Archive
April 22nd, 2011
By
Wendilyn Grasseschi - Times Staff Writer
The big winter has Mammoth celebrating, but Lee Vining residents are getting worried.
The record-breaking winter raises a worrisome question â when will Tioga Pass open?
More snow means more snow to plow, and the cool April so far isnât helping much, either.
But all is not lost. On Tuesday, April 12, Mono County found out that Mammoth Mountain will be donating some plow equipment to the cause, said county officials.
By
George Shirk - Times Senior Writer
It was supposed to be a coronation Wednesday night.
Instead, it turned out to be a âwhoopsâ moment for the Mammoth Lakes Town Council, which was all set to finalize incoming Town Manager Dave Wilbrechtâs $180,000-a-year contract.
It didnât happen.
In what Mayor Skip Harvey called an âembarrassingâ situation, the terms of Wilbrechtâs retirement benefits ran contrary to a November council resolution, which councilwoman Jo Bacon said she canât even remember making.
Not much action at Police Chief Dan Watsonâs Hispanic Outreach meeting this past week. No community members at all and just three committee members, out of more than 20 who signed up. âThis meeting gets smaller all the time,â Watson said. ...
In the âEr, what?â Department, Councilman John Eastman described his presence at the reception for our new Assemblywoman (Modesto) in Suite Z on Tuesday. âI was able to attend a reception for Kristin (pause) whatâs Kristinâs last name?â (Olsen, for those wondering) ...
On April 2, Toby Qualls, a sophomore at Mammoth High School, traveled to Lancaster, Calif., to run in the very competitive, Michele Perry Invitational. Many California high schools travel to this invitational, because of the high level of competition.
Qualls began competition in the varsity 1600 meter event. Because of his previous fast times in the 1600, he was then bumped up automatically into the elite championship race.
On Friday, April 15, Mammoth Lakes Police Officers and Paramedics responded to a radio call in the Old Mammoth area and discovered a deceased 21-year-old woman. Evidence at the scene indicated that she had died of a heroin overdose. Agents from the Mono Narcotics Enforcement Team (MONET) followed up and identified the dealer who supplied the heroin to the victim.
April 18th
By
George Shirk - Times Senior Writer
Winds of nearly 100 miles an hour slammed into Mammoth Mountain early Monday morning, while rain and snow in the Sierra put water watchers on alert.
The winds, which preceded Monday morningâs rain and snow, reached 99.8 miles an hour at 4 a.m., according to ski patrol data.
It didnât let up for more than an hour. At 5 a.m., ski patrol measured a wind gust at 99.6 miles an hour.
The average wind speed for the two hours was 70.3 miles an hour.
Ryan Hall, one of Mammothâs great distance runners, on Monday set a new American record for the Boston Marathon.
Hall, formerly a member of the Mammoth Track Club but who still trains here, ran the 26 miles in 2:04:55.
It is not a formally recognized record because the Boston Marathon is a kind of an odd duck in marathon circles, not quite conforming to world or national standards.
He led for much of the race before being overtaken near the end.
More to come as details roll in.
April 15th
By
George Shirk - Times Senior Writer
Mammoth is good at fund-raising. Weâve got a million of âem, it seems.
But at the top of the heap right now is the Mammoth Invitational, a race-filled weekend featuring pro skiers and boarders that went off last weekend on behalf of the Mammoth Community Foundation.
Foundation executive director John Armstrong said the event on Mammoth Mountain raised nearly $500,000 on behalf of the townâs kids.
The foundation is committed to raising funds to provide an added margin of excellence for academic and athletic programs for youth in our community.
By
Wendilyn Grasseschi - Times Staff Writer
Finally, the call that Mammoth High Shool had been waiting for came.
Word arrived late Tuesday afternoon that the school has been awarded the prestigious California Distinguished School award, one of 97 schools in the state to get the coveted award this year.
A product of rising test scores across all the students in the school â whether English Language Learners, English speakers, Caucasian or Hispanic, the award is a testament to several hard years of work by students, parents and staff alike, said school superintendent Rich Boccia.
By
Wendilyn Grasseschi - Times Staff Writer
Itâs probably inevitable.
Garbage disposal rates are going to go up sometime soon and some hours or days are going to get cut at most of the countyâs landfills, in an attempt to plug a funding hole that is leaking as much as $2,000-$3,000 a day from the countyâs coffers.
The proposed increase, which goes to the public for a hearing on April 19, will increase residentsâ garbage disposal fees by about 11 percent, if the plan laid out by county staff and approved in theory by the county supervisors passes a final vote on April 19 at a meeting in Mammoth Lakes.
By
Wendilyn Grasseschi - Times Staff Writer
âOne manâs loss is another manâs gain.â
That might be the most appropriate sentiment regarding losing Mono County Administrative Officer Dave Wilbrecht to the Town of Mammoth Lakes as its newest Town manager.
After eight years at the helm of Mono County, Wilbrecht leaves behind a county in enviable shape compared to almost every other county in the state: in the black, solvent, with a small but still present reserve for emergencies and economic hard times.
By
George Shirk - Times Senior Writer
It was a love fest.
When The Town Council named Dave Wilbrecht as the new Town Manager this week, Mammoth residents universally approved the decision.
From Tom Cage, of Kittredge Sports and P3 and Nordic advocate Brian Knox, to recreation commissioner Bill Sauser, former town planner Bill Taylor and former National Forest Service administrator Sandy Hogan, all were crazy nuts about the decision.
âHeâs a natural leader,â Hogan said, echoing county tourism director Alicia Vennos. âThe town is very, very lucky. Heâs an incredible leader,â Vennos said.
By
George Shirk - Times Senior Writer
Skip Harvey has a cwazy idea.
Except this time, it might not be so cwazy to turn the south frontage road on Main Street into a combination pedestrian mall and small festival place.
Harvey, the owner of the Base Camp Café, which would benefit from such a makeover, also is mayor of the town.
The makeover, called âan experiment,â would hit the road, so to speak, in Mid-June and last until the end of September.
Is there ever such a thing as too much ice cream? Pita Vasquez, a Cerro Coso College student, took full advantage of the Ben and Jerryâs free cone day, eating 13 cones in an afternoon. âI never want to eat ice cream again. I had seriously all of them,â she said. Her friend, Bailey Morley, a Mammoth High School senior, had even more â 17 â and was of the same mind. âI feel so bad,â she said late Wednesday night. ...
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR, April 15, 2011
April 16, 2011
MAMMOTH ER ROCKS
Recently, I needed immediate medical attention. My visit to Mammoth Hospitalâs emergency room, created by an abscessed tooth infection, and a touch of pneumonia, was mandatory.
After careful scrutiny, some retracted comments from myself, and an accurate diagnosis, I came to a conclusion.
The staff at Mammothâs facility won my gratitude, and my heart. To see the emergency roomâs pageant of âneedy,â busted up folks I love, helped, in an organized fashion, rendered me quite appreciative. You employees ârock!â
Michael K. Mahoney
Mammoth Lakes
TENNIS SERVES