News

What's Up, Up Here? Feb 4

February 5, 2011

Herre's the latest in gossip, news and idle speculations from our cozy little burg.

Hot rumor around town is that by 2012 we’ll have a state-of-the-art 10- to 12-lane bowling alley, with restaurant and lounge and three upstairs bays for simulated golf. How hot is the rumor? Scalding. ..
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Why the S.F. flight matters: John Eastman was at the airport this past week, catching a flight to L.A., when he ran into a passel of New Jersey club skiers who always wanted to try Mammoth. One connection to SFO, then the non-stopper to Newark. ...

Will it snow or not? With none forecast, be glad for December

February 4, 2011

While much of the rest of the country got walloped by a massive winter storm this week, the Sierra remained stuck in a stubborn dry pattern that shows no signs of breaking anytime soon.

Even the groundhog in Punxsutawney didn’t see his shadow meaning, if groundhogs can be believed, that winter will end soon.

But the huge snows that hit the Sierra back in December were enough to, so far at least, protect the state of California, which gets 30 percent of its water from the Sierra Nevada mountains.

How do we know?

Crowley Lake man's death determined to be suicide

February 3, 2011

A Crowley Lake local, Jeff Wheeler, died from a self-inflicted gun shot wound last Thursday, according to the The Mono County Sheriff’s Department.

On Thursday, Jan. 27, at approximately 8:20 am, a Mono County Sheriff’s Deputy was dispatched to 325 Sierra Springs Drive for a welfare check. Jeff Wheeler, 40, was found deceased in his bed from a self-inflicted gun-shot wound to the head.

Further death details are under investigation.

Source: Mono County Sheriff's Department

Motorized use options at Shady Rest meetings begin Feb. 10

February 1, 2011

Mammoth's highly used Shady Rest area has a long history of sometimes conflicting uses, especially in the winter when snowmobilers and skiers, dog walkers and snowshoers vie for the trail system. Although the conflicts have died down somewhat over the years, due mostly to hard work by both user groups in educating their members, the need for a final solution for winter use in the area, still remains.

That opportunity might be available finally.

Crowley's John Jackson wins awards in Denver

January 29, 2011

TransworldWorld SNOWboarding loves John Jackson.

One of the leading voices in the sport gave the Crowley Lake resident its Rider of the Year award, along with the Men’s Video Part of the Year.

It was the second straight year the magazine gave him the two awards, making him a downright celebrity, if he wasn’t already.

The awards were announced last Friday at the 2011 TransWorld SNOWboarding Poll Award show in Denver.

In another era, Jackson might have wanted to call home to tell the news to his mom, Shirley, and track down brother Eric, too.

Mammoth Nordic bows out

January 29, 2011

Mammoth Nordic, which since 2002 has groomed its way into the winter experience here, has now announced it is grooming its way back out.

Its leader, Brian Knox, released the news last Friday, writing in an e-mail,

“Regrettably, our club’s passion, funding, equipment and manpower over the last three years has not created a compelling enough case for community Nordic recreation in the eyes of town government.”

Knox’s announcement immediately sent the town’s recreation department into a scramble.

Gap between Hispanics, MLPD is bigger than anyone thought

January 28, 2011

We knew we had a problem.

We just didn’t know how far Mammoth has to go in building trust between the Hispanic population and the Mammoth Lakes Police Department.

Let’s just say it’s a very long way.

In a presentation Tuesday in front of the Mammoth Lakes Police-Community Hispanic Advisory Committee, Village Lodge manager Luis Villanueva came back with some disturbing news.

Marine Training Center has powerful ally

January 28, 2011

As the federal government eyeballs even the military as a place to cut costs, some locals wondered if cuts might hit the Bridgeport area Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center.

Probably not, said Rian Gamble, community outreach for the center.

“We are training Marines at full capacity, with some 16,000 to 17,000 a year coming through, doing everything from mountain medicine training to high altitude training, and more,” he said.

AT&T saga drags on for Tri-Valley cell phone customers

January 28, 2011

The third time is not the charm.

Despite reports from AT&T that the technical cell service problems were fixed in the Tri-Valley area last week, Mono County supervisor Hap Hazard said they have not been fixed.

In fact, Chalfant still has no service, at least from the northern border of White Mountain Estates north, he said, although Benton now apparently, finally has at least better and more consistent service.