FREE - FREE - FREE Come & Get it!

FREE TO GOOD HOME
LIGHT WOOD - GOOD CONDITION

One Table & Four Chairs (shown)
(B-BAR-H Ranch, DHS Area)

A B-BAR-H resident has a table and chairs set looking for a good home! See photo above. If you need a table and matching chairs and have a way to pick it up, write to Webmaster @ PaintbrushTrail.com. You must include your name and phone number. We will forward your information to the people who have the free furniture, and they will call you to arrange a time when you can pick it up. No deliveries are possible.

Logo design for B-BAR-H Ranch Community Association

Tell us what you think? Post your comments below! Is this a cool logo for the B-BAR-H Ranch Community Association?

As an organization, we need to have professional letterhead for our external communications. B-BAR-H Ranch Resident, Douglas Gordon, aslo a graphic designer, was kind and created the logo.

We want your thoughts. Click the comments link below and send your feedback. Which one do you like best? Or, should we use them both!

Special thanks to Doug for taking the time to design our logo. Doug's website is located at D Design Douglas Gordon.

http://www.dddg.biz/home/index.html

Our next meeting is Saturday, 10.18.08, 10 a.m., VFW. We're expecting more people and new faces. Please mark your calendar and plan to attend.

B-BAR-H Neighborhood Meeting Minutes

The B-BAR-H Neighborhood met on September 13th and September 27th to discuss a neighborhood watch program. The minutes to both meetings are available by clicking the links below:

September 13, 2008 - Meeting Minutes

September 27, 2008 - Meeting Minutes

For more information, details or if you'd like to attend our next meeting, please contact the Webmaster @ PaintbrushTrail.com.

The next meeting is scheduled for October 18, 2008, 10:00 a.m. at the VFW Hall. Please plan to attend.

Bus Stop Fears Come to a Halt for Worried DHS Mother

from Steve Grasha, B-Bar-H Resident

By Elyse Miller , News Channel 3

Parents will do anything they can to keep their children safe. A Desert Hot Springs mother spent weeks trying to put a stop to a dangerous walk her son makes every day: it's the walk to his bus stop. Desperate to protect her son, she turned to KESQ for help.

Just as the sun is rising and people are rushing to work, Brenda Soto's 10-year-old son Steven waits for the cars to clear to get to the school bus.

"I go to work worried every day if he made it to school ok. Did he cross ok? Did he get hit by a car?" says Soto.

The speed limit along Mountain View Road is 55 mph. Steven has to cross the road twice a day, before and after school. There's no crosswalk, stop sign or traffic light for at least a mile down the road.

"The sun is in the drivers' eyes or sometimes they're on the phone," says Soto. "People aren't looking for a 10-year-old kid at 6:45 in the morning."

Memorial crosses along the road remind Soto of what could and has happened. Last year, Carissa Nwene was hit and killed as she walked to Desert Hot Springs Middle School, which is the same school Steven goes to.

"I don't want it to be a little too late," says Soto.

Soto took Steven's safety into her own hands, making calls and asking for a bus stop on their side of the road or for a crosswalk.

"They told me eventually they'll get to it. What does it take for it to eventually come?"

Desperate for immediate help, she turned to KESQ. We made dozens of phone calls, and, finally, the Palm Springs Unified School District's Transportation Department took a look at the problem.

One week after our first call to the department, a new stop was added to the bus route. Now, Steven doesn't have to cross the road to get to school. Instead, the bus picks him up right in front of his house, driving away his mother's fear.

Soto now hopes the Transportation Department will install a sign to warn drivers that students are in the area.

Lost your rooftop solar panels? Check the Web

Solar panels were stolen from the roof of Jim & Shayna Powell's home in Palm Desert, California.

(J. Emilio Flores for The New York Times)

from Steve Grasha, B-Bar-H Resident
by Kate Galbraith, International Herald Tribune

DESERT HOT SPRINGS, California: Solar power, with its promise of emissions-free renewable energy, boasts a growing number of fans. Some of them, it turns out, are thieves.

Just ask Glenda Hoffman, whose fury has not abated since 16 solar panels vanished from her roof in this sun-baked town in three separate burglaries in May, sometimes as she slept. She is ready if the criminals turn up again.

"I have a shotgun right next to the bed and a .22 under my pillow," Hoffman said.

Police departments in California - the biggest market for solar power, with more than 33,000 installations - are seeing a rash of such burglaries, though nobody compiles overall statistics.

Investigators do not believe the thieves are acting out of concern for their carbon footprints. Rather, the authorities assume that many panels make their way to unwitting homeowners, sometimes via the Internet.

Last November, someone tried to sell solar panels stolen from a toll road in Newport Beach for $100 each on eBay. Detectives from the local police department entered the bidding and won the panels, which were worth nearly $1,500 each, according to Sergeant Evan Sailor, a Newport Beach police spokesman.

When Nathan Tyrone Mitchell, a resident of Santa Monica, showed up to hand over the panels, the police greeted him with handcuffs.

Mitchell, who was charged with possession of stolen property, has pleaded not guilty. His lawyer, Charles Stoddard, said that his client had bought the panels from someone on Craigslist and then tried to resell them on eBay for a profit. "Our contention is that Mr. Mitchell is just an innocent purchaser who kind of got caught up in this thing," Stoddard said.

In Contra Costa County, detectives accustomed to handling thefts of copper began to notice solar panels disappearing in the past six months, according to Jimmy Lee, a spokesman for the county sheriff's office.

This summer, a police officer on a routine patrol became suspicious when he spotted a man trying to sell solar panels to a home builder who had advertised on Craigslist that he was seeking panels.

The officer confiscated the solar panels and, after detectives found that they matched panels stolen from a school, a California man was charged. Lee says that law enforcement agencies are investigating about a half-dozen other solar panel thefts in his area.

"We were surprised and kind of caught off guard" by the solar panel thefts, said Lee, who recommends that people engrave their driver's license numbers onto their panels for better identification.

For Tom McCalmont, president of Regrid Power, a solar installation business near San Jose, the problem hit home in late June. His own headquarters were struck by thieves, who took more than $30,000 worth of panels from the roof.

The panels were disassembled expertly, he said, leading him to suspect that someone in the solar industry had done it. He urges clients to install video cameras and alarms for their solar arrays, and likens his own revamped security system to Fort Knox.

"This is the crime of the future," McCalmont said.

After suffering a solar panel theft, some victims find unusual ways to protect their property. Hoffman, of Desert Hot Springs, could not sleep for several weeks during the string of thefts from her roof.

One night, she waited beside a nearby building and watched her house in an attempt to catch the thieves, causing a suspicious neighbor to call the police. She vows that if she ever catches the culprits, "they're not going to leave walking" - especially if she feels threatened.

So far, with the losses still modest, homeowners' insurance is processing the claims with little resistance. Hoffman's insurer, State Farm, is paying $95,000 to replace her entire system. She plans to install an alarm, and possibly a video camera.

Not far from Hoffman, in the town of Palm Desert, Jim and Shayna Powell were devastated after thieves took 19 of their solar panels in June, just when they needed air-conditioning the most, causing their electricity bill to shoot from $3 to $300.

"Of all the times of year to steal the panels," Jim Powell said in frustration.

Beyond California, solar power markets are comparatively small, so thefts are still rare - but they are spreading. In the past 18 months, Oregon's highway department has lost a few panels used to power portable traffic message boards.

In Minnesota, the Sauk River Watershed District has lost at least eight small panels, worth $250 each, in the past few years, according to Melissa Roelike, who coordinates the water-quality monitoring program there.

In response, the district has taken steps to protect the panels, including putting them in trees and atop poles. But thieves promptly stole one such panel.

"Obviously, hoisting them 20 feet in the air on a metal pipe does not work," Roelike said.

In Europe, where the solar industry is well established, thievery is entrenched, and measures to ward it off have become standard, including alarm systems and hard-to-unscrew panels.

But in the United States, installers are just coming to grips with the need for alarms, video cameras and indelible engraving of serial numbers. Some people prefer simpler solutions.

Ken Martin Jr. lost 58 panels, which will cost $75,000 to replace, this spring from the roof of a half-empty office building in Santa Rosa, California, that he owns.

He is considering slapping paint on some parts of his remaining panels - bright pink paint.

"At least if someone comes across them and they're painted, they'll know that's my color," he said.

The FreeCycle Network for Desert Hot Springs

PaintbrushTrail.com received the email listed below. It's definitely worth sharing. If you've heard of The FreeCycle Network, and didn't know how to join, please read the email below and click on the link ...... it's for real, and it works!

From: Neighborhood Warrior

Subject: Change in the Neighborhood

Date: September 21, 2008

I applaud what you have done and what you are continuing to do. I think that the streetlight proposal is something that is essential. The introduction of "Green" systems is another viable option for all parties concerned. From the Supervisors standpoint, it may be an effective platform to ensure that hot button issues such as global warming are being made within their district (for voting purposes). To the homeowner it provides for the safety of their area. It may be of benefit to the homeowners to check on grant monies available from their respective Reprentatives or those occupying Congressional seats, during this time of election.

I have a suggestion for incorporation into your page:

http://www.freecycle.org/group/US/California/Desert%20Hot%20Springs

The Freecycle Network™ is made up of 4,603 groups with 5,807,258 members across the globe. It's a grassroots and entirely nonprofit movement of people who are giving (and getting) stuff for free in their own towns and thus keeping good stuff out of landfills.

Clutter causes nothing but grief to those who are buried by it and others that are suffering from the financial downturn could benefit from the receipt of something that they couldn't afford (dining tables, chairs, and couches). A turn around a neighborhood like yours can reveal old furniture, shelving, and other items that could be used in someone's home. It is never easy to throw something away, but it is quite another thing to give.

Thanks for your time!!

Nieghborhood Meeting Follow-Up

On Saturday, September 13, 2008, the B-BAR-H Ranch residents met at the VFW Hall to discuss a Neighborhood Watch and plan for a second meeting. There were about 30 or more people in attendance. The meeting began sharply at 10:00 a.m., and some of the residents stayed and talked until almost 12:30 p.m.

The meeting agenda and speakers were as follows:

1. Curtis Schway, BAR-H Ranch resident, welcomed everyone and thanked them for coming to the meeting. Curtis briefly defined the meeting's intention to reduce problems in our neighborhood by coming together as a group of concerned property owners. He introduced his wife, Laura, who is available as our Spanish translator for our non-English speaking neighbors.

2. Pat Carney, BAR-H Ranch resident, summarized and reviewed upcoming neighborhood County-sponsored events. Here's a summary of the three main events:

•September 9–Earthquake Drill November 13
•October 11-Neighborhood Clean Up at Bubbling Wells Elementary School VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
•October 25–Neighborhood Conference in Palm Desert
See other blog posts on this page for more details pertaining to each event.

Pat introduced the Guest Speakers:
•Deputy Sheriff Lori Hardcastle, Sheriff’s Dept. (Neighborhood Watch)
•Office Mary Overholt, Code Enforcement Dept. (Area Updates)
•David W. Newton, President, I-10 Corridor Neighborhood Watch

3. Questions & Answers - Large group discussion. The group spent the rest of the meeting in a question and answer session.

We closed with the announcement of the next meeting date scheduled for September 27, 2008 at 10:00 a.m. at the VFW Hall.

If you have any questions or comments please submit them by clicking on the Comments Link below.

Get your flag ready!

from Pat Carney, B-BAR-H Resident


GET YOUR FLAG READY!
Please join us in this FLY THE FLAG campaign and PLEASE forward this Email immediately to everyone in your address book asking them to also forward it. We have a little less than one week and counting to get the word out all across this great land and into every community in the United States of America .

If you forward this email to least 11 people and each of those people do the same ... you get the idea.

THE PROGRAM:
On Thursday, September 11th, 2008, an American flag should be displayed outside every home, apartment, office, and store in the United States . Every individual should make it their duty to display an American flag on this seventh anniversary of one our country's worst tragedies. We do this in honor of those who lost their lives on 9/11, their families, friends and loved ones who continue to endure the pain, and those who today are fighting at home and abroad to preserve our cherished freedoms.

In the days, weeks and months following 9/11, our country was bathed in American flags as citizens mourned the incredible losses and stood shoulder-to-shoulder against terrorism. Sadly, those flags have all but disappeared. Our patriotism pulled us through some tough times and it shouldn't take another attack to galvanize us in solidarity. Our American flag is the fabric of our country and together we can prevail over terrorism of all kinds

Action Plan:
So, here's what we need you to do ...

1) Forward this email to everyone you know (at least 11 people). Please don't be the one to break this chain. Take a moment to think back to how you felt on 9/11 and let those sentiments guide you.

(2) Fly an American flag of any size on 9/11. Honestly, Americans should fly the flag year -round, but if you don't, then at least make it a priority on this day.

Thank you for your participation. God Bless You and God Bless America !

Streetlights: An anonymous comment worth sharing

Eco Friendly Street Lights

Streetlights on Earth

As some of you may or may not know, B Bar H Ranch is part of County Service Area 115. The CSA has county employees who monitor the meetings and are in contact with the Board members. However, action is only taken by the CSA Board Members. There are two areas that they are mainly responsible for as far as maintenance issues, and that is roads and STREETLIGHTS.

I think that one of the real reasons we may be targets for gang grafitti and vandalism is our lack of street lights in the neighborhood. I've spoken with the County liason who works with the CSA 115 Board regarding this issue. He said that their meetings are open to the public and the best way to get this matter on their agenda for vote is to show up at their next meeting and ask! The next meeting is scheduled for November 8th.

The good news is that the meetings are on Saturdays and at the local VFW. If the meeting date is changed, it will be posted at the VFW. I've also given my name and phone number to the County liason and hopefully, he will let me know if there is change. I think as many of us possible should show up.

I'm willing to be the spokesperson at the meeting and the liason with the County, if needed. The CSA 115Board meeting will be Saturday, November 8th at 9 a.m. Let's make this happen! I think we should ask for a street light on every corner of every street. This is very important for our safety and for neighborhood watch at night.

Thanks for your support. See you at the meeting on the 13th.

FREE DUMP Resources to help ourselves!

clean up NEWS FLASH! clean up NEWS FLASH! clean up clean up NEWS FLASH! clean up NEWS FLASH! clean up

from Chaka Osborne, CODE ENFORCEMENT,
Community Improvement Specialist II, District 5

_____________

B-BAR-H Ranch Residents Invited

Neighborhood Clean Up Day

Saturday, October 11, 2008
7:00 A.M. - 12 Noon
Bubbling Wells Elementary School
67-501 Camino Campanero
Desert Hot Springs CA 92240

Click Here for Driving Directions

Mark your calendar! On October 11, 2008, there's a Neighborhood Clean Up Day at the Bubbling Wells Elementay School sponsored by the Riverside County Code Enforcement Agency.

The clean up is from 7:00 a.m. until Noon on Saturday, October 11, 2008. The turn out is expected to be high. Get your vehicles in line early. The earlier the better! Clean out everything, load it in your vehicle, and bring it to this special "NO COST" event.

These items WILL be accepted:

Examples:

YES Tires
YES Washers
YES Dryers
YES Refrigerators
YES Furniture
YES Tree Trimmings
YES Lawn Furniture
YES Electronics
And more..

These items will NOT be accepted:

NO Pesticides
NO Latex, Oil, or Water based Paint
NO Motor Oil
NO Empty Drums
NO Fertilizers Batteries (Lead/Acid Only)
NO Anti-Freeze
NO Computers
NO Motor Parts
NO Solvents/Gasoline
NO Pool chemicals
NO Transmission/brake fluids
NO Rodent poisons
NO Weed killers/herbicides
NO Engines
NO Bleach/tub & tile cleaners

Important Contact Information:

• Please direct all questions on acceptable items to Department of Code Enforcement, 951-955-5257, Chaka Osborne
• For Hazardous Waste Disposal, PLEASE CALL COUNTY WASTE MANAGEMENT AT(951)486-3200.

** Sorry...no businesses allowed - the event is for residents only. No Businesses are allowed.

NO RSVP REQUIRED -- GET THERE EARLY!

Riverside County's Graffiti Busters

Visit the Riverside County's Graffiti Busters website and hotline. As taxpayers, we have assistance removing graffiti from the B-BAR-H Property. The Graffiti Busters will remove graffiti. The next time the B-BAR-H Ranch Arch gets tagged, we need to contact the Riverside County Graffiti Busters for assistance.

Please visit the website and complete the online form to report graffiti in your neighborhood.

The website states: "In an effort to improve our communities and eradicate graffiti, the Riverside County Board of Supervisors and the County Redevelopment Agency have joined forces to provide a graffiti abatement program to serve all of the County’s unincorporated areas."

Report graffiti in your community by Phone or Online.
Graffiti hotline 951.955.3333 or 866.732.1444 (toll free)
Desert areas call 888.472.3488
Use our online form

First Annual Riverside County Neighborhood Conference!

by Betty Sanchez, CODE ENFORCEMENT
Community Improvement Specialist
District 4

HOSTED BY RIVERSIDE COUNTY CODE ENFORCEMENT DEPARTMENT

Saturday, October 25, 2008
9:00 AM - 2:00 PM

UCR - Palm Desert Campus

75080 Frank Sinatra Drive

Palm Desert, CA 92211

VIEW FLYER HERE FOR MORE INFO - MÁS INFORMACIÓN AQUÍ

Conference Agenda / Agenda de la Conferencia

• Educational Breakout Sessions
• Exhibitors from a variety of Organizations
• Free Snacks and Lunch
• Activities for Children (ages 6-12)!!
• Learn from Inspirational Speakers
• Excellent Networking Opportunity
• Free Parking
• Traductores en Español Disponibles
• To register online, please click here

B-BAR-H Neighborhood Comments - Time for a WATCH

The B-BAR-H Neighborhood Blog was established to create a forum for open communication within our community in an effort to bring us together. The goal is to enhance our neighborhood by working together. The anonymous comments were plentiful and diverse. Now, as a neighborhood, we will meet to discuss ways to move forward for our community.

B-BAR-H Ranch Neighborhood Meeting

September 13, 2008

10:00 a.m. VFW Hall

Whose Responsibility is it?

Below is a list of topics and anonymous comments from the blog posts. The B-BAR-H Neighborhood will need to decide whose responsibility it is to address each concern. Is it the County's responsibility or is it the B-BAR-H Neighborhood's responsibility? Or, is it both, the County and the B-BAR-H Neighborhood's responsibility to work together?

The comments made on the blog can easily become the topics for the B-BAR-H Neighborhood meeting on September 13th. We hope a Sherrif and Code Enforcement Representative will be in attendance on the 13th to define a neighborhood watch and answer our questions.

B-BAR-H Neighborhood Watch

We must remain sensitive to peoples' needs and at the same time address issues as a community. Because the Code Enforcement Agency already visited our area and identified violations, we know there's work to be done. So, whenever a County Code violation is brought to the forefront, the B-BAR-H Watch should be asked to address the violation prior to a member of our neighborhood being fined by Riverside County Code Enforcement.

It Must Work for the Common Good of All
B-BAR-H Watch neighbors who see violations can submit an anonymous comment on the blog with the address of the violator or write directly to the Webmaster @ PaintbrushTrail.com. The Blog's Webmaster is a neutral, non-threatening party and will forward the comments to the The B-BAR-H Watch group. The B-BAR-H Watch must confirm the violation with the Code Enforcement & Sheriffs Departments. If the item is determined to be a violation, the B-BAR-H Watch must contact the owner. If the violation is not addressed properly within a reasonable amount of time, the B-BAR-H Watch will be asked to submit the violation to the County Code Enforcement Agency. As stated above, we must remain sensitive to peoples' needs and at the same time address issues as a community.

You don't have to wait until the 13th to speak your thoughts. An anonymous comment can be posted at the end of this article.

B-BAR-H Ranch Neighborhood Meeting
September 13, 2008
10:00 a.m. VFW Hall

Blog Comments & Concerns
Below is a summary of comments from Blog posts which can easily become meeting topics. We can discuss the comments and vote on how we want to move forward with each item. We also need to determine whose responsibility it is to make sure concerns are addressed properly. Everyone will be asked to participate in one way or another for our community.

• COMMUNICATION. I'll be the first to say, this is a great idea.

• NO MAILBOX DELIVERY. STAY THE HELL OUT OF MY MAIL BOX.

• YES MAILBOX DELIVERY. I was happy to see the newsletter today in my mailbox.

• USPS NEWSLETTER DELIVERY ($?). I agree that it's probably best these flyers be mailed and an opt in opt out option wouldn't hurt

• EMAIL DELIVERY (no cost). maybe something on the web page or via email

• PARKED VEHICLE STORAGE. I think having vehicles in the front of the house is also a violation, especially if they are non-working?

• LOUD MUSIC. I hope that others have complained to the County Sheriff about the loud music/band practice at the house on Long Canyon Drive - it's been a nightmare the past couple of months.

• RENTERS – PROPERTY OWNER RESPONSIBILITY. I know that many homeowners in the neighborhood have had to resort to renting their properties, but as a community, we should insist that the owners make certain that their renters keep the property maintained.

• BROKEN GLASS. On one street, there has been broken glass in front of the mailbox for about 4 months.

• DOGS. let's address our "neighbors" (and I use this term lightly) who allow their dogs to roam unleashed, at any time of the day, whether the dog-owner is present or not! At no time should any dog not be on a leash or otherwise contained. It is just plain rude to let your dog do its business in someone else's yard!

• BUS STOPS. One other area to address in our community would also be the public school bus stop areas.

• DUMPED CONSTRUCTION GARBAGE. We have our children waiting for the school bus with sometimes glass in the street or dumped construction materials that are in the bus stop areas. This is a health hazard for our children as well as having loose dogs running around the neighborhood, my family and I have had issues with loose Pit bulls in our yard once even attacking my vehicle with myself and children inside as we sat in our drive way thinking how we were going to get inside our home safely.

• EXCESSIVE GARBAGE PILES. Our children have to walk to the bus stop in fear of being attacked by DOGS! There's glass in the streets!!! There's garbage piled in yards which attract RATS! Things are getting out of control.

• TEAM EFFORT. This will be a team effort

• CLEAN COMMUNITY. I am in full agreement with keeping our community clean.

• FRONT YARD MOTOR HOME PARKING. trash is trashy, just as are cars on the front lawns, mariachi music bands until late night hours, and front yard motor home parking.

• COUNTY INVOLVEMENT. We need to figure out how we can get the County involved to help us clean up the area.

• NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH. Something needs to be done, absolutely the trash needs to be cleaned, dogs leashed, dog doo cleaned, vandals discouraged, and I could deff go without the 10pm jam sessions.

• TAKE OWNERSHIP & RESPONISBILITY. you don’t have to clean your neighbors yard, all that is asked is that you clean your own so we don’t have to look at it.

• PARTICIPATION. I think the only unfortunate thing about this forum of gathering is chances are the only people to actually look at the page, or care to participate are the ones that are already following the guidelines of local law and common sense or respect.

• SUNDAY MEETINGS? I'd like to assist and wish I could attend the meetings, but unfortunately I work Saturdays. How else can I get my opinion heard, volunteer to assist, or read meeting minutes? Is it possible to maybe do Sunday meetings or even a chat room of some kind?

• SERIOUS ISSUES. I find it odd that anyone would object to this newsletter, unless you are one of our neighbors with RV's in your front yard, trash everywhere, or just plain junk on the side of your house. (And I refer to GARBAGE - not garbage CANS.)Today I saw graffiti on the side of a house on Sagebrush. We can expect more of the same because there are so many vacant homes here. We need to band together - not GRIPE about a single piece of paper in your mailbox inviting us to be a united presence in our neighborhood. It is not the time to be petty about something unimportant like a neighborhood newsletter in your mailbox. We have more serious issues at hand, do we not?

• GRAFFITI. My wife and I spent the morning cleaning up the mess that "Dios" left around the entrance to the ranch. During that time we met Pat, who lives on El Serape. He already has a small emergency communication team, and really wants to get the community involved with a neighborhood watch. He suggested having a meeting at the Veterans Hall. He mentioned that he knows how to put a meeting together, but I read about officer Pike helping with this? Let's get this rolling!!! The tagging is to close for comfort... It's time to get PROACTIVE!

• VIOLATIONS. The county code enforcement officer was here on August 15th and there were 5 families present when he said he was going to write tickets for neighborhood violations.

• NEIGHBORHOOD CLEAN-UP. I think having a neighborhood clean up once or twice a year is a great idea. Thanks for the nice site.

If you have an anonymous comment, please leave it by clicking the "comments" link below.

The Great Southern California ShakeOut

by Pat Carney, President
Quake S.A.F.E. REACT

The Southern California Earthquake Center and the
Riverside County ShakeOut Regional Associates present

“The Great Southern California ShakeOut”

Town Hall Meeting
Southern California Earthquake Center

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Hilton Palm Springs Resort, Palm Canyon Ballroom, 2nd Floor
400 East Tahquiz Canyon Way
Palm Springs, CA 92262-6605

Click Here for Driving Directions

Guest Speakers Include
Dr. Lucy Jones
Chief Scientist, USGS
Dennis Mileti
Professor Emeritus,
University of Colorado at Boulder

Be prepared for the largest earthquake drill in US History!

At 10 a.m. on November 13, join millions of Southern Californians in the ShakeOut Drill, the largest earthquake preparedness activity in U.S. history! The Great Southern California ShakeOut includes the ShakeOut Drill and other events organized to inspire southern Californians to get ready for big earthquakes, and to prevent disasters from becoming catastrophes.

Join Dr. Lucy Jones and Professor Dennis Mileti on September 9th in Palm Springs to hear about “The Great Southern California ShakeOut.”

Keep Kids Safe at the B-BAR-H Ranch!

The efforts we make to improve our neighborhood can be focussed on one very important fact. Our streets need to be safe for our children. We may not all have children, but for those who do have children living on the B-BAR-H Ranch property, there are concerns about their children's safety, and that's important. It's important enough for all of us to take a stand for the children.

We all should be concerned about our neighbors' children. Please take time to make sure the items in your yard are child-proof. Clean the street area in front of your home where the children walk to the bus stop. Take time to create a safe environment for the children. We do not want anything to happen to any of the children in our neighborhood.

There have been a variety of comments made by many of the people who live at the B-BAR-H Ranch. The PaintbrushTrail.com Blog is designed so anyone can make an anonymous comment about anything they desire. Open communication will help us bridge the gaps and understand all the viewpoints. There's no right way or wrong way -- there's only differences, and the way we can approach the tasks at hand is as a community. It's a way we can address the concerns of the neighborhood.

Here's some comments made pertaining to the safety of our children. These comments are taken directly from the anonymous comments our neighbors made. If people are thinking about these things, then we need to do something to minimize the stress and create a safe neighborhood for the children.

One person wrote, "Our children have to walk to the bus stop in fear of being attacked by DOGS! There's glass in the streets!!! There's garbage piled in yards which attract RATS! Things are getting out of control."

Another comment was made, "We have our children waiting for the school bus with sometimes glass in the street or dumped construction materials that are in the bus stop areas. This is a health hazard for our children as well as having loose dogs running around the neighborhood, my family and I have had issues with loose Pit bulls in our yard once even attacking my vehicle with myself and children inside as we sat in our drive way thinking how we were going to get inside our home safely."

On Saturday, September 13, 2008 at 10:00 a.m. at the VFW Hall (scroll page to see the map) the B-BAR-H Ranch Neighborhood is meeting to discuss items like those listed above. We hope you attend the meeting and join the conversation.

Benefits of Propane Gas for Our Homes

by Toni Ringlein, B-Bar-H Resident

When we built our home in the B-BAR-H Ranch, we were required to use Propane Gas. At the time, I was not aware of the benefits of using propane fuel. I came across this website in a magazine and thought you might find the information interesting, too.

Here's the link outlining the benefits of using propane fuel:

http://buildwithpropane.com/?page=whybuild

We are not affiliated with this website. We found it useful in explaining propane fuel and answering some questions.

Neighborhood Meeting - Date, Time, Place

B-BAR-H Ranch
Neighborhood Meeting

Please mark your calendar:

Saturday, September 13, 2008

10:00 a.m.

VFW Hall
(see map below)

___________________________

Meeting Agenda:

Meet & Greet!

Neighborhood Watch

Community Clean Up Day

Task Force Committee Volunteers

___________________________

We look forward to seeing you!

Questions?

Click the Comments link below, type your question, and someone will respond.

Newsletter & Meeting Notice Delivered Today!

The B-BAR-H Ranch Neighborhood News was distributed by volunteers today to 180 homes. We are not sure if every home received the Neighborhood News, so please talk with your neighbors, tell them about the blog, and tell them about the meeting details listed below.

Your comments and feedback about the Neighborhood News and the September 13th meeting are appreciated. Thank you for taking the time to write.

EVERYONE is welcomed to contribute to the blog. If you would like to become an author and write articles for the blog, or post an announcement, please send a request to:

Webmaster @ PaintbrushTrail.com