Appeals of the state’s fire prevention fee have been overwhelming. Nearly 10 percent of the bills mailed this fall have been appealed, according to Daniel Berlant, CAL FIRE’s information officer. Consequently, the bills for the 2012-13 fee have been delayed indefinitely, he said. The bills were scheduled to begin mailing April 2. More than 87,000…

Despite County Executive Jay Orr’s optimistic view that significant savings can be found in the county’s public safety budgets, Sheriff Stan Sniff is considerably less confident. Orr is focusing on the public safety budgets, which have grown in the past several years, while the other departments have taken cuts of nearly 45 percent or more…

Following extensive review, the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office has determined no criminal charges will be filed against the driver of a 1994 Ford Ranger pickup that struck and injured several students outside Hemet High School on May 30, 2012. The California Highway Patrol, assisted by the CHP’s Border Division Multidisciplinary Accident Investigation Team (MAIT),…