Mammoth Lakes Community e-News — April 24, 2026

Town Council Special Meeting Items for April 29

3.1 – Community Visioning Statement – discussion.

3.2 – Review of organizational capacity and partnership alignment in the implementation of key strategies.

3.3 – Town Council dynamics and staff support. View the Town Council meeting agenda [https://pub-townofmammothlakes.escribemeetings.com/Meeting.aspx?Id=a3216c47-530e-4747-9b4f-74c61f1cc209&Agenda=Agenda&lang=English] or watch the meeting online [https://pub-townofmammothlakes.escribemeetings.com/?Year=2026] .

Fishing Season Opens this Saturday in the Eastern Sierra

With the snow and the cold weather this week, it’s beginning to look a lot like Fishmas the Eastern Sierra’s official start to the fishing season. Opening day is Saturday, April 25 and we couldn’t be more excited to cast a line. Once again, the Town will be stocking local waters in the Lakes Basin throughout the season. Please note, however, that the Lakes Basin is currently only open to pedestrian and bicycle traffic. Amid all the excitement, we ask that you take special care this year to protect our pristine lakes and streams by educating yourself on the potential threats posed by the Golden Mussel, and the precautions you can take to help keep this invasive species out of our lakes and waterways. New for 2026, all trailered boats over 8 feet MUST BE inspected and stickered prior to entering any Eastern Sierra waterways. Learn more about the Golden Mussel and the new mandatory watercraft inspection program here [https://easternsierrawid.com/] .

Parks, Recreation and You. Let’s Plan What’s Next: SURVEY CLOSES APRIL 30!

What do you love? How do you play? What do you want to see next? Complete this short SURVEY [https://rrcassociates.sjc1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eszTQeHfmHkCjn8?src=2] before April 30 and be entered to win a $600 Parks and Recreation Family Annual Membership. Your input will directly inform the Mammoth Lakes Parks and Recreation Master Plan [https://mammothlakesparks-ktuagis.hub.arcgis.com/] , which will guide the future of parks and recreation in our community for the next decade and beyond.

Melanie Van Winkle Appointed as Mammoth Hospital CEO

The Mammoth Hospital Board of Directors announced the appointment of Melanie Van Winkle as Chief Executive Officer, transitioning from her role as Interim CEO to lead the organization on a permanent basis. Van Winkle assumed the role of Interim CEO in January following the retirement of former CEO Tom Parker and brings deep healthcare leadership experience and a strong understanding of the organization. She has been with Mammoth Hospital for over 16 years, serving as CFO, where she strengthened the hospital’s financial position and helped guide long-term strategy and stability. Van Winkle has served in hospital leadership positions for over 35 years and has accumulated a depth of knowledge on the complexities of healthcare.

Community Coffee

The next Community Coffee will be on Thursday, April 30 at 8:30am on this Zoom link [https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85087147614]. May is Wildfire Resilience Month and is about empowering communities with the knowledge and tools needed to reduce risk and build a fire-adapted future across the Eastern Sierra. Join this webinar to hear presentations about local wildfire resilience efforts, including upcoming summer fuels reduction and forest restoration work around Mammoth Lakes. Our featured coffee shop this month is Café Crepe. We continue to use the Mobilozophy platform to provide a mobile coupon ONLY attendees may redeem for free coffee and tea drinks. Don’t forget to stick around for your chance to win a great trivia prize!

Town Meetings

• May 6 – Town Council Meeting, Suite Z at 4:00am
• May 13 – Planning and Economic Development Commission Meeting, Suite Z at 9:00am
• May 18 – Parks and Recreation Master Plan Advisory Committee Meeting, Suite Z at 5:30pm

News Staff