The U.S. Geological Survey recorded a 3.1 magnitude earthquake about 3 miles southwest of Idyllwild, very close to Lake Hemet at 2:09 p.m. It was felt for about 3 to 5 seconds in the center of the village of Idyllwild. The quake was 19.5 kilometers deep. The quake was about 9 miles south east of…

Pine Cove Water District Secretary Becky Smith swore in Robert Hewitt as the newest member of the district’s board. The board vote to nominate and elect Hewitt was 3 to 1, with one vote for Nancy Borchers. The ceremony took place at the board’s regular monthly meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 15.   The vacancy occurred…

The March 15 felony settlement conference for Neil Cooper was continued until April 5 at the request of his counsel, Deputy Public Defender Marni Bender. The District Attorney’s Office did not object. Cooper, 41, of Idyllwild, was arrested on Jan. 6, and subsequently charged with burglary and criminal threats, both felonies. He has pleaded not…

While discussing future budgets at a January Riverside County Board of Supervisors meeting, County Executive Officer George Johnson said he has imposed a hiring freeze countywide. Only he can grant exceptions to the freeze. Some, especially the Friends of San Jacinto Mountain County Parks, worried that this countywide hiring freeze would prevent the hiring of…

Later this month, Riverside County Superior Court Judge Bernard Schwartz will begin making decisions and issuing court orders that will lead to the trial of Robert Pape and Cristin Smith, charged with multiple counts of murder. The two men are charged with the 2006 murders of Jon Hayward, Vicki Friedli, and Vicki’s daughter Becky, who…