FIRST DAY OF WINTER
- At last, we’ll soon have more daylight – the Winter Solstice has arrived in the Northern Hemisphere. To earthlings, it looks like the sun stands still.
The astronomical forecast for Friday, December 23, shows daylight as “zero minutes zero seconds longer.” Since the sun sets farthest in the south right now, in Johnson Valley we have even earlier sunsets as it drops behind the mountains. We are informed that sunset on Friday happens at 4:41 p.m. We see the sunset at 4:01.I believe it; in a bright room with windows facing south and west, a blanket falls over us in one moment. But, Christmas Gift: the daylight hours now begin to stretch out.It also appears our Christmas temperatures will be temperate; forecast lows in the 40s, and highs in the 60s, with sunshine. So enjoy.
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HOMESTEAD VALLEY CONCERNS
• If you missed the meeting of the Homestead Valley Community Council, several items were of interest to residents in unincorporated communities.
Our new State Assemblyman Tom Lackey introduced himself to the attendees. Redistricting has created a huge territory, dependent on him as our voice in Sacramento. We have NO State Senator until the next election cycle.
Our County Supervisor Dawn Rowe supplied a report on the “campground” uses allowed now in Rural Living Zones. As Chuck Bell of the Lucerne Valley Economic Development Association says, the reported uses “don’t reflect the bottom-line reality that every type of campground listed …is a “commercial”/open to the ‘public’ land-use – not consistent with the integrity and intent of ‘Rural Living’/large lot residential zoning.”
Efforts continue to clarify the meaning of “Rural Living” in the County codes and settle the commercial “glampsite” controversy in the Homestead Valley. HVCC invites locals to join their new Rural Living Committee established to monitor these kinds of issues. If you would like to volunteer to join in this endeavor, e-mail Justin Merino at merino@hdeaa.org for information.
Topics from roads to wildfires and OHV enforcement and education also engaged the meeting.
The next HVCC date is Monday, January 16, in Belfield Hall in Landers. Keep up with the issues facing us here in the desert: remember guest comments are always welcome.
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OPERATION DUST DEVIL
• Speaking of OHV, as Sheriffs Captain Warrick reported at HVCC, our San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors recently authorized additional funding to assist with county-wide off-highway vehicle enforcement.
“Operation Dust Devil” will encourage safe and responsible off-highway vehicle operation by way of education and enforcement for the next several months. Their goal is to encourage OHV riders on the safe and proper use of equipment (such as helmets and seat belts) and operating on designated off-highway vehicle trails and open areas.
Operation Dust Devil is led by the Sheriff’s Off-Highway Vehicle Team and various patrol stations. They will work with San Bernardino County Land Use Services/Code Enforcement, San Bernardino Park Services, Hesperia Park Services, US Forest Service, California State Parks, Bureau of Land Management, Department of Fish and Game, National Parks Service, BNSF Police, California Highway Patrol, San Bernardino Police Department, Rialto Police Department, and Colton Police Department.
So, take it easy on community roads. Know before you go where the good trails are and do your best to keep off private property.
Alert your guests that dust and noise travel a long way – let’s not shatter the holiday cheer by ripping up and down community roads. We were advised by a road repair guy that any vehicle, street legal or green sticker, traveling over 25 mph damages the dirt roads. Nobody fixes them except neighbors using their own equipment.
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FREQUENTLY ANSWERED QUESTIONS
To new readers: this JV NEWS e-mails every week or two, expanding on items published in the neighborhood column in the Hi-Desert Star. Other notices of particular interest to Johnson Valley residents and property owners also circulate to this list.
If you do not wish to receive this information, just reply and tell me to remove your name.
JVIA ADDRESS & DIRECTIONS:
The mailing address is:
JVIA
50567A Quailbush Rd.
Johnson Valley CA 92285
Directions to the Community Center:
From Hwy 247, between mile markers 21 and 22, turn onto Larrea Road at the big red highway sign and go 1-3/4 miles to Quailbush Rd. The Community Center is on your left at the corner.
- Memory jogger: the due date for your membership dues for the Johnson Valley Improvement Association is January 31, 2023. Get your Membership Application when you come to the Center for Saturday Breakfast, 7:30-10:30 a.m., or the Souper Supper, Saturday. January 7th at 5:00 p.m.You are always welcome to every event at the JV Community Center, member or not…but now’s a good time to join up for 2023! Dues, only 15.00 per year. Subscription to the JV Journal in the mail, 3.00 for 6 issues.
Or, pay your 15.00 annual dues by secure credit card on www.johnsonvalley.com and download your membership form to print and fill out and mail to us.• HVCC: The monthly meetings of the Homestead Valley Community Council give you a wealth of information from our County Supervisor’s office, the Fire Department, CalFire and the Sheriff’s Department, the Marine Base, and other representatives from county, state, and federal authorities.
The Johnson Valley Improvement Association is one of the four associations in unincorporated communities which established this grassroots organization. Information is circulated among our members and other JV residents and property owners. Citizens present issues in the meetings, the Council follows up with them wherever we see the need.
Plan to come to HVCC meetings at 3:00 p.m. on the third Monday of each month. The location rotates around the four Community Centers; it’s Johnson Valley in February, June, and October.
See Newsletters, HVCC Actions, and Comments, as well as meeting agendas on http://homesteadvalleycc.com
See scenic highway documents and the Visual Assessment on the website-in-progress www.scenichighway247.com+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
🎄🎶We wish you a Merry Christmas! 🔔🎶
Keep smilin’😊
–Betty
Betty Munson
Betty Munson
c/o Ship-It-Shop
51720 Hacienda Rd.
Johnson Valley CA 92285