

Living Free holds community meeting
By
Ed O’Rourke (back to camera), chair of the Living Free Board of Directors, addresses a gathering of volunteers, staff and residents at a “Town Hall” gathering Saturday morning to discuss the new efforts to rebuild and rebrand the sanctuary. The new leadership reports that more pets were adopted out in 2014 than in the entire 30-year history of the organization. At the current rate of adoptions, this may reach 300 pets for 2015.

Congressman Dr. Raul Ruiz (Cal-36) was on the Hill Friday to discuss and advance his concerns about wildfires and his legislation (H.R. 1009) submitted last month. Ruiz met with officials from the three local fire departments — Idyllwild Fire, Riverside County and the U.S Forest Service staff from the San Jacinto Ranger District — as…
Editor’s note: Last month, Steven Taylor Rutherford, 49, of Banning pleaded guilty to 10 felony counts of arson. On Friday, Sept. 5, Judge Becky Dugan sentenced him to 45 years in prison. Assistant District Attorney Amy Zeta led the prosecution of Rutherford. Riverside County and Cal Fire investigators identified the arsonist and collected the evidence…
Ron Kimmerle, twice arrested and twice jailed within the last two weeks, was again released, this time on May 9. The reason given for the release by the clerk at Southwest Detention Center, at which Kimmerle had been incarcerated since May 7, was “the District Attorney would not file charges.” Kimmerle was first arrested on…
The Cranston Fire was reported about 1 p.m. It has burned about 20 acres near the Forest Service’s Cranston Station and is about 50 percent contained, according to Carol Underhill, the Forest Service information officer. The cause is under investigation Highway 74 is closed to all traffic from Marshall on the west to Highway 243…
At about 11:20 a.m. Monday, Nov. 12, U.S. Forest Service firefighters responded to a small vegetation wildfire off of Highway 74 near the old turkey ranch south of the highway, heading toward Hemet. The Turkey incident, a small spot fire, was quickly extinguished. No cause was given. U.S. Forest Service firefighters also responded to a…
Around 11 a.m. Saturday, June 25, three dirt-bike riders came upon a man collapsed on a trail in the area of Forest Route 5S15 south of Highway 74 in Mountain Center. The three riders alerted 911 and Riverside County Sheriff’s Helicopter Star9 located the riders, and the man who was suffering from disorientation and dehydration….