News

Yosemite river management plans draw fire

March 6, 2013

Mono Supe Fesko: ‘This is just asinine’

While much of Yosemite National Park lay under its cold winter snow, discussion over its future heated up last week.

Following strident commentary from the Mono County Board of Supervisors dealing with the Tuolumne and Merced Wild and Scenic River Plans, park officials came to Mammoth Saturday morning, Feb. 23, to explain the controversial plans and answer questions.

Sexual assault in Mammoth

March 4, 2013

A 21-year-old female from Mammoth was sexually assaulted at 1:40 a.m. on Feb. 20 just outside The Tap bar.

A tall, skinny male of unknown race, his face obscured by the hood of his black puffy jacket, approached her from behind and grabbed her breasts.

Footprints took officers from near the bar toward a condominium complex on Meridian where they became jumbled with other footprints.

Devils Postpile helps local economy

March 4, 2013

A new National Park Service (NPS) report shows that nearly 100,000 visitors in 2011 spent $3,642,000 in Devils Postpile National Monument and in communities near the park.

That spending supported 43 jobs in the local area.

“Devils Postpile National Monument helps sustain the local economy with ecotourism,” Superintendent Deanna Dulen said. “The national monument brings visitor spending to the surrounding communities and helps support local jobs.”

Half Dome day use permits available

March 4, 2013

Half Dome cables day use permits for the 2013 hiking season will be available for reservation starting today, March 1, through Sunday, March 31, Yosemite National Park officials announced.

Permits to hike to the top of Half Dome are required. Reservations will be distributed via a lottery system. Successful parties will be notified in early April.  

A maximum of 300 hikers will be allowed on the Half Dome cables per day.

Record-setting dry spell about to break

March 1, 2013

Forecasters predict a foot of snow for midweek

Snow dance, anyone?

Having endured the two driest back-to-back, mid-winter months in recorded history, Mammoth and the Eastern Sierra may get a break beginning Tuesday night, March 5, and Wednesday, March 6, according to the National Weather Service.

How much snow will fall is up in the air, so a good, old-fashioned snow dance still would be appropriate.

Center Stage for ‘New Shady Camp’ staging area

February 22, 2013

Snowmos win big in new Forest Service plan

The Forest Service this past week unveiled an ambitious plan for a new staging area for motorized vehicles at the popular Shady Rest Staging Area.

Mono paramedics under the knife

February 22, 2013

‘Cadillac’ program needs serious trimming, supes say

With Mono County gasping for financial relief, the Board of Supervisors this past week took aim at what one supervisor called the county’s “Cadillac” paramedic program.

The board on Tuesday, Feb. 19, acted to trim costs of the $5 million program—the second most expensive program for the county.

What's Up, Up Here? Feb. 22-28

February 22, 2013

It’s not every day, even in a ski town, that you find a stark nekid womanwandering around the Westin lobbyin the wee hours, and it’s not often that Mono County Dispatchgets a call re: said woman, and it’s not every day that the self-same woman returns with the T-shirt someone gave her for protection against the cold temps and/or prying eyes. …

County coffers remain low

February 22, 2013

Property taxes lag behind state

Sluggish property tax revenues will make budgets tight for yet another year in Mono County, according to county officials.

While the rest of the state is beginning the slow climb out of the recession, Mono County is lagging in terms of property tax revenues, mostly due to some of the rural areas of the county where property prices have yet to bottom out.