Authors trade stories about growing up in El Monte

Gary Parton presented his ideas for an Idyllwild Lilac Festival to the Garden Club at its May 6 meeting. Parton is devoted to establishing Idyllwild as the lilac center of Southern California and the festival would be a celebration of lilacs. Over the past four years, he has organized the planting of more than 1,000…
Chris Thile (pronounced ‘thee-lee), who came of age in Idyllwild playing mandolin, already has a career life of honors and accolades — and he is only 34. He is about to add one more — hosting a storied radio program that has been on the air longer than Thile has been on the planet….
Peter Buhl, right, owner of the Funky Bazaar, presents $150 checks to Mary Lou Prosin, Animal Rescue Friends of Idyllwild (ARF), and Clay Helgren of Living Free Animal Sanctuary.
Long-time Idyllwild resident Teri Hardy also went to high school here, at the Desert Sun School, class of ’63. AstroCamp now occupies the site in Saunders Meadow. She remembers that students at the boarding school were close. Graduating classes numbered in the 20s. Among the school’s graduates is Frank Sinatra Jr., class of ’61. Sinatra,…
History teacher grew up on hill Six members of the Idyllwild School’s staff are former Idyllwild School students. Mike Van Zee is the latest to return to his educational roots. The new seventh and eighth grade history teacher has been an outstanding third grade teacher at Bautista Creek School in Hemet for the past 22…