PALMDALE — The California State Transportation Agency has awarded an $8 million grant toward a regional push for a high-speed rail route between Palmdale and the Victor Valley. The grant to the High Desert Corridor Joint Powers Agency, announced last week, matches $8.5 million in Measure M sales tax funds through Los Angeles County for preliminary engineering and other project development activities for the

LANCASTER — The Lancaster Planning Commission approved a tentative tract map for a development of 103 single-family eastside homes during Monday’s meeting. The map by applicant Rodeo Credit Enterprises LLC would subdivide approximately 26 acres at the southeast corner of 30th Street East and Nugent Street.

EDWARDS AFB — NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base is one of three agency centers in California, contributing to the $15.2 billion in economic output in the state from the space agency, according to NASA figures.

PALMDALE — The Palmdale Water District’s proposed advanced water treatment plant that would turn recycled water into groundwater will be notable not only as the first of its kind in the Antelope Valley, but also for partnering with a firm to use brine discarded in the treatment process for its carbon-capture technology.

PALMDALE — NASA’s latest X-plane is now a complete structure, as the full tail assembly has been attached to the X-59 at Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works facility in Palmdale, where the aircraft has been under development.

ROSAMOND — The Kern County Board of Supervisors approved a nearly 4,000-acre wind farm west of Rosamond at its March 28 meeting. The Keyhole Wind Energy Project, from EDF Renewables, would place up to 45 turbines, producing up to 100 megawatts of electricity, on 3,920 acres a half-mile north of Rosamond Boulevard and west of 170th Street West.

EDWARDS AFB — The NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base will see stable funding to continue existing projects in the Biden Administration’s proposed budget for the fiscal year that begins on Oct. 1.

LANCASTER — The Lancaster Planning Commission approved a tentative tract map to subdivide about 10 acres at the southeast corner of 65th Street West and Avenue J-8 into 36 single-family residential lots.

LANCASTER — The Lancaster Planning Commission approved a Conditional Use Permit and adopted a mitigated negative declaration for the expansion of the existing Heliogen Research and Development facility at 431 East Ave. K-4.

PALMDALE — The public has another view of the secretive B-21 Raider stealth bomber, under development by Northrop Grumman in Palmdale, as the Air Force released new photos of the initial aircraft last week.

LANCASTER — The City Of Lancaster will pay Granite Construction Co. approximately $32.59 million to construct a new freeway interchange at Avenue J, including new retaining walls as well as a northbound off-ramp and a southbound on-ramp.

MOJAVE — Impulse Space, a company developing spacecraft to provide on-orbit maneuvering and has joined the race for the first commercial mission to Mars, is expanding its presence at the Mojave Air and Space Port.

PALMDALE — The City of Santa Monica has approached Palmdale about using land to build housing to help meet Santa Monica’s state-required new housing development goals. “They are land-poor and we are land-rich,” City Manager Ronda Perez said when she informed the City Council on Wednesday of the yet-undefined proposal.

A set of three wildlife crossings — meant to provide safe passage for bighorn sheep and other animals — has been added to the plans for a high-speed rail line project between Las Vegas and Southern California. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the state Department of Transportation and rail builder Brightline West announced on Wednesday their agreement to design and build the crossings over the planned 218-mile rail line, slated to occupy the center divider of the heavily trafficked 15 Freeway. Construction of the rail line is slated to begin in the second half of 2023 with completion expected in as many as four years, Brightline said.

PALMDALE — A milestone was reached Thursday for a proposed underground water storage project near Pearblossom that would store surplus water in the underground aquifer from the State Water Project during wet years. The governing Board of the Antelope Valley State Water Contractors Association, which includes the Palmdale Water District, Antelope Valley-East Kern Water Agency and Littlerock Creek Irrigation District, accepted the Big Rock Creek Draft Feasibility Plan.

PALMDALE — As the city approved a new General Plan last fall, it is now faced with adopting the corresponding zoning code to implement it. The Planning Commission on Thursday took the first step in that process by recommending the revised zoning code be adopted by the City Council next month, but with some small changes as a compromise with developers to increase the flexibility in some areas.

PALMDALE — The City Council on Wednesday will consider awarding a $17.5 million construction contract to build out the remaining 12 acres of Yellen Park. The project, the second phase of the park, which opened in 2018 at 50th Street East and Avenue S, will include a community building, additional restrooms, an additional playground for children ages 2 to 5, picnic areas, a multi-use field and futsal courts. It will also feature additional lighting along walkways, drought-tolerant landscaping and natural grass and artificial turf areas, according to the staff report.

LANCASTER — The Lancaster City Council approved an amendment to the Avanti North Specific Plan housing development that will modify the development standards and allow for an increase in residential lots. The amendment allows a maximum of 873 single-family residential lots in the area generally bound by avenues K and K-8 and 62nd and 70th streets west.

PALMDALE — The City Council, on Wednesday, hired a consultant to help develop a long-awaited Parks and Recreation Master Plan to provide a blueprint for future parks facilities and improvements.