Rotary Club Honors Scholarship Winners

Big Bear, CA, May 4, 2012, 1:00pm – The Rotary Club of Big Bear Lake has announced the names of the winners of their 2012 Rotary Scholarship Program.  This year the Club is awarding a total of $7500 in five separate scholarships of $1500 each.  The Rotary Scholarship winners include Lindsay Hafen, Jackson Rees and Alyssa Larson for academic scholarships, Carly Jo Reeves for the Bob Wood Memorial Scholarship in Communications and Journalism and Dru Chilcoat for the John Voss Memorial Scholarship used towards Vocational School.  The students will be introduced at the annual Rotary Eagle of Excellence Community Service Awards and Dinner this Sunday evening, May 6^th.  The deserving students receiving these scholarships are recognized for their academic achievement, student government, sports, clubs, fine arts, outside work and for their community service during their high school careers.  Thirty-three applicants applied this year from a class of 176 students.  Applications were reviewed by a committee of Rotary members who then made the selections in each category.  Committee Chair Dave Caretto stated “there were many qualified and deserving students; we only wish we had more funds to distribute.  The quality of our high school students is outstanding, and this is a tribute not only to the students themselves but also to their parents, their teachers and their school.”   Additionally, the Rotary Club sponsors scholarships through the Mihaylo Foundation and the Rotary Interact Club as well as donating to Chautauqua High School’s scholarship program.  In total, the Rotary Club donates approximately $15,000 annually in local scholarship donations.

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Big Bear High School Wins the Chance to Compete for $50K!

Big Bear, CA , May 4, 2012, 1:00pm – Congratulations to Big Bear High School’s art department for placing first in California in the Van’s Custom Culture shoe design contest!  School representatives will be competing against four regional winners including the Northwest Regional winner, Mountain View High School, the Northeast Regional winner, Watkins Glen High School, the Southwest Regional winner, Rio Rancho High School, the Southeast Regional winner, Eastern High School for the grand prize of $50,000.  In addition to the grand prize, each runner up will receive $4,000. Thanks to Big Bear High School supporters for voting on-line to cast their vote for our talented Big Bear High School student designers.  The five schools will compete on May 30^th at the Long Beach Museum of Art with five celebrity judges including Whitney Port, Tony Alva, Jordan Buckley, Oliver Peck and a special surprise guest deciding who will receive the grand prize.  National shoe retailer, Journeys, has teamed up with Custom Culture to choose their favorite Local Flavor themed shoes and award a separate $5,000 prize to that school along with $1,000 to each of the four runners up.  So, Big Bear High School’s art program is $5,000 richer with the hope of winning it all, as much as $55,000!

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Arrests Made by the Big Bear Sheriff’s Department

Big Bear, CA, May 3, 2012, 8:00am - Recent criminal activity has resulted in two arrests in the Big Bear Valley.  On April 29, 2012, Big Bear Sheriff’s deputies arrested Clinton Lorenzo Moore at a hotel in Big Bear Lake. Moore is a resident of Victorville who was wanted by the Corona Police Department for attempted murder, brandishing a weapon, and car jacking. Shortly after 8:00 a.m. on April 29th, the manager of the hotel contacted the Big Bear Sheriff’s Station to report suspected drug sales from one of the rooms. A description of the hotel patron was provided to deputies, which matched the description of Clinton Moore.  Deputies made contact with Moore as he was leaving his room and he was arrested. A search of his room resulted in seizure of methamphetamine and a firearm. Bail is currently set at over $3,000,000. And in a separate and unrelated incident on the afternoon of  April 30^th, 2012,  deputies of the Big Bear Sheriff’s Department responded to a reported residential robbery in the 500 block of Alden Road in Big Bear Lake. The suspect, identified as Michael Wiederhoeft, forced entry into the victim’s residence. Wiederhoeft physically assaulted the victim, threatened him with a knife, demanded money and jewelry, and stole the victim’s vehicle. The victim suffered minor injuries. Deputies apprehended Wiederhoeft in the victim’s vehicle on Highway 330 near the lower passing lane. The victim’s vehicle and personal property was recovered.  Wiederhoeft is in custody at the West Valley Detention Center. Bail has been set at $200,000.

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Final Day to Vote for Big Bear High School in the Van’s Custom Culture Contest to Win $50K for Art Program

Big Bear, CA , May 3, 2012, 1:00pm – As of today, Big Bear High School’s art department is currently in second place in the Van’s Custom Culture shoe design contest so the community’s help is needed to cast your vote to move Big Bear High up to first place for a chance to win $50,000 for the school’s art program.  The Van’s Custom Culture contest awards the winner the grand prize $50,000 and each runner up will receive $4,000. The Big Bear High School Art program student’s custom shoe designs made it to the top 50 semi-finalists out of a thousand high schools in the nation, and now they need more online votes to make it to number one for this region of the country for their shot at the $50,000 grand prize.  With the current California budget crisis this is a great opportunity for our current high school art program students and future students to benefit from this contest. Voting ends tonight at 8:59pm and you can only vote once from an IP address, so vote online at home, at work, and through your cell phone. Visit vans.com/customculture and cast your vote for our talented Big Bear High School student designers.  Your vote will decide which five schools will travel to Los Angeles for the exclusive final event at the Long Beach Museum of Art in May.  There’s still time to make a difference so vote now at vans.com/customculture.

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A Single Structure Fire Reported Today on Shay Road in Big Bear City

Big Bear City, CA, May 2, 2012, 12:00pm - UPDATED: May 2, 2012, 4:00pm – Preliminary reports regarding a fire in the east end of the valley this morning have indicated that shortly after 10:00am today, firefighters were dispatched to a structure fire at 1356 Shay Road in Big Bear City.  The fire was contained to a single-family residence and it’s surrounding vegetation and was initially reported by staff members of the Big Bear Area Regional Wastewater Agency as they were returning to their offices located near Shay Road.  Kim Booth, Jennifer McCuller, Sonia Kawa and Nikki Flores assisted the male resident of the burning house by reuniting him with his dog.  In an effort to retrieve possessions from the house, he had smoke inhalation and minor exposure to the flames.  Along with neighbors on Shay Road, they did what they could to calm the man as his house was fully engulfed in flames.  The four BBARWA women waited on scene until firefighters arrived.  The structure was ultimately deemed a complete loss.  At this time, the nature of the house fire and the name of the resident is unknown.  The fire is under investigation.

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“Man About Town 2012″ Crowned by Soroptimist International of Big Bear Valley

Big Bear, CA, April 30, 2012 - Sunday evening the wait was over for the three Soroptimist International of Big Bear Valley’s “Man About Town” candidates to discover who would be crowned “Man About Town 2012”.  The evening’s presentations at Northwoods Resort by the candidates was greeted by cheers as Tim Breunig, Glenn Butcher and Cliff Fowler and their teams each performed skits that coincided with their campaign theme to highlight the evening’s finale.  The candidates all worked very hard over the 67-day fundraising period to bring in the sum of $91,353 that far exceeded the expectations of the Soroptimist women.  While the individual candidate’s fundraising amounts are strictly confidential, the candidate who raised the most money would be crowned “Man About Town” and this year, that man is Glenn Butcher.  The money raised from this campaign will continue to be used for Soroptimist’s “Stop Teen Violence” program, a quest that began in 2008 for a five-year run.  Also, this year, Soroptimist has committed to help fund the Healthy Start Program at our elementary, middle and high school and Safe School Ambassadors Program that is now at the Big Bear Middle School.  Kbear congratulates Glenn Butcher, the Valley’s “Man About Town 2012”.

City of Big Bear Lake Adopts Social Host Ordinance

Big Bear, CA, April 27, 2012, 8:00am – Social hosting laws have been adopted recently by the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors making it illegal for adults to provide a place for under-aged drinkers to congregate or what is commonly known as “partying”.  The same type of ordinance is about to become law in the City of Big Bear Lake as well.  On Monday evening at their regularly scheduled meeting, Big Bear Lake City Council moved forward to make hosting a party where alcohol is provided or available for non-legal drinkers a violation of the law.  Previously when this issue was brought before the council, members questioned the intent of the rules.  They were concerned that perhaps property owners who rent their property could be snared by default.  Captain Tom Bradford expressed that this new law would be an effective tool in combating teen alcohol abuse.  Bonnie Schaffer of Operation Breakthrough, a drug and alcohol abuse agency in Big Bear, echoed the same thoughts and went on to say that access to alcohol and drugs is a problem for our local youth as it is now a prevalent issue even with our Middle School aged youth.  As a parent, here is what you need to know.  If you or someone else provides a place for anyone under the legal drinking age to have a party where alcohol is available either anywhere in the home or brought into the home, you are in violation of the law and will be subject to fines and possible jail time.  Schaffer, in a later memo, expressed her gratitude by carefully reviewing the new law and tailoring it for Big Bear’s unique situation.  Michael Perry who represents a coalition of private home rental property owners expressed their view that the revision protected an owner who could not know if a property was being used as a teen party hot spot and in fact shifted the responsibility to the person who at the time of the violation was in control of the property.  Bonnie made it clear that the high school graduation season is upon us and that they want Big Bear youth to have a sober grad night.

Robbery at Taco Bell Prompts Lock Down of Big Bear Middle School

Big Bear Lake, CA, April 26, 2012, 3:30pm – On Wednesday, April 25^th, at approximately 11:45am, Big Bear Sheriff’s deputies responded to a report of a robbery at Big Bear’s Taco Bell.  Upon arrival, the suspect or suspects had fled the scene.  Deputies canvassed the area and interviews with employees and patrons were conducted.  As a precautionary measure, Bear Valley Unified School District personnel made the decision to lock down the Big Bear Middle School located one block east of Taco Bell.  Students were released from the school at the normal time and no injuries were reported at either the restaurant or school.  Deputies are continuing their investigations today.  KBHR will have further details as authorities make them available.

National Forest Association Celebrates “Earth Day” at the Big Bear Discovery Center

Fawnskin, CA, April 19, 2012, 12noon – Locally, National Forest Association youth leaders will be joining more than one billion people around the globe to participate in Earth Day 2012 on April 22 at the Big Bear Discovery Center on North Shore Drive to host and help mobilize an appreciation for our planet, call for its protection and stand united for a sustainable future.  The Earth Day celebration will begin with a lakeside cleanup. Participants should meet at 9:00am in front of the Discovery Center for a short walk to the Pedal Path to begin the clean up.  Materials will be provided.  A festival will follow at the Discovery Center from 10am to 2pm with activities including family bike rides to learn how to protect the San Bernardino forest along with exhibits and activities and crafts.  The Forest Explorer, which is the NFA’s mobile forest experience that brings educational forest health and fire safety messages to schools and events, will be on display.  According to Monica Curiel, NFA Children’s Forest program manager, “the San Bernardino Mountains is home to 71 species of endangered and threatened wildlife and more than 85 sensitive plant species! The health of our forest and restoration of land and resources have a direct impact on the health of our wildlife; a message our young leaders understand and want to teach all mountain residents and visitors.” So, get outside and give back to our forest on Earth Day 2012!

Elementary School Assemblies Highlight Cycling and the Return of the Amgen Tour of California

Big Bear, CA, April 18, 2012, 3:00pm - In an effort to educate Bear Valley students about the upcoming Amgen Tour of California as well as promote a healthy lifestyle and enlighten students about cycling as a sport, Paul Zamoyta, Board Trustee for the Bear Valley Unified School District and avid cyclist, hosted assemblies at the three elementary schools last week and this week.  Joining Mr. Zamoyta were Connor McCutcheon and three South African top amateur and professional cyclists who are currently training in the Big Bear Valley.  McCutcheon grew up in Big Bear and, along with fellow team mate, Louis Meintjes, are representatives for the Simple Green American team.  Jos le Roux, a member of the South African National Team and Christiaan Kriek, professional cyclist for the Jelly Belly team, discussed some of the equipment, clothing (known as kits), training, and race day practices used by these and other amateur and professional cyclists.  Worthy of mention, Louis at age 20, is the U23, or under 23 time trial champion of South Africa.  Additionally, the students were informed of a Bike Safety Check event at the Sheriff’s Station on May 12^th.  The Amgen Tour of California is an 800 mile/8 day bike race with Big Bear hosting the Stage 6 event on May 18^thwith the day’s ride ending at Snow Summit.

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