The public is invited to join the Idyllwild Garden Club for a presentation by noted arborist Deborah Geisinger. She will discuss how to care for your trees, and how to identify and prevent problems, therefore ensuring that we are good stewards to one of our mountain’s most valuable gifts.
There will be time allowed for your questions. With more than 14 years of experience, Geisinger is an expert in maintaining and improving the health of trees and the environment, and has found this also improves the property values and landscapes of her clients.
The meeting starts at noon Tuesday, Aug. 2, at the Commmunity Presbyterian Church, lower level.
This is a potluck, so please bring a dish to share, if possible. Seating is limited, so please come early. Any questions? Contact Toni at 951-659-2907.
I don’t know how much credit the public will give you for being diligent on the Mountain Fire lawsuit but the timing indicates to me that someone at the necessary federal level was paying attention.
I am surprised at the Town Crier letters (especially a prior board member) saying how the Idyllwild Water District should allow tours of its facilities. In this day and age of terrorism, water is to be protected with the utmost security.
I’m not saying our residents could be terrorists, but tours would give an opening to those who are and to vandals. I’m sure there is a government agency that inspects water districts.
IWD needs to hold firm and do not allow tours by customers, but instead try to educate the ignorant. Because “security” is the reason why no tours.
You want the truth? You can’t handle the truth. This is my own opinion.
Demand one water district on this mountain. If you pretend to care, just talk about it every few years. If you really care, demand it. It’s not hard to understand it. Paying three times for everything means you don’t care.
Yes, we want you to come to the meetings and demand this. If you don’t, you don’t care.
No one comes to the meeting so the only way you get your information is through the newspaper. One newspaper with one agenda: to sell papers.
Over the last 10 years, I don’t know how many times JP has told our board, “No one on this mountain conducts a better meeting.”
Maybe times are getting tough and money is the only thing that can keep a paper alive. Why is there only one paper? Because only one can survive.
So my point is, we need one water district and at least two newspapers. Anything less than that, then you’re paying too much money and only getting half the story.
Every time the newspaper makes a claim about what the water district does or says, it prints it for a couple of weeks and then it dies out never backing it up with facts, just opinions. All I can say is if you want to listen to one side, it’s your choice and in the end, you own the end results and have to live with it.
Now the people on the outside feeding the newspaper all have one thing in common: money. They don’t care about you, it’s what they need. Plain and simple.
I have been on this board for two reasons: to run the water district the best way possible, and to protect the employees and customers with fairness. Many things have been done to do both and the only thing you are told is inaccurate facts. I am proud of everything I have done to help, would not change one thing and will continue to do the same.
For everyone else this is your Idyllwild. Know the facts, not someone’s opinion. If you know the truth and it isn’t right, change it. I am 100 percent behind you. If you know the truth and facts, then you can’t go wrong.
What deeply frustrates me is to read numerous articles in our TC that are demeaning, unsubstantiated, therefore, untrue remarks and attacks related to our dedicated Idyllwild Water District.
Reference to unjustifiable comments that are either not true or highly misunderstood:
1) IWD has a full-time CFO when no other water district on the Hill has one because IWD is the largest water district and the most profitable. Also, because of the assistance of our CFO, it has been receiving numerous federal/state grant funding to facilitate continuing upgrades of the water system.
2) IWD currently is not providing “water meters” because it has all of its customers’ best interests in mind. By issuing additional or larger water meters, it could risk going into Stage 3 and would jeopardizes all of IWD customers to please a few. IWD is making every effort on its part to conserve our water during a long drought of five years. In the meantime, let’s back IWD efforts and stand together as a supportive community and ride this out together.
3) Unless you’re reviewing the minutes, you’ll not know that numerous of the “3-2” votes are often because our new board members are “undecided” and don’t yet understand what is best for IWD. So why in the heck would we want our knowledgable senior board members to resign and leave it to new board members who are not yet fully informed of our water conditions to make executive decisions for us?
4) The recycled waste water for IWD may be confusing for many of us and also it’s good to know a great deal of research has been done, and the federal and state government are working closely with this new program. We have a choice: Either we continue to lose valuable resources or we implement our generous grant funding to keep “our” water safely and productively on the Hill.
5) It would appear to be irresponsible management of time for IWD to create policy accommodating “individual” requests such as: personal tours of the waste treatment plant and information of past/present employees/board members available. Providing information is important, when proper utilization of time is equally so.
Come on Idyllwild community, and especially the TC, let’s stop the unverified criticism of IWD and the improper comments and behavior without all the facts and instead let’s get behind IWD and provide it the support and respect it deserves.
Dr. M. P. Wylie
Idyllwild
Editor’s note: Dr. Wylie is the wife of IWD President Jim Billman.
On the night of July 20, Jack and our granddaughter Evey’s 9th birthday, we did not get to spend the evening out to dinner with family as we have since she was about 3.
Instead, Jack and I attended the Idyllwild Water District board meeting because JP was on vacation.
A typical meeting sees about one or two people in attendance but this particular meeting attracted a large crowd for a water meeting on the Hill — about 25 to 30 people.
We have been reporting on the controversies this water district continues to generate since before last year’s election where two incumbents were unseated by two others, one a former employee.
We stayed for the whole meeting, and it became evident to me that animosity toward the newcomers is not a joke.
One scene in particular, I think, grabbed everyone’s attention. During a discussion on upgrading the pipeline, June Rockwell, one of the newcomers, got up to use the restroom.
Vice President John Cook, filling in for the absent president, called for a vote. The other newcomer, Steve Kunkle, asked if he wasn’t going to wait for her to come back. Cook said, “No,” and the vote went 2-1 because Kunkle said he wouldn’t approve it because she wasn’t allowed to vote.
I don’t want to embarass June by saying this, but I’m in a meeting that goes on for two-and-a-half hours, I likely might need to relieve myself at least once. June came out just after the vote.
Was what he did illegal? Probably not. Was it mean-spirited? I’m not sure, but it came across that way. Whatever the reason for not waiting just another minute might just be plain rudeness on the part of Cook.
This photogenic bobcat made many appearances on this local camera. Photo courtesy James Reserve
Over the last several months the entries for the “Journal from the James” have included periodic accounts on the results of our trail camera efforts around town. The project, “What’s Wild in Idyllwild,” was an attempt to document the common and not-so-common wildlife species that share the mountain retreat we call home.
We put our first cameras out in February 2015 and with the generous cooperation of many homeowners in Idyllwild, Fern Valley and Pine Cove, we were able to set up cameras in a variety of areas, from the edge of the towns to well within their boundaries. It is through these homeowners’ cooperation that we were able to amass well over 5,000 photos of 11 species of mammals and 15 species of birds.
Over this length of time and so many photos, we feel we have a pretty good picture of the type of wildlife that normally roam among us. And so, we have decided to officially end the field portion of the project and to publicly extend our warmest thanks to all who participated. Though the analysis of the photos will go on for some time more, I would like to also take this opportunity to summarize what we found regarding what is wild in Idyllwild.
Of the 26 different species we recorded, the number of photos taken of each species varied from just a few to over a 1,000. The rarest species of mammal, with only four photos, was the mountain lion. We captured photos of this elusive animal along Strawberry Creek and in Fern Valley.
There was a virtual tie between gray squirrels and deer as to the most photographed species of mammal, with more than 1,300 photos of each. They were also the most widely distributed, showing up on almost all of the 15 cameras we had set out.
Besides the mountain lion, one of the surprises from the photos was how often bobcats showed up, with more than 200 photos. Though they were photographed in six different areas, the majority of the photos were of one photogenic animal that lived along Strawberry Creek.
Although there were fewer total numbers of photographs taken of birds, like the mammals, the number of photos of birds were concentrated in a few species. The most photos taken (406) were of band-tailed pigeons and most of those (353) were from one yard. This species tends to move in large flocks, which can account for the high numbers in one area.
Other commonly photographed birds included ravens, Steller’s jays and California quail. The most widely distributed bird species was the Steller’s jay showing up in seven of the 15 sites.
For the species in which we had abundant photos, we were able to estimate their general activity patterns based on the time the photos were taken. Many mammals can be active both during the day and night but each species does seem to confine their activity during specific time periods.
The grey fox was the most nocturnal of the mammals, with 100 percent of the photos being taken after sunset and before sunrise. Others, like bobcats and coyotes, were more what we call crepuscular or active primarily around sunrise and sunset. Deer seemed to be active at all times of the day and night while gray squirrels were active only during the daylight hours.
Although most birds are strictly active during the daytime, even during that time, they had routines of activity. Band-tailed pigeons commonly are more active in the early morning hours, as were the mountain and California quail. In contrast, ravens and crows were “midday” critters, being more active between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.
So apart from this brief summary here, what do I plan to do with all this information? I think beyond what I can present in this limited space, the people of Idyllwild would be interested in what we found.
The plan is to develop all this information into an informational book titled, not surprisingly, “What is Wild in Idyllwild!” This book will contain more detailed descriptions of the 26 species, including information on where they were found in the area, their natural history, their behavior and, of course, photographs taken by the cameras. I hope to develop this book over the next year and if anyone is interested in supporting this effort, you can contact me via email at [email protected].
In ending, I have to inform you that not only does this article signal the end of the trail-camera project, but also my contributions to the “Journal of the James.” I will be moving on from here but will fondly remember my interactions with the people associated with this project and the pleasure of being able to contribute to the “Journal of the James.” I hope that the readers have found what I have written to be interesting and informative.
Editor’s note: We will miss John’s contributions to this column as he leaves his position at the James Reserve and the San Jacinto Mountains. Hopefully, Dr. Jennifer Gee, James director, can continue the column and replace John with someone equally capable as assistant director there.
Editor’s note: Because of a crowded November ballot and limited space for analysis, we’re beginning our examination of propositions voters must weigh in on earlier than we normally do. We’ll begin with those that may seem less complex or controversial, and examine those of greater public interest closer to the November election. We’ll briefly recap all just before the election.
Proposition 51, the California Public Education Facilities Bond Initiative, authorizes issuance and sale of $9 billion in bonds to benefit K-12 schools and community colleges, for facility construction, modernization and improvement.
The measure authorizes $9 billion in general obligation bonds and distributes the funds as follows: $3 billion for construction of new K-12 school facilities for “applicant school districts”; $500 million for providing charter school facilities; $3 billion for modernization of existing K-12 school facilities; $500 million for providing facilities for career technical education programs; and $2 billion for acquiring, constructing, renovating and equipping community college facilities. Bond proceeds are deposited in the 2016 State School Facilities Fund and in the 2016 California Community College Capital Outlay Bond Fund established in the State Treasury, to be drawn and apportioned to applicant school districts, county boards of education and community college districts.
In addition to the above-stated purposes, funds may be used for new construction grants for eligible county boards of education for funding classrooms for the severely handicapped.
As part of the measure, the state director of finance may withdraw from the General Fund amounts not to exceed the amount of unsold bonds in order to carry out the intention and provisions of the proposition. Any amounts withdrawn from the General Fund must be repaid with interest from future bond sales.
This same bond initiative was initially launched in 2014 but was opposed by Gov. Jerry Brown before the measure could pass the California Senate and thus did not qualify at that time. Brown’s statement then and now in opposition is that the bond initiative is a “blunderbuss effort that promotes sprawl and squanders money that would be far better spent in low-income communities.”
The California legislative analyst and finance director estimate state General Fund costs of $17.6 billion to pay off principal ($9 billion) and interest ($8.6 billion) on bonds over a period of 35 years. Annual payments would average $500 million. Annual payments would be relatively low in the initial and final few years, and somewhat higher in the intervening years.
The measure is supported by both the California Democratic and Republican parties, the California Building Industry Association, the state Parent Teacher Association, the California Labor Federation, the League of Women Voters of California and the California Association of School Business Officials. It is opposed by Brown. The measure is broadly funded with $4.5 million in support from interested organizations with virtually no money in opposition.
The last statewide school facilities bond was passed by California voters in 2006. As a result, supporters contend there is a significant backlog of K-12 and community college facility projects, including modernization efforts geared to ensuring basic health and safety standards are maintained.
With the arrival of the summer season at Idyllwild Arts, all the new students, as well as new faculty members, had their well-deserved opportunities to put their talents on display at various campus locations this past weekend; none more deserving than that of the brand-new (and newly restructured) Lowman Concert Hall facility (but more on that later).
The first advantageous opportunity occured this past Friday evening, when the majority of IA music’s faculty and student mentors gave a more than adequate demonstration of individual talent and ensemble-playing proficiency. As varied as the printed program was, ranging from Argentinian tango, Brazilian quasi-samba and genuine Romanian hora, to say nothing of the jazz- and popular-inspired pieces among the classical tidbits, each presenter did his or her part to form the unified presentation of the school’s overall talent perspective.
Among the more noteworthy performances included the clarinet quartet’s interpretation of the opening movement of Alfred Uhl’s “Divertimento” and the saxophone quartet’s playing of David Maslanka’s “Overture to Mountain Roads,” both demonstrating a synchronous sounding of true wind intonation.
The individual, noteworthy performers included an especially notable rendition of the first movement of Brahms’ “First Cello Sonata” on the double bass by Noah Reitman; James Hodges’ playing of Lutoslawski’s “Dance Preludes” for clarinet; and particularly Scott Sutherland’s ambidextrous version of George Gershwin’s “Prelude #2,” with his left hand on piano and his right on the tuba.
The ensemble portion of the program was definitely concluded with combo renderings of compositions by Henry Mancini (“The Days of Wine and Roses”) and the Masuda/Siegler/Loeffler “Introduction, March and Chant,” both evincing jazz and pop performance standards rarely encountered in today’s musical environs, even in live settings.
As impressive as the presentation was then, Saturday afternoon’s symphony concert proved even more so; the 100-plus players filled Lowman’s stage to capacity (only to be outdone by a nearly full concert hall), and such increase of orchestral forces only was an enhancement to the work already performed on the hall’s sonorous capabilities (this reviewer having noted some changes in the overhead beam structure, which also proved a change for the better as to sound quality).
And with the opening work on the program — Leonard Bernstein’s “Candide Overture” — conductor Larry Livingston’s forces held an immediate sway on the assembly, with the evident contrasting string and brass sections putting forth their respective wealth of sound, and with soft and loud sections in equal measure in exact sound propulsion.
Similarly, Livingston’s assistant conductor, Joshua Roach, in his essaying of Dvorak’s “Slavonic Dance, Opus 46 #4,” put forth the composer’s wishes in admirable fashion, giving equal balance in both the slow introduction and the faster conclusion to individual touches in the winds, as well as maintaining admirable string tone.
But it was in the selected movements of Maurice Ravel’s orchestral reworking of Modest Mussorgsky’s “Pictures at an Exhibition” that both Livingston’s conductorial prowess and the players’ capabilities came to the fore, as well as the both of them had to in such an orchestral tour de force. Ravel’s interpretation of the solo piano pieces remain a true test for any such instrumental gathering, and the individual parts (in particular the brasses and the percussion battery) only emphasize what is of utmost import in overall orchestral control.
Livingston’s mastery of that element was evident from the opening “Promenade” statement, and throughout the selected pieces (particularly in the latter “Hut of Baba Yaga” and “The Great Gate of Kiev” conclusion) such integral playing was achieved with the minimum of gesture and maximum of concentration that has characterized his previous performances, and a wildly enthusiastic appreciation from the large audience was effected at the proceedings’ end.
Mention also should be made here of the efforts of IA’s summer coordinator, Mark Davis, to bring both players, coaches and teaching assistants together in both those cases, and one can look forward to next Saturday’s symphonic concert (with another Dvorak “Slavonic Dance” as well as more of the “Pictures”) with more than passing interest.
Harold Wherry and his Blue Breeze Band storm into Idyllwild bringing their brand of very danceable Motown. Wherry, with his accomplished rhythm and horn section, and blended vocals, is a favorite of Idyllwild Summer Concert audiences. Photo courtesy Harold Wherry
Harold Wheery and his Blue Breeze Band bring their familiar brand of blazing Motown to the Idyllwild Summer Concert Series.
Not only is the music some of the best in pop music’s lexicon, BBB executes with punch and panache.
Wheery, BBB’s elder statesman on guitar, returns with his regulars — Bob Henley III on vocals; Richard Moorings on keyboards, vocals and trombone; Darryl Boar on four, five and six-string electric bass guitar and vocals; Buster Harrell on drums and vocals; Tim Anderson on tenor sax and vocals; and Tyrone Griffin on trumpet, flugelhorn and vocals.
Also returning with BBB is Memphis native and soulful vocalist Laia Jones. Jones will delight her ISCS audience with some of the best of Gladys Knight, Aretha Franklin and Martha Reeves. Jones has worked with Mary J. Blige, Rod Stewart and Dolly Parton, among others.
BBB has been a huge favorite of ISCS audiences because of the strength of their musical chops, the brilliance of their horn section and the ensemble’s full-throated group vocals.
As always, Wherry promises Motown is for motion, not for meditation. So put down that wine glass and that fried chicken leg, and get up and dance. That is what Motown is for, said Wherry.
Wherry and his band members have worked with the royalty of Motown and R&B, including Smokey Robinson, The Temptations, Billy Preston, The Four Tops and The Delphonics. They take the ISCS stage at 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 4. Opening for BBB at 6:15 p.m. is local Mike Rose and his group.
For Ken Dahleen and the ISCS board, the challenge is always raising enough money to fund the series before the eight-week season is over. This year, the challenge looms especially large. Less than half of the season budget of $32,420 has been raised to date ($15,923) with only four more concerts to go.
So bring chairs, comfort food, champagne, camaraderie and cash, especially cash to celebrate the 17th-season of Dahleen’s summer spectacular. Sponsors and donors can contact Dahleen directly at 951-659-2229 or send checks to P.O. Box 1542, Idyllwild, Ca. 92549.
As a side note, Dahleen said the Forest Folk’s Idyllwild Shuttle Service transported the Marine Corps Jazz Alumni Musicians from off-Hill airports to and from Idyllwild for their performance this Thursday. Also, all profits from Craig and Janice Coopersmith’s water and ice cream sales at the concert site are donated to help fund the series.
