Inside Apple Valley

In the five months I’ve been covering Apple Valley for the Daily Press, I’ve been both impressed and taken aback by the way business is conducted during Town Council meetings.  

Before the meeting even starts, Apple Valley’s council agendas are easily accessible through the Town’s Web site. Supporting documents are linked separately, making it easy to get to what’s needed without sifting through the entire agenda. This shows me that the town actually wants its public to be able to understand what’s being voted on which is, after all, the point of the meetings.  

The council meetings are long — significantly longer than those in my other beat of Victorville. While this can seem to be a negative, after a long day or for those waiting to hear that one item on the agenda that always seems to come up last, I’ve come to see it as a positive because of what it means.  

In Apple Valley, I often feel like I’m actually watching democracy take place, with councilmembers unabashedly asking questions of each other and of town staff. While it would be nice to see a more varied group, with a woman or two or some ethnic diversity represented, the council does have different viewpoints and they don’t typically try to hide it, hopefully knowing that it’s healthy for people with different opinions and backgrounds and personalities to speak for a community that is far more varied than they are. 

I’ve been a bit disappointed when councilmembers have used meeting time to serve their own agendas, taking jabs at neighboring cities or at the Daily Press, but this comes with the territory I suppose.  

I was, however, truly shocked by what took place during a meeting a couple weeks ago, when Mayor Jasper stopped the audience from applauding after a citizen’s three-minute speech. He said he wouldn’t allow it in case it discouraged those with differing viewpoints from feeling comfortable speaking up. I received several messages and several readers commented on the DP Web site after this took place, appalled by this outburst. I hope that, in the future, the mayor will allow his public to express their opinions openly and appropriately through such things as applause.

However, something new has come up for this coming Tuesday’s agenda that shows me the town is responding a bit to the requests of the public. The town is preparing to vote on updated park ordinances that give a bit more leeway for bikes on pathways, which all regular VVDailyPress.com viewers will know is a frequent topic of comment. Watch this week’s Web site and paper for a full story on this topic, and attend Tuesday’s meeting to hear how the vote goes.

Oh, and feel free to express yourselves as you see fit…

In Rachel Byrd’s article “The Life of a Commuter,” she writes about the number of residents who leave the Victor Valley for work and the effect it has on family life. She found county research that states: Adelanto is home to the most commuters, with 45 percent of working residents commuting. In Hesperia, 43 percent of the workforce commutes, in Victorville 40 percent, and in Apple Valley 28 percent.  

While people choose to commute for a variety of reasons, it seems reasonable to assume most have determined a better job opportunity awaits them somewhere other than where they live. With Apple Valley holding on to 12 to 17 percent more of it’s workforce than other local cities, the town must be doing something right.  

It must be said that Apple Valley residents would likely face the longest commute from home down the hill, which may contribute a bit to this statistic. But residents couldn’t be staying around to work locally if there wasn’t a job market to support them. 

Even with the recent growth in commercial development, I’ve read comments to past stories expressing concern over the lack of high-paying, professional job opportunities in AV. And so I wonder, does the lower number of commuters mean AV residents are taking lower-paying jobs? 

But the latest U.S. Census data shows that AV residents have an average household income nestled comfortably between that of neighboring Hesperia and Victorville.  

Why does it even matter how many people commute? One reason is what some refer to as the “brain drain,” where talented, commuting professionals take needed skills, growth and smarts away from their hometown economy. There have also been several studies about how a long commute can have a detrimental effect on health and family life, particularly if the drive involves fighting traffic.  

I’m a commuter myself, though fortunately my drive doesn’t involve much if any traffic. I actually enjoy the 35 to 40 minutes to blast my music and be alone with my thoughts. The cell phone has intruded on this a bit, but it’s also a good chance to catch up with family and friends. 

So to what can Apple Valley attribute its low commuter statistic? Is this cause to celebrate, or an issue of concern over the types of jobs residents are taking? Has commuting impacted your life at all? I welcome your comments and insight…   

Welcome to my blog, “Inside Apple Valley.”

My name is Brooke Edwards, and I joined the staff of the Daily Press nearly three months ago. If you’ve been reading the paper regularly, you may have noticed that one of the main beats I cover is the Town of Apple Valley.

Are you thinking what I’m thinking? Yes, it’s a BROAD TOPIC.

That’s where this blog will come in handy. I hope to open up a dialogue with members of the community who take an interest in issues beyond what can make it into the daily paper. I know there are so many of you who know this town far better than I yet do, and I want to hear from you.

Though I have roots locally, I am relatively new to the area. I was born at St. Mary’s and grew up in Big Bear. I got my bachelor’s degree in English, my teaching credential and a Masters in Education from California Baptist University. After teaching high school for four years at Rubidoux High School, I decided to pursue a career in one of the things I was teaching: journalism. And so I spent the last year and a half living in New York City, completing my masters at NYU.

It’s been exciting to return and see the explosion in retail that has happened in Apple Valley. I am anxious to watch this growth continue, as the town prepares to open its second movie theater, Best Buy and more.

However, it has been in getting to know the people of this community that I have found my inspiration. I look forward to getting to know many of you better, through this blog and through future stories.

If you have a question for me or would like to suggest a future topic for this discussion, please feel free to either post it here as a comment or e-mail me at  bedwards at vvdailypress.com with “blog” in the subject line.

In the meantime, check back soon for my first posting and take care.