

Fire burns 2,000 acres north of Banning
By

The Hathaway Fire, which started Sunday, June 9, could be seen from the San Jacinto Mountains. As of 8 a.m. Tuesday, the fire north of Banning had burned nearly 2,000 acres and was 25 percent contained. It was expected to be fully contained late Tuesday, June 25. Suppression costs have exceeded $800,000. Photo by Bob Haine

On Friday, Oct. 10, the California Department of Public Health confirmed enterovirus EV-D68 infection in 32 patients so far this year, an increase of 18 since the initial confirmation of California cases on Oct. 1. From mid-August to Oct.10, a total of 691 people in 46 states and the District of Columbia have been confirmed…
The summer’s rainstorms had little effect on drought conditions and current weather is unlikely to end the drought conditions this fall, although some relief may occur. The National Weather Service’s latest forecast places a 60- to 65-percent chance of an El Niño weather pattern developing during fall or winter. If an El Niño were to…
Gov. Jerry Brown proposed a $122.6 billion budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1. That is a $6.6 billion increase over the current-year budget. “This budget, relative to budgets of the last decade and half, is in good shape,” Brown said during his press conference. Education continues to be a budget priority and this…
Parental role in developing priorities grows, too Last week, June 5, the Hemet Unified School District held public hearings for its proposed 2018-19 budget, which begins July 1, and its 2018-19 Local Control and Accountability Plan. The proposed budget for next fiscal year is $290.6 million, which is $10.2 million more than the current year….
Last week, the Riverside County Department of Environmental Health started accepting applications for home-based food business permits. These are formally called Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operations. An MHKO is a food facility a resident operates in a private home. Food is stored, handled, and prepared for and may be served to consumers either directly or…
At its March 26 meeting, the Riverside County Board of Supervisors approved a new contract with Laborers International Union of North America, Local 777. The new contract, approved on a 4-1 vote, expires in two years. LIUNA members ratified the new terms on March 18. Provisions of the new contract limit step and merit increases…