Desert Trail

A solar eclipse, as 7-year-old June Alder of Yucca Valley can tell you, is “when the moon blocks the sun.” Locals and visitors gathered to see the phenomenon through telescopes and protected glasses Monday at the Joshua Tree Astronomy Arts Theater.

YUCCA VALLEY — The Trojan baseball team emerged victorious from the first game with their rivals, the Twentynine Palms Wildcats, Tuesday, April 9. The varsity Yucca Valley boys won 17-4.

TWENTYNINE PALMS — A Twentynine Palms house with an attached garage in the 6200 block of Cahuilla Avenue was a total loss after an early-morning fire Tuesday, April 9.

JOSHUA TREE — The public is invited to a free showing of the movie “Sheepdogs,” a documentary featuring military veterans who live in the Morongo Basin.

TWENTYNINE PALMS — More than 1,000 racers and thousands of spectators are expected to descend on the city for the Hilltoppers Motorcycle Club’s off-road races Friday through Sunday.

TWENTYNINE PALMS — New city manager H. Stone James will start work Monday, April 29.

TWENTYNINE PALMS — If a meeting hosted by city officials Thursday, March 21, at Patriotic Hall is any indication, a proposal to build a solar power field north of Two Mile Road will face determined opposition from residents.

JOSHUA TREE — A Twentynine Palms woman charged with the torture and abuse of two children placed in her care was sentenced to 21 years in prison in a plea bargain accepted Wednesday, March 20, in the Joshua Tree courthouse.

RANCHO MIRAGE — The Twentynine Palms High School golf team beat Desert Mirage 259-297 here Wednesday, March 20.

TWENTYNINE PALMS — County firefighters from station 44 in downtown Twentynine Palms will once again host an Easter egg hunt at Luckie Park.

TWENTYNINE PALMS — New city manager H. Stone James will start work Monday, April 29.

TWENTYNINE PALMS — The city council may name H. Stone James the new city manager when they meet in regular session at 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 26, at city hall, 6136 Adobe Road.

LOS ANGELES — The conservation group WildEarth Guardians on Wednesday, March 20, sued the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for not designating the Joshua tree as the federal endangered species. 

JOSHUA TREE — Two school nurses are responsible for 17 campuses at Morongo Unified School District. That isn’t enough, one of those nurses and three health technicians told the board of education last week.

TWENTYNINE PALMS — Geoffrey Preston, who has called Twentynine Palms his home since he was 4, has begun providing meals to the city’s unhoused residents and is looking for help to continue and expand those efforts.

TWENTYNINE PALMS — Officials at The Sanctuary Church will likely get some but not all of what they asked for as they get ready for a weekend celebration of the church’s anniversary.

TWENTYNINE PALMS — After losing 18-10 to the Desert Hot Springs Golden Eagles Tuesday, March 12, the Wildcat baseball team rallied and beat the Eagles on their home diamond in nine innings Friday, March 15.

TWENTYNINE PALMS — Twentynine Palms High School senior Joshua Corrado has achieved what very few students nationwide have done, earning the highest possible ACT standardized test composite score of 36.

MORONGO BASIN — Activities with Big Read Morongo Basin will wrap up with a zine library and three more discussion groups.

WONDER VALLEY — Firefighters found skeletal remains in the ruins of a burned motor home east of Twentynine Palms just after midnight Tuesday, March 19.