Julie Drake

Palmdale

Staff Writer at Antelope Valley Press

Featured in: Favicon

avpress.com Favicon

bakersfield.com Favicon

eviemagazine.com Favicon

yabookscentral.com

Articles

Lancaster DUI checkpoint nets 1 arrest, 35 citations

3 days ago | avpress.com | Julie Drake

LANCASTER — A Lancaster Sheriff’s Station driving under the influence checkpoint conducted Friday yielded one arrest and 35 citations. The checkpoint was held from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. at Sierra Highway and Lancaster Boulevard, which is near the Lancaster Sheriff’s Station. A total of 933 vehicles were checked during that period, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Information Bureau reported Monday. Deputies arrested one person for other criminal charges, felony warrant.
AV College opens huge Cedar Hall

3 days ago | avpress.com | Julie Drake

LANCASTER — Antelope Valley Community College District administrators and officials and guests on Monday celebrated the grand opening of Cedar Hall, the largest and most expensive project under Measure AV, the $350 million bond measure approved by local voters in November 2016.
City considers deal with AI service firm

4 days ago | avpress.com | Julie Drake

LANCASTER — The city could soon use artificial intelligence to analyze images of properties to identify and map issues such as blight, damage and graffiti. The City Council today will consider a recommendation to approve annual hardware and software costs for Community Preservation vehicle-mounted cameras and AI services provided as by City Detect for a proposed initial term of three years. The total fiscal impact is $113,300 per year, not to exceed $339,900 for the three-year proposal.
Rosamond students enjoy new cafeteria

4 days ago | avpress.com | Julie Drake

ROSAMOND — When Rosamond High Early College Campus students returned to school during the COVID-19 pandemic nearly five years ago, distancing guidelines as mandated by the California Department of Public Health meant that the 1,400-square-foot cafeteria could accommodate only about 14 students at one time. At that time, there were two lunches for the school’s approximately 800 students; today, there are 847 students. Space isn’t an issue with the school’s spacious new cafeteria.
Summit emphasizes importance of school

1 week ago | avpress.com | Julie Drake

LANCASTER — Students needs to take school seriously at any age and it is particularly important when they reach high school so they can focus on a college or career path. Agents of Change Community Coalition and Lancaster School District hosted a student empowerment summit Friday morning at Piute Middle School for eighth-graders who will start ninth grade this summer.
AVTA budget deficit could mean service reductions

1 week ago | avpress.com | Julie Drake

LANCASTER — Antelope Valley Transit Authority will see a projected budget deficit of approximately $4.3 million for fiscal year 2026 as the agency also looks at future reductions in service, according to preliminary budget assumptions presented at the April 22 board meeting. The proposed fiscal year 2026 operating expenses are $47.1 million and proposed fiscal year 2026 revenues are $42.8 million.
Council will tab officer to hear appeals

1 week ago | avpress.com | Julie Drake

LANCASTER — The city will designate an independent hearing officer to hear appeals of orders, decisions and/or determinations pursuant to Chapter 2.44 (Uniform Appeal Procedure) of the Lancaster Municipal Code. The City Council at the April 8 meeting unanimously adopted a resolution to designate an independent hearing officer to hear appeals. The council action was taken as part of the consent calendar with no discussion.
HELPER students reach goal

1 week ago | avpress.com | Julie Drake

LANCASTER — The cheers from his fellow students drowned out all other sounds after HELPER Foundation Executive Director Stan Muhammad introduced student Donovan Johnson on Monday morning at the eighth annual “Success Is Our Goal” Student Acknowledgment Ceremony held in the Lancaster High School’s theater. “I wanted to get your autograph now because I’m going to frame it,” Muhammad said.
Mock disaster prepares teens for real-life

2 weeks ago | avpress.com | Julie Drake

PALMDALE — Students from Highland High School’s Public Service Academy and Palmdale High School’s Health Careers Academy conducted a mock mass casualty drill Friday to test students’ organizational skills and response to a large-scale event. The drill centered on a fake crash between a school bus and a pest control vehicle where students had to triage and decontaminate the patients.
Special students show off skills

2 weeks ago | avpress.com | Julie Drake

LANCASTER — They ran. They jumped. They tossed tennis balls. They laughed. They smiled. They celebrated. Some 480 student athletes from Antelope Valley Union High School District’s eight comprehensive high schools competed in the seventh annual Overcoming Obstacles Track Meet on Thursday morning at Antelope Valley High School.