The Desert Independent

Serving Blythe, California & the Desert Regions of the Southwest


HOME


Archives


Advertise
in
The Desert Independent



The Desert Independent

Publisher

Bob Winkler
Robert Winkler

Click to Email: Publisher

Reporting/Editorials

Bob Jensen
Bob Jensen
Click to Email: Robert Jensen

Editor/Webmaster

Elaine Littlefield

Elaine Littlefield
Click to Email: Elaine Littlefield

Book Reviews


Clark Isaacs
Click to Email: Clark Isaacs

Contributor


Dr. Howard Markle
Click to Email: Dr. Howard Markle

Cartoons/Drawings

Kamensky

Marian Kamensky

Click to Email: Marian Kamensky

Click photo for more information about
our staff.



                                       

The Desert Independent The Desert Independent
 
 

Thursday, September 02, 2010

 
 

New-and-Improved Report Cards

A Report from the Parent Meeting of the Unified School District

By Robert E. Jensen
The Desert Independent

August 31, 2010

BLYTHE, Calif – A total of 11 parents, one student, six administrators and one journalist attended the poorly advertised meeting convened at the Palo Verde USD District Office for the purpose of rolling out the newest version of the much-maligned Standards-Based Report Cards for the edification of the parents of the community. This sales pitch did not go over well as more than one parent departed early in disgust at the lack of respect shown to the wishes of the leaders of the “Opt-Out” movement. MORE



Papering Over the News

A Desert Independent Flashback

By Dr. HOWARD MARKLE
The Desert Independent

August 30, 2010

Originally Published Saturday, May 22, 2004

BLYTHE, Calif – "Get yer paper right here! Read all about it! Judge sentences convicted felon!" Those days of selling newspapers are all but gone. You might still find "paperboys" hawking a late afternoon edition on a street corner in the downtown section of a large city. We can subscribe to any of the large metropolitan papers, and we can have papers delivered to our door that cover a region that includes us. Many of us outside the metro areas are lucky in that small towns continue to print a local paper, despite competing websites, that covers strictly local news. We expect to find lead stories on the front page that affect the local citizenry as well as human interest stories. MORE


 


Richardson’s Legacy

A Report from the Palo Verde USD Board of Trustee’s Meeting

By Robert E. Jensen
The Desert Independent

August 27, 2010

BLYTHE, Calif – Upon the departure of Budget Valkyrie/Tsarina Dr. Michelle Richardson, she sang a “Swan Song” with a budget forecast of $100,000 in the black for 2010-11 and a shortfall of $1.7 million for 2011-12 – prior to flying off to Valhalla er Valdez er Val Verde USD to join with all father Odin er, Dr. Alan Jensen. MORE


FREE Standard Shipping on $49+


Blythe Police Log

BLYTHE, Calif – The Blythe Police Department reported the following activity for the Week Ending August 24.


Appleby Rocks!

The California Standards Test, That Is

By Robert E. Jensen
The Desert Independent

August 22, 2010

BLYTHE, Calif – After a five-year hiatus from not making the grade as far as the STAR (State Testing And Reporting) program goes, the teaching staff at Felix J. Appleby Elementary School stepped up to the mark and made significant gains in all areas and with all sub-groups. What made the difference? Many factors could be cited; such as (1) a new school for the displaced students and teachers that showed that they were indeed valued, (2) great teachers and smaller class sizes, (3) the much- disparaged Standards-Based Report Cards, (4) a Principal willing to lose all sense of dignity by doing the “Bumblebee Dance” in return for increased student effort as well as (5) constant, incessant CST-style testing. MORE


This Week's Most Wanted

Sheriff Badge

RIVERSIDE, Calif – This week's most wanted courtesy of the Riverside Sherriff's Department.



Judge Denies BLM Motion to Dismiss Lawsuit to Preserve World Famous Wild Horse Herd

Court Declares Challenge to BLM Mismanagement to be “Ripe for Review”

August 26, 2010

WASHINGTON D.C. – On August 25th United States District Judge, James S. Gwin, granted a legal request by The Cloud Foundation, Front Range Equine Rescue and photographer/author Carol Walker, to file a Second Amended Complaint against the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) actions in the mismanagement of the Pryor Mountain Wild Horses. The ruling allows addition of the United States Forest Service (USFS) to the suit. MORE




Clark's Eye on Books

by Clark Isaacs New


YOGI BERRA: Eternal Yankee

Book Cover: Yogi Berra: Eternal YankeeBy: Allen Barra

Fall is descending upon us and the national pastime classic of the World Series is around the corner. What better time to bring to your attention a classy ball player by the name of Larry “Yogi” Berra. A biography written by a true sportsman Allen Barra, who has penned a best seller “The Last Coach: A Life of Paul “Bear” Bryant. His writing appears in the Wall Street Journal, The Village Voice, Playboy and others.

Yogi came to the Yankees on September 22, 1946, when he made his major league debut at Yankee Stadium; he hit a home run in his first game. This was the first of many he would hit in his stellar career where he contributed his talents so that the New York team would win 10 World Series while he participated. He was voted Most Valuable Player of the American League three times. Also, he hit the first pinch-hit home run in World Series History. MORE


Roku + Netflix = Instant Movies on your TV.Starting at $79.99 with 30-Day Money Back Guarantee.





Letters to the Editor


Recall & the Palo Verde USD Board of Education

August 31, 2010

To the Editor,

Nearly four months ago, a group of three dozen concerned citizens met to discuss the problems facing Palo Verde Unified, and the direction the District was headed under the direction of Board President, Robin Wellman, and Clerk of the Board, Jim Carney. In May, fourteen Proponents signed a Notice of Intent to begin a recall and soon began collecting signatures. MORE


If you have something to say and want it printed, just Email us. You can have your name in or we can keep it out (of course we need to verify the writer).


 20% off Easy Reading Programs and More at Hooked On Phonics


Announcements


Labor Day DUI Checkpoint

August 30, 2010

BLYTHE, Calif – The Blythe Police Department will be conducting a DUI/Drivers License checkpoint on September 4 from 8:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m. in the City of Blythe. In an effort to reduce the number of persons killed and injured in alcohol involved crashes, DUI checkpoints are conducted to identify offenders and get them off the street, as well as educate the public on the dangers of impaired driving. MORE


Officer Struck Responding to Loud Party

August 30, 2010

BLYTHE, Calif – On Friday, August 27th at 11:17 PM, Officer Joey Ley and Corporal Heriberto Cavazos were dispatched to a loud party disturbance in the 900 block of E. Murphy. When they arrived they contacted the resident, 39 year old Ana Avalos. As the Officers spoke to Avalos her boyfriend, 40 year old Andrew Lewis also of Blythe, emerged from the back yard. MORE


Put Your Events Here

To have your organization's events listed, at no cost, please click HERE.


Graphic for Heart of Tucson horse rescue. Stopping the cycle of abuse. One horse at a time.


Man-to-Man


He’s a Confused Husband Who’s Moved Out of His Own House

Q: I moved out of the house a month ago after yet another argument with my wife. I’ve been married for seven years. We have a daughter and a son. It’s been a tense and, I guess, lousy marriage for a long time. My wife has said we’re like ships passing in the night, and that she’s tired of the limbo. She’s so protective of the kids that for the past five years I’ve slept in my son’s room while she sleeps with the kids in the master bedroom. It all started because our kids would throw a fit at bedtime and she just couldn’t take it. Oh, and we haven’t had sex since, that’s five years! I’m wondering whether anything can be done to fix our marriage.

A: This is one fine mess you’ve gotten yourself into! First of all, you need to get back into your house and start acting like the man, father and husband I’m sure you’d like to be. Although it may be easy for you to blame her for her over-protectiveness, you have to take full responsibility for accepting the unacceptable: not sleeping with your wife for five years, spending your nights in your son’s room, and not seeking out help and a solution. MORE


Custom Search

 



 



Joe Camp's new book: Who Needs Hollywood


 




          Comments     Contact Us     Advertising     Submit an Article     Have a News Idea?

                                                                  Copyright © 2010 All Rights Reserved, The Desert Independent, LLC