Riverside County Sheriff’s Department is roving patrols of deputies around the area with a federal Fire Management Assistance Grant, said Deputy Frank James today. The deputies are checking the area for looters of empty vacation homes and helping the community readjust to returning home following mandatory evacuation following the Cranston Fire an arsonist started Wednesday,…

California Highway Patrol Officer Ron Esparza is retiring. Since 1999, Esparza has served the Idyllwild Area Post. He and his wife Karleen have been Hill residents since 1989. When Esparza first came to Idyllwild, he worked as a ranger for Riverside County Parks. For the CHP, he has worked both in Central Los Angeles and…

As expected, Garner Valley residents, who are customers of the Lake Hemet Municipal Water District, have filed a lawsuit opposing the board’s December decision to raise water rates. On Dec. 20, 2018, the LHMWD adopted water rate increases for all of its customers — in Hemet, Valle Vista and Garner Valley. The district did recognize…