News

The weather outside is frightful, no relief in sight

June 6, 2011

ANOTHER TWO WEEKS OF COLD
POSSIBLY SNOWY WEATHER AHEAD

While the East coast swelters in record heat, the Midwest ducks for cover, and Arizona is under fire, the West has another problem.

It’s damn cold.

In other words, no, it’s not your imagination that things out there are outright weird, weather wise, for this time of year.

Hispanic community, police, shake hands at Mammoth Town Hall

May 27, 2011

It was unprecedented for Mammoth.

More than 100 Hispanic citizens showed up to meet and greet Mammoth’s police Wednesday night at the Village Lodge, creating a bridge between the officers and the community.

They also heard from about a dozen other people, from recreation director Stuart Brown to Alejandro Celorio Alacantara, who made the trip from Sacramento and represented the Mexican Consulate.

Buttermilk Fire is now out, roads open

May 27, 2011

The Buttermilk Fire is now 100% contained and the roads into the area have been re-opened. There is access to all of the bouldering areas and camping is allowed on national forest land. As a reminder, a Campfire Permit is required for all campfires, BBQs and stoves.

Crews are still assigned to the Buttermilk Fire and they are working to put out any hotspots that remain in the burn area as they do a general mop-up from the fire. Over 120 people are still assigned to the fire.

UPDATE: Buttermilk Fire 250 acres, expected containment Thursday night

May 26, 2011

Firefighters are still battling a 250-acre fire off U.S. 168 northwest of Bishop near the community of Starlight and the popular Buttermilk bouldering area but the fire is now 50 percent contained.

Full containment is estimated at 6:00 p.m. Thursday.

Seventy people are currently assigned to the Buttermilk Fire including 11 engines, six hand crews, one helicopter, one dozer and miscellaneous overhead.

Some winds are predicted for today, but so far have been light, allowing crews to make good headway in securing a line all around the fire.

Mammoth Mountain's "shaky past" is tonight's talk at Green Church

May 24, 2011

Dr. Brandon Browne from the Dept. of Geological Sciences, CSU Fullerton, will present a lecture on Mammoth Mountain's "shaky past" tonight at the Green Church, located at the corner of Benton Crossing Road and U.S.395.

Mammoth coffers are dry, about to get downright dusty

May 20, 2011

When Marianna Marysheva-Martinez throws a fastball, she doesn’t mess around.

The town’s interim town manager fired one at the Mammoth Lakes Town Council Wednesday night. It was high heat, straight down the middle.

The only thing the council could do was stand at the plate and watch it go by, to the tune of about $2 million.

Marysheva-Martinez said that’s the best scenario – a $2 million shortfall in the coming budget, and that doesn’t even include funds to pay off the $30-plus million judgment as a result of the Hot Creek litigation.

What's Up, Up Here? News and gossip for May 20-26

May 20, 2011

Just for the heck of it: According to the U.S. Travel Assn., more than 49 percent of U.S. adult leisure travelers consider their pets to be part of the family, and 18 percent of U.S. adult leisure travelers usually take their pets with them when they travel. Mammoth would be a good pick, sez us. ...

Some big news about bears in the magazine Science recently. Seems it’s not the mama bears with cubs you really have to watch out for, but the single males if you come between them and their food. Like a morning at the Stove, now that we think about it. ...

New species found in Yosemite National Park

May 18, 2011

Yosemite National Park is home to more than 400 species of animals,
including a number of species that qualify for listing under the Endangered
Species Act. The park provides habitat for a wide variety of wildlife due
to its undisturbed ecosystems in the Central Sierra Nevada. Wildlife
species in Yosemite range from aquatic invertebrates to large mammals.

One of the many mammals that roam Yosemite’s forests is the Pacific fisher
(Martes pennanti). The fisher, a medium-sized member of the weasel family,

It’s a renaissance for the Mono Inn

May 16, 2011

When Jim O’Meally and Mario Aguilar open the doors to the Mono Inn for the first time in several years next Friday, it will be a dream come true.

O’Meally has loved the Mono Inn since he first played there as pianist while Sarah Adams ran the restaurant (the Ansel Adams family still owns the inn and its acreage).

Although he’s run and/or opened several restaurants and wine bars across the West, and played piano for the Awahnee hotel in Yosemite, it’s been the Eastern Sierra that has held his heart.