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Calling all clean air projects

At Wednesday’s regular Mammoth Lakes Town Council meeting, Clean Air Projects Program Administrator Lisa Isaacs announced that the Request for Proposals for clean air projects in the Eastern Sierra would be available to the general public on Monday, Dec. 12. Those interested will be able to access the RFP at http://capp.gbuapcd.org. Proposals will be due Feb. 15. The CAPP program will award a total of $5 million to qualifying projects.

Sierra Valley Sites gets trashed

Town Public Works Director Ray Jarvis said that illegal dumping is becoming a big issue in Sierra Valley Sites. He estimated that the Town has picked up 150 random pieces of furniture since Town Cleanup Day at the beginning of summer. The extra trash is a strain on Town staff as well as Mammoth Disposal’s budget. The disposal company is not being compensated for many of the extra pickups. “We need to mitigate the problem,” Jarvis explained. He added that staff believes at least 25 percent of the illegal trash to be from “dump-and- run” scenarios. “People are bringing it into Sierra Valley Sites and leaving it. This could be because the dumpsters are close to the road and it’s easy to quickly dump something next to them and leave.” Moving dumpsters back from the streets may be one solution. Jarvis plans to come back to Council with further recommendations.

Lions lose Gateway argument

Gateway Monument Project Leader Elizabeth Tenney brought the winning entries for the monument’s arrival and departure messages before Council for approval. “Eat your heart out Big Sky, Montana, it looks great,” opened Tenney. The local Mammoth Lakes Lions Club, however, did not fully agree.

Lions representative Joe Joerger stated that the club, which has historically owned the entry sign to town under a Forest Service permit (however the permit has currently expired according to Gateway Monument architect Bruce Woodward), would prefer the entrance sign to read, “Welcome to Mammoth Lakes,” followed by the John Muir quote that was chosen by the voters rather than just “Welcome” plus the Muir quote as the Gateway Committee has planned.

“We like the new sign, but historically it has always said, ‘Welcome to Mammoth Lakes.’ It should tell you where you are,” Joerger said.

Council disagreed and felt that the sign should be allowed to change for the better. The sign on the left-hand side of the road as you enter town will read Mammoth Lakes. Council felt that between Welcome on the right and Mammoth Lakes on the left the message would be loud and clear. It voted unanimously to approve the verbiage as presented by the Gateway Monument committee.

Night of Lights traffic control

Mammoth Lakes Police Chief Dan Watson announced that Canyon Boulevard will be closed to inbound traffic from 5-7 p.m. on Dec. 17 during the Night of Lights in order to avoid traffic congestion. Cars will be diverted to Lakeview Boulevard. The public is encouraged to use public transportation since there will be plenty of it available.

Air service

Winter air service kicks off on Dec. 15. The Town will hold a ribbon cutting ceremony for the new sprung structure on Dec. 14 at 2 p.m.

 Council’s next regular meeting is scheduled for Jan. 4, 2012 at 6 p.m. in Suite Z.

Holiday Haus ribbon cutting

The Holiday Haus Motel at 3905 Main St. near Minaret has undergone incredible transformations, and the Mammoth Lakes Chamber of Commerce invites the public to a ribbon cutting ceremony, followed by a Grand Reopening Open House on Tuesday, Nov 15, at 5 p.m.

Members, prospective members and the public are invited to join the festivities and tour all the new upgrades. This is not to be missed,” Chamber Member Linda Wright enthused. More info: contact Patty and Saundra, 760.934.2414.

IRWMP hosts water workshops

As part of Task 6 of its Planning Grant, the Inyo-Mono Integrated Regional Water Management Program (IRWMP) invites the public to a series of workshops held in partnership with the California Rural Water Association (CRWA). “Setting Your System Up for SUCCESS: Regulatory Review, Capitol Improvement Planning and Water Shortage” will be held at three locations throughout the Eastern Sierra:

Monday, Nov. 28, at Mammoth Community Water District, 1315 Meridian Blvd., in Mammoth Lakes.

Wednesday, Nov. 30, at Bishop Paiute Tribe Community Center, 405 N. Barlow Lane in Bishop.

Thursday, Dec. 1, at Fort Independence Indian Reservation Tribal Office, 131 N. U.S. 395 in Independence.

The workshops are free of charge. Registration for Inyo-Mono IRWM Program participants nds on Monday, Nov. 14. After that, CRWA will open registration to the general public via their extensive contact list. These workshops will count toward six California Department of Public Health (CDPH) Water Contact Hours.

The flyers are available for download currently at the Inyo-Mono IRWMP website and can be accessed by following link provided http://inyomonowater.org/ and navigating to the Upcoming Events list on the lower left side of the homepage.

More info: Janet Hatfield, janet@inyomonowater.org or 760.387.2747 office and 760.914.3131.

Snowboard film premieres

With snow on the ground, it’s a great time to get your head fixed for boarding with the premiere of three new films, “Serious Fun Vol. 2,” “Good Look” and “Retrospect,” this Thursday, Nov. 17, at 7 p.m. at the Edison Theatre, 100 College Parkway, across from Cerro Coso’s Mammoth campus.

Admission is just $5, but get tickets early … space is LIMITED! Enter to win raffle prizes from Ashbury, Quiksilver, Neff, June Mountain and more!

More info: contact Shira at 760.934.6592 or email Shira@MammothLakesFoundation.org.

A new way to see stars

The 200-400 billion stars in our own Milky Way Galaxy present a stunning veil to the enormity of the universe. Astronomy has uncovered many mysteries, but the question of how a star is formed is as relevant today as ever.

Find out the latest on all things galactic as part of the “Explore Your Universe” Fall Astronomy Lecture Series presented by The Owens Valley Radio Observatory (OVRO) and Cerro Coso Community College.

Each installment features talks by prominent astronomers, aiming to share astronomy research and findings that take place at OVRO.

Lectures are hosted by Cerro Coso Community College and take place at their Bishop Campus in Room 176. Lectures are free, from 7-8 p.m. The next lecture is set for Dec. 8.

For more information visit www.ovro.caltech.edu.

Inyo National Forest Supervisor Jim Upchurch (left), Mammoth Lakes Mayor Skip Harvey and Town Recreation Manager Stu Brown at the ribbon-cutting for the lower section of the Lake Mary Bike Path on Tuesday. The path’s section, which has a long history dating back to the 1990s, was recently able to be completed with $3 million in American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA) stimulus funds secured through the state and the U.S. Forest Service. It includes some nifty signage, and a detailed trails map, produced in association with Mammoth Lakes Trails and Public Access. The Town is now focusing its attention on the upper section. (Photo: Geisel)

Bank on it: Mammoth Chamber members help Eastern Sierra Community Bank staff cut the ribbon on the bank’s new Old Mammoth Road location on March 19. (Photo courtesy Mammoth Lakes Chamber)