Despite a relatively wet fall, Cal Fire’s Predictive Services unit foresees significantly large fire threats into winter. The report stressed that Southern California remains in drought conditions, which are unlikely to change this winter. Both Predictive Services and the National Weather Service consider the possibility of La Niña conditions to remain high. NWS places the…

Editor’s note: See the separate and accompanying story with comments from Idyllwild residents or short-term rental (STR) owners during and after the bboard’s meeting. At its Tuesday, Nov. 28, meeting, the Riverside County Board of Supervisors reviewed another revision of Ordinance 927.2, “Regulating Short Term Rentals” and moved it forward. The board still must vote…

A trial readiness conference has been scheduled for June 18, and a jury trial may begin as soon as Aug. 4, for Steven Taylor Rutherford, 48, of Banning, the man charged with 13 felony counts of arson with enhancements including use of a delayed ignition device. A medical report on Rutherford’s ability to stand trial…