

Photos by Gallagher Goodland
History buffs face off in first ever Hillbilly Games
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Last Thursday, Feb. 19, the “Hillbilly Games” were held at the Idyllwild Library. The first event pitted two teams in a game of Idyllwild Jeopardy. Here, members of Team One — Barbara Hunt, Bud Hunt and Gina Genis — prepare to answer the first question, “Who was named homecoming queen the same year her brother, David, came home from the Air Force?” All the questions were based on archived copies of the Idyllwild Town Crier, available at the Idyllwild Library or online, from 1949 through 1956.


On Thursday evening, Idyllwild Awhile Wine Shoppe held a beer tasting, hosted by Jared Dillon. Guests were treated to five different kinds of beer and hors d’oeuvres. In front, Karen Smith (left) and Paul Newkirk enjoy selections of beer and good conversation. At the back table, Dillon (standing) talks about the beers with Brad Rechtfertig, Jim Keifer and Ben Cardell.
Erin Crites, new full-time Idyllwild Arts Academy theater faculty member, knows improvisation, physical storytelling, Commedia dell-arte, and clowning — yes, clowning. Crites received a Master of Fine Arts degree from Dell’Arte School of Physical Theatre, took a master class from John Gilkey and has been an ensemble member. She is an ensemble member and current…
The annual High Tea and Fashion Show was well attended and very classy. All proceeds went to the Spiritual Living Center.
Geri Peterson plays pool. She plays pool extremely well.
In February 2009, Reva Ballreich, widely known as the Lilac Lady of Idyllwild, died, leaving the Hill a legacy of lilac hybrid varietals she created, many of them unnamed. Gary Parton, in taking over Ballreich’s mission of popularizing lilacs, has made it his personal mission to have Idyllwild become known as a lilac tourist destination….