Past Tense: January 23, 2020

70 years ago – 1950
Plans for the new Community Church were being drawn up.
65 years ago – 1955
The Rustic Theatre was playing “Cattle Queen of Montana,” starring Barbara Stanwyck and Ronald Reagan.
60 years ago – 1960
Temperatures in Idyllwild hit a five-year low. Idyllwild Dairy reported a reading of 5 degrees.
55 years ago – 1965
After a detailed explanation of how a proposed treatment plant would operate and not produce odors, a group of Idyllwild property owners approved plans for a local sewage system.
50 years ago – 1970
It was announced that work would soon begin on the largest subdivsion ever planned for the San Jacinto Mountains. The tract of 3,700 lots was to be named Lake Idyllwild, but it would be located about 15 miles southeast of the town of Idyllwild.
45 years ago – 1975
Increasing property taxes was the bad news delivered by Riverside County Deputy Tax Assessor Orval Miller to Hill residents at an Idyllwild Property Owners Association meeting. His crew was reassessing property on the Hill for the first time since 1966.
40 years ago – 1980
The Idyllwild Lions Club made the first donation toward the building of public restrooms in downtown Idyllwild. The Idyllwild Chamber of Commerce was spearheading the fundraising effort.
35 years ago – 1985
A Garner Valley group was formed, Garner Valley Citizens for Economic and Educational Common Sense, to fight the Hemet Unified School District’s plans to build a $10 million, 900-student high school on the Jim Burn site in Garner Valley.
30 years ago – 1990
The Coordinated Resource Management and Planning Committee suggested that Riverside County’s Waste Management Department use local wood-chipping contractors to minimize the need for pine needles and branches to be taken off the Hill, thus lightening the load for the trash hauler and cost for the county.
25 years ago – 1995
It was reported that the Idyllwild HELP Center ended 1994 by receiving a portion of the land it was located on as a gift from an anonymous private donor.
20 years ago – 2000
The Mozart Haus restaurant opened, featuring German menu items and Weltenburger, the oldest dark beer in the world.
15 years ago – 2005
Nancy Huber of Idyllwild won first place in the Chamber’s WinterFest Soup contest with her Bev’s Spud Soup recipe.
10 years ago – 2010
Guaranty Bank Manager Jeri Sue Haney announced that BBVA Compass (the company acquiring GB) had established a special Haiti earthquake disaster relief account for all GB branch locations.
5 years ago – 2015
Taxes and health insurance were merging that spring. As the current open enrollment period for Covered California ended Feb. 15, tax season had started, and whether one had health insurance would be asked on the 2014 tax return.
1 year ago – 2019
Former Idyllwild resident Elsie Fisher had received a number of accolades for her starring role as Kayla Day in the film “Eighth Grade,” including a Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Actress – Motion Picture Comedy or Musical.