Many families today include unmarried partners, blended families and stepparents who help raise children but are not their legal parents. While these families may function like any other loving household, the law may view the situation very differently if the child’s legal parent passes away. Consider Jane and Mark. They

Have you noticed how cheap gasoline is, of late? Perhaps I will re-word that one. Gas isn’t exactly cheap. (That’s right, but I am, cheap that is). I must say, six or seven bucks a gallon surely ain’t cheap. However, I’ve seen at least one gas station in Crestline that

BIG BEAR Big Bear Theatre Project: Creating Worlds Playwright Festival, Aug. 13-16. tick,tick…BOOM!, Oct. 15-25. A Ghost Story, Dec. 17-20. Big Bear Performing Arts Center. Tickets and more information, bigbeartheatreproject.org.   BLUE JAY Craft Fair: Every Saturday, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., weather permitting, in the US Bank parking lot on North

Editor’s note: As the sheriff’s department is no longer providing their log of calls, the Alpine Mountaineer is compiling Nixle press releases for our readers. 18-year-old female falls off Big Bear Dam On Tuesday, July 14, at approximately 11:03 p.m., deputies from the Big Bear Sheriff’s Station were dispatched to

In their latest newsletter, the Mountain Homeless Coalition had high praise for their volunteers who do everything from helping staff members with their caseloads to fostering puppies. In the most recent quarter, two staff members carried an average caseload of 55 client households. But they didn’t have to handle them

By RHEA-FRANCES TETLEY Staff Writer   The Crest Forest Senior Citizens Club at Leisure Shores in Crestline has many classes and numerous programs to engage its members. One of the clubs is the Science Club, which researches many aspects of life through the perception of science. The members meet at

We’ve all heard the phrase: “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.” In the world of investing, it’s solid advice. Unfortunately, some people misinterpret this wisdom. They spread money across multiple financial institutions, working with several financial advisors. But this creates some drawbacks. You may be paying more in

By Mary-Justine Lanyon Editor   In 1985, 115 veteran athletes gathered for the first National Veterans Golden Age Games. Last month, the largest group of veteran athletes ever – 1,338 – met in Tampa, Fla., for the 40th such games. Among those athletes were two mountain veterans: Armand LeSage of

By Mary-Justine Lanyon   Last March, Mountains Community Hospital surveyed a random sample of likely voters in the November 2026 election, asking them how likely they would be to vote for a bond measure to fund the repayment of MCH’s USDA loan. That loan is funding the construction at the

By RHEA-FRANCES TETLEY Staff Writer   The celebration of life for Michael (Mick) Hill attracted a standing room-only crowd of his friends, his fellow volunteers, working acquaintances and many people whose lives he touched in various ways. The service led by Pastor Bill Mellinger of the Crestline Baptist Church was

As we head into another fire season, one question keeps coming up from clients: “How expensive is fire insurance up here?” It’s a practical question, especially as insurance premiums have become a growing part of the monthly cost of homeownership. But surprisingly, almost nobody asks the question that may matter

By Douglas W. Motley Senior Writer   On Tuesday, June 30, some 30 high school-age Project BLU (Black, Latino and Urban) students from San Bernardino toured the Mountain History Museum. BLU was founded in 2001 to address higher education challenges faced by Black and Brown families with limited income and

By Rhonda L. Randall, D.O. Chief Medical Officer UnitedHealthcare, Employer & Individual   As families prepare for the upcoming school year, many are focused on school supplies, schedules and getting back into routines. But one of the most important back-to-school steps happens before the first day of class: scheduling a

By RHEA-FRANCES TETLEY Staff Writer   Crestline’s Grand Poobah has been chosen for 2026 – Caleb Morgan, who was sponsored by the Rim of the World Sports Bar. This is a trifecta for the Sports Bar as last year’s 2025 Poobah was community volunteer Alan Mairs, and the year before,

People first came to camp at Skyland (on the peak, on the crest east of current day Crestline) during the lumbermill days beginning in the 1850s because of its beauty and views to the ocean. When the Arrowhead Toll Road opened in the 1890s, the beautiful views, breezes and “the

I find it annoying when TV networks advertise products I’m not interested in, such as to lower your life insurance costs. Like this dude named Johnathan who advertises every 10 minutes promoting life insurance for only $9.95 a month. A man says, “I’m over 50, what’s my price?” “Your price

One of the most common questions families ask when creating an estate plan is, “Will my heirs have to pay taxes on what they inherit?” Fortunately, for most Californians, the answer is no. California does not impose a state inheritance tax or a state estate tax. In most cases, beneficiaries

BIG BEAR Big Bear Theatre Project: Creating Worlds Playwright Festival, Aug. 13-16. tick,tick…BOOM!, Oct. 15-25. A Ghost Story, Dec. 17-20. Big Bear Performing Arts Center. Tickets and more information, bigbeartheatreproject.org.   BLUE JAY Back-to-School Giveaway: Saturday, July 18, 10-11:30 a.m. Logan Construction, 27221 Highway 189, Blue Jay. Backpacks and school

Editor’s note: As the sheriff’s department is no longer providing their log of calls, the Alpine Mountaineer is compiling Nixle press releases for our readers. Man’s death in Highland being investigated On Saturday, July 4, at about 9:51 p.m., deputies from the Highland Station responded to a residence in the

While at the Rotary International Convention in Taipei in June, Rotarians had big decisions to make: Which breakout sessions should they attend? Topics range from the basics of Rotary’s Annual Fund to mentoring young leaders, from using technology to enhance learning to responsible grant management. Because of Rotary’s focus on

By Tim Clarke Rebuilding Together Mountain Communities   As the sawdust has settled, sweat and sore muscles are a faint but rewarding memory, I take a moment to look back at Rebuilding Day 2026. For the first time since joining the board of Rebuilding Together Mountain Communities nine years ago,

One significant risk investors face isn’t losing money in a market dip: it’s failing to reach their long-term financial goals. Many people focus on avoiding short-term losses and invest too conservatively, which can limit growth over time and may impact your retirement security. A thoughtful approach starts with understanding three