Category Archives: Mojave CA

Cerro Coso to Offer College Classes in Mojave

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CCCCAugust 14: Mojave Unified School District (MUSD) struck a partnership with Cerro Coso Community College (CCCC) to bring college course to Mojave and Cal City. CCCC will be offering Biology at Mojave High School on Mondays and Wednesdays from 5:30 to 8:40 pm. The course will be four credits, and run from August 23rd to December 13th. 

CCCC is also offering course at Cal City high school such as CPR training on August 20th for half a credit, and 6.5 credits of Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) training Mondays and Wednesday from 5:10 to 10:15 pm. This fall, students at Cal City high school will also have access to four credits of college English, offered Monday through Friday from 8:14 to 9:10 am, taught by Denise Gionta.

CCCC course will also be available at Edwards Air Force Base, such as Political Science, Intermediate Algebra and Speech classes. We applaud MUSD’s efforts to partner with CCCC and encourage MUSD to expand their offering of collegiate courses in both Mojave and Cal City.

Recurrent Hearing on 19AUG

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20140318 CarOn Tuesday August 19th the Board of Supervisors will decide whether to issue Recurrent Energy a conditional use permit and zoning change to install a massive 262 acre solar project just west of Hwy-14 and north of Camelot Blvd. The community of Mojave is universally opposed to this project due to the dust and corresponding health risks, since the project is only 1,400 feet upwind of a densely populated area of Mojave Gardens and downtown Mojave.

20140318 DustResidents and property owners are encouraged to go to the hearing in Bakersfield on the 19th at 2pm. There will be a video teleconference set up at the Vets hall on O St in Mojave, and there will also be rides to transport people to Bakersfield to demonstrate their concern over this issue. Residents interested in going to Bakersfield in person will meet at the Vets hall at 12:00 on the 19th, departing promptly at 12:30.

20140318 SignMojave is supportive of renewable energy, but residents and civic organizations and businesses are united in their position that this is the wrong location for this project. We cannot risk the health and safety of our children and elderly, and the thousands of long-term jobs that have been created in Mojave in the last several years.

Habitat for Humanity Starts Building in Mojave!

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IMG_20140809_101858_232August 9: For the first time in Mojave, Habitat for Humanity is in the process of rehabilitating a house in downtown Mojave. The house, 15556 K Street, is on the southeast corner of K and Trinity and was recently donated to Habitat by the family of the previous owner. The house, is undergoing massive restoration, including reinforcing and pouring a new foundation, a totally renovated kitchen, all new windows and doors, and updated bathroom, new roof, walls and interior paint. Habitat’s full time construction manager Eric Mosby is on site five days a week, Tuesday through Saturday, coordinating new construction and materials.

IMG_20140809_101944_431This branch of Habitat is located in Bakersfield, and is looking for volunteers from Mojave community to help out during the week, and especially on Saturday. If Habitat can get greater community participation they can rehabilitate additional homes in Mojave; and if there is overwhelming community support there is the possibility of new home construction.

habitat-for-humanity-logoThe Mojave Foundation is an avid supporter of Habitat for Humanity, a nonprofit 501c3 organization headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia dedicated to restoring and constructing safe, healthy housing to families around the world. Recipients of Habitat homes must be employed and undergo an extensive screening process. Contrary to popular myth, homeowners purchase the home, which is relatively inexpensive due to volunteer labor and donated materials, but are responsible for maintaing the property and are required to invest substantial levels of “sweat equity”. If you are interested in volunteering, please call Habitat’s volunteer coordinator, Pat Rhodes at 661-861-8449, or email at hfh-pat@sbcglobal.net. Click here for the global Habitat for Humanity organization; click here for the Bakersfield Habitat for Humanity branch.

Mojave Community Garden Survey

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Community gardens are pieces of land where plants are grown and maintained by a group of individuals in the community. They are generally divided into plots for individual, family, or group use, and can host a variety of community events.

The Revitalize Mojave Vision Plan outlined how community gardens would add value to Mojave, and address several of its critical needs. The Mojave Foundation, whose mission is to encourage grassroots development of Mojave, is well placed to organize and execute the development and construction of a community garden.

We need your input to develop Mojave’s community garden into a useful and valuable space!

Please follow the link to the following survey.

 

Recurrent Solar Project: Back Again

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20140318 CarMay 25: Recurrent Energy has made arrangements to initiate a “demonstration project” just south of the proposed Yakima project. The announcement came at the Mojave Chamber of Commerce meeting on May 22, despite assurances from Kern County that the project was in “deep freeze”. According to Recurrent’s Seth Israel the demonstration project will be much smaller than the Yakima project, only 22 acres, and located at Purdy and Holt in southwest Mojave. The demonstration project will only mow the vegetation instead of grade it, and will include fencing around the area to block the wind and reduce fugitive dust. The project will also be monitored by a contractor hired by Recurrent to measure air quality and particulate matter at a time of year with mild wind. The results of this data will be used in future months to persuade the Board of Supervisors to issue the zoning changes and conditional use permit that will allow Recurrent to break ground on its much larger 262 acre Yakima solar project.

Yakima Dust ImpactThe Mojave Foundation is an avid supporter of Solar Energy but we are opposed to the location of the Yakima solar project, which poses a health and safety risk to our residents. The proposed Yakima project is only 1,400 feet upwind of a densely populated area (Mojave Gardens), as well as a trailer park, the Sheriff’s Office, CHP, Hotels, and millions of dollars of investment on the Mojave Air & Space Port. We also reject the scientific method which is being used, since the measurements will be taken at a time of year that is far less-windy than the time when construction would begin on Yakima, and we do not consider the experiment to be objective since it was designed and conducted by Recurrent’s own contractor, Environ. This project poses too grave a health risk to the children and elderly directly downwind, as evidenced these pictures taken throughout the month of April of Recurrent’s Columbia-I and II projects, despite the acre foot of water spent daily (2 million gallons per week) to control dust. We urge residents and interested parties to write letters to the Kern County Planning Department to voice their concerns at georgej@co.kern.ca.us or 2700 M Street, Suite 100, Bakersfield, CA 93301-2323.

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Desert Truck Hosts Community Class; Celebrates 30 years

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Desert Truck ClassMay 15: Mojave’s own Desert Truck Service hosted a free class on air brake repair open to the entire community. The class was taught by a representative of Haldex Group, a leading supplier of air brake parts and components for heavy trucks. “We put this class on about once a year” said Brenda Segal, co-owner of Desert Truck Service. “It’s open to anybody who wants to learn about air brakes and heavy truck repair.”

Desert Truck Service is also hiring. Located on Hwy-58, just across from the Mojave Air & Space Port, Desert Truck celebrated 30 years in Mojave on April 13, and they have been a reliable job creator and community partner. “We never take down our Help Wanted sign” said Mrs. Segal. Qualified applicants need only be 25 years old with a California drivers license, clean driving record, and drug free. Desert Truck is typically looking for technicians, service writers, or drivers, and is always willing to train new skills. The Mojave Foundation congratulates Desert Truck Service on 30 years in Mojave, and salutes their commitment to the community.

Housing Repair Grants Available in Mojave

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USDA Home Repair Grant & Loan Program

USDA Home Repair Program USDAThe U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has a housing grant up to $7,500 for Kern County residents who are (a) low income, (b) own their own home, and (c) at least 62 years old. Qualified recipients must use licensed contractors, and use the money for home repairs such as broken windows, roofing, and health & safety upgrades. Applicants must also live in the home being repaired and demonstrate “low” or “very low” income (see below).

The USDA also has low interest loans up to $20,000 available to residents who are (a) low income, and (b) own their own home. Loans have an interest rate of 1 percent, and the payback period for loan is up to 20 years. Qualified recipients must also have an acceptable credit history, including no collections, judgments, liens, or delinquent federal debts.

For questions contact Mary Norton at the USDA branch in Bakersfield at 661-336-0976 (ext. 133), or Mary.Norton@USDA.CA.GOV. Click here for an application. Kern County Income Requirements: The Mojave Foundation believes that basic home repair is critical to providing a safer and healthier community, and inspiring greater pride in our community. We are willing to help residents fill out applications and win grants or loans to repair their houses. For help, contact Marlena Rowely at Marlena@MojaveFoundation.org

USDA Very Low Income

Residents Unite; Cleanup Western Village

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WV Cleanup - Milton dumpMay 23: Residents throughout Mojave joined forces on Friday morning to embark on a massive project to clean up the entire Western Village neighborhood in Mojave. About 30 volunteers, mostly from the affected neighborhood, removed couches, mattresses, and garbage from the streets and alleyways of Edwin, Arthur and Milton streets. Four County agencies contributed to this effort including Code Compliance, Waste Management, County Roads and the Kern County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO). Most of the volunteers were informed of the event during a door-to-door campaign conducted by The Mojave Foundation the previous Monday. The volunteers also inspired many neighbors to come outside during the cleanup with their kids and relatives and start picking up their own yards. The Mojave Foundation is confident that the local residents are now invested in helping to KEEP the neighborhood clean and make this cleanup sustainable.

WV Cleanup - EdwinFriday’s cleanup was a joint effort between The Mojave Foundation, local volunteers and four County agencies. Code Compliance provided the trash bags and gloves, Waste Management provided access to the dump, KCSO proved the CSU volunteers for security, and most importantly, Kern County Roads provided three dump trucks and five drivers, which was critical this event. County Roads employees – some of which are from Mojave – hauled away 11 dump-truck loads in less than 3 hours (equivalent to about 25 pickup trucks full). Under the leadership of Mojave Roads Foreman, Dan Duckworth, volunteers were able to work at maximum efficiency for three hours, removing every mattress, couch, and fire hazard in Western Village. The Mojave Foundation considers this a “force multiplier”, and salutes Mr. Duckworth and his crew’s professionalism and proficiency.

WV Cleanup - MiltonThe Mojave Foundation would also like to credit Leon Ryder for conceiving of Friday’s cleanup, and inspiring residents and volunteers all over Mojave to pitch in. Mr. Ryder, who spontaneously decided to paint over some graffiti in his neighborhood several months ago, has inspired a grass-roots miniature revolution in Western Village and all over Mojave. Mr. Ryder and The Mojave Foundation are now working directly with residents and Kern County General Services to remove graffiti immediately and efficiently. The Mojave Foundation salutes Mr. Ryder’s “leadership by example” and countless volunteers who made this and other cleanups possible. For more information on how you can volunteer fill out one of our volunteer forms. Click here for information on how you can donate to the cause.

Mojave Remembers the Fallen

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Memorial Day - Reece 2014May 26: Mojave remembered the the fallen on this Memorial Day, in the Mojave Cemetery. The event was organized by Mojave’s own Cathy Hansen, and featured speakers Doug Clipperton, of the Mojave Chamber of Commerce, Flora Belle Reece, who transported fighter planes across the country in WWII, and Captain Todd Quelet, a Civil Affairs Officer and veteran of Afghanistan. Mr. Clipperton described the sacrifices that that his father endured as a B-17 pilot in WWII, and the hundreds of pilots lost in service to their cause. Ms Reece described the events of Pearl Harbor through the eyes of Admiral Nimitz, and despite the thousands of lives lost, how the United States emerged from that tragedy with remarkable luck, perseverance and determination.

Memorial Day - Quelet 2014CPT Quelet commemorated  the service men and women and civilians who have given their last full measure of devotion in the service of their country in Iraq and Afghanistan. He explained how they died promoting “American” values abroad, but that these values are so universal that they transcend any one country, and belong to the world. CPT Quelet went on to call on the living to honor the dead by continuing their work here at home by investing in our own communities. (To see a video of the speech click here.)

Queens Campaign for Cleanup on Friday May 23rd

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Mojave QueensMay 19: The Mojave Queens teamed up with the Mojave Foundation and several local volunteers to knock on doors in Western Village, to tell residents about a cleanup in that Neighborhood on Friday, May 23rd at 8:00 a.m. Mojave Queens included Miss Mojave, Merysa Rangel, a junior at Mojave High; Ana Marquiz, Miss Junior Mojave; and Rhaylene Joaquin, Little Miss Mojave. “We all need to pull together to keep this place clean” said volunteer Isaac Martin, a junior at Mojave High, “These guys are trying to do a good thing, and we all need to pitch in.” Mojave’s own volunteer police squad, Citizen Service Unit (CSU), also participated, providing security and overwatch while our volunteers walked door to door.

Before - Edwin-2The cleanup on Friday will target three areas in Western Village that have accumulated garbage and furniture for years, including the desert and alley behind Edwin Street, and the apartments on Milton. The Mojave Foundation is determined to partner with local residents in the affected area to help remove the trash and keep the neighborhood clean once and for all. Volunteers also passed out information on Neighborhood Watch and graffiti consent forms, which allow The Mojave Foundation to remove graffiti immediately with the permission of the property owner. The Mojave Foundation would also like thank Leon Ryder for organizing the door-to-door campaign and the cleanup this Friday.