Current and future financial issues were the main topics of last week’s County Service Area 38 (Pine Cove) Advisory Committee meeting. Among the topics discussed were the future of the parcel fee now that CSA 38 residents do not have to fund the ambulance contract with the Idyllwild Fire Protection District, the current boundary of…

Community meeting Thursday, Nov. 29 Fire officials have scheduled a community meeting at 6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 29, at the Idyllwild Nature Center. Officials from various fire agencies will be present to discuss their plans for several prescribed burns on the Hill during the winter. The areas where the burns will occur are Stone Creek,…

Last week, the state’s Department of Water Resources (DWR) announcedthat the state’s groundwater supplies were improving. Although moregroundwater is needed, the rain year 2023, which was October 2022through September 2023, resulted in significant increases in the state’sgroundwater inventory. Many of California’s urban areas rely on surface water, such as theColorado River project transferring water to…

Proposition 36 is about trying to reduce crime, particularly by imposing stricter sentences for repeat offenders of certain crimes. It changes several of the punishments set when Prop 47 was approved in 2014. Prop 47 reduced certain nonserious and nonviolent property and drug offenses from felonies to misdemeanors. The measure limited these reduced penalties to…