Ridgecrest Daily Independent
High winds flipped an unloaded tractor-trailer Monday afternoon on southbound Highway 14 just south of the intersection with Highway 178 East. The driver sustained minor injuries. Traffic was diverted around the wreckage after the California Highway Patrol and Caltrans responded to the scene. Wind gusts as high as 45 mph were recorded Monday at nearby Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake.
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Ridgecrest shows signs of growth despite pandemic
The city of Ridgecrest showed signs of growth during 2020 despite the COVID-19 pandemic.
The city approved 1,117 new housing units from a total of 11 applications in 2020, according to a housing element update by Administrative Analyst Heather Spurlock.
Spurlock updated the Planning Commission at its Feb. 23 meeting on the city’s General Plan, Housing Element and Regional Housing Needs Allocation.
No housing unit applications were disapproved during 2020 according to the report.
Certificates of occupancy were issued for 84 units and building permits were issued for 41 single-family residential units, according to the planning commission staff report.
The planning commission approved the popular new community garden in 2020. The commission also took steps toward approving Ridgecrest Restoration Ministries, a faith-based recovery location.
Ridgecrest sees rain and snow Thursday
Threatening clouds could be seen all around Ridgecrest on Thursday afternoon.
A winter storm system came through, generating a bit of rain and even reports of snow from throughout town, though due to temperatures in the 50s at the time, the snow melted almost immediately upon landing.
The rainfall wasn’t enough to register a total at Armitage Airfield at Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake.
Ridgecrest, the Tehachapi Mountains, the Fort Tejon area and the Grapevine were placed under a winter storm warning Thursday afternoon. Ridgecrest and some of the surrounding areas were placed under a wind advisory earlier in the week.
Canyoneer dies after falling 95 feet in Death Valley National Park
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
and last updated 2021-02-02 16:17:01-05
Justin Ibershoff, 38, of Los Angeles, was descending a technical route down Deimos Canyon with six friends when officials say he fell to his death Saturday.
The National Park Service says the group was very experienced and most members of the party had descended the canyon several times before.
The incident occurred while Ibershoff was descending a steep, rocky slope to the top of the third rappel anchor. He apparently stepped on a rock that moved, triggering a rockslide that swept him past two companions and over the edge of the 95-foot-tall dry fall.