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…

Karen Georg’s Idyllwild Massage on North Circle Drive has been the subject of nighttime vandalisms during recent months. In five separate incidents occurring nights or even weeks apart, storefront windows of her establishment have been shattered, apparently during nighttime hours, by the use of a pellet gun, a BB gun and rocks. Georg, who specializes…

Consolidation of the Hill’s three water districts — Fern Valley, Idyllwild and Pine Cove — was discussed briefly at the July Pine Cove Property Owners Association meeting. “Consolidation reared its ugly head again,” said PCWD General Manager Jerry Holldber. “In Pine Cove, we’ve worked very hard to have supplies and control our own destiny. There’s…

Chelsea Walsh, 33, and Gavin Escobar, 31, both of Huntington Beach, have been identified as the rock climbers who died Wednesday, Sept. 28. The Riverside County Coroner’s Office listed the time of injury of 12:21 p.m. and time of death of 1:18 p.m. for both climbers. Riverside County Fire Department reported at 12:25 p.m. that…

In May, the Riverside County Superior Court issued several grand jury reports. Every July, a new grand jury is convened and over the next 12 months, it may investigate and issue several reports. In fiscal year 2020-2021, it issued three reports, one of which was an assessment of the short-term rental ordinance. This year, the…