bigbeargrizzly.netNEWS & SPORTSOnline—all the time

INSIDE

Outlook, Page 17

EQUU8 provides theapeutic help to people of all ages in a unique manner.

The Broadway Broads of Big Bear belt out the Great White Way tunes on the local stage. Page 18

Big Bear High School’s varsity baseball team is taking the gifts as they come, all to pre-pare for league action ahead. Page 14

facebook.com/BigBearGrizzly @BBGrizzly

6 56525 11111 2

INSIDEVolume 74, Number 30

2 In Brief4 CSD board gets a raise8 Eagles head for cooler water

10 Your Health12 Obits, Sheriff’s Log13 Creating a legacy

13 Tracking the Bears 21 Fishing for economic impact22 Grizzly Classifieds

Big Bear Lake (San Bernardino County) California

75 centsbigbeargrizzly.net | Wednesday, March 18, 2015

Gri

zzly

file p

ho

to

By KATHY PORTIEReporter

Big Bear’s spring outdoor sports calendar

was lightened considerably this past week.

Two of the Valley’s largest trout tourna-

ments—the May Trout Classic and Fishin’

for 50K—will not take place in 2015.

The Jim Hall Memorial May Trout Classic

is the oldest and most successful of the two

tournaments, having enjoyed 32 years of

existence. The 2015 tourney was slated for

May 16-17 until event organizers decided to

pull the plug, at least for this year.

In a letter from event organizers, Jason

Hall explained the factors that led to the

decision. “... we find ourselves in litigation

over an incident that occurred in the 2013

May Trout Classic,” Hall wrote. “Our current

insurance company, Scottsdale, has still not

made a decision as to whether or not they

will defend us. They have allowed many

deadlines to pass to respond to the court,

and we have had to retain our own attorney

at the expense of the Trout Classic. This

may eventually deplete our startup funds

irreparably.”

Hall went on to say that they have been

unable to secure new insurance at an afford-

able price in time for the 2015 event. “The

mission of the May Trout Classic has been to

maintain Big Bear Lake as a premier trout

fishery by planting trophy sized fish each

year,” Hall wrote. “We are making every

effort to resume this event for 2016.”

“This is not a goodbye, but just so long for

a while,” Hall concluded.

According to the Big Bear Events Resource

Office, the May Trout Classic contributed

between $85,000 and $100,000 to the local

economy in 2012 and 2013. According to

Rick Bates, Events Resource Office director,

Fishin’ for 50K primarily attracted visit-

ing anglers who contributed an estimated

$210,000 into the local economy in 2014.

Fishin’ for 50K was scheduled for early

June, sponsored by the Big Bear Visitor’s

Bureau, formerly known as the Big Bear

Lake Resort Association. According to

Visitors Bureau spokesman Dan McKernan,

the organization is heavily involved with

the Amgen Tour of California Big Bear

Time Trial in May and the Outdoor Writers

Association of California Conference in June.

Trout derbies on hiatusTournaments attract

hundreds of anglers, fans

each year to Big Bear

Fishing tournaments such as the May Trout Classic and Fishin’ for 50K derby help increase the fish population in Big Bear Lake. Entry fees help pay for fish plants.

See TROUT Page 7

Rate

hikes

OK’d

By KATHERINE DAVIS-YOUNGReporter

The Big Bear City Community Service

District board of directors voted to

increase rates for water, sewer and solid

waste services at its March 16 meeting.

Water rates for CSD customers will

increase 10 percent each year for the next

three years, and 5 percent for the follow-

ing two years. Sewer charges will increase

4 percent per year for the next five years.

Solid waste rates will increase 11 percent

per year for the next five years.

“Without a rate increase we’re not cov-

ering our operating costs in the future,”

Catherine Tseng, consultant with Bartle

CSD approves hikes across the board

See RATES Page 2

BROADWAY IN BIG BEAR SILVER LININGS