Idyllwild Cub Scout Pack 96 raced their Pinewood Derby cars at a March 1973 meeting for more than two hours at Idyllwild School. With a last squirt of WD-40 and a puff of graphite, six finalists readied their cars for the championship run. Winners were: first place Henry Arnaiz, second place Ron Arnaiz, third place Joey Picchiottino, fourth place Aaron Maffat, fifth place David Wemple and sixth place Mike Leih. Idyllwild Jaycees judged. David also won for best design, Henry for best car done by the boy himself and Mike McCutcheon for having the slowest car. File Photo
Idyllwild Cub Scout Pack 96 raced their Pinewood Derby cars at a March 1973 meeting for more than two hours at Idyllwild School. With a last squirt of WD-40 and a puff of graphite, six finalists readied their cars for the championship run. Winners were: first place Henry Arnaiz, second place Ron Arnaiz, third place Joey Picchiottino, fourth place Aaron Maffat, fifth place David Wemple and sixth place Mike Leih. Idyllwild Jaycees judged. David also won for best design, Henry for best car done by the boy himself and Mike McCutcheon for having the slowest car.
File Photo

65 years ago - 1950

Idyllwild residents performing in the Ramona pageant were Flo Wendelken as Margarita, Lee Dutton as Juan Canito and Boy Scout troup members as Indian dancers.

 

60 years ago - 1955

At the regular meeting of the Idyllwild Fire Protection District, commissioners set a tentative budget of $21,200 for the next fiscal year.

 

55 years ago - 1960

The public was invited to view the new U.S. Forest Service ranger station offices on Pine Crest Avenue. The new 1,250-foot premises replaced a two-room, 460-square-foot station built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1934.

 

50 years ago - 1965

The Idyllwild Property Owners Association approved a measure designed to restrict the use of house trailers for housing, except in trailer parks.

 

45 years ago - 1970

Opposition to a legislative proposal to acquire Garner Valley for public use was voiced at Town Hall by members of the newly formed Landowners Association of Riverside County.

 

40 years ago - 1975

Village Market was advertising oranges for 15 cents a pound, spinach for 19 cents a bunch, asparagus for 39 cents a pound and potatoes for 10 cents a pound.

 

35 years ago - 1980

A “Scenicbus” service by the Riverside Transit Agency began operations providing round-trip bus rides between Pine Cove/Idyllwild and Hemet three days a week. One-way fare was $1.

 

30 years ago - 1985

A family of five and seven of their 10 Arabian horses were rescued by the Riverside Mountain Rescue Unit after being stranded due to treacherous weather along the Desert Divide portion of the Pacific Crest Trail near Apache Peak. The family had been without food or water for three days.

 

25 years ago - 1990

About 500 people turned out for Idyllwild’s first Earth Day celebration at Town Hall.

 

20 years ago - 1995

Dr. Charles “Chip” Schelly joined the staff at Idyllwild Chiropractic.

 

15 years ago - 2000

Sprint PCS abandoned its plans to build a 102-foot cell tower at Inspiration Point after Hill Municipal Advisory Council board member John Holt argued that the area’s zoning had a building height limitation of 40 feet.

 

10 years ago - 2005

The Idyllwild Water District voiced its objection to a recommendation made by a consultant for the San Jacinto Mountain Area Water Study Agency that Fern Valley Water District be allowed to divert more water from Tahquitz Creek and expand its water storage capacity.

 

5 years ago - 2010

Pine Cove Water District production was down dramatically in March 2010 compared to March 2009, 2,210,320 gallons compared to 3,190,490 gallons in 2009, owing to home foreclosures and the economic downturn in general, according to General Manager Jerry Holldber’s report.

 

1 year ago - 2014

The U.S. Forest Service Vista Grande Hotshots, an elite, front-line firefighting crew, celebrated 40 years of service on the San Bernardino National Forest, San Jacinto Ranger District.