Thanks to the Sierra Trash Eliminators for their over-the-weekend- effort in picking up lots of trash along miles of Highway 395 in the Bishop area.

Their efforts augment Caltrans’ Adopt a Highway program, in which businesses and individuals may adopt a two mile section of state highways.

Adoptees are expected to pick up trash up to six times a year. Caltrans provides all the supplies – bags, gloves , safety vests, hardhats, trash picker-uppers, and safety training. Those participating get a sign posted on their section of a highway.

Locally, the program is very popular and a wait list exists for most sections of Hwy. 395.  Currently there is only one section available for adoption in the Bishop area – in front of Bishop Ford from the Y, on Hwy 6.

Contact Caltrans’ Tom Scott for more information on adopting trash pick up on a local roadway.   760-872-0601.

Dessert’d Organic Bake Shop in Mammoth received a big, business sustaining, surprise last week.

The folks from Barstool Sports – a sports media company in New York, were at risk of having their favorite pizza restaurant close due to COVID loss of income. They raised some money, and saved the restaurant from closing. Then the owner realized there were lots of other businesses in the country struggling. – barely hanging on.

Barstools Sports owner Dave Portnoy put out a call for small businesses drastically affected by loss of business due to COVID, to send in their story. Dessert’d owner Mimi Council did. And received a surprise video chat from Portnoy.

Her request; to cover the cost of retaining her employees. The awarded amount was not shared by either party,  but Portnoy posted on Instagram that Council’s business request is not a one-time grant. His group will fund her payroll expenses month after month, until the crisis to resolved.

Portnoy started his fundraising campaign in December with a goal of $500,000. Over the Christmas holiday he raised $17 million. Two days ago, Packers QB, Aaron Rogers, donated $500,000 to the Barstool Sports fundraising campaign.

The Mammoth business, even with the threat of having to close due to COVID lack of business, still took care of their community. “If someone couldn’t afford a birthday cake, we made sure they had one,” said Council. In essence, although she didn’t realize it at the time, she was paying it forward.

As you probably know, Dawn Wells, who played the ship-wrecked castaway Mary Ann on Gilligan’s Island, passed away last week at the age of  82, due to COVID.

But did you know she was one of Nevada’s favorite daughters? She hailed from Reno. Wells was Miss Nevada in 1959 before beginning her Hollywood roles. Her father owned the Thunderbird Casino in Las Vegas. A trail in the Clark County Wetlands Park is named after Dawn Wells.

“[Her iconic role] was a blessing and a curse,” Wells wrote in her 2014 book, What Would Mary Ann Do? A Guide to Life. The role was a role of a lifetime, but unfortunately made her too recognizable as the lovable castaway to get any good character-leading roles after the series ended in 1967.

Prior to her three-year run on the CBS comedy, Wells starred in episodes of 77 Sunset Strip, Maverick, and Bonanza.

“She’s a girl with a smile on her face, and she did a great job and everybody loves her,” said Tina Louise, of Wells, to the Las Vegas Review Journal.  Louise is the last surviving cast member of the iconic TV show,

His loss will bring sadness to the communities of Bishop and Inyo County. He was the face of Bishop at travel, trade, and sports shows around the state on behalf of the Bishop Chamber of Commerce.

I first met Chuck 10 years go as a co-announcer for the Lone Pine Film Festival’s annual parade. I announced at the start of the parade, he – from the top of the Dow Villa Motel, halfway down the parade route.

I last saw him as promoter of the California High School Rodeo Assn. when he brought in the District Nine Queen for a radio interview just before Thanksgiving. He was happy and healthy then.

We will miss him here at KIBS/KBOV.

Six weeks ago, Krista G. headed home to Santa Cruz from a tour of Death Valley. Driving southwest on Highway 178, about 3 miles from the 395 junction, she spotted an animal lying motionless in the middle of the roadway. A close look at the body revealed a small fox, alive but unconscious.

Wildcare Eastern Sierra received an early morning phone call. They gave the driver directions how to safely rescue the injured animal, keep it warm, dark and quiet. Cautiously she wrapped the body in the warm blanket, tucked it into the box, and placed it on the sunny front seat in her vehicle.

Krista’s planned route home had been to the south, then west to the coast and north to Santa Cruz. Krista chose to head north on 395 instead to Wildcare, two and a half hours out of her way.

She pulled up in front of the center at Keough’s Hot Springs. Staffers Cindy Kamler and Danielle Manriquez were surprised to discover that the fox was a smaller, endangered Kit fox. These small foxes inhabit arid and semi-arid regions encompassing desert shrub, creosote, chaparral and grasslands. The San Joaquin and Death Valley areas hold most of the endangered California Kit fox population.

Examination found a comatose female, motionless except for slight twitching of the head. No cuts, fractures or bruises were seen except for bleeding from the right inner ear. For the next four or five days, she was motionless, eyes shut. Nearly a week passed until she could lick blended raw meat from a syringe.

She began to change position occasionally and finally, opened her eyes and attempted to stand and move. A couple more weeks passed as she became more alert, her balance improved, and she could eat on her own. Sleeping most of the day in her burrow, she was now active and eating at night.

Since this is the first Kit fox taken in by the Center, their goal is to find a proper and safe release site, meaning learning as much as possible about Kit fox’s behaviors.

Wildlife Eastern Sierra rescues birds and small animals that are injured or abandoned. We ask you to join with us here at KIBS/KBOV by supporting the work of Wildlife Eastern Sierra.

Like us here at the station,  one way is to take your California redemption cans, glass, or plastic bottles to Manor Market’s buy-back center, and ask to have the proceeds donated to Wildlife Eastern Sierra. This is an important funding source for the rescue center.

(Photos courtesy of Wildlife Eastern Sierra.)

In the early morning hours of December 22, numerous units of Mono County Sheriff’s Office responded to multiple armed burglaries in the White Mountain Estates area of Chalfant.

The suspect was caught on a home security camera.

Do you recognize him? Contact MCSO.

Unconfirmed posts on social media reported one of the homes the suspect tried to rob was the home of a law enforcement officer. It was also reported the suspect headed into the desert area surrounding Chalfant. Additionally, Inyo County Sheriff’s deputies  were on patrol for suspect, south of the area, across the county line.