Archive
February 11th, 2011
By
Wendilyn Grasseschi - Mammoth Times Staff Writer
A mining company that said it can create hundreds of jobs in Mono County if a potential gold mine in the Bodie Hills goes forward will be in Bridgeport next week.
Cougar Gold, a mining exploration company with ties to a global financial company Tigris Financial Group, will be in Bridgeport Feb. 15, talking to both the Mono County Board of Supervisors in the afternoon, then holding a âtown hallâ meeting later that evening.
Cougar Gold got permission from the Bureau of Land Management in 2009 to do some exploratory drilling in the BLMâs Bodie Hills Wilderness Study Area.
By
George Shirk - Mammoth Times Senior Writer
There will be no cross-country track skiing this winter on the public trail system.
An effort by the townâs recreation department to make a compromise with Mammoth Nordicâs Brian Knox fell through on Tuesday, when Knox turned down flat a compromise proposal.
âYour proposal requiring our volunteer staff to train your staff to professionally operate and maintain Mammoth Nordicâs grooming equipment is a commitment, in the middle of this winter, I regrettably cannot make,â Knox wrote in a letter to the Recreation Commission.
Knox did not slam the door all the way on next winter, however
By
Wendilyn Grasseschi - Mammoth Times Staff Writer
Does Mammoth need another entrance sign?
Or just a better one?
According to some residents, the answer is both.
Elizabeth Tenney, the woman behind the post office flower garden and landscape miracle, is turning that same attention to design toward another project: giving Mammoth more of a definite entrance.
The fact that the new sign would act to also soften the appearance of the under-construction, block-like courthouse, regarded by many as out of place in a small alpine town, doesnât seem like a bad idea.
By
Wendilyn Grasseschi - Mammoth Times Staff Writer
The discovery of geothermal energy literally right below the Shady Rest Park area has only complicated an already very complicated issue in Mammoth â how best to utilize one of Mammothâs favorite locations.
The Shady Rest area includes the park and surrounding forest service land. About two years ago, with the discovery of geothermal energy under the site, the area opened up via a plowed road as far back as the park itself, allowing access to the geothermal developments and adding yet another demand to the already highly used area.
By
Wendilyn Grasseschi - Mammoth Times Staff Writer
Imagine skiing along a sparkling blue river, skies whispering softly over the white, blanketing snow.
Imagine the river, blue, silver, indigo, glimmering, a ribbon of color in the white land.
Imagine the quiet; perfect, joyous, broken only by the riffle of the river, the whoosh of the wings of a blue heron flashing far above.
The Owens River cuts a wild and wide path through upper Long Valley, flashing down to Crowley Lake from its birthplace at Big Springs, southeast of Lee Vining.
As Village Championship races go, last Tuesdayâs race seemed to be as normal as normal can be, aside from various off-the-wall costumes.
And then Jimmy Morning appeared.
One of Mammothâs iconic skiers and coaches, Morning was injured in a Super G crash two weeks earlier, earning him a hospital stay and a couple of weeks in bed.
Morning didnât race in Tuesdayâs dual Giant Slalom on Fascination, but his appearance made the beautiful racing conditions and bright sunshine even more radiant, and warmed up the Happy Hour party at Rafters.
By
George Shirk - Mammoth Times Senior Writer
Mammoth welcomed back a couple of its in-the-news athletes on Sunday, giving locals a chance to meet and ski with ski cross mega-star Johnny Teller and slopestyle skier Kaya Turski.
Hundreds of people jammed the Main Lodge sun deck for autographs, handshakes and high-fives, and if there were passers-by or out-of-towners who wondered what the fuss was about, hereâs why:
Teller, coming off an X-Games gold medal and a couple of World Cup podiums, was just back from the FIS World Championships in Utah, where he placed fifth but won the so-called âsmall finalsâ in his event.
Disabled Sports Eastern Sierra (DSES) and Mammoth Mountain Ski Area hosted the fifth annual winter Wounded Warrior Disabled Sports Project.
Thirty-five wounded marines, soldiers and veterans, their family members and military staff enjoyed five days of recreation catered by DSES.
Participants joined DSES from hospitals and rehabilitation centers at San Diego and Arizona and Hawaii.
Veterans joined the program from as far away as Washington and Virginia.
February 9th
By
Wendilyn Grasseschi â Mammoth Times Staff Writer
The relatively recent discovery of geothermal energy literally right below the Shady Rest Park area has only complicated an already very complicated issue in Mammoth â how best to utilize one of the town's visitors and locals favorite locations that is already highly popular with snowmobilers, cross country skiers, dog-walkers and more.
The bottom line is that the Shady Rest area is literally in danger of being loved to death, with locals and visitors alike piling into the area to cross-country ski, snowmobile, walk dogs, hike, mountain bike, walk, snowshoe, skate ski.
By
Wendilyn Grasseschi â Mammoth Times Staff Writer
The Mammoth daycare provider arrested in October for sexually abusing at least four children in his care, Lupe Almaguer, will not face a judge again until March 8, after his sentencing was continued at his attorney's request yesterday.
Judge Stan Eller granted the request, according to an investigator for the Mono County Deputy Attorney's office, Wade McCammond.
The sentencing was originally set for next week, Feb. 15, at 1:30 p.m., in Bridgeport.
"Mr. Almaguer is expected to be present for the pronouncement of sentence," McCammond said.
February 8th
By
Wendilyn Grasseschi â Mammoth Times Staff Writer
The body of an Elk Grove man that was discovered by a National Forest Service employee on patrol at Mt Morrison Cemetery Saturday was likely a suicide, according to the Mono County Sheriff's Department.
According to the sheriff's department, the details go like this.
February 4th
By
Wendilyn Grasseschi - Mammoth Times Staff Writer
Even as Mammothâs town council moved to approve an agreement to subsidize some air service flights this week, county supervisors had three words to say:
âNot so fast.â
At a Tuesday discussion centered around Mammoth Mountainâs request that the county help subsidize air service, splitting it three ways with the town government and the Mountain, it was clear the supervisors arenât ready to go there, not yet and perhaps, not at all.
Herre's the latest in gossip, news and idle speculations from our cozy little burg.
Hot rumor around town is that by 2012 weâll have a state-of-the-art 10- to 12-lane bowling alley, with restaurant and lounge and three upstairs bays for simulated golf. How hot is the rumor? Scalding. ..
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Why the S.F. flight matters: John Eastman was at the airport this past week, catching a flight to L.A., when he ran into a passel of New Jersey club skiers who always wanted to try Mammoth. One connection to SFO, then the non-stopper to Newark. ...
Melissa Margulies is going to the Super Bowl. Not to watch, but to play.
Sheâs a rookie star on the Los Angeles Temptation football team.
L.A. plays the Philadelphia Passion during half time. The teams are part of the Lingerie Football League.
Margulies, who grew up in Mammoth and ran track at MHS, as well as USC, always wanted to play pro baseball. Sheâs not far off, as both safety and running back for the Temptation.
Gee, letâs have another committee
February 5, 2011
This is how government and bureaucracies work:
At Wednesdayâs town council meeting, the members considered a proposal that they create a new committee, this one called âThe Town Council and Planning Commission Liaison Committee.â
Planning Commission Chair Tony Barrett and Vice Chair Jay Deinken put it before the council.
They argued that the creation of such a committee âcan ensure the effective and efficient completion of the Fiscal Year 2010-11 Budget Work Program.â