By RHEA-FRANCES TETLEY – Staff Writer

The Crestline Chamber of Commerce heard a report on the pothole situation on Lake Drive and Lake Gregory Drive at their May meeting. Theses had been designated and budgeted to be repaved this year but, with the recent blizzard and snowplow damage, the roads are in much worse condition than anticipated at this point.

In some stretches of roadway, it is actually dangerous, giving motorists flat tires and bent rims, and they needed immediate attention before the July 1 Jamboree Days parade. The county’s Department of Public Works is currently doing a patch job on those areas of Lake Drive using a new, faster drying material to speed up the hole patching that will make for safer driving until the real repairs can be accomplished in September.

Crestline Chamber road construction map

Utility Coordinator Vladimir Reyes and Supervising Engineer Noel Mondragon displayed a large map of the proposed roads to be totally repaved under this project, stretching from Crest Forest Drive in Top Town Crestline down Lake Drive to the intersection with Lake Gregory Drive at the lake and then continuing up Lake Gregory Drive to Highway 18 at the traffic signal. This project will begin in September, when there is less traffic.

During the repaving, there will always be one lane open for traffic with flagging during the day, they said. Some erosion points will be addressed, although no culverts will be replaced. ADA ramps over curbs will also be cut in along several spots of the Lake Gregory Village business district.

The Crestline Chamber of Commerce building suffered damage when its deck was ripped off the building by the heavy snow load; the water service to the building has been restored. Now that the insurance company has inspected, the repairs can be started. It will still be a while before the deck can be rebuilt with so many other construction and repair projects going on in town at this time, so some of the plans previously in place for activities and a marketplace at the chamber office are on hold for now.

The summer trolley will resume service on May 26, using much of the same route going to SkyPark that was used last year with a new schedule; however, it will have a connection with the Lake Arrowhead trolley so visitors can get to Lake Arrowhead Village, as well. It will run from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, and holiday weekend Fridays, beginning May 26 and running weekly through Labor Day weekend. This free trolley is for anyone to use – residents, tourists and even those going to work. Everyone is encouraged to take advantage of this free ride.

Jamboree Days parade Chairman Dirk Rinker gave a complete rundown on the planned event and schedules for Jamboree Days which will be held July 1 and 3 this year. The parade, kids’ fun zone, vendor booth and fireworks will be held on Saturday, July1. Parade entries are now being accepted at www.Jamboreedays.com. The family fun field day will be held on the San Moritz Meadow on Monday, July 3 with food vendors, jump houses, relay races and more.

This year, the grand marshal for the parade is the Unsung Hero and the theme is “Mountain Strong.” At their next board meeting, the chamber’s board of directors will vote on their choice of Crestline’s Citizen of the Year from the names nominated by the public.

The nominations for Grand Poobah are currently being accepted at local stores, restaurants and bars in Crestline. This election is raising funds for the free fireworks shot over Lake Gregory at 9 p.m. on July 1. Voting will be taking place at the same establishments and the location that gets the most votes also gets recognized as the “Home of the Poobah.” The top three vote getters get to ride on the Rim Recreation and Park District’s Jamboree Days parade float.

Two other ways being employed to pay for the fireworks include the usual donation canisters throughout town for those who would like to donate to the fireworks fund, since the Duck Derby and other fundraisers were unable to be conducted this year due to the blizzard. The sale of “Firework Haze IPA” at both the local bars and at the Friday Market Night concerts at Lake Gregory is the other fundraiser trying to raise enough to pay for the fireworks, which will cost over $15,000 this year. The free fireworks show is a tradition that Crestline doesn’t want to lose.

There will be four locations of VIP seating along the parade route, with refreshments and shaded chairs, that can be reserved at www.Jamboreedays.com., said Rinker. The kids’ fun zone will have KOLA-FM and Cal Skate there giving out prizes and promotional swag for games they are sponsoring and doing a live remote broadcast from Jamboree Days.

Coming up even sooner, on Saturday, June 3, is the first of the summer Corks & Hops events. They are the first Saturday of each month from 3 to 8 p.m. This year, there will be bounce houses and more for children to do at Designed by Faith and Higher Grounds Coffee House, where the Crestline Lions Club will be set up, as well. Some new pour stations including at Molly’s Paint Studio across from the bowling alley have been added, and there still will be lots of live music and bus transportation between the pour stations located from Top Town to throughout Lake Gregory Village. They are seeking a Corks & Hops program coordinator since the previous one, Mike Johnstone, is seriously engaged in rebuilding Goodwin’s Market. See the chamber website crestlinechamber.org for detailed information on the position, which must be hired ASAP.

The sign for the Crestline Visitor’s Center and chamber office was destroyed by the blizzard and snowplows so a new one has been made. It will be installed by Ellison Asphalt on the building itself this next week. It is hoped the new signage will help visitors to know where to ask for information and assist them in enjoying their visit to Crestline this summer. It is also hoped, after the deck is replaced, another similar sign will be installed on the backside of the building for those fishermen and visitors who use the back parking lot, so they will know it is a visitor’s center.

Now is the time for local chamber members to bring their brochures and business cards to the chamber office as they set up new displays for the visitors this summer to explore. New residents can also come to the chamber office to learn the unique ins and outs of this community.

Crestline Chamber-Memorial Day ceremony

Memorial Day Monday, May 29, at 11 a.m. will be the annual Memorial Day service, honoring America’s fallen servicemen and women at the San Moritz Lodge. This free event recognizes all branches of the military with songs, videos and more and all members of the public are encouraged to attend. During the event, several Quilts of Valor sewn by Ginger Gabriel and others of her quilting group from Leisure Shores will be wrapped around special service members to recognize their contributions to this country’s freedoms.

On Thursday, June 8 and every subsequent Thursday night while school is out, a family-friendly movie will be shown for free on the meadow at Lake Gregory, beginning at approximately 7:30 p.m., depending on sunset times. Bring your blankets and beach chairs to enjoy the movies and some snacks, although the snack bar/bait shop will also sell snacks for those who runout or forget.

On June 9, the Rotary Club of Crestline-Lake Gregory is presenting Steaks at the Lake at the San Moritz Lodge. See a Rotary member or visit crestlinerotary.com to purchase tickets.