News coverage regarding the technical problems with the website, Healthcare.gov, the federal healthcare exchange site, has been front and center in the media. States like California that opted to create their own exchanges seem to be faring much better. The only significant problem coveredcalifornia.com experienced was with the “Find your Doctor” tool that was repaired…

The Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association is leading the legal opposition to the state’s Fire Prevention Fee. The State Board of Equalization has begun replying to the fee’s challenges. In response to one local resident’s challenge and claim for refund the Board wrote, “the [Board of Equalization] will hold in abeyance any collection activity on this…

The Idyllwild Chamber and Business Roundtable are seeking volunteers during Jazz in the Pines weekend, Aug. 27-28, to help sell tickets at the Marshall Hawkins’ Town Jazz event at Jo’An’s. Volunteers are needed 6-10 p.m. Saturday and 4-8 p.m. Sunday. This is a community event supporting Marshall’s youth music education program through the Idyllwild Master…

Five center-of-town businesses were open Thursday following the previous evening’s evacuation and remained so throughout the evacuation. Fifteen customers graced the Red Kettle restaurant at 9:15 Thursday morning. Most appeared to be residents, but a few were fire-related personnel, including freelance fire photographer Jenny Kirchner. Fire photographer Jenny Kirchner had placed herself in the thick…

The Idyllwild Fire Department budget for fiscal 2014-15 is about $50,000 more than the current year budget. The district’s Finance Committee recommended the budget proposal to the full IFPD Commission for adoption at its June 10 meeting. The major issue confronting the committee was how to display the net ambulance revenue. Financial consultant Robert Dennis…