BISHOP, CA – Earlier this evening, the Inyo Mono Alpine Cattlemen’s Association’s Spring Tour Dinner Meeting was held at the Talman Pavillion. The meeting included updates on information relevant to ranching interests at the local, regional, state, and federal levels. Staff members from the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) were in attendance and announced that LADWP plans to spread 30,000 acre-feet of water in Long Valley starting this coming May 2019.
In a statement shared by LADWP staff at the dinner, LADWP Senior Assistant General Manager of Water System Rich Harasick said, “It has been a great year for rain and snowfall in California – after recent storms the Eastern Sierra snowpack is 188% of normal as of March 8th. LADWP continues to work on its operational plans and is preparing for the upcoming spring runoff. Efforts are already underway with water spreading started in Inyo County.”
Consistent with past practices, LADWP plans to provide water to its lessees based on LADWP operational needs. In prior years when the Eastern Sierra runoff exceeded the capacity of the aqueduct system, LADWP spread water to its leased lands in the southern Mono area. This was the case during the 2017 record precipitation, when as much water was spread as the land could handle.
LADWP is evaluating this year’s anticipated runoff while also considering the demands of the overall water system, which include customer needs, environmental commitments and hydroelectric generation. Taking these factors into account, LADWP is committed to maximizing the beneficial use of runoff water to the fullest extent and working with its lessees and ranching community to use water efficiently. In order to keep residents and partners of the Eastern Sierra informed of the steps being taken to manage runoff, LADWP will continue to issue additional updates as conditions and operations progress.
Don’t forget! Tomorrow, the Wellness Center and Progress house are going to be having a food collection event for The Salvation Army’s food pantry.
Make sure your food bags are placed on your porch or doorstep. The event will take place in neighborhoods between South Barlow to West Bishop/Manor Area the morning of Friday, Nov 2nd and collected the morning of November 5th.
Make sure to put you bags next to your mailbox, to make it easier on those picking up the food.
If you have questions, contact the Wellness Center at 760-873-8039
The Mammoth Lakes Chamber of Commerce has hired Ken Brengle as its new Director. Brengle comes to the position with more than 30 years of Chamber experience, and is no stranger to mountain communities.
“I did a lot of work with Chamber resort associations in Colorado, as well as in Big Bear,” Brengle explained. “I love mountain communities and have a close tie to them.” Brengle was raised in Colorado and is a graduate of Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colo. He managed Chambers throughout Colorado, Wyoming and California.
For the past two years Brengle has been working for Union Bank in Southern California while his son was attending high school, but his passion is in the Chamber management field. He is looking forward to getting back to what he loves now that his son is about to graduate.
Brengle’s wife used to live in Mammoth Lakes so he is familiar with the area. Ken is looking forward to jumping feet-first into his new position on April 24.
“Membership is always the number one priority with a Chamber,” Brengle said. “I’m looking forward to getting out and visiting the business community and listening to the business owners to determine the issues that need to be addressed.”
“We are thrilled to have someone with Ken’s breadth of Chamber experience with a track record of building communities by working with both the public and private sectors,” said Mammoth Lakes Chamber President Jeff Guillory. “As a Colorado native, we are equally excited to have someone like Ken who shares our love of and passion for the mountains.”
“I’m looking forward to getting back to a community that is obviously moving forward,” Brengle added, “and to assisting the business community in getting to the next level.”
As Brengle takes on the Chamber Director role, Jessica Kennedy, who has been serving as the Interim Director, and previously as Business Projects Manager for the Chamber and Mammoth Lakes Tourism, will step into the role of Assistant Director of the Chamber of Commerce.
Mammoth Lakes Tourism has hired local Emily Summers as its new Office Manager to replace the work that Kennedy was doing for MLT. Summers will begin work on April 24 as well.
Cancer awareness fundraiser is part “Students Supporting Cancer Awareness” campaign
Posted by Seth Conners
According to a press release from Bishop Union High School, students of Bishop Union High School are hosting a fundraising carnival to support the ESCA (Eastern Sierra Cancer Alliance). The community is invited to the family, fun event that will take place tonight from 5:30pm to 7:00pm in the mall at Bishop Union High School.
The Bishop Unified School District is running a district wide “Students Supporting Cancer Awareness” campaign from March 27th to April 7th. During this 2 week period, students will have many fun and creative activities on each campus to help raise money and awareness for cancer. All funds raised at the carnival will go towards Bishop Union High School’s contribution to the Eastern Sierra Cancer Alliance. The ESCA is a grassroots, non-profit organization that helps many Inyo and Mono county residents by providing resources, financial aid, and gives moral support for those battling cancer.
The carnival will feature a variety of classic games such as mini golf, frisbee toss, Nerf Gun shooting range, hoop shoot, ring toss, and football toss. Prizes will include a photo-shoot with Mike McDermott, a photo-shoot with Steve Dutcher, and Toys donated by J. Rousek Toy Company; a food booth will be hosted by the Bronco Booster Club.
Mono County Receives National Conservation Leadership Award
County’s Teamwork Recognized by Bureau of Land Management and US Forest Service
Bridgeport, CA – On March 16, 2016, Mono County’s role in the collaborative effort to conserve the Bi-State Distinct Population Segment (Bi-State DPS) of Greater Sage-grouse was recognized during the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and US Forest Service (USFS) Joint Awards Reception held at the 81st North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference in Pittsburgh, PA. Mono County was honored with the Conservation Leadership Partner of the Year award, which recognizes outstanding conservation accomplishments for fish, wildlife, and/or native plants and their habitat on public lands.
“Mono County has been an exemplary partner for the BLM and the Forest Service in support of Bi-state sage-grouse conservation, taking an innovative approach to dealing with a potential Endangered Species Act listing. The County was proactive and dove into helping with or leading projects to conserve the Bi-State sage-grouse and its habitat across jurisdictional boundaries, and assisted with activities that would benefit the bird across its entire range, not just within the county. The County’s part in summarizing past conservation activities completed by the Local Area Working Group (LAWG) and the future commitments of the LAWG to fund high priority sage-grouse projects was imperative in informing the decision not to list the DPS as Threatened under the Endangered Species Act in April of 2015,” noted Steve Small, BLM, Chief, Division of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, during the presentation.
“The BLM has been a fantastic partner and we have a great story to tell about Bi-State sage-grouse conservation. We are but one part of the effort which, besides the BLM, also includes the US Forest Service, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), US Fish and Wildlife Service, US Geological Survey (USGS), Nevada Department of Wildlife, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and private ranchers and landowners. We are honored to accept this award in recognition of the good work being done by all our partners,” stated Wendy Sugimura, Mono County, at the award reception.
“This is a big deal – only one award is given a year, and typically it’s given to large, well-funded organizations whose sole mission is conservation. For a county to receive it is unusual, and Mono County should be very proud to have received this distinguished award,” explained Steve Nelson, Field Manager for the Bishop BLM Office, which nominated Mono County for the award. “There’s no other county anywhere in the nation, that I’m aware of, that provides the kind of support and commitment for sage-grouse conservation that we experience here in our partnership with Mono County.”
Mono County is a part of the Local Area Working Group (LAWG) for the Bi-State sage-grouse and has participated at varying levels since 2002. In 2012, the County increased its involvement and became a leading partner in the work to support and implement conservation actions for the Bi-State DPS and its habitat. Tim Fesko, Mono County Board of Supervisors, stated in April 2015, “Mono County had a choice when the proposed listing [of the Bi-State sage-grouse] was issued: Commit to the conservation effort based on the understanding that the sage-grouse should not be listed for scientifically verifiable reasons, or fight the listing. Mono County chose conservation and the power of partnerships and collaboration over political grandstanding.”
(left to right): Wendy Sugimura accepting the Conservation Leadership Partner of the Year award for Mono County. From left to right: Robert Harper, USFS, Director, Water, Fish, Wildlife, Air, and Rare Plants; Tom Tidwell, USFS, Chief; Wendy Sugimura, Mono County; Steve Small, BLM, Chief, Division of Fish and Wildlife Conservation; Brian Ferebee, USDA National Forest System, Associate Deputy Chief. Photo provided by Mono County
Mono County, Sage Grouse recovery, BLM Division of fish and wildlife
On June 1, 2015 the Mono County DA’s Office conducted flight operations in accordance with the Drug Enforcement Administration’s marijuana eradication program. The purpose of the program is to locate large scale outdoor marijuana grows on public lands within Mono County. These flight operations resulted in the detection of several marijuana grows in rugged and remote locations in the southern Mono County area. The grow sites were very large in size and ran up to approximately seven miles in length.
As a result the Mono County DA’s Office, with the assistance of the Forest Service, initiated a two month investigation. The investigation was also aided with the assistance of the Inyo County District Attorney’s Office and the Inyo County Sheriff’s Department since some of the marijuana grows crossed over into Inyo County.
During the investigation, it was determined that the largest grow, which was located in Mono County, was typical of grows commonly operated by Mexican Drug Trade Organizations. Along with those characteristics, several Hispanic males were identified and were seen tending to the garden armed with rifles.
On August 11, 2015 Investigators with the Mono District Attorney’s Office, assisted by Inyo County District Attorney’s Office, Forrest Service, Bureau of Land Management, National Guard and the Inyo County Sheriff’s Department, conducted a raid operation to arrest and detain any gardeners found in the site.
Due to unknown reasons, it was determined that the persons responsible for tending to the garden had fled, leaving the garden unattended. The heavy late July rains appeared to have damaged the marijuana plants within the garden and therefore that is suspected to be the reason that the garden was abandoned.
During eradication and reclamation efforts approximately 40,000 marijuana plants with a conservative street value of well over $2 million dollars were located and destroyed from this site. During reclamation efforts a total of 4,401 pounds of trash was removed. Some of that consisted of 10.82 miles of irrigation hose and 550 pounds of fertilizer.
Numerous other illegal and highly toxic pesticides were found being used in the garden and Hazmat crews later responded to recovered and removed those pesticides.
Large scale marijuana gardens on public lands creates a danger to the public and to our recreational users of these lands. Unfortunately, hunters, hikers and others that come across these types of gardens and the individuals who attend these gardens put themselves in great danger. Along with the public danger there are also serious environmental impacts that these marijuana gardens create. If you ever encounter a marijuana garden you should quickly and quietly remove yourself from the area. Do not continue on your path and do not make contact with anyone in the area. Immediately call the Mono County District Attorney or any other law enforcement agency as soon as you possibly can.
photos provided by the Mono County District Attorney
mono county district attorney, Tim Kendall, inyo county district attorney, mono county, inyo county, inyo county sheriffs department
Inyo National Forest Advisory: Increase in Plague Activity in the Sierra Nevada
Based upon recent incidents of rodents with plague and a handful of cases where plague was contracted by people visiting nearby federal lands, the Inyo National Forest would like to advise recreationalists and residents to take the following steps as a matter of caution while visiting the Inyo National Forest.
Never feed squirrels, chipmunks or other rodents and never touch sick or dead rodents.
Avoid walking or camping near rodent burrows.
Wear long pants tucked into socks or boot tops to reduce exposure to fleas.
Spray insect repellent containing DEET on skin and clothing, especially socks and pant cuffs to reduce exposure to fleas.
Keep wild rodents out of homes, trailers, and outbuildings and away from pets.
If you notice dead rodents without obvious signs of injury while recreating, please contact your local health department (Mono County: 760-924-1830; Inyo County: 760-873-7868) or the California Department of Public Health’s Vector-Borne Disease Section at 916-552-9730. If possible, note the type of rodent (i.e. mouse, chipmunk, squirrel, etc.), location and date seen. If you are in a campground, please notify the campground host in addition to the health department.
Early symptoms of plague may include high fever, chills, nausea, weakness and swollen lymph nodes in the neck, armpit or groin. People who develop these symptoms should seek immediate medical attention and notify their health care provider that they have been camping or out in the wilderness and have been exposed to rodents and fleas.
Although the presence of plague has been confirmed in wild rodents over the past few weeks in nearby areas, the risk to human health remains low. In California, plague-infected animals are most likely to be found in the foothills and mountains.
Lee Vining, CA: Drones are becoming an increasingly popular recreational activity on forest land and throughout the country. However, drones flying near wildland fires pose a serious and immediate threat to the safety of aircraft crews involved in fire response.
Individuals and organizations that fly unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), more commonly referred to as drones, for hobby or recreational purposes may not operate them in areas of National Forest System lands that have Temporary Flight Restrictions in place, such as wildfires, without prior approval from the U.S. Forest Service.
The Federal Aviation Administration has regulatory authority over all airspace, including recreational use of airspace by model aircraft .Individuals and organizations that fly drones on National Forest System lands must follow FAA guidance – FAA guidance stipulates that UAS not interfere with manned aircraft, be flown within sight of the operator and be operated only for hobby or recreational purposes. The FAA also requires model aircraft operators flying UAS within five miles of an airport to notify the airport operator and air traffic control tower. For more information, watch the “Know Before You Fly” video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XF5Q9JvBhxM&feature=youtu.be
and visit the Know Before You Fly Website at http://www.knowbeforeyoufly.org/
Please, for the safety of our firefighters and for an effective fire response, please keep drones away from the Walker Fire and near heliports.
walker fire, federal aviation administration, drones, mono county
Significant progress continues with containment lines on Walker Fire burning approximately two miles southwest of Lee Vining the Walker Fire remains at 3,715 acres. This is a human-caused fire that is still under investigation.
Crews will continue to improve containment lines as well as mop up, which includes extinguishing hot spots to ensure that the fire does not re-ignite. Mitigation efforts also continue on the 65-acre spot fire.
Tioga Pass (Highway120) is open without an escort. However, there will be no stopping along the eastern four miles of the road. This will be strictly enforced. The fire remains active to the south of the road and this is essential for firefighter and public safety.
The fire is burning in mixed conifer, mahogany, and brush. Critical sage grouse habitat is also threatened. Visitors and residents should expect to see smoke from the June Lake and Lee Vining areas and along Highway 395.
For the safety of our firefighters, effective air operations and continued containment efforts, please keep drones away from the Walker Fire and near heliports.
Closures and Evacuations:
⦁ Walker Lake “Fishing Camp” has been evacuated.
⦁ A CodeRed Emergency Alert notice has been issued for Lee Vining and everything north of Double Eagle in June Lake (including Silver Lake and Grant Lake areas) for potential evacuations.
⦁ Campgrounds in the Lower Lee Vining Canyon have been evacuated and are closed, including Lower Lee Vining, Moraine, Boulder, Aspen Grove, and Big Bend Campgrounds.
⦁ The Walker Lake Road (1N17), the Parker Lake Rd. (1S25), the Upper Horse Meadows Rd. (1N16), and the Gibbs Road (1N18) are closed for fire operations and public safety. All of these roads are accessed via the northern end of the June Lake Loop. All spur roads off of these roads are also closed. The trail to Mono Pass (trailhead is at Walker Lake) is closed.
Approximately 477 firefighters are on scene as well as numerous aircraft, dozers, and engines. Resources from Mono County, local fire departments, Cal Fire, neighboring forests, BLM Bishop Field Office, and the Mono County Sheriff’s Office are assigned. For more information on the Walker Fire you can go to the following sites: Inciweb: http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/4515/
Date Started: 8/14/2015
Cause: Human Total Personnel: 477
Injuries/Illnesses to Date: 0
Size: 3,715 acres Structures Threatened: 235
Percent Contained: 45%
Resources: 3 Helicopters, 0 Seats, 0 Air Tankers
34, Engines Crews, 6 Water Tenders, 2 Dozers Structures Lost: 0
Estimated Containment: 8/23/2015
walker fire, drought 2015, cal fire, us forest service, mono county
CASA OF THE EASTERN SIERRA QUILTING & CRAFT RETREAT
FUNDRAISER TO BENEFIT ABUSED & NEGLECTED CHILDREN
Inyo and Mono Counties, CA: Quilters and crafters are generous, giving people by nature. If you happen to be a quilter or crafter the CASA of the Eastern Sierra’s first annual Quilters’ and Crafters’ Retreat is a great opportunity for you to benefit abused and neglected children while enjoying the fellowship of like-minded friends, the beauty of the Eastern Sierra, and taking time to complete some of those projects begging to be finished.
CASA of the Eastern Sierra is a non-profit collaboration and partnership between Wild Iris Family Counseling and Crisis Center and the Superior Court of California, for the Counties of Inyo and Mono. The retreat will be Friday, August 21st through Sunday, August 23rd and is being held at the Sierra Adventure Center in Big Pine. Registration includes lodging, meals, snacks, an outdoor evening reception, beautiful hiking, quality time with friends, and classrooms to sew, craft, scrapbook, create and take photos.
Imagine being a child removed from your parents and placed in the home of a stranger. It’s likely you are confused, frightened, and uncertain as to what the future holds. The Eastern Sierra needs CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) volunteers who are trained to identify the needs of children such as these. By building a relationship with the child, as well as teachers, therapists, and others involved, CASA volunteers become a consistent and trusted adult in the child’s life. A CASA is trained to provide the child with a sense of security, as well as serving in the critical role of being an independent voice for the best interest of abused, neglected, and abandoned children in Inyo and Mono Counties.
Please join us at the 1st Annual Quilt and Craft Retreat to benefit CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) of the Eastern Sierra. Cost for the entire weekend is $225.00. For more information or to register please call Ginnie Bird or Lisa Reel @ Wild Iris, 760-873-6601, gbird@wild-iris.org, or visit the Wild Iris website www.wild-iris.org to complete a registration form.
cover photo, Wild Iris Executive Director Lisa Reel
wild iris, casa of the eastern sierra, inyo county, mono county, eastern sierra news
MONO COUNTY EXHIBIT WINS THREE AWARDS AT STATE FAIR
At the California State Fair County Exhibit Awards Presentation on Friday, July 10th, Mono County was honored with three different ribbons — a Gold Award, Best Use of Produce, Products, Artifacts, and a Best of Division award for “Professionally Built” exhibits.
Alicia Vennos, Economic Development Director for Mono County, attended the event and accepted the Gold Award and the ribbon for Best Use of Products, Produce, Artifacts on behalf of the county. She explains, “We were thrilled to win two ribbons but when our name was announced for the third time for the Best of Division for Professionally Built exhibits, it was perfect that our builder, John Quierolo, was there to accept this prestigious recognition.” Mr. Quierolo has created Mono County’s exhibit for several years now and his hard work, building skills, and vast collection of Gold Rush era antiquities and artifacts, have earned many awards for the Mono County exhibit over the years.
Mono County’s exhibit this year features a street corner in Bodie, complete with four separate false store fronts, a boardwalk, an authentic hearse carriage, and a mining car piled high with ore in front of a mine shaft. The biggest draw, however, seems to be the two-seater outhouse which has fair-goers lined up for humorous photos. Once again, this year, the Blue Canyon Gang — a Western Action Drama Group — has volunteered to dress up in period costume and staff the exhibit. The County Exhibit theme this year is “Festival & Events” and the county’s list of events is available for folks to take away.
Mono County Supervisor and Chair of the Board, Tim Fesko, commented that “Almost a million people attend the State Fair every year, and the exhibit is a tremendous way for Mono County to reach the Northern California visitor market. We are very pleased to be honored with three awards this year and we deeply appreciate the participation of the Blue Canyon Gang for bringing wonderful animation to our exhibit.”
The California State Fair runs from July 10-26 at the Cal Expo grounds in Sacramento
The California Highway Patrol and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) will be holding checkpoints this weekend. The CHP sobriety checkpoint is Saturday, April 25th on highway 395 at the south end of Bishop. The DFW checkpoint is scheduled for Monday, April 27th on highway 108, north of Bridgeport.
In recent years, Fish and Wildlife has conducted a similar checkpoint south of Bishop, however this year they are shifting their focus to Mono County. According to CDFW officials their checkpoint will, “Promote safety, education and compliance with laws and regulations. The wildlife checkpoint is being conducted to protect and conserve fish and wildlife, and to encourage safety and sportsmanship by promoting voluntary compliance with laws, rules and regulations through education, preventative patrol and enforcement. All anglers and hunters will be required to stop and submit to an inspection. CDFW officers will also be providing informative literature about the invasive quagga mussel and New Zealand Mudsnail.”
The Saturday CHP checkpoint will be staffed by officers who are trained in the detection of alcohol and or drug impaired drivers. Officers will be on site providing on the spot assessments of drivers suspected of drug use. Officers will be equipped with state of the art hand held breath testing devices with provide an accurate measure of blood alcohol concentrations of suspected drunk drivers.
Funding for the CHP checkpoint is provided to the CHP by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the national highway traffic safety administration.
chp, cdfw, eastern sierra news, bishop news, mono county
