La Quinta Cove

All’s well at the Civic Center Park, with a diminished duck population contributing to the cleanliness and tranquility of the park. There is still evidence that the public is feeding the ducks.  The Orange County Registerreports that dozens of dead or dying duck have been found in area ponds and lakes, apparent victims of botulism poisoning.  It states that bread thrown into lakes provide nutrients for botulism to grow! We love out ducks, so let’s protect them from disease and obesity!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwBIAnWPLk8

Here’s a look at the early morning set-up for the returning Farmers Market.  The old favorites back and some new booths besides.  Plan your shopping so that you can take advantage of this unique, healthy and neighborly shopping.  Sunday mornings starting at 8:30.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNTekj0_44o

Are you a military veteran?  Know a vet?  Is your name inscribed on the monument in the Civic Center park?  If not, march right up and add your name to your fellow soldiers, sailors, marines, and coast guards.  Deadline is Friday, September 30.  For all the info, call Community Services at 777-7090.  Honoring of new names will be on November 11, Veterans Day.

Those who attended the September 9 grand opening of the California Pioneers exhibit were treated to a great history lesson on California’s role in the Civil War.  Who’d have thought???  Give a listen to a “Confederate soldier” telling the story…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xhtxQmiIKQ

And even though the pioneer enactors are long gone, the great exhibit is still there, covered wagon and all…

Is anyone interested in joining or organizing car pools to distant places of work?  Palm Springs, Riverside, Los Angeles?  We have lots of new Cove residents who have taken advantage of good home prices, but who have kept jobs outside the Valley.  If you are interested in locating a fellow traveler, make contact under “comment” below.  An email address and the location to which you need to commute will suffice. Good luck! (Save your pennies and save our good clean air!)

Katie Barrows led a group of walkers across the Bear Creek storm channel for a great look across the Cove and Preserve.  We also learned about “desert varnish”.  Next Nature Walk, October 15.  Walks are sponsored by the City of La Quinta and the Stewards of the Fred Wolff Nature Preserve.

Another enactor at the recent Museum opening was this gold prospector, who tells of his adventures in the gold fields.  Take a look:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXYFsauMkPk

And don’t forget, this great California Pioneers exhibit is free to the public on Tuesdays – Saturdays from 10 – 4:00.  Fun for the whole family….

There’s lots of fun to be had at the new “California Pioneers” exhibit, including a “three hoop” covered wagon, train depot (with telegraph) telegraph office (with telegraph), and lots of info besides.  Among the characters that entertained us at the exhibit was this cowboy:

Although it didn’t quite get off the ground last week, the City does have an automated phone system that can dial up residents (who have registered) to relay news in case of a community-wide emergency.  Many of us had working phones, even without electricity.  If you have cable phone service, you had no phones, since the cable depends on electrical power.  Verizon users had wireless and land line phones if they were connected directly to the wall (remote phones didn’t work, but could be unplugged and a hand set plugged in that place).  Since not all emergencies involve power outages (chemical spills, fire, flood, missing persons, contamination, etc.)  in the next emergency many of you might have phone service.

The City Emergency Services Department will send out what information is available at the time….. no one has a crystal ball in these cases, but some information will be helpful, for example, the location and hours of cooling centers or shelters, radio stations that will broadcast information, estimated duration of the emergency, and public protective actions that might be taken.

To sign up, go to http://www.la-quinta.org/Index.aspx?page=444  and follow the directions.  If you’re already signed up, try to log in, if not, just fill in the info.  Your cell phone can also be listed.  Although it says “Account Creation: Optional” you actually do need to create an account to get into the system.  This could be a valuable tool in getting information under stressful circumstances, so give it a TRY!

Mayor Don Adolph MCs 9/11 candle light program

Andrew Davis with beam from World Trade Center ruins

Fire Department attends 9/11 ceremonies at Civic Center Park

Police Department representatives at 9/11 vigil

 A full moon shown on the candles of almost 100 residents who came together for music and remembrances of 9/11.  The actual  beam from the World Trade Center ruins was an added reminder of the tragedies ten years ago.  Thanks to young Andrew Davis who has embarked on a project to create a memorial right here in La Quinta, incorporating the historic beam. The remembrance was sponsored by your own Cove Neighborhood Association…..