At about 4:55 a.m. Monday, Aug. 23, Idyllwild Postmaster Lorraine Sonoqui was awakened with the news that Idyllwild’s post office had been vandalized in an apparent break-in attempt. Riverside County Sheriff’s deputies responded. A good deal of gouging at the white double door leading to the back room evidenced an attempted break-in, and three boxholders’…

Mt. San Jacinto State Park Superintendent Garratt Aitchison is leaving for another assignment at the end of February. Aitchison has been the local park sector superintendent for nearly five years and has had to endure and implement some of the department’s budget reductions. Next month, he will become district superintendent at Ocotillo Wells State Vehicular…

Financial issues dominated the last meeting of fiscal year 2017-18 for the Idyllwild Fire Protection District’s commission last week. The commission unanimously (3-0) approved a 5-percent increase in the ambulance-service rates. Commissioners Larry Donahoo and Jerry Buchanan were absent. The new Advanced Life Support cost will be $1,628, an increase of about $80. In the…

Riverside County 3rd District Supervisor Chuck Washington granted the local Forest Folk $2,500 for their shuttle bus service program. These are Community Improvement Designation funds and will be used to pay drivers and purchase gasoline for the shuttle service. Earlier this year, Forest Folk received a $157,000, three-year grant from the Riverside County Transportation Commission…