Club News

Please join us March 3rd, 2026 @ 7PM Strategy meeting Tuesday @ Spade and Spatula

Special Guest: Sue Walker with the Mountain Homeless Coalition 

This season, the Mountain Bears Democratic Club is focusing on Helping the Most Vulnerable Neighbors. While we continue to push the County for resources and accountability, we also know something important, County processes take time, and our neighbors need help now.

With recent budget cuts and limited services, there is no guarantee that County or State aid will meet the real needs on the mountain. That means, for the moment, we have to be the boots on the ground. Neighbors helping neighbors, in real and practical ways.

Survey Postcard Party

March 3rd, 2026 @ 7PM Strategy meeting Tuesday @ Spade and Spatula
Bring fun pens, treats to share and let's get our POSTCARD on!
For scripts and details Click HERE
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Click HERE for SHOP

February Featured Speaker: Randall Putz

Candidate For: California Assembly District 34

Topic: Bridging the Divide - Staying Safe and Sane in a Polarized World

Randall's talk on FaceBook: https://fb.watch/FuVFJlwwb2/

 

February Featured Speaker: Randall Putz

At our club meeting on Tuesday, February 24, we welcomed Randall Putz, Mayor of Big Bear Lake and candidate for Assembly District 34, who spoke on “Bridging the Divide, Staying Safe and Sane in a Polarized World.” A self-described recovering Republican, Randall acknowledged the deep divisions and tension many feel, even sharing that he has heard, “I don’t shake hands with fascists,” while urging us to consider whether new approaches rooted in listening and genuine dialogue might help move us forward. Drawing on 18 years of local leadership, he emphasized self-awareness and resisting the forces that keep communities divided, noting that while we may not bridge every divide, bridging more of them strengthens our neighborhoods. Members were eager to engage, asking about his platform and priorities for the district. In discussing his priorities, Randall said California, as the fourth largest economy in the world, can lead on protecting civil liberties and advancing fair immigration policy, while also tackling housing affordability, homelessness, rural healthcare access, and exploring universal healthcare solutions, expressing confidence that his regional experience will help him deliver results in Sacramento. The Mountain Bears Democratic Club is proud to endorse Randall Putz for Assembly District 34.

Speaker Info: Randall Putz brings 17 years of proven experience in elected office and a lifetime commitment to service. He currently serves in his 3rd term as Mayor of Big Bear Lake, and is honored with statewide recognition for excellence in public service. As an area resident for 25 years, he has held leadership roles with a variety of local and regional agencies focused on public safety, education, transportation, conservation, and planning. Randy is a native Californian, father, small business owner, and community advocate who cares deeply about the future of our region. He stands for transparency, accountability, and fairness that honors labor and equity. In Sacramento he will continue to fight for the attention and resources we need and deserve, putting planet over profit, and people over billionaires.

Links: Candidate Website: https://putzforassembly.com/
All Social Media: putzforassembly

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                                        PAST EVENTS

Mountain Bears Danced all Night

The Mountain Bears danced the night away at the 4th Annual Mardi Gras on the Mountain on Saturday, February 14, 2026, at the historic San Moritz Lodge.

Guests enjoyed a festive Mardi Gras–themed soirée featuring unique tastings from SoCal craft breweries and wineries, live music that kept the energy high, authentic New Orleans fare, and an array of pop-up vendors — all under the roof of the gorgeous San Moritz Lodge. The celebration brought community members together for an unforgettable evening of flavor, music, and mountain magic.

ICE Protest Article

Crestline made the paper!

PLEASE THANK THE ALPINE MOUNTAINEER FOR COVERING THE Crestline grassroots PROTEST!  While legacy media is shying away from protest coverage due to backlash from right wing voters and donors, we need to thank Alpine Mountaineer  for caring about democracy in its coverage. Click the above link or send your letters to the editor to PO Box 4572 Crestline, CA 92325-4572.  Make sure you send us a copy so that we can publish as well. You can also call (909) 589-2140. Additionally, alert us to newspaper coverage we might have missed.  If our voices are sustained and loud enough, the media will have no choice but to pay attention.

Rim of the World High School Students Protest

Locally- January 30th 2026, 100 of our local High School Rim of the World students joined in a nationwide protest against recent killings by immigration enforcement by walking out of school and protesting. Students across the country have reported stress and fear seeing families, friends and neighborhoods terrorized by ICE raids.  Walking out was a "real life civics lesson" where their voices could be heard in a nonviolent way. We are so proud of our young people for exercising their constitutional rights!

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January 25th,

In the wake of the horrific ICE shootings in Minnesota and the tragic murders of Alex Pretti and Renée Good, Crestline rose up. Over 70 residents gathered in the streets, holding anti-ICE signs and sharing voices of grief, anger, and resolve. Our mountain town has had enough—and we are no longer staying silent.

Both shootings occurred during an unprecedented surge of ICE and Border Patrol agents in Minneapolis as part of “Operation Metro Surge,” a large federal immigration-enforcement campaign. The deaths of Good and Pretti — ignited widespread anger because many locals and national observers see the force used as excessive, opaque, and unaccountable.

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Looking back at 2025

The pursuit of happiness, love, friends, truth, integrity, learning from mistakes, pivot, embracing change, fighting for what is right, grace, listening, being bold.

Thank you all for joining us in this journey and sometimes nightmare called 2025.  It has been a horrible year for our country but I can honestly say with all our new friends and fellow warriors it has also been an amazing year.  Your passion and strength has been an inspiration.

To win the war we need to reinvent ourselves.  We need to cut all the weights we have binded ourselves too.  We need to sacrifice our personal agendas and actually listen to others' needs.  Embrace democracy for all.

What. A. Year.
2025 was a year of uncertainty and upheaval, but The Mountain Bear Democrats rose to the occasion, came together during the chaos and forged ahead.  With your support, we welcomed 12 guest speakers, heard from 4 guest candidates and were active in passing Proposition 50 through phone banking and sending out 1,000 postcards!  We were visible and showed up at every No Kings protest, May Day, Hands Off and March for Liberty.  Mountain Bears also supported the People's March and the National Park Protest. We advocated for our brothers and sisters at the Lake Arrowhead Pride Parade and Drag Brunch. Club members kept the pressure on Jay Obernolte at town halls and office hours. Other notable events were the Spring Potluck, Crestline Mardi Gras and Crestline's 4th of July Parade. Let's give a hand to our members who show up at the Running Springs Farmers Market!  Among other achievements, we attended the MAC meeting, championed voter registration at Rim High School and participated in Neighbors Helping Neighbors. Our social media team has an impressive 1,801 online followers with content that was viewed 856,237 times while interacting with 64,361 individuals! This extraordinary organization has 108 paid members with 282 weekly newsletter recipients. Your generosity was also behind the Glen Thompson Scholarship Award. We wrapped up the year with DemsGiving, Operation Provider Food Drive, the Blue Jay Holiday Parade, Tree Contest and FireStation 91 Toy Drive.  You are an incredible part of the 2025 story - keep being amazing, keep speaking out and keep showing up!
MBDC Photo Album Click HERE