Despite numerous forecasts of a strong El Niño arriving this winter, sometimes the actual weather surprises us. For several weeks, the National Weather Service’s has forecast that there is a “… 95 percent chance El Niño will continue through the Northern Hemisphere winter 2015-16, gradually weakening through spring 2016.” Yet chances are not certainties. For…

On average, deer in the wild can live up to 10 years, but with man as either an accidental or intentional assailant, more often than not deer seldom reach 5 years of age. And apparently, what applies to deer living in the wild also applies to the 22 aluminum painted deer of Idyllwild’s Deer Sightings…

Driving through Idyllwild for the rest of the summer will be different, if not difficult at times. As many know from the recent postal box fliers, Riverside County is planning extensive road work, mostly resurfacing, which will begin this month and continue into the last of October. Motorists can expect lane closures during construction with…

On Wednesday, May 18, the Riverside County Planning Commission will again discuss major changes to Ordinance 927, “Regulating Short Term Rentals” (STRs). The commission reviewed changes to the ordinance at its April 20 meeting, and asked its staff to make changes and bring the new revision to the commission for the May 18 meeting. However,…

The Riverside County Coroner’s Office has released the names of two men who died on the Hill over the past few weeks. Sgt. Escobar of the Coroner’s Office said Michael Maretti, 73, an Idyllwild transient, died of natural causes in his car in the St. Hugh’s Episcopal Church parking lot in Idyllwild. He was discovered…