Victorville Daily Press On Nov. 3, 2020, as much of America watched the presidential election play out, I focused on a local race that piqued my interest due to its potential to dramatically alter the makeup of one High Desert council and the direction of a city. In the end, voters did dramatically alter the makeup of the Barstow City Council, ousting two-term Mayor Julie Hackbarth-McIntyre and two-term District 4 Councilwoman Carmen Hernandez in favor of Paul Courtney and Marilyn Dyer-Kruse, respectively. District 3 voters, meanwhile, elected Barbara Rose, who filled the seat vacated by Rich Harpole in December 2019. The results equaled what journalists like to call a “seismic shift” on the dais. Courtney, Dyer-Kruse and Rose — each backed by the Barstow Professional Firefighters IAFF Local 2325 — suddenly comprised the City Council majority. Their colleagues, Tim Silva and James Noble, were all but relegated to the sidelines.