Archive - Jan 14, 2011
By
George Shirk - Mammoth Times Senior Writer
Mammoth’s John Teller was sitting in his hotel room in France, but he may as well have been standing on top of the world.
Teller zoomed to the top of the World Cup standings in Ski Cross last week, winning in St. Johann, Austria in a close but decisive finish. He finished third this week and slipped to third in rankings.
“I’m hoping that this opens the door to the next four years leading up to the Olympics,” Teller said in a Skype interview from L’Alpe d’Huez.
Teller opened his season with a third-place podium finish, also in Austria, which excited just about everybody on the tour
By
Wendilyn Grasseschi - Mammoth Times Staff Writer
It seems to be something that most people have forgotten.
In all the brouhaha over the airport lawsuit appeal, the Town of Mammoth wasn’t the only town challenging the Bridgeport jury’s finding that the Town is liable for $30 million in damages.
Far from it.
In fact, every city and county in the state of California sided with the Town, as “friends of the court” or “amici curiae.” The appellate judges’ decision is rattling municipal nerves across the state.
By
George Shirk - Mammoth Times Senior Writer
The new chief of Mammoth’s Chamber of Commerce is smiling, and when was the last time anyone saw that?
Maggie Thompson, general manager of NPG Cable, said the holiday spending spree by visitors to Mammoth exceeded all her expectations, and may signal a larger economic trend.
“It was one of the best years we’ve had in a long, long time,” she said.
“The businesses should be really pleased.”
There were glitches, of course. The copious blizzards during the holiday period caused power outages, clogged roadways and frayed nerves.
A rundown of what's going on around here:
Realtors all over town died a little death earlier this week when the L.A. Times fronted a story about Mammoth and our little legal problem. Headline was “Mammoth Lakes fears financial ruin after legal judgment.” ...
Brian Shibley tells us that the golf tournament held last fall in memory of his daugther Cari raised $3,000 for ICare and $3,000 for Mono County Animal Shelter. ...
By
Wendilyn Grasseschi - Mammoth Times Staff Writer
There’s a place not far from here where the wind blows quiet and clean, the creek sings softly under its winter blanket and the wide, gold roots of an old juniper shelter the perfect place to sit warm and dry, even in deepest winter.
It’s a sweet place, sometimes warm and calm, sometimes wild and furious. In the daytime, the sharp high country sun turns the white to indigo and that inexpressible aqua color seen only in deep depressions in the snow on a sunlit day.
By
George Shirk - Mammoth Times Senior Writer
Jason Patterson has an impossible job, and he loves it.
The new Mammoth Huskies boys basketball coach has nine freshmen, three sophomores, no juniors, two seniors and no victories in its first 10 games.
Another coach might want to jump overboard with a situation like this, but not Patterson.
“Basketball is my love,” he said. “It’s been a great blessing to be here with these guys this year.”
A native of a small town in Washington, Patterson said he comes to coaching by way of his dad, who coached just about everything there was to coach.
By
George Shirk - Mammoth Times Senior Writer
The innovations among the Unbound Terrain Parks crew on Mammoth Mountain are roaring ahead.
This time, it’s the “Pop-Up Park.”
It’s a Terrain Park that will “pop up” at various sites on the mountain, and then be dismantled, never to be seen again.
According to Mammoth Mountain Ski Area spokesman Dan Hansen, this will allow “unique” park experiences outside the regular terrain parks, in spots in the mountain that parks players may have always wanted to have a park, but didn’t.
They are not permanent, lasting a maximum of four to six weeks.
By
George Shirk - Mammoth Times Senior Writer
There’s nothing that can stop a good party on Mammoth Mountain.
This past week, ski area employees were scrambling to put together a “Big Snow Bash” weekend for Jan. 21-23, with events commemorating the 209-inch December snowfall that broke records for the snowiest month on record.
It will start with the construction of 209-inch (17.4 feet) snowmen, situated at Main Lodge, Canyon Lodge, Little Eagle Lodge and at the Mill Café at the base of Chair 2/Stump Alley Express, according the ski area spokesman Dan Hansen.
Martin Luther King
January 14, 2011
Monday Jan. 17 marks the 25th observation of the Martin Luther King holiday, as signed into law by President Ronald Reagan in 1983, and first celebrated in 1986. King is honored due to his leadership in the Civil Rights movement, during which he promoted nonviolent resistance to racist laws and policies in the United States.