News

RAW: Lee Vining High School ranked 64th in state based on Challenger Index

April 19, 2013

Lee Vining High School has made the Washington Post’s High School Challenge Index for the second time this year.

The small rural school in the Eastern Sierra Unified School District, which covers all the schools in Mono County north of Mammoth Lakes, was ranked 558th in the nation out of approximately 22,000 high schools placing it in the top three percent of all high schools, according to school officials.

ICARE raises $30K in fundraiser

April 19, 2013

Proceeds go toward new animal shelter

The biggest dog-and-cat party of the season went off last weekend in Bishop, and just about everyone was a winner.

About 700 animal lovers crowded into the Charles Brown Auditorium at the Tri-Valley Fairgrounds for a fund-raising dinner and auction, putting $30,000 into the coffers of the Inyo/Mono County Animal Resources & Education (ICARE).

Endangered Walker Lake may get some county water, if county is still protected

April 19, 2013

Efforts to protect Mono County creeks and rivers and still allow ranchers and farmers to lease excess water rights to Nevada to be used in a lake that is threatened with falling water levels and salinity issues is moving forward, according to county staff Tuesday. Assistant County Counsel Stacey Simon got approval from the county’s supervisors for a letter that lays out methods to protect the county, such as only removing water from Bridgeport and Topaz Lake when water levels are sufficient to protect recreation and wildlife.

“Paw Patrol” program hits Devil’s Postpile

April 19, 2013

Fire tax fee may yet change

April 19, 2013

Frustration with a state fire prevention tax that costs property owners as much as $150 a year continues to grow in the Eastern Sierra, but there is some hope for a legislative solution, even as a bill to repeal the tax died last week, according to county officials.

Merced River comment deadline extended to April 30

April 18, 2013

25,000 comments so far

Yosemite National Park this past week announced the extension of the public comment period for the Merced Wild and Scenic River Draft Comprehensive Management and Environmental Impact Statement (MRP) through Tuesday, April 30.

Previously, the public comment period was slated to close on Thursday, April 18.

Not all June Lakers charmed by MMSA

April 18, 2013

Members of a citizen’s committee continue to oppose land swap

Some June Lake residents were not charmed—or convinced—last week by Mammoth Mountain Ski Area CEO Rusty Gregory’s assurances that he was a changed man and that MMSA would finally invest enough in June Mountain Ski Area to make it thrive.

Bishop couple arrested last week on suspicion of embezzling $1.5 million, county faces questions

April 16, 2013

Last week’s arrest of a Bishop resident on charges of embezzling more than $1.5 million in public funds has raised just as many questions for taxpayers as investigators.

At the top of the list of questions seems to be how a county employee could have gotten away with the ongoing theft – as alleged – for as long as she did.

Dawndee Rossy, 46, and her husband, Ken Rossy, 43, were arrested by District Attorney’s Office investigators on Thursday for a total of 44 felonies related to their alleged embezzlement of taxpayer money from Dawndee’s work.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Start Your Snowplows!

April 16, 2013

High temperatures combined with a light snowpack will allow for an early start to plowing area roads this spring, the Inyo National Forest announced in a news release on Tuesday, April 16.

The Town of Mammoth Lakes was to begin plowing roads in the Mammoth Lakes Basin on Wednesday, April 17, while Caltrans will begin plowing to the Minaret Vista at the end of April.

 Town crews will begin plowing into Reds Meadow Valley soon after that, according to Marty Hornick, the Inyo’s acting pubic affairs officer.