By Rick Barker Idyllwild Editor’s note: With permission from Rick, this is a letter he addressed to Bryan Asch regarding Bryan’s recent series on mental health in the Town Crier. Bryan: Suffering raises awareness, especially self-awareness. I was introduced to this concept decades ago by Dostoyevsky: “Pain and suffering are always inevitable for a…
Editor: I’d like to share my perspective about the possible new fire abatement enforcement protocols currently under committee discussion. I was at the chief’s meeting in June 2014 when this was initially brought up. In that meeting, which was open to the public, the chiefs and members of the community discussed possible ways to make…
65 years ago – 1950 One hundred cars were hung up on the icy Hurkey Creek grade. A spot check revealed that only one car in 10, on the Pines-to-Palms Highway, carried chains. 60 years ago – 1955 Among snow lovers who flocked to the Hill were Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz. …
Paws up to Boomer. His birthday is in February, and it looks like he will have a brand new home for his special day. Along with Dusty, they will both bring in the “Meow Year.” Little Juliet still has a New Year’s wish to find her perfect home, complete with an endless bowl of food…
Editor: I saw your article(s) about AB32. It hit us at about $0.10 per gallon. I went to get gas today and sure enough, it was about 10 cents more. So, if you work it, it comes out to almost a 5 percent increase in price. What will that do to our food prices? Prices…
Editor: Is it wise to exercise our right to free speech by mocking and antagonizing a man we are told is mentally unstable, thinks of himself as a god and has nuclear weapons at his disposal? Is it wise for our president to make a speech in which he implies that it is almost a…
Last year y’all presented another whirlwind year of activity in Idyllwild, from events to political controversies. We lost community members we loved, we raised funds and volunteered to improve our community, we paraded down North Circle Drive, we danced to splendid live music from jazz to rock to Zydeco, we rejoiced in our fine artists’…
Editor: Sue Draper believes “Christmas is what it is.” I agree. My distant colonial ancestors and cousins considered Christmas pagan and popish. In 1659, Massachusetts forbade, under the fine of 5 shillings per offense, the observance “of any such day as Christmas or the like, either by forebearing of labour, feasting, or any such way.”…
65 years ago – 1950 The Idyllwilders Square Dance Club rested its dances until spring. 60 years ago – 1955 The village was crowded with people when the first good snowstorm of the season hit. The TC reported that people “piled out of cars and into snowbanks, heaving snowballs at their friends.” 55…
Editor: If Mr. Smith wants WNKI to fail, why doesn’t he just come out and say so? He says it has been mismanaged. Just to clarify, the co-founders and managers have all passed away, save one, who is elderly, has moved away and is unable to be contacted, though many have tried. IFPD then approached…
