Past Tense: February 18, 2016
65 years ago – 1951
The Lions Club was making plans to construct a children’s playground adjacent to Town Hall.
60 years ago – 1956
It was Civil Defense Week on the Hill. Local stores were displaying emergency supplies and residents were asked to learn about being prepared for an emergency.
55 years ago – 1961
Rodney Welch revealed plans for a major development on the Banning-Idyllwild Highway. He owned about 1,000 acres in the Stone Creek area. The “town” was to be known as Alandale Pines (now called Stone Creek).
50 years ago – 1966
State game manager Bonnar Blong reported the local deer population was making a slow gain after the severe 1960-61 drought, which claimed about 75 percent of the animals.
45 years ago – 1971
David Hunt Sr. assumed management of the Rustic Theatre. Admission prices were $1.50 for adults, $1 for students and 75 cents for children.
40 years ago – 1976
Demolition of Idyll-wild’s landmark Carriage Inn began.
35 years ago – 1981
Hillcrest Market in Strawberry Creek Square was advertising avocados for 25 cents each, bananas for 29 cents a pound and frozen meat pies at four for $1.
30 years ago – 1986
Founded by part-time Pine Cove resident Judi Sheppard Missett, Jazzercise classes were started in Idyllwild.
25 years ago – 1991
Due to environmental and safety concerns, the U.S. Forest Service was considering prohibiting target shooting at the “historic shooting site” called Alvin Meadows, northwest of ISOMATA (now Idyllwild Arts). At the time, shooting was allowed anywhere on Forest Service lands.
20 years ago – 1996
About 100 Garner Valley residents attended a meeting with developer Jeff Dennis at the proposed construction site of a 156-room lodge and a 200-space recreational vehicle park at the southern end of Garner Valley.
15 years ago – 2001
It was announced that the Idyllwild Arts Academy was offering a filmmaking major through a new department called the Department of Moving Pictures.
10 years ago – 2006
At a packed Chamber meeting, community members voiced heated opinions about whether the Chamber should continue managing Town Hall recreation. The Idyllwild Community Recreation Council was vying for the opportunity.
5 years ago – 2011
Marshall Hawkins submitted his resignation as musical director of the Idyllwild Jazz in the Pines. He had been involved with the annual summer jazz fest since its inception in 1994. He later resumed his position.
1 year ago – 2015
Former Idyllwild Fire Capt. James Reyes filed a wrongful terminaton of employment suit in the Riverside County Superior Court against the Idyllwild Fire Protection District.
