A crash on Highway 74, about a quarter-mile west of Cranston Station, resulted in the death of Idyllwild local Russell Alyn Bomgardner. According to the still unfinished California Highway Patrol report, at 9:57 p.m. Friday, Jan. 11, Bomgardner, 26, was driving a 2004 red Ford Ranger pickup truck westbound on Highway 74 near Blackburn Road…

Discussions of the pending El Niño weather pattern have shifted from its probability to which month will it peak and its longevity. Last week, the latest National Weather Service forecast stated, “El Niño will likely peak during the Northern Hemisphere winter 2015-16.” Neutral conditions are expected by late spring and possibly early summer 2016. The…

Burglaries in Idyllwild used to be a rare occurrence. The Sheriff’s reports were usually dominated with incidents in other Hill areas. In the past month Riverside County Sheriff’s Department has reported nine incidents in Idyllwild. Reported were a felony grand theft at a local campground and six burglaries — three residential, one business, one vehicle,…