Idyllwild Water District has filed a $50,000 lawsuit against Director Steven Kunkle of the IWD board, alleging negligence when he was an employee of the district. The suit alleges that when Kunkle was the Sewer Department chief operator (also known as wastewater supervisor) he, for several years, allowed hydraulic fluid to leak from a piece…

Phyllis Mueller, often known as Mayor Max’s spokesperson, agreed to take overall responsibility for coordinating and producing the Idyllwild’s annual Tree Lighting ceremony. Long-time event managers Marge Muir and Karen Doshier have agreed to help the novice tree lighter.   After less than a week on this volunteer job, Mueller reports that everything is in…

This week, the Riverside County Registrar of Voters began mailing  vote-by-mail ballots for the Aug. 25 Special District Mail Ballot Election. This includes elections for two Hill water districts — Idyllwild and Pine Cove. Ballots should arrive in mailboxes by the end of the week. In order to be counted in the election, voted ballots…

John Sturkie missing since early January A 55-year-old husband and father of four, John Sturkie, has been missing since Jan. 5. His remains appear to have been found. On Monday evening, the Riverside Sheriff’s Department reported, “… human remains believed to be Sturkie’s, pending positive identification by the Coroner’s Bureau, were located and recovered by…

After a long review of the current budget status, the Idyllwild Fire Protection District’s Finance Committee agreed to recommend that the commission establish a reserve account. This is the first reserve in five years, according to Committee Chair/Commissioner Nancy Layton. “We need to segregate these funds from the operating account,” Layton stated. “The windfall from…