The National Weather Service has issued an excessive heat advisory for the San Jacinto Mountains at least through Saturday night, Sept. 2. However, while winter is colder and more dangerous in Idyllwild than in the valleys and coastal areas, this heat weather is considered “dangerous” for those areas. NWS has issued a heat advisory for…

Optimism and good news were prevalent at last week’s Mountain Area Safety Taskforce meeting. Fire officials from forest fire agencies — U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management and CAL FIRE — discussed their preparations for the 2012 fire season that has already begun.

Capt. Leonard Purvis will replace Capt. Joe Borja on Thursday, Feb. 16, as the new commander of the Riverside County Sheriff Department’s Hemet Station. Borja is retiring and for the last month has been working with Purvis on the transition. Purvis and Borja visited the Town Crier on Monday, Feb. 6. Purvis, with more than…

Three vehicles overturned under similar circumstances and one two car-collision with injuries occurred during the last week on Hill highways. At 2:15 am. Wednesday, March 30, Tom Jimenez, 19, of La Quinta, was driving his 2009 Toyota Camry east on Highway 74 just west of Santa Rosa Truck Trail when he made an unsafe turning…