The Board of Supervisors is scheduled to vote on garbage service rate increases at its regular meeting tomorrow morning, which commences at 9:30am. The new proposed rates include monthly surcharges for bear-resistant containers for residential customers in the Foothill Areas. There are several potential issues with this proposed solution to our bear-related garbage challenges. If you have an opinion, you are strongly encouraged attend the Board of Supervisors meeting at 2800 West Burrel Ave., or email clerkoftheboard@tularecounty.ca.gov before 8am tomorrow morning. Put “Public Comment – December 17 2024 Agenda Item 5” in the subject line. Click the link above for details.
Announcements
The prescribed fire operations on Case Mountain being conducted by the BLM’s Bakersfield Field Office have been completed. These operations were part of an ongoing effort to burn about 1,000 piles of downed hazard trees, branches, and understory brush at Case Mountain Extensive Recreation Management Area to prevent wildfire risk. Click the link above for more details.
Many Three Rivers residents awoke this morning to what appeared to be unhealthy levels of smoke in addition to the pollution rising from the valley. Currently, the dense localized smoke-scented haze in the Case Mountain area is believed to be a left-over from the prescribed fire operations that were recently conducted by the BLM’s Bakersfield Field Office. Early next week the BLM plans to provide us with more information about what we can expect going forward.
Welcome to our first Three Rivers Together newsletter! It is a place where our community members, charitable organizations, and government organizations can share information that doesn’t have the urgency of an announcement or qualify as an event. We plan to publish it every other month at first. Click the link above to read the entire newsletter in a PDF file.
“As your County Supervisor, I am honored to serve this vibrant, small, but mighty community. Together, we’ve accomplished much, and I’m confident that with continued collaboration, we’ll achieve even greater strides in the year ahead.” Click the link above to read about the important initiatives we are tackling in the year ahead.
Our CSD is a local representative government organization that provides public services and facilities not provided by the county. Currently, it is primarily committed to serving our water quality and septic needs, but it also has the power to tackle our bear and garbage challenges. Although the CSD’s directors are supposed to be elected by the community and accountable to the community, we have not elected directors for over a decade. The board meetings provide an opportunity to get involved, though! Click the link above to learn what our CSD does, what it can do, and how you can participate.
With winter’s return, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks is providing up-to-date road conditions and ranger-led programs suited to the snowy season! Read the article for more information, including an update on job opportunities and efforts to provide housing for park employees.
What do a crime-solving pony and a criminal marmot have in common? They were on public radio! Click the link above to listen to four radio segments that feature two Three Rivers locals.
Participants were asked to write the first sentence of a novel in the genre “Inspirational Science Fiction Westerns.” There was such a tremendous response to the contest and so many terrific entries that the Friends of the Three Rivers Library feel it only fair to give awards to two entrants. Many thanks to the twenty-nine brave and creative folk who participated! Our judges were local author Christina Lynch and avid book lover Carrie Vernon. Both said the entries were amazing. “I loved ALL of them, so this was really hard!” Chris said. Click the link above to read the winning entries and the honorable mentions!
For 2025 Leah and Peter Sodhy have placed the Hero Appreciation Months program under the auspices of the nonprofit Three Rivers Senior League, hoping for even more community input and possible additional participation, and also to simplify the running of the program. Read the articles for details and information on how you can get involved.
The BLM’s Brian Ludt has provided a community update on the new Craig Ranch Parking Lot, the impact of the Coffeepot Fire, livestock grazing, and the North Fork properties. Click the link above for details!
Work on the Highway 198 culvert rehabilitation project from the Sequoia National Park boundary down past Lake Kaweah is expected continue at least until the middle of December. Closures are typically in place from 6:30am to 4:30pm (though they could go as late as 6pm if necessary). The maximum number of simultaneous closures each day is two, with no more than 10 minute delays for each closure. Click link above for more information.