(Corrected) What's Up, Up Here for Nov. 19

November 19, 2010

Ellen's crew comes to Mammoth

Note: The What's Up item about the Thompsons that ran in Friday's paper has been corrected in this version.

That was the crew of “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” up on Mammoth Mountain Saturday, which took marketing whiz Joani Lynch a bit by surprise, but she (Joani) is fast on her feet. Ellen didn’t show, but “Amy” (the dorky on-camera cohort in the blue biz suit) came up for 15 hours of taping. The bit aired Wednesday. For two minutes. “Hollywood’s rough,” said Joani. ...

While on subject, the Mountain asked “Amy” if she wanted to be taped on a dogsled run, but Ellen herself nixed that, and fast. DeGeneres is an ardent animal rights activist. ...

A little birdie on Mammoth Mountain says summer air service from San Francisco is receiving mucho attention from Howard Pickett and his marketing gang.. ...

Ueli Luthi reports that the Minaret Mile and a loop at Reds Lake are groomed for XC. Flat groomed, no classic tracks. The plan is to groom every other day. Yee Haw! ...

Carol Kavulla of Crowley Lake said that a friend of a friend reported that the bears are still active on Juniper Loop. Didn’t Steve Searles say they would all be bedded down by now? Perhaps they just got up for a mid-November snack. ...

Speaking of the always bearish Steve, he said he’s turning his attention toward deer next year in a serious way. Says collisions with the migrators cost one life, one life-threatening injury to a motorcyclist and (gasp) $100,000 in property damage (vehicles) this year alone. ...

Was that really snowboarding maestro pro snowboarder and Quiksilver team rider Travis Rice? The star of the snowboarding film “That’s It, That’s All” was at Quiksilver in the Village Saturday afternoon to sign autographs, before heading to the Hyde Lounge for Transworld Magazine’s 200th Issue Celebration. Guess who’s on the cover. ...

The XC skiing is good on the road to the Minaret Lookout, sez Sue Mehrhoff. She enjoyed skating up that way on Saturday and has plans to go back for more this week. ...

Supervisor “Hap” Hazard said he is looking forward to a getaway this week with his best friend Patti “Miss Hap” Hazard. ...

On the attrition side of things, we note with frowns on our faces that Patty Schwartzkopf is moving on. She’s headed out of Mammoth, scheduled to land in Laguna Beach, for a whole new life. Here’s to her great happiness and success. We hope she’ll keep in touch and let us know how life is after the real estate business. Go say goodbye to Patti from 4 to 7 Tuesday night (Nov. 23) at Giovanni’s. ...

Runner extraordinaire Meb Keflezighi has his new book out, and Dave Leonard at the Booky Joint said “Run to Overcome” sold out fast. He has more copies now. Price is $24.99 minus 15 percent on account of it’s a hardback. Usual deal at the Joint. ...

Speaking of authors, David Carle will have a book-signing event for his new novel, “Mono,” at the Booky Joint Dec. 19. ...

In the absence of those wonderful flowers at the Post Office, there was a colorful sprouting of protest there Wednesday, as Alexandra Phillips and Eric Thomas of larouchepac.com called for the impeachment of President Obama. Interestin’ way to start the day. Kinda. ...

Here’s the unflappable John Vereuck’s report to the Mobility Commission this week: “I have nothing to report.” (pause) “Let me clarify that.” ...

In VereuckWorld, town commissions would meet, at most, twice a year instead of twice a month or once a month. He figures that way, they’d get something done.

As for the Dec. 21 Mobility Commission meeting, Vereuck said, “If I’m having a meeting, I’m having it at the bar.” The commish cancelled the holiday meeting, by the way. ...

Speaking of the Mobility Commission, the only one on time was the ever-punctual chairman, Sandy Hogan. The rest weren’t so darned mobile, were they? ...

Oh, and one last thing. Minutes-taker Karen Ridley accidentally spilled a box of nameplates upon leaving the meeting, making her, literally, a namedropper. ...

If you see State Farm’s Linda Wright and hubby Rick Dodson, wish them a happy anniversary. Neither of them knows the date, just that it’s the Saturday after Thanksgiving. This year is number three. ...

A spiffy new Tourism Guide is due on 50 new racks in early December, says tourism chieftain John Urdi. No longer will there be one for winter and one for summer. This is a year-rounder, with a summer cover on the front and winter on the back, or vice-versa, depending. Deftly designed by ace Laura Patterson. ...

Can’t get Stacey Bardfield too fired up for Christmas. Once again, her Mammoth Sierra Properties was first up with lights and decorations and, as usual, they’re dazzling. ...

That new street curling around the under-construction courthouse is called “Thompsons Way” after the late Helen Thompson and Glenn Thompson, longtime town manager here ...

“There’s a reason,” said one Council Chamber wag the other night, “that they call this room ‘The Bullpen.’”

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