Advice
Sagebrush Sally: Between Memory and Imagination Lies Community
Dear Sagebrush Sally, As the season picks up, I can feel the energy shifting in town. New faces are arriving, old friends are returning, and everyone seems to have a different idea of what Tecopa should be. Some want growth and investment, others want peace and preservation. It feels like we’re caught between change and…
Sagebrush Sally: Service Without Spotlight
Dear Sagebrush Sally, After the recent fire, I’ve been thinking a lot about how best to support the people in our community who lost their homes and belongings. I keep hearing the names of those affected, but I don’t personally know them, and I want to make sure I’m helping in ways that are actually…
Sagebrush Sally: Sharing the Desert—Engines, Echoes, and a Little Etiquette
Dear Sagebrush Sally, With the new off-road season gearing up at Dumont Dunes, a lot of us in Tecopa are feeling the ripple effects—some good, some not so good. The influx of off-highway vehicle (OHV) riders brings a big boost to local businesses, especially food and lodging. But it also means more traffic, more dust,…
Sagebrush Sally: Brace Yourselves—High Season Is Coming
Dear Sagebrush Sally, High season is almost here, and you can feel the shift already. Trailers and vans will soon roll into town, bathhouses will fill up again, and businesses that sat shuttered all summer are now sweeping off the dust and unlocking their doors. For many of us, this is the season that pays…
Sagebrush Sally: Finding Balance in a Small-Town Drama
Dear Sagebrush Sally, Sometimes living in Tecopa feels like being trapped in the audience of a play you didn’t buy tickets for. There are personalities in town who cause no shortage of drama, yet instead of addressing the behavior directly, most people either reward the few good deeds, ignore the rest, or sit on the…
Sagebrush Sally: When the Crowd Gets Loud, Stay Grounded
Dear Sagebrush Sally, Sometimes living in Tecopa feels less like a community and more like a courtroom, where the loudest voices in town act as judge, jury, and executioner. I’ve seen neighbors gang up on individuals—online and in person—without all the facts, and once the mob gets rolling, it’s hard for anyone to step in…
Sagebrush Sally: The Fine Line Between Freedom and Friction
Dear Sagebrush Sally, I love our little desert town, but I’m getting concerned about some behavior from a few longtime locals—things like speeding through residential areas, driving under the influence, and letting their dogs roam off-leash. These habits might seem minor to some, but they can, and have, put people, pets, and the community at…
Sagebrush Sally: Tecopa’s Reputation Is Everyone’s Business
Dear Sagebrush Sally, Some of us in town are worried that certain local businesses aren’t treating customers well—and that it’s driving visitors away from Tecopa for good. On top of that, there’s concern that a few of these places might be cutting corners to keep operating, which could put their customers at risk. If the…
Sagebrush Sally: Trust Runs on Truth
Dear Sagebrush Sally, I’m troubled by a recent public social media post that blames reporting by your website for the end of the Tecopa Hot Springs Park concessionaire contract, rather than acknowledging the operators’ own documented failure to comply with Inyo County requirements and the terms of the contract they signed. The post even referenced…
Sagebrush Sally: Change Starts Small, and So Does Resistance
Dear Sagebrush Sally, I care about this town and want to get more involved—volunteer, help organize events, maybe even join a local board. But every time I dip a toe in, I run into drama, power struggles, or folks who’ve been doing things the same way “forever” and don’t want to hear new ideas. I’m…
Sagebrush Sally: Scrutiny Builds Stronger Communities
Dear Sagebrush Sally, As you’re surely aware, the winds have been stirring up a bit of drama around town lately. Some folks around here say that asking tough questions or reporting on local issues just causes trouble—and that if you really care about the community, you’ll stay quiet and keep the peace. Even worse, they…
Sagebrush Sally: When the Desert Shakes, Hold Your Ground
Dear Sagebrush Sally, It feels like Tecopa’s about to get one heck of a shake-up. Between “Downtown Tecopa” being listed for sale for $50 million and the hot springs campground and pools looking for a new operator, a lot of folks are wondering what this means for our little desert town. Some people are excited…
Sagebrush Sally: It’s Hot Enough—The Attitude Doesn’t Have to Be
Dear Sagebrush Sally, As a new resident to the community, I have been told I have to volunteer for one of the community services in order to use the hot springs free of charge. But when I bought my property, I was told by the selling agent and the previous owner that as a resident,…
Sagebrush Sally: The First Amendment Isn’t Optional—Even in Tecopa
Dear Sagebrush Sally, Lately, it feels like free speech is on trial here in Tecopa—not in a courtroom, but on the streets, in businesses, and all over social media. Some folks are saying that speaking out, asking questions, or even reporting on public issues is “hurting the community,” and anyone who does it risks getting…
Sagebrush Sally: Speak Your Truth—Even If It Echoes
Dear Sagebrush Sally, Lately I’ve been feeling caught between wanting to speak up and wanting to keep the peace. Whether it’s about water use, reckless behavior, or local decisions that don’t sit right, I often find myself biting my tongue because I worry about burning bridges or becoming “that person.” In a town as small…
Sagebrush Sally: You Can’t Sue the Wind to Stop It from Whispering
Dear Sagebrush Sally, In a town as small as Tecopa, trying to keep something quiet can feel like painting it in neon. I recently saw a situation where someone tried to shut down a conversation they didn’t like—only to make it explode into the biggest topic in town. It reminded me of the Streisand Effect—you try…
Sagebrush Sally: Let the Wind Carry Your Words
Dear Sagebrush Sally, I’ve been thinking a lot lately about free speech and how important the First Amendment is—not just in theory, but right here in our little town. In a place as small and interconnected as Tecopa, it can feel nearly impossible to speak your mind without upsetting someone, especially if what you’re saying…
Sagebrush Sally: Ban the Bans
Dear Sagebrush Sally, It seems like anytime people in Tecopa have a disagreement, the first response is to ban each other from their businesses, bars, events, or even just their front porch. I get that in a small town, tensions can run high, but this whole “you’re not welcome here” approach feels pretty immature, more…
Ask Sagebrush Sally: Respect Runs Both Ways
Dear Sagebrush Sally, I’ve lived in Tecopa for a while now, long enough that I’m not considered a newcomer anymore. I love this town and the weird people in it, but I’ve noticed that not all the bad behavior comes from newcomers and outsiders. Some longtime locals seem to think that just because they’ve been…
Sagebrush Sally: A Follow Up on Newcomers
Dear Sagebrush Sally, Following up on your last column: We also shouldn’t be rewarding or ignoring shitty behavior by newcomers that are hurting our community. What does Sagebrush Sally recommend longtime locals do about that? -Dan Dear Dan, You’re right—welcoming folks doesn’t mean ignoring bad behavior when it starts to hurt the community. The desert…
Sagebrush Sally: What about the newcomers?
Dear Sagebrush Sally, I’ve lived in Tecopa for many years, and I love this desert and its quirky, independent community. But lately, I’ve noticed more newcomers moving in, and it’s changing the town. Some embrace the way of life here, but others seem to struggle—or worse, try to make Tecopa more like the places they…
Desert Diaries: Advice from Sagebrush Sally
Helping You Navigate Desert Life Dear Sagebrush Sally, I recently moved to Tecopa and I’m struggling to adjust. The heat is starting to get intense (and it’s only February!), the community is small, and life here feels so different from what I’m used to. The people are kind but eccentric—some locals seem to follow their…