Archive - 2012
September 7th
A letter that would alert Mammoth Mountain Ski Area that it is âout of complianceâ with its federal permit to run June Mountain as a ski area is still winding its way through local, regional and Washington D.C. U. S. Forest Service offices and has not been delivered to MMSA, according to forest officials.
Thirty-five years ago Wednesday, something extraordinary in the course of human history occurred.
A tiny, nondescriptâbut powerfulâspace-faring craft, called Voyager, took to the stars, loaded with greetings, images, music, and art gathered from across the planet Earth and imprinted on an old-fashioned record.
Its mission was simpleâto say hello to anyone, anything, that might be listening.
September 5th
The Inyo National Forest, Mammoth Ranger District is announcing the beginning of the wind-fallen tree removal work in Reds Meadow Valley, for hazardous fuels reduction. The tree removal work will take place on approximately 220 acres and will be accomplished under a contract known as the Red Devil Stewardship Sale.
For safety, visitors to the Reds Meadow Valley are urged to not enter areas where tree removal work is in progress and to drive slowly on the Reds Meadow Road because of increased traffic associated with tree removal activities.
By
Jonny Walker â Special to the Times
On Friday afternoon, if you were trying to drive up Canyon Blvd, you would have been surprised to see a sight unique to this town—a large gathering of mud covered teams dressed in strange but matching outfits all showering together in the middle of the road.
The Labor Day Doubles Tennis Tournament was held at Snowcreek Athletic Club on Saturday-Monday, September 1-3.
Blue skies and warm temperatures greeted the 73 players, their families and the many spectators who enjoyed the competitive matches over the three-day weekend.
Along with players from Mammoth, Swall Meadows, Crowley and Bishop, the draw sheets also listed players from Bakersfield, Southen California, Hawaii and Nevada. On Sunday evening tournament entrants and their guests enjoyed the playersâ party hosted by The Bistro at Snowcreek.
September 1st
After months of wavering, the Mono County Board of Supervisors voted Wednesday to fund air service subsidies, joining the Town of Mammoth Lakes and Mammoth Mountain Ski Area.
By
George Shirk - Times News Editor
The Mammoth Huskies fell to Kern Valley, 44-26, Friday night at Gault/McClure Stadium, but it wasn't for lack of trying â especially by senior tailback Tyler Wormhoudt.
Injured a week ago with a sprained knee, Wormhoudt was cleared to play on Wednesday, and boy, did he play on Friday night.
The Huskies' running back picked up a whopping 269 yards on the ground, on 31 attempts. That averages 8.7 yards a carry. He scored three touchdowns, too, In addition, he returned five kicks for 220 yards, totaling 489 all purpose yards.
But it wasn't enough.
By
George Shirk - Times News Editor
Each Tuesday afternoon at the town tennis courts, a strange cadre of people, carrying odd racquets and yellow whiffle balls, take to the playing surface.
It is not the U.S. Open.
It is not tennis.
The people play âPickleballâ each Tuesday evening from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. and theyâre looking for more converts to the sport.
It is played with what looks like an oversized table-tennis paddle, on a shortened court. It is a doubles-only format, at least under the canopy of trees in Mammoth, and it looks like a load of fun.
Britt Cogan, facing an impressive national field in the Summer Biathlon National championships in Auburn last Friday, won the womenâs division by more than two minutes ahead of her closest competitor.
Cogan, 25, arrived from Mammoth Lakes from Wisconsin four years ago but went to college in Iowa, playing soccer instead of cross country skiing in her home state.
As an orthopedics technician at Mammoth Hospital, Cogan met Dr. Mike Karch, the mastermind of the Mammoth Biathlon, who has been behind her training, both on snow and off.
Mammothâs Youth Football team does not have uniforms, is short of funding, and has a host of other issues facing the players and coaches this year.
But so far, playing well is not one of them.
The Little Huskies whupped up on Trona, 31-13 last weekend, with two players, Ryder Radcliffe and Ricky Johnson, scoring two touchdowns apiece and with Danny Longino scoring one.
More than that, the team held Trona to just 13 points, which was enough to put wind in their sails for their next game at Big Bear next weekend.
The Mammoth Lakes Repertory Theatre this week announced its season, beginning Oct. 4 with âThe Marvelous Wonderettesâ and ending May 3 with a return of the Long Beach City College Studio Singers.
Between those shows are a host of productions in the theatreâs most ambitious season yet. âWe are excited to be able to expand our season this year,â said Shira Dubrovner, the artistic director.
âTwo projects weâve done, âTheatre for Young Audiencesâ and âEvening with the Stars,â weâve not done together in the same season due to cost and staff restraints,â Dubrovner said.
August 31st
Four additional cases of Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS) stemming from infections that occurred after staying in cabins in Yosemite National Park were reported today, Friday, Aug. 31, according to the California Department of Public Health (CDPH).
Two others have now died of the Hantavirus, three have recovered and one is hospitalized but improving, according to park officials. This brings the total number of people infected with the hantavirus who visited Yosemite National Park to six.âšâš
A totally random sampling of what Mammothites are reading, culled from here and there, appearing every now and then.
The June Lake community is alive with ambitious plans for this winter, despite a brief tussle between Mono County Supervisors over how to monitor and allocate the $100,000 the supervisors gave the community as âbridgeâ money.
At the top of the list are expanded cross-country ski and snowshoe trails, a snow play area, a Holiday Village atmosphere, an ice-skating area and, even, dog sled rides.
Mono County is still in relatively good financial shape compared to most counties in California, but its emergency reserve fund is down sharply since 2008.
On top of that, current anemic property tax revenues mean tight times ahead.
âWe are in pretty good shape, but since the housing crisis hit in 2008, we have cut the reserve from $5.8 million to its current number of $1.6 million and I believe itâs time to begin rebuilding,â said Brian Muir, the countyâs finance director.
âItâs all right that we have done this; thatâs what the reserve is for. But it is time to rebuild.â
