It’s been two years since Coachella Valley Impresario Derrik Lewis, creator and producer of the popular musical format known as “Musical Chairs”, lowered his baton and thanked his many loyal fans and patrons from the stage of the Annenberg Theatre saying that “Musical Chairs” would be back for an eleventh season.  However, due to the country’s economic doldrums and recession, he just didn’t know it would take two years to accomplish it.

     But all that’s behind him now.  With the economy beginning to recover, the signs of the times indicated that the eleventh season was indeed going to happen, and happen it did, with pizzazz and style.  On February 29^th, fourteen professional performers and Show Host Lewis took the stage of the Indian Wells Theater, in Palm Desert and presented a first class tribute to the legendary composer/songwriter Jimmy Van Huesen (Frank Sinatra’s favorite composer), with a show entitled “Polka Dots and Moonbeams: The music of Jimmy Van Heusen”.

Lewis filled the stage with familiar faces and local performing favorites including:  Francesca Amari, Darci Daniels, Michael Holmes, Deryl Jon Bair, Roger Bates, Joel Baker, Rick Eisenhart (known as the Desert Blend Quartette), Diane Burt, Theresa Danne, long time desert favorite, Baritone Richard Leibell, who recently moved back to the desert from Minneapolis, plus Lewis’ newest discovery Patrick Arendall, and the dance duo of Evan Knapp and Julia Olsen-Rodriguez.  The entire company brilliantly performed the thirty-seven songs and numbers, under the musical direction of Johnny Morris, one the country’s finest musical directors.

     It was a musical evening to remember.  And the toe-taping audience made sure the stars on the stage knew how much they were appreciated.  Everyone was musically transported back in time to a kinder and gentler America.  It was an era that sported such hit songs as: ”Swinging On A Star”, enthusiastically performed by the Musical Chairs singers, “All The Way”, sung by Michael Holmes, “High Hopes” sung by Joel Baker and the company, “Call Me Irresponsible”, again by Holmes, and all these wonderful songs were Academy Award winners from the pen of Jimmy Van Heusen. 

       The best news of all is that “Musical Chairs” is definitely back for its eleventh exciting season.  Coming Wednesday, April 4^th is the Second Encore Concert, “I Love A Piano!” starring six world-class pianists in their salute to classical, ragtime, and jazz piano music.  Pianists Gale Enger, Johnny Morris, Robert Glenn, Derrik Lewis, Joel Baker, and Noah Yaghoubian will tickle the ivories presenting their interpretations of great music for the piano.  The show, also features singers Erik Bradley, Patty Gallagher, Elaine Wang-Meyerhoffer, Fleet Easton, Jean Sorf, Patrick Reese, Esther Yaghoubian, and Hanna Yaghoubian, along with Les Michaels and Jeff Stover.  “I Love A Piano” will feature a special appearance by noted jazz singer Mara Getz.  It should be an evening that music lovers will not want to miss.

     For reservations and ticket information call 760-883-1800.

Charlotte, USA 10 March 2012: Lena Schoneborn (GER) has produced a near perfect day to clinch the first gold of the year at World Cup #1 in Charlotte, USA.

Relay for Life 2012, a 24-hour relay-style walk-athon, is a fund raiser for the American Cancer Society in which participants walk around a track for 24 hours. The events are held overnight to represent the fact that cancer never sleeps. Members of each team take turns walking around the track while their team members cheer them on from their camps alongside the track. There are also food, games and activities to provide entertainment and fundraising opportunities during the family-friendly event. Because it‚s a relay-style event, team members are not required to be there the entire 24 hours, but most find it‚s so much fun they find it hard to leave.

In past years, Relay for Life Morongo Basin has been held at the Yucca Valley High School Track, but this year, the track will be undergoing maintenance, and so the Relay for Life has been moved. The 2012 Relay for Life will be held at the Twentynine Palms Junior High School Track, 5798 Utah Trail, across from Luckie Park, April 21-22.

The schedule for the Relay for Life Morongo Basin starts with a „surprise‰ birthday party for survivors on Saturday, April 14, with the time and location still to be announced.

The Relay for Life event starts with a Survivors‚ Breakfast at 8 a.m. on Saturday, April 21, at the Junior High School track. The actual Relay starts at 9 a.m. with a Survivors Lap, an inspirational time when survivors are invited to circle the track together and help everyone celebrate their victories over cancer. Care givers are also recognized and celebrated at Relay For Life. These individuals give their time, love, and support to friends, family, neighbors, and coworkers who face cancer.

At 8 p.m., when it‚s dark, the Luminaria Ceremony honors those who have been touched by cancer and remembers the loved ones who have been lost to the disease. Candles are lit inside bags filled with sand, with each bag bearing the name of a person touched by cancer. Participants often walk a lap in silence.

Finally, there is the Fight Back Ceremony, at 9 a.m. Sunday, April 22. Participants make a personal commitment to save lives by taking up the fight against cancer. That personal commitment may be as simple as getting a screening test, quitting smoking, or talking to elected officials about cancer. By taking action, people are personally taking steps to save lives and fight back against a disease that takes too much

KCDZ-FM Z107.7 Radio is a major sponsor of the event and will broadcast live from the event for the entire 24 hours. For more information about participating in the Relay for Life, contact Cathy Inscore at c_j_inscore@yahoo.com or Diane Durden at durden_dm@yahoo.co

On Friday, March 23,  at 7 pm. Film and TV actress Joyce Bulifant will be the guest for the evening as we screen an episode of the 1962 TV Program WIDE COUNTRY.  Bulifant appeared as the guest star in this episode.

Joyce Bulifant’s acting career spans over 50 years as she appeared in movies such as THE HAPPIEST MILLIONAIRE, AIRPLANE, and the recent film DIRTY LOVE.  Her television credits are even more extensive, having appeared regularly on such series as THE MARY TYLER MOORE SHOW, THE BILL COSBY SHOW, FLO, FACTS OF LIFE, WEIRD SCIENCE, DR. KILDARE and others.

National Public Radio Film Critic Randy Fischer will interview Bulifant after the screening.  The audience will be invited to ask questions after the interview.

A vintage film print will be screened.

THE WIDE COUNTRY will be presented one-night-only on Friday, March 23, at 7 pm  at The Bijou Cinema.  The Bijou Cinema is located at 57482 Onaga Trail in Yucca Valley.  Admission is $ 10 per person.

For information and to join the society go to the website www.meetup.com/DESERT-CLASSIC-FILM-SOCIETY   Seating is limited.  Reservations are recommended and can be made on the website.  There is no charge to become a member.

For other information contact Christopher Perry at 760-365-0475.

The Friends of the Palm Springs Public Library (FOPSL) are excited to be hosting a Spring Book Sale this year in March.  The dates for the book sale are Saturday and Sunday, March 24th – 25th from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. with a special members-only opening on Friday evening, March 23rd from 4:00-7:00 p.m.  Memberships can be purchased at the door to gain entry into this members-only pre-sale event.

The Friends, a non-profit 501(c)3 organization, will be hosting the sale at the JC Frey building, located directly to the east and across the parking lot from the Library on Baristo Road. Street parking near the building is available and encouraged.

There will be thousands of books for sale plus books on tape, CDs, and DVDs; all at incredible bargain prices!  All proceeds from the sale will benefit the Palm Springs Public Library.

The Friends of the Palm Springs Public Library (FOPSL) are enthusiastic Library supporters who promote an informed interest in the Library and encourage and administer dues, gifts and bequests to the Library.  The Friends sponsor a book club and several fund raising programs and service events to help raise money or materials for the Library.

The City of Palm Springs has a wonderful history of valuing library services. As far back as 1919, well before incorporation, the residents had established a public library in a small adobe building. As the village grew, the citizens followed the library through more than 12 different locations. With over 120,000 individual items, the Palm Springs Public Library has the largest collection in the Valley. The Library is located at 300 S. Sunrise Way, on the corner of Sunrise Way and Baristo Road, one of the anchors of Sunrise Park and a destination for residents and visitors alike. For more information call 760-322-READ or log on to www.palmspringslibrary.org .

29 Palms, CA – The 29 Palms Police Department will be conducting a DUI/Drivers License Checkpoint on March 17, 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 Californian, 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 manyof 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.