PALM SPRINGS, Calif. – The Bureau of Land Management will host an in-person public meeting of the BLM California Desert District Advisory Council on Saturday, Dec. 7, from 9 a.m.- 3 p.m. at the Holiday Inn Express and Suites, 861 NV-160, Pahrump, NV 89048. The meeting is open to the public with a public comment period scheduled at 9:30 a.m.

The Desert Advisory Council meeting will include a presentation on the Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area Business Plan fee proposal with an opportunity for public comment and a DAC vote, and a presentation and DAC vote on the U.S. Forest Service’s Angeles National Forest fee proposal. The five field offices and fire program will also report on their activities.   

The meeting will include a virtual option via Zoom. Meeting participants must register in advance to attend in Zoom. Upon registering, participants will receive an email including the meeting link and dial-in numbers. The public will have the opportunity to address the Desert Advisory Council only during public comment periods and time for individual comments may be limited due to the number of persons wishing to speak. Written comments may also be emailed in advance of the meeting to kmiyamoto@blm.gov and will be recorded in the meeting minutes.

The BLM will host a field tour on Friday, Dec. 6, and visit public lands managed by the Barstow Field Office including Dumont Dunes Off-Highway Vehicle Area, the borehole at Tecopa Hot Springs, and sites in the Amargosa River watershed. The tour will also include a stop at China Ranch Date Farm. Members of the public are welcome on the field tour, but must provide their own transportation, meals, and water. To attend the field tour, please RSVP by Friday, Nov. 29 to kmiyamoto@blm.gov. The meeting agenda and field tour can be reviewed in advance.

Advisory councils, such as the Desert Advisory Council, provide advice and recommendations for BLM consideration on resource and land-management issues within the agency. These citizen-based councils consist of 10 to 15 members from diverse interests in local communities who assist in the development of committee recommendations that address public land management issues.

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Legal sector loses 4,400 jobs in January after reaching employment high-water mark in December

By Debra Cassens Weiss

February 5, 2024, 9:39 am CST

The legal services sector lost 4,400 jobs in January after reaching all-time highs in November and December, according to seasonally adjusted and preliminary figures released Friday by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The sector had 1,187,800 jobs in January and 1,192,200 jobs number in December, a figure that was revised upward from the initial December number reported last month.

The December number—as well as the revised November number of 1,188,100 jobs—outpaced the previous high of 1,187,900 jobs set in July 2022.

The sector gained 3,100 jobs in November and 4,100 jobs in December before losing 4,400 jobs in January, according to the revised figures. The numbers for January and December are still preliminary.

The jobs number is based on payroll jobs for attorneys and staff members working at law firms providing legal services. The jobs data can change in recent monthly revisions, as well as the annual look-back process.

Reuters and Law360 are among the publications covering the jobs report.

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. – The Bureau of Land Management will host an in-person public meeting of the BLM California Desert District Advisory Council on Saturday, Dec. 9, from 9 a.m.- 3:30 p.m. at The Embassy Suites by Hilton Palm Desert at 74-700 Highway 111, Palm Desert, CA. The meeting is open to the public with a public comment period scheduled at 1:45 p.m. The BLM will also host a field tour on Friday, Dec. 8 and visit Sand to Snow National Monument, including the Big Morongo Canyon Preserve and Mission Creek Preserve; and Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument, including the visitor center and Art Smith Trailhead.

The Desert Advisory Council meeting will include a presentation on the BLM’s new recreation strategy, a presentation on the history of the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan, status updates on renewable energy projects in the Palm Springs-South Coast Field Office, and a presentation on Sand to Snow National Monument planning. The five Field Offices and Fire Program will also report on their activities.   

The meeting will include a virtual option via Zoom. Meeting participants must register in advance to attend at: https://ow.ly/uvi350Q667w. Upon registering, participants will receive an email, including the meeting link and dial-in numbers. The public will have the opportunity to address the Desert Advisory Council during the public comment period and time for individual comments may be limited due to the number of persons wishing to speak. Written comments may also be emailed in advance of the meeting to kmiyamoto@blm.gov, and will be recorded in the meeting minutes.

Members of the public are welcome on the field tour, but must provide their own transportation, meals, and water. To attend the field tour, please RSVP by Dec. 1 to kmiyamoto@blm.gov.

Advisory councils, such as the Desert Advisory Council, provide advice and recommendations for BLM consideration on resource and land-management issues within the agency. These citizen-based councils consist of 10 to 15 members from diverse interests in local communities who assist in the development of committee recommendations that address public land management issues.

To review the agenda for the DAC meeting, please visit the BLM website here, or review the field tour itinerary here. For questions regarding the Desert Advisory Council meeting, contact California Desert District Public Affairs Officer Kate Miyamoto, at 760-883-8528, or by email at kmiyamoto@blm.gov.

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – The Bureau of Land Management is lifting fire restrictions on December 1 for approximately 650,000 acres of BLM-managed public lands in Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Ventura and Tulare counties, due to reduced wildland fire conditions. The fire order can be found on the BLM website.

“Easing of fire restrictions will also affect all BLM-managed recreational areas,” said Bakersfield Field Manager Gabriel Garcia. “These include the Carrizo Plain National Monument, Chimney Peak, Kennedy Meadows, Keysville, Lake Isabella, San Joaquin River Gorge and Three Rivers.”

The public is reminded to remain cautious when recreating on public lands to prevent wildland fires. For more information, visit readyforwildfire.org/Prevent-Wildfire. Safety tips include not driving a vehicle onto dry grass or brush; carrying a fire extinguisher, shovel and bucket of water; and getting a permit for any campfire or use of portable gas stoves. Free California campfire permits are available at all BLM, CAL FIRE and U.S. Forest Service offices and online at the CAL FIRE website.

Recreational shooters are reminded that hot bullet fragments and exploding targets can spark a wildfire. Tracer round ammunition and incendiary devices are not allowed on BLM-managed public lands. Consider using paper targets to eliminate sparks. All shooters are required to pack out all spent shells, brass and targets. Individuals who spark wildfires, intentionally or unintentionally, can be held responsible for fire suppression and repair costs. Homeowners are reminded to keep 100 feet of clean open space around homes to provide defensible space.

The BLM strives to be a good neighbor in the communities it serves, providing opportunities for economic growth with space for traditional uses such as ranching, mining and energy development, as well as hunting and fishing.

For more information, call the Bakersfield Field Office at 661-391-6000 or email BLM_CA_Web_BK@blm.gov.