The heat took its first toll in Desert Hot Springs. At 4:45pm, the electricity went off with a big bang. Minutes later, the Fire Department was on the scene. No fire hazards, but the juice is off. Getting hot in the place, and I hope Edison can fix it fast.

So, if you have a home in the neighborhood of West and 7th Street, you will feel the pain for a spell. If you are an elder person, cool of at some friends’ home with their electric still on, or water yourself down, that is what I do. Make sure your animals and yourself have plenty of water (still running) available.

Open some windows, for cross ventilation. Check with Edison or call city hall, use your cell phone. They should be working at this time, you know, 4-day job and all) good luck!

The Town of Yucca Valley has joined with the Yucca Valley High School Lady Trojan Volleyball Team to present a thrilling summer youth volleyball camp for girls entering the 6^th through 10^th grades. The camp will take place at the Yucca Valley High School Gymnasium Monday through Thursday, July 9th through the 12th.

Designed to promote skills development and game knowledge in novice and intermediate players, the camp will help athletes improve their game and prepare for junior high or high school team tryouts. Campers will be given individual and group instruction in the fundamentals of volleyball through training sessions, drills and organized games. The program combines skills development, position training, group drills and competition formats with an emphasis on serving, passing, hitting, defense and overall game awareness. Campers will be divided into groups to ensure maximum development. Local coaches and players from the YVHS Lady Trojan Volleyball Team will be directing the camp.

The camp will run from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm and features volleyball instruction and activities from 9:00 am to 12:30 pm; a lunch period from 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm (campers bring a sack lunch); and Fun Swim with the camp team from 1:30 pm to 3:00 pm. No special equipment is required. The camp fee is $70 per player which includes a camp t-shirt and daily pass to the Fun Swim session at the high school pool.

Space is limited so early registration is advised. Registration is accepted online at www.yucca-valley.org or in person at the Yucca Valley Community Center from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday through Thursday. For more information call the Town of Yucca Valley Community Services Department at 369-7211.

29 Palms, CA – The 29 Palms Police Department will be conducting a DUI/Drivers License Checkpoint on June 15, 2012 between the hours of 7:00 p.m. and 3:00 a.m at an undisclosed location. DUI checkpoints are a proven enforcement tool effective in reducing the number of persons killed and injured in alcohol involved crashes. Research shows that crashes involving alcohol drop by an average of 20 percent when well-publicized checkpoints are conducted often enough.

Officers will be contacting drivers passing through the checkpoint and looking for signs of alcohol and/or drug impairment. Officers will also check drivers for proper licensing and will strive to delay motorists only momentarily. Drivers caught driving impaired can expect jail, license suspension, and insurance increases, as well as fines, fees, DUI classes and other expenses that can exceed $10,000.

In 2010, over 10,000 people were killed nationally in motor vehicle traffic crashes that involved at least one driver or motorcycle rider with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08% or higher. In California, this deadly crime led to 791 deaths because someone failed to designate a sober driver. “Over the course of the past three years, DUI collisions have claimed several lives and resulted in serious injury crashes harming many of our friends and neighbors,” said Sgt James Porter.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), checkpoints have provided the most effective documented results of any of the DUI enforcement strategies, while also yielding considerable cost savings of $6 for every $1 spent. Checkpoints are placed in locations that have the greatest opportunity for achieving drunk and drugged driving deterrence and provide the greatest safety for officers and the public.

“Deaths from drunk and drug-impaired driving are going down in California,” said Christopher J. Murphy, Director of the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS).  “But that still means that hundreds of our friends, family and co-workers are killed each year, along with tens of thousands who are seriously injured. We must all continue to work together to bring an end to these tragedies. If you see a Drunk Driver – Call 9-1-1.”

Funding for this checkpoint is provided to 29 Palms Police Department by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, targeting those who still don’t heed the message to designate a sober driver.

Palm Springs, CA – A FREE lecture, ‘What You Should Know About Your Medications’ will be presented at The LGBT Community Center of the Desert (The Center) on Friday, June 1st, at 9 AM as part of The Center’s First Friday Breakfasts.

Presenting the talk will be Lyle Matthews, PharmD, MAM, Director of Pharmacy, and Steven Arendt, MD, Chief Medical Information Officer, of the Eisenhower Medical Center in Rancho Mirage, a health partner with The Center. Following the presentation on what you need to know about your medications and how you can be your own best advocate for your health, the pair will be available to take questions.

“The Center has expanded its health and wellness offerings to the community and this partnership and these speaking engagements by Eisenhower are part of this ongoing partnership,” says Steve Seager, Program and Operations Manager of The Center.

Although the lecture is FREE, a small donation of $3 per person is suggested to help defray the cost of the continental breakfast. To reserve a space, call The Center at 760-416-7790.

Eisenhower Medical Center is a not-for-profit, comprehensive health care institution that includes the 540-bed Eisenhower Hospital, the Barbara Sinatra Children’s Center at Eisenhower, the Annenberg Center for Health Sciences at Eisenhower, and the Betty Ford Center, also located on the Eisenhower campus. Located in Rancho Mirage, and with locations across the valley, Eisenhower has provided a full range of quality medical and

educational services for more than 40 years for residents and visitors to the greater Coachella Valley.

The mission of The Center LGBT Community Center is to enrich the lives of the LGBT community.  A thriving, community-based organization, the Center provides a safe and supportive environment for members to enjoy health, wellness, educational and social programs, where people of all ages and backgrounds are welcome.  The Center advances its mission through senior programming, a clinical counseling and internship program, a weekly food bank, youth suicide prevention and support, extensive social and recreational offerings, a David Bohnett cyber center, a growing volunteer program and periodic special events in the community.