Sidewalk, Streetlight Project Underway

March 8, Mojave, California. Mojave’s largest municipal construction project in recent memory is progressing at full speed. Concrete for the first sidewalks has been poured along Belshaw, K and L Streets, and along Sierra Highway en route to Stater Bros. The first 18 of 50 lights were installed in February, and should be turned on by mid-March. And the remaining curb and gutter and utilities have been added or relocated to make way for this and future development. The entire project should be complete by June 2018.

Sidewalk Streetlight PlanThe sidewalks and streetlights are being installed together in two phases, with the first phase stretching from Panamint to Stater Bros in January to March, and the second phase covering Panamint to Mojave Gardens in March to June. This marks the largest civil engineering project in Mojave in recent memory, adding almost 4 miles worth of new sidewalks along every street in downtown Mojave; plus over a mile of new curb and gutter. About $2 million was necessary over four years to make this project possible, from a diverse set of sources:

  • $1 million in 2018 for sidewalks, which was possible due to a grant from the California Department of Transportation.
  • $500,000 in 2017 for sidewalks, crosswalks and 20 solar streetlights on K-street, a project funded mostly by renewable energy company Terra-Gen.
  • $250,000 in 2015 for curb and gutter, funded by a community block development.
  • $125,000 in 2018 for 50 solar streetlights, raised by The Mojave Foundation, from residents, local businesses and corporate donors.

Streetlight installationThis project is the result of years of collaboration between the Mojave Foundation, Kern County, and the business community in Mojave, which have worked tirelessly to improve safety and security in Mojave. This year, Kern County is expecting each department to take more budget cuts, including fire and police, for the fourth year in a row. This has significantly reduced the number of deputies on the street, and puts more pressure on local communities to take responsibility for their own security. The Mojave Foundation believes that in the absence of additional law enforcement, these streetlights and sidewalks are the best way for our community to address public safety and security. We also view this as the ideal public/private partnership, where the private sector raises the initial funds for community development, and the local government manages the long-term sustainability of the program. We are proud to work with Kern County, our local residents and businesses to make concrete improvements in our community.

Sidewalks and Solar Streetlights Coming to Every Street in Downtown Mojave in early 2018

Mojave, CA – Monday, Nov 27. Construction on a Mojave’s largest municipal infrastructure project in years will begin in January of 2018, according to officials from Kern County. The project includes sidewalks along every street in downtown Mojave, to be joined by 50 solar-powered streetlights installed concurrently along those streets.

The project is the joint venture between Kern County and the Mojave Foundation, with Kern County being responsible for the sidewalk installation and long-term maintenance of the lights, and the Foundation raised $112,000 to purchase the lights from local residents and most businesses operating in Mojave and on the airport. “Our partnership with the Mojave Foundation continues a long track record of Kern County partnering with the private sector and non-profits to improve the safety, health, and quality of life of our residents,” said Zack Scrivner, Kern County Supervisor, Second District. “I applaud the efforts of all involved to bring this needed infrastructure project to completion.”

The Mojave Foundation believes this is the ideal public/private partnership, with local communities as stake-holders in their own municipal investments, and governments contributing to the long-term sustainability of projects. The largest donations for this project came from Terra-Gen Energy, Golden Queen Mine, Northrop Grumman, and the Mojave Marathon, and were made through the Foundation’s 501c3 nonprofit status. 100% of the funds raised over the past three years were directed exclusively to this project.

The lights are provided in partnership with Greenshine New Energy, in Lake Forest, California, who is contributing to support of Mojave’s community development. Greenshine provides municipal lighting to communities all over America, but has taken special interest in the unique aerospace community of Mojave.

The project comes on the heels of another investment by Kern County and local energy companies in the “K-street” project, which brought 20 solar power streetlights and crosswalks to two blocks along K-street.

These investments are designed to stem the rise in pedestrian traffic fatalities as well as stabilize the security situation in our community. Six pedestrians were killed by vehicles since 2013, and three consecutive years of budget cuts have left the Kern County Sheriff’s office with two-thirds fewer deputies in southeast Kern County. There are now about 15 deputies solely in Mojave to cover an area half the size of Connecticut, previously staffed by over 40 deputies in Mojave, Rosamond and Boron. The introduction of Marijuana dispensaries and cultivation has further strained our community, enabled by blighted housing, complicit property-owners, and an eager market. While we cannot fix these public safety problems through law enforcement alone, the least we can do is turn the lights on. Through investments in public infrastructure and targeted recruitment of new storefronts and developers to Mojave, we hope to displace the illicit activity with more sustainable businesses and housing.

About The Mojave Foundation:
The Mojave Foundation is a nonprofit 501c3 organization registered in the state of California dedicated to making Mojave a safe and desirable place to live, work and do business. We do this by raising funds through public and private donors to execute community projects quickly and efficiently. We live and work in Mojave, and are committed to making the community a net asset to the incredible aerospace companies who innovate, fly and test here. We are also committed to environmental and economic sustainability, and believe in lasting public-private partnerships where local stakeholders take responsibility for the future of our community, with critical support from local authorities.

Mojave Fitness Center gets Mojave in Shape!

August 4 – Maryland-based Elevation Corporate Health has reopened the gym at the Mojave Airport Event Center, under new leadership and name, Mojave Fitness Center. Mojave Fitness opened its doors in April, bringing new staff and new classes and fresh amenities to the facility. Mojave Fitness has regular classes, including Bootcamp, Zumba, and Yoga. There is now a full-sized basketball court available to members in the event center, and locker rooms include lockers, showers and benches. The main work-out area is 15,000 square feet, with modern equipment, weights, treadmills, and machines. The gyms is also open 24 hours/7 days a week, with staff and trainers available 6am – 7pm.

For more information call Shaun Woerner or Marisa Lopez at mojavefitness@contactelevation.com, or (661) 749-0956. The facility is at the east end of the Stuart Witt Event Center at 1247 Poole Street on the Airport.

The Mojave Foundation is pleased to welcome Mojave Fitness Center to the Community, and looks forward to welcoming other entrepreneurs and amenities to Mojave, in our quest to improve quality of life.

Mojave Youth Recognized by Congressman Kevin McCarthy

April 17, 2017. Mojave’s own Christion Seymour has been awarded the Award of Merit from Congressman Kevin McCarthy, our U.S. Representative from California’s 23rd District. The Merit Award was created to recognize outstanding high school students who have demonstrated exemplary school citizenship, volunteerism, community service, involvement in extracurricular activities, leadership skills and have earned a GPA of 3.5 or higher. Earlier this year, high school principals were invited to select one outstanding graduating senior per school to receive the award, and Mr. Seymour was selected among a graduating class of 32. Mr. Seymour, 17, is an extremely talented individual, participating in an eclectic range of activities, from band, to the science club, to being a leader on his Champion football team – all while maintaining a 3.8 GPA. Mr. Seymour has lived in Mojave with his proud Mother Katherine since 2010. He has been an active member of his student body and our community, and will be attending William Jessup University in Rocklin, California, near Sacramento. Mr. Seymour plans to major is behavioral science and aspires to be a forensic psychologist for the FBI.

As the Majority Leader, Congressman McCarthy is the second-most senior member of the U.S. House of Representatives, and has represented the 23rd district since 2006, which includes parts of Kern and Inyo Counties. About the award, Rep. McCarthy previously said “This award is intended to honor the achievements of our communities’ best and brightest, recognizing their positive achievements and inspiring all of our students to work toward their goals,” said Congressman McCarthy.  “By coming together and recognizing these students, I believe we help to create a positive community environment that supports the hard work of the next generation’s leaders.”

Panera Bread Coming to Mojave

May 1, 2017. The Mojave Foundation is proud to announce that Panera Bread will be selling box lunches on the Airport every Wednesday starting May 10th from 11:00-1:00. Panera Bread will provide a choice of 5 box lunches out of building-1, at 16922 Airport Blvd, as well as drinks. This is a test case to prove out the concept, and if this works there is a possibility of a more frequent schedule and permanent establishment here in Mojave. The Mojave Foundation is committed to bringing more amenities to our community, and Panera Bread represents a growing number of national brands to express an interest in investing here. We welcome Panera Bread, and encourage all residents and employees to sample the lunches starting Wednesday the 10th.

Mojave’s Downtown Receiving Solar Streetlights This Summer

solar-streetlights-mojaveMojave, CA – Monday, February 15. The Mojave Foundation will partner with Kern County to install up to 50 solar-powered streetlights throughout the downtown area in the summer of 2017. These lights are in addition to the 20 lights Kern County is installing as part of the K street renewal project in March. The goal is for the streetlight installation to coincide with sidewalks being installed through every street in the downtown area. The investment was inspired in part by several pedestrian fatalities involving vehicles after dark. Todd Quelet, Executive Director of The Mojave Foundation said “The lights and the walkways will be the most significant investment in public infrastructure in Mojave in years, and we hope will make the biggest impact to safety and security.”

streetlight-greenshine-brighta-30-dUnder the partnership, Kern County will fund the installation and long-term maintenance of the lights, and the Foundation will purchase the lights with funds raised by donors. “Our partnership with the Mojave Foundation continues a long track record of Kern County’s government partnering with the private sector and non-profits to improve the safety, health and quality of life of our residents,” said Zack Scrivner, Kern County Supervisor, Second District. “I applaud the efforts of all involved to bring this needed infrastructure project to completion.”

The Foundation is working with a solar streetlight vendor, Greenshine New Energy, in Irvine California, who is offering the lights at a discount in support of Mojave’s community development. The Foundation is looking to raise $125,000 by May to purchase the lights, and have them ready for installation by July. “We have already raised about $45,000, thanks to generous donations from residents and local businesses,” said Quelet, “it’s compelling to see such a grass-roots collection of residents and employers investing in the health and safety of our community.”

About The Mojave Foundation:
The Mojave Foundation is a nonprofit 501c3 organization registered in the state of California dedicated to making Mojave a safe and desirable place to live, work and do business. We do this by raising funds through public and private donors to execute community projects quickly and efficiently. We live and work in Mojave, and are committed to making the community a net asset to the incredible aerospace companies who innovate, fly and test here. We are also committed to environmental and economic sustainability, and believe in lasting public-private partnerships where local stakeholders takes responsibility for the future of our community, with critical support from local authorities.

 

Mojave Getting Sidewalks in 2016

Sidewalks County Plan 20151120Nov 20: Kern County Roads announced in September that Mojave won a $0.9 million grant from California Department of Transportation (CalTrans) to bring Sidewalks to Mojave. The grant, part of CalTrans’ “Safe Routes to School” program, will bring sidewalks to every street in downtown Mojave, and ensure children and pedestrians can walk safely and confidently throughout our community. Mojave tied with two other cities in California for the highest score among 617 applications competing for $180 million in state-wide transportation funding. Kern County will also contribute $350,000 to bring the total project to $1.2 million.

Sidewalks - family walkingSidewalks will extend from Sierra Highway to the Airport, and from highway 58 to the overpass on the north end of town. Sidewalks will also be installed along Barstow Road in Mojave Gardens. Construction is expected to begin by the end of 2016.

The Mojave Foundation is proud to have contributed to the this project, and liaised between Kern County Roads, Mojave Unified School District, Kern Country Sheriff’s Office, Mojave Air & Space Port, and a myriad of other stakeholders in the community who wrote dozens of letters of support. The Foundation also looks forward to capitalizing on this progress by restoring Streetlights and other safety improvements in our streets.

Mojave Competing for Sidewalk Grant – Please take survey

Grant 20150427The Mojave Foundation is working with Kern County Roads to apply for a massive sidewalks grant in May of 2015 that would put sidewalks on every street in downtown Mojave, and connect the bike path on Oak Creek Road with K street via the overpass. The sidewalk project would be funded by CalTrans, through the “Safe Routes to School” program. This is a highly competitive grant process with hundreds of communities across the state of California applying. There are two ways you can help us increase our eligibility to win this grant:

Sidewalks - family walking(1) Write a letter to Kern County Roads indicating your support for this project. Click here for a link to an example letter. Email your letter to Kern County Roads Department Director, Bob Neath at bobn@co.kern.ca.us, or mail it to 2700 “M” Street, Suite 400, Bakersfield, CA 93301

(2) fill out the survey below and help us put real data to our claims of usage. Ultimately, we recognize that this is a numbers game, and the more letters, and the more people we can point to who would utilize this infrastructure investment, the more likely we are to win the grant. Please hit “VOTE” after each question to see immediate results:

http://mojavefoundation.polldaddy.com/s/sidewalks-in-mojave

Cerro Coso College: Economics 101 in Mojave this Fall

Cerro Coso FlyerApril 24: This Fall, Cerro Coso Community College will be offering Economics 101 at Mojave High School. This is first time any college has offered Economics in Mojave, and the class will be taught by the Mojave Foundation’s very own Todd Quelet. Todd has been teaching American Government at nights for Cerro Coso in Tehachapi & Edwards AFB, but wanted to bring college-level social sciences here to Mojave. Economics 101 is designed to be a general introduction to basic economic principals – without any of the math or prerequisites. The class is geared toward high school juniors and seniors, college freshmen, and adults who want to get a basic overview of macro, micro and international economics. “I take a lot of pride in making my classes fun and engaging, and providing the students with a foundation they can with them through life.” said Todd Quelet, “I had a professor in college who inspired in me a lifetime of learning in Economics, and I hope to bring the same passion and real-world perspective to students in my own community.”

Economics 101 will be offered Tuesdays and Thursdays at Mojave High School from 5:30 to 6:55 pm. The semester begins August 24th and ends December 12th. Concurrent Enrollment at Cerro Coso is free for most high school students, regardless of high school; and even the books are free for students of Mojave Unified from Mojave or Cal City. Classes are only $140 for non-high school students. Call Kristin Hanle at 661-258-8644 for questions (M-Th 7:30-5:30; F 8-12), or visit the Cerro Coso website at www.cerrocoso.edu.

Scaled Composites, Northrop Grumman; Make Sizable Health & Safety investment in Mojave

Scaled-NG LogoJanuary 5: Mojave based Scaled Composites and parent company Northrop Grumman announced today a $11,250 donation to the Mojave Foundation to be used for health and safety investments in public lighting and streetlights. “This donation should allow us to reach our target of doubling the available lighting in Mojave.” said Todd Quelet, Executive Director of the Mojave Foundation. “These companies are invested here in Mojave, have been for a long time, and they have a stake in the future of this community.”

Mojave at NightToday’s announcement comes on the heels of a wave of break-ins of commercial properties in downtown Mojave, and the tragic death of another pedestrian on Mojave’s busy streets at night. The Mojave Foundation plans to use investments like these to restore much of the public lighting that was removed three years ago, and make our streets substantially safer. Southern California Edison has offered a deal to install streetlights, including poles, for only $15/month, provided customers sign a three-year contract and pay the first year up front. Today’s announcement demonstrates our partners’ resolve to protect our residents and employees from crime and traffic hazards in Mojave.

Scaled Composites, founded by Burt Rutan, has been building experimental and composite aircraft in Mojave since 1982. Scaled employs approximately 550 engineers, technicians and fabricators in Mojave, and is responsible for major projects such as the Voyager, SpaceShipOne, SpaceShipTwo, and Stratolaunch. Scaled’s President, Kevin Mickey, grew up in Mojave, and sits on the Board of Directors for the Mojave Foundation. Scaled was acquired by Northrop Grumman in 2007, a major aerospace and defense technology company headquartered in West Falls Church, Virginia.