Archive - Aug 3, 2012
The Oolation! singers, a group of unique and powerful young singers from across the country who live in the mountains above the Mono Basin for two intense weeks of singing, percussion, and performance, bring their show to the Mono Basin Scenic Area Visitor Center this Sunday evening (Aug. 5).
It's one of those can't-miss shows, unique to the mountains, and it's free.
The show begins at 7 p.m. on the patio, and organizers say it would be a good idea to bring a seat or arrive early to get one.
By
George Shirk - Times News Editor
This weekendâs Bluesapalooza is so full of top-drawer talent that it is hard to just pull a single thing out of the hat and call it THE highlight.
But concertgoers at Samâs Woodsite on Sunday would not be far off if they gave the nod to Joe Louis Walker.
Walker, now 62, is a journeymanâs journeyman in the blues world, but he shows no sign of slowing down.
Touring in support of his new record, âHellfire,â Walker brings an eclectic mix of musical influences to the stage, from Jimi Hendrix and the Rolling Stones on the rock ânâ roll end of the spectrum to hard-core blues on the other.
By
George Shirk - Times News Editor
round here, but this one might make the Top 10, All-Time.
A 129-pound, second-year bear, rummaging around in a trash bin at behind A-Frame Liquor in the Shady Rest parcel near Main Street, got its head stuck inside the bin, pulled the lid loose with its head, and then went for a walkâwearing the trash bin lid as a collar.
Video of the spectacle immediately went viral on the Internet, and still photographs, taken from the movie, also went viral.
Wildlife Specialist Steve Searles came to the rescue, according to the Mammoth Lakes Police Department.
By
George Shirk - Times News Editor
Mono County deputies are investigating the deaths of two mules, found last weekend inside their holding areas.
Although a sheriffâs department spokesperson said, âthere was no evidence of foul play, the deaths still puzzled the officers, along with members of the Frontier Pack Train team.
The pack train team told officers they received a call informing them that it appeared two mules were lying dead in their holding area that was set up eight days previously.
By
George Shirk - Times News Editor
The Mammoth High School football team opens two-a-day practices Monday, and even casual observers will notice a big change from last year.
Two-year veteran quarterback Tyler Wormhoudt will move from quarterback to tailback for his senior year, leading an offense that is solidly committed to the ground game, said assistant coach and defensive coordinator Jason Patterson.
âWeâre just going to run people over,â Patterson said.
To do it, the Huskies this year plan to run from behind a staggered lineâanother wrinkle that football fans around here havenât seen.
By
Wendilyn Grasseschi - Mammoth Times Staff Writer
Local writer and former Mono Lake ranger David Carleâs new book is out on local shelves.
âThe Spotting Scope,â a murder mystery based loosely in the Mono Lake area, is the prolific authorâs second book of fiction after publishing 12 successful nonfiction books.
âI read mysteries for relaxation, and I wanted to try my hand at one,â Carle, 61, said. âI especially wanted to portray a protagonist that enjoys life. Itâs not a humorous or light book, necessarily, but itâs not as dark as some mysteries, either.â
By
Wendilyn Grasseschi - Mammoth Times Staff Writer
The news is dismal.
American kids are terrible at science and mathâ17th and 25th respectivelyâout of 65 countries tested in 2011.
And while Mammoth students fare better overall, it is not always by much. That fact has prompted John Stavlo, a retired engineer and a school board member, to do something.
By
Wendilyn Grasseschi - Mammoth Times Staff Writer
A scandal that broke after a California paper discovered the State Park system has been sitting on $53 million while pleading a budget crisis and closing parks will likely have little effect on the Mono Lake and Bodie state parks, according to local officials.
âWe donât see any effects at this time,â said Mono Lake State Tufa Reserve ranger Dave Marquart. âThat said, itâs still too soon to tell what the final effects will be. We donât know enough yet about this to determine what will happen in the long run.â
By
Wendilyn Grasseschi - Mammoth Times Staff Writer
The annual Barcroft Research Station Open House held at 12,500 feet high in the White Mountains has been cancelled this summer due to a funding shortage.
The once-a-year open gate that allows easier access to the third highest peak in the state, White Mountain, will still be open to those interested in hiking.
In past years, the high altitude research center opened its doors every August and allowed citizens a glimpse into the lives and work of scientists who study and live in the strange, windswept, wild world more than two miles above sea level.
By
George Shirk - Times News Editor
âIâm all itchy and scratchy,â Fido said. He sat on his haunches, bent down a bit and scratched behind his ear.
âWow, thatâs a lot of fur that just flew off your neck, Old Boy,â I said. âLemme take a look.â
There wasnât anything that I could spot that was out of the ordinary.
âFido, itâs shedding season, and I can make a lot of jokes out of that.â
âSuch as?â
âYouâre shed out of luck, for one. â
Fido made a little noise that sounded very much like a chuckle.
âOr,â said I, âYouâre up shed creek without a paddle.â
With little or no time left on the clock, June Mountain Ski Area advocates this week continued to hammer away at finding a way to keep it open.
But after four hours of trying to find a way, June Lake residents and members of the âKeep June Mountain Open Coalitionâ were right back where they started.
The ski area, which closed earlier this summer amid financial shortfalls, remains closed.
By
George Shirk - Times News Editor
Nothing in the past week has changed the schedule for Mammothâs journey into bankruptcy protection.
That does not mean the town staff has just been sitting around, waiting for events to unfold.
Behind the scenes this week, the staff has been working at a frantic pitch as staffers gather documents requested by Mammoth Lakes Land Acquisition (MLLA) as well as federal mediator Elizabeth Perris.
Those documents may come into play as early as Monday, when the town and MLLA face each other for the first time in a scheduled two-day face-to-face mediation session.
By
Warren Miller â Special to the Times
My next-door neighbor, Steve recently gave me a wonderful present: a hand full of aluminum and a little bit of glass. I am now the second-time owner of a 1945 Bell and Howell 8mm, hand-wind movie camera.
Our View â The Olympics
August 3, 2012
Letâs just cut to the chase and say it:
Our pals at NBC always fail at Olympics coverage. Every single time.
NBC announcers are terrible. Their point of view is mawkish and cloying. Their time delays are annoying.
The whole thing seems to be set up for people who know nothing about sport and donât want to know.
The sponsorships are beyond the pale. Here in the U.S., McDonaldâs is the official restaurant of the Olympic Team.
We wonder how many Olympians eat at McDonaldâs when theyâre training for the gold.
In the Twitterverse, the yammering is almost overwhelming (#nbcfail).