FOJ Honored as California City Business of the Year

The California City Economic Development Corporation has honored the Friends of Jawbone with its 2010 Business of the Year Award. EDC President, Jim Quiggle, cited the Friends of Jawbone’s significant contributions to both the city’s employment base and tourism programs. During the EDC’s annual awards banquet FOJ President, Ed Waldheim, proudly accepted the honor on behalf of the more than two dozen FOJ officers, members, and employees that were present.

Friends of Jawbone is pleased to be a key partner in the economic growth of California City and East Kern County. Our thanks go to the EDC for their gracious recognition of our hard work.

Campfire Restrictions in Place

Due to the approaching wildfire season, the Bureau of Land Management has enacted campfire restrictions all across the California Desert District. In the greater Jawbone Canyon area, both Stage I and Stage II restrictions apply.

Stage I restrictions are in place east of State Highway 14, which includes the El Paso Mountains, the Rand Mountains and areas around California City. Here campfires, barbecues and gas stoves are allowed only with a California Fire Permit, which can be easily obtained free of charge at the Jawbone Station Visitors Center.

Stage II restrictions apply to lands west of State Highway 14, which include both the Jawbone Canyon and Dove Springs OHV Open Areas, Red Rock Canyon State Park, and Sequoia National Forest. Stage II restrictions allow open campfires only in approved fire pits and grills in developed recreation sites. Controlled portable cooking stoves are allowed with a California Fire Permit.

Please note that the Jawbone Canyon and Dove Springs OHV Open areas are NOT developed recreation sites. Therefore, while Stage II restrictions are in place, open campfires are not allowed there.

Click here for a copy of the BLM order and a map of Stage I and Stage II areas.

Where Do Our Visitors Come From?

The Friends of Jawbone and California City occasionally compile statistics to learn from which counties our visitors originate. You may find it interesting that approximately 45% come from Los Angeles County while only 15% are Kern County residents. Ventura County supplies 25% of our visitors, and Tulare County another 15%. The surprise is that only about 1% of our visitors come from San Bernardino County.

So with 85% of Jawbone area visitors originating from outside Kern County, it’s no wonder that Kern County tourism officials and Friends of Jawbone work closely together to provide visitor services and safety programs.

To our out-of-town visitors we proudly say, “Thank you and come again!”