News

What's Up, Up Here? All the news and gossip for March 18-24

March 19, 2011

Maggie and Buck Wahl are back from Laos, Cambodia and Thailand, and those pictures on Facebook belong in a museum or something, sez us. ...

Good for Kelly Bahr, who as an animal care volunteer for Eastern Sierra Wildlife Care, did heroic work giving help to a Golden Eagle that was rescued from the shoulder of Highway 6 near Benton. ESWC Director Cindy Kamler ordered therapy, and tests revealed the eagle sadly, had acute lead poisoning and it subsequently died.

Mardi Gras brings out the costumes

March 15, 2011

Saturday night, March 12, the first Mardi Gras night at Rafters brought out revelers in costume. New Orleans food was served and Lisa Haley and the Zydekats provided lively music for dancing.

Compromise solution on fate of Bodie WSA rejected

March 14, 2011

What was supposed to be a compromise solution to help solve the Bodie Wilderness Study Area (WSA) fate Tuesday, wasn’t.

Instead, when Mono County District 2 Supervisor Hap Hazard proposed to divide the existing WSA roughly in half – with one half becoming true wilderness and the other open to multiple uses – just about everyone was none too pleased.

And the fact that he asked everyone to do it quickly didn’t help either.

What's old is new again in Mammoth

March 12, 2011

Mammoth Lakes Housing (MLH), dedicated to providing housing for low-income families, has turned a radical corner.

Rather than building new structures, the non-profit organization has its eye on acquiring and rehabilitating older structures in Mammoth.
“This is our first step into it, so we’re dealing with some new processes,” said MLH executive director Pam Hennarty, “but I think we’re handling it pretty well. We’re excited about the process.”

Chalfant motocross track up for debate Thursday

March 9, 2011

An illegally created motocross-like track in Chalfant goes to the county planning commission Thursday for debate, after a private property owner family bull-dozed a roughly one-acre area on their 18 acres into a rough, motocross-like track.

The family is arguing that the motocross like track is a suitable use of their property.

Forest Service holds Job Fair Saturday

March 8, 2011

The Inyo National Forest will be sponsoring a Job Fair for local people interested in getting a temporary job with the Forest Service this summer and fall. The Job Fair will be held on Saturday, March 12, from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Forest Service/BLM Interagency Building, behind the DMV, on West Line Street in Bishop.

Temporary jobs are available in such fields as firefighting, trail maintenance and engineering. At the Job Fair, Forest Service staff will be there to discuss the jobs, and to help people with the online federal job application process.

MX track kicks up dust in Chalfant

March 5, 2011

A motocross-like track on private land in Chalfant has some neighbors upset even as others signed a petition of support for the track.

The issue goes before the Mono County Planning Commission next week, on March 10 in Mammoth.

The track was bulldozed onto an approximately one-acre portion of an 18-acre parcel belonging to Sue Jenson, her daughter Naomi Garcia and son-in-law Adam Garcia, all residents of the community of West Chalfant.

What's Up, Up Here? All the news and gossip for March 4

March 5, 2011

Bishop was rocking and rolling Wednesday, with three earthquakes in a row: a 3.5 at about 7 p.m., a 3.1 at 4: 40 and a 2.5 at about 8 p.m. The quakes were only a few miles from Bishop, in the Laws area, meaning Bishopites certainly noticed them, although no serious damage was reported. ...

That was some Town Council meeting on Wednesday. Nothing on the agenda, nobody in the audience save for an MT staffer, nobody offering public comments. It was the Pledge of Allegiance, then a closed session with the new interim town manager. Like covering vapor. ...

Ranch Road peace process gets boost with new signs

March 5, 2011

The Ranch Road Peace Accords got another piece of reinforcement this week.

Five years after homeowners on Ranch Road and backcountry enthusiasts clashed over egress from the mountains, the Mammoth Lakes Trails and Public Access Foundation announced that new signs are in the ground, guiding skiers and snowboarders to the public access easement at the Ranch Road Gate.

Much of the route runs on top of Snowcreek Golf Course, which two years ago placed directional signs on the route as a result of Snowcreek VIII Master Development Plan.

The Ranch Road war was over.