which was a condition of development by the earlier owner,” Daniels said.

“The new president of COD met with the city

council his first day in office and outlined plans to build a “Learning Center” south of the Community Health and Wellness Center, immediately west of the city hall. Since that time Rudy Acosta and I have been developing plans for a joint project where the city would construct a new library in conjunction with the COD Learning Center.

“For five years the COD has been looking for sites for their center and throughout that time they have insisted on being immediately adjacent to the high school,” he said.

The 14 acre parcel of county land extends south of the existing unoccupied building to Park Lane and east to the Desert Springs Middle School athletic fields.

In 2010/11 the city applied for a state recreation grant with Supervisor Marion Ashley’s permission to expand the Mission Springs Soccer Park across Park Lane to occupy a large part of the unused portion of the parcel.

“One of the areas that EDA is proposing to construct the COD facility is on the corner of Park Land and Palm.

That is a prime commercial site and placing a COD facility there is underutilizing its revenue potential for the city,” Daniels said.

“I am meeting with EDA and will raise these issues with them. I am asking the City Attorney to renew our demand for DIF’s.

Alternatively, I will also seek the non-cash equivalent such as the Park Lane signalization or the back portion of this land for the soccer park expansion. I will also seek landscaping upgrade.

“By this time next year the city should have gone from a city with only two to three doctors to over a dozen at these three facilities. That takes the city out of the ‘medically underserved’ category. We are on our way to truly being a Health and Wellness Community.

Additionally, there are at least two other proposals for private practices that have been proposed.

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Gardening GuruSTAR Euphorbias–

Firesticks to

Poinsettias Euphorbia pulcherrima

By Chris Hermann, ASLA, CLARB Certified Landscape Architect Euphorbia is a large genus of about 2,000 species – amazingly enough, that sticks of fire (euphorbia tirucalli) you’ve got in your front yard or have been admiring in your neighbors’ is related to the poinsettia plants (euphorbia pulcherrima) so prevalent in holiday decorating this time of year.

What you see as a “flower” on the euphorbia plant is technically called a cyanthium, which is composed a cuplike, gland bearing covering that has a solitary female flower in the middle surround by clusters of male flowers (though sometimes the flowers will appear singly rather than in clusters). In the case of poinsettias, the additional bracts below the cyanthium provide

most of the color. The fruit of a euphorbia is usually a dry capsule, and when it releases seeds, it does so explosively – scattering seeds several feet.

A lot of euphorbias mimic cacti in appearance and are very diverse, but this is only mimicry – those that look like cacti are actually succulents.

Within the euphorbia family, you will find annual, biennials, perennials, succulents, as well as evergreen and deciduous shrubs or trees. All euphorbias have a common characteristic: they have a milky white sap that is irritating on contact and can be toxic if ingested (the severity of the irritation and/or toxicity depends on the species). Take care when handling euphorbias of all types, particularly the popular euphorbia tirucalli (pencil tree or sticks of fire).

When cutting back, be sure to keep the sap away from eyes, as it can cause severe damage.

If you are using cut euphorbia flowers in an arrangement, either dip the stems in boiling water or hold in a flame for a few seconds to prevent the sap from bleeding.

Contrary to popular belief, the milky sap of the euphorbia pulcherrima (poinsettia) is not poisonous. While I certainly would not recommend purposely ingesting it, most people/animals find it either completely harmless or at most, mildly irritation to skin or stomach.

All euphorbias should be planted in well-draining soil. A good cactus mix is suggested for potted plants, or if you live in an area that has clay in the soil.

Some suggestions for euphorbias here in the desert (in addition to euphorbia tirucalli) are: Euphorbia antisyphilitica (Candelilla) – this succulent shrub is native to the southwestern US and Mexico and is an erect plant to three feet high. It spreads by underground stems and these cylindrical pale green stems are covered with wax that is used for making candles. Because of its spreading habit, it is good

for rock gardens and containers.

Euphorbia ‘Diamond Frost’ – a perennial in our zone, it is delicate and airy – mounding to 12 – 18 inches high and approximately two feet wide.

It resembles baby’s breath in some respects with small white flowers that look like snowflakes. It will bloom year round if our winter is mild, and is excellent in hanging baskets or pots. Euphorbia milii (Crown of Thorns) – This woody shrub is evergreen but at times can be rather sparse in its foliage. In our area, it should be protected from wind and should be given afternoon shade. It will grow up to four feet high and

approximately 18 inches wide.

The stems have long, sharp thorns with roundish light green leaves. Blooming nearly all year, there are varieties that have red, yellow, orange or pink bracts.

There are many more euphorbias that will do well here – a local, independent garden center – like Aunt Effie’s Gardens in Palm Springs - will usually carry quite a few varieties for your consideration.

Chris Hermann is part owner of Aunt Effie’s Gardens in Palm Springs which is located at 2393 N. Palm Canyon Drive. He has been a landscape architect

Euphorbia tirucalli

for 30 years and is also a CLARB certified landscape architect.

Additionally, Chris heads up Hermann Design Group in La Quinta. Chris can be reached at chris@aunteffiesgardens. com oat 760-777-9131 (HDG) or 760-778-6030 (Aunt Effie’s).

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