Past Tense: September 5, 2013

65 years ago – 1948
“Don’t look for the Town Crier next week,” advised the editor. “We’re skipping every other week to do our winter chores.”

60 years ago – 1953
The Marais-Miranda folk opera, “African Heartbeat,” premiered at the Bowman, but the weather was so cold the audience huddled in blankets.

55 years ago – 1958
Anza Electric Cooperative was conducting a survey to see how many potential users there might be for telephone service in Anza.

50 years ago – 1963
The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway was getting set to open.

45 years ago – 1968
Prolonged drought had turned brush lands into a living tinderbox. Low rainfall had been recorded for more than 18 years.

40 years ago – 1973
Five occupants of a house on Fern Valley Drive barely escaped death when their house, along with two cars, was destroyed by a fire. The fire originated from a can of ashes removed from the fireplace and placed on the deck. Burn holes could be seen in the bottom of the burned-out can. The family dog perished.

35 years ago – 1978
More than 51,000 people visited the mountain area over Labor Day weekend, according to figures the U.S. Forest Service compiled. Of that number, 23,648 visited Idyllwild.

30 years ago – 1983
The Garner Valley Volunteer Firefighters barbecue was called a “great success,” with nearly 700 people attending the dinner and dance. Proceeds were to be used for fire and rescue equipment.

25 years ago – 1988
Heavy, last-minute enrollment and a power outage added to the usual hectic activity at area schools during the first day of the new school year.

20 years ago – 1993
The Disaster Preparedness Committee was working to purchase caches of medical supplies for each of its Neighborhood Collection Points on the Hill.

15 years ago – 1998
The fifth-annual Jazz in the Pines festival was very successful with a 25-percent increase in attendance over the previous year.

10 years ago – 2003
The Bobcats, an Idyllwild American Youth Soccer Organization that Chris Read coached, came back champions of a regional tournament. The five girls went undefeated in four games to win the girls under age 10 tournament.

5 years ago – 2008
Internationally recognizable Camel and Marlboro man Bob Beck died at home in Idyllwild after a difficult struggle with cancer.

1 year ago – 2012
The Grand Priory of the Hospitallier Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem honored several local groups on Sept. 15.