Officials with the Riverside County Department of Public Health and Riverside County Animal Services have announced that three separate rabid bat incidents have been recorded in Riverside County this month. Two were identified last week. None of these incidents were on the Hill, yet local residents should be careful. Public health officials stressed that anytime…

“The governor’s budget proposal reflects a budget situation that is even better than our estimates,” wrote the Legislative Analyst’s Office in its comments on Gov. Gavin Newsom’s 2019-20 budget proposal, which was released Jan. 10. The LAO noted that the majority of the $20.6 billion of increased spending was being proposed for debt repayment, reserves…

The current statewide drought is having broad ramifications. Besides significantly increasing the threat of wildfires, some communities have even endured water shortages. The consequence is increased attention to water sources, particularly groundwater, which is vital to the Hill. Groundwater provides 100 percent of Pine Cove Water District’s water. Idyllwild Water District has rights to Strawberry…