An extensive project to restore the town’s classic neon signs has been completed and the reviews from residents and visitors alike are, well . . .  glowing.

“Before photo” of the “jumping salmon” at the High Country Outfitters and Sporting Goods in Lone Pine next to Chamber of Commerce.

The return of vibrant neon lights along US 395, which is also Lone Pine’s main street and business corridor, “makes my heart smile when I see the signs. They bring back all my memories of childhood,” said Kathleen New, director of the Lone Pine Chamber of Commerce.

Both the Gardner’s True Value Hardware Store’s iconic flashing rainbow trout neon sign and the neon sign advertising ice were restored to their former glory as part of the project.

“After photo” of the “jumping salmon” at the High Country Outfitters and Sporting Goods lights up downtown area in Lone Pine.

The idea of restoring the town’s fading neon signs had long been discussed, and those discussions and the noticeable deterioration of the signs themselves caught the attention of artist Lauren Bon, of the Metabolic Studio, who has been directing the studio’s ongoing engagement in Lone Pine and the Owens Valley for more than a decade. Bon thought rejuvenating and upgrading the signs would be a unique blend of artistic restoration, community building and historic preservation.

The idea started to take more tangible shape in 2018 when Bon and the Metabolic Studio team began a conversation with business owners and residents about restoring the six remaining vintage galvanized steel and neon signs in Lone Pine and Independence that were originally installed in the 1940s and ‘50s.

The Metabolic Studio provided funding for the neon restoration project as part of its long-term, ongoing engagement with the Lone Pine community and Inyo County.

Metabolic Studio’s action included the skills of Kathleen New, Executive Director of the Lone Pine Chamber of Commerce, neon restoration expert John Iadipaolo, owner of Artistic Sign Company, and the proprietors of the businesses with original neon signage in need of repair,  which had not yet gone digital or LED. The project kept intact the vintage patina of the galvanized steel signs and put all the neon signs on timers to preserve the beauty of the dark sky in the area after hours.

The Artistic Sign Company had to bring all neon and glass back to its shop in Ventura where craftspeople took field patterns on paper of the signs. Next, new neon tube glass that matched the color of the vintage neon was remanufactured from the original tube glass, filled with neon gas then returned to the towns of Lone Pine and Independence to be reinstalled.

The Mt. Whitney Motel is located at the north end of town in Lone Pine.

In addition to the neon fish and other signs at Gardner’s True Value, the other rejuvenated neon signs are located at the Merry-Go-Round restaurant, the Mt. Whitney Motel, the “jumping salmon” at the High Country Outfitters and Sporting Goods; Ray’s Den Motel and the Courthouse Motel in Independence.

(PHOTOS: Courtesy of Lone PIne Chamber of Commerce and Metabolic Studios)

(UPDATED 10-21 @ 8:00 a.m.)  Lemoore NAS reports the pilot involved in yesterday’s mishap was released for the medical facility following a thorough examination.

The crash site area is closed by BLM as the investigation continues. Highways 14 and 178 were reopened by CHP late Tuesday.

(KIBS/KBOV would like to thank our media friends at NBC 17 KGET in Bakersfield and photographer Daniel Espindola for posting his first-on-the-scene photo to media)

Original Post . . .

Around 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, October 20, an F/A- 18E  fighter jet out of Lemoore Naval Air Station crashed near Highway 14 at the intersection of Highway 178, near Inyokern. The pilot ejected and was taken to a local hospital for examination.

Lemoore NAS acknowledged on social media the jet was on a routine training flight over Superior Valley, south of China Lake Naval Weapons Station in Ridgecrest.

“The U.S. Navy is cooperating fully with local authorities,” posted the base’s public information office.

Firefighters from China Lake NAWS  responded as well as local authorities. CHP has both highways blocked as the investigation continues.

Today’s crash is the second such area crash of a F/A-18E  in just over a year. A $66 million fighter jet crashed on maneuvers flying through Star Wars Canyon in Death Valley on July 31, 2019, killing the pilot and injuring seven bystanders on the ground.

(Photo Credit: Daniel Espindola)

(Edited 10/20 @ 4:20 p.m.) Late Sunday night, a local 20-year old driver lost control of the vehicle he was driving, crashing into a parked car and residence in the 300 block of Clarke Street.

Bishop Volunteer Fire Department  had to extract the victim and his adult passenger. They were both transported to Northern Inyo Hospital, with non-life-threatening injuries. No one inside the residence was injured.

According to the Bishop Police Department, the driver is still hospitalized as of October 20.  His name has not yet been released.

Bishop police found alcohol and marijuana inside the vehicle. The investigation continues and any additional information  leading up to the DUI/collision would be appreciated by Bishop police.

(Photos: Courtesy of Bishop Police Department)

KIBS/KBOV took all our station’s recycling to the Manor Market Recycling Center and earmarked our buy-back funds towards the Wildcare  Eastern Sierra rehabilitation program.

The rehab center, with the help of volunteers and foster “parents,” have helped recently to rehabilitate nesting and fledging Sparrows, House Finches, Ducklings, Starlings, and Rabbits in their homes.

Red Tailed,  Red Shouldered, Cooper’s Hawks, and several owls have been recent residents in their rehab flight center, along with a migrating but off course young Pelican and Avocet.

Two orphaned baby Racoons were also rescued recently.

Earmarking CRV recycling at Manor Market is just one way to support the good works at Wildcare Eastern Sierra. Volunteers are always welcomed.

(Photo: KIBS/KBOV’s News & Sports Director, Ken Harrison, and the station’s teenaged Fast Food Critic, Chase Hernandez, are happy to drink the Diet Cokes that end up helping Wildcare  Eastern Sierra.)

The huge Mammoth Beanie disappeared from its southern post in Big Pine about a week ago. We had hoped it was not an indication of the projections for a lower than average winter.

Not to worry. Its gone to get its annual design makeover, according to Jim at Lamar Signs in Lancaster, the creators of the billboard. KIBS will be on the scene when the 2020-21 version is unveiled in about another week.

Someone struck it rich in Death Valley, without using a shovel, pick ax, or digging a mine.

On October 6, the California Lottery Mega Millions draw hit a five-out-of-six number ticket at Charles Brown General Store in Shoshone. The jackpot will pay the ticket holder $1.9 millon.

According to Trudy, the store’s manager, as of October 15, the winner has not identified themselves to either the store or Lottery redemption officials in Sacramento.

After federal taxes, the winner will receive $1,582,000 if taking the cash payout option.   Might he or she be a local and  choose to be generous with the town of 50, each resident would receive $30,000. Probably not, but for sure the winner will have plenty of new “best friends” hanging around.

The store, which will receive the standard .05% commision on the big win ($9,500) was also a lucky Lottery retailer in 2016 when it sold a winning Fantasy Five ticket that paid out $75,000.

Manager Trudy said, “With all the things going on with COVID and everything, its like Christmas around here.”

After a very successful virtual film festival over Columbus Day weekend, the Museum of Western Film in Lone Pine announced the 31st annual festival is on the calendar for October 7 – 10, 2021.

This year should have been the 31st annual event, but due to the virus situation, was canceled. The museum put together a virtual “Watch Party” with recorded tours, interviews, and panel discussions, as a fundraiser. Over the weekend, more than 200 western movie fans logged on to view the presentations at their leisure.

Several festival fans gathered in Lone PIne during the past weekend anyway, even without an official festival, to watch the shows in lobby of Dow Villa Hotel in Lone Pine. The historic Dow not only served the movie -making industry in its heyday, but has been the unofficial gathering place for festival regulars for years.

The virtual festival hosted the world premiere of the 4K restoration of Macintosh & TJ, Roy Rogers’ last starring role. The 1975 film had not been shown on TV or streaming services, nor had not been  available on DVD for decades.

Lone Pine’s Alabama Hills and Mt. Whitney’s backdrop  have served as Hollywood’s back lot since 1915, as a filming location for over 400 movies and TV shows.  The festival  is the only film fan gathering in the world which is held on location where the movies were shot.

The virtual event was so successful, and assuming public gatherings will be the normal in late 2021, the museum plans to host another Watch Party during the actual festival .

(This post’s author, News DIrector for KIBS/KBOV, has served as one of the Festival’s parade announcers and the town’s Karaoke Contest MC for the last 10 years.)