California has the second highest fatality rate nationwide involving drivers between the ages of 15-18.  To help combat this growing problem, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) is conducting a free Start Smart traffic education class for local teen drivers and their parents.  This a program specifically geared toward reducing collisions and injuries involving teen drivers. …

Three traffic incidents occurred over the last week, according to Darren Meyer, California Highway Patrol public information officer. Reports are taken from the responding officer narratives. At 9:55 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 11, Omar Razo, 40, of Idyllwild, was driving his 2007 silver Toyota Yaris eastbound on Highway 74, 1 mile east of Lake Hemet Road…

On Friday Gov. Jerry Brown vetoed several bills affecting the use of unmanned aircraft — drones. This included Senate Bill 168, which was unanimously passed in both the state Assembly and Senate, that would have regulated drones flying over wildfires or interfering with firefighting or emergency responders. Essentially Brown objected to the establishment of new…

Editor’s note: A separate story discusses the Assembly District races and the Idyllwild Water District Board election. The polls have been closed for two weeks. Most final results are known, but about 46,900 ballots remain to be counted in Riverside County as of 6 pm, Saturday, Nov.16. About 1,100 ballots were counted since Friday. As…