

Firefighters Jim Kutch and Paul Riggi.
Photo by Jenny Kirchner



Event marks one year since Mountain Fire
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Idyllwild Fire, Cal Fire and the U.S. Forest Service pose in front of Truck 621 at the Idyllwild Fire Station Sunday afternoon during the one-year anniversary of the Mountain Fire. Photo by Jenny Kirchner





Crews are gutting the inside of the Cornet Building, adjacent to Fairway Market, this week to make way for a remodel of the building, which will house the new Idyllwild library. Friends of the Idyllwild Library and residents expect the new library to be open this coming summer.
The Idyllwild Scholarship Fund goes back to 1969 when three students were awarded scholarships — one for $250, one for $100, and one was a desk dictionary. The organization has carried on since then as a federally tax exempt 501(c)3 organization. Annually, contributions are nearly $12,000. Many Idyllwild youth have been awarded scholarships to further their educational goals. Last year the Idyllwild community donated well over $11,000.
On Jan. 19, Tom Vilsack, secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, announced the allocation of nearly half a billion dollars to reduce wildfire risks in and near national forests landscapes in Arizona, California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah and Washington. “It is no longer a matter of if a wildfire will threaten many western communities…
According to California Highway Patrol Officer Mike Murawski, about 10 p.m. Saturday, driver Craig Savage, 36, of Idyllwild, and passengers Nathan De Jarnette, 22, of Idyllwild, Shaundra Sorrell, 21, of San Jacinto and Hailee Brooks, 23, of Idyllwild, were traveling on Saunders Meadow Road near Fairway Drive when Savage lost control of his 1993 Mazda Navajo, flipping it onto its roof and onto the hood of a parked Toyota pickup. Idyllwild Fire Department, Idyllwild Volunteer Fire Company 621, Idyllwild Garage and CHP all responded to the scene. Saunders Meadow was completely closed to traffic for about 90 minutes while the scene was cleared. All four occupants of the vehicle were uninjured and were not transported for medical treatment.
The water production in Pine Cove took a major jump last month. March production was 2.6 million gallons, which is 800,000 gallons (or 44 percent) more than the March 2016 volume of 1.8 million. Two years ago, in 2015, Pine Cove Water District’s production was 2.3 million gallons, which is the average March production…
The Board of Idyllwild Water District elected new officers. Charles Schelly will remain as President and newly elected member Jessica Preifer will become Vice President. There is still a vacancy on the board, and applications will be accepted until February 14. Schelly reported after the meeting that two applications had been received. Public comments focused…