Newsom and Legislature approve FY 26-27 balanced budget
By JP Crumrine
On June 26, days before the deadline, Gov. Gavin Newsom and the California Legislature agreed to a State budget for Fiscal Year 2026-27. Newsom signed the budget bill on Monday, June 29. This is his last budget. “California’s 2026-27 state budget is delivering a balanced spending plan with zero deficit that protects Californians while maintaining…
Two local women were honored at the Hemet Unified School District board meeting last week. Wendy Read, a long-time, (she admitted to 18 years) volunteer, received the Governing Board Recognition and Award from Trustee Vic Scavarda. “A volunteer extraordinaire and three times PTA president,” said board President Jim Smith in announcing the award to Read,…
IFPD legal counsel agrees bar may be lowered Late last month, the Idyllwild Fire Protection District’s commission got some positive news; however, it may have limited ability to capitalize on it. The commission’s legal counsel provided an opinion that supported concerns in the political world and musings in the media following the state’s Supreme Court…
The U.S. Forest Service intends to conduct a pile burn Tuesday, Feb. 13 along the Pine Cove Fuel Break. On Monday, the Forest Service completed a burn near the Vista Grande Fire Station on Highway 243, about mid-way between Banning and Idyllwild. At Vista Grande, the Forest Service burned three piles of slash. However, at…
The California Department of Insurance (CDI) is rolling out new regulations mandating that insurers in the state offer discounts to policyholders who undertake fire hazard mitigation and structure “hardening.” The rules are intended to make decisions about rate and risk more transparent and more tuned to the specific risk of an individual property, as opposed…
The Predictive Services unit of Cal Fire’s Southern Operations (Ops) does not expect a bad summer fire season. The June outlook released last week anticipates below normal fire activity through September, especially in lower elevations. The coastal May Gloom, along with the wet winter, has contributed to a lower threat of wildfires through June and…
On Tuesday, Oct. 23, the Riverside County Board of Supervisors will hold a public hearing on the Planning Commission’s recommendation to amend Ordinance 348 to regulate cannabis activities within the unincorporated areas of Riverside County, including the Hill. The notice of the Hearing states the project case file may be viewed from, Monday through Friday,…
