Past Tense: March 6, 2014

65 years ago – 1949

With the help of a slide rule, Larry Smith estimated he had removed 8 tons of snow from his roof.

 

60 years ago – 1954

The snow pack in Tahquitz Valley, the survey team found, measured only 28 inches in depth.

 

55 years ago – 1959

Planes and helicopters spent several days over Idyllwild and environs searching for a missing jet trainer from El Paso. No trace was found.

 

50 years ago – 1964

Dr. Max Krone announced that the University of Southern California had acquired the campus and all structures of the Idyllwild School of Music and the Arts.

 

45 years ago – 1969

For the first time in more than 20 years, the level of Lake Hemet was at the top of the dam. Flood gates were opened to release some of the water.

 

40 years ago – 1974

The Town Crier printed a story, “How to get gas.” Only one of the three Idyllwild gas stations was pumping on weekends; the second was pumping weekdays from 9 to 11 a.m. and 4 to 6 p.m., and the third started at 8 a.m. but stopped when 500 gallons had been pumped in a day.

 

35 years ago – 1979

Motor homes, vans, pickups, Indio CHP cars, a large bus, trailers and catering trucks rolled into the Lake Hemet Market parking lot. It was a startling sight for local customers and travelers. The filming of a two-hour “Eight is Enough” TV episode was taking place.

 

30 years ago – 1984

The Pine Cove Property Owners Association, citing the need for more of a local voice in county government, went on record in support of a Hill Municipal Advisory Council.

 

25 years ago – 1989

The Hill lost a legendary institution when the restaurant Taylor’s Lodge in Mountain Center closed after 41 years of business.

 

20 years ago – 1994

Riverside County officials were looking for input from the community on a new emergency medical services plan that would standardize the dispatch of paramedics during an emergency.

 

15 years ago – 1999

Idyllwild Fire Protection District got a great deal on two used Thumpers (mechanical cardio-pulmonary resuscitator units) from the city of Mesa, Ariz. The price was $1,000 plus tax, compared to more than $11,500 for new ones.

 

10 years ago – 2004

The Hemet Unified School District board decided to install artificial turf on the playing fields at several schools, including Idyllwild and Hamilton.

 

5 years ago – 2009

The trial of Raymond Lee Oyler, 38, of Beaumont, for murder and arson concluded with the prosecutor and defense attorneys completing their closing arguments. He had been charged with starting 23 fires in the Banning Pass and Cabazon areas during the spring, summer and fall of 2006. He was also charged with five counts of felony murder.

 

1 year ago – 2013

For the third consecutive year, a jazz combo from Idyllwild Arts earned top honors at the annual Berklee High School Jazz Festival in Boston, Mass.