Funds to help local homeowners replace wood shingles will soon be available. The Riverside County Board of Supervisors formally accepted an $870,000 grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for this purpose. The Mountain Communities Fire Safe Council had submitted the application in 2009 and will manage the funds under the auspices of the county’s…

Cal Trans will have intermittent closures on Highway 243 this Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. from Mt. Edna Road to Smith Creek Road in Banning. The Caltrans Rock Climbing and Bank Scaling Team will be removing slide material and rocks from the slope adjacent to the highway. This specialized team, made up of…

The California Highway Patrol is reporting that mud and rock slide is blocking the eastbound lane on Highway 74 between McGaugh and McCall Park roads below Mountain Center. The slide was reported just after 3 p.m. Thursday. A boulder has fallen onto the eastbound lane just east of McCall Park Road and was reported at…

The State Assembly’s Special Session on Petroleum and Gasoline Supplybegan last week. Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a proclamation Aug. 31 callingfor the Session. His intent was for enactment of legislation to addressfuel price spikes next year and beyond. On Sept. 21, the average cost of a gallon of gasoline in California was$4.75 compared to a…