PALMDALE BLVD

Volume I No: 1 “Where every story is a positive story.” October 2017

Water: The Lifeblood of a Community

Palmdale
Water Basics
Palmdale Water
By Palmdale Fin District Q&A
and Feather Club Water. What do we
The Palmdale Fin know about it other than
and Feather Club is a we pay a water bill, turn
non-profit, members-on- on the faucet and water
ly fishing and hunting comes out.
club located off Highway But what we don’t know
14 in sunny Palmdale, in many cases is how
California. The Palmdale much work it takes to get
Fin and Feather Club was water from its source to
incorporated in the year your home or business.
1945. Our water comes from
The Fin and Feather many places. It is pumped
Club has members from from underground aqui-
all over Southern Califor- fers - a big storage tank
nia, most of which reside under the earth.
in the Antelope Valley,
but we have a few hun-
dred who come from all
around the Los Angeles
area and beyond.
We stock healthy Trout
during the colder months
of our fishing season
which typically runs from GONE FISHING: Catch Rainbow Trout during colder months and Catfish, Bass, Bluegill, Crappie and
February to October. Perch in the warmer months, and enjoy productive fishing all season long from one of 48 fishing docks sur-
After the weather starts rounding our lake at the Palmdale Fin and Feather Club. We usually have an up-
to warm up in spring, the per and a lower aquifer.
Catfish, Bass, Bluegill,
Crappie and Perch start Amateur Astronauts Some of the water in
the deep aquifer has
to bite. This ensures pro- itary pilots eventually changed their status to civilian been down there since
ductive fishing all season WALTER CUNNINGHAM
employees of the space agency. the ice age so it’s well-
long. Contributing Writer
Space is obviously not the exclu­sive province of aged water.
Our Duck and Geese When Neil Armstrong landed on the military or civilian astronauts. To help residents better
hunting season begins moon no one questioned the idea of a The movement toward non-pilot, pri­vate- understand a little more
in the middle of October civilian in space, although Neil was a citizen passengers was going strong by the about water, Palmdale
and runs through the end civilian throughout his ca­reer with the late 1970s. Blvd newspaper sub-
of January. National Aeronautics and Space Admin- Since the space shuttle would place great- mitted questions to the
The Fin and Feather Club istration. er flying demands on astronauts, NASA Palmdale Water District.
also has a Trap Range for As a crewmember on Apollo 7, I was began recruiting specialists for non-flying Answers were provided
Trap Shooting. Our Trap the second American civilian to go into activ­ities. by Palmdale Water Dis-
Range is open to the pub- space. The size, comfort and convenience of the trict General Manager
lic and begins every Sun- Perhaps two dozen American civilians reusable orbiter vehicle allowed them this Dennis LaMoreaux.
day at 9am and usually on three generations of spacecraft; a lux­ury. Palmdale Blvd: How
lasts a few hours. number of astronauts who joined the program as mil- Continued on Page 6 much water does Palm-
Continued on Page 3 Continued on Page 3

Palmdale Blvd’s very first sponsor, a citizen of Palmdale that cares about his community.

Robert E. Alvarado, President of Palmdale Water District Board

Robert Alvarado has lived in Lancaster since 1986 until he moved to Palmdale in 2007. On November 8,
2011, he was elected as a member of the Board of Directors of the Palmdale Water District.
2 PALMDALE BLVD
Letter to
PALMDALE BLVD
“Where every story is a positive story.”
Palmdale Residents
LARRY HOBSON
Hobalong@adelphia.net Publisher
661.618.3301 It’s time to make Palm-
dale the town of the
Publisher & Editor-in-Chief people, and to do so our
Larry Hobson town must undergo some
661.618.3301 change.
Office Manager Palmdale must have resi-
Ashleigh Hobson dents wanting to live here
not because it’s cheaper,
Managing Editor & Copy Editor
but because it’s better. We
Thomas Fitzgerald
must have a town where
Advertising businesses can make it
661.618.3301 here, not fail here.
Layout & Design Together, we must make
Thomas Fitzgerald Palmdale a town where
our community events
Distribution Manager
are heard about all over
Kelsey Hobson
Southern California.
We must build a commu-
Palmdale Blvd is a First Amendment Free nity people hear so much
Press. In compliance with federal Civil Rights good news about they
legislation, we do not discriminate on the basis come to see for them-
of race, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, selves.
religion or lack of, sex, age, disability, marital A town we don’t hear
status, sexual orientation(s) or veteran status about on the news be-
in our employment. cause who was killed
Palmdale Blvd has not investigated any ser- here, but because what
vice or product advertised in this newspaper great things take place
and publication of advertising does not imply here.
endorsement of any product or service by this This publication sup-
newspaper. Palmdale Blvd is a free newspaper ports the removal of State
published monthly and is distributed to Palm- Highway 138 off Palm-
dale residents and businesses. dale Blvd and the transfer
SEND A LETTER TO THE EDITOR of ownership and juris-
Email your letter to Hobalong@adelphia.net. diction to the city, away
Write “Letter to the Editor” in subject line. from the state.
Include your full name, address and telephone As publisher of Palm-
number to verify authenticity. dale Blvd newspaper, I
Only name and city will be published. No at- will lobby for Palmdale
tachments. Emails with attachments are delet- Blvd to become the pride
ed, unopened. Keep letters to 200 words or less. of Palmdale and devel-
Larry Hobson is the founder of Palmdale Founder’s Day op into a destination - a
Shorter letters given preference.
place where people want
The word “Boulevard” has greater social dis- to gather and enjoy.
tinction than “Avenue” or “Street.” Most of Palmdale Little League The only way we will
get things done is to work
the time, a Boulevard is a main street in a city P.O. Box 900732
that stands out. The Boulevard in many cases together as a community
Palmdale, CA 93590 that cares.
is the center of the city, making it the heart of
the city. Field Location:
“Winning might
Therefore, this is why as publisher, I named 37716 55th Street East,
this newspaper Palmdale Blvd – it represents Palmdale, CA 93552 not be every-
the heart of the city and is a newspaper of thing, but it
distinction.
661.285.2166 sure as heck
palmdalelittleleague@gmail.com
Copyright 2017. Palmdale Blvd Newspaper. All rights reserved beats losing.”

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 OCTOBER 2017 3

Palmdale Water Basics Antelope Valley Country Club

Continued From Page 1 Antelope Valley Country Club enjoys giving back
to the community. Just this year the club launched
dale get out of the Palmdale Lake? What percentage? What percentage of water do we get from water wells? the Mark DePompa Hi-Desert Junior Golf Tour-
LaMoreaux: The average annual amount of water moved through Palmdale Lake and processed by the Leslie nament. The event was created to host local boys
O. Carter Water Treatment Plant is 60 percent of total water production. The water comes from two sources: and girls of all ages to compete for a chance to get
State Water Project (California Aqueduct) at 50 percent and Littlerock Reservoir at 10 percent. The other 40 their names inscribed on the perpetual statue which
percent is produced from groundwater wells. stands outside our golf shop.
Palmdale Blvd: How many gallons of water does the Palmdale Lake hold? Our first year event was held in July with close to
LaMoreaux: Palmdale Lake has a capacity of 4,250 acre-feet, or 1.385 billion gallons of water. 25 juniors participating. The first years are always
Palmdale Blvd: How much water is in our upper and deep aquifer? tough, but following all the buzz the tournament
LaMoreaux: The Antelope Valley aquifer is largely divided into an upper and lower aquifer by a thick clay created - including a hole in one - next year will
layer that daylights as dry lake beds on Edwards Air Force Base. Generally, the groundwater from the upper likely double in attendance.
aquifer is pumped for urban and agricultural uses. Water from the lower aquifer is higher in naturally-occurring Another community effort the club does is to help
metals such as arsenic and Chromium 6 that make it expensive to use for urban purposes. The Palmdale area is high school students attend college through its golf
south of the clay layer and the groundwater aquifer is not divided. scholarship fund. Each year the club awards four
The total volume of groundwater is unclear. However, over 13 million acre-feet of groundwater was pumped deserving students $500 donations towards four
from the aquifers over the last 100 years. This amount of pumping over-used, or over-drafted the aquifers. The years’ tuition.
basin is now operating under a court-managed adjudication that controls groundwater pumping to match avail- This has been a yearly program that eventually
able recharge. will pay each student $2,000 toward their college
Palmdale Blvd: How much water does the Palmdale Water District filtration plant filter per month? education. Thumbs-up to our membership who par-
LaMoreaux: The Leslie O. Carter Water Treatment Plant has a capacity to treat up to 35 million gallons per ticipate in this yearly fundraiser.
day. This would be over a billion gallons in one month. However, the actual amount of treated water depends on If you enjoy golf, tennis or swimming, the AV
the customers’ water demand. It varies from a minimal amount in the winter to an average of 20 million gallons Country Club is the place to be. We are the only
per day in the summer. A higher amount of water is being treated in 2017 due to water availability from the private Club in the Antelope Valley. Our Club has a
exceptionally wet winter in Northern California and in the State Water Project. championship golf course designed by Billy Bell Sr.
Palmdale Blvd: On average, how much water does each household use? How much per business? He also designed courses for Newport Beach CC,
LaMoreaux: District customers are now using an average of 123 gallons per person, per day. Thus, a family of Bermuda Dunes CC and Torrey Pines in San Diego.
four uses an average of 492 gallons a day. This average is based on all the water service connections. Business In addition to golf, our club has five lighted tennis
water use varies greatly depending on the type and operations of each business. courts, a large swimming pool and a fitness center.
Palmdale Blvd: How old is the Palmdale Water District? Members enjoy the beautiful views throughout the
LaMoreaux: Palmdale Water District became a public agency in July 1918. It operated as various private clubhouse and patio area. There is a lot of history
companies beginning in 1886 until it became a public agency. We’ve started our yearlong 100th anniversary throughout our grounds as the club recently celebrat-
celebration. We kicked it off with an Open House, and we have historical displays in our district lobby and at ed its 63rd birthday. For more information, please
the Palmdale City Library. We are also offering the community monthly tours to the Littlerock Dam & Reservoir visit our website at www.AntelopeValleyCountry-
and to the Leslie O. Carter Water Treatment Plant. Those interested can sign up for the tours on our website at Club.com or call Alex O’Neil at 661.478.8291
www.palmdalewater.org. Established in 1954, the Antelope Valley Country
Palmdale Blvd: How much water do we get from the Littlerock Dam? Club is 149 lush acres centrally located in Palm-
LaMoreaux: The average annual amount of water used from Littlerock Reservoir is 10 percent of the water dale, California. The course is a challenging 18 hole
produced for customers. / 72 par golf course with lakes and a brilliant blend
Palmdale Blvd: How about the work the district is doing about recharging the aquifer? of natural and manicured beauty.
LaMoreaux: The District is working on the Palmdale Regional Groundwater Recharge and Recovery Project. Adult trees line shaded fairways with a pleasant
This project will recharge highly-treated recycled water and State Water Project water into the groundwater mix of desert plant life. The Men’s Championship
basin. It will be pumped at a later time to provide water for our customers. yards are 6,769 with a slope of 129.
Palmdale Blvd: Are we set with water to allow a lot more building in Palmdale?
LaMoreaux: Palmdale Water District completed a Strategic Water Resources Plan several years ago to esti-
mate future water demands and identify additional water sources to meet those demands. This study is the basis Water: The Lifeblood of a Community
for development fees to fund projects such as the Palmdale Regional Groundwater Recharge and Recovery
Continued From Page 1
Project, and purchases of other water supplies.
The Fin and Feather Club also has a nice park area on
39 Tips For Building A New Construction Home our property that members may reserve for birthday
parties and picnics. The park is equipped with a play-
JENNIFER ARNDT ground, tables and horseshoe pits.
Contributing Writer Our club holds a variety of events year-round. Our
Annual Kids Derby usually takes place every year in
1. Check References From Your New Construction Home Builder
April. Every kid that fishes in the derby wins a prize,
2. Hire Your Own Structural Engineer
no matter what.
3. Have A Professional Attorney Review The Contract
The Palmdale Fin and Feather Club is also proud to
4. Fully Examine The Complete Home Builders Warranty
offer a Scholarship Fund for the local Palmdale high
5. Choose your Homesite Carefully
schools where we donate scholarships to some deserv-
6. Talk To The Neighbors
ing students who are soon graduating and heading off
7. Shop Around For Financing
to college.
8. Set A Realistic Budget
In October, we now hold a Breast Cancer Awareness
9. Make A Priority List & A Wish List
fundraiser at our Trap Range. In 2016 we donated over
10. Ask What The Builder Includes In The Base Price
$700 to the American Cancer Society. In December,
11. Ask What The Builder Charges Extra For
we plan on donating some different toys to Toys for
12. Ask What Fee The Builder Charges To Build The Home
Tots to help bring some joy to deserving children this
Continued on Page 7 holiday season.
4 PALMDALE BLVD

Loving Our Dogs Eddie & Shari Floyd’s Wild Horse Sanctuary
Isn’t Just Emotional
MARILYN DALRYMPLE
Where Wild Mustangs and Man Meet to Help Each Other
Contributing Writer
EDDIE FLOYD educate the public, especially our community’s youth,
They follow us through the house, lie under our Contributing Writer through programs offered at the ranch about the heri-
feet, appear anxious or sad when we leave and do tage, the behavior and the beauty of one of America’s
the happy dance when we get home. Wynema Ranch Wild Horse Sanctuary prides itself most cherished icons ? Wild Mustangs.
Our dogs aren’t shy about showing how they feel as an Eco-friendly rescue and rehabilitation refuge for The true legacy we aspire to achieve is: Working to-
about us, and we don’t hesitate to shower them America’s wild mustangs, burros, and mules. gether, we hold the space to ensure those beings that
with love and attention. For these majestic creatures that once roamed the once roamed free can be as wild as they need to be
How do pets get us under their spell? What is range free, a safe haven and alternative to slaughter under the protection of Wynema Ranch Wild Horse
this attraction to our canine companions we can’t has been conceived. Sanctuary.
resist?
Obvious answers include seeing our pets as loyal,
as good company and they make our days brighter.
There is a more scientific answer, however. Scien-
tists find that when a pet-owner and their dog look
into each other’s eyes the hormone oxytocin, the
same hormone behind the parent and baby bond,
spikes in the brain of both the human and the dog.
Oxytocin, which has also been dubbed the “cuddle
chemical” or “trust hormone,” is a neurotransmitter
synthesized in the hypothalamus and secreted by
the pituitary gland.
A study published in the journal Science revealed
dogs had a 130 percent spike in oxytocin level.
Their owners experienced a 300 percent increase.
(MaryAnn Barone, April 21, 2015, Why People
Love Their Dogs So Much, According to Science).
So our affection for our canine companions isn’t
just imagined. It’s naturally chemical. The premise upon which this sanctuary has been es- Wynema Ranch may be contacted at
tablished is that all our rescued animals are given the 775.384.4444 and www.WynemaRanch.com.
CDC Urges Pregnant Women to Get best chance for a rewarding life in their new restricted
Flu Shots Amid Vaccine Safety Concerns regimen and that each animal will be given a new pur- 7 Reasons Why People
The CDC has not changed guidelines urging preg- pose. Are Still Eager to Buy Real Estate
nant women to get flu shots during any stage of preg- Those wild horses and burros who willingly sign
nancy following the release of a study that suggests onto people and establish a bond through a process 1. Home prices are appreciating
a possible link between a certain type of flu vaccine known as “gentling” will be given an opportunity for 2. Millennial’s need a home to raise their
and miscarriage. Experts say the findings are too permanent homes under the watchful eye of the Wyn- families
weak and preliminary to warrant a change in recom- ema Ranch Wild Horse Sanctuary Adoption Program. 3. Rents are high giving property owner an
mendations designed to protect not only mothers but If circumstances change for their adoptive family, excellent ROI on rental properties
infants who are too young for vaccination. Pregnant return of adoptive animals will be welcomed. Other 4. Flips of older properties continue to create
women should talk to their health care providers. horses will be given opportunities to participate in pro- amazing returns
grams to help heal, self-empower and inspire return- 5. Real property is less risky (unless you get
ing veterans, veterans’ families, at-risk youths, foster over leveraged)
youths, recent parolees and those struggling with ad- 6. The economy is steady or improving
dictions. 7. Foreigners including Canadians are eager
Additionally, our rescued herds will join in helping to to own US property

Saturday, October 14 / 10am-6pm

Palmdale Amphitheater
2723 Rancho Vista Boulevard

Amateur Astronauts
Continued From Page 1
With the introduction of mission and
pay­load specialists into flight crews,
the two pilots on the flight deck were
freed from a myriad of engineering and
technical responsibilities that former-
ly loaded (and overloaded) their daily
schedules.
As the astronauts’ flying responsibili­
ties increased, so did each crewmem-
ber’s free time while in orbit, as mis-
sion specialists as­sumed most of the
experiment and engineering responsi-
bilities.
The position of mission specialist was
a chal­lenging and demanding job, at-
tracting a number of highly qualified
pilot and non-pilot special­ists. A few
mission specialists already have made,
or one day will make the transition into
piloting roles.
Specialization set us on an effi­cient
path for reasons, which probably will
not change so long as we have the
luxury of these marvelous flying ma-
chines.
The pilots and mission specialists of
the pro­ fessional astronaut corps have
dedicated many years of their lives to
the success of one of the most challeng-
ing programs in our nation’s his­tory.
They no doubt feel as I did in the
1960s: that I and my family contribut-
ed eight years and a lot of hard work
to accomplish a major national under-
taking.
My 11 days in space on Apollo 7 were
merely a small reward and cer­tainly not
my major contribution to NASA.
The real question being debated now
is the role of private-citizen space trav-
elers. In a world of professional astro-
nauts is there a place for the “amateur”
space traveler?
By “ama­teur” space traveler I do not
include any space­craft crewmember
who is meeting a specific need in this
dangerous environment.
We have made a commitment to a
continued presence in and exploitation
of the space envi­ronment. The high
cost and our form of govern­ment make
the need to involve the private sector
obvious.
The highly specialized equip­ment and
develop­ ment of proprietary products
may justify the use of non-NASA pay-
load spe­cialists by companies such as
McDonnell Douglas and Hughes Air-
craft.
What we are left with is the private-cit-
izen space traveler: the politicians,
school­teachers, journalists and others,
as well as the “guest” astronauts from
foreign countries.
It is a bit more difficult to rationalize
OCTOBER 2017
these space pas­sengers taking a short
break from their regular careers.
All of these people are there because
of a considered (but arbitrary) policy
decision.
Walter Cunningham is best known as
pilot of Apollo 7, the first manned flight
test of the Apollo Program to land a man
on the Moon.
He is a retired Marine Corps fighter
pilot with the rank of colonel and 4,500
hours pilot time. Today Walt is 85 years
old and the last man standing from his
three man crew that took Apollo 7 into
space.
He worked as a scientist for the RAND
Corporation prior to joining NASA.
While with RAND, he worked on clas-
sified defense studies and problems of
the earth’s magnetosphere.
Today, he is a successful businessman,
entrepreneur, venture capitalist, lecturer
and author. He is a member of the As-
tronaut Hall of Fame. His writings and
involvement with energy and the en-
vironment date back to 1970, when he
was one of three founders of The Earth
Awareness Foundation, an environmen-
tal concern organization. He is also au-
thor of The All American Boys, telling
his side of the space program.
Recipient of numerous national and
international honors, including: NASA
Distinguished Service Medal; NASA
Exceptional Service Medal; AIAA Ha-
ley Astronautics Award; 1969 UCLA
Professional Achievement Award; 1969
Special Trustees Award; Academy of
Television Arts and Sciences (Emmy);
1969 Medal of Valor, American Legion;
1975 Outstanding American Award,
American Conservative Union; 1975
Listed in all major Who’s Who.
He is a Fellow at the American Astro-
nautical Society and American Institute
of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and
numerous other organizations.
He is also a member (or former mem-
ber) at: the Selection Committee for
the 1984 Rolex Awards for Enterprise,
Society of Experimental Test Pilots,
National Association of Small Business
Investment Companies, Association of
Space Explorers, American Geophysi-
cal Union, Sigma Pi Sigma, Explorers
Club, Chairman, Texas Aerospace Com-
mission, Advisory Board, National Re-
newable Energy Laboratory, Director,
Astronaut Scholarship Foundation, Ad-
visory Board, National Space Biomed-
ical Research Institute and numerous
other professional and civic organiza-
tion.
His education includes a B.S., with
honors, in physics from the University
of California at Los Angeles, an M.S.,
with distinction, from the Institute of
Geophysics And Planetary Sciences,
and completed work on a Doctorate in
physics with exception of thesis. He
also has an AMB from Harvard Busi-
ness School.
Apollo 7 astronaut Walter Cunningham
has earned undergraduate and graduate
degrees in physics. He has also com-
pleted all coursework for a doctorate in
that discipline, but those studies were
interrupted by other commitments be-
fore completing thesis requirements. In
addition, he is a graduate of the Harvard
Business School Advanced Manage-
ment Program.
Walt was a Marine Corps fighter pilot
and Apollo 7 Lunar Module pilot. He
has logged more than 4,500 hours of fly-
ing time of including more than 3,400
in jet aircraft, and more than 263 hours
in space.
Walt was called upon to further ap-
ply his mission training and flight ex-
periences as Chief of NASA’s Skylab
Branch of the Astronaut Office.
Col. Cunningham, like many other sci-
entifically- and technologically-experi-
enced space program professionals, is
an outspoken critic of pseudo-scientific
climate alarmist claims.
Walter Cunningham has been called on
to give speeches all over the world. Wal-
ter Cunningham is the last man standing
from the crew of Apollo 7.
walt@waltercunningham.com
Seven Reasons Why People Are
Still Eager to Buy Real Estate
1. Home prices are appreciating
2. Millennial’s need a home to raise
their families
3. Rents are high giving property own-
er an excellent ROI on rental proper-
ties
4. Flips of older properties continue to
create amazing returns
5. Real property is less risky (unless
you get over leveraged)
6. The economy is steady or improving
7. Foreigners including Canadians are
eager to own US property
5
Fore Play
PAUL MATTSON
Contributing Writer
Are you precise and emotionally re-
served? Or, is your personality open
and gregarious like Arnold Palmer?
Being armed with knowing your per-
sonal profile will help you in making
critical decisions in applying your fo-
cus to good golf play.
What matters is you have a plan
so when those wheels start to come
off the wagon, you know how to put
them back on and pull the cart into
the barn.
By practicing a little more emotional
control and patience, and understand-
ing what your tendencies are when
your game comes under duress, you
can find a way to bounce back from
very bad decisions.
Here are a few helpful tips:
Play to your personal par - Use
your handicap to determine a realistic
par for each hole and stop trying to
play like a scratch golfer.
Use caution on the tee after a bad
hole - Play it safe and choose a club
on the next tee that will help you get
your confidence back.
Learn to recognize tension - Rec-
ognize when the environment is caus-
ing you stress and how that stress is
going to affect your shot.
Don’t attach yourself to the out-
come and forget your negative his-
tory with a particular shot or hole -
Instead, embrace the challenge with a
fresh attitude and change the results.
Know yourself and be familiar with
how your personality matches up
with your golf game.
Genetic Effects Are
Influenced by Lifestyle
UPI - The risk for developing obesity
is influenced by our lifestyle as well as
our genes. In a new study from Uppsa-
la University, researchers show that our
genetic risk for obesity is not static, but
is influenced by our lifestyle. Results
from the study have been published in
the scientific journal PLOS Genetics.
In the current study, researchers have
investigated if genetic effects are influ-
enced by different lifestyle factors such
as diet, smoking, socio-economic sta-
tus, alcohol consumption and physical
activity. The study builds on genetic and
self-reported lifestyle information from
360,000 middle-aged people in the UK.
“The results of our study clearly show
that the environment and the lifestyle
interact with the genes,” says Mathias
Rask-Andersen, researcher at the De-
partment of Immunology, Genetics and
Pathology, who led the study.
6 PALMDALE BLVD
Real Archaeology Bodie: Part of California History Old Palmenthal Cemetery
DR. BRUCE LOVE
Contributing Writer
It’s been my long-time dream to write an archaeol-
ogy column to bring the fascinating field of archae-
ology to the general reader, and this newly-launched
monthly newspaper provides me just the right vehicle.
Everybody loves archaeology but how does it really
work? How does it get done?
Most people immediately think Indiana Jones, but
I’ll tell you right now that’s not archaeology, that’s
treasure hunting! I remember the makers of Indiana
Jones got so much heat from professional archaeol-
ogists after the first movie came out that the opening
scene of the second Indian Jones movie began with
Indie sneaking up on some looters who were clandes-
tinely excavating some pots in a cave in the Southwest
somewhere, and Indie yelling out (righteously) “That
belongs in a museum!”
I guess the film makers thought they had done their
community service announcement at that point and
then proceeded with the old swashbuckling, bull-
whip-snapping, death-defying archaeologist-in-action
for the rest of the film.
Archaeologists are not treasure hunters. We’re not
out there seeking golden idols with ruby eyes (as my
old UCLA professor used to say). What we do is try
to reconstruct the past based on the material remains
found in the ground, and it’s an exacting science.
Real remains in real archaeology are likely no more
than small bits and pieces of chipped stone and burned
animal bone – things a non-trained person would not
even recognize – or even just a layer of ash two feet
below the surface of the ground. But I hope to show
you that fact is better than fiction.
Let me introduce myself. My name is Bruce Love. I
have a Ph.D. in Anthropology from UCLA (1986), and
about 40 years’ experience doing archaeology here in
the Antelope Valley, as well as in Riverside and San
Bernardino Counties and Ancient Maya sites in Mexi-
co, Guatemala, Belize, and Honduras.
I ran the Archaeological Information Center at UCLA,
the Archaeological Research Unit at UC Riverside and
had my own consulting company doing “contract ar-
chaeology” (to be explained in a future column) with
up to 20 employees at its peak.
I am now retired from professional archaeology and
living here in beautiful Juniper Hills. I spend most of
my time at my desk getting out a backlog of publica-
tions and research reports, but I can’t seem to stay out
of the field. I am always finding ways to work with
students, local historical societies, community organi-
zations and institutions like AV College and the Ante-
lope Valley Indian Museum.
There is so much to talk about! With 40 years’ ex-
perience, there is no danger of running out of topics.
In some columns I will get into the technical aspects
of artifact analysis while in other columns I might tell
stories from the field (yes there are scorpions and spi-
ders and snakes [oh my!]).
I will also talk about contemporary Native Ameri-
cans, the true descendants of the ancient past, living
here today. And I won’t shy away from controversy,
for which there is plenty in our field. But whatever
the topic, I hope to grab your attention and hold it so
you look forward to the next month’s installment. And
with that brief introduction, see you next month.
brucelove9@gmail.com
A Town Frozen in Time in
a ‘State of Arrested Decay’
National Parks Service
Bodie is an original mining town from the late 1800s.
What’s left today stands in a state of “arrested decay”
and is maintained by the California State Parks Sys-
tem. This organization took over the town in 1962 to
make it a State Historic Park.
In 1859, William (a.k.a. Waterman) S. Bodey discov-
ered gold near what is now called Bodie Bluff. A mill
was established in 1861 and the town began to grow. It
started with about 20 miners and grew to an estimated
10,000 people by 1880.
By then the town of Bodie bustled with families, rob-
bers, miners, store owners, gunfighters, prostitutes and
people from every country in the world. At one time
there was reported to be 65 saloons in town.
Among the saloons were numerous brothels and
“houses of ill repute,” gambling halls and opium dens
– an entertainment outlet for everyone.
On a daily basis miners would emerge from the mills
and head for the bars and the red light district to spend
their earnings. The mixture of money, gold and alcohol
would often prove fatal.
Newspapers report that townspeople would ask in the
mornings “Have a man for breakfast?” Meaning “Did
anyone get killed last night?”
Some records show that a “Wm. Body” took a ship
from New York around the horn to end up in San Fran-
cisco. It isn’t clear if that’s the same man who was
prospecting near present day Bodie.
In any case, the spelling of the name was changed
at some point before the majority of the people made
their way to Bodie, and it stuck.
Today, even though Bodie is down a dusty, bumpy,
slow 13 mile long road off of State Highway 395, it’s
amazing how many people are aware of this once glo-
rious town.
I was driving down 395 and saw a sign to Bodie.
I wondered if it was worth the time to go back and
see this town. The road turned dirty and while driving
I kept saying to myself, “I probably should just turn
around.” But when I got there, it was well worth the
drive.
There’s a story about a little girl whose family was
moving from San Francisco to Bodie, and depending
on who tells it, she wrote in her diary either: “Good,
by God, I’m going to Bodie” -or-“Goodbye God, I’m
going to Bodie.”
Learn more about Bodie and decide for yourself. Ex-
plore Bodie.com.
Concordia Historical Institute,
Department of Archives and History
In 1886, a group of German Lutherans came to the
Antelope Valley lured by the prospect of fertile fields
and lush landscape, as well as 20 acre plots of land.
This group of 50 to 60 thrifty families, originally from
Germany, Switzerland and southern Russia, had been
attracted by ingenious land promotional schemes.
They came to settle Palmenthal (German for Palm
Valley). This self-sustaining community consisted of
about 250 people, 40 buildings, a Lutheran church, a
Christian day school, a public school, a general store
with post office and other necessary businesses, as
well as a Lutheran cemetery.
The church that was established in Palmenthal be-
came Zion Lutheran Church, and filed incorporation
papers in April of 1887.
The official name of the church was Deutsche-evan-
gelische lutherische Zionsgemeinde (Zion Lutheran
Evangelical Lutheran).
They constructed a church that was completed 10
months after the town was founded. The pastor of the
church was Rev. Christian Frederick Meyer, born in
Germany, but living in Australia before being called to
Palmenthal and the Lutheran church there.
The congregation had a 20 acre cemetery located
north of the town on what is now 20th Street East, just
north of Avenue S. The land was donated to the church
by the Jonas family.
The cemetery has headstones and markers that bear
the names of some of the early church members:
Rathke; Nagel; Ritter; Munz; and Jonas. The ceme-
tery continued to be used by other settlers even after
the town of Palmenthal failed, but gradually fell into
disrepair.
It was closed in 1979 due to incomplete records. In
1981 it was reopened when the Palmdale Kiwanis
accepted responsibility to keep accurate records. But
again the cemetery was closed and it remains closed as
of this writing. It is now under the management of the
City of Palmdale.
With our thanks, much of the information for this
history was provided with the assistance of Concordia
Historical Institute, Department of Archives and His-
tory, The Lutheran Church, Missouri Synod, St. Louis,
MO, 63105.
Palmdale Founders Day is July 16, 1886.
 OCTOBER 2017
Questioning CDC’s Position on Autism
YUL GEVARGIS
Contributing Writer
Opinion
Autism has become so prevalent that many people know a family that has been
affected by it. Every year the number of children diagnosed with autism increas-
es. Currently it is 1 in 45. These are epidemic proportions. Yet, the Centers for
Disease Control (CDC) - the same agency regulating the vaccine schedule, and
the same agency that refutes studies linking autism to childhood vaccines - states
Autism may be a genetic disease.
Have you ever heard of a genetic epidemic? No, you haven’t. That’s because it’s
not possible because an epidemic is “the widespread occurrence of an infectious
disease.”
Autism is not infectious. I wish it was. Then, perhaps, someone could find a
cure. But while the CDC keeps increasing the number of vaccines your child is
“required” to have, so does the rate of children diagnosed with autism. The insert
on several vaccines indicates that permanent brain damage can be a side-effect
of the vaccine.
Autism is defined as a neurodevelopmental disorder. There are known condi-
tions that will exacerbate the effects of vaccines but there are no requirements to
have tests for these conditions run on children before we directly inject poison
and toxins into their tiny bodies.
And, there are no studies on the effect of multiple vaccines given at once. As of
last summer, the state of California decided it knows better than you whether or
not your own child should be vaccinated.
Senator Richard Pan authored SB277, a bill removing the “personal beliefs”
exemption clause as a reason not to vaccinate. SB277 still allows a medical ex-
emption, but for this you must know beforehand that an adverse condition exists
due to a vaccine injury or family medical history.
Instead, your baby is subjected to a menu of multiple vaccinations over a short
period of time in order to attend public school. Parents must ask more questions
about vaccine safety - no one should be forced to take the chance that their child
becomes one of the statistics.
The opinions expressed in this article are those of Yule Gevargis and not nec-
essarily those of Palmdale Blvd.
39 Tips For Building A New Construction Home
Continued From Page 1
13. Examine The Cost Estimate Line-by-Line
14. Work With A Certified Architect To Design The Floor Plan
15. Mentally Walk Through The Floor Plan (Over And Over Again)!
16. Examine The Natural Light & Window Sizes (Consider Views)
17. Understand The Property Boundaries
18. Consider A Walkout Or Lookout Basement
19. Protect Mature Or Old Growth Trees On The Property
20. Research The School District & Property Taxes
21. Expect To Spend More
22. Take Time To Build It RIght
23. Be Flexible
24. Don’t Build The Most Expensive Home In Your Neighborhood
25. Plan For Outdoor Living Space
26. Include Energy Efficient Features
27. Enhance Bedrooms With Tray Or Vaulted Ceilings
28. Position The Laundry Convenient To Bedrooms
29. Create Wide Walkways & Stairways
30. Include A Walk-In Pantry
31. Allow Ample Work Spaces In The Kitchen
32. Reconsider High-Maintenance Materials (Marble, Stainless, Natural Stone)
33. Whenever Possible Use Low Or Maintenance-Free Building Components
34. Price Compare & Purchase Fixtures Online (Lighting, Plumbing, Blinds)
35. Invest In Great Closet Storage Systems
36. Enhance Walls With Sconce Lighting
37. Add Ambiance With Dimmer Switches
38. Make Sure Porches Are 6’ Deep Or More (For Furniture)
39. Include Outlets Outside & On Roof Line (For Holiday Lights)
7
Unneeded Medical Care is Common The Palmdale School District
and Driven by Fear of Malpractice, PROMISE Journey
Physician Survey Concludes NANCY SMITH
Patient Demand and Profit Factor In Contributing Writer
John Hopkins University Palmdale School District has a new
School of Medicine slogan portraying our new promise to
the Palmdale community: “Palmdale
Over 80 percent of surveyed physi- Leads.”
cians cited fear of malpractice as the In October 2014, the Palmdale School
top reason for medical overuse. A new District governing board began a con-
national survey of more than 2,000 phy- versation about the need for a district
sicians across multiple specialties finds strategic plan ensuring student achieve-
that physicians believe over treatment ment was front and center.
is common and mostly perpetuated by By January 2015, a community-wide
fear of malpractice, as well as patient committee was formed that includes
demand and some profit motives. business partners, parents, educators
A report on the findings, published and students. This group of stakeholders
Sept. 6 in PLOS ONE, highlights phy- met four times to help the district refine
sicians perspectives on unnecessary essentials and then begin the develop-
health care practices and the potential ment process.
causes and solutions. The Palmdale School District (PSD)
“Unnecessary medical care is a lead- is committed to both the high achieve-
ing driver of the higher health insurance ment of all students and the nurturing
premiums affecting every American,” of a respectful and collaborative district
says Martin Makary, M.D., M.P.H., pro- culture.
fessor of surgery and health policy at Our teachers, administrators, staff and
the Johns Hopkins University School of community have consistently expressed
Medicine and the paper’s senior author. the noticeable difference in our positive
Unnecessary medical services repre- culture, the development of good rela-
sent the majority of wasted health care tionships and our holding to high ex-
resources and costs in the United States, pectations. This includes a robust cur-
accounting for an estimated $210 billion riculum, staff development and parent
in excess spending each year, according education.
to the National Academy of Medicine. We are discussing alignment of our
Studies consistently show that over courses with the high school district by
treatment is also directly associated meeting with our community about the
with preventable patient harm and, on skills our students need to become suc-
a national scale, the issue represents a cessful in school and career.
significant opportunity to make improve We have reintroduced the arts, up-
patient safety and lower health care graded technology, provided a variety
costs, Makary notes. of STEM courses and introduced over
Increasingly, he adds, professional 30 electives to allow our students to
societies and other health care organi- explore and find their areas of interest.
zations have focused on campaigns to This creates a well-rounded education
address the unnecessary medical care and better prepares students to be glob-
issue. Initiatives such as Choosing ally competitive.
Wisely and Improving Wisely, which A good strategic plan tells the story
focus on reducing unneeded tests and about the organization. It is important
procedures and are endorsed by multi- for our community to understand the
ple physician societies, have increased district and how it will improve our
awareness of appropriateness in testing community.
and treatment. The PSD strategic plan represents the
Direct estimates by physicians them- new leadership’s strategy of dramatical-
selves of unnecessary care, however, ly improving the education outcome for
have been limited. Palmdale’s students.
In an effort to hear from physicians What is our identity? We refer to this
about the magnitude of the “too much core set of descriptors as our “District
medical care” problem, the Johns Hop- Essentials.” These essentials include
kins research team - part of a national our values, our theory of action, our de-
consortium exploring ways to reduce sign principles, our strategic goals and
unneeded care - invited 3,318 physi- our instructional priorities.
cians from a continuing education sub- Future articles will feature these essen-
group of the American Medical Associ- tials and how they are being implement-
ation’s Physician Masterfile, a database ed in our schools.
of more than 1.4 million physicians in Nancy Smith is an elected member
the United States, to complete a survey serving on the Palmdale School District
about health care practices. governing board.
8 PALMDALE BLVD
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