Scenic 395 - The Official Guide 2022/2023

2022 Scenic 395 9 Ridgecrest’s Finest Hotels Great weekend and holiday rates available 104 E. Sydnor Ave. Ridgecrest, CA 93555 (760) 446-1968 Complimentary hot bu‡et breakfast and internet, also heated pools and spas at both locations! 113 E. Sydnor Ave. Ridgecrest, CA 93555 (760) 446-1630 Ridgecrest Ridgecrest embraces new Welcome Center By Darla A. Baker The Daily Independent After a long time in the making, the Ridgecrest Area Conven- tion and Visitors Bureau received designation fromVisit Cali- fornia to become a California Welcome Center (CWC) in 2019, with plans delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But Ridgecrest’s CWC, the state’s 21st, finally opened in November 2021 with a ribbon-cutting event, and it will serve as the gateway to Death Valley, welcoming guests from across the world to California’s deserts. On behalf of the Kern County Board of Supervisors, First District Supervisor Phillip Peters presented a Certificate of Rec- ognition to Kari Crutcher, executive director of the Ridgecrest Area Convention and Visitors Bureau (RACVB), to welcome guests from across the world to come and enjoy the many hidden wonders Ridgecrest and the surrounding areas have to offer. “We are really excited that we overcame some hurdles, but we are also really excited about the future,” Crutcher said. Continued on Page 10 Olaf Doud points to the boulder he chipped for the Welcome Center. Photo by Meris Lueck/The Daily Independent