Helping to protect Idyllwild from devastation are many local firefighters, from Idylwild Fire, Cal Fire and the U.S. Forest Service, San Jacinto Ranger District. Here are few:

Trial preparations for Robert Pape and Cristin Smith, charged with the 2006 Pinyon murders of Jon Hayward, Vicki Friedli and Vicki’s daughter Becky, began last week. One of the first matters addressed was Riverside County Superior Court Judge Bernard Schwartz’s decision to conduct one trial with two juries — one for each defendant. But last…

The Mountain Fire’s cause is still under investigation. The only investigative information that has been released is that the cause was an electrical equipment failure on private property. The Town Crier will report when the investigation is complete.