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.

 

The Mojave Foundation Selected as Featured Non-profit Organization by The Kern Community Foundation

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The Mojave Foundation was notified today that it has been selected as one of the featured non-profit organizations that will be highlighted at a Philanthropy on Tap event at Imbibe Wine Bar in Bakersfield this fall.  The Kern Community Foundation has been an indispensable resource for The Mojave Foundation and many other local community-based organizations throughout Kern County.

According to their website, The Kern Community Foundation is known as:

  • a home for local philanthropists.
  • a results-oriented grantmaker.
  • a trusted community leader.

And are in business:

  • to serve as a charitable resource for local donors and corporations.
  • to generate capital that provides philanthropic solutions to help make Kern County a better place to live, to work and to visit.

The Mojave Foundation is honored to have been selected from the numerous other applicants.  Stay tuned for more details!

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Ignite your Health with Abundant Harvest Organics

Abundant Harvest Organics is excited to offer you a quick and easy way to get your hands on local, organic and seasonally grown produce.  Also available are organic meat (beef, chicken, turkey, fish, pork), organic dairy (including butter, cheese, raw milk and pastured eggs) and nuts, beans and herbs. Delivered to you right here at the Mojave Air and Space Port, saving you time and money to help simplify your life!  Abundant Harvest Organics is an alliance of small family farmers who are dedicated to growing superior organic produce.

Currently, the delivery date is Wednesdays from 3:30-4:30. Small boxes (for 2-4 people) are $24.80 and large boxes (for 4-6 people) are $40.30.  You can also customize your delivery schedule to allow for vacations, or even set up every-other-week deliveries.  Visit the Abundant Harvest Organics website to sign up.

(Special Thanks to Jaime Nieto for sharing this information!)

Mojave Makes a Great Filming Location!

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http://vimeo.com/98564594

In October 2013, crews arrived in Mojave to take advantage of the prime filming location at the old aluminum extruding plant on Holt Ave. At that time, the director, Karl Richter stated “This warehouse and the desert backdrop… this location was just perfect.” One actor even suggested that land owners in Mojave advertise their properties in Hollywood, and that Mojave start a catalog of interesting locations here in Mojave. The Mojave Foundation would like to thank Mr. Richter, Russell Greene, and all the staff and actors who came to Mojave to film this movie, and we look forward to helping other film makers find interesting locations here in Mojave to make their movie magic.

This video is the final product.

Graffiti Removal

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Leon Ryder once again beat the Mojave heat and tackled some graffiti that plagued our small desert town. The Mojave Foundation would like to thank Mr. Ryder and his efforts to rid this town of the unnecessary and unwanted blight. If you have any interest in helping Leon Ryder or the efforts of The Mojave Foundation, please call our office at 661-749-0940.After

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.

20140318 Truck 20140318 Sign 20140318 Hwy 20140318 Dust

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.)