By Betty Munson
OKTOBERFEST TICKETS ON SALE NOW
• While you are at the Community Center, ask me for your tickets for the 7th Annual Johnson Valley Oktoberfest, being held on Saturday, October 1st. Quantities are limited, don’t miss out. Only 7.00 per person now, they will cost 10.00 at the door on the day. Admission includes the buffet of German dishes and the dessert bar.
If you like, purchase tickets by credit card securely on www.johnsonvalley.com. While you're online, take a look at some photos from previous Oktoberfests on the Oktoberfest history page now in the works.
The patio Beer Garden opens at 3:00 p.m. offering five craft beers and a hard cider at 3.00 per 12-oz pour. Or get a sampler of three for only 4.00. Complimentary Bavarian pretzels available, too! Buffet dinner served from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m.
Yes, the trains will run.
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IT WASN’T THE MARINES
• As you may have seen on TV, on Tuesday, August 30, Johnson Valley experienced an earthquake large enough to register in the quake reports. But, did they cite the location as Johnson Valley? No. Caltech labeled it as a noticeable 3.4 magnitude, but described the epicenter at 32 km ENE from Big Bear City. (For those of us who remain metrically-challenged, that’s about 20 miles.)
Look at the earthquake map, and where’s the pin? Down here in the desert, about 4 miles north of Hwy 247 right across from the community of Johnson Valley, on the fault line drawn between parallel ranges of hills. Our View. For you off-roaders: that’s just over the ridge west of Means Dry Lake and Hammertown.
The rolling rumble traveling to and through the house at 7:25 a.m., rattling the coffee cup on a tile coaster next to me, was not even felt by people out walking on bare ground. Yes, a puny temblor, but our own, not Big Bear’s. I bet they did not even feel it. Some people here just thought the Marines were in action.
Oh well. The big one in 1992 that ruptured the Johnson Valley fault for miles got named the Landers quake. That one rattled our cages in Long Beach.
Where is Johnson Valley anyway?
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USMC AUGUST TRAINING
• Long-anticipated shock and awe during the month of August did not happen.
Those of us who have experienced major noise from the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center know the racket can be shocking when they get into full swing. The training activity last month was small potatoes compared to what they can do.
We are told the action was low-key, concentrating mostly on boundary security, patrol and MP training.
Fewer noise complaints came in, and this was possibly an effect of cloudless hot weather.
The message on the traffic sign, positioned by the sheriffs at the base of the grade leading out of Yucca Valley on Hwy 247, raised some questions. It said, Johnson Valley OHV Area closed, as did the sign on Boone Road. That implied that all the public lands were out of bounds, not just the Shared Use Area, during the 8-day exclusion of the public. Also, the Yucca Valley sign remained in place and lighted after the 8-day period was over. That will all be cleared up next year.
Even though you might assume that no one would be going out there anyway in the August heat, four incursions into the closed Shared Use Area did occur. One was campers near Bessemer Mine Rd., out to watch the meteor shower. Since this happens in our night skies every summer, the BLM and the Marines will be prepared in future to expect to re-direct skywatchers to safer camps.
The next training period is already scheduled for August 1-30, 2017. It may be a bit more noticeable.
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HOMESTEAD VALLEY PLAN WORKSHOPS
• Reminder, the County is updating the Homestead Valley Community Plan. Residents and property owners in Johnson Valley, Landers, Flamingo Heights and Yucca Mesa are all invited to the County Plan workshops to learn what’s going on, ask questions, take surveys and voice opinions.
Workshop 1: What We Value
Monday, September 12, 2016
6:00-8:30pm
Johnson Valley Community Center
50567 Quailbush Rd.at the corner of Larrea Rd.
Workshop 2: Our Roadmap to Making it Happen
Thursday, November 17, 2016
6:00-8:30pm
Yucca Mesa Community Center,
3133 Balsa Ave.just off Aberdeen Rd.
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Find the 2007 HOMESTEAD VALLEY COMMUNITY PLAN on www.hvccsite.org
You can also express your opinion and ask questions by visiting www.countywideplan.com
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OLD WOMAN SPRINGS RANCH TOUR
Saturday, October 15, take the Morongo Basin Historical Society field trip to Old Woman Springs Ranch. This is the landmark that catches your eye on Hwy 247, in its peaceful setting surrounded by the white fence and a stand of old cottonwood trees.
A home to hard-working cowboys for the first half of the 20th Century, you will agree this ranch operation may have been one of the most unusual ever.
This exclusive look at this “oasis in the desert” gives you a rare opportunity to spend a delightful day exploring the history of this private property. The ponds often host water birds on their migrations, with luck they will be visiting that day, too.