Capt. Leonard Purvis will replace Capt. Joe Borja on Thursday, Feb. 16, as the new commander of the Riverside County Sheriff Department’s Hemet Station. Borja is retiring and for the last month has been working with Purvis on the transition. Purvis and Borja visited the Town Crier on Monday, Feb. 6. Purvis, with more than…

Ron Kimmerle, twice arrested and twice jailed within the last three weeks, was again released, this time on May 9. The reason given for the release by the clerk at Southwest Detention Center, at which Kimmerle had been incarcerated since May 7, was “the district attorney would not file charges.” John Hall, district attorney’s office…

  The heat and dry weather have accelerated the damage to local oaks from the invasive Goldspotted oak borer. According to Greg Bratcher, Cal Fire’s unit forester for the San Jacinto Mountains, another 18 trees have been identified as GSOB victims. Of these, 11 will be cut down and six were recommended for spraying. This…