The Idyllwild Water District lost two of its five directors in September. Former President James Billman and Director Mike Freitas resigned unexpectedly within the same week. The remaining directors have not been able to appoint replacements because Vice President John Cook prefers to wait and hold an election in March 2017. Regardless of the victors,…

On Wednesday, April 13, Vicki Jakubac was selected as the new Pine Cove Water District director, replacing Tim Lange who resigned in March. From among four applicants, the board unanimously chose Jakubac. She has lived in Pine Cove for more than 20 years, raised two children and is a former PCWD employee. She left the…

On Nov. 8, 2022, California voters approved Proposition 31, a referendum on the 2020 law that would prohibit the retail sale of certain flavored tobacco products. Less than three weeks later, attorneys for R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, R.J. Reynolds Vapor Company and other Reynolds tobacco subsidiaries filed an emergency lawsuit in the U.S. Supreme Court…

The Mountain Emergency Services Committee monthly meeting last Thursday featured Jim Cook, Cal Fire retired battalion chief and current president and chief chaplain of the California Fire Chaplain Association. His topic was “Disaster Psychology.” Although Cook’s talk was framed as training for Community Emergency Response Team volunteers, there were topics and discussion points that could…