Gov. Edmund Brown last Friday signed legislation sponsored by a state senate Republican to increase penalties for committing arson in California. Assembly Bill 930 extends the current sunset provisions until January 2019. They expired on Jan. 1, 2014. It will also increase the value of property damage from $6.5 million to $7 million. Re-instating the…

The Pine Cove Water District directors reviewed a proposed budget for fiscal year 2014-15, which begins July 1. Approval of the final budget and a public hearing will be held during the June meeting. General Manager Jerry Holldber submitted a balanced budget totaling $811,000, a reduction of $14,000 from the current year budget. While Holldber…

On Wednesday, April 10, Scott Shere appeared in Superior Court for a felony settlement conference. The court continued his case until April 23, when a hearing, regarding a referral to the mental health court, was scheduled for April 23. The tentative April 15 preliminary hearing was canceled. Shere remains in custody.

“An extended period of moderate to strong Santa Ana winds is expected to impact Southern California this week starting early Monday morning,” Riverside County Fire Chief John Hawkins reported Sunday. While windy conditions began Sunday night, the winds will intensify today and Tuesday, before diminishing on Wednesday. However, the winds will return Thursday and Friday….