Locals Ron Kimmerle, 49, and Taylor Dravenstatt, 20, are charged with felony burglary and receiving stolen property for crimes committed in the Idyllwild and Pine Cove areas. Both are in custody, linked to recent local property crimes by charges filed by the Riverside County district attorney. Both have pled not guilty. The court set bail…

Fern Valley Water District directors elected James Rees as the board president for 2016. Rees joined the board in December 2009 and served as vice president for the past two years and secretary/treasurer before that. Trischa Clark is the new vice president and Richard Schnetzer was elected secretary/treasurer. The vote was unanimous, 4-0, with Clark…

The Mountain Fire’s blackening of a large portion of the wilderness caused many animals to lose their habitats last month. Small burrowing animals can sometimes escape the flames by going underground, said Dr. Jennifer Gee, director of the University of California’s James San Jacinto Mountains Reserve. When they emerge after the fire, those who survive…

Continuing what it believes has worked well, the Pine Cove Water District board of directors re-elected the officers that have headed the board for the past several years — President Tom McCullough, Vice President Mike Esnard and Secretary Lou Padula.