Archive - Feb 2013
February 8th
Parksman Dennis Rottner, the town’s “Go-to Gadet Man,” says polyurethane and synthetic grass do not make for a good dog experiencefor anyone involved, and with a short staff, he and his parks crew have other things that need more attention than cleaning up after recalcitrant dog owners. …
Benefits youth and education
A Poker Run — open to all skiers and riders — is being hosted by the Mammoth Lakes Rotary Club this Saturday, Feb 9, according to Rotary President Rick Phelps
Registration begins at 9 a.m. outside the The Mill at the base of Stump Alley. The entry fee for this event is $20, with all proceeds benefitting Mammoth Lakes’ youth and education activities supported by the Rotary Club.
The Metabolic Studio IOU Garden will host “100 Conversations About Water” as a commemorative action during the centenary of the L.A. Aqueduct. Nov. 5 marks one hundred years since the opening of the L.A. Aqueduct.
Conversation Number One: What Do Seeds have in Common with Water?
Discuss issues around GMO Seeds, the Commons, and How we can Protect our Food Sources, Saturday, Feb.16 at 10 a.m., Metabolic Studio IOU Garden, Main St. at Willow in Lone Pine.
By
George Shirk, Times Managing Editor
Cites health issues; Marysheva-Martinez new boss
The axe fell on Town Manager Dave Wilbrecht Wednesday evening in circumstances cloaked in mystery.
Following a closed Town Council meeting that followed its regularly scheduled Feb. 6 meeting, the town announced that Wilbrecht resigned his position, but offered no explanation as to the reasons why the former Mono County Administrative Officer and Mammoth Parks director quit.
Agreement could end litigation threat
After months of wrangling, a solution to the recent water war between Mammoth’s municipal water district and the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power may be at hand—and perhaps as soon as Feb. 14.
By
George Shirk, Times Managing Editor
Two officers are ready immediately
In the wake of budget cuts that left the Mammoth Lakes Police Department shorthanded, MLPD Dan Watson said he is moving ahead on establishing a reserve program.
Two top reserves are ready to go, he said at the Town Council meeting Wednesday, Feb. 6. One of them, retired Sergeant Karen Smart, is familiar to longtime Mammoth residents and visitors.
In another blow to the City of Los Angeles’ attempt to cut costs and avoid more dust mitigation on the Owens Dry Lake, on Feb.5, the Kern County Superior Court denied the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power’s request to dismiss the lawsuit.
It was filed for repeated violations of orders issued by both the court and the Great Basin Unified Air Pollution Control District.
The state Public Utilities Commission denied Verizon’s recent request for a three-month extension in providing high-speed broadband capacity to Swall Meadows and Crowley Lake.
The communications company was under an order to provide service to the small, hard-to-serve communities, after it violated a Scenic Highway regulation requiring a waiver if cables were not buried along the highway.
February 5th
On Feb.5, the Kern County Superior Court denied the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power’s request to dismiss the lawsuit filed against it by the People of the State of California for repeated violations of orders issued by both the Court and the Great Basin Unified Air Pollution Control District over the Owens Dry Lake dust mitigation efforts.
On Saturday morning, Feb. 2, at approximately 1 a.m., Mammoth Lakes Police Sergeants Eric Hugelman and Rick Moberly were meeting with Village Security personnel regarding a disturbance on Minaret when they observed another disturbance 50 yards away next to a trolley bus. The sergeants and security officers ran to the trolley bus attempted to detain a suspect who was hitting the trolley. He resisted and pepper spray was deployed to control the combative individual.
UPDATE, FEB. 5: As of Jan. 31, the state Public Utilities Commission denied Verizon's request for a three-month extension in providing high speed broadband capacity to Swall Meadows and Crowley Lake, putting it out of compliance with an agreement to provide such serice by Jan. 28. The letter is attached at the end of the story below, which was published in the print version of the Mammoth Times on Feb. 1.
Swall Meadows and Crowley Lake residents might have to wait another three months for the high speed broadband that was promised by the end of January, if Verizon gets its way.
February 4th
This is just in from the National Park Service:
"The Lyell Glacier, the largest glacier in Yosemite National Park, has stagnated, or ceased its downhill movement, according to a recent study conducted by scientists from the National Park Service and the University of Colorado. The adjacent Maclure Glacier is still moving at its historical rate, about one inch per day.
The US Forest Service (USFS) and Mammoth Mountain Ski Area, (MMSA) have finalized an operating plan for the June Mountain Ski Area that guides management of the area for the remainder of the winter season while the resort is in a non-operational status, according to the Inyo National Forest.
"The plan considers many complicated factors regarding public access, administrative access to facilities and communication sites, avalanche control, ski patrol duties, and – most importantly –safety concerns," a recent press release states.
Current Mammoth Community Water District Engineer, John Pedersen, was appointed Interim General Manger of the Mammoth Community Water District by the Board of Directors at a special board meeting held on Jan. 31.
Greg Norby, General Manager since November 2008, resigned recently to reside closer to family and friends. Mr. Pedersen’s Interim General Manager appointment starts on Feb. 1, and continues until a new General Manager is appointed. Mr. Pedersen’s interim role is greatly enhanced by his 25 years of engineering experience at the District.
A 49-year-old skier died Sunday, Feb. 3 at Mammoth Mountain after a nasty fall in one of the two Wipe Out chutes near the top of the mountain, according to a statement issued Monday by the ski area.
The accident happened at approximately 12:40 p.m., according to the statement.
A male skier, 49, lost control and fell in upper Wipe Out 2 (a Double Black Diamond run at the top of Mammoth Mountain).
According to witnesses, the guest fell, slid down the chute, collided with a rock and continued to slide.
