Past Tense: April 6, 2017

Cars at Alpine Pantry’s new location in June 1972 were proof of the restaurant’s popularity.
File Photo

60 years ago – 1957

Bee Krone composed the song “Let’s Keep America Beautiful,” and Philippe Buhler composed music for a string quartet that was given a first performance at the University of Redlands.

55 years ago – 1962

The County Board of Supervisors launched a campaign to have the Banning-Idyllwild Highway taken into a state highway system.

50 years ago – 1967

Arthur Gutzman announced he would resign as director of the Idyllwild Youth Association.

45 years ago – 1972

Route 243, The Idyllwild-Banning Highway, was designated a Scenic Highway with the signing of a resolution by State Director of Public Works James A. Moe.

40 years ago – 1977

The cousin of an Idyllwild man died in history’s greatest air disaster in the Canary Islands.

35 years ago – 1982

A six-day storm during the last official days of winter left about 2 feet of snow and added 5.06 inches of moisture in Idyllwild.

• • •

Charlie Kretsinger and George Hoffman, both of Idyllwild, were awarded service pins by the Idyllwild Lions Club.

30 years ago – 1987

An $8.9-million increase in a Clean Water Grant for the Idyllwild-area sewer project was received and planners were preparing to go to bid.

25 years ago – 1992

A group of California Department of Transportation officials came to Idyllwild to discuss the Strawberry Creek Bridge replacement project and the contentious subject of removing three trees. Despite protests, the group announced that the trees would have to go.

20 years ago – 1997

Palani Einstein of Stone Creek was off to live in the Bay area to train with her racing team after a recent run of wins in Mesa, Arizona.

15 years ago – 2002

Idyllwild resident David Salter was the Hemet High decathlon team’s strongest performer at the state Academic Decathlon.

10 years ago – 2007

A skull and bones found along Highway 74 were identified as the remains of Claude Rochon of Hemet. 

5 years ago – 2012

The donor of the Idyllwild Community Center land doubled his matching contribution to the Idyllwild playground project from $25,000 to $50,000.

1 year ago – 2016

Idyllwild Arts jazz alums inaugurated the  Lowman Concert Hall.

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