News Flash.... Join us at the VFW on Labor Day!

B-BAR-H Community Welcome! Come to the VFW on Labor Day from 2-6 p.m. for a BBQ. $5.00 donations.

This is a perfect way to meet each other and see each other again!

A separate Neighborhood Meeting at the VFW is in the works, stay tuned. We'll share more information here soon! We'll also put a meeting notice in everyone's mailboxes to make sure those who do not use the Internet will have plenty of time to plan for the meeting.

We are looking forward to meeting our neighbors, and Labor Day is a perfect time to say, "Hi!"

______________

Veterans of Foreign Wars

1 B Bar Ranch,

Desert Hot Springs, CA 92241

We're Against Graffiti!

Special thanks to the two households who took it upon themselves to clean the unwanted graffiti from our community's landmarks. The comments and emails are piling in! The neighborhood is fed up with the lack of community involvement, and we're going to do something about it.

When people volunteer to do things, they really should follow through with their promise. We are currently anxious about setting a meeting date for a neighborhood gathering to discuss next steps. We want to get actively involved in a neighborhood watch and implementing ways to keep our community clean and safe.

If you are inerested in hearing more, check this blog often. We'll post comments and information as it is received. If you have something you want to post, please send it to us. We'll make sure it gets posted.

This is a neighborhood blog for the B-BAR-H Ranch Community. Get Involved!

I-10 Corridor Neighborhood Watch

The I-10 Corridor Neighborhood Watch is a model for creating a good program. Please click here to enter their website for more details. The site defines everything a neighborhood should do to be successful.

Neighborhood Watch - Community Meeting - Area Clean-Up: A Team Effort

For all B-BAR-H Residents:

What started as a five-minute conversation today with Officer Pike, resulted in a two-hour discussion. We walked the neighborhood and knocked on doors. We talked to people working in their yards, and we found people interested in establishing a Neighborhood Watch, having a Community Meeting, and organizing an area clean-up.

As a result of the high interest, we’re going to make it happen. This is a team effort!

We know how wonderful it feels to be a part of something greater than ourselves. It’s how we will get things done, and we will all benefit. It’s for the common good of the entire neighborhood to keep our community in good standing.

Please attend Meeting #1: The time, date and place will be posted here as soon as it is determined!

County Officer Pike Visits Neighborhood—$250 Fine Issued

We were greeted by an Officer of Riverside County today informing us of many violations in our neighborhood. He wanted to issue tickets by fining several homes for violations. We persuaded him to wait until we could write and distribute a newsletter. Like ourselves, we are assuming many of the people who live here are NOT aware of the ordinances or fines.

Violations sited by the County range in fines from $109 per hour for clean up, to $100-$250 and up to $500 each month until rectified. We were not aware of the county ordinances until today. Now, we think everyone should know about the violations Officer Pike brought to our attention. Here’s what he found in our neighborhood today:

1. Outside storage is NOT allowed at all. Please remove anything you have stored on the outsides of your home or you risk being fined. Not only will the County fine you, they will charge you $109 per hour if they have to remove it themselves. He found empty lots and several homes in violation.
   
   
2. Trailers parked and hooked up to the home as rental space is NOT allowed. We persuaded Officer Pike to give us a chance to communicate to our neighbors before he issues a violation ticket. This can be a fine up to $500 per month.
   
   
3. Trailers parked in yards “For Sale” are not allowed. He already issued a $250 ticket for a trailer parked on Paintbrush Trail. The house is vacant. If you know the owner, please communicate a second ticket is being issued.
   
   
4. Garbage of any sort is not allowed to accumulate outside the homes or in empty lots. He found violations today, and we asked him not to issue fines. Please clean up and remove any garbage you may have on the sides of your house. This fine begins at $109 per hour and can result in an additional fine of $250—$500.
   
   
5. Manufactured homes or coaches are prohibited and require a building permit to be used as a residence on any property in our neighborhood. Officer Pike said there’s suspicious activity here (he wouldn’t say where) and it’s currently under investigation.
   
   

If you are in violation of any of the above items, please address them properly and promptly or you risk being fined by the County of Riverside.

We were surprised to receive today’s news, and we really don’t want anyone to get fined for not following the County Ordinances.

If you have any questions or want to confirm the information contained in this post, please call the County of Riverside, Code Enforcement Department.

You may want to contact Officer Pike directly and tell him about this newsletter. Inform him you were not aware of these violations and yours will be addressed immediately. If you don’t, you risk a fine by the County of Riverside.

Here are direct contact details:

Officer Pike, Code Enforcement
951-922-7534 phone
951-922-7262 fax

If you'd like more information about code enforcement in Riverside County California, please click here to enter their website.

Announcing new product: Mouse Hand Warmer

Does your mouse hand ever get cold? Don't laugh! When sitting at the computer working long hours in an air-conditioned office or a cold winter's night, you bet! Sometimes my mouse hand got so cold my fingertips would get numb. The only solution is to stop working! But, being the geek I am, I sat and worked for long hours with a very cold mouse hand.

Those days are over!

Mouse Hand Warmer is the registered trademark of a new product being introduced to the market by i-GlobalMall.com, Inc. The website http://www.igmproducts.com/ is under construction. The Mouse Hand Warmer will be available online soon.

Here's more information from http://www.shoppingbrokers.com/:

IGMproducts.com is launching a new site and a new product just in time for a shift in the weather and holiday shopping worldwide. We'll post photos and purchase opportunities here as soon as they are received. We're looking forward to being one of the only online resources for the new Mouse Hand Warmer.

The Mouse Hand Warmer is new, and there's nothing like it on the market. Here's details directly from the manufacturer:

$19.95 price includes Free USA Domestic Ground Shipping & Sales Tax!

The perfect gift idea for computer users.

Keeps your mouse hand covered by a warm blanket. Constructed of a warm polyester fleece blanket material with a non-slip surface. Fits standard mouse pads. Hand wash and air dry.

Instructions: Slip a standard sized mouse pad inside the Mouse Hand Warmer. If using a wireless mouse, the net front provides a clear optical connection. When using an USB connected mouse, slip the cord through a small slit opening made in the center front net. Easy to keep clean by hand washing with a mild detergent and air drying.

Made in the USA.

The Mouse Hand Warmer is an inexpensive way to keep your mouse hand warm during chilly weather or whenever you feel your mouse hand getting cold. A drafty air-conditioned office makes for an uncomfortable exposed hand if you sit and work all day at the computer. During the winter, a draft or drop in temperature makes your mouse hand cold, too. Sometimes fingers get numb due to the cold air. Keep your mouse hand warm inside a cozy blanket.

The idea for a Mouse Hand Warmer came about after spending many years working long, late hours sitting at a computer. When your mouse hand gets cold there's really nothing you can do to warm it except stop working or cover it with a warm blanket. That's why the Mouse Hand Warmer was created.

No wires or cords to get tangled on your desk top. The Mouse Hand Warmer is a contemporary, modern, techie-looking desk accessory in neutral colors of gray fleece with black and white trim. The pouch measures about 12" x 12" with a wide front opening to get your hand into and out of the Mouse Hand Warmer with ease. Fits most mouse sizes, from a standard small mouse to a large ergonomically shaped mouse.

Mouse Hand Warmer is a registered trademark and patented product made in the USA by i-GlobalMall.com, Inc. For more information, for distribution or wholesale orders, please write by clicking on the Contact Us located at the top of each page at IGMproducts.com.

FREE SHIPPING & NO SALES TAX

Elimiate Flood Insurance: A Team Effort!

from Amy Lieurance
B-BAR-H Resident

Great news! We found a way to possibly eliminate flood insurance for our homes. Would you like to eliminate your flood insurance? Some of us are paying up to $800 annually in flood insurance premiums!

FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) has a multiple property application (no limit to how many houses can be on this app) for $800. FEMA will consider removing our neighborhood from the flood zone, and if it happens, we will not have to pay flood insurance.

According to FEMA, we have a good chance, since there is a record of fill dirt brought in to our community when our new homes were built. If FEMA denies us, we will not get our application fee back, but it is worth a shot.

We need at least 10 people to show an interest in making the application. That's $80 per household. Once we get ten households, we'll complete the application and submit it to FEMA. Don't wait, let us know how you want to proceed. So far, there are 3 households on the list!

All you need, is $80.00 and a copy of your elevation certificate. The elevation certificate can be obtained from your builder. Some of the Modern Living Spaces homes are on file with the builder Mark Boden. If Mark is not available, you may be able to get a copy of the elevation certificate from Joel Erwin, Civil Engineer. If you need to contact Joel, please send us an email, and we'll give you his contact information.

To get your name on the list for eliminating the flood insurance please contact Amy at:

amy @ amylieurance.com

Neighborhood Blog: Welcome anonymous comments

Whether you live in our neighborhood, or you stumbled across this blog, we value your comments. Your voice is welcome. This blog is for you!

Our goal is to create a place for our neighbors to gather and share thoughts in a safe anonymous environment. Please join our group and our conversations.

We'll plan a meeting soon to discuss a Neighborhood Clean-Up. In the meantime, think about ways we can make a difference in the appearance of our neighborhood.

Here's what we can do:

1. Take a look at our own property first.
2. Keep a clean and organized front and back yard.
3. If you need help, ask.
4. We'll organize a group to help you with your property.
5. We all want our property values to increase over time.
6. If we create a neighborhood group, we can achieve our objective.

Through commitment, miracles happen, and the right people will show up in your life at the right time! Post your comments and your thoughts.

Georgesco Art: Our neighborhood pride

Christopher Georgesco is a modern art metal sculptor. He has been creating since the early 70's, is world-reknown and resides in our community. Click here to visit the Georgesco Art website.

Georgesco metal sculptures have transformed over the years, and today's pieces are shown here. Click on an image for more details about Chris Georgeso Art.

To name a few, Georgesco's metal sculptures are publicly owned by famous organizations like the Grand Hyatt Hotel, Tokyo, Japan, the Santa Barbra Museum of Art, the La Jolla Museum of Contemporary Art, the University of California Los Angeles, Raychem Corporation, Menlo Park, CA; Warner Brothers Records, Los Angeles, CA, the Pasadena Plaza, City of Pasadena, CA; the University of California, Santa Barbara, Sea Horse Corporation, Manzanillo, Mexico, the Princes Cruise Lines in Italy and the Pasadena City Collegse, Pasadena, CA.



Chris lives with his wife Maria surrounded by colorful metal sculptures in a garden created by the Georgescos. For more information about Georgesco Art, please contact him directly or leave a comment on this blog, and we'll forward your information to Chris.

Neighborhood Clean-Up: Keep your property value

It's times like NOW when it's important to keep your property in good shape. The economy may be poor, but your home is a big investment. So, keep your property in good shape to avoid losing its value.

We are a dedicated group of people with new homes and good attitudes. We are professionals in a variety of industries. We work hard, we invested in new modern homes, and we plan to increase the value of our homes.

The major effort we are currently making is a "neighborhood clean-up." We live in the county where the rules are not as strict as city ordnance's. Yet, we take pride in our new homes and in our neighborhood.

This blog is created to make anonymous comments in an effort to help us join together and make a difference. If you see an area of land, a vacant lot or a messy yard, please send us the address of the property and we'll do our best to get the area cleaned up.

This blog is for the residents of an area called the B-BAR-H Ranch. You know who you are. The entrance to our community is greeted by the B-BAR-H Ranch wooden arch constructed in 1929. We want to hear from you. We want to see what you have to say. Anyone can post a comment. Nobody will know who you are. If you have something to say, please say it here. We'll do our best to follow up on all comments and suggestions.

Post a comment, join the conversation. Make a difference.

Paintbrush Trail Neighborhood Blog!

When neighbors are too busy to get together, and they want to keep in touch, a good place to create a community is online. That's why the Paintbrush Trail Neighborhood Blog was created. There's a wonderful group of great people in our small community. The people pitch in and help whenever there's a problem.

We live in an area called the B - Bar - H Ranch. The Ranch has been around since the early 20's. Hollywood celebrities came to the Ranch back then to ride horses and pretend they were cowboys! The entrance to our small community built on B - Bar - H Ranch land still has the original wooden arch constructed in about 1929. The arch was struck by a DWI about a year ago and was almost destroyed.

The residents of the small community gathered on a Saturday morning with tools, cement and a positive attitude to repair the arch. By 4 p.m., the arch was mended. Now, that's a great example of the community spirit in our neighborhood!

If we can produce enough commitment and energy to repair an arch, then we certainly can gather online to keep in touch and share our thoughts.

There are several brand new modern homes for sale here. The new modern homes are gorgeous and priced unbelievably low. If you are looking for a new home, love the country atmosphere, and want to become part of a good community of people, visit our neighborhood.

This blog is for our neighborhood! Post a comment, request to become an author and participate in our neighborhood online presence. It's called http://www.PaintbrushTrail.com because it's the folks on Paintbrush Trail who decided to get things started. We're committed to creating a contagious feeling of togetherness! Join us!

Neighborhood watch: A community effort

If you don't know what a Neighborhood Watch does, call your local police department and ask. That's what we did. We were pleasantly surprised to discover a Neighborhood Watch will help improve your chances of selling your home when and if you ever put it on the market.

If your neighborhood is run down and people don't take care of their property it affects the value of your property. So, if you ask, "What's in it for me?" That's the answer. You want to maximize your investment for the future.

The best way to help your investment is a community-based Neighborhood Watch. Set up a meeting and invite your neighbors to attend. The intersted people will show up. The others are usually the ones you need to "watch." The local police and county departments will attend your meetings. The meetings and the suggestions help get things done.

We're going to do it soon. We're going to start a Neighborhood Watch for our little community on Paintbrush Trail. We'll post more information here as it is received. For now, think about ways to improve your neighborhood.