TWENTYNINE PALMS—(December 10) Former Twentynine Palms councilman and mayor Larry Bowden, who was also the Twentynine Palms High School basketball coach, has been chosen to serve as Twentynine Palms interim city manager.
Bowden was one of those considered for the city manager’s spot in June when the city council sacked Joe Guzzetta. At that point the council decided to go with Andy Takata, the one-time town manager of Yucca Valley and city manager of  Banning, who was then serving as interim city manager in Calexico.
In November, Takata abruptly departed to become the chief of staff for San Bernardino County Second District Supervisor Janice Rutherford.
There is only limited prospect that Bowden will remain in the position for more than six months. The city council intends to recruit a permanent city manager, whom they hope to have in place no later than April.
Bowden was the city’s parks and recreation department supervisor.