Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: (KBAK/KBFX) — If you see smoke in the Alta Sierra community The Kern County Fire Department said they are conducting pile burnings in the community beginning Monday The Kern County Fire Department said on Monday firefighters began burning piles of dead and downed trees “This preventive pile burning is being conducted to eliminate hazardous fuels and reduce the risk of wildfires.” Pile burning is a prescribed method to mitigate wildfire risks and enhance public safety KCFD said the Alta Sierra pile burns will continue in the days and weeks ahead smoke may be visible along roads and within the Alta Sierra community and potentially from other areas in the Kern River Valley,” said in a release by KCFD “Residents are encouraged to stay informed on fires burning in the area through TV the department actively manages hazards in the community through prescribed burns and mechanical treatments The fire department said residents are encourage to take this opportunity to maintain defensible space around their homes There are two things I have been reading a lot about in the snowsports press: the high cost of skiing/boarding to those new to the sport and massive overcrowding at certain resorts due to the sale of mega passes These two combined are said to be killing snowsports culture I made it my mission this year to disprove both theories before anyone tells on me to the grumpy old men who manage those hollowed grounds in the Cottonwood Canyon of Utah called Alta which is one of the few remaining ski resorts to ban snowboarding I snowboarded “Alta” but not that “Alta” The place I snowboarded is in the Sequoia National Forest just north of Bakersfield CA and eight twisty miles up the road into the Greenhorn Mountains from Lake Isabella The Alta Sierra ski resort is everything the other “Alta” is not claiming only 600 vertical feet and 8 trails across 80 skiable acres I arrived five minutes before the lifts opened and parked in the fourth spot in the lot these are not 1990s prices but still very reasonable in today’s marketplace the area receives well over 100 inches of snow a year This “alternative” Alta is all the things that everyone claims is missing in the ski/snowboard world today: a small friendly beginner’s mountain with a cheap ticket price Folks have been playing in the snow at Alta Sierra for almost eighty years A ski hut was built by the Forest Service at what was then called Shirley Meadows in the 1940’s Lew Forbes of Bakersfield began operating the Shirley Meadows Ski Area as a Forest Service concessionaire They are old school center pole doubles (what I call the naked doubles) A couple of poor snow years in the late 90’s had the area teetering on the edge of becoming a lost area a group of Bakersfield businessmen purchased the concession and committed to keeping snow sports alive They changed the name to Alta Sierra Ski Resort and Terrain Park operating a small tubing hill and a snow play area There is an old school cement floor “warming hut” with a small kitchen and bar area Like the other “Alta,” the hardest thing about this area can be getting there as the road is subject to snow closures and California’s goofy snow chain laws The town of Lake Isabella located below the ski area is a summer resort area offering plenty of off snow amenities In August of 2021 the area was threatened by a major forest fire that came close to destroying the support buildings and lifts Luckly the area was able to turn on its snow guns and hold back the fire In December of that year it opened no worse for wear The day I boarded the area had seen over seven inches of snow fall the night before Saturday and Sunday which with the limited crowds leaves some great snow Powder stashes remained until late into the day it has some great tree skiing among some really big trees It is hard not to like this other “Alta.” Small hills like this should be the foundation on which the U.S It should be where that proverbial family of four learns to ski before venturing off to mega pass land He has written several articles on the many small hills he has sought out There are no reader comments on this article yet Join the conversation by logging in Don't have an account? Create one here. PARENTS have claimed their daughters' first day of school was ruined after being told they were reportedly violating the school dress code The young girls were supposedly told off for wearing clothes that did not conform with the California school district's strict dress code The students were wearing a popular pair of shorts from Lululemon, according to the Sacramento Bee Parents claimed that school officials at the Alta Sierra Intermediate School in Clovis California - just under a three-hour drive from Sacramento - had patrolled the hallways and pulled aside students they deemed to be wearing inappropriate clothes "The girls feel very uncomfortable," one parent "They were embarrassed and called out in front of their friends For wearing normal clothes?" she added They have claimed the strict rules have affected their daughters' self-esteem, leaving them "traumatized," according to Hughes. "The enforcement of such a requirement unfairly and disproportionately impacts our young girls compared to their male counterparts," Hughes wrote in an online petition. She has launched a Change.org petition calling for the "immediate amendment to the Clovis Unified School District's dress code policy." the dress code requires the inseam of girls' shorts to be at least 5 inches and Hughes wants this to change to a minimum of 3 inches The trendy Lululemon shorts typically have an inseam of 3-4 inches tailored shorts that fit the 5-inch inseam requirements are easily accessible finding these shorts is a nearly impossible task," Hughes said She claimed that the school district's policies could potentially violate Title IX - a federal law prohibiting sex-based discrimination in schools receiving federal funding "The existing dress code inadvertently creates a dynamic where young female students are subjected to scrutiny based on their attire," Hughes continued She claimed this was "undoubtedly influencing their school experience negatively." The dress code page on the district's website sets out the rules for students The full guidelines can be found here - Dress Code Hughes argued that if the dress code was modified it would "uplift the morale of our female students by removing an unfair burden." It would also create a more empowering environment Sun contacted the Clovis Unified School District for comment Alta Sierra Intermedite's school website explained that its dress code was designed to prepare students for success after high school and appropriateness of attire are a part of learning for all students," the website said The school district has claimed the strict dress code is in place to "support student safety and establish a learning environment focused on education." But parents of these students seem to be strongly opposed to these rules "You even have female teachers wearing Lululemon shorts at school - and that's fine - but the girls can't wear them?" Hughes claimed "They came out very militant-like this year," Hughes declared WOFFORD HEIGHTS, Calif. (KBAK/KBFX — Alta Sierra Ski Resort in Wofford Heights has been surrounded by the French Fire, but has been protected from the French Fire. The manager of Alta Sierra Ski Resort says it's amazing the ski resort has not been touched by fire with flames circling all around the resort "The smoke is closing in and these guys just work and work and work through this stuff I don't know how they do it," Brian Kelly "Yesterday you couldn't barely see up here." the Alta Sierra Ski Resort on Shirley Peak as not been harmed it hasn't harmed any of our structures It hasn't hit anything that the ski resort owns," Brian Kelly General Manager at the Alta Sierra Ski Resort the General Manager at the Alta Sierra Ski Resort says he is very thankful to the firefighters for not only saving the ski resort but more importantly saving the lives and homes of the people in Alta Sierra "It's a godsend this place got saved I don't know how it went around us," Brian Kelly but more importantly the community has been saved also that's bottom line way more important than the ski resort." Kelly has been trying to help firefighters by offering the resort as a headquarters He also offers his generator and facilities He's also been trying to let evacuees know their homes are OK film the community when I'm going through "This is our community and we're trying to help everybody." Kelly says the ski resort plans to open like normal this coming ski season (KBAK/KBFX) — Alta Sierra Ski Resort will be closed on March 2 and 3 for the safety of staff members and customers with the upcoming storm “High winds in the forecast at 50 MPH along with huge snow accumulations will make travel virtually impossible Alta Sierra said they can expect up to 48 inches of new snow According to the Weather Authority team,this storm system will be a Grade C for Kern County SEE ALSO: Winter weather may close roads to National Parks through the weekend a Blizzard Warning was issued by the National Weather Service for Yosemite National Park from 4 p.m Blizzard conditions can be expected with snowfall of 6 to 8 feet above 6,000 feet and 2 to 4 feet from 4,000 feet to 5,000 feet There will also be wind gusts as high as 65 mph expected on exposed ridgetops and along the crest in the Sierra Nevada north of Tulare County Yosemite National Park will be closed from Friday through at least Sunday at noon Click here to upload your weather photos and videos to our Chime In — Alta Sierra Ski Resort inWofford Heights reported a foot of new snow overnight The resort opened for the first time of the season on Saturday RELATED:Alta Sierra Ski Resort ushers new season with fresh snowfall this Saturday The resort does not accept cash payments for tickets All purchases at the Alta Sierra ticket office and Warming Hut are credit card only There are no ticket refunds and if a ticket is purchased for the current ski season The California Highway Patrol is advising driver to carry chains if planning on driving up Ski resort officials recommend travelers take either Highway 155 through Glenville or Highway 178 through Lake Isabella They urge people not to take Rancheria or Sawmill Road WOFFORD HEIGHTS, Calif. (KBAK/KBFX) — The Alta Sierra Ski Resort plans to open for the first time of the season this Saturday Officials with the ski resort say the previous storm system brought in enough snow to open both lift chairs RELATED: Slide into a new job: Alta Sierra Ski Resort hosting job fair on Sat. Dec. 9 10-12" of snow was recorded at the base The tube park will be closed on both Saturday and Sunday ICYMI: Kern River Valley residents still waiting for repairs They urge people not to takeRancheria or Sawmill Road Please sign in with your Snow-Forecast account details below Create a free account to receive instant Snow-Alerts and save your favourite resorts on your personal MySnow page Alta Sierra at Shirley Meadows Weather (Next 3 days): The snow forecast for Alta Sierra at Shirley Meadows is: Some drizzle Alta Sierra at Shirley Meadows Weather (Days 4-6): Mostly dry Latest snow reports near Alta Sierra at Shirley Meadows: Several North American ski areas that are still open plan to celebrate the unofficial Star Wars Day tomorrow The above table gives the weather forecast for Alta Sierra at Shirley Meadows at the specific elevation of 2072 m. Our sophisticated weather models allow us to provide snow forecasts for the top, middle and bottom ski stations of Alta Sierra at Shirley Meadows. To access the weather forecasts for the other elevations, use the tab navigation above the table. For a wider view of the weather, check out the Weather Map of United States Click here to read further information on freezing levels and how we forecast our temperatures Overall 2.9 Based on 6 votes and 7 reviews I'd like to point out that the nearest airport to Shirley Meadows is in Bakersfield For big planes the nearest airport would be in Los Angeles San Francisco being remotely close to the location of Shirley Meadows is false lol Overall: 2.9 Based on 6 votes and 7 reviews I'd like to point out that the nearest airport to Shirley Meadows is in Bakersfield Read 6 more reviews of Alta Sierra at Shirley Meadows or submit your own View detailed snow forecast for Alta Sierra at Shirley Meadows at:snow-forecast.com In the mountains northeast of Bakersfield a majestic welcome sight to outdoor enthusiasts.  Highway 155 leading up to Alta Sierra Ski Resort buzzing with activity all because of record breaking snowfall.  After all it’s been more than 5-years since the resort has seen snow accumulations that would allow them to stay open consistently.  That’s what makes our visit for ‘Made in Kern County’ so remarkable and snowboarders taking to the mountain a day before it’s set to be open.  Staff preparing for record breaking crowds But the story of Alta Sierra might have been one of the past if not for a patient group of local investors as the recording breaking California drought was to close it.  and for Kern County we had a lot of pent up demand to get up here and ski.” Garro who moved to Kern County in the 1990’s always had an interest in the areas only ski resort not realizing the challenges that would lie ahead as he became one of the resorts current owners.  During California’s historic drought Garro Ellis along with several other investors not only stayed committed to the operation but they invested thousands of dollars to keep up with demands at the resort…for several years not receiving any money back on their investment.  “We always say we don’t like to sell lift tickets…we like to sell experiences,” Ellis told me as he showed me the upgrades they have made to the resort.  a new bar and food items greet visitors on cold mountain snow days Ellis and others have made the ‘warming hut’ more open and accessible to families enjoying Alta Sierra.  “There’s a lot of behind the scenes stuff that you don’t see The Alta Sierra Ski Resort dates back to 1939 when it’s founders including Wilfred Wiebe scouted the area for the best location just east of Glennville because it sits at more than 7-thousand feet an ideal elevation for snow activity in Kern County.  Wiebe who founded one of the first ski patrols in the country installing the resorts first ski lift—a old towrope pull system…the original building still on the peak at Alta Sierra Today there are several modern day chair lifts that will take visitors more than 800-vertical feet up the mountain where they are greeted by world class views.  Brian Kelly oversees operations at the resort taking us around the mountain to the top of the highest lift “Our views are incredible they rival just about anywhere you can go,” said Kelly.  On our visit those views obstructed by what crews have dubbed the “Shirley cloud.” But on a sunny day skiers and snowboarders can see views of Lake Isabella surrounded by snow laced pine trees.  Between 400 and 700 people will visit Alta Aierra on any given day during these exceptional snow days More than 50 people are employed during the ski season.  who traded a career in RV and marine sales in Florida to come to kern county says visitors will be greeted by those staff members he says are more like family “It’s so nice because it’s so family oriented and we have some of the best ski instructors in the state.” The best and only ski resort in Kern County made with precious resources that are finally coming back (KBAK/KBFX) — Kendrick Orantes came from Bakersfield with his family to Alta Sierra Ski Resort "After the majority of 2020 being spent indoors so you gotta' enjoy it," Orantes After Governor Newsom lifted the stay at home order last Monday ski resorts were one of the businesses allowed to reopen practice social distancing and train employees on a COVID-19 prevention plan Co-Owner for the ski and tubing park says after opening this weekend it's the first time they've been open for an entire year He says several factors have led to big business this weekend He says they have four feet of snow before Friday and then got another 14 inches and they sold out of snowboard rentals Saturday and Sunday "Ski resorts don't get a grant and we don't really get any money so the ownership group is doing everything we can to keep this boat afloat and we're doing everything we can to keep Kern County's only ski resort open," Holloway Orantes says the snowpack has made for perfect snowboarding runs go down in the compacted snow and then after a while just go ahead and go through places where people haven't gone through," Orantes Three students from Alta Sierra Intermediate school were awarded second-place in the National History Day contest held virtually June 14-20 due to the COVID-19 pandemic Paige Metzler and Adrian Paderna competed with over 500,000 students globally in the contest which was themed “Breaking Barriers in History” The students completed projects in five categories: documentary Metzler and Paderna created a historical performance project titled “Freewheeling for Feminism: Breaking Barriers on the Bicycle” The girls’ thesis for the project in part reads “this began to change in the 1880s when women gained a new sense of freedom after the ‘safety’ bicycle was introduced,” it said according to a post on the CUSD Facebook page “The new mode of transportation fostered greater independence as women had more control over where they went and when The eventual acceptance of women in the public sphere and suffrage barriers that continue to influence today’s modern feminist movement.” students compete in a series of contests beginning at the local level according to a news release from National History Day territories and international schools are invited to compete “To make it to the National Contest in a normal year is a remarkable achievement,” National History Day executive director Dr “ “Given the added challenges facing students because of the coronavirus and nationwide school closures I am even more impressed by what they have done this year They have shown an incredible level of perseverance amid adversity and I am confident we will continue to see great things from all of these students.” More than 300 historians and education professionals served as judges for the students’ work Over 100 students were awarded cash prizes between $500 to $2,000 each for their superior work in the judging categories (KBAK/KBFX) — It's going to be a big day for skiers and snowboarders tomorrow as they finally get the news that Alta Sierra had enough snow to open up the director of operations talked about opening day and what people can expect when they hit the slopes To learn more about the Alta Sierra Ski Resort click here (KBAK/KBFX) — A man was sentenced Thursday to 14 years in prison for his role in a man's shooting death at the Alta Sierra ski resort was killed and buried in a shallow grave in 2015 pleaded no contest in May to voluntary manslaughter A second-degree murder charge was dismissed A mistrial was declared last year in Rhynes' first trial during which he faced both first- and second-degree murder Initial police reports said Rhynes admitted to firing the gun He told detectives he intended to fire a warning shot Thomas Ertz and Joan Noble were also arrested and eventually pleaded no contest to being accessories to murder Noble and Rhynes told police they were concerned about suggestive comments they claimed Woolwine made about Noble "They were just joking around about firing (Woolwine) and kicking his butt," Noble said during a jailhouse interview with Eyewitness News in October 2015 (KERO) — Alta Sierra Ski Resort announced on Twitter that they will be opening on Wed Officials say they received eight inches of new snow on Monday night Happy to report Opening Day is Thursday 1/5/23 We received another 8” of new snow last night & are excited to open Ticket office opens at 8:00 am & lifts run from 9-4 pm representatives for Alta Sierra Ski Resort say to not use Rancheria Road take Highway 155 through Glenville or travel through Lake Isabella (KBAK/KBFX) — Bakersfield skiers and snowboarders may soon have nearby access to white slopes and stunning views Alta Sierra Ski Resort is seeing more snow this week than it has in the past five years and is hoping to open soon Brian Kelly, general manager, said the resort in Wofford Heights is accessible to Bakersfield residents “We’re within an hour and a half of Bakersfield The winter wonderland in the Kern River Valley offers opportunities to ski black-diamond runs to just like a bunny hill for learning,” Kelly said the resort opened for only two days due to insufficient snowfall and it didn’t open at all the four years prior said 2.5 feet of snow would be good enough to allow them to open This year, the resort already has accumulated 10 inches and that is lifting Kelly’s and Ellis’ hopes to open on Sunday If they receive the anticipated amount of snowfall they expect the peak season to hit at Christmas time Ellis said with the promised snowfall this year anywhere between 400 and 800 people could hit the slopes on any given day or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading or sign up for a new account to continue reading We hope that you continue to enjoy our free content no promotional deals were found matching that code This Sheriff’s vehicle dash video still shows Crawford running with a knife in her hand after a deputy unsuccessfully deployed his Taser the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office released an edited “critical incident video” of the fatal shooting of Ariella Sage Crawford by a sheriff’s deputy on Feb The video contains audio of the initial 911 calls and radio traffic between dispatch and deputies as well as dash-cam footage from the responding deputies’ vehicles The officer involved shooting is being investigated by the Nevada County District Attorney’s Office Deputies Matthew Harrison and Caleb Toderean have been placed on paid administrative leave and there is no expected date of return The video is 17 minutes long and includes a message from Moon The following is an annotation of the video including portions that The Union has edited for graphic content telling the dispatcher that when she asked the woman if the dog belonged to her she spotted Crawford three times and she went into someone’s house on the second occasion The second caller reported Crawford was at her front porch “She did not want me to call the cops and she wanted me to take her somewhere safe,” the woman said “She said ‘They’re hurting my kids,’ and she was really scared and… asked me to take her to Nevada.” The caller told the dispatch officer someone was following Crawford but was assured that was simply the first 911 caller checking on her Minute 8:38: As the vehicle pulls onto Names Drive Crawford can be seen walking down the street and Toderean can be heard telling her she’s not in trouble Crawford can be seen pulling a knife out and says something partially inaudible “I’m not going to touch your babies but I need you to put your knife away.” 9:03: Crawford tells him not to hurt her babies ad he assures her he is not going to hurt them 9:13: Crawford begins screaming that “Everyone in the whole world knows Toderean backs up as Crawford advances toward him yelling stop and putting her hands up in the air Crawford continues to scream that “Everyone knows who you are 9:51: Toderean can be heard asking one of the children to back up as Harrison can be seen to the right with the Taser Toderean asks Crawford to put the knife down “I don’t have anything to say,” Crawford responds apparently fires the Taser unsuccessfully and then is seen backing away rapidly as Crawford chases him across the street Shots can be heard and Toderean advances as he shoots – one 10:22: The deputies yell at Crawford to let go of knife 10:30: The children start to run to her but are restrained and taken to a patrol vehicle 12:23: “You can’t hide from God,” Crawford says Toderean keeps backing up as Crawford walks toward him 12:57: Crawford turns toward Harrison as he apparently fires the Taser then runs toward him around the patrol vehicle as he retreats 12:59: Toderean fires a first shot as he rounds the side of the vehicle Crawford runs into view as she chases Harrison and falls as Toderean fires again 13:07 – The deputies can be heard yelling to let go of the knife 13:45: A local resident can be seen helping to keep the children safe 14:26: Deputies tell Crawford to put the knife down so they can provide medical help 14:40 – Crawford drops the knife and deputies begin medical aid The Union is currently reviewing the video released by the Sheriff’s Office and will remove any portions deemed too graphic The link to the full video provided by the Sheriff’s Office is below In the interest of providing our community with as much information as possible Nevada County Sheriff Shannan Moon ordered the release of a Critical Incident Video detailing a tragic incident that occurred on February 4 radio traffic between dispatchers and deputies The incident began with 9-1-1 call from a concerned resident after she saw a mother and two young children walking on Alta Sierra Drive. Multiple deputies responded and located 33-year-old Ariella Crawford and her children She immediately became upset and produced a knife efforts to de-escalate the situation were not successful she charged at a deputy while holding the knife and a second deputy discharged his service weapon Crawford died at the hospital of her injuries the goal of the Sheriff’s Office is to be open and transparent led by the Nevada County District Attorney’s Office at the request of Sheriff Moon This Critical Incident Video can be found on the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office YouTube Channel at: https://youtu.be/oq08nS8syUk was fatally shot by a Nevada County sheriff's deputy during a confrontation this month in Alta Sierra 4 fatal shooting of Ariella “Sage” Crawford in front of her children by a Nevada County sheriff’s deputy Crawford’s family pushed for the release of dash-cam footage that might… In the wake of the Feb. 4 fatal shooting of Ariella “Sage” Crawford in front of her children by a Nevada County sheriff’s deputy, Crawford’s family pushed for the release of dash-cam footage that might provide some clarity as to what transpired Nevada County Sheriff Shannan Moon released that footage Wednesday as part of a longer video that also included the 911 calls and radio traffic before and during the incident “It’s a gut-wrenching video,” said family spokeswoman Leiah Schenk Thursday morning it was a very difficult day for (the family) yesterday … I don’t think anyone can see that and not feel a gut-felt reaction two deputies are seen responding to a report of a woman walking in the middle of the street with two small children on Names Drive in Alta Sierra Crawford pulled a knife as a deputy approached her and appeared highly agitated during the interaction One of the deputies fired a Taser at her but did not make contact and the second deputy fired a total of five shots as Crawford ran toward the first deputy Crawford was treated at the scene after she dropped the knife and was transported to the hospital “The most important thing is the girls are being taken care of,” Schenk said they need to lay Sage to rest and process everything.” Crawford’s family was aware she had been having some sort of mental break “Having the police respond was not what she needed,” she said “They were not equipped to handle that (situation) Schenk cited the Mobile Crisis Team announced by the Sheriff’s Office in October asking why a team was not scheduled to work that day “That might have been what Sage needed,” she said calling the failure to have an on-call crisis team a “huge disconnect that has to be fixed.” “I believe this could have gone a totally different way,” Schenk said She needed help they didn’t provide and it cost her her life.” Community members organized under the banner of Justice for Sage Crawford have planned a vigil starting at 3 p.m Friday outside the Nevada County District Attorney’s Office on Commercial Street in Nevada City “Prioritizing crisis management is an emergency measure that should be implemented to protect our community and those having mental health episodes but we cannot stop there,” a group spokesperson said in a message and a brutal and violent system of policing we will continue to see more events like this.” Contact reporter Liz Kellar at 530-477-4236 or by email at lizk@theunion.com WOFFORD HEIGHTS, Calif. (KERO) — Santa brought snow and Alta Sierra Ski Resort is back open again The resort is scheduled to be open all week Chains are required in order to get up the mountain They're expecting more snow Monday and more coming up Wednesday and Thursday (KBAK/KBFX) — A mistrial has been declared for a man accused of murder at the Alta Sierra ski resort Bobbie Rhynesis accused of killing his co-worker Carl Woolwine The jury on Thursday found Rhynes not guilty of first-degree murder and was hung on second-degree murder The last vote was 8-4 in favor of a guilty verdict according to Deputy Public Defender Tim Blenner Blenner said he expects Rhynes to be retried on the second-degree murder charge TV cameras were denied access to Thursday's proceedings on account of a beating Rhynes suffered Wednesday in jail He had an ugly black eye and severe cuts on his head His public defender believes his appearance may have changed juror's perception of him Woolwine's body was found in October in a shallow grave at the ski resort The coroner's office reported Woolwine was shot to death Initial police reports said that Rhynes admitted to firing the gun Two others were originally also arrested in connection with Woolwine's death - a dating couple Noble and Rhynes told police they were concerned about suggestive comments they say Woolwine made about Noble and kicking his butt," Noble said during an interview with Eyewitness News while still in custody Noble and Ertz each pleaded no contest months ago to being accessories to the murder Blenner's defense of Rhynes was built on physical evidence at the crime scene He told jurors that the path of the bullet and the location of the spent shell casing didn't match where Rhynes was at the time of the shooting Blenner says the evidence suggests that Thomas Ertz fired the fatal shot and that initially With the jury now unsure of which man fired the fatal shot Blenner believes Ertz' plea deal may be in jeopardy "If I'm representing [Ertz] at this point I'm saying he can't be tried for murder because it's covered by the deal he already took which is a pretty generous deal," Blenner said "But that doesn't mean that the district attorney's office can't try."Calls made to the district attorney's office were not returned before this story aired Thursday Ertz cannot claim immunity from trial based on the "double jeopardy" law because a plea deal is viewed differently than a conviction on a lesser charge loves sharing his passion for and knowledge of wine Luce has lived in Nevada County for over 60 years and was once a delivery boy for The Union newspaper The shelves are never empty at Alta Sierra Wine Shop “I have people who buy prosecco by the case,” said owner Dave Luce He has been the owner of Alta Sierra Wine Shop for 15 years now and has provided his hometown community with good and affordable wines all while taking his business on as a hobby “I have lived in this county for over 60 years so if you are looking for a homegrown business this is it,” Luce said Hennessy Elementary School right on through “I was in the California Division of Forestry My background after that is that I got involved with Dingus McGee’s restaurant over in Colfax Did that for a boatload of years and then I got into the wine business.” Luce got married and realized the restaurant industry—for him at least—wasn’t conducive to a good marriage and so he began brokering wine something he has been doing for 30 years at this point Nothing is going to happen to our lives if you quit what you are doing So I quit and opened up a little wine shop 15 years ago and that’s what this is here.” Luce said he is giving a place for the small family-owned wineries to sell though they are not exclusive to Nevada County Although his selection may not be local-centric Luce has a passion for giving back to the community he was raised in He said: “Last month I did a benefit for the United Way where 100 percent of the profits go back to the United Way This month in May it’s going to be the Unitarian Church Luce only opens his wine shop three days a week he offers tastings on Thursdays and Fridays “This has always been a hobby so if it wasn’t going to make it I wasn’t going to lose any sleep over it,” said Luce “But what I learned from that is how much it meant to some people in the community who would drive through here The inventory here was picked by the people’s pallets Luce doesn’t draw the line at wine—Alta Sierra Wine Shop offers a variety of prosecco and sparkling wines including an occasional shipment of true Champagne The wines are picked for the right reasons The anomaly is that little wine shops are supposed to be expensive and I kick everyone’s (behind) on pricing Alta Sierra Wine shop is at 10074 Alta Sierra Drive in Grass Valley To contact Staff Writer Jennifer Nobles, email jnobles@theunion.com Young golfers tee off on the first hole of the course Saturday at Alta Sierra Country Club where the First Tee of Sacramento organization brought more than 120 golfers aged 12-18 The First Tee of Greater Sacramento hosted one of its junior tournaments for boys and girls The organization aims to give the opportunity for young golfers to play on good courses for a reasonable price A group of golfers make their putts on the course at Alta Sierra County Club and Golf Course during Saturday’s First Tee event On Saturday the greens of the Alta Sierra Country Club and Golf Course were almost entirely devoted to the First Tee youth of the Sacramento-based organization BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBAK/KBFX) — The owners of Alta Sierra Ski Resort in Wofford Heights are excited about the potential of the storms hitting Kern County this week all the experts out there that give us information are telling us it's going to be a good winter and a long winter,” he said “So those two things combined really have our hopes really high." He and his partners are so confident about the weather forecast that Alta Sierra is hosting a job fair 9 a.m The resort is looking to hire as many as 50 people “It’s a big employment opportunity when the season’s going,” Pavletich said "We're real optimistic for this year being the year." Alta Sierra Ski Area announced on social media that the entire area around the ski resort is now closed for what is estimated to be approximately two weeks Due to massive flooding and damage to the roads in the area There is the danger of a massive slide on the highway and emergency services are busy assessing and repairing the roads and other infrastructure around the area Alta Sierra Ski Area is a small ski resort located about three and three-quarter hours north of Los Angeles in the Greenhorn Mountains in the Sequoia National Forest The closure notice was issued by the US Forest Service and is Northern Kern County has been affected by severe flooding following record precipitation which has eroded soil and caused mudslides across the county crews are busy clearing mud and debris from various sections of Highway 155 and will then be able to move to restoring and repairing the state route There is currently no timetable for reopening 2023 – Buchanan Bird Brains hosted their First Lego League Qualifier on Sunday The Buchanan Bird Brains are a high school robotics team that was established in 2004 the robotics team has won a World Championship title and seven regional Chairman’s awards which is a title awarded to robotics teams with the greatest community impact the Buchanan Bird Brains’ goal is to spread STEM (science and math) awareness all over the Central Valley The Buchanan Bird Brains hosted the First Lego League Qualifier at Alta Sierra from 9am to 5pm on Sunday It was the largest elementary school robotics competition that the Bird Brains have hosted since the pandemic 36 elementary school robotics teams competed at the Qualifier including a total of 212 students from 7 different cities and math (STEM) to children ages 4-16* through fun Participants gain real-world problem solving experience through a guided helping today’s students and teachers build a better future together,” “Our three divisions inspire youth to experiment and grow their critical thinking and design skills through hands-on STEM learning and robotics.” The First Lego League program was founded in 1998 It’s a fun and engaging way for children to get involved in STEM at a young age FIRST Founder Dean Kamen and the owner of LEGO Group Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen collaborated on the program “Dean and Kjeld have a shared belief that FIRST LEGO League inspires teams to research they live the entire process of creating ideas while gaining confidence in their abilities to positively use technology It was incredible to see what these children built but what was just as incredible was seeing how excited and involved all of the team members were in both the practices and the competition itself These young robotics designers aren’t just learning how to create and operate robotics they are also building confidence and working as a team First Lego League is a great way to encourage kids to build a future in science visit firstinspires.org and firstlegoleague.org Kern County Sheriff’s Office in California has confirmed that a body was found at Alta Sierra Ski Resort in Wofford Heights were arrested for first-degree murder on Tuesday in association with this alleged homicide at Alta Sierra Ski Resort Two of them are being held without bail and one has had a bail set at $1 million CA and the other two were arrested in Bakersfield Kern County Sheriff’s deputies served a search warrant is association with Woolwine’s disappearance on a home in South Lake Information was found in the home that lead authorities to Alta Sierra ski resort where an outdoor crime scene and body were discovered It is currently unknown if Woolwine has any connection with the ski resort although it is being reported that he was working there on weekends Woolwine’s pickup truck was found in Wofford Heights only a few miles from Alta Sierra ski resort on Sunday night Woolwine’s 16-year-old daughter recently ran away to Texas with a 48-year-old family friend in July this year The pair was eventually found in Texas and that family friend was sentenced to 32 months in prison after pleading no contest to charges of unlawful sexual intercourse Authorities will not comment on whether or not this has any connection with current investigation An autopsy is scheduled for Thursday to determine Woolwine’s cause of death Top elevation of 7,100-feet with a vertical drop of 400-feet Annual snowfall of 80″ in addition to snowmaking capabilities First opened in the 1980s under the name Shirley Meadows ski resort The name was changed to Alta Sierra in 2006 The ski and snowboard site with intelligence BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBAK/KBFX) - One of the suspects arrested in connection with the murder of a man at the Alta Sierra ski resort said she was asked to help move the body after her boss shot the man.Speaking in jail Joan Noble said Bobbie Rhynes was upset about comments the alleged victim but she was shocked when she said Rhynes killed him.Noble and her boyfriend is charged with first-degree murder.Noble said the three of them have been working weekends at Alta Sierra to get it ready for the winter season and she said Woolwine's behavior toward her bothered Rhynes who was the boss."The man who passed away was making comments about watching me work and sexual innuendo," Noble told Eyewitness News on Thursday She said it bothered the three other men on the crew "They were just joking around about firing him I'll just shoot him,'" Noble said.She said she didn't think he was serious.Noble said that was Saturday morning after breakfast which the group stayed at during their weekend work."The guys went up to the shop Noble said Ertz and the other worker left the area and then went to the shop and saw Rhynes there."I need your help with this," she said Rhynes told her "and (he) asked me to help move the body."Noble said Rhynes had dug a hole with the backhoe She said he had little reaction later to what happened but she was upset."Me and my boyfriend and the young kid were completely devastated," she said "And Monday night 12 sheriff cars show up at our house."Sheriff deputies said they started investigating Woolwine's disappearance Monday along with reports of a possible murder at the ski area It was Tuesday when they found the his body.Thursday the coroner's office confirmed Noble recollection of how Woolwine died - a gunshot wound.Asked why she didn't report the murder Noble said she and Ertz thought about it "a million times," but they worried about the impacts on Rhynes She said Ertz thinks of him as family.Where was Ertz when the shooting happened?"Standing next to Bob trying to talk him out of it," she said he's being seen as an accomplice."Noble also faces that charge She said Rhynes had told the others not to worry about facing legal action."He said basically if we got questioned just to say that he did it," Noble said.Eyewitness News asked for interviews with Rhynes and Ertz but they declined.Noble said she has two little children and she's most worried about them and how long she might serve he takes care of the people he loves," she said about Rhynes ever do something like that."She said she's also worried about Woolwine's daughter now that she has lost her father."In the end it comes down to my decision to pick up that pant leg "I made a bad choice by helping when my boss asked me to I didn't have anything to do with the actual murder."All three suspects are expected to be back in court next Wednesday Firefighters douse the structure involved in the working fire Thursday afternoon off of Ball Road in Alta Sierra The cause of the fire is under investigation as of press time Thursday Firefighters inspect the extent of the damage of a working structure fire that occurred off of Ball Road in Alta Sierra Thursday One occupant was able to evacuate herself from the incident with no injury Firefighters work the scene of a working structure fire which occurred Thursday afternoon off of Ball Road in Alta Sierra The cause of the fire is under investigation A firefighter works the scene of a structure fire off of the 10,000 block of Ball Road in the Alta Sierra community of Nevada County Thursday ALTA SIERRA - A structure fire partially burned a home earlier this afternoon on Ball Rd in the Nevada County community of Alta Sierra At 3:27 p.m units from Nevada County Consolidated and surrounding joint operational authority responded to the two-alarm fire A female occupant evacuated from the residence and no injuries were reported “We just got a report of a working structure fire We started fire TAC operations and within 20 minutes we had an initial knockdown and now we’re in the overhaul process,” said Joshua Sunde Battalion chief for Nevada County Consolidated Fire removed a burned overhead electrical power line The cause of the structure fire remains unknown “We have our investigators here looking at that right now we do not have an exact cause as of yet,” said Sunde extension into the vegetation was controlled by 5:03 p.m To contact Associate Editor Anabella Funk email afunk@theunion.com Local artist Chris Merrick and real estate developer Grant Barnhill from Denver recently partnered together on an art commission known for his mutant vehicles at Burning Man designed and created three art installations using vintage electronics and modern engineering for Barnhill’s co-working space in Denver Local artist Chris Merrick at Burning Man with ODO Local artist Chris Merrick and real estate developer Grant Barnhill recently partnered together on an art commission Real estate developer Grant Barnhill was riding his bike on the playa at Burning Man with friends when he passed artist Chris Merrick’s camp “I was totally blown away,” said Barnhill of the kinetic sculpture that can shoot fire 15 feet in the air he has connected with his Burner friend again “When you make big art and you find a home for it Merrick traveled to downtown Denver to unpack two 8-foot long crates shipped from his home in Alta Sierra to install multiple art pieces with steampunk flair the art blends the precision of engineering electronics and free form mechanical design It took six months to create and pays homage to the century-old brick and timber building where Barnhill will open a co-working space next month the building was used as an electronics warehouse for years the previous owners had hoarded old television and radio electronics up to the ceiling One truckload of the best vintage memorabilia was saved and 10 pallets of Merrick’s favorite pieces were shipped back to his hangar studio shop in Nevada County where he set out to put his skills to the test Merrick works as a design engineer four days a week at Ensemble Designs writing software and designing for the international television industry as an artist and contract engineer for his business he was designing circuit boards before switching gears to his artist side With only a week to go before heading to Burning Man Merrick installed his first big commission office workers stopping in for a drink on the first floor of the building will find a 16-foot long bar front made of vintage electronics lit up and programmable co-workers will find five 1950s-style television replicas displaying black and white footage without the vacuum tubes and bulky weight of that original era Each wood-carved replica Merrick made by looking at old photographs for inspiration The televisions’ innards are composed of a computer playback device and flat-screen monitor a steampunk chandelier will hang from the ceiling measuring seven-and-a-half feet by three-and-half-feet “To see it all complete like this totally exceeded my expectations,” said Barnhill his maker mind and his artistic creativity on many levels growing up in Michigan with the automobile industry as a backdrop Merrick was the kid always winning science fairs he made his own computers and later studied robotics Art was a discovery in my late 30s and 40s,” Merrick said His earliest artistic spark ignited while watching street artists on the sidewalks of Monterey creating space scenes with spray cans and stencils Soon he was making his own multi-layered “reverse” paintings on glass Merrick ventured to Burning Man in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert for the first time Merrick took fire safety classes and learned how to make fire cannons He incorporated fire elements into his work he built a weeping willow that glows with cascading LED lights when night falls he is in his element when he has free rein to use his imagination Contact freelance writer Laura Petersen at laurapetersen310@gmail.com or 913-3067 Caltrans announced Highway 155 will be closed just east of Glennville starting Friday (KBAK/KBFX) — Caltrans announced Highway 155 will be closed just east of Glennville starting Friday The closure is for crews to place a new culvert less than half a mile east of Fulton Creek Caltrans said traffic between Alta Sierra and Wofford Heights will not be impacted News | Mar 9 A driver swerving to avoid a deer Tuesday morning on Highway 49 collided head-on with a big rig An eyewitness told authorities that a gray Toyota pickup was driving north when it swerved to miss the deer The force of the impact caused the Toyota driver — Tina Terrell of Grass Valley — to be ejected from the pickup The big rig was forced into the northbound lane and its trailer was blocking the northbound route The tractor’s saddle gas tanks spilled about 100 gallons of diesel fuel which was mostly contained in the dirt berm “We’re diverting northbound traffic to Alta Sierra Drive which takes you back to the 49,” Vandre said William Roller is a staff writer with The Union, a sister publication of the Sierra Sun. He can be reached at wroller@theunion.com and beyond make the Sierra Sun's work possible Your financial contribution supports our efforts to deliver quality your support is critical to help us keep our community informed about the evolving coronavirus pandemic and the impact it is having locally Your donation will help us continue to cover COVID-19 and our other vital local news Sign up for daily and breaking news headlines Manage Subscriptions there are no polls available at the moment A new, week-long Fresno State and NASA program, Dive Into Space for 30 Clovis Unified School District high school students comes to an end with an underwater competition that can be viewed by the public at Alta Sierra Intermediate School (380 W The free, public event wraps up a unique six-day science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) experience that began July 25 for students aged 14 to 17 and includes the “four C’s” of 21st century skills that employers identified as crucial to success in today’s workplace: communication Using the nearby Buchanan High School pool as a neutral buoyancy lab students wear scuba gear to perform tasks underwater that simulate working in space The event will be telecast to the nearby Alta Sierra multi-purpose room for real-time public viewing The event is part of Fresno State’s Aerospace Academy in the Kremen School of Education and Human Development in partnership with Clovis Unified as well as certified scuba diving instructors and the Fresno County Sheriff’s Department Dive Rescue Team It’s designed to offer students an immersive experience that combines diving Other co-sponsors include the Fresno/Clovis Convention and Visitors Bureau, Clovis Veteran’s Memorial District and Celebratory Leadership Dr. Steve Price, Fresno State teaching fellows director, and Russ Billings 2004 NASA astronaut candidate and former physics teacher are spearheading the workshops this week from 7 a.m “Just as NASA astronaut candidates train in zero gravity water tanks that simulate working in space student teams will receive scuba training and dive in three-person crews in a pool to simulate tasks performed in space,” Price said build and test robots to meet underwater challenges The students also engage in Celebratory Leadership which teaches how to recognize and celebrate the people and things that are going right while building resilience author of “Generative Leadership” and “12 Brain/Mind Principles in Learning,” facilitates the leadership training component student space crews will compete in completing underwater tasks with each team’s performance judged by Fresno County Sheriff’s Department rescue divers A remote video broadcast for parents and friends will be available in the Alta Sierra Intermediate School multipurpose room An awards ceremony and media availability featuring the student “space divers” will follow For more information, contact Price at 559.270.6896 or josephp@csufresno.edu Download Adobe Acrobat Reader Fresno State News Hub is the primary source of information about current events affecting California State University faculty and staff; providing an archive of news articles as well as links to major resources on campus as a service to the university community.