IN BRIEF, October 25, 2022
City Council meeting cancelled, Indian Cove organizes and District 4 race hits final stretch
OCTOBER 25th CITY COUNCIL MEETING CANCELLED
The last City Council meeting before the November 8 election is cancelled. The next scheduled Council meeting is scheduled for 6pm on election day. Since Council members are generally unavailable to City residents outside of Council meetings, this means that four weeks will have passed since the public was last able to address their elected officials.
INDIAN COVE KICKS OFF NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZING
The Twentynine Palms neighborhood of Indian Cove has kicked off a campaign to organize its residents. The roots of the campaign lie in the potential development of a resort on a 218 acre parcel on the Joshua Tree National Park border southeast of the intersection of Indian Cove Rd. and Sullivan Rd.
Indian Cove joins residents in Wonder Valley and Flamingo Heights in being spurred to action by developments offering vacation accommodations. In addition to the proposed development, Indian Cove residents point to a lack of City amenities, density of short term vacation rentals and a recent proliferation of two story construction as issues facing their neighborhood.
Indian Cove also lacks representation on the Planning Commission, and was divided between District 1 and District 2 when Council districts were drawn in 2017-2018. United in 2022 redistricting, they will have the opportunity to vote as a neighborhood for Council for the first time in 2024.
Indian Cove residents interested in joining a neighborhood mailing list should contact indiancoveneighbors@gmail.com.
Is your Twentynine Palms neighborhood organizing? Write us at DesertTrumpet29@gmail.com.
DISTRICT 4 CANDIDATES TOUT ENDORSEMENTS
As the race between incumbent Karmolette O’Gilvie and challenger Octavious Scott enters the final two weeks, both are touting far-right conservative endorsements. O’Gilvie has the approval of conservative Republican Congressman and presidential election denier Jay Obernolte, while Scott has the support of The Lincoln Club of the Morongo Basin, known for their Hi-Desert Star ads against vaccine mandates and the teaching of slavery and equity. The Lincoln Club also supports the Pacific Justice Institute which has been branded an "anti-LGBT hate group"1 . Both endorsements would seem at odds with the platforms of the candidate’s respective political parties, O’Gilve being a Democrat and Scott, a Libertarian.
While Scott has been ubiquitous on the campaign trail, O’Gilvie is relying on her presence at City Council and selected City events. Scott answered several questions for Desert Trumpet, while repeated emails to O’Gilve have been met with silence. O’Gilve recently appeared on the z107.7’s Up Close show, but an analysis of the transcript revealed that she spoke for just 13% of the show, being overshadowed by City Manager Frank Luckino (36%). The show’s host, Gary Daigneault, used up the most airspace at 42%.
Here at Desert Trumpet, we don’t understand how District 4 voters will make an informed choice when one candidate barely speaks.