Last week, the state’s Board of Equalization began mailing the Fire Prevention Fee bills for fiscal year 2014-15. Many of more than 700,000 rural Californians are receiving a bill for the fourth time. About 10,000 bills will be sent each day in alphabetical order by county. The mailing schedule may be viewed at calfirefee.com. The…

By 9:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 11, the Shane Stewart home on Howland Road in Idyllwild’s Fern Valley was completely engulfed. Flames shot 20 feet above the roof line. Area fire companies were on scene, but the dead-end narrow street made access difficult. A bystander who lived nearby said the fire started sometime around 8…

This year, seven people have officially gone missing in the area. Four of those people still have not been found. Rosario Garcia was last seen on July 7, and her family has been left with a deep, vast hole of unanswered questions and grief. On Nov. 29, Maggie Zavala, Garcia’s daughter, and Laura Atenci, Garcia’s…

Effective Monday, July 16, San Bernardino National Forest officials are implementing elevated fire restrictions. In light of conditions and recent fire activity, the decision is based on national level fire activity, local fire activity and the availability of firefighters for response. Until further notice, the following restrictions will be in effect: * No campfires or…

There was one collision on Highway 74, according to California Highway Patrol Public Information Officer Matt Napier.  On June 14 at 2:45 a.m. Rodrigo Cuellar, 27 of San Jacinto, was driving his red 2016 Dodge Journey westbound on Highway 74 just west of Dry Creek at a stated speed of 35 mph. Cuellar didn’t realize…