Mike Hiles

Having to delay the 8th annual Soboba Foundation & Soboba Casino Resort Charity Golf Tournament due to COVID-19 precautions did not hinder the excitement that was evident among the players at the Soboba Springs Golf Course. The event, originally scheduled for two days in April, was extended to three days from Aug. 30 through Sept. 1 in order to maintain social distancing for 30 four-member teams each day.

The Soboba Fire Department launched a large-scale Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) project on the reservation last month. Members of the Public Works Department Canyon Crew and the Soboba Fire Department have been working throughout the community to prevent any wildland fire from encroaching onto the reservation. The scope of work entails clearing and trimming grass, brush and trees for at least 100 feet around residences and 20 feet from the fire line that surrounds the reservation.

Not long after the Soboba Sports Complex swimming pool was reopened with extensive safety protocols in place, Daniel Mazza was tapped to teach water aerobics classes. He is a fitness specialist with Riverside-San Bernardino County Indian Health Inc. and has taught group exercise classes and served as a personal trainer at the Soboba Sports Complex.

Faced with continuing limitations on community events due to COVID-19 precautions, members of the Soboba Youth Council have had to get creative. The new school year began with classes still meeting online, so the young people decided to set up an outdoor Back-to-School Scavenger Hunt on Aug. 28.

Making good use of the Soboba Tribal Preschool’s absence of a summer session this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, teachers began taking classes of their own to learn more of the Luiseño language.