Pulse Publications #25 - March 2024

Dr. Akarakian specializes in treatment of all joints and body parts including shoulder, hip, knee, elbow, foot, ankle, back, sciatica, carpal tunnel, concussions, fractures, and sacroiliac (SI) joint injuries.

He is also one of few doctors specializing in industry leading Diagnostic Ultrasound evaluations, saving patients considerable time and money compared to a MRI, as well as one of the few experts using cutting edge Ultrasoundguided injections, nerve hydrodissections, needle tenotomy and regenerative platelet rich plasma injections (PRP).

Dr Akarakian has lectured and taught workshops internationally, such as the 2022 Musculoskeletal Ultrasound Society Conference in Toledo, Spain

Roy

WE REACH A MILESTONE WITH THIS ISSUE, starting our 3rd year. And as the old advertising saying goes “WE HAVE COME A LONG WAY”. With the support of our GREAT advertisers, subscribers, and content contributors (writers) we have bucked the trend of newspapers shutting down. We have found a NICHE and are providing what our readers want to find in their local newspaper.

Also, with this issue we have changed our layout. This change is an improvement over the old one and allows us to display the PULSE in countertop displays for better public views. Our friend, Don Fish, Jr, who publishes the Tri-Community NewsPlus newspaper has been using this style layout for many years. Being we have been readers of his publication for many years it finally hit us to copy his layout format.

We have also added a new member to our TEAM. Debbie Walker joins us as an Advertising Sales Rep and community activists. She joins Tiffanie, who many of you already know, giving our clients access to the BEST sales TEAM in Southern California. They will be sharing with you the current PULSE and the new Pieces&Bits publication as resources for your advertising needs. Let them design a marketing plan that fits your business objectives.

We will be partnering up with the High Desert Home Show and San Bernardino County Fair to promote their events. And yes, that means we will be a vendor at these events. Stop by our booths and say hello. If you have an event and would like to partner up with us, let us know. Only takes a phone call or e-mail to get our attention.

I can never say this enough, PLEASE SUPPORT OUR ADVERTISERS. Or let them know you appreciate what they do for our communities.

Recognizing the Most Influential Female Psychologists

by Dr. Melissa Mischka, PsyD

MARCH IS WOMEN’S HISTORY

MONTH, and I brainstormed the best topic to write about and became very exited when this topic was suggested. As a female psychologist myself, I still experience gender discrimination in the field but have not ever experienced what our pioneer psychologists felt in a time when the field was dominated by males. Among these pioneers are several key women who have played pivotal roles in advancing our understanding of the human mind and behavior. Their groundbreaking research, innovative theories, and dedication to the field have left an indelible mark on psychology.

Mary Ainsworth (1913-1999):

Mary Ainsworth was a Canadian developmental psychologist renowned for her work in attachment theory. Her groundbreaking “Strange Situation” procedure revolutionized the study of infant-parent relationships. Dr. Ainsworth’s research laid the foundation for our understanding of how early relationships impact later emotional and social development. She highlighted the well-known “Nature vs. Nurture” in her groundbreaking study and her research pointed to the credence that nurture had a larger impact on how children and parent relationships are formed.

Karen Horney (1885-1952):

Karen Horney, a German psychoanalyst, challenged and expanded upon Freudian

theories, particularly regarding female psychology. She introduced the concept of “womb envy” as a counterpoint to Freud’s “penis envy” and emphasized the importance of cultural and social factors in shaping personality. Dr. Horney’s work paved the way for a more nuanced understanding of psychoanalysis.

Elizabeth Loftus (b. 1944):

Cognitive psychologist Elizabeth Loftus has been a trailblazer in the study of human memory. Her research on the malleability of memory has had profound implications in legal settings, challenging the reliability of eyewitness testimony. Dr. Loftus has been instrumental in shaping our understanding of the fallibility and reconstructive nature of memory.

Anna Freud (1895-1982):

The daughter of Sigmund Freud, Anna Freud made significant contributions to the field of psychoanalysis, particularly in the area of child psychology. She founded the Hampstead Child Therapy Course and Clinic in London, where she applied psychoanalytic principles to the treatment of children. Dr. Freud’s work has had a lasting impact on the understanding and treatment of childhood mental disorders.

B.F. Skinner’s wife: Yvonne Blue Skinner (1934-1997):

Yvonne Blue Skinner, the wife of renowned behaviorist B.F. Skinner, made substantial contributions to the field of behavioral psychology. Her work focused

on the application of behavioral analysis to education and language development. Yvonne Skinner’s efforts contributed to the development of behavior modification techniques, influencing both educational practices and therapeutic interventions.

Mary Whiton Calkins (1863-1930):

Mary Whiton Calkins was a pioneering figure in early psychology, known for her work in memory research and selfpsychology. Despite facing gender discrimination, she became the first woman to establish a psychology laboratory and serve as the president of the American Psychological Association (APA). Dr. Calkins’ legacy extends beyond her individual achievements, as she paved the way for future generations of women in psychology.

The contributions of these influential female psychologists have not only advanced the field but have also challenged societal norms and expectations. These women overcame barriers to make enduring contributions to our understanding of the human mind and behavior. As we celebrate their legacies, it is essential to recognize and appreciate the ongoing efforts to foster diversity and inclusivity within the field of psychology. The influence of these trailblazing women continues to resonate, inspiring new generations of psychologists, like myself, to push the boundaries of knowledge and understanding.

Slice ofLifeThe Window Washer

IHAD GONE TO CORKY’S ON MONDAY to interview its General Manager for an article. It’s National Women’s Month in March. The interview was scheduled for 6:30 a.m., when the restaurant opens but I arrived at 6:00 a.m. I purchased a large McCafe from the McDonald’s next door and parked in the semi-dark parking lot of the restaurant. I settled in the driver’s seat, turned on my Bluetooth, and tuned it to my selection of Andrea Bocelli songs. Not too loud, just at a soothing level. For some reason, opera made more sense than a dose of Alice in Chains.

As I sat there a man showed up carrying a large bucket and some strange tools whose function I didn’t immediately recognize until he approached the window at the far end of the building. The purpose of the tools quickly became apparent. He was a window washer. By the time he cleaned the second window, I saw he had a routine.

He’d apply cleanser to the window in two vertical strokes of an applicator then he used the same number of strokes to squeegee it off. The applicator and squeegee fit the window perfectly. He then wiped the excess liquid from the

By J.P.Garner

window’s frame with four quick strokes of a clean rag and, afterward, removed any streaks from the glass.

Based on the speed with which he performed this routine, it was clear he was no rookie. He had done this many times before and had perfected the process. As I watched him, his movements seemed to be in rhythm with the music as if he were the central figure in some kind of odd ballet.

I thought about what my Dad said that we become what we do. The window washer was definitely what he did. He was casual and proficient, and I envied him that he could come to work dressed as he might for an early morning run at the beach: in shorts and a hooded sweatshirt. He appeared to have no care in the world as he went about his work. The aspiring writer in me wondered what stories the window washer sees beyond the glass. Does he ever see any stories there to be told?

Or does he even care? Maybe not. Just get it done and be gone.

Roll with the PUNCHES

By J.P.Garner

HER FATHER WAS OLD SCHOOL. Family always came first for Mark Sundstrom. So, for the twenty-plus years that he gutted it out as a line cook at the Chino prison, he hated it, but he never complained. At home, around her and her five brothers and sisters, he was, according to Abigail Williams, “a big ol’ goof” who cooked breakfast every Saturday morning. Chorizo and eggs. Good stuff.

But he was a church-going goof. Four days a week he’d go to church. He missed Super Bowls because he was at church. He was hardcore Pentecostal. Even named his kids after Bible characters except for Kirk, the eldest son who, because of Mark’s love for the Dodgers, was named after Kirk Gibson who hit the home run that won the 1984 World Series.

Yeah, he was tough.

His toughness rubbed off on “Abby” and so did growing up on the poor side of San Bernardino. Now that she’s the General Manager of the Corky’s Restaurant in Apple Valley, she can look back at that time and see where being poor made her tough but also aware of others. She’s so tough that when COVID hit and she had to lay off people, she cried. It was, she said, “the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do.”

Donna Sundstrom was tough too.

Raising six kids ain’t for sissies. But she had a stroke here recently and lost her hearing. Because she can’t hear, she couldn’t learn sign language. So, when they’re together, Abby texts her and her mother replies. “I’d call her for everything,” Abby explained. “She was my Google.”

When she said that, she looked away as if remembering something. A tear formed in her eye because, you know, she’s tough.

A graduate of Cajon High School where she was, as she recalls, “just the girl who knew everyone.” She explained that was because “When you grow up poor, you learn to get along with everyone.” She loved every minute of high school where she ran track and cross country and met her husband. They married and he went into the Army who sent them to Fort Bliss, Texas. Later, he was shipped off to Iraq where he survived a year in combat. But war changes people and he was changed. He’s better now but they’re divorced.

Being the mother of two teenagers and single has had its challenges. Housing is, as we all know, expensive. Medical insurance costs her seven hundred dollars a month. And there’s the sports her kids play. Kallie, her youngest, who’s quite an athlete, dreams of playing volleyball for UCLA. While Bryant is “kind and loving.” Abby is with them as her father was with her.

But becoming the General Manager at Corky’s had its challenges as well. She started work as a waitress at Farmer Boy’s. One Sunday, while working out front, a woman customer told her, “You’re way too nice to work here. You should apply for a job at the Corky’s up the street.” So, Abby did and she was hired. Like her father, she gutted it out in the Rialto facility for six years and, in that time, was promoted to Assistant Manager.

But she set a goal for herself to become a General Manager in two years. She was later transferred to Pomona—a long commute—and then to Yucaipa which was closer to her home in Highland. While there, she and a male employee competed for the GM position in Apple Valley. Her supervisor told her, “It’s not set in stone, but if you’re better than him, you’ll get the position.” She got the “position” and was transferred to the new and remodeled facility that formerly had been Johnny D’s.

Now at the top, or close to it, she leaves for work in Apple Valley at 4:45 am. Zero dark thirty. The commute is long but there’s time to think and she often recalls the time it took for her to achieve her goal. She’s grateful. Though she’s not as hardcore as her father was, she prays every day. “Even though it’s so weird, this

relationship I have with God, I still pray all the time,” she explains. “Every time I drive by the homeless, I pray, ‘God please let their day get better.’”

“My daughter asked me how to pray and I said just talk. And Kallie said, ‘Hello Jesus. It’s me, Kallie.’ So, now we just say, ‘Hello, Jesus.’” It is with that approach in mind that she interacts with customers and her employees. She smiles when she describes her management style, “I’m kind of hard, but I’m not as hard as I come off sometimes. I just like people, all people. Everybody is going through something. hat’s what I tell the girls. Sometimes people can be so mean. [And I remind them] that’s just an opportunity [for us] to be nice to them.”

Be nice. What a concept.

After the interview, I joked with one waitress about her “mean boss.’ The waitress laughed. “Abby mean? No way.” I laughed too when she said that. I thought about Abby’s reply when I asked her if she had found joy. She looked off for a second or two, collecting her thoughts, and then she said, “I think so. In life in general. Everything I’ve gone up against, I’ve survived. So, I’m batting a thousand. It always works out.” It always works out.

Her happiest moment she said was of snow. As a child, she heard about snow. Seen it on TV but never felt its chill on her fingers, or tasted it, or even made a snowball until the age of five when her parents took the family to the mountains. She wore socks on her hands because they couldn’t afford to buy gloves. She didn’t complain. Thirty-one years later, she still doesn’t complain. She rolls with the punches.

We’re proud to offer “Student Stringers” articles from our Lucerne Valley Middle/High School students who are earning community points in their Helping Hands graduation program. These students are mentored by staff teacher David Prouty, who has an English/Journalism background. Each story is vetted and then passed along for publication within the Lucerne Valley section of PULSE PUBLICATIONS, publisher James Conkle.

This partnership is approved by LVUSD, Andrea Moretz Office Manager Helping Hands program, Rusty LaGrange, founder of the project, and owner/publisher of The PULSE PUBLICATIONS, James Conkle. For further Information on this project or for similar ones call 760-617-3991 or email sales@pulseofthehighdesert.info

Lucerne Valley High School Gets Ready for the Winter Formal

By Gavan Strauss

AT LUCERNE VALLEY MIDDLE/ HIGH SCHOOL , the class of 2026 has been busy planning the winter formal dance, which is scheduled to take place on February 24, 2024 from 6-9 p.m. The cost of the dance is thirty dollars. Although tickets may be purchased at the door on the night of the event, a dinner will be included in the ticket price if they are purchased in advance. The theme of the dance will be “under the sea” and there will be a DJ playing music for attendees to dance to at the event.

When asked how the planning of the dance has been going, Lucerne Valley Middle/High School teacher and class of 2026 adviser Mrs. Ortiz said, “So far it’s fantastic. We’ve been working really hard and we’re excited about turning our plans into reality.” Class officer Estephani Cazales added, “Although planning a dance is a lot of work, I am very happy to be a part of it.” This will be the first high school dance since the homecoming dance that took place earlier in the school year, and everybody is excited about it.

By John Wease

California days at CALICO GHOST TOWN

THE

SECOND ANNUAL CALIFORNIA DAYS event was held at the Calico Ghost Town Regional Park on February 17 and 18, 2024. Celebrating California’s colorful mining history, there were many mining and historic demonstrations and activities. The event was sponsored by the Apollo Silver Corporation, Equinox Gold Castle Mountain Mine, and Mitsubishi and Portland Cement companies. These mining companies had information tables set up in a large tent pavilion to answer questions, explain their operations, and hand out swag.

Live music by a number of talented groups played throughout the day. There were pony rides, storytelling, face painting, and games for the younger visitors. Gold panning and butter churning demonstrations as well. For the older

“kids” there were beard and mustache contests, horseshoe games, and egg toss competitions. Fast draw demonstrations took those visitors of an age that grew up watching television westerns back to the era of the fast draw gunfighter.

In the Calico Schoolhouse, the periodcorrectly dressed school teacher gave us an accurate view of what a day at school was like for the children of the 1880s Calico miners. And, to keep things from getting too quiet, The Calico Mountain Volunteers were on hand several times a day to entertain us with their version of a Wild West shootout. Their shootouts are served with a large side order of humor.

Of course, all of the shops were open for business. At Calico, shops include Calico Woodworks, Lane’s General Store, Calico Photo Shop, Calico Print Shop, Calico R&D Fossils and Minerals, Calico Bath and Candle Shop, Pottery Shop, Leather Works and Indian Trading Post, and Dorsey’s Gourmet Dog House. The shops at Calico carry unique items and are great for gifts. Keep them in mind when trying to find a gift for someone special.

And, speaking of Dorsey, a game this year was called Dorsey’s Dog Delivery Scavenger Hunt. Visitors and their canine partners competed. Calico Dorsey was a border collie owned by the owner of a store in East Calico. Dorsey’s owner’s brother was the co-owner of the Pioneer Market in Calico. The Pioneer Market also served as the Calico Post Office and Stage Coach stop. Between 1883 and 1886, Dorsey carried the mail in backpacks, three times each week, back and forth between Calco

and East Calico. He made the three-mile, round trip journey over a steep, rocky trail alone. Retired in 1886, he was given to the owner of the Bismark Mine in East Calico and he moved with him to San Francisco.

The Calico attractions were all open. The Maggie Mine Tour, Mystery Shack, and Calico-Odessa Railroad are optional, and you must buy tickets. The town is full of historical displays that can be enjoyed for free, and the buildings that are not original, were all recreated with care when Walter Knott bought and restored Calico, using old photos. There were snack food vendors set up or, for a meal, the Calico House Restaurant or Lil’s Saloon were open. Either one leaves you feeling like you have stepped back in time to the boom days of Calico.

My favorite free attraction is the Lucy Lane Museum, located in what was the Lane’s Store. Lucy Bell King moved as a young girl to Calico with her family in 1885. She lived there off and on her whole life. She married John Lane and they lived in Calico’s later years in the Lane Store building. She acted as the unofficial welcoming committee to any that arrived to see Calico. They owned and either operated, or leased out, many of the old Calico District mines to the latter-day mining companies that continued mining the old deposits long after the district’s boom days.

There is a lot to see whenever you visit Calico. There are special events scheduled throughout the year that include additional activities to add to the fun. A schedule of these events can be found on the Calico Ghost Town website. Calico has a campground, and offers offroad trails and hiking. It is a very important part of our local history. Fortunately, it is a part of our history that has been well preserved and it is conveniently close.

A Chat About Parkinson’s

MY PRECIOUS HUSBAND was a college president for 16 years. He implemented many programs, negotiated with large entities to benefit the school, and was a professional businessman and educator. Years later, as Parkinson’s progressed, you may not have recognized him. He sat in his wheelchair and was nonconversant with strangers. What happened?

It is common for people with PD to stop socializing as much as they used to. Sometimes the person with Parkinson’s and the primary care partner isolate

themselves, withdrawing gradually from participation in the community and prior social life. This can happen for a variety of reasons including fear of stigma or a lack of confidence to interact with others or perform in social situations. It is normal to feel that way, but if you talk about your PD, you’ll find out you are not alone. Talk about it!! It really benefits the patient. What’s more, the care partner begins to understand what’s taking place in your mind.

This mood alteration can be remedied with more socialization. More opportunity to interact with others and be stimulated

City of La Quinta’s next Neighborhood Watch Meeting

Date: 28 March 2024

Time: 10~11a

Where: La Quinta City Hall Study

Sessions Room South Parking Lot off of La Fonda & Washington Refreshments will be served

Presentation:

by Ann Miner

is important. Sometimes, because PD patients’ voices may eventually become softer and more difficult to hear, the patient will just not bother to talk. The effort doesn’t seem worth it.

One more very important aspect of this, I think, is that the care partner takes over too much. While it takes longer to get dressed, let the patient do it for himself/ herself if possible. Also, when my husband was in a wheelchair in public, even at the doctor’s office, the questions were often addressed to me. For example, “How is he doing?” “Is he feeling any pain?” Do you answer for your patient? Don’t DO it. I always said, “He can talk, ask him.” If you don’t allow the patient to continue to be a viable human being, the decline in cognition and socialization can be dramatic. Hang on to this precious human being as long as possible, for your sake and theirs.

Everyone is welcome at the monthly Parkinson’s Support Group meetings on the first Monday of every month, 1:00 pm. Choice Medical Center, 19111 Town Center Drive, Apple Valley ( in front of Jess Ranch). For information or to just chat about Parkinson’s, call Ann at 760954-2859.

Take big steps and keep looking up.

”AVOID BECOMING A VICTIM OF PHONE AND ONLINE SCAMS”

Riverside County Sheriff’s will be sharing information on these scams. Be aware this telephone number posing as the Sheriff’s Department, this telephone number 951.373.6742 is NOT associated with the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office.

For more information about Neighborhood Watch, contact Sally Shelton at sally_shelton@aol.com

Vikings in Dublin

SINCE IT THE MONTH OF MARCH – what better way than to write about something Irish for St. Patrick’s Day. Now, add to that the Vikings in the city of Dublin, and now you have a great story.

So, we go.

There’s an Irish joke: An Irishman walked out of a bar. Really. It could happen. I always found it funny. Silly, but funny.

Of course, growing up in an Irish household, the joke was repeated often by my grandmother, my mother, and now, I guess by me.

Beyer? That’s not an Irish name. It’s Bavarian. It actually means: the Bavarian people. So Irish is this Beyer?

Turns out, many people use all sorts of

sites to test their DNA. There’s Ancestry. com, Familysearch.org, 23andMe, and my favorite – Who the heck made me.hmmm.

To settle on how much Irish I am, Laureen suggested the National Geographic Geno 2.0 test. It is supposed to be one of the most reliable tests and can even tell how much Neanderthal a person has.

I was hoping for at least twenty percent – that way, no matter what mistake or commotion I caused in the future, I could actually blame my DNA.

“I’m a Neanderthal,” I could argue. And the judge would look at the jury and just shrug. “Case dismissed.”

Turns out I am 63% Irish and only 2% Neanderthal. That’s just the roll of the DNA dice.

“Now, I bet you want to fly off to Ireland?” Laureen asked, after we read the results from the testing.

“Why, yes, me lassie,” as I nodded enthusiastically in response. “It would be wonderful to see the old country for a wee bit, doncha tink?”

Leaving the tarmac in Los Angeles, we found ourselves winging off to the Emerald Isle – my homeland.

The land of forty shades of green, not to be mistaken as fifty shades of grey, is so green that a person can simply roll around all day on grass. Well, perhaps not, but it is green due to the great deal of rain this island country receives on a yearly basis – thirty inches of rain per year on average. That’s a lot of rain, especially for those of us from Southern California. No wonder the country is so green.

We touched down at the Dublin International Airport on a sunny, strike that, rainy, afternoon.

“I feel as though I am back in my ancestral home,” I mused.

“At home, we don’t have to rent a car,” Laureen quipped.

The rental was an Opel Corsa, a small manual shift vehicle. I’ve driven manuals most of my life, so I thought this wouldn’t be much of an issue, until I realized that sitting behind the wheel on the right side of the car and shifting with my left hand could be. The Irish drive on the wrong side of the road. Well, not for the Irish but

B y John R Beyer

Outlines of the ancient Viking community in downtown modern Dublin, Ireland

Laureen relaxing in an Irish glen after trooping through ancient Viking sites, outside of Dublin, Ireland

for Americans visiting, it’s the wrong side of the car. And wouldn’t you know, they drive on the wrong side of the street? So much for home.

“I’ll drive about the airport parking a bit to get the hang of it,” I told Laureen.

Unbeknownst to me, the Dublin International Airport rental car office didn’t have a parking lot to drive around for a bit to practice shifting with the left hand. No, the exit was actually the onramp for the M1 roadway – that’s freeway, in standard American English.

I ground about three pounds of transmission metal as I raced onto the roadway. “All hands on deck,” I shouted to my crew of one.

Laureen shook her head, but kept her eyes peeled for any traffic mishaps I may cause while careening down the roadway.

Fortunately for the Irish and for the readers of this tale, we all lived to tell the story. No Irish were injured as I honed my skill, but the rental car might have a mysterious scrape or two.

Nevertheless, we managed our way to Dublin.

Dublin is a huge and exciting capital city. Nearly two million people reside in Dublin proper, out of a country just shy of seven million citizens. It offers anything a tourist or a local would want in the area of history, entertainment, restaurants, bars, or just enjoying a walk about the city along the River Liffey.

The history of Ireland is complex – typical Irish. The Egyptian-Greek astronomer and cartographer, Ptolemy, mentioned a settlement called Eblana, where Dublin sits today. This would imply that the city is over two thousand years old. That conflicts with what most historians believe now, that is Dublin may have been founded by the Viking’s around 841 A.D., or even perhaps the location of a Christian settlement prior to the arrival of those marauding Vikings.

That is complex.

In fact, a visitor can trace the footsteps of the Vikings at Dublina, the ancient Viking settlement right next to the Christ Church Cathedral in Dublin. There are re-enactors walking about dressed as Vikings, museums to tour, kiosks to look at, and places to take great photographs.

The locals are friendly and willing to talk with any tourists visiting. One of the greatest places to get the feel of Dublin, Ireland is in a pub. Now, pubs are not merely where people congregate to drink but they meet there daily to discuss the happenings of the day and enjoy good food as well as a pint.

Places like, the Brazen Head, established in 1198, the Temple Bar, which opened

Chayce Beckham

CHAYCE BECKHAM is one of the most buzzed about newcomers in country music today, having won over millions of hearts while competing on Season 19 of American Idol. From the first audition, superstar Katy Perry highlighted how Chayce’s gravely vocals sound like “the heart of America.” Armed with a determination to make something of himself and the unwavering support of his family, Chayce auditioned for the competition show after undergoing a particularly difficult year to ultimately become the first-ever show winner to claim the title with an original song—kickstarting his journey to fulfilling his lifelong dream of becoming a singer,

songwriter and entertainer.

Following his first time onstage after performing in his fifth-grade talent show, the southern Californian began teaching himself guitar—eventually finding his way into a Reggae band (while earning his wages at a construction equipment rental company). Influenced by artists such as Chris Stapleton, Tyler Childers, and Kolton Moore & The Clever Few, and knowing that country music was where his heart called home, Chayce turned to Instagram as a creative outlet for his more intimate songs, sharing his original material.

With his family, his hometown of Apple Valley and now America behind him, the mellow 24-year-old with the alluring rasp

in the early 1300’s or for something a bit newer, the Johnnie Fox’s Pub, which began operation in 1798. There are one thousand pubs in Dublin alone – that’s a lot of establishments to sit and talk with locals and visitors alike. Dubliners like their pubs. They’ve many pints to enjoy and many stories to tell.

No, we didn’t visit every one of them. Time ran out, and we missed twenty-six.

If sitting in a pub, quaffing a Guinness doesn’t sound like fun – perhaps you should stay home. Just some Irish humor there – but there are so many other things to enjoy in Dublin as well. A trip to St. Patrick’s Cathedral, a tour through Dublin Castle, a peddle around Phoenix Park, a walk across the famous Ha’penny Bridge, or a gander at the long room located at Trinity College Library- looks a lot like the Hogwarts’s Library in the Harry Potter film series. Sorry, it’s not – that was filmed in the Duke Humphrey’s Library at Oxford University, in cheery old England.

A must is to try many of the famous Irish delicacies at the local restaurants. Irish stew, meat and potato based stew, Boxty, a potato based favorite, and Colcannon and champ, another potato based specialty. A key ingredient is, you guessed it, potatoes.

The Irish are well known for their love of potatoes. Potatoes are so common, they come with pretty much every meal, no matter the time of day.

We had one lunch that came with a bit of beef, mashed potatoes, French fried potatoes, and boiled red potatoes on the side. You can eat so much starch at one sitting, that your skin will never wrinkle.

So, take an adventure to Dublin and enjoy a touch of Ireland.

John can be contacted at beyersbyways@gmail.com

recently released his debut song, “23.” The song is a semiautobiographical account of his struggles with alcohol and of the lows it can take a person. After its May release, the song quickly earned the top spot on both the iTunes Country and all genre charts. Now signed to 19 Recordings in partnership with BBR Music Group/Wheelhouse Records and finding his home in Nashville, Chayce is ready to dig into new music and share his signature sound with his legions of fans.

John standing next to a Viking warrior in the ancient establishment of Dublina, in Dublin, Ireland.

Too Stubborn to Quit

By J.P.Garner

TWO ABUSIVE HUSBANDS , a Renaissance man, and polio made her what she is today.

Early on, she was taught to read before the age of three by her nurse at the Industrial Home for Crippled Children in Pittsburgh, where she spent 25 months. By the time Jenny Margotta reached the age of six, she was reading at a college level.

Her left side, back and lungs were impacted by the polio she contracted at 13 months, almost eight months before the Salk vaccine was introduced commercially. So she couldn’t do sports as a teenager, even though she finally set aside her leg brace when she was a junior in high school. Not one to give up, she

became a star student. “I competed with everyone academically,” she bragged with a grin. She got perfect scores on her English SATs.

But, despite her disability, she could swim “like a fish,” and water ski on one ski . . . and she could sing. She sang in choirs and choral groups and, while in college earning a BA in English, she sang at bars and clubs with a guy who plucked a 12-string guitar. It was during a six-week tour of Europe with her college choir, however, that she had her most memorable performance. “I sang ‘O Holy Night’ at the Tchaikovsky Music Conservatory in Moscow. A capella.”

When she finished, the 14,000 people in the plush and opulent theater gave her a standing ovation. “I couldn’t see anyone because of the bright lights,” she said, but she heard them and still does to this day. She wanted more than anything to sing professionally, but the polio had weakened her lungs and she hadn’t the stamina to endure the grind of that lifestyle. “It was the only time my mother discouraged me from doing something.”

After living in different places like West Virginia, Colorado, and Washington State, and working in different careers, she found

herself in the High Desert with the love of her life. They met through an online dating site. She laughs as she remembers the event that brought them together. “When he wrote to me the first time, he thought he was writing to someone else.”

The accidental meeting turned into the best relationship she has ever had with a man. Her father treated her with derision, and her first two husbands were abusive, but John Michael Margotta was a Renaissance man. An artist, a photographer, a writer, an amazing cook, and he also washed windows for 25 years. “He rebuilt me,” she remarked with some pride. “He was my best friend, my teacher, and my mentor. It was he who suggested I become an editor.”

He passed away 12 years ago but not before he helped Jenny establish herself as an exceptional editor of books and any form of writing. When she joined the High Desert Branch of the California Writers Club, she did so not only as a writer but as an editor—a skill she had perfected as a passionate reader and soulful writer of fantasies and memoirs. Over time, her work has been so applauded that she now edits books from all over the country and, chiefly, from the numerous writers in the club. Since becoming an editor, she has, she says, “. . . edited 197 books, and

that’s not counting short stories, articles, and various publications.”

Books are her world. In her house in Victorville, she has over 3,500 books arrayed on shelves in every room. “Books are my companions. I like to read book series and catch up with the characters in them. They’re my best friends.” It also helps to familiarize her with different styles of writing and genres she edits. “Once I edit a piece, the authors stay with me,” she boasts. It’s not braggadocio but an honest appraisal of her proficiency.

Among editing, reading, and serving as the treasurer of the High Desert Branch of the California Writers Club—which claims 100 members—Jenny is also a member of the branch’s speakers’ bureau, where she regularly speaks about how to overcome physical disabilities. “My mother wouldn’t let me think of myself as a cripple. She said if you really want to do something, you’ll find a way to do it. So I learned early on not to let my disabilities stop me.

“Because I have to use two canes to

Twalk, I have trouble carrying things and doing housework. So, I use a laundry basket on a leash to drag stuff from my car or room to room, and I use a chair on wheels to cook and wash dishes. I always find a way to get things done. And when I can’t, I have great friends.”

As the interview drew to a close, Jenny showed me her wedding ring. John Michael designed it and had it custom-made for her. There’s not another ring like it in the world. “He’s been gone twelve years and I still wear it most days. I feel him near me. He had congestive heart failure when we met and told me he was five years into a three-year death sentence. He was 76 and I was 49 when we met. He died at 87 and the eleven years we had together were magical.

“I struggle physically every day, but I’m not ready to retire or go to a senior living facility. There’s so much yet I want to do, so much life yet to live. And a lot more books to edit.

“I’m just too stubborn to quit.”

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Studebaker-Garford Trail to Sunset Tour: NY to LA

By Jaylyn And John Earl www.thedesertway.com

IT WAS A DARING IDEA IN 1911

Take 10 seven-passenger StudebakerGarford Touring cars, add 50 passengers, and follow it with another Garford, decked out as a covered wagon, that was used to carry the baggage. Next, head out from New York, bound for Los Angeles, with stops at all the amazing desert landmarks along the way.

Indianapolis Star 02 Oct 1911 (Indiana)

According to the Brooklyn Daily Eagle on August 10, 1911, promoters had the assistance and cooperation of the American Automobile Association. The 4,000 miles novel transcontinental tour was slated to begin on October 2, 1911, to take advantage of good weather. Noted pathfinder, A.L. Westgard, had officially surveyed the trails twice in the past 8 months, was to lead the expedition. Mrs. Westgard and several other women would also accompany the tour.

The daily runs would be on average less than 100 miles and every Sunday would be a day of rest. Great caution was planned to prevent accident or delay. A Garford motor truck would carry automobile spare parts

and most of the hand baggage to prevent the cars being overloaded. Guests were to stay in first class hotels. A commissary and camping kit would be carried in New Mexico and Arizona, since hotels were lacking. On some parts along the Santa Fe, the party would be housed in Pullman sleeping cars. By the end of October, the party planned to have reached warmer weather.

The Trail to Sunset from New York to Chicago would follow the conventional path, which afforded mostly macadam, good gravel roads and numerous cities of interest. From Chicago, it would cross the state of Illinois on a gravel road all the way to the Mississippi River into Davenport, Iowa. From this point to Omaha it would

traverse the now famous river-to-river road, graded and marked throughout its length.

At Omaha the route swings southward through the valley of the Missouri River to Kansas City, where it enters the historic Santa Fe trail, which it follows through the entire length in the state of Kansas. The way was marked at frequent intervals with granite monuments erected by the Dames of the American Revolution, and for a great portion of its length follows the Arkansas River, transversing a rich agricultural country and numerous thriving towns.

From La Junta, the route strikes South West across the South East corner of the state of Colorado, still by the Santa Fe trail to Trinidad, then crossing the beautiful Raton Pass into New Me xico. Here, the tourist enters a foreign country, where language, customs and costumes differ from the rest of the United States.

The Santa Fe trail continued into Las Vegas (New Mexico) to the state’s capital of the territory, Santa Fe, as it lies miles off the Santa Fe Railroad, and has never received the attention of tourists for its rich history it deserved. It traversed tremendously large cattle ranges, Mexican adobe houses and Indian pueblos. The newspaper continued by saying Santa Fe is the most interesting town in the United States.

From Santa Fe to Albuquerque, the route swings west and leaves the railroad for several hundred miles and enters a territory not often seen. After crossing mountain ranges, Apache Indian villages, Fort Apache and Globe, Arizona to Phoenix, the group planned to visit the Grand Canyon for four days. It was said

Studebaker-Garford automobiles were produced and distributed jointly by the Garford Company in Ohio, and the Studebaker Corporation in Indiana from 1904 through 1911. Touring Car, photo courtesy A.Savin, WikiCommons.

A.L. Westgard, photo courtesy Federal Highway Administration

that the Arizona desert provided fine gravel roads under towering cacti all the way to the Colorado River, which would be crossed by a power ferry into California.

The route continued into Chuckawalla Valley 100 miles into Mecca, located on the Northern end of the Salton Sea, 194 feet below sea level and skirted the base of the San Jacinto Mountain range. Climbing the gradual grade of the San Gorgonio Pass to Beaumont on beautiful boulevards past orange groves and palms to Riverside then Los Angles would complete the journey. (Westgard Pass between the White and Inyo mountain ranges in California is named after Westgard. He also mapped Motor Routes to California Expositions in 1915 and the National Park to Park Highway for the Automobile Association of America in 1920.)

On September 27, 1911, The Emporia Times (Kansas) reported Emporia would serve as the night control for the cars for this first commercial transcontinental automobile tour on October 26, 1911. The cars would come to Emporia from Kansas City from Omaha. The article said two Garlock trucks would carry baggage and each automobile would carry four passengers. The Trail to Sunset tour planned to cover over 4,000 miles and be of seven weeks duration. There would be opportunities for tourists to meet the caravan on the way which would at times be met with a local escorting party for the historic event.

A newspaper article on October 22, 1911, in The Nebraska State Journal, stated many touring club representatives placed sign boards along the route and secured various appropriations for keeping the roads in repair, has enhanced its popularity among motorists planning long distance journeys in America. A special agent was hired and planned to give an exhausting report of road conditions throughout the far west. On November 5, 1911, The New York Times commented the impetus for automobile touring to California from the eastern states had increased in the past two years and by the successful mapping of the Trail to Sunset by the Touring Club of America a year ago.

The official scout was British journalist, Thomas W. Wilby, who wrote for the Christian Science Monitor prior to returning to England. The paper continued by saying indications were that the coming winter would be the most popular for touring motorists than ever before. (Thomas W. Wilby would go on to complete the first Trans Canada road trip by car in 1912, commencing from Halifax on August 27 and write books about both experiences.)

Despite careful trip planning, mishaps often make the best stories. Somewhere

between Fort Yuma, Arizona, and Blythe, California, the wagon got stuck in the sand. As you can see, horses saved the day. The caravan continued on to Los Angeles.

The Trail to Sunset became a popular trip for automobile tourists, predating the federal highway system known as Route 66, which began its formative years from 1926 to 1932. By 1911, Studebaker and Garford ended their tenuous business relationship. In 1913, Garford was purchased by John North Willys and merged into Willys-Overland.

First Photo: Five Studebaker-Garford vehicles completed the Trail to Sunset transcontinental tour from New York City to Pasadena, California from October 2, 1911 to November 23, 1911. Shown here is their stopover at the Garford factory in Elyria, Ohio. Courtesy Lorain County Historical Society.

Photo courtesy NYPL Lionel Pincus and Princess Firyal Map Division (Public Domain)

Chicago Tribune 3 April 1910

Courtesy of the National Archives, this photo was taken by the leader of the caravan, A.L. Westgard, 1911.

Covered wagon with jackrabbit mules encounters an automobile on the trail near Big Springs, Nebraska by A. L. Westgard, 1912.

What’s BEST about US

FOR ME, THIS STORY BEGAN WITH THE PRODUCTION of the timeless classic, A Christmas Carol. My first time at the Performing Art Center at Barstow Community College was when I was allowed to observe a rehearsal and my second time was to see the show which, to my surprise, astonished me. I didn’t know what to expect because it was, after all, Barstow. We’re better known as cannabis central than as the cultural center of the High Desert.

And yet, what I saw unfold on stage that night was something magical. Something you might see off-Broadway in New York City. Everything about the production, from the period-accurate costumes to the stylish props on stage was well-conceived. The play was performed without a hitch. It was seamless, energetic, and so well executed as to confound the audience into thinking they were observing professionals rather than local talent.

At the show’s end, we departed the theater amazed, uplifted, and grateful . . . and wanting more of the same. And it was, for the most part, because of its director who some twenty years ago, when she first arrived at BCC, continued the good work of those before her by bringing theater art to a desert oasis. So, I may be biased in reporting how Amy Ross traversed the miles from a small, historical gold rush town in Northern California to the hot and barren landscapes of the High Desert . . . and specifically to the Hub of the West.

Early on, theater and singing were very much a part of Amy Ross’s life. She was five years old when she first sang in front of an audience. Her father performed in nightclubs and often allowed her to sit on the piano he used and sing Barry Manilow’s

I Write the Songs. At nine she was in the ensemble of a community production of Annie, Get Your Gun, in which her father played the part of Frank Butler.

In the 70s, her parents became involved in local community theatre and she was dragged to rehearsals as a toddler. “I loved it, and my passion for it never ceased,” she says of that time. But it was in high school that she developed a deeper passion for theater and, according to her, “I didn’t stop. It was a magical time. My high school, and the area where I lived, valued and celebrated the arts.”

College was confusing for her only because she loved theater so much. She spent four years in a community college because, as she described that period, “I only cared about singing and theatre, so I wasn’t getting enough general ed classes done. I finally started taking it seriously and found I really enjoyed my education in other subjects.”

The community college she attended was in Sacramento and while living there, she became involved in her very first professional theatre job. “I was in the backstage vocal ensemble of the Sigmund Romberg operetta, The Desert Song. It starred Richard White, who went

By J.P.Garner

on to voice Gaston in Disney’s animated “Beauty and the Beast.”

She then matriculated to Sonoma State University and earned a Bachelor of Arts. “I then went to grad school at UNLV where I got my MFA in Music Theatre Performance. It was a truly intense educational experience. I learned more in my first year than I had in all my previous college years. I had the chance to work with amazing people and meet legendary performers. My experiences while there are priceless.”

After grad school, there was only one place to go to deep-dive into theater: New York City. “It was quite an adventure,” she says. “It was like living in another country. I learned I am very much a small-town girl. I love visiting, but I hated living there.” She knew and was excited by the fact that the productions or “gigs” she auditioned for would take her all over the country. She could literally audition for a new show every day. And it was from auditioning for so many shows that she learned her most insightful lesson about theater.

“The wonderful thing about auditioning in New York was that I couldn’t take any of it personally. Auditioning for a community or school theatre, or a small professional

community [production] is hard. Because there are only a few— [and] sometimes it’s the only game in town—you don’t have many options. So not being cast can really hurt. I am very cognizant of that as a director.”

In New York, no one knew her from the hundreds that might audition for one play or musical. But there would be another audition scheduled the next day. And auditioning, she quickly learned, was a skill unto itself. Separate from the production. The more a person does it, the better they get. “I wasn’t in NYC that long, “she recalls, “but I was lucky enough to land some truly memorable jobs with precious memories.”

But Barstow, California is 2,683 miles from New York City. How Amy Ross ended up at the city’s community college, teaching the thing she loves has to do with the thing that impacted everyone’s life: 9/11. She had just completed a season of summer stock and was visiting her parents in her hometown when the attack occurred. “I decided not to go back except for when my dad and I flew there to pack up my stuff. In the meantime, I found a couple of professional acting jobs in northern California while sending out dozens and dozens of job applications to colleges all across the country.”

She was, as she describes it, “rejected and rejected and rejected for my lack of teaching experience until I got a call from Barstow Community College. Initially, I hadn’t even made it out of their “no” pile until the Vice President of Instruction plucked me out. It was a whirlwind hiring process.” She was hired in August of 2002 and started teaching at BCC during the 2002/2003 school year. She scratches her head, “Does that mean [this] is this my 21st year? Or 22nd? I don’t even know anymore.”

When she started at BCC, there were only three theatre classes and one of them was cross-listed with Speech. There was no choir, only the band. The “theatre” was the Norman Smith Center, which was a multi-purpose room with a tiny stage area.

“After a few years, I was moved to the K building, which was the former library. By then, the lovely Learning Resource Center had been built. My set designer at the time had to build a stage for each production. I can’t describe my joy when the Performing Arts Center was finally built and opened in the fall of 2014. It’s a dream. It’s my home.”

Now that she operates out of the city’s most beautiful building, Amy Ross hopes her program continues to produce meaningful, entertaining, and thought-provoking theatre. “I hope to continue to bring more people into the fold, joining our theatre family as actors and those who work backstage. And I hope to continue to find more audience members and make them lifelong supporters of the arts.”

In a world that often seems insane and upside down, where people feel disconnected and alone, theater and all that it entails is needed not simply to entertain but, as she quotes from the Acting Studio Chicago’s website, “. . . to help us to see a different perspective from our own. We learn empathy, which we sorely need as a society. It reminds us that we are not alone.”

It can be—and often is—what’s best about us.

(Contact aross@barstow.edu to learn how to become an actor, singer, or a valued member of the production crew. Rehearsals for The Sound of Music are presently being conducted and the show will be performed April 7-14 at the Performing Arts Center at Barstow Community College.)

One TOUGH lady part one

By J.P.Garner

WHEN SHE WAS YOUNG , she didn’t play “house” like most girls. Billie Jo Braun was different and in a good way. She’d create a “restaurant” in her living room with the aid of Janice, a close friend who lived up the street. They used tablecloths and kitchen chairs and served pickle juice. Her mother was her first customer.

When COVID showed up and changed everything for everybody, Billie, who numbers cleaning among her three passions in life, was operating Busy Bees. This successful cleaning enterprise had eight full-time employees. “I went from being the cleaner to managing the business but when COVID hit, people didn’t want germs, and businesses were closed.” Like many business owners during the pandemic, Billie lost Busy Bees.

The thing about Billie, though, is that she’s no quitter. Tough times make her tougher. Undaunted by the loss, she saw it as an opportunity and took a chance. She fell back on her childhood dream to own a restaurant and opened Billie’s Kitchen at 224 North 7th Street. Three years later, she’s preparing her digs in the old Mall which will be featured in a segment of the Facebook show called America’s Best Restaurants. It’s very much like the Food Channel’s Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives. “People are my passion [but] food and cleaning are my love languages.”

Love languages. What a neat way to describe the things that get you up in the

morning.

The multi-lingual entrepreneur is a Centurion. She graduated from Central High School where, she admits, she wasn’t the best student. “I had a good time,” she says with a mischievous grin, but “. . . my high school experience molded who I am today. The lessons I learned from not being an active student, I changed with my children. I encourage them to all participate.”

While she learned a lot about people by “. . . cleaning their homes and businesses,” her focus shifted because of COVID from her passion for cleaning to her passion for food which she acquired from her grandmother and mom. “I’m not the chef, but I’m the mom Cook. I put the love into the cooking, not the experience or the schooling.”

She continued, “I used to like to say I was the potluck queen before the cleaning service. I spent twenty years out of Fort Irwin managing warehouses. We had a lot of potlucks a lot of good times, I was always the coordinator for some reason and the one who brought most of the food”

The mother of three, who recently married her boyfriend of twenty years and is, himself, the father of four kids, is also known for her community activism. No stranger to hard work, Billie was instrumental in getting Measurer Q, a 1% general tax proposal, passed. The measure was principally aimed at public safety programs like the fire and police departments but it also earmarked money for senior programs and youth sports.

being rude or arrogant. Her love of the town in which she has lived since she was two is evident.

When asked why she’s not the Mayor, she laughs. She admits she gets a little agitated when talking about the city she loves, but she is also very optimistic about it. “I see Barstow booming. I’ve seen it in the past. A lot of people see only the negative in the past [but] what I see from past administrations is the groundwork [for what is to come.]

“There have been decisions good and bad that [have led]us to today. Is [Barstow] the most popular place, no. But we can get there I believe because of all the groundwork that’s been laid over the last twenty years.”

We can get there.

That seems a grandiose proposal when the issues confronting Barstow are considered. Money is a big issue. Lawsuits have crippled the town. But the idea that “we” can do it is novel—and needed. The current tenor is about “I”—what “I” have done, the look-at-me syndrome that has paralyzed city government from the top. Billie Jo Braun is all about “we”—what “we” can do.

“The fire department was pretty important to me. Keeping things local was very important to me. We had a ballot measure that failed, so the city council decided to [replace Measure J] with Measure Q. I decided to get behind it because it [would] keep our fire department local.” When talking about public matters, Billie’s passion for matters concerning Barstow can be heard. She is forceful without

To get where she is took toughness. There were setbacks along the way. The kind that knock you down and can keep you down if you don’t check your package and rise up from it. Billie did. More than once. “My passion is people,” she says. And when she thinks about Barstow, she’s defiant. And bold. “I’ll fight with you all day about it.”

That’s not a challenge but a commitment.

Daddy’s Girl

By J.P.Garner

SHE WOULD RIDE THE SCHOOL BUS every morning from her Jr. High School to Naval Air Station (NAS) Point Mugu, where she worked as a student aid for first the school day. She was fourteen. “I started my career as a student,” Batina Wingo explained.

neighbors in the community.

are greatly appreciated.

She went on to high school and played fastpitch softball as a catcher, pitcher, and left-fielder, and was the Most Valuable Player her Sophomore year. But, she found her true passion in typing, shorthand, 10-Key by Touch, transcription, and administrative courses. That’s what started her hunger for Business!

She was determined to work, so as soon as she turned 16, she was hired for her first paid job at McDonalds. She worked there until she decided to go back to school and earn a Training Certificate as a Legal Word Processing Secretary. That didn’t pan out for her, so she started working for a local wheelchair manufacturer until her job was abolished in 1990 while out on maternity leave, which landed her in the unemployment line.

Shortly after applying for unemployment, she received a call for a summer hire position at NAS Point Mugu, the building directly across the street from where she worked as a student aid. There was a hiring freeze at the time, but her supervisor saw her can-do spirit, and pulled some strings to hire her permanently. Now some 34 ½ years later, “I can literally retire in nine days”, says Batina.

She loves her position as a Branch Head for the Navy at the Marine Corps Logistics Base, but she’s not built to sleep late in the mornings, chill out on the weekends, or take it easy, “I’m a workaholic,” she admits with a smile. Her love for work, God, family, and the community, not necessarily in that order, is what she enjoys doing.

Not only does she work a full-time job, but she runs her own non-profit, Hearts Extended Loving People (H.E.L.P.) Outreach, Inc., which provides a weekly hot meal to the unsheltered and underserved

When asked how HELP Outreach started, she said, “Our church was having a shower program for those in need, and we decided to feed them before sending them back into the elements”, and HELP Outreach was created. The Barstow Church of God in Christ sits on a hill overlooking the city a short distance from Riverside Drive in Barstow. Numerous unsheltered neighbors have encampments in the river bottom and in proximity to the church and use the shower program.

The idea to deliver food in the community came from a gathering of five ladies who decided to feed those on the streets and in local motels. “So, on the first Sunday in January of 2021, we delivered 75 meals.” Three years later, HELP Outreach delivers, on average, 400 meals every Sunday to those in need.

The Barstow Kentucky Fried Chicken through Desert Manna donates fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, and biscuits. Panera donates bread and sweets. And, there’s hard boiled eggs— often 20 dozen of them—that are donated by a kind-hearted family who chooses to remain anonymous.

Batina has a team of volunteers that work with her to successfully feed the community. There’s Quality Life Cannabis Dispensary in Lenwood, who not only volunteers to package meals each month, as well as purchase water and supplies, but also allows their customers the opportunity to support their community by donating their change to our cause.

Then there’s the Barstow High School CLEW Club, a group of high school leaders who could be doing anything other than packaging meals for the unsheltered, but it’s what they want to do. Then a family that lost their son to Fentanyl, who has decided to give back in his memory. All the cooks, delivery drivers, dishwashers, and clean-up crews that make this happen

You can find Batina at the church at 6:00 on Sunday mornings preparing meals before Sunday School starts at 9:00. Then around 1:00, the team starts packaging the food in containers to be delivered by people who love to serve. She also goes out and helps to distribute, and you can hear those being served calling her, “Miss B”.

When asked who her hero was, she said, “Jesus Christ.” She continued on to speak about her father, Jessie and mother, Jessie Lee. Even though her father passed away six years ago, she still considers herself a “Daddy’s Girl”. Some of her most precious memories were taking care of him when his health began to fail.

She even transferred her job and moved her family into the house with her parents until he passed away. Now that mom is going through some health challenges, she finds herself on the road every other weekend to do her part in taking care of Mom. It fills her heart to call or walk in and say, “Hi, Mom!”, and her mother responds with “Hi, Mom!”

“I’m a Christian, so I love being in church!” “I was a drug baby…My parents drug me to church every Sunday, and several times throughout the week, so that’s all I know.” She feels a void when she doesn’t attend. She keeps busy so that she doesn’t get stuck in her thoughts. She says that while her favorite moment was the birth of her first child, and the subsequent children too, her greatest challenge was overcoming the death of her marriage. She has five children, three adults and two teenagers, and loves each of them in their own special way; and 15 grandchildren that affectionately call her “MeMa”.

Family, charity, work, and church are the cornerstones of a life well-lived.

Marcy’s Musings

A Rip Roarin’ Good Time at the Victor Valley Museum

SATURDAY JANUARY 27 the cowboys and cowgirls once again rode into the Victor Valley Museum for the second annual Old West Days, sponsored by the San Bernardino County Museum Association. The combined Mohahve Historical Society / Apple Valley Legacy Museum corner was hoppin’ with visitors, anxious to learn tidbits of local history, do some browsing and shopping, and keep clear of the unscrupulous characters nearby, notorious for cheating folks at cards, and passing off their imitation snake oil for the real thing. Scandalous!

Thanks to our six hardworking volunteers (Delvin, Stormie, Mike, Rick, Patty, and Marcy), both non-profits made a little cash, and satisfied customers left with

history books and vintage collectibles. Our group met lots of interesting folks, signed up one new MHS member, and enjoyed complimentary pizza provided by the museum staff.

But we weren’t the only show in town. A couple of rooms over, Griz Drylie showcased the Hesperia Museum, while Mark Landis and Nick Cataldo showed off the San Bernardino Historical and Pioneer Society’s displays and for-sale items. The Hesperia Days Rodeo folks and the Valley Prospectors were also on hand, along with the Victor Valley Museum staff, who welcomed families and helped kids with cute crafts projects. Two young banjo players even stopped by to play us a tune on their rubberband strings.

All in all, it was a beautiful fun-filled day celebrating the Old West, a time not too

Cruising Route 66 in Style

OUR MARCH 28 Mohahve Historical Society speaker will be none other than our Vice President Delvin Harbour. He will be taking the place of our previously scheduled speaker, Pete Walraven, who is dealing with a family medical emergency. (We always try to have a back-up plan.)

If you’ve been around Delvin much, you’ve probably noticed he has a shirt for every occasion, and often a hat to match. He’s what I’d call an avid traveler with the wardrobe to show for it. Each article, of course, has a story behind it. So why not crack out your best Route 66 shirt and hat, or showcase any clothing

item you picked up on a trip anywhere in the world, and join in the fun? I know some of you have that Hawaiian shirt and lei, or something equally exciting, in the back of the closet. For further information, call (760) 985-1918.

As usual, the meeting will be held at the Lone Wolf Colony, and doors open at 6:30 unless you are scheduled to work the event. Please allow our board members and volunteers the necessary time to set up. There will be time to visit, enjoy refreshments, or purchase a book or two, from 6:30-7:00 or after the presentation. Guests are always welcome.

long ago when our desert was nothing but tumbleweeds and jackrabbits, roadrunners and sagebrush, home to Native Americans, pioneers, ranchers, farmers, and yes, cowboys!

The Start of Lunar New Year

THE AFTERNOON OF FRIDAY

FEBRUARY 9 the sky was blue and covered with beautiful white cumulous clouds. I had read in the morning paper that an unusual celestial event would occur at exactly 2:47 PM. Hmmmm, what could that be? I looked around and didn’t see anything unusual. The sun was extremely bright, almost blinding, in the south sky above the Hilltop Hill at the Apple Valley Inn. Suddenly a strange sight appeared to the left of the sun. In the middle of a sunny day a greenish-colored sphere with a pale blue orb surrounding it seemed to float

ever so slowly to the east for about 10 minutes. Then it vanished!

February 9 marked the beginning of a new lunar cycle, when the moon is at its lowest point and closest to the earth at 20 degrees in the sign of Aquarius. It is believed to be a time of reflection and new beginnings, the start of the Lunar New Year, the Year of the Dragon. So what was it that I saw and photographed? It does not meet the description of the Blue Moon, or the New Moon, or the Full Moon. Can one of you astronomers out there explain it please. To be continued....

Retired, but Not Too Old to Learn Something New

HAVE I EVER MENTIONED that I’m more than grateful that I retired before COVID hit? I definitely couldn’t have taught third grade, or any grade for that matter, remotely. How about on-line kindergarten or art, or PE, or even chemistry lab or biology dissections? Give me a break! But I am happy to be a member of CalRTA, with the “R” standing for “Retired.” The full name of the organization is California Retired Teachers, Division #74, The Tumbleweed Division. How appropriate! One objective of the Mohahve Historical Society is to present and share local history with other organizations. Recently I have had the opportunity to give two presentations to the CalRTA group. On January 18, 11 members came to the Apple Valley Legacy Museum for a little “porch talk” and a tour. I tried to cover topics many people aren’t real familiar with, so I started by showing off my bombs (yes, bombs) left over from World War II bomber training. At that time what we think of as the old George Air Force base was known as Victorville Army Air Field. The pilots were practicing for the real thing by dropping bombs on targets placed all around the barren desert, trying to hit the bullseye in the center. So I was quite happy to be the recipient of two bombs and some other miscellaneous pieces recently dug up in northeast Apple

Valley. But never fear, my bombs were filled with sand, not explosives. The remnants of these bombing circles and the practice bombs are still visible in several spots in Apple Valley and Lucerne Valley.

My next subject was the old Terri Lee Doll Factory, which operated just a few blocks north of our location. This infamous business employed many local women, including a number of military wives, who created the handmade dolls that were the Terri Lee family and friends, now cherished collectibles. Terri Lee and her brother Jerry Lee had friends of many races and cultures, which was not so common in the early 1950’s. In fact, Bonnie Lou and Benji were an important part of the Civil Rights movement. Since the dolls were guaranteed for life, a trip to the doll hospital could make a child’s playmate good as new again. Come over and meet our 34 “children.”

Is it a coincidence that just a mile or so north was the location of the famous Murray’s Overall-Wearing Dude Ranch, that welcomed people of all races during the Jim Crow years of racial segregation?

I am proud to say that our Apple Valley

artifacts have been on the road with the Smithsonian Traveling Green Book exhibit for over three years now, compliments of the Mohahve Historical Society and the Apple Valley Legacy Museum. So the group stepped inside to see our Bell Mountain corner, featuring the Murrays and the Herb Jeffries’ movies made at that location. Stop by to learn more.

Exactly two weeks later on February, the first official day of Black History Month, I was invited to the Trinity Lutheran Church in Victorville to give a presentation to this same organization. My subject was the Route 66 Green Book travelers, with emphasis on our two local ranches, the Murrays and the Raglan, both in the Bell Mountain area of what is now Apple Valley. The presentation included the 2019 2-day visit from Candacy Taylor, author of “The Overground Railroad,” who was doing fieldwork for both her upcoming book, and our section of the Smithsonian exhibit, which she curated. The MHS and AVLM are both proud to be a part of sharing this important piece of local history. (Commercial: This amazing book is for sale at the AV Legacy Museum for $35. Sound like a lot? It’s worth at least $50.)

In conclusion, I will say, teaching is a lot more satisfying without all the bells and runny noses.

Protecting Public Lands and Ecosysters

THE THURSDAY JAN. 25 Mohahve Historical Society meeting at the Lone Wolf Colony provided an interesting and informative follow-up to the fieldtrip to the Palisades Ranch in Helendale the prior Saturday. Mojave Desert Land Trust employees Sarah Bliss, Director of land Conservation, and Yanina Galvan, Project CoordinatorLands, shared a wealth of information on their non-profit, including their mission, land acquisitions, concervation efforts, their seed bank and native plant nursery, volunteer opportunities, and numerous partner organizations.

Sarah, the first speaker, gave a detailed history of the Palisades Ranch, once home to a Native American village. Due to its location on the Mojave River, the area included several old trails, as well as farming and ranching operations. Early residents George Washington DeCrow and Harold Hill made their mark, as did later owner Bob Older, who gained attention by flying the largest American flag for the 1976 Bi-Centennial, and later opening a car museum on the property, which also boasted an airplane hanger and landing strip, and a small zoo. And let’s not forget the 1990 MHS Time Capsule burial and 1992 monument dedication.

Yani followed up with a report on the progress made since the MDLT’s acquisition of the property, the clean-up and restoration efforts, as well as setbacks such as invasive species and the 2022 500 acre Heritage fire that burned 3.5 miles of vegetation along the riverbed. She emphasized the importance of the property, a Mojave River transition zone, where the water flows above ground year round. This riparian area is home to 1500 species of plants, animals, and insects, including the rare western yellow-billed cuckoo, the San Emigdio blue butterfly, and the Mojave Chui Chub. She explained

Heading East along the Route 66

FOR THE SECOND TIME this year the March fieldtrip will precede the general meeting. The overnight adventure is scheduled for Sunday March 24 through Monday March 25. You must be signed up for this trip, as hotel

accommodations will be reserved in advance. We will meet in Amboy at 10:00 AM on Sunday for a tour of the very small town, famous for Roy’s Cafe and the Amboy Crater. We will travel a few miles down the road to our next destination, the newly renovated Roadrunner Retreat. Following a rest stop for lunch, we will head north to the Goff’s Museum and grounds. From there we will proceed to Needles for dinner and an overnight stay.

Monday’s itinerary will include the Needles Museum, a Harvey House tour, a photo op at the Welcome Wagon, and possibly some additional attractions for those who still have the time and energy. So

how the invasive tamarisk causes water and habitat loss, while solar farms, roads, development, ravens, and coyotes all threaten the endangered desert tortoise.

After the program, we showed our appreciation to these two ladies for coming all the way from Joshua Tree twice in one week with a gift of books and MHS decals. For further information on the MDLT and Palisades Ranch, visit their website, or better yet, make a trip to Joshua Tree to check out their seed bank, native plant nursery, and nearby Joshua Tree National Park Visitor Center. You just might learn a thing or two!

pack a lunch for Sunday, and be prepared to pay for your dinner Sunday and meals on Monday. Our accommodations will of course be prepaid. MHS VP Delvin, also VP of the Route 66 Association California East, will be working out the details and orchestrating this trip. All committed participants will receive an email with specifics. Consider joining us for a great adventure not far from home.

Tribute to a Country Music Legend

SOME OF YOU REMEMBE r our “Genuine Desert Animals” float in the September 2023 Apple Valley Happy Trails Parade. We got a first place thanks to our cute costumes, stuffed toys, and a catchy song to the tune of “The Farmer in the Dell.” Leading the singing was guitar player Uncle Leo J. Eifert, Jr., AKA Swamp Water Fox, who just happened to be in town and was recruited by local drummer Gary Whiteside. So I asked this professional musician, usually on tour somewhere, if he thought he could play three cords over and over again, as we rolled down Outer Highway 18. He thought he could handle that. He even came to a volunteer potluck where we had a little run-through on the patio, and then moved inside to don costumes and props for a full-fledged one-time rehearsal. Leo passed the test!

Those of you who attended the Mohahve Historical Society Christmas party at the

Going For 110

HLone Wolf Colony might remember me saying that we had to hire some new musicians because Uncle Leo had the “flimsy excuse” that he couldn’t make it because he had to back up Toby Keith in Vegas that night. When I jokingly asked Leo why he would choose Toby Keith over us, he explained that he had a 23 year history with him, and besides, he was getting PAID. Excuse accepted!

Well, it’s no longer a joking matter. Dumb me. I thought Toby’s cancer was in remission and he was on the road again. Little did I realize, when I and the rest of the country music fans in this world got the news that Toby had passed away February 5, that good old Leo had been loyal until the end. Apparently Toby had pushed himself through three final sold-out concerts at the MGM in Las Vegas, December 10, 11, and 14th, all the while battling cancer and knowing the end was near. He even brought his mother on stage and

introduced her to the fans. A few things suddenly dawned on me: The song “Don’t Let the Old Man In” had new meaning. And December 14, the date of Toby Keith’s last concert, was the date of our Christmas party. Leo, your absence is definitely excused. While we were performing at the Lone Wolf Colony singing to the guitar of Toni Clegg and the fiddle of Bob Hall, you were right where you were supposed to be.

Like a loyal long-time band mate, Leo took off for Oklahoma for the funeral, a private service for the Covel family, the band and crew only. The message I got, “Yes, it’s a little hard on me right now.” I guess it would be. RIP Toby and God Bless Uncle Leo.

Welcome to Jake’s Garage

AS YOU MOHAHVE HISTORICAL SOCIETY

AVE YOU EVER HEARD of a 100-year-old taking out a Life Membership to Mohahve Historical Society? Well, you have now! It’s none other than June Langer, who attended some of our meetings in the past, back when we met at the Victor Valley Museum. So she thought it was about time to make it official. June is a prolific author, an active member of the California Writers Club, as well as an active member of California Retired Teachers Association. In fact, she was at the February CalRTA luncheon when I gave my “Green Book” presentation and came over to greet me to make sure I knew she was there. As usual, she was in attendance with her daughter, Mary Langer Thompson, retired teacher, and principal, also a former MHS member, who just updated her membership. as well. I was privileged to attend June’s 100th birthday celebration at the Jess Ranch Church last September, and hope to be able to help her celebrate her next 10 at least, to make sure she gets her money’s worth out of her life membership. Welcome, June and Mary!

members know, our January field trip took us to the Palisades Ranch in Helendale, formerly owned by Supervisor Bob Older, who created a museum on his property showcasing his antique and vintage vehicles. Eventually, most of his treasures were auctioned off, and MHS member Jim Jacobs became the proud owner of Older’s 1934 Ford Sedan. I snapped a picture of Jim at our MHS 50th Anniversary celebration at the Victor Valley Museum with his prize possession. Unfortunately on the way home that night, Jim blew up the engine, which he has yet to fix. When I reminded him that this year marks our 60th Anniversary, his response was, “Really? It’s been sitting for 10 years?!! I better get to work.” Hopefully, he’ll have it on the road before we celebrate our 70th.

Upcoming Community Events

March 11 - NAACP General Membership Meeting- 6 PM, Victorville Branch Office, 14240 St. Andrews Dr., Victorville 92395, all are welcome.

March 12 - Friends of the Apple Valley Library General Meeting- 11 AM, Apple Valley Branch Library, 14901 Dale Evans Parkway, Apple Valley 92307, Speaker- Joe Brady “High Desert Growth” All are welcome, refreshments will be served.

March 28 - Mohahve Historical Society monthly meeting- 7 PM, Lone Wolf Colony, 23200 Bear Valley Rd. Apple Valley. 92308, Doors open at 6:30, all are welcome, refreshments will be served.

For more information call (760) 985-1918

What’s in a Name?

Alcatraz Island

Alcatraz Island didn’t always hold the most infamous prison in the United States. In 1775, when the Spanish explorer Juan Manuel de Ayala first sailed into San Francisco, it was one of three barrier islands off the coast. When mapping the bay, Ayala named the three islands Isla de Los Alcatraces. Over time, the name was shortened to Alcatraz, which translates to “pelican” or “strange bird.” After the island became the site for the country’s most isolated federal prison years later, it earned the nickname “The Rock” due to its remote location in San Francisco Bay and for the way the island juts prominently out of the water.

Play with it!

Crossword Puzzle

Down:

1. “Birdman of Alcatraz” extra

3. Room in Alcatraz

4. Alcatraz

5. Search for an Alcatraz escapee

8. Alcatraz Island locale, for short

9. One of 22 at Alcatraz

Across:

2. The prison island, Alcatraz, is located in the middle of San ... Bay

6. Bird that Alcatraz was named for

7. Brief description of Alcatraz?

10. Alcatraz inmate of the ‘30s

11. Gangster who did time at Alcatraz

Across:

2. The prison island, Alcatraz, is located in the middle of San ... Bay

6. Bird that Alcatraz was named for

7. Brief description of Alcatraz?

10. Alcatraz inmate of the '30s

11. Gangster who did time at Alcatraz

Don’t miss out...events are fillin’ up!

Seniors With Inquiring Minds

9333 “E” Avenue

Percy Bakker Community Center Hesperia, CA 92345

Every Thursday from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM

March 7th. Bill Lopez and Norman Bossom The Beatles First Visit to the US

March 14th Jim Osborne -Irish Music Through The Ages

March 21st Michelle Gomez, Et al Update on the Victorville Wellness Center

March 28th Juan Carrillo 39th District Assembly member

Friends of the Apple Valley Library

14901 Dale Evans Parkway Apple Valley, CA 92307

Tuesday, March 12, 2024

from 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM

Speaker: Joe Brady

Topic: “How the High Desert (Mojave River Valley), will double in size from 550,000 to 1 million plus in less than 20 years”.

Widows or Widowers of High Desert

Saturday at 9 am Questions call 702-526-6421 Trinity Lutheran Church, 16138 Molina Dr. Victorville

2nd. Bingo

9th. Katie Ann from Choice Medical Group will speak about the Senior Kicks Club

16th. Breakfast at Denny’s on Main St. in Hesperia at 10 am

23rd. Cindy from Heritage Medical Group will speak about the Heritage Senior Activities 30th. Breakfast at Denny’s on Main St. in Hesperia at 10 am

Hope for the HOPELESS

AS A RESIDENT OF NEWBERRY SPRINGS, I hear all too often about unwanted dogs and cats that have been abandoned here. Although some are found, and adopted by kind people, many perish. As a former horse owner and trainer, the plight of the unwanted horse is even more upsetting to me. Many horses, as they age, and develop health problems, become more expensive to care for. Quite often, they are sold at auction, or to anyone that will buy them. The buyer often doesn’t realize the high cost of properly caring for a horse, and the horse suffers.

Some buyers at the horse auction are looking for a good deal. Horse people describe horses by breed type, color, and height measured at the withers in “hands” (a measurement of four inches). Auctions often list the horse’s weight in pounds. This weight is important to the all too common “kill buyer.” The kill buyer buys these discarded, unwanted, former equine pets and partners, for the meat market. They are shipped, under sometimes horrendous conditions, to horse meat plants in Mexico or Canada. Most of the meat ends up in Japan or France.

There are horse rescue organizations that try to save as many as they can. After rehabilitating the horses, they find new homes for them. Of course, there is no way for the rescues to control what happens to them once they leave. Many could end up back in the same cycle of neglect. A sanctuary is a better option. At a sanctuary, the rehabilitated horse could live out their days, safely, and in peace.

By John Wease

Some can be useful in less strenuous work, such as horse therapy riding for people with spinal and other injuries.

I was quite pleased to learn that Britney Swenson, the owner of Pegasus Training Stables in Yermo, has joined with Louise Carmichael Miller, Daryl Schendel, Shauna Anderson, and Christine Schallmo to start an equine sanctuary at her stables. Their 501c3 non-profit is pending. They have seven horses officially under the care of the sanctuary. The non-profit is located at Britney’s stables, but run separately.

I met Britney last year at the Newberry Springs Independence Day celebration. She had a booth promoting her summer youth horse camp program. She told me she would be riding her blind horse, Smoke ‘Em All – The Sightless, the next day in the Fourth of July Parade. “Smoke,” as she calls him, was an unmanageable twenty-year old that had lost one eye to cancer when Britney saved him from being euthanized. They formed a bond, she trained him, and began competing with him in gymkhana events. Now, after having lost the other eye, he is racking up wins and high-points awards, as a completely sightless horse.

Smoke is the face and inspiration for the new sanctuary, named Smoke’s Equine Oasis. Smoke is one of the personal rescue horses owned by Britney. His sanctuary horse buddies have come to the sanctuary by a number of means, and with their own issues.

Two untrained BLM mustangs, Peaches and Otekah, were purchased from an owner that had no idea how to train wild

horses. When he was moving out of the area, he was desperate to rehome them quickly.

Leo is a ten-year old Appaloosa. He was going blind in one eye and had become aggressive and unmanageable. Now completely blind in that eye, he has responded well to the gentle care he receives at the sanctuary.

Shammy and Lindy Lu were both broodmares. They were owned by an elderly bed-ridden person that could no longer care for them.

Abnar is a paint Arab horse. He was twenty-two years old and untrained. The owners, feeling he would be impossible to sell, transferred him by owner surrender.

The newest equine is a palomino pony that was found abandoned in the desert. She was named Patty in honor of Saint Patrick’s Day. Perhaps there is something

to the expression of the luck of the Irish. She would have not survived long without water or feed in the desert.

And, speaking of Saint Patrick’s Day, please mark your calendars. The Smoke’s Equine Oasis equine sanctuary will be

hosting a special event to raise funds to provide the basic needs for these horses, and help with the non-profit start-up costs. The event will be from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 17.

Along with meeting the horses, there will be free horseback rides for children of all ages (300 lb. maximum weight limit). There will be a rock-climbing wall, and many other free activities. Free vendor spaces are available for sales or organization information. Billie’s Kitchen will be serving free tacos from 2:00 until 4:00, or while supplies last. There will be a nail salon and a face painting booth, both donating fifty percent of proceeds to the sanctuary. I am sure there will be many more businesses and cottage industry crafts booths by the time of the event. There will, of course, be a donations table set up to help this worthy cause.

So, celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day at the Smoke’s Equine Oasis equine sanctuary. Enjoy the many free activities. Help with donations as you can. Or, volunteer your time to help out. The event is located at:

COULTER PERFORMANCE HORSES

14924 Chamber Lane

Apple Valley, California

For vendor, or other information, call Britney Swenson at 442-600-9770

Community Applauds Successful Strength in Unity Workshop on Grief

By Cindy Bostick

THE HIGH DESERT community came together on Saturday, February 12, 2024 in Victorville for an impactful Strength in Unity workshop, centered around the theme of grief and estate planning. The event, hosted by Today’s Woman Foundation, garnered widespread acclaim for its thoughtful programming and engaging discussions.

Attendees were treated to a dynamic and well qualified lineup of speakers and panelists who shared deeply personal insights, fostering a sense of connection and understanding among participants.

The workshop aimed to provide a supportive space for individuals navigating the complexities of grief, emphasizing the strength that comes from unity and shared experiences.

The speakers’ heartfelt stories resonated with the audience, offering both solace and practical insights on coping with grief. Attendees praised the diverse perspectives presented, highlighting the relevance and relatability of each speaker’s journey.

The panel discussion provided an interactive platform for attendees to ask questions and gain further insights into the diverse aspects of grief. The collective wisdom shared during the workshop aimed to educate, inspire, and ultimately promote healing within the community.

The organizers expressed their gratitude for the overwhelming turnout and the positive feedback received from participants. The success of the Strength in Unity workshop underscores the community’s commitment to supporting one another through life’s challenges.

Today’s Woman Foundation extends heartfelt thanks to Brisa Alfaro, Cindy Bostick, Marlo Cales, Eric Cimuchowski, Thomas Ripley, Margaret Smith and Strech Suba who contributed to the success of the event.

The next Strength in Unity workshop is scheduled for Saturday, November 9, 2024 at 10:00 AM at the Sunset Hills Memorial Park and Mortuary chapel. For more information, please contact Cindy Bostick at todayswomanfoundation@ gmail.com.

Piñon Hills, CA

“Where the Desert Meets the Mountains”

Exciting Saturdays at Pinon Hills Elementary: Bingo for a Cause!

Pinon Hills — Get ready for a fun-filled Saturday tradition at Pinon Hills Elementary School! Join us from 10 am to 2 pm for an exhilarating Bingo experience that not only promises a chance to win fantastic prizes but also supports our local school’s ParentTeacher Association (PTA). For just $20, you’ll enjoy 10 thrilling games, each with a guaranteed winner, all while fostering a sense of community among neighbors. In addition to the excitement of Bingo, your participation directly contributes to the Pinon Hills Elementary School PTA, supporting local education initiatives. This weekly event is more than just a game; it’s an opportunity to come together, meet neighbors, and create lasting connections within our community. With a minimum of 25 players needed to open the doors, your presence ensures not only a vibrant Bingo experience but also the success of our community event. Don’t miss out on this chance to play, win, and contribute to a stronger, more connected Pinon Hills community!

Reach out to 760-868-7191 or email: Bingo@pinonhillschamber.info to Sign Up AND Reserve your spot – Bring a Friend!

Pinon Hills Chamber

The chamber meets on the 3rd Tuesday of each month at 6 PM.

Chamber of Commerce Presents:

SummerfestCottage Industry Extravaganza

Each JuneVendors sign up now

Art Show each October at Phelan Phamly Phun Days

Artists display your creative talent and win a prize

Membership has its advantages: $24 annual Dues Business/Residents

What: Bingo!

What: Bingo!

Where: Pinon Hills

Elementary School

When: TBD

10 am to 2 pm

Cost: $20 for 10 games

Advising players to reserve their seat as space is limited

CONTACT US

PO Box 720095

10405 Mountain Road

Pinon Hills, CA 92372 760-868-7191

info@PinonHillsChamber.info

Senior Wellness Center

Health Education

12408 Hesperia Rd, Door 28

Kathleen Magill, RN Health Educator

800.655.9999 hvvmg.com

members@hvvmg.com

P: 760-261-6422 EXT. 4181

F: 760-269-1283

E: kbmagill@hvvmg.com

Kathleen Magill, RN Health Educator

Senior Wellness Center Health Education

P: 760-261-6422 EXT. 4181

12408 Hesperia Rd, Door 28

F: 760-269-1283

E: kbmagill@hvvmg.com