When a natural terrain pattern is altered, damage occurs, such as this example on the Banning-Idyllwid Highway in January 1969. Generally, most of the rain soaked into the lush forest floor.File photo
When a natural terrain pattern is altered, damage occurs, such as this example on the Banning-Idyllwid Highway in January 1969. Generally, most of the rain soaked into the lush forest floor. File photo

65 years ago - 1951

Snow plows were busy with a 2-foot snowfall.

60 years ago - 1956

Chamber Membership Chair Glenn Froehlich reported that reaching the goal of 500 Chamber memberships was getting close with a current total of 394 members.

55 years ago - 1961

Because of the continued absence of moisture, the Forest Service posted “Extreme Fire Danger” warnings throughout the mountains. The season’s first official snow survey at Tahquitz Valley netted one 8-inch lump of snow.

50 years ago - 1966

An advisory committee for Idyllwild’s new Service Area 36 was named by Supervisor Floyd McCall. The members were Dwight Metcalfe, Ernie Maxwell, Laurie Morwood-Clark and Donald Regal.

45 years ago - 1971

People looking to rent might have followed up on two Town Crier classified ads: a one bedroom furnished cabin with loft and fireplace for $125 per month and a one bedroom furnished house with utilities included for $90.

40 years ago - 1976

There was a collective sigh of relief when two high school senior boys were rescued by the Riverside Mountain Rescue Unit after spending six snowbound days in the wilderness. Along with Idyllwild’s RMRU, rescue teams from San Diego, Sierra Madre, San Dimas and China Lake deployed in the search effort.

30 years ago - 1986

A five-year school construction plan, which included phasing in a high school at Anza’s Hamilton Elementary School and remodeling Idyllwild’s Elementary School, was approved by the Hemet Unified School District.

25 years ago - 1991

A torrential rainstorm dropped 12 inches of rain on Idyllwild, uprooting trees and causing flooding. Nevertheless, the precipitation was welcome as the area was in a Stage 3 water-shortage emergency.

20 years ago - 1996

The Idyllwild School Science Olympiad team celebrated its second-consecutive, first-place finish in the Riverside and San Bernardino counties’ annual  event.

15  years ago - 2001

It was announced that the Idyllwild and Pine Cove water districts were selling the Idyllwild-Pine Cove Community Center to the county for $1.

10 years ago - 2006

All three Hill water districts reported numerous water leaks as the freezing weather broke many pipes in unoccupied second homes in which the water had not been turned off.

5 years ago - 2011

Agency representatives from Riverside and San Bernardino counties met to consider how to confront the threat to local oaks from the Goldspotted oak borer, which was in San Diego County but had not yet reached these two counties.

1 year ago - 2015

Caltrans was to begin construction on April 15 of a $2.5 million project to replace a 1930s-era bridge over Hurkey Creek on Highway 74 in Garner Valley.

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