Three Rivers Together

On 11 July, a Three Rivers resident submitted a letter alleging that the Board of Supervisors violated the Brown Act at its 9 July meeting when it rejected the proposed ordinance regulating short-term rentals and directed staff to stop investigating the matter and conducting outreach. The Board of Supervisors will hear an agenda item entitled ‘Record of Threat of Litigation’ during a closed session as part of its regular 23 July meeting. Click the link above for details.

Jack Roger Nielsen, 93, was born March 23, 1931, in Sparta, Wisconsin and passed away peacefully on Monday, July 1, 2024, in Oregon. Jack lived a full and active life from beginning to end and touched the lives of many people along the way. After retirement Jack and his wife Joyce moved to Three Rivers, California near Sequoia National Park. This is when they started the Comfort for Kids quilt project.With the help of nearly 40 volunteers within 18 years of sewing they completed over 35,000 quilts. These quilts were donated to Children’s Hospital of Central California in Madera. This project was very dear to Jack’s heart. He loved talking and sharing with others about the profound meaning of providing “real” comfort to children in crisis. Click the link above for a full obituary.

At the Board of Supervisors meeting on 9 July, the Resource Management Agency (RMA) introduced a Draft Short Term Rental Ordinance to the Board of Supervisors. The public was informed that this was to be an informational presentation and that no vote would be taken until the 23 July meeting. Nevertheless, Supervisor Pete Vander Poel moved that the proposed ordinance be rejected and that the process be stopped “altogether.” This motion was approved 3-2 by the Board of Supervisors. Click the liink above for more information.

Robert James “Jim” Barton, a longtime resident of Three Rivers, Calif., passed away peacefully on Friday, July 5, 2024, at his assisted-living home in Visalia, where he had resided for the past year. He celebrated his 100th birthday with a family gathering two months prior. A sunrise graveside service will be held Sunday, July 21, at 8 a.m. at Three Rivers Cemetery. All who knew Jim are invited to attend and share a story. Click the link above for a full obituary.

The National Weather Service in Hanford has issued a Red Flag Warning for the area including Three Rivers. It is currently in effect until noon Friday. A combination of strong winds, low relative humidity, and warm temperatures can contribute to extreme fire behavior. Any use of incendiary devices will greatly increase the risk of quick-starting, fast-spreading grass fires under what are typically low to moderate wind speeds. This is because of an abnormal amount of herbaceous fuels.

On Wednesday, July 3, 2024, CAL FIRE’s Defensible Space Inspectors and engine personnel will be visiting homes in the Silver City area on the Mineral King Road to conduct Defensible Space inspections. If you are driving to Mineral King for a holiday adventure, please watch for fire vehicles and personnel.

Sentinel Campground in the Mineral King area of Sequoia National Park will reopen on July 3, just in time for the 4th of July holiday weekend. Reservations will open the morning of July 2 at 7 a.m. Click the link above for details.

As the 4th of July holiday weekend approaches, we anticipate a significant increase in visitation to Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. SEKI kindly requests our assistance in sharing some important tips with guests staying at our establishments or stopping by our businesses to assist them in having an enjoyable visit to the parks. Click the link for details. NOTE: This information is equally applicable to any of us planning to enter the park over the next several days!