Past Tense: October 13, 2016

55 years ago – 1961

Bonnar Blong, local game manager, reported the extreme drought had caused a drastic drop in the number of coyotes, bobcats and lions in the local mountains.

50 years ago – 1966

U.S. Air Force Major Robert Krone was decorated with two awards of the Distinguished Flying Cross for action in Vietnam.

45 years ago – 1971

Forest Lumber held an open house celebrating its new building on Lower Pine Crest.

40 years ago – 1976

The Idyllwild Area Historical Society hosted a showing of a recently discovered short film shot in Idyllwild in the 1920s. It included scenic views of the local area, such as the Idyllwild Inn and other downtown businesses, the dirt road to Hemet, a miniature golf course on South Circle, old cars and men in knickers.

30 years ago – 1986

Idyllwild School third-grade teacher Doris Lombard was honored as Teacher of the Year by the Hemet Unified School District board. Her noted achievements included being the author of educational science materials used by students statewide and having organized the first Idyllwild School Science Fair.

25 years ago – 1991

In the midst of a recession, locals decided to help the businesses that would, following local tradition, hand out candy to children on Halloween. Stations for people to drop off candy were organized so that it could then be passed along to the businesses to give out.

20 years ago – 1996

Author and then-Hill resident John Archambault’s recently published children’s book, “The Birth of a Whale,” received a gold award in the 1996 National Parenting Publications Awards competition.

15  years ago – 2001

Idyllwild resident Shaunna Friemoth was crowned homecoming queen during halftime festivities at Hemet High’s homecoming football game. Shaunna’s mother, Tamara, was homecoming queen in 1978.

10 years ago – 2006

The directors of Animal Rescue Friends of Idyllwild made a public appeal  for help in obtaining the land and building needed for an animal shelter to house its rescued dogs and cats until they could be adopted. ARF still had hopes of building a shelter.

5 years ago – 2011

Local Tracy Philippi, ex-Army ranger, stopped a burglary in progress and held the suspect at gunpoint until a Riverside County Sheriff’s Department deputy arrived to make the arrest.

1 year ago – 2015

In four years, the Idyllwild Middle School cross-country team had grown from 10 runners to 32, said coach Lee Arnson. He and Misty Hitchcock, both volunteer coaches, had built a thriving sport in Idyllwild that few other Hemet Unified middle schools had.