By DOUGLAS W. MOTLEY
Senior Writer
July 3 – A stubborn brush fire of unknown origin, first reported at 3:52 p.m. on Saturday, June 28, consumed some 478 acres of tinder-dry brush and chaparral east of the Cajon Pass, near Silverwood Lake. The blaze, propelled by strong, dry, wind-driven conditions, reportedly prompted widespread evacuations and road closures, as well as a major power outage affecting thousands of residents in the nearby mountain communities. Meanwhile, evacuees from the Silverwood Lake area were rerouted eastward on Highway 138 toward Crestline, which resulted in a major traffic jam when dozens of fire engines were encountered, headed southwestward to battle flames erupting from the hillside above the lake. At the same time, Highway 138 was closed from Old Mill Road to the I-15 freeway.
July 10 – Jamboree Days in Crestline was a total success, brimming with a community picnic, duck derby, an hour-long parade, all-day street festival and evening fireworks shot over Lake Gregory to celebrate Independence Day. The theme, “Crestline Vibes 2025,” was exhibited all over town, the temperature was delightful and there were food vendors as well as two bands playing at the beer garden on Lake Drive, not far from where KOLA 99.9 radio sponsored a live remote broadcast with music trivia contests.
July 17 – A Sunday afternoon ride-along with Sheriff’s Deputy William Cowles on July 6 with Alpine Mountaineer reporter Douglas W. Motley on board began with a follow-up on a reported criminal threats case in which a Running Springs woman was allegedly assaulted by her brother. During the ride-along, several motorists were cited for offences such as driving with a burned-out taillight and driving with a suspended license. In all instances Deputy Cowles acted cool, calm, collected and polite.
July 24 – A reverse auction at this year’s Le Grand Picnic at Mountains Community Hospital raised over $200,000 to replace a 20-year-old X-ray machine that had reached its useful service life. Before she opened the reverse auction at $25,000, Suzanne Martin Krainock, CEO and founder of Inspired Benefit Auctions and one of the most sought-after auctioneers in the nation, asked if anyone was willing to go above and beyond. The auction continued with multiple bids, more than meeting the $220,000 cost of the X-ray machine.
July 31 – It might have been picking up a prescription, grabbing a quick gift for a friend, maybe holiday greeting cards or even a scoop of Thrifty ice cream – all of that will officially end on August 25 when the Rite Aid store in Blue Jay closes for good. Most of the old employees have already found new jobs or are seriously looking.
Aug. 7 – Mountain Top Days kicked off on Friday, Aug. 1 with a parade led by this year’s grand marshal, County Supervisor Dawn Rowe. This year’s theme, “Still the Gateway,” celebrated the fact that Running Springs survived the Line Fire in September 2024. Folks started lining Hilltop Boulevard around 5:00 p.m., anxiously awaiting the parade while chatting with friends and neighbors. At 6:15 p.m. the parade participants began their march down the highway, with Kevin Somes and Dean Langley from the Running Springs Area Chamber of Commerce, sponsor of Mountain Top Days, carrying the banner announcing the theme.
Skyview Ridge was one of the homes on this year’s Lake Arrowhead Home Tour.
Aug. 14 – Crestline’s 46th annual Run Through the Pines 5k and 10k races around the 2.7-mile perimeter of Lake Gregory on Saturday, Aug. 9 lured some 500 or more men, women and children, according to Rim of the World Recreation and Park District General Manager Jenny Hueter. Having been launched in 1979, Run Through the Pines is one of the longest running events of its kind in Southern California. Both runners and walkers can enjoy a paved course at a 4,720-foot elevation, which makes it an inviting run for physically fit locals and a bit of a challenge for down-the-hill runners.
Aug. 21 – Ever since Crestline’s fabled A Burger Restaurant at the corner of Lake Drive and Forest Shade Road closed more than a decade ago, due to the failing health of its previous owner, Elisabeta (“Liz”) Tulcan, scores of faithful customers have been longing for its reopening. The faithful will be pleased to learn that the former A&W Restaurant celebrated its grand opening at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 14 to the cheers of dozens of old and new customers waiting in line to order the establishment’s delicious cheeseburgers, French fries and their iconic root beer shake.
Aug. 28 – It was three days of music and so much more at this year’s Blue Jay Jazz Festival, with audience members grooving in their seats, filling the dance floor and singing along. The yearly festival began on Thursday, Aug. 21 with the music of DAP – Digital Audio Project, featuring the mountain’s own Bruce Rubio on saxophone and aerophone, Harold Allen Jr. on drums and Andre Berry on bass.
Sept. 4 – The September Corks & Hops will take place on Sept. 13, rather than the first Saturday of the month, due to the Labor Day holiday weekend. From 3 to 8 p.m., the guests can take shuttles between the tasting locations. The chosen theme for the September Corks & Hops is “The 1990s,” so come ready to recall the 90s and party down.
Sept. 11 – Nam to Sand Jam promises to be a fantastic evening on Sept. 20 to commemorate the ending of the Vietnam War, 50 years ago. Vietnam veterans and those who served during the subsequent Sand Zone, Global War on Terrorism conflicts are invited to attend for free, while there is a $20 fee for non-veterans. The event is being hosted by the Tudor House in Arrowhead Villas from 4 to 10 p.m., with concert music provided by local songstress Shannon Bizzy. All veterans are invited to attend.
Sept. 18 – It was 50 years ago that the inaugural Lake Arrowhead Home Tour took place. Over the years, guests have had the opportunity to visit grand homes, charming homes and historic homes. The 2025 Home Tour on Saturday, Sept. 20 carries on the tradition with four spectacular homes for guests to visit. All homes will be reached either by boat or van shuttles. Two of the homes sit side-by-side, on the edge of Lake Arrowhead in Point Hamiltair.
Sept. 25 – On the mild, quiet afternoon of Sept. 21, soft gray clouds floated overhead, while musician Michael Gonzales played Beatles favorites on his guitar. A friendly and hopeful crowd of over 20 gathered at Arrowhead Ridge to witness the unveiling of a Peace Pole, sponsored by the Rotary Clubs of Lake Arrowhead, Mountain Sunrise and the E-Club of World Peace. On this International Day of Peace, a United Nations-sanctioned holiday, the serene setting was peaceful, indeed.
Oct. 9 – Saturday, Oct. 4 was a clear, crisp day in Running Springs, perfect for the 19th annual Pinecone Festival, where a Boy Scout color guard posted the colors and led the Pledge of Allegiance, after which the Fifes & Drums Corps played the National Anthem. As guests arrived, they parked at Snow Valley and then took a Mountain Transit shuttle across the street to Rim Nordic, where the moment everyone was waiting for arrived – Who found the longest sugar pinecone and the heaviest Coulter pinecone? Coming in at 18.4 inches was a sugar pinecone found by Darline Corry, while Lori Beaver found the heaviest Coulter pinecone, which weighed 4 pounds and 9 ounces.
The Pinecone Festival included crafts made of pinecones.
Oct. 16 – Taking a page from the film Forest Gump, where Forest is told it’s bad luck to have a boat with no name, the San Bernardino County Fire Department recently held a naming campaign for its fireboat on Lake Arrowhead. The name – Smoke on the Water – was unveiled on Saturday, Oct. 11.
Oct. 23 – Some 576 students and 23 teachers at Valley of Enchantment Elementary School in Crestline participated n the so-called “Great California Shakeout” earthquake drill, which began at precisely 10:16 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 16. During a visit to Ms. Mazakas’ classroom prior to the drop and cover earthquake exercise, one of her students was asked why it is important to learn what to do in the event of an actual earthquake. Damien, who is 9 years old, said, “It prepares you for a real earthquake.”
Oct. 30 – Since 1996, the San Bernardino Mountains Land Trust has been acting to protect the spectacular lands of the San Bernardino Mountains. To accomplish this, the nonprofit organization has amassed funds from a variety of government agencies and private donors to purchase endangered lands for the trust. In doing so, they have protected over 15,000 acres of open space from allegedly unscrupulous real estate development, secured environmental corridors and availed much of this space for public enjoyment. On Oct. 18, longtime Lake Arrowhead resident Polly Sauer, a staunch supporter of environmental causes, spoke at a ceremony commemorating the memorial wall protecting the threatened Arrowhead Ridge property.
Nov. 6 – Well-known actress and local resident June Lockhart, perhaps best remembered for her role as Timmy’s mother in the classic television series Lassie (1954-1973), passed away peacefully, of natural causes, at her home in Santa Monica on Thursday, Oct. 23. She is survived by her children, Anne and Lizabeth Lockhart. Born in New York City on June 25, 1925, the daughter of actors Gene and Kathleen Lockhart, she made her professional debut at age 8. June was also widely known for her portrayal of Dr. Janet Craig on the CBS television series Lost in Space. June had a strong connection to Lake Arrowhead, where she was a prominent figure at the Lake Arrowhead Film Festival and member of its board of directors.
Nov. 13 – Twenty persons were injured on Oct. 9 when a bus carrying parishioners from Our Lady of Guadelupe Catholic Church in Santa Ana overturned on Highway 330 near Smiley Park. A crew from the San Bernardino County Fire Department arrived around 9 p.m. and found the bus on its side in a turnout with passengers evacuating themselves through the roof hatch. According to authorities, 20 persons – three of whom suffered severe injuries – were transported by ambulance to local hospitals.
Nov. 20 – After several months of getting ready, the Crestline Chamber of Commerce has many plans and events to create a fun and exciting environment for the upcoming holiday season in Top Town and Lake Gregory Village. The plans are to create a winter wonderland of decorations this holiday season in Crestline. The grand lighting countdown event will be on Nov. 29. The chamber wants to encourage new customers to come into their stores and hopefully bring up down-the-hill shoppers.
Nov. 27 – The Lake Arrowhead Communities Chamber of Commerce celebrated a major milestone on Nov. 18 with its first-ever Business Expo. An event that exceeded expectations, energized local entrepreneurs and brought the mountain community together in a big way. Lori Butler, the chamber’s executive director, reported 287 registered attendees with an additional 150 walk-ins, not including the many children who joined their parents throughout the day. The strong turnout highlighted the community’s growing interest in supporting local businesses and learning about available resources.
Dec. 4 – One thousand. That’s the number of pounds of turkey that were deep fried or smoked for the free community Thanksgiving dinner. The crew from Lake Gregory Church cooked a total of 72 birds to feed the hungry diners.
Dec. 11– This year’s annual Blue Jay Christmas Parade, now its 40th year, proved true to its theme: “There’s Magic in the Mountains.” Its quarter-mile-long parade route along Highway 189 in the mountain hamlet of Blue Jay is reputedly the shortest parade route in the U.S.
Dec. 18 – A pre-dawn blaze of yet-to-be determined origin laid waste to a Crestline residence in the 600 block of Arth Drive on Monday, Dec. 8. According to San Bernardino Fire Department Public Information Officer Shawn Millerick, the first crews began arriving around 2 a.m. and discovered huge flames emanating from the street level of the home.
Dec. 25 – The Mountain Fifes & Drums Corps brought history to life with their annual presentation of “A Colonial Christmas and Mount Vernon Homecoming.” There was pie, hot cider and the dancing of the Virginia Reel.
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