More wildfires and greater areas burned is the forecast for the future as climate change continues. Recently, a new study published in the “Environmental Research Letters” expects fire severity to decrease. Fire severity is the extent of change in the local vegetation one year after a major fire. For example, if brushes and shrubs took…

Senate Bill (SB) 584, which has passed the California Senate, would impose a 15% tax on the rental price for a short-term rental (STR). After its passage, Sen. Monique Limón (D-Santa Barbara), who introduced the bill, said in a press release, “The vote today signals the legislative interest in advancing a conversation about what role…

Kimberly Saruwatari, director of the the Riverside County Emergency Management Department, was the featured speaker at the Mountain Emergency Service Committee meeting last Thursday at the library. She discussed the agency’s creation, its need and its goals over the next few years. In early 2014, County Executive Officer Jay Orr created a task force to…