All stories written by John or

Sarah Elliott unless otherwise noted

—See this week's FRONT PAGE (PDF)

YEAR IN REVIEW:

A LOOK BACK AT 2009

If you read just one newspaper all year long,

this should be it!

  As we rush to meet deadline after deadline, it’s easy to have tunnel vision in regards to this newspaper. Some weeks, the business end of the newspaper — accounts receivable and payable —requires the majority of our attention and our creativity takes a hit. Other weeks, we barely have time to leave our desks, so we can’t get out into the field — okay, mountains — to take a representative photo of the beauty of the season, no matter which one it may be and all of which deserve to be on the front page of every issue. Some weeks we feel we barely accomplish anything because there is always still so much to do and another deadline approaching.
   This is why we enjoy compiling the Year-in-Review issue. We take a break from developing stories and delve into these issues from the previous year. As we do this, we realize how many stories, photos, features, columns, Neighbor Profiles, Snapshots, special issues, interviews, and other information are in these issues. We learn what we did right, what we did wrong, what we can improve, and even give ourselves a few pats on the back for a job well done.
   Are you ready for another year of news, Three Rivers? It’s on its way, but first there’s this... —JOHN AND SARAH ELLIOTT

— JANUARY —

   January 2— Dozens of revelers took the annual plunge in the frigid pools adjacent to the Gateway Restaurant. The chilly river dunk and celebration was Gateway’s eighth annual Polar Dip.
   MIKE TOLLEFSON, YOSEMITE SUPERINTENDENT, retired from an NPS career that spanned four decades. Tollefson served as the superintendent at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks from 1995 to 1999.
   January 9— Kaweah Country was mired in a typical January weather pattern – a daily struggle between fog and sunshine.
   THE CALIFORNIA PUBLIC UTILITIES Commission announced that there were 1,200 applications seeking solar subsidies in December 2008. More than 18,000 home and business owners applied for the subsidies since the program began in 2006.
   January 23— At the Jan. 12 town meeting Supervisor Ishida said the County of Tulare had no more options and will layoff 200 workers and close two county healthcare facilities. If things don’t improve relative to the economy soon, Ishida said, there will be more layoffs and budget cuts.
   ON TUESDAY, JANUARY 20, Barack Obama was sworn in as the 44th president of the United States. President Obama then made plans to sign the parks’ omnibus wilderness bill, which would change the status of 85,000 acres in Sequoia-Kings Canyon including renaming a portion of the Mineral King area after former Congressman John Krebs.
   RECYCLERS WERE STRUGGLING IN the sluggish economy. Ramon Duarte, the local operator in Three Rivers, also blamed the declining revenue on dwindling state redemption rates.
   January 30— The State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) sought an amendment to place more restrictions on septic system owners. Opponents said the new regulations and fees would be a bitter pill to swallow in the current economy.
   THE SEQUOIA FOOTHILLS CHAMBER of Commerce implored residents to shop local.
   WEATHER WATCHERS WERE HOPING for more snow pack to boost the below average season to date.

— FEBRUARY —

   February 6— THE KAWEAH COMMONWEALTH, by popular demand, began listing weekly “For Rent” classifieds on its TKC Online website. The most oft-visited locally owned website has been accommodating visitors from all over the world since 2003.
   ANGRY SHOUTING MATCHES AT public meetings caused the State Water Resources Control Board to rethink its proposal to further regulate septic systems in rural areas like Three Rivers. A concerted “back off” was heard by state officials loud and clear.
   THREE RIVERS GAS PRICES were edging higher once again. The price for a gallon of unleaded was $2.29.
   A LOCAL LANDOWNER CUT down several stands of oaks. Several residents expressed their outrage to county officials.
   February 13— A succession of cold winter storms finally made their way across central California bringing much needed rain to the foothills and snow to the nearby mountains. Lodgepole rangers reported 66 inches at the snow stake next to the visitor center.
   APRIL KLOCKE OF THREE Rivers and Casey Peterson from Gothenburg, Neb., were married at the Church at Kaweah on Valentine’s Day. The love match was made on eHarmony, a popular Internet matchmaking website.
   February 20— The state budget, amidst bitter political in-fighting, was finally passed. The stumbling block was how to close California’s $41 billion shortfall.

  “Anyone who runs around and says that this can be done without raising taxes, I think, has not really looked at the problem carefully, or has a math problem and has to go back to Math 101,” Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger told media members.
   NICK SIMONIAN, A FRESNO State grad student from Three Rivers, demonstrated his prototype aircraft invention at World Ag Expo. The miniature airplane, powered by a special battery, weighs 3.5 pounds and is equipped with a digital camera. Designed to assist farmers in crop management, Nick said the sky is the limit for his aircraft’s applications.
   LOCAL SNOW PACK NUDGED upward to 80 percent.
   February 27— New owners Dane and Allison Millner purchased Sierra Subs and Salads in Three Rivers.

  “We want to eventually make some improvements, but for now we’ll be just learning how things are done here and what folks really want,” said Allison.
   NOW THAT THE STATE budget was approved, cuts were looming at Three Rivers Union School. The amount was announced to be approximately $118,000 during the special meeting of the board of trustees held February 25.
   WARMER STORMS OF THE past week made for greening environs around Three Rivers and sloppy snow in the nearby mountains. The rainfall to date in Three Rivers was 12.44 inches.

— MARCH —

   March 6— A mature female mountain lion was hit by an eastbound motorist on Highway 198 near Slick Rock Recreation Area. The injured animal was euthanized by a game warden from California State Department of Fish and Game.
   A RECENT BURGLARY HAD the residents of South Fork Estates wary and on alert.

  “We always see a rise in these kinds of thefts when there is high unemployment or tough economic times like we are seeing now,” said Sheriff Bill Wittman.
   March 13— David Lowe, 15, a Woodlake High School sophomore, was struck by a westbound pickup truck when crossing the highway in front of Three Rivers School. The victim received only minor injuries. The official cause of the accident was failure on the part of the driver to yield to a pedestrian in the crosswalk.
   ON MARCH 12, THE storage at Lake Kaweah was 43,182 acre feet or just slightly less than 25 percent of capacity. Mean inflow was 367 cfs.
   A LOCAL MERCHANT WAS a victim of credit card fraud.
   CITING THE STRUGGLING ECONOMY and the need to spend more time with family, Johanna Kamansky resigned as president of the Sequoia Foothills Chamber of Commerce.
   March 20— David Lee Ray and Richard Clark were arrested in connection with the recent burglary in South Fork Estates. The two men were taken into custody without incident on March 14 and booked into the Tulare County main jail.
   COUNTY WORKERS PUT THE finishing touches on the new Cherokee Oaks Bridge. The project was completed with Measure R funds.
   A NEW EXHIBIT ENTITLED “Reflections and Revelations: the Art of Adrian Green,” opened at Discoveries West Gallery. Adrian Green, 84, offered an impressive sampling of his life’s work that reveals his own journey as an artist and his spiritual quest to know the Earth Mother.
   March 27— Thirteen high school students from around the U.S. came to Three Rivers as a part of an independent study program of the World Class Kayak Academy. The school group was headquartered at the Three Rivers Hideaway while they worked on schoolwork and kayaked some awesome whitewater in Sequoia National Park. The high school curriculum is supervised through Alberton High School in Alberton, Mont. The focus of the innovative program is on academics, but kayaking helps each student find their passion.
   EFFECTIVE APRIL 1, A new one percent sales and use tax would take effect. In county areas the new tax boosted the rate to 8.75 percent.

— APRIL —

   April 3— April 1 snow pack came in at 78 percent for the Kaweah River drainage. A 47-YEAR-OLD man, who died of congestive heart failure, was found deceased in a Sierra Drive motel room. According to Sheriff’s detectives, there were no signs of foul play at the scene.
   WORDING WAS FINALLY COMPLETED for the omnibus Wilderness Act. President Obama signed the bill on March 30.
   LAKE KAWEAH STORAGE WAS 65,349 acre feet or nearly 40 percent of capacity. Mean inflow was 766 cfs.
   April 10— The studio and garage/shop of Roy and Lynne Bunt was destroyed by a raging inferno on April 3. Division Chief Joe Garcia, Tulare County Fire, said there were a number of accelerants inside the shop on the ground floor of the structure that caused the fire to spread faster and burn hotter.
   THE THREE RIVERS GOLF Course was temporarily closed. A large gathering at the Three Rivers town meeting listened to Lt. Mike Boudreaux give an overview of the county’s LOCCUST program – an acronym for Locating Organized Cannabis Cultivators Using Saturation Techniques.
   April 17— A 32-foot RV lost its brakes on the steepest portion of the Generals Highway in Sequoia National Park. The mishap, which could have turned deadly, avoided any fatalities by coming to rest along a steep embankment.
   THE 36TH ANNUAL JAZZAFFAIR: the more it, changes the more it stays the same. Pat Crain was honored at the traditional jazz weekend kickoff on Recognition Night. Pat had this to say about her volunteerism:

  “If you keep your plate full helping others and keep your sense of humor, it’s a full, happy life right here in Three Rivers.”
   April 24— The River View Restaurant and Lounge, a popular local eatery and watering hole, was burglarized in the early morning hours of April 20. The owners reported that nearly $6,000 was taken in the heist.
   LAKE KAWEAH WAS NOW rising at nearly two feet in elevation every 24 hours. The mean inflow was 1,582 cfs; the storage was 97,236 acre feet, just slightly more than one-half of capacity.

— MAY —

   May 1— Sequoia Park rangers stopped a suspicious looking vehicle on South Fork Dr. that netted an arrest for a firearms violation.

  “We know what’s going on this time of the year so we are stepping up our traffic checks on all park roads and in areas nearby,” said a law-enforcement ranger. “In the past couple of weeks we’ve made several stops in an ongoing effort to send a message to these [marijuana] growers.”
   AFTER CLOSING ON MARCH 31, the Three Rivers Golf Course reopened on April 28.
   LOCAL PARKS’ OFFICIALS ANNOUNCED that they would be receiving more than $14 million of President Obama’s $787 billion stimulus package to be used for various improvement projects.
   May 8— Several petty crimes were reported at Lake Kaweah including a stolen vehicle that was torched and a construction trailer and parked car that were both burglarized.
   TOWN MEETING ATTENDEES HEARD updates from a number of speakers including Deb Schweizer, fire education specialist from Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. Schweizer said that the local parks were planning 17 prescribed fire projects for the upcoming season. She also introduced Kevin Hendricks, the new chief ranger.
   SUPERVISOR ALLEN ISHIDA SAID that an Oak Preservation Plan was currently being drafted by county planners.
   COUNTY FIRE OFFICIALS ANNOUNCED that the local hazard-reduction burn season had concluded as of May 1.
   LAKE KAWEAH RECORDED A storage of 134,450 acre feet or slightly more than two-thirds of its capacity.
   May 15— A near-drowning on Mother’s Day underscored the extreme danger of the river. This time, the unthinkable almost happened again at the Edison swimming hole on Kaweah River Drive. An eight year-old Visalia boy slipped into the powerful current and was nearly swept away. Fortunately, two river-savvy locals were nearby and rescued the victim before he became another statistic.
   ON MAY 13, THE first boater launched from the new boat ramp at Slick Rock’s revamped facilities. The area also features a new parking lot and restrooms, as well as a year-round volunteer host.
   KEVIN HENDRICKS, SEQUOIA PARK’S new chief ranger, said he was serious about crime, especially when it came to the ongoing war on marijuana growers. While at parks like Lake Mead, Olympic, and Yosemite he worked on various assignments that developed the full complement of ranger skills.
   May 21— First Lady Michelle Obama delivered her first commencement speech on May 16 to the first four-year graduating class at California’s newest U.C. at Merced. More than 12,000 students, guests and media from around the nation and the world were in attendance at the historic ceremony at the nation’s first major research university of the 21st century.
   LOCAL EMERGENCY WORKERS WERE busy with a brush fire near Woodlake (May 18), a swift-water rescue at Kaweah Park Resort (May 16), and a mysterious death of a man at Sentinel Campground in Cedar Grove, Kings Canyon National Park.
   May 28— Local campgrounds and recreation areas at Lake Kaweah were filled with revelers throughout the Memorial Day weekend, traditionally the start to the busy summer season.
   LAKE KAWEAH WAS STEADILY filling to its capacity; on May 26 it recorded a mean elevation of 714.35 and was expected to hit its high water mark (715 feet) on Sunday, May 31.
   A SPEEDING NORTH FORK motorist lost control of his 2001 Lexus after he swerved to avoid an oncoming vehicle. The 86-year-old driver then ran off the roadway and had to be extricated from his vehicle.
   A STUDENT TOSSED A blue-ice pack off the Three Rivers-bound Woodlake High School bus. The projectile struck the windshield of a 1992 Toyota driven by a Three Rivers mom. No one was hurt but the windshield cost $205 to replace.

— JUNE —

   June 5— Several dozen local residents, board members past and present, and well-wishers gathered May 3 to mark the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the Three Rivers Cemetery. All of the original cemetery board members, that read like a who’s-who of Three Rivers pioneers, have their final resting places in Three Rivers Cemetery.
   A THREE RIVERS MAN was nearly impaled when a metal rod came flying up from the roadway and lodged in his windshield. The man wasn’t hurt but said it sounded like an explosion when it hit.
   CONGRESS APPROVED A MEASURE to allow people to carry loaded guns in national parks.
   AN ALLEGED MARIJUANA GROWER was arrested at a South Fork grow site.
   June 12— An off-duty paid-call firefighter from Exeter rescued three fishermen whose boat had capsized shortly after dark on June 6  at Lake Kaweah.

  “I always wondered what I would do if I ever found myself in a life-or-death situation,” said Matt Bibey, the local hero. “The adrenaline takes over and you just do what you have to do.”
   THE PREVIOUS WEEK’S HIGH winds brought down trees and power lines on Pierce Drive and several other locales around Three Rivers.
   LORI ONTIVEROS, THREE RIVERS postmaster, highlighted the monthly Town Meeting agenda. Ontiveros updated the gathering on new postal products and services. Contrary to what most folks think, the post office is not subsidized. The level of service, she said, is based upon local revenue.
   June 26— The Three Rivers Union School budget was approved for the 2009-2010 school year and included some anticipated cuts and lots of belt-tightening. The projected budget called for revenues of $1,171,665 with expenditures of $1,156,126.
   HORSE CREEK CAMPGROUND AT Lake Kaweah reopened after several weeks of being closed due to high water.
   A MYSTERIOUS FISH KILL was reported; the culprit was suspected to be a virus that affects carp, a prized food fish for some cultures in Europe and Asia.
   THE BLUE THONG SOCIETY, a woman’s social club, made its debut in Three Rivers.

— JULY —

   July 3— Details were made public of a water dispute affecting Alta Acres users and downstream users of Kaweah River water. The dispute centers on a protest filed by a coalition of downstream users challenging the right of the Alta Acres association to pump any additional water out of the Kaweah River. According to the vice president of the Alta Acres association, local water users were caught off guard by the protest and are seeking a negotiated settlement.

  “Water in Kaweah Country is going to be a big issue,” he said.
   CALIFORNIA’S BUDGET IMPASSE CONTINUED to have fallout in almost every state office and program that depends on state funds. State employees dealt with layoffs and furloughs while taxpayers had to deal with reduction in office hours and the decline of essential services.
   TOM SPARKS, A LOCAL activist in community improvement, was appointed to an at-large position on the 16-member Tulare County Assocation of Governments advisory board.
   THREE RIVERS RAINFALL OF 16.33 inches translated to 82 percent of the 30-year norm.
   July 10— The 802-acre Hart prescribed continued to smolder and send some intense smoke down the Kaweah Canyon and into Three Rivers. One resident, who asked not to be identified, said: “When air quality is already at or near unhealthy levels it just doesn’t make sense to light a prescribed burn.”
   YOU HEARD OF JOE the Plumber, now Three Rivers has Joe the Drummer, who can be seen around town with his custom-made trailer that includes a sound system and drum set.

  “I love these canyon walls, the mountains and the river, and being close to nature,” Joe said. “I’m not interested in money or fame; I just want to play my drums and maybe bring a smile to those I meet along the way.”
   July 17— On July 9, members of the Three Rivers Historical Society received a plaque from Steve Mendenhall, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service’s Hanford station. The presentation made official the role of the Three Rivers Historical Museum as a weather collection station.
   THE NARROW BRIDGE THAT spans the uppermost crossing of the East Fork in Mineral King was deemed unsafe on July 13 by structural engineers and ordered closed. The closure had park maintenance workers scrambling to effect a quick fix.
   PRESIDENT OBAMA ANNOUNCED HIS nomination of Jon Jarvis to become director of the NPS. Jarvis was currently serving as the director of the Pacific West Region.
   July 24— Two Valley teens drowned in the same pool of the Marble Fork of the Kaweah River near Hospital Rock on consecutive days (July 18 and 19).

  “Locals would take one look at this water and say ‘no way,’” said Jim Fansett, Three Rivers resident deputy sheriff and swift water rescuer.
   A MULTI-AGENCY TASK force was moving northward in their efforts to target pot growers during the 2009 season. After a highly successful 2008 campaign in Tulare County, the majority of resources was being concentrated in the Fresno County foothills in 2009.
   LIGHTNING IGNITED FIVE FIRES in the local national parks on the heels of a significant rainstorm. Fire crews were keeping a close watch on a blaze dubbed the Horse Fire near Hockett Meadow in the upper South Fork drainage of Sequoia National Park.
   July 31— Comfort Inn was the victim of a 1:30 a.m. burglary on July 24. The loss was estimated at $450.
   THE DAILY SUMMER RITUAL, Slicky being overrun with swimmers, was in full-swing.
   TEAK SURFING, BEING TOWED too close to outboard motor emissions, was identified as a “silent killer” to unsuspecting boaters.

— AUGUST —

   August 7— The results of the 11th annual Best of Kaweah Country, the popular readers’ poll, were published. Among the big winners: Sierra Subs and the Gateway, who both garnered awards in six categories. Comfort Inn, which won best Family Lodging, was featured in a front-page pictorial.
   August 14— A 19-year-old hiker from Southern California died August 10 from injuries sustained while rock scrambling near the Tokopah Falls trail.
   A SERIES OF TRAFFIC accidents involving visitors underscored how busy the local roads are during the summer season with inexperienced mountain drivers.
   SEVERAL POT PLANTATIONS BETWEEN Grant Grove and Cedar Grove were targeted for eradication. One site at 6,000 feet was at the highest elevation that had been discovered to date.
   August 21— Public drunkenness was the reason Village Market employees called 911, but the response time was so poor that the menacing man left the scene before deputies could arrive. Shortly thereafter, he totaled his vehicle in a solo accident on Highway 198 near Horse Creek.
   CRAIG AXTELL, SUPERINTENDENT OF Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks since January 2006, made his retirement official after working at six duty stations during a career that started in 1976. The retirement would become effective on October 2.
   August 28— Sequoia National Park rangers received reports of shots fired by several employees of Crystal Cave. Law enforcement officers conducted a sweep of the Crystal Cave area, suspecting the gunfire might be related to clandestine pot groves.
   ANOTHER MATURE GIANT SEQUOIA tree was toppled as a result of a prescribed fire near Crescent Meadow.

  “We protect the named trees from fire unless it is a safety issue,” said Deb Schweizer, fire education specialist. “Apparently, the tree in question was an unnamed monarch that already had a structural weakness that allowed fire to easily get in.”

— SEPTEMBER —

   September 4— The gunfire that was reported by Crystal Cave employees led park rangers to the discovery of five marijuana grow sites in the vicinity. As a result of the find, rangers eradicated 7,500 plants with an estimated street value of nearly $3 million. The pot plantations, especially the compound located in the drainage above the cave, was appalling because chemicals and waste from the grow sites were flowing via Yucca Creek through Crystal Cave. Park scientists began immediately assessing the damage and working on mitigation measures.
   TEN YEARS AFTER, THE iconic British rockers, took time out from their Heroes of Woodstock Tour in August just long enough to play a mid-week date at Orange Blossom Junction at Merryman Station. During the past five years, the Orange Blossom has featured some of the finest guitar players on the planet.
   September 11— On Labor Day, a Pomona driver, who had traveled to Sequoia Park from Hanford in a 40-foot motor home, lost his brakes while descending the Generals Highway. Fortunately, the driver had the presence of mind to look for a place to crash and ran aground in a huge hill of dirt. One female passenger riding in the back of the RV was seriously injured and airlifted to a Fresno hospital. To clear the accident scene, rangers had to close the busy Generals Highway in both directions for two hours.
   LAKE KAWEAH APPROVED A horse camp with a network of nearby trails. The new facilities were expected to be open by the end of the month.
   September 18— A coalition of advocacy groups to place the legalization of marijuana on the 2010 ballot was gathering signatures across the state. The proponents reported that they were encountering a groundswell of support.
   DELAWARE NORTH COMPANIES PARKS and Resorts (DNC) were one of three parks concessionaires to receive 2009 Environmental Achievement Awards from the NPS. The awards were given for the company’s efforts to devise new and more efficient ways of operating.
   September 25— Someone broke into a shed at Kaweah Marina and made off with more than $4,000 worth of tools.

  “I’ve been here 45 years and we’ve never had anything like it,” Dale Mehrten said, who with his wife Joy operates Kaweah Marina. “We’ve had break-ins before but nothing like this one.”
   A generator and compressor were the biggest part of the loot.
   THE EXETER MURALS WERE featured in a special color section. The business community was lauded for its ongoing economic development through art and tourism.

— OCTOBER —

   October 2— There was lots of anticipation as Three Rivers geared up to celebrate its first ever 1st Saturday. The event’s founder, Nadi Spencer, noted Three Rivers artist, said the event evolved out of her monthly art studio open house.
   ON MONDAY, SEPT. 21, Cajun rocker and slide guitarist Sonny Landreth brought his talented trio to Orange Blossom Junction. In Sonny’s honor, Chef George Quilty paired Landreth’s amazing slide guitar show with a Cajun menu to rival any of the Bayou’s best.
   October 9— The monthly Three Rivers Town Meeting returned on October 5 and featured several informative updates. Deb Schweizer, fire education specialist for Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, introduced Jeff Bradybaugh, the new interim superintendent.
   AN INJURED MOUNT WHITNEY climber was airlifted to a nearby hospital where he was treated for severe trauma to the shoulder and back. The victim admitted he was lucky to have survived the fall and a brush with death.
   NOAA SCIENTISTS ANNOUNCED THEY now had sufficient data to officially pronounce the 2009-2010 precipitation season as an El Nino.
   October 16— On October 12 the first significant storm of the season rolled through the Kaweah canyon dumping more than two inches of rain in Three Rivers and more than a foot of snow in the nearby mountains. The sudden deluge caused a dramatic rise in the forks of the Kaweah River; the highest water since a similar storm that occurred on November 8, 2002.
   THREE BACKPACKERS, WHO WERE reported missing on October 12 after failing to return home as expected, were found stranded on a flooded bank along Roaring River near Cedar Grove. The trio tried to take a shortcut when the storm hit but high water had the hikers ledged out and unable to climb any farther so they hunkered down and waited to be rescued.
   TRUS HIRED ROB OJEDA as the new seventh-grade teacher. The current enrollment was 157 at the K-8 school.
   October 23— At the Sequoia-Foothills Chamber of Commerce mixer on October 21 board members unveiled the group’s new website. Featured prominently on the home page is the chamber’s theme, “Discover, Explore, Enjoy.”
   A GOLDEN EAGLE DIED as a result of injuries sustained after a collision with a vehicle near Lake Kaweah. An examining vet determined the majestic male golden was 10 years old and in its prime. X-rays revealed the bird had a broken back and it had to be put down.
   THREE BROTHERS WERE INDICTED for growing pot near Dorst Campground in Sequoia National Park. They were taken into custody at their Stockton residence.
   LAKE KAWEAH STORAGE PEAKED earlier in the week at just slightly above 30,000 acre feet. That was more than three times as much water (9,516 acre feet) than was in the basin one day before the storm hit.
   October 30— A search was continuing for a 73-year-old male hiker who was missing on Mt. Whitney. The solo hiker, who failed to return from a day hike to the summit of Whitney, was reported missing by his wife. who was staying in a nearby hotel in Lone Pine.
   SEQUOIA AND KINGS CANYON National Parks were seeking input on the potential impacts of removing trout from at least 84 high country lakes. As a part of the multi-season project, park researchers have targeted 15 percent of the area’s 560 lakes for the non-native species removal to help restore populations of the native yellow-legged frogs.

November and December 2009 will be added soon...