The heat and dry weather have accelerated the damage to local oaks from the invasive Goldspotted oak borer. According to Greg Bratcher, Cal Fire’s unit forester for the San Jacinto Mountains, another 18 trees have been identified as GSOB victims. Of these, 11 will be cut down and six were recommended for spraying. This…

            A diesel tanker overturned on State Route 243 about 5 p.m. Friday, April 26. The accident happened about 1 to 1.2 miles north of Mountain Center (past the Forest Service’s Keenwild Ranger Station toward Idyllwild).                        A commercial paving truck towing a trailer with a pavement grinder overturned on the road. The fuel tank…

Kevin Brennan, wildlife biologist for the state Department of Fish and Wildlife, was called out last week to remove two deer killed on the Hill when vehicles hit them. But when he arrived at the scenes, both deer had been taken by unknown individuals. Brennan said removing a road-kill deer is a citable offense. He…