News

Water district eyes restrictions after dry winters

May 6, 2013

‘Reliable’ levels for summer

Mammoth’s unique status as the area with the biggest snowpack in the Sierra this year may not be enough to stave off water restrictions.

The Mammoth area stands out with a snowpack that came in at about 82 percent of normal, compared to about 52 percent of normal for the Sierra overall, and lower than that in places like the Southern Sierra.

A bear cub loves apple pie; motherless youngster gets into house

May 6, 2013

A young, motherless bear cub with a taste for apple pie has been getting into trouble around Old Mammoth in the past several weeks, according to Wildlife Specialist Steve Searles.

What's more, the 15-month-old cub has learned to pull at heartstrings to get what he or she wants.

"He or she is 15 months old, in great health and good weight," Searles said at a Town Council meeting on Wednesday, May 1, "but I had abut 50 calls in the last two weeks.

RAW: Federal Court ends DWP lawsuit in Owens Lake air pollution case

May 3, 2013

The City of Los Angeles Department of Water and Power’s lawsuit against the Great Basin Unified Air Pollution Control District and other environmental agencies was dismissed by the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California on May 2, according to Ted Schade, the district's director.

"The City’s federal court lawsuit filed in Fresno attempted to prevent the District from enforcing state laws that require the LADWP to control the air pollution caused by its water diversions in the Eastern Sierra," according to a May 2 news release from the district.

Task force to take on special events funding puzzle

May 3, 2013

Focus is on best use of tax money

The Town Council had its first look on Wednesday, May 1, at a proposal that would establish a five-member committee to create the rules by which special event producers might use public tax dollars.

Council member Jo Bacon, the Measure U Application committee, and the Recreation Commission all initiated the idea.

Its genesis was in an April 2 workshop with the Mammoth Lakes Events Coalition.

Hot, dry weather makes for extra long fire season

May 2, 2013

Crews start fire prevention work in Mammoth, June

Fire season has begun in the Eastern Sierra, a month earlier than normal.

The combination of a dry winter, especially for everywhere north and south of the Mammoth Lakes region, and an unusually warm, dry spring have pushed the normal fire season up to include May, local fire officials said.

Town faces $562K shortfall in 2013-14

May 2, 2013

Council in new budget challenge

Despite a carefully crafted five-year plan and an economically successful summer and winter seasons, Mammoth would still come up more than a half-million dollars short of budget expectations for 2013-14, the Town Council learned this past week.

RAW: Bishop's popular "Taste of the Sierra" and Home Show gears up for this weekend

April 30, 2013

The Bishop Area Chamber of Commerce will once again host “A Taste of the Sierra” this Friday evening, May 3, in conjunction with the ever-popular Home Show at the Tri-County Fairgrounds in Bishop.

Many of the area’s finest restaurants and caterers will offer samples of delicious cuisine from 6pm until 9pm in the Charles Brown Auditorium. For only a $25 donation, you’ll enjoy unlimited samples of scrumptious food and receive two beverage tickets good for beer, wine or soda.

RAW: Deer on highways pose serious danger to drivers—and deer

April 29, 2013

The Mammoth Lakes Police Department would like to caution motorists to be extra alert for migrating deer on U.S.395 and S.R. 203. Large numbers of deer are on the move at this time of year and they pose a real threat to motorists. Serious injuries or death can occur if you strike a deer at highway speeds. Evidence of multiple vehicle versus deer encounters is visible while traveling on 395.

Two residents face embezzlement charges

April 29, 2013

An ‘unusual’ number of embezzlements of public money recently, DA says

A Crowley Lake woman and a Bridgeport woman recently faced the courts after accusations that they embezzled money.

Debra Ray, 53, of Crowley Lake, was arrested on Friday, April 19, on suspicion of embezzling $29,000 from a Crowley Lake water district.