Community briefs
Mono Council Arts Gallery
Mono Council for the Arts’ new gallery location is NOW OPEN in the Mammoth Luxury Outlet Mall on Main Street.
The Gallery features local artists and art workshops.
The grand opening for the new gallery is scheduled for Feb. 13!
Inyo Forest Business Opportunity
Throughout the month of January, the Inyo National Forest (INF) will conduct outreach to Eastern Sierra businesses and organizations in an effort to generate local interest in signing up for various Emergency Incident Agreements and Contracts.
When wildfires or other incidents occur in the Eastern Sierra, local dispatch centers and incident commanders have traditionally had to rely upon the use of outside support resources provided by businesses that are located an average of 260 miles away. In past years INF staff say that locally signed-up businesses have been in short supply, a trend they would like to change. According to INF Supervisor Jim Upchurch, “Having more local business involvement would not only benefit the INF and the timely support of personnel on the fire line, but it also has great potential to provide local residents with more business opportunities.”
Depending upon the size and needs of the incident (i.e. fire, flood, or earthquake), something as simple as being able to quickly get a locally signed up “4×4 pickup with a driver” in order to deliver supplies to frontline crews can make a big difference in how efficiently an incident is managed.
“We’ve got the engines, crews and aircraft, what we really need from local businesses are the support items,” said Interagency Fire Management Officer Jeff Iler. “We’re looking for water trucks, refrigeration trucks, fuel trucks, pickup trucks with drivers, forklifts with operators, lunches, transports, heavy equipment, mechanics, tables and chairs, facilities, water sources for aerial operations, landing sites, quads, generators, heaters, coolers, large tents … the list goes on and on.”
Those interested in signing up or bidding for emergency incident contracts and agreements can log on to www.fs.fed.us/business/incident/ and contact Andrew Kong, Assistant Center Manager at the Owens Valley Interagency Communications Center, before Jan. 20, at 760.873.2565.
Boosters Raffle Winner
Kelly Clark, no relation (as far as we know) to the snowboard athlete, won the Mammoth High School Boosters, The Local Book, and SierraYellowPages.com 2009/10 Mammoth Mountain Season Pass raffle. Clark, a Mammoth Hospital employee and Big Pine resident was over the moon upon learning she’d won.
“I was so excited! My husband and I moved up here 3 years ago and love the area. I love my work as an RN for the hospital,” she said. “I saw the e-mail about the raffle and knew that the money would go to a good cause, so I bought $40 worth of tickets. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would win. We didn’t ski last year because my husband was injured. This year we will be getting in some powder time together!”
Craigsbook, Inc. publisher of The Local Book and SierraYellowPages.com donated a season pass to the Booster Club, which thanked all of the businesses that participated in the ticket sales: The Ski Renter, Cuppies Coffee, Mammoth Chevron, Rick’s Sporting Goods, The Ski Surgeon, Mammoth Sporting Goods, Footloose Sports, The Booky Joint, and Kittredge Sports. Special thanks also went to Steve at Wave Rave and to Michelle at Michelle’s Fine Jewelry for purchasing tickets for all of their employees.
The Boosters also thanked the numerous visitors and community members who bought raffle tickets in support of the Boosters.
The raffle brought in more than $1,100 that will help support Mammoth High School academic and sports programs.
