Past Tense: December 15, 2016

Betty and Ernie Maxwell in February 1949 at their home in Fern Valley. On the back of the photo is noted that it also snowed in Pasadena.
File photo

60 years ago – 1956 

Former California Attorney General Robert Kenny was in town paying a visit to his former business associate, Hazel Cress.

55 years ago – 1961 

Emax saw the painting of yellow lines on the highways as “a trend toward the police state.”

50 years ago – 1966 

A series of storms soaked the mountain, bringing 17.85 inches of rain. Parts of the Banning-Idyllwild Highway suffered washouts, and Alpine Market and Alpine Pantry were flooded.

45 years ago – 1971

After nearly 40 years of service with the Forest Service, veteran fire boss Howard Evans prepared for a January retirement.

40 years ago – 1976

County supervisors finally passed a tree-felling ordinance that would control the cutting of native trees in locations above the 5,000-foot elevation. Previously, the ordinance was proposed to cover tree cutting down to 4,000 feet, which would have included Anza, Garner Valley and Mountain Center.

35 years ago – 1981 

Local property owners were banding together to oppose Mile High Recovery, a halfway house for teenage alcoholics and drug addicts.

25 years ago – 1991 

Sean Benton of Pine Cove was arrested for the stabbing murder of Terence Alberni of Fern Valley.

20 years ago – 1996 

President Clinton met with Supervisor Kay Ceniceros in the Oval Office of the White House. He congratulated her and other county officials for the GAIN program’s success in putting welfare recipients back to work.

15 years ago – 2001 

The South Coast Air Quality Management District was investigating the removal of a large amount of asbestos roofing tiles found buried behind Idyllwild School.

10 years ago – 2006

Long-time Idyllwild resident and the community’s doctor from 1976 to 1996 Dr. David Reid passed away. He was 90 years old.

5 years ago – 2011

Idyllwild native Brendan Steele teamed with Keegan Bradley to win the PGA Tour’s 2011 Franklin Templeton “Shark” Shootout at the Tiburón Golf Club in Naples, Fla.

1 year ago – 2015

Hemet Unified School District trustees held their board organizational meeting for 2016 and elected Idyllwild representative Vic Scavarda of Idyllwild as vice president.

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