As Idyllwild took shape and acquired its unique culture between 1920 and 1960, three developers played central roles. Two are well-known. Claudius Lee Emerson controlled downtown and lower Strawberry Valley until 1936 and Frank Strong and George Dickinson’s firm continued to develop Fern Valley and South Ridge into the post-war era. The third, Gerald “Jerry”…
65 years ago – 1950 Bob and Lee Luck, having sold their home, planned to turn over the operation of the Hill’s telephone service to Mr. and Mrs. Reid Marks. 60 years ago – 1955 Saying, “The best time to call the fire department is before the fire,” Fire Chief Bill Price announced that the…
On Monday, 3rd District Supervisor Chuck Washington (second from right) toured the Idyllwild Water District facilities. He, Jim Billman (left), IWD board president, Verne Lauritzen (second from left), Washington’s chief of staff, and Tom Lynch (right), IWD general manager, look at a dry Foster Lake …
The continuing grip of the drought has resulted in a new executive order imposing mandatory water reductions throughout the state. On Wednesday, April 1, the Department of Water Resources recorded the lowest snowpack and within hours Gov. Jerry Brown signed the executive order. According to DWR, this “was the first time in 75 years of…
The Idyllwild Scholarship Fund goes back to 1969 when three students were awarded scholarships, one for $250, one for $100 and one student received a desk dictionary. The organization has carried on since then as a 501(c)(3), tax-exempt organization.
For the fifth consecutive year, the Idyllwild Town Crier is requesting nominations for the annual Ernie Maxwel Community Spirit Award. Bring your nomination to the Town Crier office at 54405 N. Circle Dr., mail it to P.O. Box 157, Idyllwild, CA 92549, or send by email to becky@towncrier.com by May 15. The honor is given…
While they have been Idyllwild residents for only 12 years, the approaching departure of Karen and Don Patterson will leave a mark as visible as the burn scars from a fire or the trenches from a quake. Karen has been executive director of the HELP Center since 2007. Just as she was getting adjusted, the…
Easter Sunday is the culmination of Lent and of Holy Week, the week beginning with Palm Sunday. Holy Week contains three of the most important days in the Christian calendar — Maundy or Holy Thursday remembering the Last Supper or Christ’s last Passover feast with his disciples; Good Friday, commemorating Christ’s crucifixion, passion and death;…
The Idyllwild Arts Summer Program returns from June into August with its traditional array of the familiar, the new, the challenging and this year, some retrospection. The Summer Program has classes, activities and workshops for the whole family — kids to adults. And the week of June 20 to 26 focuses on the whole family….
California’s Official Outdoor Play opens its 92nd season on April 18. This year, Stephen Savage of Idyllwild has rewritten the historic play, “Ramona.” Savage admits that some people are uncomfortable with any changes to the historic play, however he discovered during his research that the original script has been revised multiple times since its first…
