Big Bear Airport and Bear Valley Electric Work Together: Save $, Save Energy

Big Bear, Ca, February 21, 2012, 12:00pm - The Big Bear Airport District is saving money, and helping Bear Valley Electric save energy in the process.  The Airport and Bear Valley Electric have been working together to save energy at the airport for over a year, by doing two main projects:  retrofitting the old inefficient lighting in the terminal building, and finding alternatives to the ramp area lighting.  Changing the old light bulbs in the terminal building to more efficient T-8 linear florescent lamps occurred in January of 2011, which will cut the lighting bill by about 30-40% over the old lights.  The second project saw 26 lights replaced with new LED fixtures, with BVES providing a financial incentive that paid 20% of the material cost.  Bear Valley Electric estimates that the bill savings to the airport will be approximately $320,000 over the life of the LED lamps, which is for approximately 20 years.  The old light bulbs needed to be replaced every 1 to 2 years.  According to the Big Bear City Airport, this is a win win for both both Airport and Bear Valley Electric customers, as the lights operate during BVES’ peak period during the darker colder winter months, this will reduce the load on the BVES power grid. For more information on how to save money and energy go online at www.bves.com.

Santa Claus Has Been Coming To Town!

Big Bear, Ca, December 23, 2011, 1:00pm - With Christmas just a few days away, Santa has been a very busy man.  Santa Claus has taken time out of his busy schedule to visit the boys and girls of the Big Bear Valley this week, along with the help of the Big Bear Lake Rotary Club.  Santa has flown into town the last few nights and visited with children young and old, lighting the valley up with holiday cheer. Santa will be making a few stops around the valley tonight, before he heads back to the North Pole to gather up presents to deliver late Christmas Eve night.  As Santa will be flying in on a much larger sleigh, along with the reindeer on Christmas Eve, the Big Bear City airport is preparing the runway for Santa’s arrival.  The airport crews are making sure the runway will be clear of any ice and snow, and that it will be well lit for the jolly man in reds arrival to the Big Bear Valley the night before Christmas.

Airport & Community Takes Flight For Doves

Big Bear, Ca, December 23, 2011, 9:00am - The Big Bear City Airport is in the spirit of Christmas and giving this holiday’s season.  During the month of December donation cans were distributed around the valley at Amangela’s, Sugar Pine Bake Shop, the Copper Q, UPS Store, Shelli’s Hallmark, Get the Burger, Diamond Lil’s, Maggio’s Pizza, El Jacalito and the Barnstorm Restaurant.  Donations were also collected at the Airports annual Christmas potluck.  The Big Bear City Airport was able to present Doves, Big Bear’s local domestic violence outreach center, with a check for $500.00.  Airport General Manager Pete Gwaltney, and Airport Board President Gary Steube presented Doves President Sandy Benson with the check, in which she was extremely grateful for.  The Airport plans on “taking flight for Doves” on an annual basis, and helping support Doves.

Airport Board Shuffles Members Into New Positions

Big Bear, Ca, December 15, 2011, 12:00pm - The Big Bear City Airport Board of Directors met yesterday for their regularly scheduled meeting, and held elections for president and vice president.  Gary Steube was elected as the new president, with Julie Smith as the new vice president. Steube as the new president, assigned board members to committees, with Smith as the Chair of the Lease and Personel Committee, and himself as the Chair of the Finance and Airport Review Committees, with other board members Chuck Knight, Gloria Greene, and Steve Baker each serving as a member on assigned committees.  The board decided to move discussion of what to do with vacant spaces within the building to the upcoming financial workshop.  Other items voted on included approval to pay off a long term obligation to Calpers which will save the Airport approximately $10,000 a year in interest, and the board approved establishing four RV parking spots on the north side of the airport for rented tenant space.  Board member seats currently taken by Gloria Greene, Julie Smith and Chuck Knight will be up for election in 2012.

Big Bear City Airport Board Wants To Focus On The Airport

Big Bear, Ca, November 10, 2011, 4:00pm - The Big Bear City Airport Board met on November 9^th for a special and regular meeting of the Board of Directors.  The meeting which started on a tense note, ended positively with Directors Steube and President Smith both stating that the board needs to focus on the airport and not conflicting personalities or egos.  For more than a year the airport board has had personality issues among board members that has affected the board as a whole.  Earlier this year, the board held special workshops in hopes of bringing the board together to focus on the airport and to gain a better knowledge of board practices, such as parliamentary procedure and board decorum.  The workshops seemed to have kept the board on track and focusing on working together for the airport in general, however, at last month’s meeting, the board seemed to get off track once again, when friction among board members was showcased in front of the public.  During directors comments at the November 9^th meeting, Director Gary Steube stated that the casual observer thinks the airport is falling apart, however it’s not, “We’re in fantastic shape,” said Steube, “nothing could be further from the truth.”  Steube also said that the airport now has new LED lights installed, and that will cut the energy consumption nearly in half, which is important as energy is the 3^rd largest expense the airport has.  Steube stated that the new LED was the only thing of importance that happened at the board meeting, and that all the other stuff, indicating the board friction, has nothing to do with the airport.  Steube ended his comments stating that the airport is in fantastic condition.  The next board meeting will be on December 14^th at the airport at 4:00pm.

Airport Board Meeting To Review Possible Formation Of New Committee

Big Bear, Ca, March 7, 2011, 8:00am - The Big Bear City Airport board will meet on Wednesday March 9^th at 4:00pm, at the Big Bear City Airport for their regularly scheduled meeting.  Items for discussion include the possible formation of an Operations Facility Review Committee, a review of the current legal counsel contract, and a review of year to date financials ending in January.  The public is encouraged to attend, and can speak during public comment time.

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Airport Board To Hold Workshops

Big Bear, Ca, February 24, 2011, 8:00am - The Big Bear Airport Board of Directors will hold a special meeting on Friday February 25^th at 5:00pm, and on Saturday February 26^th at 9:00am at the Civil Air Patrol Building, located on Greenway Drive in Big Bear City.  On Friday, the Board will hold a board development workshop session, reviewing last year, and going over the mission and purpose of the board.  On Saturday the board will identify core values, and will work on strategic planning for the Airport Board.  The public is allowed to attend, and there will be time for public comment at both workshops.

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Contention at Airport Board Meeting Over Agenda Items

Big Bear City, Ca, February 10, 2011, 5:00pm - At the February 9th meeting of the Big Bear City Airport Board, board member Gloria Greene brought concerns to the board about items she had requested be added to the board agenda were not included.  Green felt that she was being treated unfairly.  President Julie Smith explained the reasons for Greene’s requested items not being put onto the agenda, due to the fact that they were items for closed session, not open session.  Greene had been advised by legal counsel to not put the items on the agenda because it was not appropriate, and Director Greene ignored legal counsel and still attempted to put certain items on the agenda.   Director Gary Steube expressed his concern that Director Green was going against legal counsel.  No action was taken to put Director Greene’s items on the agenda as they were items for closed session and not open session.  President Smith apologized to those in attendance for the current situation of the board.  The next meeting will take place on Wednesday March 9th, at 4:00pm at the Big Bear City Airport.

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Plane Crash Update: Pilot President of Tower General Contractors

Big Bear, Ca, February 3, 2011, 12:00pm - The following is an update about Jose Flores-Cortez, who crashed his plane into two Big Bear City homes on January 30^th.  Flores- Cortez is the President of Tower General Contractors Inc., which is the largest minority-owned General Contractor Company in Los Angeles County.  Mr. Flores, was the aircraft’s only occupant, and was transported to  Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs, where he is currently in critical condition, and expected to make a full recovery.  The aircraft Flores was piloting was a Piper Twin Comanche registered to Tower General Contractors.  The plane developed engine trouble shortly after takeoff, and according to the FAA, Flores was attempting to turn the plane around and return to the airport when his plane crashed into two houses.  No one on the ground was injured, however two houses were badly damaged.

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Big Bear City Plane Crash Update

Big Bear, Ca, February 1, 2011, 4:00pm - The following is an update about Pilot Jose-Flores Cortez who crashed his plane into two homes on Sunday January 30^th.  Cortez was transported to Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs on Sunday, and was found to have a broken ankle, collapsed lung, and was put into an induced coma Sunday evening.  According to the Federal Aviation Administration, (FAA) Cortez had taken off in his Twin Engine Comanche on runway 2 6 of the Big Bear City Airport, and seemed to have been circling back to the runway when he crashed.  The FAA also reported that one engine was not turning at impact.  Cortez hadn’t owned the plane for very long, and had little experience with twin-engine aircraft.  The plane was dismantled and removed on Sunday afternoon.

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