Dr. David Breeckner, Executive Director of the Imperial Valley Desert Museum, is pictured in front of a collection of pottery and other artifacts from the native cultures that have resided in the Yuha Desert for some 10,000 years. The museum, located off Interstate 8 in Ocotillo, is open to the public 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. For more information about the museum, see its website, www.ivdesertmuseum.org or call 760.358.7016.

In the far western corner of the Imperial Valley, nestled among the wild Ocotillo plants and rugged desert landscape, is a towering bronze sculpture known as the “Spirit of the Desert” depicting the native cultures of the Yuha Desert.

The sculpture welcomes visitors to the Imperial Valley Desert Museum, a modern interactive museum in the heart of the desert that tells the story

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Youth take part in a boxing class organized by the El Centro Police Activities League, which for 24 years has been providing programs for youth, not only from El Centro but the entire Imperial Valley.

Antonio Cornejo and his younger brother Esteban grew up in El Centro. As teens, they found their way to the Police Activities League as a way to get involved in sports they may not have had access to without the program. Back in 2003, the two teenage brothers found their focus in PAL martial arts classes. “We were born and raised here and grew up in humble beginnings,” said Antonio, who is now 32 years old. “This was the place where we could come, and it turned out to be the best thing for us.”

The Cornejo brothers point to the importance of the El

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Pictured are (back row, left to right) Alan Phillips, Chief Executive Officer of the Imperial Valley Expo and the California Mid-Winter Fair & Fiesta, and Bo Shropshire, a member of the fair board, and (front row, left to right) Addyson Rubin, a local 4-H Club Ambassador, and Shanna Abatti, 4-H Club Program Director for Imperial County under the University of California Cooperative Extension. The four are pictured in one of the arenas at the fairgrounds used as part of the fair’s large animal auction. The large and small animal auctions are part of the fair’s history and highlight the hard work of area youth and the great support shown by the community.

Since Addyson Rubin was 9-years-old, this time of year has been special to her. It’s fair time, and for Addyson that has meant raising lambs to show and auction

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