E-mail problems

If you're trying to e-mail some of the Hesperia Star staff today, you will probably be getting bounce backs, with error messages. Our system administrator knows about the issue and is working on it. We'll let you know when it's resolved.

In the meantime, please call us instead at (760) 956-7827.

Park District shines lights on sports complex

Hesperia's off-the-beaten-path gem, the 50-acre Hesperia Community Park, glistens in the high-watt sports lights officially turned on last Tuesday night.

(Read the rest of the story here.)

HUSD expulsion rate approximately 1 percent

The Hesperia Unified School District's student body grew to a record-setting 20,000 strong in the 2005-2006 school year as students from the Los Angeles area and other regions moved into Hesperia or transferred into the district from neighboring school districts.

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Hesperia Art Club's 40th is a fashionable affair

One of the community's most enduring institutions, the Hesperia Art Club, celebrated its 40 years of service in style.

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Hesperia's food establishments get cleaner

Hesperians eating out have more information than ever about how clean the San Bernardino County of Public Health has rated local restaurants and other businesses that serve food. In the year since the information first became easily accessible to the public, the percentage of Hesperia businesses receiving the top grade for health code compliance has jumped 18 percent points, from 58 to 76 percent of Hesperia restaurants receiving an A rating.

(Read the rest of the story here.)

Project Care members presented with city proclamation

Hesperia City Manager Mike Podegracz presented Hesperia Senior Campus' Project Care program with a city proclamation, thanking them lending a hand to those in need.

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Going Medieval

More than a thousand students, parents, family members and staff from Kingston Elementary School crowded around three sides of a roped-off portion of the school's athletic field, watching the two knights in armor trot back and forth across the grass.

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How small is too small?

A fierce debate erupted at last Wednesday's Hesperia City Council meeting over the minimum required size of a single family home in Hesperia and whether or not the council's previous decision on the matter was legally binding.

(Read the rest of the story here.)

Charter grads may face hurdle when seeking financial aid

Parents of rising seniors who expect their children to attend a four-year college after graduation in 2007 have an additional hurdle to leap if their students attend a non-accredited school, including any of the charter schools in the Hesperia Unified School District.

(Read the rest of the story here.)

Sultana freshman allegedly attacked, raped during lunch

It was the last day of Tonathiu Diaz's public school career. And it may have been the day that shapes the rest of his life.

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Their new day

Over the last several years as co-teacher of the school district's Community Day School, Ruth Forman has faced a veritable mountain of minutia that she conquers every day. But in a matter of hours the never-ending to-do list will disappear.

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ExCEL program proceeds mean grants for 31 teachers, 15 schools

The Hesperia Unified School District has been exporting their ExCEL program to school districts around the country and internationally and the profits from training the other districts will have a direct impact in Hesperia's schools in the 2006-2007 school year.

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Knights of Columbus to host All-Star game

The Knights of Columbus Victor Valley Council 4228 is making plans to host an all-star football game between area high school seniors to help its high school senior scholarship program.

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Assembly candidate Adams makes lower-tax statement at the pumps

Although not exactly the Boston Tea Party, Anthony Adams, a candidate for the 59th California Assembly District, last Thursday made a statement against the gasoline "double tax" at a Hesperia gas station.

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Hesperia veteran Rod Carbonell competes in Golden Age games

Rod Carbonell, a Navy veteran from Hesperia, was one of more than 600 veterans in their "golden age" who was in Hampton, Va., from May 7-12, competing in the 20th National Veterans Golden Age Games, the largest sporting event in the world for senior veterans.

(Read the rest of the story here.)

Sultana JV BASEBALL wins league

The Sultana High School Junior Varsity baseball team compiled a 17-3 record to win the Mojave River League championship. Coached by Shane Peters, the team has a combined two-season record of 34-6. With seven shutouts this year, the Sultans went 16-1 against Area-9 schools.

(Read the rest of the story here.)

Hesperia Star podcast – May 16, 2006

We're on a roll! With the help of office-manager-turned-voice-over-artist Maria Bamba, Beau and I just finished the podcast for this week. Thanks to Maria's new -- and totally cute-- Mac Mini and an inexpensive but effective Logitech USB microphone, we've been able to record, edit and upload our weekly podcasts.

Here's the link.

Hesperia Star podcast for May 16, 2006

-- PETER DAY

Whose space?

There's the lanky poet living in Hesperia whose hero is Stephen, the first Christian martyr. His MySpace page doesn't mention his conviction for annoying or molesting a child.

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Hesperia to receive $2.4 million from state bonds

Hesperia will receive $2.4 million toward road and other infrastructure improvements following the California State Legislature's approval of $37.3 billion in bonds as part of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's strategic growth plan.

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Violence leads to arrest and juvenile hall

Hesperia students have been arrested for assaults with unusual deadly weapons two weeks in a row, bucking expectations of the district's school chief.

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Hesperia Airport planning air show next fall

Building on last year's popular open house, the Hesperia Airport is planning a colorful air show that could attract as many as 15,000 or 20,000 visitors.

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College graduate testimonials

Five local professionals talked about their careers with more than 100 middle-schoolers from Hesperia Junior High School and Ranchero Middle School.

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Success Tidbits

Rudeness and impatience = self centeredness

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Relay for Life organizers promoting June 3 kickoff

When the third annual Relay for Life of Hesperia takes place next October, participants will walk on the soft grass of Hesperia Community Park. But for now, Suzanne James, the local event chairwoman, is taking to the pavement.

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Spring maintenance tips for your car

Here in Hesperia, spring is not only a good time to fertilize the desert plant life, it's an ideal time to correct nagging automotive problems left over from winter. Warmer weather is here, and it can create hardship on your cooling and electrical systems. There are some very basic preventative maintenance things that you can have done in order to avoid problems later on.

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Extra images from Mr. High Desert event

A new podcast

Amazing but true! Peter and I assembled a new podcast this week, taking advantage of the latest edition of the Garage Band software for the first time, including putting some funky theme music together on the fly.

The podcast can be downloaded in two parts:

Part one and part two.

Let us know what you think.

Ranchero/I-15 interchange moves closer

Although the Ranchero Underpass under the BNSF railroad is still in the "coming soon" phase, the Hesperia City Council last week moved ahead on the next portion of their plan for the "Ranchero corridor."

(Read the rest of the story here.)

Locals compete for Mr. High Desert title

The Victor Valley's most charismatic high school young men flexed, danced, sang, joked and posed during the annual Mr. High Desert competition held last Friday in Sultan Hall.

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Robert Kirk leaves classroom behind, eyes school board

Robert Kirk may not look like a mad scientist, but his Mojave High School classroom definitely looks like the place to find one.

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Faithful gather at City Hall for prayer

A small, but mighty group of Hesperia faithful gathered at the flagpole in front of City Hall to commune with God and pray for national, state and local leaders.

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Legacy of care

One of the happiest places in town may be on the local campus. But this place isn't where Hesperia's younger set carry books from class to class, it's a homey environment strictly for those on the opposite side of the age spectrum.

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Armed standoff ends peacefully

An armed standoff between San Bernardino County Sheriff's Deputies and a local resident ended peacefully Friday morning.

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Celebrating latina charm, poise -- and smarts

Natalia Guzman, a Hesperia High School beauty, was crowned Miss Cinco de Mayo 2006 during the second annual Miss Cinco de Mayo Scholarship and Fundraising Pageant last Wednesday at Sultan Hall. The pageant is sponsored by Hesperia High School's Latin American Culture Club.

(Read the rest of the story here.)

Cusimano: Officers-to-arrests ratios up

Hesperia's top cop looks back on his first year

Faced with a booming population, Hesperia's deputies have one of the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department's best records for officers-to-arrest ratios, says their captain.

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Big on commitment

RV dealer Tommie Adams' road to success began at 13 when he was forced to provide for his family

When Tommie Adams was in seventh grade, he took the keys to the family car and drove to school. It wasn't a joy ride. It was the beginning of a long journey fueled by necessity.

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Ranchero design contract approved

The Hesperia City Council on April 19 approved a contract with David Evans and Associates to complete engineering design work for the Ranchero Road Undercrossing project.

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The CCA Audit: One year later

Federal and county law enforcement continue investigation into former California Charter Academy officials

One year after an audit blasted local politicians for their involvement with the failed California Charter Academy chain of charter schools, federal and local law enforcement officials continue their investigations while those named in the audit continue to deny any criminal wrongdoing.

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A pioneer's voice, past and present

In 1954 when Hesperia was just a dot on the map, there was little difference between traffic during the day and nighttime because there just weren't many cars around. Once in a while during the day, a car would venture out from among the 200 residents to pick up mail at Walter's General Store with the post office behind the door. The place was practically a ghost town.

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Born to race cars

For the Stauffacher clan, racing the dirt oval of the Route 66 Raceway in Victorville is a lot like going on a family picnic - only with a heck of a lot more horsepower. While cousins, siblings and others work in the pits, those less worried about getting knocked around take to the track.

(Read the rest of the story here.)