Desert Local News - Index

Desert Local News - Desert Local News March 18th 2008 Print and Virtual Edition - Index

LOCAL NEWS
Live Music
Sounds Off
By Eonn Skye
Inside Desert Hot Springs you
can’t find live music, only “juke
box” tunes at other entertainment
sites. you have to drive just outside
city limits to enjoy the local live music
to swing and bounce.
Local to DHS means not having
to drive across the freeway. Three
south of town venues offer great
local bands and singers expressing
music of a variety of genres. each
is located no more than 10 minutes
from the heart of downtown DHS.
Classic Rock is found at the
Handlebar and Rock and Country at
Sundown Pizza and the Dillon Roadhouse
offers Supper Club lounge
tunes and cocktails.
The Handlebar is located on Indian
Avenue next the Harley dealer
in the industrial park this side of the
freeway. It’s a full bar, and open to
everyone, as it’s not always filled
with bikers. Like the outside, it’s a
crisp and clean atmosphere inside
with an industrial dance floor. Behind
the granite bar find Barbie as
the new manager with Susan and
others from DHS slingin’ the drinks.
Who needs glam when you have a
fine band rockin’ the house. The music
starts Fridays at 3 pm for those
construction workers heading home
early after work. Saturday night the
band plays from 9 pm ‘till midnight.
Check out their great hamburgers,
too!
The Dillon Roadhouse is found
‘bout midway on Dillon between Indian
and Palm. Sterling, the owner,
added artistic lighting and a smart
ambiance to what was little more
than a barn in the dust beside the
road. Formerly known as “The Office,”
it’s more than a bar as it lives
another surprising life as a classy
dinner house with tablecloths and
great food. The sounds range from
C&W to Pop, Soul and Broadway
with singers, duos, and the occasional
band. Find some of your DHS
friends there…Kristen, popular
waitress with her generous smile,
formerly from the Paradise Café, and
Rude Dog serving behind the bar.
Sundown Pizza is on the main
drag of Palm, corner of Dillon
tucked behind the valerio gas station.
Formerly known as Mothers,
this pizza parlor now offers a regular
assortment of live music on Saturday
nights. Country and classic rock
are quite popular, often featuring the
always popular “Crossfire.” Serving
beer and wine and pizza the stage is
bag and the heart is large. no one
builds these places for the acoustics
but it ROCKS! While the wine and
beer bar seats a dozen; fortunately
there are plenty of tables and chairs
for everyone. easy to get to, friendly
owners, with plenty of parking and
great pizza.
URGENT CARE
Is There A Doctor In The House
Staff writer
Will this building on the corner
of Palm Drive and Desert
view serve as a new urgent care
medical center in DHS?
Former City Councilman and
real estate developer, Anthony
Dalkas, proposes to expand his
current medical facility AnD to
build a new structure on the vacant
lot across the street. Detractors
question the appropriateness
of using redevelopment funds
for the business of medicine.
Proponents cite the humanitarian
need.
The Dalkas proposal was
submitted for consideration to
the Desert Hot Springs Redevelopment
Agency for consideration
on March 4 of this year.
Details about the project have
been published and televised on
Shellie Karabell show on Time
Warner cable.
Dalkas is counting on his
credibility and smart packaging
winning community support.
Opponents question Dalkas and
his partners profiting from RDA
funds.
Some in Desert Hot Springs
debate if this is the best location
for an expanded medical facility,
saying it will involve condemnation
of residential neighborhoods
or that the location is not large
enough for future needs.
no alternative proposal has
been submitted for consideration
to the RDA. The Dalkas proposal
is quite comprehensive, envisioning
a facility to handle emergency
procedures, X-ray, and “after
hour” services as well as conventional
health care for a variety of
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medical needs.
Dalkas aims to provide a solution
to justify the hundreds of
thousands of dollars spent on reports
investigating the financial
feasibility of providing for the
medical needs of DHS residents.
The Desert Health Care District
provided a $190,000 grant to
the DHS Health Collaborative to
study health care needs in Desert
Hot Springs. The result was The
Hammes Report prepared by a
previous Mayor’s Blue Ribbon
Committee.
Dalkas has a goal for making
his project happen. With a considerable
amount of money already
spent in fundamental assessment,
the Dalkas proposal offers land, a
building, and an existing medical
practice as a start.