The prosecution of Traci Farley, 52, of Pinyon, who was charged with 13 counts of arson last week, has been suspended. Judge Mark Mandio has requested the medical reports of Farley’s mental competence before proceeding with the further court actions. At the July 8 felony settlement conference, Mandio heard a motion from the public defender,…

The Fern Valley Water District Board of Directors chose new officers for 2014. The next president is Robert Krieger, vice president this year. The 2014 vice president is James Rees, who was secretary in 2013. Director Trisha Clark is the next secretary. Both Krieger and Rees were re-elected to the board without opposition this year….

Dr. Frank Vernon, research seismologist at Scripps Institution of Oceanography and University of California, San Diego, spoke in Anza about seismic monitoring in the Anza Valley. Vernon spoke last Friday at Hamilton High School Library about field arrays that have been placed throughout the Anza Valley to monitor seismic activity on the San Jacinto Fault….

CHP Officer Ron Esparza investigates the scene at this afternoon’s fatal crash on Highway 243. Photo by John Pacheco Highway 243’s southbound lane is now open with traffic control following  a nearly three-hour closure due to a fatal traffic collision involving a county vehicle and a sedan. At about 2:30 p.m. Monday, a white Honda Civic…

About 20 people volunteered to be “citizen scientists” in order to assess whether a flying squirrel population still exists in the San Jacinto Mountains. Brian Gibson of the San Diego Natural History Museum was at the Idyllwild Nature Center Saturday to describe the project and distribute cameras to local residents interested in participating. A few…