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County budget projections improving
Riverside County Executive Officer (CEO) Jeff Van Wagenen provided a first quarter report on the Fiscal Year (FY) 2022-23 budget. Unlike the recent Legislative Analyst’s Office pessimistic preview of the state’s budget status, Van Wagenen reported that the end of FY 2021-22 balance was greater than expected and the county’s revenue projection is currently greater than the...
Holstege and Wallis too close to call and other results
As of 4:21 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 23, the final results for Assembly District (AD) 47 seat in the California Assembly remained too close to call.
Christy Holstege, the Democratic candidate, continued to lead her Republican opponent, Greg Wallis. But with about 168,000 ballots counted within the whole district, Holstege’s...
Getting to know Ol Man Proffitt
This week the Crier spoke with Steven Proffitt, aka Ol Man Proffitt, a transplant putting out new roots in our community, a retired journalist with new stories to tell.
Proffitt was born 70 years ago in Houma, Louisiana, to a native Cajun mother and father who came south from...
AAI spreads Christmas cheer
The Art Alliance of Idyllwild (AAI) is poised to hold its third annual Christmas Art Kit Gift Giveaway Saturday, Dec. 3. AAI offers local parents and students the opportunity to choose one to two age-appropriate free art kits and materials. More than 200 gifts are divided into age groups of 4 to 7, 8 to 12, and...
Still one too close in election counts
As of Saturday evening, Nov. 19, in Riverside County about 15,000 ballots from Election Day Nov. 8 remain to be counted. About 10,000 of these ballots are provisional. Based on total ballots already counted and the uncounted ballots, total turnout in Riverside County appears to have been about 44.9%. Turnout for each race could be different because...
State budget status flips in six months
In May, the state estimated that Fiscal Year (FY) 2021-22 would start with a projected surplus of $97.5 billion. That rosy forecast has failed to blossom and now the state may have a $7 billion deficit for the current fiscal year and a possible $25 billion deficit for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2023.
This year’s Tree Lighting Ceremony’s events
Stephanie Yost President, Idyllwild Community Center
Idyllwild’s Tree Lighting Ceremony, which will be held Saturday, Nov. 26, will honor traditions old and new.
This year’s traditional festivities will include two live entertainment stages, numerous activity and gift booths managed by local nonprofit organizations, roaming costume characters, four local food vendors and...
Stratford Players want to make you smile
The Stratford Players have been entertaining Idyllwild audiences for 12 years. On the Sunday following Thanksgiving, Stratford premieres its new holiday show, “Yule Cheer! An Idyllwild Christmas.”
This production features a festive collection of new pieces together with tried-and-true favorites. The emphasis is on merriment.
“We want to help our town...
Molly & Milty — A Love Story
By Ken LuberIdyllwild author
Editor’s note: This is the third of several installments of a short story local author Kenneth Luber has written. See the last two Town Crier for the other installments.
“I know what you’re going to say,” I quickly jumped in. “‘Milton had...
Almost all election winners determined
As of Tuesday morning, Nov. 15, in Riverside County about 94,000 ballots from Election Day Nov. 8 remain to be counted. About 10,000 of these ballots are provisional. Based on total ballots already counted and the uncounted ballots, turnout in Riverside County appears to have been about 41%.
While...
Visual arts theme show returns unmasked
Last Friday, Nov. 11, Idyllwild Arts Academy’s Visual Arts program held an opening reception for this year’s Visual Arts Student Theme Show, “Identity.” Students submit candidate themes each year; teachers then narrow the field to three on which students vote. The works are thus conceived and completed in about two months.
The show’s statement...
Art’s Corner: Art of the Guitar
The prospect for the reopening of the Lowman Hall performance space to the expecting public was quite favorable this past Sunday, with mild enough temperatures and despite brisk winds and partial cloudiness. Inside, the stage itself resembled an operating theater, with a scrupulously clean setting, with only chairs and microphones interrupting a whitened, bare and illuminated circle....
Supervisors denounce antisemitism with resolution
The Riverside County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a resolution denouncing acts of antisemitism and religious bigotry in all its forms. And it affirmed its support of and solidarity with the Jewish community against anti-Jewish bigotry.
Supervisors Manuel Perez (4th District) and Karen Spiegel (2nd District) brought the resolution forward at the Nov. 1...
What was in the candidates’ coffers?
Nov. 8, Election Day 2022, the races for governor, attorney general, congressman, state Assembly and Senate and seven propositions all being decided while this paper goes to press that day. We may be aware that the advocates and opponents of the sports betting propositions have spent hundreds of millions of dollars to gain their approval.
Covered Cal enrollment period ends Jan. 31
Open enrollment in California’s Covered California (Cal) began Nov. 1 and will end Jan. 31, 2023. Signing up soon will ensure coverage beginning Jan. 1, 2023. Open enrollment is the time of year when eligible consumers can sign up for health insurance.
Although nearly 1.7 million Californians already get health insurance through Covered Cal,...
Pelham brings back ‘Art of the Guitar’ concert series
Editor’s note: The correspondent has worked with David Pelham for many years, first as guitar teacher and then helping him with his compositions for the guitar, and has been to Paracho, Mexico, with him.
At 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 13, Idyllwild’s “Art of the Guitar” concert series will resume. This year’s concert will feature...
Algae stop fishing and kayaking at Lake Hemet
In Lake Hemet Municipal Water District (LHMWD) General Manager Mike Gow’s report to the board last Thursday, he reported that the lake level is still low at 120.5 feet. 135 feet is full and 118 feet is half full.But the Nov. 8 storm resulted in valley farmers not taking irrigation water and he hopes that with more...
Cal Trans severs IWD sewer line
g Wednesday night, Nov. 16, General Manager Leo Havener reported that Cal Trans broke a sewer line on Oct. 29 where it has been installing a culvert near Village Market, despite IWD having marked the sewer line. IWD fixed the line the same night as it has no turn-off valve, he said.“How do we get paid for...
Post 800 burgled for third time in just over a decade
The American Legion Post 800 suffered another burglary the second week of November. According to Riverside County Sheriff’s Sgt. Brandi Swan, deputies from the Hemet Mountain Station responded at 6:40 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 9, to the location on Marian View Drive in Idyllwild.“The investigation revealed that an unknown suspect(s) entered the business at some point during the...
Meet Kelly Seyarto, our next state senator
Editor’s note: The Town Crier interviewed Kelly Seyarto for the May 12, 2022, and Sept. 29, 2022 issues.Kelly Seyarto, a Republican, will be the next person to represent the Hill in the California State Senate. Until January, Melissa Melendez represents District 28, which was primarily Riverside County. She could not run again...
IFPD elects new board officers; congratulates Yost on election
At its Nov. 15 regular meeting the Idyllwild Fire Protection District (IFPD) Board of Commissioners elected officers for the year beginning Jan. 1, 2023. All officers were elected by voice votes of 4-0, with Commissioner Christina Reitz being absent. Current Vice President Commissioner Dan Messina was elected president, Commissioner Dennis Fogle was elected vice president and Commissioner...
News of Record: November 24, 2022
Idyllwild FireThe Idyllwild Fire Protection District responded to these calls from Sunday to Saturday, Nov. 13 to 19.
• Nov. 14 — Walk-in EMS, transport.• Nov. 15 — EMS, transport. S. Circle Dr.• Nov. 15 — Unintentional smoke detector activation, no fire. Temecula Dr.• Nov. 16 — Walk-in EMS.• Nov. 16 — EMS, transport....