Lake Arrowhead . Town

Two motorcyclists went down on Highway 18 about a quarter-mile below the bridge in Crestline on Wednesday evening; one suffered a compound fracture and both were seriously injured. The riders may have hit rocks in the lane.

Mardi Gras on the Mountain is back Saturday, February 6, 2027, 5–9 PM at the historic San Moritz Lodge — craft beer and wine tastings, live music, New Orleans-inspired fare, pop-up vendors. Early-bird tickets are on sale now: $45 general admission, $25 designated driver; 21+ only. Tickets at corksnhops.com.

A neighbor asks how Spectrum's phone plan performs in the mountains and down the hill. The question drew 17 comments from people sharing their experience with coverage on the mountain.

A neighbor who recently moved to Lake Arrowhead is looking for a trustworthy mechanic — their car is leaking coolant and they want a quote. The post drew 38 comments with recommendations from locals.

A Lake Arrowhead 365 member drove by and reports Wakey Wakey is open. The photo shows an eggs-and-steak breakfast spot at 291 Highway 173 in Lake Arrowhead.

The Blue Jay Craft Fair runs again this Saturday, 9am–2pm, in the US Bank parking lot next to Grocery Outlet. Local artisans with holiday crafts, and a local baker among this week's vendors.

SkyPark at Santa's Village is offering free park admission to veterans this weekend, November 6–8, with 50% off admission for family and friends. Veterans must be present with military ID (veteran or active); the offer is not available online. A good chance to spend time together and enjoy the mountain scenery.

A neighbor working through the county's stricter fire-abatement orders — clearing defensible space to avoid a fine — asks what the county is doing to meet its own rules along Highway 18, where the forest border looks uncleared. Others are asking the same question about the 'Order to Abate' process.

Vendors gather Saturday, November 7, 10:30 AM–3:30 PM at the Crest Forest Senior Citizen Club for holiday shopping — handmade gifts, artisan collections and more, including the Chingona Wonderland Artisan Collection.

A simple question drew 59 comments: where can you find the best hot pastrami sandwich on the mountain? Neighbors are weighing in with their picks.

The Rim of the World Farmers Market closed out its season this week, thanking the community and vendors — the market returns in April 2027.

A family of skunks and raccoons moved under a neighbor's house last winter; a one-way door got them out, but this year they dug a fresh entrance. The homeowner is asking for guidance on plugging it — 21 comments of advice so far.

A Crestline resident asks whether the town will skip its Christmas tree lighting this year after hearing it won't happen — 28 comments in, neighbors are hoping the rumor is wrong.

An ACRT employee backing up on a small trail while doing foliage work saw his truck slip over the side of Highway 18 downbound, just west of the 4000-foot turnout, falling hundreds of feet below. The driver self-extricated, made his way down to the highway, and was checked by fire personnel before being taken to the hospital with facial injuries and potential trauma. The vehicle is in an extremely remote spot and will not be removed quickly.

Mountain Counseling offers a support group space for people who have lost a loved one to suicide — no time frame on loss, facilitated by a peer with shared experience. The next group meets Sunday, November 8 at 4 PM, in person or online; details at mountaincounseling.org/events.

A prescribed burn runs Nov 5–7 in North Lake Arrowhead. The post asks neighbors not to report it — it's planned, not a wildfire.

Lake Arrowhead Vocal Academy's Community Voices gather outside Kuffel Canyon Coffee at 6 PM on Friday, November 13 for caroling and the Christmas tree lighting, then head inside around 7 PM for holiday jazz, Christmas favorites and featured singers, with festive drinks and holiday treats.

With Election Day approaching, the advocacy group Residents for Measure Q is answering voters' questions about the Nov. 3 bond measure. The measure would fund Mountains Community Hospital's $72 million seismic improvement and modernization project, and the group explains why the hospital is asking voters for support.

Two months after a 71-year-old woman was found beaten in her Crestline home, the suspect in the assault was arrested in Oklahoma and returned to California. The arrest brings a resolution to the attack that left the woman seriously injured in her home.

The week's Sheriff's Calls log, covering incidents reported around the mountain communities beginning Thursday, Oct. 29. As usual, the log offers a snapshot of the calls deputies handled across the area.

A mix of challengers and incumbents are taking the lead in early results for the Lake Arrowhead Community Services District Board. The early returns point to a shakeup on the board that oversees the community's water and sewer services.

A $15 special parcel tax increase to provide park and recreation programs is failing in early election results. With 6,615 votes on Measure R counted Tuesday night, the tax increase was losing, according to the San Bernardino County elections office.

Sen. Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh hosted a town hall at Crestline's San Moritz Lodge on Oct. 28 — her 90th town hall since the state gave the green light after COVID in May 2022. The senator opened the evening by marking the milestone, and residents heard from their state representative about issues facing the mountain communities.

School, law enforcement and community leaders spoke about their services and projects at Sen. Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh's town hall at San Moritz Lodge in Crestline on Oct. 28. El Niño preparations were among the topics, as local leaders outlined their plans for the coming storm season.

World War II veteran Joe Bernard Smith, father of Lake Arrowhead resident Jo Bonita Rains, earned the rank of master sergeant. During the war in the Philippines he became familiar with a variety of motor vehicles used by U.S. forces — unexpected job training that stayed with him.

Veteran John Wood expected to be drafted and sent to fight in the Korean War, but while he waited he occupied himself learning to be an auctioneer in Palm Beach, Florida. The skill he picked up while waiting became a lasting part of his life.

After 14 years, Mountain Thrift & Video is closing its Running Springs storefront. Everything is 50% off in a liquidation sale, with closing expected within the next 4–8 weeks; the shop plans to continue online and at local events.

A neighbor asks whether there are volunteer opportunities to serve food on Thanksgiving Day, or help with meal prep the day before.

A parent asks where on the mountain a teen with a fresh learner's permit can practice driving — 19 comments and counting with suggestions.

The long-running Lake Arrowhead Community Services District fight flared across several groups. The focal post breaks down the District's own April 28, 2026 board agenda packet: a $14.7M recycled-water process upgrade, with $700K in FY 2028-29 and $7M each in the two following years, drawing 17 comments. The argument: how much will land on ratepayers, and how much of it funds water for the Lake Arrowhead Country Club. Cross-posted widely — expect this one to keep running.

Emo Night is Friday at Bizzyland, and it's all ages.

A beginner's improv theater workshop meets today (Thursday) in Crestline, no experience needed. This session walks through a murder-mystery show format. Details at mountaincounseling.org/events.

Spade & Spatula (Ca. Gastropub) is displaying local art for sale — paintings by Nancy Van Buskirk, Donna Bernstein, Mary Kearney, Jim Chrysler, and Ami Usery, plus crochet stuffies by Cara McCarty Fraser.

Twin Peaks detectives extradited Erik Eduardo Navarro from Cleveland County, Oklahoma, where he was jailed on separate traffic charges, and returned him to San Bernardino County on Oct. 27. He was booked into West Valley Detention Center on charges including battery with serious injury, robbery, elder abuse and assault with a deadly weapon, stemming from an Aug. 25 attack on a 71-year-old Crestline woman. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Twin Peaks Station at (909) 336-0660.

Registrar of Voters workers emptied the ballot box at the Running Springs library last Friday, cleaning the boxes and securing them against tampering and the predicted rain. The workers said they empty the boxes at least every other day and would continue to do so through Election Day, and spoke with pride about being entrusted with the job.

The Crest Forest and Lake Arrowhead Municipal Advisory Councils held a joint meeting at San Moritz Lodge on Oct. 6, opening with a tribute to the late Robin Bull, who most recently served as Supervisor Dawn Rowe's mountain field representative. County agencies reported on their activities, and Twin Peaks Sheriff's Station Captain Craig Harris reported 1,364 calls for service in September, with 100 reports taken and 20 arrests.

At its Oct. 24 meeting, the Arrowhead Lake Association seated three recently elected directors — Paul Cate (South District), Garin Vartanian (East District) and incumbent Justin Frank (At-Large A) — and unanimously reelected President Bud Macer and Vice President Marilyn Dishell. General Manager Mike Pate reported the lake is at its highest level in many years at this point in the season, with a record amount of silt removed by the in-house maintenance team.

Arrowhead Villas Mutual Service Co. is moving forward with plans to replace its aging water storage, putting two new 170,000-gallon tanks on the site of two 1920s-era tanks that were demolished. The roughly $800,000 project has a $200,000 loan in place, and the fabricator, Superior Tank, has guaranteed financing for the rest; the existing 300,000-gallon tank, built in 1981, needs to be taken offline, cleaned and relined.

First Friday at The Lake House on Nov. 6 features landscape artists Laura Wambsgans and Deborah Day, with a portion of proceeds benefiting local charities. Owner Robin Lyles donates part of each month's proceeds to a mountain nonprofit, and the Rim of the World Historical Society is the Nov. 6 recipient.

Starlit Coffee Co closed Oct 29–Nov 3 for a special event, back Nov 4.

A multicar accident was reported on southbound SR-138 right around the Crestline cutoff on Wednesday morning, with tow trucks and fire trucks already on scene. Drivers heading down SR-138 are urged to take it slow around that turn.

A voter heading back to their car at the Thousand Pines polling place on Tuesday evening came face to face with a rather large black bear cruising the parking lot. The post drew 49 reactions — a reminder to keep your eyes open around the mountain, even at the polls.

The Blue Jay Autumn Festival is Saturday, November 14, 11 AM–7 PM in the Blue Jay Mall parking lot — a community event for all ages with a beer garden, performances, a petting zoo, arts and crafts, and more.

The 2026 Lake Arrowhead Business Expo is Thursday, November 12, from 4–8 PM at the Lake Arrowhead Resort and Spa, with exhibits from local businesses and nonprofits, food samples from local restaurants, an evening mixer, workshops, and a chance to win a $500 American Express gift card. Admission is free for Chamber members who register in advance and $10 for the general public.

Registration for RIMREC youth basketball closes November 15 — sign up at rim-rec.org for a season of teamwork and skill-building on the court.

The November Women Elevating Women meeting is Wednesday, November 11, 3–5 PM at Spade & Spatula in Blue Jay, with guest speaker Brandy Linn, updates on the two organizations receiving donations, and a look ahead to 2027. RSVP is $10 in advance via Venmo or $15 at the door.

Travel + Leisure has featured the mountain communities in a Rim of the World Scenic Byway guide, shared to Mountain Events — a nice bit of outside attention for the byway route.

Cask & Cure in Lake Arrowhead Village has two November evenings lined up, both 6–8 PM with limited seating and reservations required: Autumn Acoustics by Candlelight with Neal Daniel on November 4, and a Harvest Wine Tasting Experience with four guided tastings and a harvest-inspired charcuterie board on November 18. Details and reservations at caskandcure.com/events.

A RimEverything member who recently adopted a three-legged kitty named Harley is looking for nonprofits that can help with a prosthetic. Their vet raised the idea because walking on the partial leg is straining her bones, and the post drew a warm, helpful response.

Olga Grace Curated Apparel and Shoe Lounge opened its doors in Blue Jay with a grand opening and ribbon cutting on Thursday afternoon at 26890 Highway 189.

Mystwood Gallery, a Top Town favorite for art and jewelry, closes at the end of November. Art and jewelry are 15% off and everything else 30% off — a last chance to visit.

Vendors are being sought for a Holiday Boutique on Saturday, December 5 at the Crest Forest Senior Citizen Club in Crestline. The organizers say only a few spots remain, for handmade items, crafts, food, home decor and more.

A frustrated mountain driver kicked off a big thread (187 reactions, 78 comments) after following cars through rain and fog with their hazard lights on: from behind, the flashing makes the car in front seem to disappear for seconds at a time and distracts from the road and debris. The plea: turn the hazards off and just drive with headlights on.

A RimTraffic post reports a single-car accident 2 miles north of upper Waterman, with one occupant and no injuries. The post drew a large response from mountain drivers.

A RimEverything member asked in the early hours of Sunday whether there is any urgent care on the mountain, drawing 5 comments with local answers — a useful pointer for anyone weighing a late-night trip down the hill.