The Desert Hot Springs monthly Chamber of Commerce Mixer was hosted by Family Services of the Desert and Food Now, benefiting the Coachella Valley Christmas Store.
More great photos of the event by Bruce Montgomery; just click for slide-show!
Christmas Chamber Mixer at Family Services of the Desert and Food Now
Filming The Night Crew in DHS
The Night Crew, a production of Premiere Entertainment, is currently being filmed at the former Flamingo Hotel in Desert Hot Springs.
Stars include Paul Sloan, Luke Goss, Lucina Faulhaber and Chasty Ballesteros.
As producer Ryan Noto commented, the Coachella Valley and Desert Hot Springs in particular provide the perfect location to depict a border town setting.
The Desert Hot Springs Film Commission assisted Premiere Entertainment in finding locations that met their requirements.
Photo Slideshow of the event by Bruce Montgomery; just click!
Guide Dogs of the Desert held its 7th annual Heroes Brunch
Guide Dogs of the Desert held its 7th annual Heroes Brunch at the Omni Rancho Las Palmas Resort and Spa on December 7th. The event honored Dusty Wings of the Desert for their long standing support of Guide Dogs. Arriving guests could have their photo taken with one of the many guide dogs that were present at the luncheon. Dogs could be recognized by their blue jackets.
Bridgitte Davis was honored with the Hero Award trophy for Dusty Wings of the Desert who has been a major supporter of Guide Dogs for 18 years. Videos were shown before and during lunch. Guide Dog owner Carl Ruiz and his dog Trooper were in one of the Videos telling about how Trooper has changed his life. The dog has given him a chance at a more normal life that most of us take for granted.
The Desert Hot Springs High School Marine Corps Junior ROTC Cadet Color Guard presented the flags. Lt. Commander Dennis Wheeler, USN gave the Pledge of Allegiance and also led the guests in prayer. Retired Palm Springs Chief of Police was emcee and auctioneer for the Paw Print artistry paintings made by puppies that were auctioned off during the live auction. Executive Director of Guide Dogs of the Desert, Sarah Clapp made the presentation of the Hero Award, the opening and closing remarks.
Dusty Wings supplied all of the Silent Auction items where all proceeds will go toward the training, graduation and presentation of Guide Dogs to blind and disabled persons and veterans. The School provides the training for both dogs and new owners to make sure they are going to work together for the benefit of both, dog and veteran.
The McCallum Theatre in Palm Desert held its annual fundraising dinner and Gala
The McCallum Theatre in Palm Desert held its annual fundraising dinner and Gala on Tuesday Dec. 3rd. There were full Gala Tickets available for a select number that included Dinner at four local restaurants prior to the concert. Restaurants were Cuistot, Jillian’s, La Spiga and Wally’s. Tickets could be purchased for the concert only.
The Gala honored former founder and chairman of the Board of the McCallum Theatre, Wayne Prim. Co-chairs were Helene Galen, Vice-Chair and Harold Matzner, Chairman of the board of Trustees. Over 1.1 Million dollars were raised at this years gala. It was noted that even during the financial crisis of the last few years, the McCallum Theatre has been able to stay in the black for 12 years.
Featured headline performers were Chris Mann from the VOICE tv show and Katherine Jenkins who was recently on Dancing with the Stars. They were accompanied by a 60 piece orchestra led by Richard Kaufman. Surprise guests, The Ten Tenors, appeared during the concert to sing Waltzing Matilda with the other 2 headline performers.
Chris Mann sang some classical songs like Vivala Vida and Falling. His album Roads was #1 on Heatseekers Chart billboard and he appeared on a TV show favorite, GLEE. Katherine Jenkins made a splash as runner-up contestant on Dancing with the Stars season 14. Katherine has released nine albums and performed at the Queens Coronation Festival at Buckingham Palace in England. She is a classical cross-over artist and sang Granada, I could have Danced All Night and Gypsy Dance to name a few.
All proceeds fund theatre operations that bring art educational programs to over 40,000 educators and schoolchildren each year. Money raised will also bring world-class entertainers to the stage for the 150,000 visitors that attend these performances each year.
‘Lie of the Year’ prize goes to Obama
It’s probably not the kind of recognition he wanted to receive, but President Barack Obama has been awarded PolitiFact’s “Lie of the Year” for 2013.
The infamous prize, handed out annually by the fact-checking website PolitiFact, was given to Obama because of his statements claiming that Americans would be able to keep their health insurance under the Affordable Care Act if they liked their plan.
“If you like your health care plan, you can keep it,” Obama said on numerous occasions over the years. Soon after cancellation notices began arriving in American mailboxes this fall – more than four million people have seen their coverage cancelled at this point, largely due to the fact that their coverage did not reach the ACA’s minimum requirements – Obama denied that such a promise was made, saying he actually meant that plans could be kept only if they hadn’t changed since the health care law was passed.
Obama’s explanation didn’t pass muster, however, especially since he’d been captured on video promising that health care plans would stay in place at least two dozen times. Facing public backlash, Obama apologized and unveiled a one-year plan to allow insurers keep selling existing plans that are about to be cancelled.
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“We weren’t as clear as we needed to be, in terms of the changes that were taking place, and I want to do everything we can to make sure that people are finding themselves in a good position,” Obama said in a November interview with NBC News. “I am sorry that they are finding themselves in this situation, based on assurances they got from me.”
Since his promise was deemed false, the president’s approval ratings have declined sharply. Larry Sabato of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia told PolitiFact that Obama’s credibility can be restored over time with effective implementation of the law, but that he faces a significant challenge.
“A whole series of presidents developed credibility gaps, because people didn’t trust what they were saying anymore,” he said. “Once you lose the trust of a substantial part of the American public, how do you get it back?”
Once again, the ACA dominated PolitiFact’s fact-checking efforts. This is the fourth time in the past five years that a quote related to the law has won Lie of the Year, and the website’s Reader’s Poll results were no exception. Fifty-nine percent agreed that Obama’s statement took the top prize, but the next three runner-ups were from the law’s opponents.
In second place was Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) for his statement that Congress was exempt from the ACA. Congresswoman Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) came in third place for her allegation that the IRS would keep “a national database” of Americans’ health care secrets, and conservative commentator Ann Coulter took fourth for asserting that no U.S.-trained doctor would accept Obamacare.
Overall, seven out of the 10 lies selected by PolitiFact’s readers were related to the ACA.
Pope Francis named Time’s ‘Person of the Year 2013’
Pope Francis, the first Jesuit pontiff, elected nine months ago, was named Time magazine’s Person of the Year for 2013, leaving whistleblower Edward Snowden in second place, the magazine revealed on Wednesday.
The iconic title goes each year to the one chosen by prominent US magazine Time as the individual who had the most influence on the world and news over the year.
“For pulling the papacy out of the palace and into the streets, for committing the world’s largest church to confronting its deepest needs and for balancing judgment with mercy, Pope Francis is TIME’s 2013 Person of the Year,” as managing editor, Nancy Gibbs, explained the magazine’s choice.
“He took the name of a humble saint and then called for a church of healing.”
“The first non-European pope in 1,200 years is poised to transform a place that measures change by the century,” Time wrote about the Argentinian, who outran former NSA contractor and whistleblower Edward Snowden, who took second place.
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The Vatican reacted to the news saying that the pontiff is not looking for fame.
“The Holy Father is not looking to become famous or to receive honors. But if the choice of Person of the Year helps spread the message of the gospel – a message of God’s love for everyone – he will certainly be happy about that” said Vatican spokesman, Father Federico Lombardi, as cited by “Today”.
Following Pope Benedict’s resignation, the first retirement from the holy post in 600 years, Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina became the first Latin American pope in history.
Pope Francis has been at the center of public attention since he took office in March, showing more openness, compared to the previous pontiffs.
Since then he has shaped the global conversation on religion, urging the Church to be more welcoming, less cold and dogmatic.
First, the Pope criticized the Church which had “locked itself up in small things, in small-minded rules” and should not be so prone to condemn.
Then the pontiff, called the people’s pope, caused surprise with his words about women and abortions due to poverty or rape, saying “who can remain unmoved before such painful situations?”
Or by his attitude towards homosexuality: ‘If a homosexual person is of good will and is in search of God, I am no one to judge.”
These words contrast starkly the position of his predecessor, Benedict, who fiercely condemned gay rights, calling same-sex relationships an intrinsic disorder.
The people appreciate Pope Francis, who turns 77 next Tuesday, for his modesty. For instance, he refused to use the traditional Mercedes previous popes drove, in favor of a 1984 Renault 4 economy car. Meanwhile, as a cardinal he is said to have used the subway.
His public acts of humility, from washing the feet of criminals to embracing a disfigured man, have reshaped the attitudes of many people to the Catholic Church.
“What makes this Pope so important is the speed with which he has captured the imaginations of millions who had given up on hoping for the church at all,” Time said in its cover story.