Steve Davis (left), now of Ocala, Florida, lived less than 300 feet from Foster Lake between 1980 and1999. He and David Salk held up a paint drop cloth to show the community’s appreciation to the helicopter pilots. He wrote, “We were approximately 200 feet away from an Erickson S-64 Air Crane Helicopter sucking up water from Foster Lake when this photo was taken. The water was dropped on the approaching fire known as the ‘Bee Canyon Fire’ (June 29 to July 2, 1996).”Photo by Lisbet Sjoberg
Steve Davis (left), now of Ocala, Florida, lived less than 300 feet from Foster Lake between 1980 and1999. He and David Salk held up a paint drop cloth to show the community’s appreciation to the helicopter pilots. He wrote, “We were approximately 200 feet away from an Erickson S-64 Air Crane Helicopter sucking up water from Foster Lake when this photo was taken. The water was dropped on the approaching fire known as the ‘Bee Canyon Fire’ (June 29 to July 2, 1996).” Photo by Lisbet Sjoberg

65 years ago - 1951

The last troop of Marines left Dark Canyon after completing several months of cold weather training to prepare for combat in Korea.

60 years ago - 1956

Members of several community groups — the Hilltoppers, Chamber of Commerce, Lions Club and the PTA — met to discuss the development of recreational activities for young people on the Hill.

55 years ago - 1961

Pine Cove residents were organizing support for a post office.

50 years ago - 1966

The Riverside County Board of Supervisors approved 18 streetlights for Idyllwild.

45 years ago - 1971

As a maneuver to prevent a proposed subdivision in Garner Valley, a bill was introduced in Congress to permit the federal government to purchase 2,200 acres of land as an addition to the San Bernardino National Forest.

40 years ago - 1976

The U.S. Forest Service was pondering the question of whether Lake Fulmor should be made safe for swimming or if swimming should be allowed there at all. Although it was not permitted and was not considered safe for swimming,  no restrictions to swimming were posted. According to a Forest Service official, this is still the case.

35 years ago - 1981

Hillcrest Market in the Strawberry Creek Square was advertising bacon at 89 cents per pound, bananas at 29 cents per pound, avocados at 29 cents each and three loaves of bread for $1.

30 years ago - 1986

No objections to a proposal for a collection station to replace the Idyllwild dump were raised at a Town Hall meeting that county officials called.

25 years ago - 1991

Softball leagues for adults and kids were brought back to the Hill after a four-year absence. Town Hall organized the kids’ teams and the American Legion coordinated the adults’ teams.

20 years ago - 1996

After a short-lived increase to 65 mph, the speed limit on Highway 74 from Hemet to Palm Desert and on Highway 243 from Pine Cove to Banning reverted to 55 mph.

15 years ago - 2001

Idyllwild’s Lioness Club met for the last time, ending almost 13 years of community service. Some of the Lionesses were invited to join the men’s Lions Club, which held its last meeting in June 2008.

10 years ago - 2006 

Nearly two months after a heated community meeting about Idyllwild recreation, representatives of the Idyllwild Chamber of Commerce and the Idyllwild Community Recreation Council met to begin discussions about how to peacefully transfer the county’s recreation contract from the Chamber to ICRC.

5 years ago - 2011

Idyllwild’s Casey Abrams risked it all on Wednesday’s “American Idol” telecast. Rather than follow the advice of Idol coaches Jimmy Iovine and Will-I-Am and cover Phil Collins “In The Air Tonight,” Abrams sang “Nature Boy,” a Nat King Cole son, again accompanying himself on bass. Casey was right and earned the night’s only standing ovation.

1 year ago - 2015

The State Water Resources Control Board released proposed regulations for implementing Gov. Jerry Brown’s 25-percent conservation standard mandated by his April 7 executive order.